Patriots fit the Bill

COACH: WE’LL SHOW SUPER FOCUS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS head coach Bill Belichick returned to a familiar theme last night as his side’s preparations for facing the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI came to a close.

That theme for his players is a simple one: Do your job.

And that hallmark of Belichick’s coaching philosophy – one which has seen four Super Bowl wins for the Patriots since 2001 – shows no sign of disappearing anytime soon.

Tasked with stopping the NFL’s most powerful attack this time around, Belichick (left) knows his side will have to be razor sharp in Houston.

He said: “They are a fast-starting team, offensively. So we’ve got to do a good job of making sure we know what we’re doing.

“We’ve done this all year. We play for each other, coach for each other. ALEX MILLER in Houston Nobody can do anybody else’s job.

“We’re prepared. They players have worked hard. We need to have confidence in our team-mates, which I know we do, and confidence in ourselves that we’ll do our jobs.”

Meanwhile, Falcons head coach Dan Quinn believes his quarterback Matt Ryan will be on the money tonight after yet another flawless display in practice where EVERY one of his pass attempts was caught.

Quinn said: “That’s Matt. I am so pumped for him. It is not surprising the offense feels so good.

“In the past, I think Matt has overburdened himself, going so deep in the gameplan.

“This year he’s really found his rhythm.”

One player tipped to have a big game tonight is Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount because if he can blast through the Atlanta defence, New England will be able to control the game clock.

And Blount says he is ready to repeat his regular season rushing success if called upon.

He said: “It means a lot. Just the fact that they depend on our running game a little bit.

“They’ve called on us in some special situations and our whole group has stepped up to the plate.

“Any running back that came into the game didn’t miss a beat at all. Whether it was me, Dion Lewis or James White.

“It’s nice to know that they can lay it on us at any time and know that we can get the job done.”

Get the job done – Belichick would be proud.