AFC Notes: Dolphins, Jets, Patriots

Dolphins

• Dolphins’ HC Brian Flores on the team’s big win on Sunday: “We played a complementary game. The offense played well. The defense played well. Blocked punt. A good week of preparation. Our coaches did a great job this week of getting them prepared.” (Joe Schad)

Jets

• Jets’ rookie QB Zach Wilson says his knee “is not fully stable” and after tweaking it added that it “didn’t feel fully stable” but he knows he can’t re-injure it. (Connor Hughes)
• Wilson noted that some of his problems with hesitation are due to his inability to trust what he’s seeing, but he also says that it will come with time. (Hughes)
• Jets’ HC Robert Saleh said there was a “little rust” with Wilson, but added that he “managed the game well”. (Hughes)

• Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, Jets first-round QB Zach Wilson isn’t worried about being a letdown in his return to the starting job after the offense performed much better while he was out of the lineup: “No, of course not. I mean I play my ball, how I play ball. Credit to (the other quarterbacks). I was able to learn from their reps and everything they went through, but I have to go in there and play my game and not worry about that stuff.”
• Wilson is doing his best to shut out all the outside noise that comes with being a quarterback in New York: “I mean, I don’t really care what anybody really thinks, if I’m being honest. I want to see improvement in myself, as far as when I watch the tape at the end of the day.”

Patriots

• ESPN’s Mike Reiss mentions that Patriots HC Bill Belichick powered through an aggressive cold this past week. 
• Patriots WR Matthew Slater was drafted the same year as Jerod Mayo in New England and has high praise for the former linebacker and current LB coach: “He’s someone I’ve known for 14 years now; we got drafted together. You talk about elite leadership. I put him and Devin McCourty at the top for best leaders I’ve been around. Their ability to connect. And football IQ to go along with that. Jerod’s football IQ is second to none.”
• Reiss notes the expectations for Patriots fifth-round LB Cameron McGrone and sixth-round S Joshuah Bledsoe now that they have come off the NFI list is to build a foundation in practice and meetings to compete for roles in 2022. 
• Titans’ HC Mike Vrabel had good things to say about Patriots’ rookie QB Mac Jones ahead of their matchup: “It looks like he’s really improved and has a great grasp of what they’re trying to do and how they’re trying to play the football game. Making great decisions. I’m sure he’d like to have that one [interception] back from the [win over Atlanta] but all in all, looks like a lot of accuracy, a lot of command, poise. Playing well.” (Mike Reiss)