Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wasn't exactly very complimentary Monday when he addressed Spikes' return to practice. Spikes, who failed a league-mandated drug test, was suspended for the last four games of the regular season, but he participated in both of the Pats' practices last week.
"Well, it looked like he hadn’t practiced in four weeks with the team," Belichick said, "so he’s got a ways to go."
Spikes has become an integral member of the Patriots' defense, particularly in run packages, and that area will be especially important against the rush-happy Jets. However, Belichick wants to see some real improvement in the Patriots' four practices this week.
"Hopefully he’ll be better this week than he was last week," Belichick said. "He should be with the extra days of practice and just getting back into it, but we’ll see how it goes."
Despite missing four games, Spikes finished fifth on the team with 71 total tackles. He also had one interception and three pass defenses.
Last week's practices were in full pads, a tactic likely used to keep the players sharp during the bye week, so that extra bit of intensity should have helped immerse Spikes back into it. With four sessions scheduled for this week, Spikes should have enough time to acclimate himself into the defense, and the Patriots will surely need him to maximize his time on the practice field.
"Brandon is a guy that is out there right now getting himself back in the groove of everything we’re doing here and what we are trying to get done," Patriots linebackers coach Matt Patricia said. "I think anyone that misses any type of work for four weeks comes back to it with a little bit of a degree of having to get adjusted, so I think that’s all to be expected."
