Last Updated: November 11, 2023, 01:00 IST
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Despite the Patriots’ 27 document, coach Bill Belichick was in an unusually upbeat temper Friday and mentioned he hoped his staff may benefit from the expertise of taking part in towards the Indianapolis Colts in Germany.
FRANKFURT, Germany: Despite the Patriots’ 2-7 document, coach Bill Belichick was in an unusually upbeat temper Friday and mentioned he hoped his staff may benefit from the expertise of taking part in towards the Indianapolis Colts in Germany.
Belichick and the Patriots have a 3-0 all-time document in regular-season worldwide video games — the final in 2017 — however haven’t performed in Germany. The staff is coming off a 20-17 loss to the Washington Commanders final week.
“We play a lot of NFL games and this is one that will be a little bit different, just like Mexico City and London were,” Belichick mentioned. “It’s a good opportunity for our team. We’ll just make the most of it and enjoy it, obviously focus on playing well, regaining our focus and preparation here, the next couple of days. Go out there and hopefully play our best game of the year on Sunday. That’s our goal.”
The Patriots are on the lookout for the primary win outdoors their division this season as they play the Colts (4-5). New England’s dismal begin this yr is the franchise’s worst since Belichick’s first season with the staff in 2000.
Belichick mentioned he’s liked visiting Germany earlier than, although he questioned the catering alternative for the media at observe — “pretzels for lunch?” — and predicted the tight journey schedule after arriving Friday morning meant he wouldn’t see a lot of Frankfurt.
“We’ll see how it goes. I’m kind of running on fumes here,” he mentioned.
Belichick’s demeanor in entrance of the media Friday comes amid hypothesis in regards to the 71-year-old’s job safety with New England.
“I don’t know if it’s Germany or not,” defensive again Jabrill Peppers mentioned of Belichick’s obvious change in angle. “But we’ll see how he is on game day.”
It’s not simply Belichick hoping to make use of the worldwide journey to show across the Patriots’ season.
“The biggest thing is it is a good team bonding experience,” quarterback Mac Jones mentioned. “To be in another country and spread the game of football and do it together is very important.”
For working again Ezekiel Elliott, it’s a really perfect “change of pace” to strengthen staff spirit. “We have the perfect time right in the middle of the season right before the bye week,” he mentioned. “I think this would be a good opportunity for us to spend a little more time than we usually do get to spend together.”
Belichick confirmed offensive sort out Trent Brown had not made the journey to Germany with the staff. Asked if it was associated to private causes or his ankle damage — each talked about in Thursday’s damage report — Belichick mentioned “both.”
Cornerback J.C. Jackson, who was traded from the Los Angeles Chargers final month, additionally didn’t journey with the staff. Belichick indicated he anticipated Jackson could be out there following the journey to Germany. Jackson was listed Thursday as not practising for private causes. The Patriots have a bye week earlier than taking part in the New York Giants on Nov. 26.
For the Colts, tight finish Drew Ogletree is dominated out with a foot damage he suffered in final week’s 27-13 win over the Carolina Panthers, and cornerback JuJu Brents didn’t journey with a quad damage.
SOCCER CONNECTIONS
The Patriots are the house staff in Germany — and considered one of 4 NFL groups with advertising rights within the nation — they usually’re feeling proper at dwelling at their observe location. The Patriots are based mostly out of the state-of-the-art DFB Campus, the house of the German nationwide soccer groups.
Patriots particular groups stalwart Matthew Slater was happy with the German nationwide staff soccer jersey he received in a trivia competitors with Elliott on Friday. “To have a moment like that, you certainly appreciate it. To be able to laugh a little bit, have some fun,” Slater mentioned. “I’ll give this to my kids, they’ll enjoy it.”
Sunday’s recreation is being performed at Deutsche Bank Park, the house of considered one of Germany’s largest soccer golf equipment, Eintracht Frankfurt. That might be the right stage for Colts kicker Matt Gay, who as soon as aspired to a world soccer profession and performed two years of school soccer earlier than switching to soccer as a walk-on.
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AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed – Associated Press)
