By Matt Dolloff, 985TheSportsHub.com
FOXBORO, Mass. — The Patriots’ latest postgame locker room video shows that head coach Bill Belichick was particularly pleased with the team’s improvement in the running game. Belichick also got the Patriots in the mindset of a short week in a unique way that he’s done before.
“Big thing now is we’ve got to turn the page – it’s Wednesday night,” Belichick says in the above clip. “Just look at it that way, it’s Wednesday night on a Sunday game. We’ve got a quick turnaround here. Let’s get some rest, let’s do a good job of being ready to go tomorrow and finishing this game, and then get on to the Giants. This one is gonna be right on top of us.”
When you go from a normal week to having only three days to prepare for a game, urgency is crucial. When you’re just getting off the field after a Sunday game and you have to go right to preparing as if you just had your first big practice day of the week. Wednesday is typically the most important practice day of the week, so preparing for a game without it is obviously a huge disadvantage for both teams.
A short week could be the only thing that would keep the Patriots from being prepared enough to beat the Giants on Thursday night. But Thursday home teams historically win, anyway, as do the Patriots in Foxboro against rookie quarterbacks. But it certainly helps for Belichick to mentally get them in gear for the next game before they even hit the showers after beating the Redskins.
Matt Dolloff is a digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Have a news tip, question, or comment for Matt? Follow him on Twitter @mattdolloff or email him at matthew.dolloff@bbgi.com.
