The Patriots will take a much-needed, well-deserved break this week.
New England entered its particularly late bye on a seven-game winning streak that has them atop the AFC standings. And while it's fair to wonder whether the extended time away could cool off the NFL's hottest team, the bye week arrived at a perfect time for the Patriots.
The reasons are similar to those we previously outlined while examining the importance of a potential first-round playoff bye. New England has one of the oldest rosters in the NFL with an average age of 27.3. Many of the team's oldest players are on defense, which is a physical, tone-setting unit for the Patriots. Players such as Devin McCourty, Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins and Lawrence Guy all will benefit greatly from an extra week of rest during a 17-game schedule.
"We've been going since July," Guy, 31, said Wednesday at Gillette Stadium. "So it's been a non-stop of pounding on the body. But, I think the best thing about the bye is that you got this time to recover, you got this time to do extra film study, do a little (self-scouting).
"But you have to prepare like you're gonna play on Sunday."
New England also has three rookies -- Mac Jones, Christian Barmore and Rhamondre Stevenson -- who have significant roles and are crucial to its success. If you count the preseason, the Patriots thus far have played 16 games. Jones only played in 13 games last year at Alabama, with Barmore, also an Alabama product, playing in 11 and Stevenson appearing in six at Oklahoma. Few will weep for the young, but the uptick in physicality from college to the pros is no joke.
Of course, the players who need the bye week the most are those dealing with injuries beyond the typical wear and tear.
Damien Harris left Monday's win over the Buffalo Bills due to a hamstring injury, and safety Adrian Phillips missed the final few plays after suffering a knee injury. There haven't been any updates on either player, but Phillips sent out an encouraging tweet after the final whistle.
And they're not alone. Veterans Kyle Van Noy (groin), Nick Folk (knee), Trent Brown (calf) and David Andrews (shoulder) are among the veterans who have made regular appearances on injury reports.
As for hitting the pause button amid a winning streak, there's something to be said for everyone taking a giant, collective breath.
The Patriots have been going hard for nearly two months to dig themselves out of the 2-4 hole they were in after losing to the Dallas Cowboys. That creates both exhaustion and pressure, both of which become increasingly difficult to deal with as the season grows deeper. The bye week might allow the players to remove themselves from the streak, the rigors of the "Patriot Way" and the mounting hype if only for a few moments.
But they'll need to be ready to go next week. The Dec. 18 road game against the Indianapolis Colts carries huge playoff ramifications, as could all of New England's four remaining games.
