FOXBORO -- Ryan Fitzpatrick's helmet was on the ground a few yards away, but he walked right past it. It could wait. He marched over to Patriots linebacker Brandon Spikes and wanted to have a word.
Spikes was flagged for a roughing-the-passer penalty in the fourth quarter of New England's 37-31 win over Buffalo when he drove Fitzpatrick into the ground, separating the Bills quarterback from his helmet.
"We aren't going to back down from anybody," Fitzpatrick said of his reaction to the Spikes hit. "I think that Spikes is an emotional player. I think he's a punk at times and took a cheap shot at Scott Chandler in the first game and was doing a lot of talking and hitting out there. He's not one of my favorite players, not high on my list. I think that's all just mentality and I think it's important that you don't back down from anybody."
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Spikes was fined 21,000 when he hit Chandler in Week 4 and knocked the tight end out of the game with a concussion.