FOXBORO -- Jabaal Sheard has gone from starter to benched in the matter of a few weeks, but he's doing his best to maintain a positive attitude.
In his first meeting with reporters since being left behind when the Patriots traveled to the West Coast for their game with the 49ers, Sheard was asked how he's handled the recent and sudden demotion.
"I'm positive, man," he said. "There's great energy around here. Just things I gotta work on and get better [at] on the field. Go out there and work, and hopefully they'll make me active."
Sheard played in 16 snaps against the Seahawks in Week 10, including just four in the second half, and he was made inactive against San Francisco. What is it that Sheard hasn't done to have his playing time docked? What can he do to get himself on the field?
"Just do my job, I think," he said. "Everything else, leave it up to coach [Belichick]. Practice hard, and when I get the opportunity, play hard."
Sheard said that he had never been made inactive for a non-injury related reason in his pro career until last weekend.
In his absence, the Patriots have handed more playing time to second-year defensive end Trey Flowers. Like Sheard, the Patriots have moved Flowers around all along the defensive front, playing him right over the center at nose tackle as well as out on the edge.
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Did Sheard believe he had a good week of practice this week? A week that might earn him more playing time?
"I just went out there," he said, "and worked hard and did what I could."
Sheard caught plenty of attention on social media Friday when he posted to Instagram from the Celtics-Warriors game at TD Garden, which occurred while the Patriots were in the air on their way to San Francisco. Sheard indicated that was not an act of defiance: "Warriors-Celtics game," he said simply.
Sheard insisted he's put last week behind him and he's looking ahead to this weekend's game at MetLife Stadium with the Jets.
"That's what we do around here man," he said. "We've honestly been forcused on the Jets all week, and that's been my biggest focus . . . Just taking advantage of everything I can do on the field to get out there and play this week."
Asked if he felt any differently about his playing time situation given that he's in a contract year.
"I'm just focused on the Jets right now," he said.