FOXBOROUGH, Mass. _ Bill Belichick is on to Cincinnati.
Two days after the Patriots admitted a Kraft Sports Production video crew broke NFL rules by filming the Bengals sideline, Belichick has had enough. During his Wednesday morning press conference, the Patriots coach was short when it came to any related questions about the incident.
"The football team, the football staff and the coaching staff had nothing to do with what happened," Belichick said, cutting off the first question about the Bengals incident. "Nothing. So there was no involvement in it."
On Sunday, the Patriots had a three-person video crew in Cleveland's press box to film an upcoming episode of their 'Do Your Job' series. The focus will be on the team's scouting department so the camera was there to capture the team's scout in action. However, the camera also recorded the Bengals sideline, which is against NFL rules.
When asked about the seat placement of the scout, the Patriots coach cut off the question. Belichick referred to the Patriots team statement when asked if he's heard from the NFL and said he did "not have anything to add" when asked if he reached out to Bengals coach Zac Taylor. Later, in the press conference, Belichick was asked if he knew why the problem happened.
"I don't have anything to add," he replied. "I don't know how many times I need to say it."
And just like that, Belichick's focus was back on this Sunday's game in Cincinnati.
On Wednesday, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said at the NFL Winter Meetings that the matter is under review and the league will "be thorough and take our time." He added the Patriots history is also "a factor."
While the NFL reviews the tape and decides about any discipline, the players inside Gillette Stadium operate as usual. Belichick has become a master of steering his players in the right direction amidst outside distraction. We've seen it time-and-time again. This latest situation is just another example.
"We have a job to do," Belichick said when asked about focusing his team. "We try to go out and do the best we can. I don't know when that changed. I don't really think it has for me."
Belichick of course knows all about distractions.
In 2007, there was 'Spygate,' where the Patriots were caught filming the New York defensive coaches from a location they weren't supposed to be in. The team went on to finish a 16-0 regular season before losing in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants. In 2013, Aaron Hernandez was arrested and charged with murder before training camp started. The Pats went 12-4 and lost in the AFC Championship game.
In 2014, the Patriots were accused of tampering with footballs in the conference title game against Indianapolis. They went on to beat Seattle in Super Bowl XLIX. When Tom Brady served a four-game suspension for Deflategate, in 2016, the Patriots went on to beat Atlanta in Super Bowl LI.
"It starts with coach Belichick," said Ben Watson, who was with the Patriots during Spygate. "He does a great job of filtering out the noise, a great job of keeping us focused. Something that permeates through the entire team from the leadership on down to the rookies coming in. You understand that everything on the outside really has no bearing on what goes on here. That's how it has to be."
This offseason, Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with soliciting prostitution. In August, Patriots safety Patrick Chung was indicted on cocaine possession charges. In September, the Patriots signed Antonio Brown, who was then accused of rape, and released after it surfaced he sent intimidating text messages to a women who accused him of sexual misconduct.
That brings us to this week _ and the Patriots are on to Cincinnati.
"It starts from the top. How can we be so caught up in a story or something when our coach is so locked in on the game?" Duron Harmon said. "If he's not giving it any attention or momentum, how could we do that? Our head coach is so focused on the Bengals this week. Then you look at Tom Brady, he's focused on the Bengals. You look at all the veterans who've been through different situations, the end goal is always to win. When everyone is focused on that, everything else is always noise."
