Flowers no shrinking violet
Disputes Lewis’ claim Patriots aren’t tough
FOXBORO — Dion Lewis didn’t hold back after the Titans’ win on Sunday. He leveled Patriots management with his postgame remarks, and also knocked his teammates.
PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK
“I know those guys,” Lewis told reporters. “I know that you be physical with them and let ’em have it and they’ll fold.”
Tom Brady reacted to Lewis’ critical comments during his appearance on WEEI, and said his former teammate can say what he wants because he won the game. Speaking privately with
Trey Flowers yesterday, the Patriots defensive end agreed with Brady. But he also challenged the notion of the Pats not being physical, and folding when other teams hit them.
He disputes Lewis’ claim the defense is soft.
“We’re very tough. Not only physically, but mentally. I think that’s the strength of the team,” Flowers said. “Maybe that didn’t show Sunday as far as how physical we should have been, but I think there’s a lot of guys in here that are very tough, and are able to go out there and produce.”
Was Flowers surprised Lewis would cut down his former teammates in that manner?
“Just cuz he was in the locker room with us, you can’t expect him to be respectful,” Flowers said. “He felt the need to say it, so that’s what he said. It’s no surprise. He’s a highly competitive person. He plays hard, he plays well. Whatever he said, I guess that’s how he felt.”
Flowers believes the Patriots’ toughness will be evident over the final six games of the season after the bye. They’ll be no signs of them being soft, or folding when the going gets tough.
“I think that’s what we pride ourselves on in this organization, how we want to be as far as tough and physical. I don’t think it’s anything we got to prove to ourselves. We already know what we’re capable of, what we’re able to do,” Flowers said. “It’s nothing we have to prove to ourselves. We don’t fold. Anybody can say what they say. That’s what they have a mouth for. If that’s what they feel.
“Dion’s a good player, he played well, they were physical, and they beat us. So he can say what he wants. I can’t do nothing about that now. Nothing we can do about it now.”
No surgery for Allen
The knee injury tight end
Dwayne Allen suffered in Sunday’s game won’t require surgery. That’s the good news, but he’s likely to miss a few weeks, according to an NFL Network report.
Allen was injured after colliding with teammate
Trent Brown during the third quarter on a pass play from Brady to Josh Gordon. He attempted to play afterward, but eventually took a seat with Jacob Hollister filling in the rest of the way.
Allen played in all 10 games with his primary role as a blocker. He has three catches on four targets for 27 yards.
The hope would be for Rob Gronkowski, who has missed the last two games with back/ankle issues, to return after the bye.
Hollister, who made a 17yard catch, but also had a key third-down drop Sunday, has been nagged by a hamstring injury, missing all but four games. It’s possible the Patriots will add another tight end.
Welcome back Duke
The Pats officially activated cornerback Duke Dawson from injured reserve.
They also released running back Kenjon Barner and linebacker Nicholas Grigsby, who was a core special teamer. The latter move is a bit surprising, although the kick and punt return units have struggled. Barner was expendable with Sony
Michel back and Rex Burkhead eligible to return in Week 13.