Belichick addresses melee
Players reminded to keep emotions in check
FOXBORO — Like everyone else who watched Thursday Night Football this week, or woke up to the violent highlights of the Browns’ 21-7 win on Friday morning, Bill Belichick has seen the melee that closed Cleveland’s triumph over the Steelers.
Browns defensive end Myles Garrett tussling with Pittsburgh quarterback Mason Rudolph on the ground as the final seconds ticked away. Rudolph confronting Garrett. Garrett successfully removing Rudolph’s helmet, swinging it and connecting with the quarterback’s unprotected skull.
Punches, kicks and shoves ensued, courtesy of players from both teams. The league handed down punishments for Browns and Steelers within hours.
Before it was announced Garrett will be indefinitely suspended for the remainder of the season, Belichick spoke about the incident during a team meeting Friday morning. He likened it to past addresses he’s given following altercations in other league games, while acknowledging Garrett’s helmet swing was unique.
“I mean, every situation’s different. No two are the same. We can go back and look at 50 of these through the years, some type of fighting or ejections. They’re all a little bit different. I wouldn’t say it’s like offsides penalties,” Belichick said.
“Fundamentally, I tell our players what we should do in those situations, how we should handle them. And they’ve done a good job with it.”
“You know, Coach Belichick tries to use it as teaching moments — talks about not throwing punches, not touching the referees and staying on the sidelines,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady added later in the afternoon, who admitted it can be tough to stay disciplined in the heat of the moment.
“It’s an emotional game, so — I think I got a penalty in 2002, I think I only got one penalty for an unsportsmanlike conduct and I kind of pushed someone back against Chicago,” Brady added. “That might be my only unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. Probably deserved a few more, but that was the only one that I got called for.”
In addition to his suspension, Garrett must pay a fine and meet with the commissioner’s office before he is reinstated. Patriots wide receiver Phillip Dorsett was surprised to see Garrett at the center of the incident.
“Obviously he made a bad mistake,” Dorsett said. “He just lost it. But he doesn’t really seem like that type of guy.”
Steelers center Mike Pouncey has been suspended three games and fined for kicking and punching an opponent. Browns defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi has been suspended for one game and fined for shoving Rudolph to the ground after Garrett used the quarterback’s helmet as a weapon.
Both teams were fined $250,000.
The NFL announced additional discipline for players on both teams will be forthcoming.
Asked Friday why the Patriots never find themselves in such a situation, Dorsett pointed to talks like the one Belichick gave the team during their morning meeting.
“It’s football. People lose their cool a lot. But we preach you can’t touch an official, you can’t throw a punch, you can’t do things like that,” Dorsett said. “We know that. Because at the end of the day, if we do that, we hurt our team.”
Pats ready for Cox
Often touted for the depth and talent of their front seven, the Eagles are headlined up front by one player: defensive tackle Fletcher Cox.
A four-time Pro Bowler, Cox has hit another gear midseason by collecting two and a half sacks in his last three games. The Patriots have tasked practice squad defensive lineman Nick Thurman with simulating him in practice, a sign of respect for Cox’s ability to rush and dominate a game. Opposing star players receive such treatment in practice.
Furthermore, Thurman was one of the team’s best interior rushers during training camp. But few players anywhere are quite like Cox.
“He’s an extremely dynamic and disruptive player. He’s very, very strong, and he plays really, really hard,” said left guard Joe Thuney. “He plays a lot of plays. He’s very physical, and we need to communicate as an offensive line and play together.”
Asked about the Pats’ preparation for Cox — whom they held to one tackle and two QB hits in Super Bowl LII — Eagles coach Doug Pederson said the defense will need its other players to play their best.
“I think every week teams try to scheme for players and try to take guys away if they can,” Pederson said. “Fletcher is one of those guys. If that’s the case, then 10 other guys have to step up and do their job, and do their assignments and what they’re coached this week to do to counteract that.”
Wounded Eagles
Eagles wide receiver Alshon Jeffery has been ruled out for Sunday’s game, along with linebacker Nigel Bradham and running back Darren Sproles. Running back Jordan Howard is listed as questionable.
The Patriots listed seven players as questionable, including safety Patrick Chung, defensive end John Simon, defensive tackle Danny Shelton and wide receiver Gunner Olszewski. Olszewski was a new addition to the report as of Friday.