AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

Dolphins QB Jacoby Brissett said he isn’t looking at Sunday’s game vs. Indianapolis any different because he used to play for them.

“I’m not in here for like a revenge game or anything like that,” Brissett said, via David Furones. “I want to go to win.”

Dolphins HC Brian Flores said while he does acknowledge Brissett’s history with the Colts, it isn’t a big part of the team’s game plan.

“They’ve got a history with Jacoby. They know him. He’s got knowledge of some of their players, as well,” Flores said. “At the end of the day, there are some things that they could take from that, but it comes down to execution. It’s a team game. It’s not Jacoby against one other person or that one player against Jacoby. It’s a team game.”

• Dolphins LT Austin Jackson thought he was better vs. Las Vegas than the previous week: “I definitely was more consistent in my pass pro, technique-wise, in terms of just doing the right thing.” (Barry Jackson)
• Dolphins first-round WR Jaylen Waddle said he needs to be better getting yards after catch: “I can do more after the catch…Trying to make someone miss is where it starts.” (Jackson)

Jets

First-year Jets OC Mike LaFleur came to New York highly regarded. He’d cut his teeth under play-calling wizard Kyle Shanahan in San Francisco and his brother, Packers HC Matt LaFleur, has guided a wildly successful offense in Green Bay. The results for the younger LaFleur so far have been underwhelming, though, with just two touchdowns in three games. 

“I thought he’s done a good job,” Jets HC Robert Saleh said via Brian Costello of the New York Post. “When things work, you’re a genius. When they don’t, you’re an idiot. And that’s what it is, that’s the NFL, forever and a day. You look at the play-calling, if you want to ever come sit down with me, I’ll go right through a game with you and just show the thoughtfulness and the calls and the things that are happening and the opportunities that are out there.”

• Jets S Marcus Maye‘s agent pointed out his client should be healthy just before the NFL’s trade deadline, which is worth noting given they’re not happy with the team and how negotiations went. 

Patriots

Regarding their Week 4 game against the Buccaneers, Patriots HC Bill Belichick had high praise of Tom Brady for his accomplishments in New England and Tampa Bay. 

“Nothing Tom does surprises me,” Belichick said, via Mike Reiss of ESPN. “He’s a great player, works hard, takes care of himself. He’s talked about playing until 50. If anybody can do it, he probably can. Tom’s had an unbelievable career. There’s not enough superlatives and adjectives to compliment him on everything that he’s achieved and continues to achieve. It’s unbelievably impressive.”

Regarding an excerpt from a book, “It’s Better to Be Feared,” describing that Belichick turned down Brady’s request to say goodbye in person before departing to Tampa Bay, the Patriots’ coach said that specific event is “not true” and hearsay. 

“No, that’s not true,” Belichick said. “There are a few things about this book; it sounds like it’s a lot of second-, third- and fourth-hand comments. I’m not going to get into that. I’m going to focus on this game and try to prepare for the Bucs.”