FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots’ AFC Championship game rematch in Indianapolis on Sunday night has been circled on the calendar by a lot of football fans since the schedule was announced last April.
To the members of Patriots Nation it’s much more than a big road game against a longtime rival and another possible Super Bowl contender.
Whether they say so aloud or not, this is a chance for the Patriots (4-0) to get some vindication against the Colts (3-2), the team that ignited the Deflategate controversy that engulfed the NFL during the entire off-season.
But according to the two guys at the center of criticism — head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady — there is no extra motivation this week.
Of course not, right?
Never mind that Brady’s left side — blind side — tackle, Nate Solder, is apparently out for the season.
The Patriots media was as misguided in its focus Wednesday as commissioner Roger Goodell was throughout the offseason when he made a mountain out of a few allegedly deflated footballs.
In an issue that may be of real concern to the Patriots, Solder, a former first round draft choice and fifth-year starter, apparently tore his right biceps.
The Patriots have a couple options to fill Solder’s important spot. They could either move former All-Pro right tackle Sebastian Vollmer from the right the left side, which is what they did in 2009. Or, the Patriots would install backup Marcus Cannon at the spot, which is what they did during the game in Dallas when Solder went out.
Although Belichick will never tip his hand, the coach seemed pleased with Cannon’s work, both recently and historically in his four-plus seasons.
“Marcus has always played well for us,” Belichick said before the news was received of Solder being out for the season. “Two years ago when he was in for (Sebastian) Vollmer, last year the opportunities that he had early in the year, particularly at tackle, and then this year he’s played in every game, played a number of snaps in all of our games, so he’s always done a good job for us when he’s been in there. I’m glad we have him.”
OK, let’s return this press conference to those matters deemed important by the media, such as the residue of Deflategate.
A local New England TV reporter asked Belichick on Wednesday if he is approached at the grocery store by any by Patriots fans telling him they would like to see the team “kick Indy’s butt.”
“I haven’t been to the grocery store in a couple years,” Belichick responded dryly.
“Look, it’s the same questions every week,” the coach added. “We are getting ready to play a game on Sunday. We’re going to do the best we can to prepare for it and be ready to go and perform well on Sunday night. That’s what we do.”
Belichick focused instead on such facts as the Colts winning their last three games, their “explosive” offense and that they lead the NFL in negative plays on run defense.
Brady took a similar approach in his very short press conference later in the day.
“I’m always pretty motivated regardless of the opponent, regardless of the team or the week, whether it’s a preseason game, whether it’s a regular season game,” Brady said.
Told that he sounded like a robot and that he must have some “human” part of him with extra fire this week, Brady did little to expand on his previous comment.
“I’m a human, there’s no doubt,” Brady said. “I’m definitely human.”