FOXBOROUGH -- It isn't the postseason yet, but it felt like it at the Gillette Stadium facility this week as the Patriots prepared to take on the Bills Saturday at Gillette Stadium.
With a win, the Patriots will clinch the AFC East and move one win away from securing the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.
Bill Belichick said he's sensed some sense of urgency in the building this week.
"Absolutely, yeah. Absolutely," he said Thursday. "That's what we're here for. Yep. You work all year to put yourself in a position to play in a game like this where you can win the division. So, you couldn't say that in Week 4, or Week 6, or Week 8 – whatever it was. Well, we're saying that now, so now is the time for us to play and coach our best football. That's what we're all here for."
Tom Brady was all business for his weekly press conference later in the day that lasted just over two minutes and he only answered five questions before walking off the podium on his own. It was one of his shortest in recent memory.
This could be a sign that he is locked in on the Bills and only the game Saturday at 4:25 p.m.
"I think everybody puts a lot into it and that's for moments like this," he said. "Everyone – you work out all offseason, you train to be a part of these games. And this is a big game against a very good team. That's what it's all about. That's why we're here, to play in games like this."
Meanwhile, Julian Edelman has been around for some big games and knows what kind of attitude is needed this time of year.
"This is the time if you want to play football, this is why you play football for these types of games," he said. "This is a big-time game against a very, very good opponent that is playing very well. It's one of those things where if you're not urgent and you need to be told to be urgent you're in the wrong job."
The Patriots have won the AFC East in 10 straight seasons and have already clinched playing in the playoffs for 11 straight seasons.
