On the surface, the New England Patriots’ bye week couldn’t come at a worse time.
The Patriots have scored 119 points through their first three games — a franchise record for points scored over their first three games — and are 3-0 to open the 2015 season. They’re rolling, to say the least, and Sunday’s 51-17 assault of the Jacksonville Jaguars at Gillette Stadium was almost perfect.
But, hey, no biggie.
“You can always take a positive out of the bye week,” Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski said after Sunday’s win. “Work hard, get your body right, get your strength back in the weight room and just stay conditioned. Just rest, let your muscles chill and do what you’ve got to do to be ready for next game.”
The Patriots will return to action Oct. 11 against the Dallas Cowboys. The matchup doesn’t carry the same intrigue it did before the season — quarterback Tony Romo and star wide receiver Dez Bryant both are sidelined for the ‘Boys — but you can bet Bill Belichick and Co. will make the most of their week off, even if it comes on the heels of an incredible performance in which the Pats didn’t punt once.
“We want to play better every single week,” Gronkowski said. “You never do everything totally right out there on the field and you always want to learn from your mistakes from the week before. We still have to go out there, keep on doing what we’re doing right and keep working on what we’re doing wrong.”
The Patriots aren’t doing much wrong right now. If they had a choice, perhaps they’d wait until later in the season, when injuries and fatigue become more problematic, to enjoy their bye week.
Don’t expect them to stress out about a week off, though. In the NFL, teams must take advantage of their bye weeks, regardless of where they fall on the schedule.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
