Bills
- Bills HC Sean McDermott ruled out RT Spencer Brown (ankle) from Week 8. (Joe Buscaglia)
- Bills WR Jake Kumerow (ankle) is set to return for Week 8. (Alaina Getzenberg)
Jets
Jets HC Robert Saleh called recently acquired RB James Robinson a “one-cut runner” and is a good complement to RBs Michael Carter and Ty Johnson.
“He looks like Michael [Carter] in stature, but he’s a one-cut runner, he gets downhill in a hurry,” Saleh said, via Randy Lange of the team’s official site. “He’s a really, really good complement to what Ty Johnson and Michael bring to the table, so just trying to keep that versatility in our room. Obviously, losing Breece is a big blow, but James Robinson is a pretty good football player, too.”
Robinson enjoys going from a 2-5 team with the Jaguars to a 5-2 record in New York.
“I love the vibe,” said Robinson. “There’s a lot of guys that want to win and I can see that. At practice I can see that, too. It feels pretty good, I’ll tell you, to go to 5-2 from 2-5.”
As for Robinson having knee soreness, Saleh said that the running back passed all of their physicals.
“He passed all of our physicals, all of those tests. We feel comfortable with where he’s at. We’ll see where he gets during the course of the week.”
Patriots
Patriots ST ace Matthew Slater said both QB Mac Jones and fourth-round QB Bailey Zappe have handled the team’s quarterback situation very well and there hasn’t been any division within the team’s locker room as a result. Slater said the team trusts HC Bill Belichick to put them in the best position possible to succeed.
“I think the outside has had more dialogue about what’s going on within our walls than we’re actually having within our walls,” Slater said via NESN’s Zack Cox. “Which, there’s some irony in that. I think our team understands that Coach is going to do what’s best for the football team, what he believes to be best for the team. Whoever’s out there playing quarterback, whoever’s out there playing tight end, receiver — whatever it is — we have confidence in them and we support his decision as the Coach to do what’s best for the team. I think we handled it well on Monday night, and I certainly think now, it seems like a non-issue. It’s not like you go here and these guys are talking about it and you go over there and those guys are talking about it. I think a lot of that noise has been created outside of our building, and we’ve done a good job of not buying into it.”
Slater said both Jones and Zappe have been put in difficult positions that they have handled well as young players. Their response has caused a united front within the locker room.
“I’m sure there’s aspects of this entire situation that have proved to be challenging for him,” Slater said. “We’re all human beings here. But I think he’s done a tremendous job in terms of being a leader for this team and how he’s handled it. He’s handled it in a very professional manner. You say he put on a face (in his postgame presser). I think that’s just who he is. I think he’s mature enough to handle this situation as best he can. He’s being a good teammate through it all, and I think because of that, you don’t get the sense of division or anything like that. So kudos to him for the way he’s handled it and kudos to Bailey for the way he’s handled it. Our team, we need to be much more focused on everybody just doing our job here as opposed to who’s playing what and when.”
Slater said the team still has the utmost confidence in Jones and his abilities.
“I do,” he replied. “I still feel that way. I still have a lot of confidence in him as a player and him as a person. I understand and I respect that question, but I think right now, we’re all doing a little soul-searching as to how we can play better football.”
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