FOXBORO -- With the bye week at hand, Patriots players have been afforded more time off than they've had all season. After today's practice, they won't have another until Tuesday of next week. For many, it's a chance to get away and decompress. For some others, it will be a chance to do extra work in preparation for the second half of the season.
Here are some of the things the Patriots have planned for their upcoming long weekend:
Tom Brady
Im not sure yet. I havent quite made any plans. Get a little rest, stay focused on what we have to do here and try to gear up for a really important next eight games of the year.
Stevan Ridley
I'll be down in Baton Rouge, watching the LSU-'Bama game, of course. I gotta get back and see my boys play and try to get this upset so I can come back and talk a little trash to Dont'a Hightower and Brandon Deaderick. I'll be right there in Baton Rouge . . . I'll probably be down on the sideline. Somewhere around. Not too far. I'm going down there to see my boys, man. I'm going back to see them and wish 'em luck. I'm with them out there on the field. I want them to get that win, like I said, so I can get back up here and talk a little bit . . . It's funny you get some time away and I'm going to another football game. I'm going back to my local high school game, then I'm gonna catch the LSU game, then I come on back. I'm leaving football to go to football. It's my life, man.
Steve Gregory
Right now getting healthy and being ready to play is the most important thing so I'll be around here . . . The season can be a grind. It's a long season. The bye week always comes, and it's good for guys to get away, get their mind off things a little bit. Even take a little trip, just get away from it for a little bit, but then get back, ready to play.
Tavon Wilson
I feel like a bye week is always good and I feel like ours came at the perfect time. Right in the middle of the season. I feel like it's perfect just to kind of relax, and kind of look at some things you've done wrong, some things you've done right and just try to build on those things . . . I'm definitely getting away. I'm gonna get away, relax a little bit and when I get back here next week then I'll be able to get ready for Buffalo.
Rob Ninkovich
I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to stay here, lay around, just kind of relax. Try and get myself back to feeling a little bit normal. Come next week, I'll be refreshed . . . You come in, get your lifts in, do the same things that you would do every other week. You just have a little bit more time to sleep in the morning so that you don't have to get up so early and so you don't have those long, 12-hour days . . . I'll probably sit down and watch some college games, the pro games as well. Obviously having the first chance to just kind of relax and watch a football game.
Brandon Spikes
Me personally, I'm still gonna be working. I wanna just be a professional. I wanna be the best at my position. I can't let a day get by. I'm definitely going to enjoy my family but at the same time, still trying to get the edge.
Bill Belichick
Well see how it goes. Right now were just trying to have a good day here today, take advantage of our day on the field with the players. We have some things that we definitely need to clean up after they leave going forward. Well just kind of take it day to day here and see how it goes.