FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts/notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
There were many nice Buddy Ryan tributes across the NFL this past week, following Ryan's passing at the age of 85. In New England, perhaps the first thought to come to mind is how Ryan's relentless, attacking 1985 Chicago Bears defense contributed to one of the most disappointing days in Patriots history, a 46-10 loss in Super Bowl XX. I also enjoyed this story passed along by former Cleveland Browns general manager Phil Savage, which has a Bill Belichick twist to it, and seemed to capture the essence of Ryan's coaching approach well: