FOXBORO — They are the men in black, the unsung heroes who play a bigger role in pregame preparations than most fans will ever know.
During the week, Patriots backups and practice squad players are asked to perform scout team duty. Their job is to give as good a look as possible to the starters by playing as much like the opposition as possible. The best actors don’t get Oscars, but a black jersey to wear at practice the following week.
“Everybody has a job to do around here each week and every job is important, whether it’s the head coach, an assistant coach, the guys that break down film, the starting players, the backup players, the guys on the practice squad,” Patriots coach Bill Belichick said in 2007.
“A lot of those guys who help our players prepare for the game, they don’t get the recognition sometimes because they don’t play, but they’re very important because they get the players ready to play and show them what our opponents are going to do. That helps our players who are going to play get ready for the guys they’re going to face on Sunday. We felt there was a way to recognize that.”
On Wednesday, defensive back Kyle Arrington, defensive lineman Titus Adams and offensive lineman Ryan Wendell — three practice squad players who haven’t taken a snap in game action this season — were all recognized for their work in practice witin black. In previous weeks, several other players have had the honor of wearing black practice jerseys, including safety Bret Lockett, quarterback Isaiah Stanback and tight end Robbie Agnone.
A rookie defensive back out of UCLA, the 22-year-old Lockett says the black jersey is a point of pride for many players on the lower level of the roster.
“It’s kind of a way to show that you’re actually contributing to the team,” said Lockett, who played the role of Denver safety Brian Dawkins in the days leading up to the game against the Broncos. “I take pride in it, and I know a lot of the other guys take pride in it as well.”
“Since I got here, I could sense they took a lot of pride on the show team — giving the offense a good look,” said Arrington, who has also played with Philadelphia and Tampa Bay. “Not a lot of organizations are like that.”
The members of the scout team — dubbed “The Dirty Show” by defensive line coach Pepper Johnson — are focused on two things during the week: They must keep their minds in their own playbooks and attuned to their own responsibilities. But at the same time, they get a crash course in how to get the offense ready.
Arrington — who has played the role of Denver’s Champ Bailey and Tennessee’s Cortland Finnegan in the days leading up to the games against the Broncos and Titans — said they will often engage in film sessions with the offensive coaches to pick up on some of the tendencies they need to imitate that week in practice.
“I go in there with the offensive coaches and they see me on film like what this team defense runs, how they want it played,” said Arrington, in his second year in the NFL. “How they want me to jam, how they want me to play off. Things of that nature.”
At the end of the week, the best of the best is given a championship belt, awarded by Johnson. Arrington, Adams, outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain and safety Brandon McGowan are all previous winners. Outside linebacker Pierre Woods is the current titleholder, and like the others, has the belt slung over the top of his locker.
The fact that they have dual responsibilities doesn’t bother many of the players. It’s all about focus.
“That’s my job,” shrugged Adams, in his first season with the Patriots’ practice squad. “That’s really all I have to focus on — just give them a good look and have them prepare. It’s not too difficult. It’s part of the job.
“I just come out every week and whatever position they put me at, I just try and play it to the best of my abilities. Give them the best look I can possible.”
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