Slater: Pats Can't Have Letdown Vs. Titans After Emotional Win In Houston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The NFL is a funny league.
Just a week ago, things weren't looking good for the New England Patriots following back-to-back losses. They were sitting as the three-seed in the AFC, on the outside looking in at a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs.
But what a difference a week can make. As the Patriots prepared for their Sunday night game against the Texans, they got to watch both the Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos lose during the afternoon, and when it was time for kickoff in Houston they were back in control of their postseason fate.
A 27-6 win over the Texans propelled the Patriots back into the No. 1 seed in the conference, and with three games left their postseason destiny is back in their hands.
"We were keeping a close eye on those games, and that goes to show you how the NFL works. One week it looks like the sky is falling and the very next week things fall into place," special teams captain Matthew Slater told 98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand on Wednesday. "That's why we always try to keep an even keel around here and take it one week at a time."
Up next for the Patriots are the 3-10 Tennessee Titans at Gillette. After an embarrassing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles two weeks ago, Slater and his teammates won't be overlooking any opponent as they close out the regular season.
"They've very competitive. You don't see any quit in these guys. They go out and play hard every week, and as with every team in the NFL there are talented players on their roster," Slater said of Tennessee. "They're going to come in here and play us hard. They'll be motivated and have some young players that can really do a lot of damage if you let them.
"We have to make sure we don't have a letdown from an emotional victory last week and take these guys seriously," he added.
While the Patriots righted what was wrong during their two-game skid, they're now dealing with a rash of injuries. Four players went down in Sunday night's win, including running back LeGarrette Blount (reportedly heading to the IR) and defensive lineman Dominique Easley (placed on the IR on Tuesday). While the team is looking at several players to help fill the void, Slater says those on the field will move on and do the best they can.
"It's really been unbelievable this year and the way it's unfolded with injuries. I know every team in the league has to deal with them, but I can't remember a year for us like this when it seems to be every week someone is going down," he said. "It's a tough pill to swallow and we're going to do our best going forward."
The Patriots did get one reinforcement back as Rob Gronkowski was out there doing what he does best against the Texans. Gronk not only hauled in a touchdown grab, but provided a nice boost for everyone by just taking the field.
"It's not good to have him back, it's great to have him back. You can't say enough good things about him and I can't put into words what he means for this team," Slater said of the All Pro tight end. "His joy, his personality on the field, it was extremely great to see him out there on Sunday night."
Slater also touched on New England's special teams unit, Brandon Bolden stepping up on offense with Blount out, and the emergence of Logan Ryan in the secondary:
