FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the New England Patriots' 41-13 win over the Miami Dolphins:
Players enjoy championship gear. When defensive lineman Zach Moore was asked whether a picture could be taken of his AFC East championship hat, and Moore obliged, teammates Akeem Ayers and Darius Fleming were nearby and asked to join in. That, in some ways, reflects some of the chemistry that has developed with this team. Several players were fired up to wear their championship gear.
Photo: (L-R) Akeem Ayers, Zach Moore and Darius Fleming display their AFC East championship gear. pic.twitter.com/Si6orerm3u
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 14, 2014Belichick flattered to be mentioned with Lambeau. With his 229th career victory (including postseason), Bill Belichick moved into a tie with Curly Lambeau for fourth place on the all-time list. Belichick thanked a questioner who asked what it meant to be mentioned in the same sentence as Lambeau. "It’s flattering, very flattering," he said. "Curly was one of the great founders, really, of the National Football League. [He] spent the year at Notre Dame, brought the Notre Dame offense into the NFL, ran the box, had championships in Green Bay. [He] really kind of started the passing game with [Don] Hutson and Cecil [Isbell]. He was certainly one of the innovators in the league in his time. [It’s] very flattering to be put in his category, in any sentence, really."
Family feeling in the room. Some players had their children in the locker room after the game, including quarterback Tom Brady and receiver Brandon LaFell. The environment, as one would expect based on the accomplishment, was upbeat. "We have big goals every year for our team, so this is the one that is the first one to get," Brady said after hugging his son en route to his postgame news conference. "It's great to win. That's why we play. I've been very fortunate to be a part of an organization where that's what matters the most and to be able to play with some really great players over the years. I think winning and experiencing it with players and coaches and Mr. Kraft and Jonathan and his family, it's pretty awesome."
Bledsoe draws a crowd. Patriots Hall of Fame quarterback Drew Bledsoe was in town for business, and he was here for the game. At one point in the postgame locker room, a bunch of reporters surrounded Bledsoe to ask him questions, which was a blast from the past. Bledsoe joked that Brady's 17-yard run felt like it was in slow motion, which led him to crack about how many often said he moved as a glacierlike pace during his own playing days. The Patriots tweeted out a photo of him, Brady and Robert Kraft after the game.
Tom Brady & Robert Kraft celebrate the AFC East championship w/ @DrewBledsoe in the #Patriots locker room. pic.twitter.com/CVtEamUGST
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 14, 2014AFC East Champs!! Love this team #PatsRuntheEast pic.twitter.com/rRbwenMd1v
— Logan Ryan (@RealLoganRyan) December 14, 2014
