FOXBORO, Mass. — Aqib Talib has only been in New England for going on three weeks now, but he’s already feeling right at home.
In his first action with the Patriots, Talib showed off the playmaking skills that made him an attractive asset at the trade deadline, returning an interception for a touchdown and sparking a 59-24 rout of the Colts in front of the home crowd.
The reaction by the Patriots’ faithful inside Gillette Stadium that night made Talib go as far as to say he’d like to make New England his ‘home.’
But the fan’s praise and appreciation of his aggressive play hasn’t been the only thing making him feel comfortable in his new digs. Talib spoke highly of his teammates on Thursday, commending them for their commitment to helping him settle in through a rapid few weeks of getting acclimated to the system and his new surroundings.
“The team helped me out a lot,” he said. “A lot of guys on the team did a good job, did a great job of just welcoming me in and helped me out a lot just making me feel welcomed. Settled down a little bit, tell me where to be. Dev [Devin McCourty], Jerod [Mayo], a lot of guys.”
Talib’s addition has been a blessing for a struggling secondary and provided the Patriots’ defense with what appears to be new life, as his playmaking abilities have seemed to rub off on his mates who have now scored three defensive touchdowns during his two-game stint with the team.
While he’s beginning to feel the comforts of his new home, Talib couldn’t be happier about heading back to the warm weather in Florida this weekend — where he spent the first four-plus seasons of his career.
“Oh yeah, it’ll be nice,” Talib joked. “It’ll definitely be nice to go play in some 70-degree weather.”
Talib may need some more time to adjust to the frigid New England winters. But while the weather may be cold, he’s definitely warming to the Patriot way.
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