HOUSTON -- Quick-hit thoughts/notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. With Bill Belichick's Patriots visiting Bill O'Brien's Texans on Sunday night, the ties between the two coaches have been an obvious storyline over the last week. One behind-the-scenes story is how Belichick helped O’Brien in January of 2012, when O’Brien was hired as Penn State head coach while the Patriots were preparing for the playoffs and ultimately an appearance in Super Bowl XLVI. Belichick set up a space for O’Brien inside Gillette Stadium dedicated to Penn State duties, with an administrative assistant, to make it easier for O’Brien to balance two jobs (offensive coordinator and Penn State head coach).