Bill Belichick isn’t one for sappy speeches. But the New England Patriots coach still knows to give credit where credit is due, and such was the case Sunday afternoon.
The Patriots put their season-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs behind them in convincing fashion, defeating the New Orleans Saints by 16 points on the road to earn their first victory of the 2017 season.
New England’s win over the Saints wasn’t perfect — and didn’t come without consequences — but it still represented a big step forward from last Thursday night, and Belichick knew it. In his postgame speech, the Pats head coach praised his players for a strong week of practice that paid dividends at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Click on the photo below to watch a slightly-more-animated-than-usual Belichick address the team in the locker room after the win.
“That was a good week finished out by a good day (Sunday),” Belichick said. “It took all week, though. … Good week all the way through. That’s how you play good on Sunday, do a good job preparing. That’s a good job, fellas — that’s the way to respond. Good work.”
Of course, Belichick also noted the team has areas to work on and faces a tough challenge in the Houston Texans next Sunday. But even the most forward-thinking coach in the NFL can acknowledge a good win when he sees one.
Thumbnail photo via Chuck Cook/USA TODAY Sports Images
