FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Zeke’s first week: How effectively running back Ezekiel Elliott still hits the hole remains to be seen, but he decisively hit the ground running in his first week after signing a one-year deal with the Patriots. Elliott’s energy, passion and football knowledge made a notable first impression on coaches and teammates.
“He’s excited. Everyone in the room is excited,” running backs coach Vinnie Sunseri said. “He’s brought a little bit of juice.”
Coach Bill Belichick noted the majority of Elliott’s time has come working with Sunseri -- a former NFL safety who is entering his third full season leading the team’s running backs -- with a goal of getting him “caught up on terminology” of the offense.