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12.31.17

Patriots Put the Freeze on the Jets, Belichick Plays Mind Games

Posted by: Gronkowski

Brady, it’s cold outside …

Even the fireplace burning on the jumbotron in Gillette couldn’t defrost hardy Patriots fans as they braved the bitter cold at Foxboro on Sunday. 

As TB12 broke out his famous scuba suit on New Year's Eve, Bill Belichick screwed with heads of the Jets players by ordering the field crew to place thermometers in the team tunnel displaying the temperature hovering around zero.

“Mental warfare,” ESPN’s Dianna Russini commented in Twitter.

While everyone was dressed in seven layers as if for an Arctic expedition, Belichick played even more mind games by coming out for warmups dressed like he was going to the beach, according to a photo posted by Providence Journal reporter Mark Daniels. Really?!? Do his magical coaching powers ward off the cold as well?

Fortunately, he came to his senses by game time and was bundled up like a normal human.

Sunday’s game was second coldest Pats home game ever, logging in a touch warmer than the Christmas Eve matchup against the Rams in 1989. 

Dion Lewis was the man of the hour in the decisive demolition of the Jets to close out the 2017 regular season, tying a career high in carries and touches, scoring a TD in the first drive.

Patriots Nation also welcomed longtime former Steelers linebacker James Harrison with open arms, as the 39-year-old hammered Robby Anderson for his first tackle in a New England jersey. Harrison ended his debut with two sacks and four tackles.

Meanwhile, west of Boston on the I-84, the Pittsburgh had their hands full holding back the 0-15 Cleveland Browns battling for their first win of the season.

With their 26-6 win over the Jets and the Steelers hard-fought 28-24 victory (thanks for a TD from former Pats RB Stevan Ridley, the Patriots clinch both a bye week and home field advantage going into the playoffs on the road to cold, cold, cold Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis.

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