EAST RUTHREFORD, N.J. -- Quick-hit thoughts/notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Quarterback Tom Brady is a major stickler when it comes to his mechanics, so it was notable to me that he received a rare in-season visit from his throwing coach, Tom House, at Gillette Stadium on Thursday. House was traveling from California to Massachusetts to run one of his pitching clinics this weekend, so the in-person visit with Brady fit perfectly into his schedule. When I asked Brady on Friday about the value of such a visit, and if it makes a big difference for him, he was emphatic and spoke highly of House.