Bill Belichick is not interested in indulging in any more nostalgia.
On a conference call with the media on Friday — the day after a shocking 42-27 defeat in the home opener against the Chiefs — he made it clear where he stands when it comes to reminiscing about past accomplishments. He was asked about a quote he offered in 2014 when he said he was proud of the way his team finished the game at the end of a blowout against the Chiefs, and if he could compare it to how his team played Thursday’s finish.
“I think I said it a thousand times. I think we’ve got a lot of work to do. I don’t think anything that we did really was good enough,” he said. “I’m not really interested in living in the past in 2014, 2015, 2003, 2004, which constantly keeps coming up. I mean, everything’s about some other year but this year and this team. I don’t really think all that’s relevant because we’re talking about another team, but we’ve got a thousand questions about it every week.
“I’m really concerned about the 2017 team, what this team is, what this team needs to do. I’m not trying to live in the past like everybody else is.”
Pats taking a look at Lewis, Payton
The Patriots had quarterback Thad Lewis and wide receiver Jordan Payton in for workouts recently, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.
Lewis is a 6-foot-2, 200-pounder out of Duke who spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons in the NFL. Lewis has played for both Cleveland and Buffalo, and has completed 61 percent of his passes in the NFL, to go along with 1,296 passing yards, five touchdowns and four interceptions. The 32-year-old could provide some added depth at the quarterback spot as a third signal-caller behind Tom Brady and Jimmy Garoppolo. (For what it’s worth, he does not appear to have practice squad eligibility.)
The 24-year-old Payton is a 6-foot-1, 209-pounder out of UCLA who spent last season in Cleveland, and had one catch for three yards in four games. Payton is coming off a shortened season where he served a four-game suspension for violating the NFL’s policy on performance enhancing substances. With Julian Edelman out for the year, Malcolm Mitchell on injured reserve and Danny Amendola suffering a concussion against the Chiefs, Payton would be a depth signing for a team looking for available bodies going into next week’s game against the Saints.
(UPDATE, Friday at 4:10 p.m.: The Patriots are also giving a look at wide receiver Marquess Wilson, according to Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. The 6-foot-3, 194-pound receiver has been in the league for four years with the Bears, and has 56 catches for 777 yards and three touchdowns.)
Marquess Wilson to work out for the New England Patriots on Friday, according to a league source
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 7, 2017
Source: the Patriots worked out 3 quarterbacks today, Matt Barkley, Matt McGloin and David Fales.
— Field Yates (@FieldYates) September 8, 2017