Another win, another less annoyed and pissy coach this week.

Still, the guys got into some interesting stuff out of coach Belichick as the Patriots stay out on the west coast to prepare for their Thursday night game against the Rams.

Ordway opened the segment asking Belichick what’s been different and what’s allowed guys in all three phases to play with much more confidence and contribute in big ways over the past three or four weeks.

“Just go out there and work every day and try to get better,” he said. “That’s how you do get better, our players have worked hard on and off the field. We’re doing little things better, it’s not perfect but the little things are better.”

Merloni moved on to Gunner Olszewski after his monster day in the 45-0 blowout. Gunner’s punt return TD and receiving TD were the first two of his NFL career. So, what has Belichick seen from the youngster?

“Well, we’ve been able to get him started on the returns,” Belichick said. “That comes from good ball handling, getting the guys all off the line of scrimmage so we can get going on the return, finishing our blocks, trying to create some running space. Most of the time the returner is going to have to make something on his own, it’s hard to block everybody and he’s done that too.

“It’s been a good combination of the blockers, the returner, (coaches) have done a good job on special teams and I think we’ve created some problems for our opponents.”

Fauria brought up Mike Lombardi’s book to continue the theme of special teams. In the book Lombardi talks about his time with Belichick in Cleveland and how special teams was a point of emphasis. Lombardi wrote that it “establishes a culture of toughness,” so Fauria asked coach Belichick if he truly believes that as well.

“Yeah absolutely,” he said. “I grew up and came into the league with special teams being a third of the game. You have offense, defense and special teams so it’s always been important. I’ve coached it, I’ve had the opportunity to be involved with the kicking game on a very detailed level, that certainly comes into play in situational football. We work hard on it. When I hired Scott O’Brien in Cleveland I think he might’ve been the best special teams coach to ever coach in this league.

“He taught a lot of people under him. What he knew and his philosophy, we’ve been able to have a lot of that here. It’s important and you could see (Sunday) how a couple plays in the kicking game can be a big difference.”

The fast start and in particular the level of confusion the Pats and Belichick showed Justin Herbert as well as the Chargers defense on Sunday was huge. Ordway asked coached if throwing different stuff at teams early on in games is now a point of emphasis. It’s hard to tell if Bill was being a funny wise ass or just a wise ass with his response.

“Believe it or not, Glenn, we try to get off to a good start every week,” he said. “We always try to do that, I don’t think that’ll ever be any different. We want to score early, want to play from ahead, want to play well. It changes week to week and depends on who were playing…whatever we feel like is the best thing to do we’re going to do.”

Merloni – like many of us – admitted to being impatient when it comes to the development of the younger players, and he asked Bill why they’re starting to come on now.

“That’s pretty much an individual, case-by-case thing, Lou,” said Belichick. “Players progress at different rates, they come in at different levels. The demands are different by position or scheme or by the situation at the position they play relative to what the other players can do at that position. It really is. very much individualized.”

We’ve heard for 20-plus years that Thanksgiving is the time where teams start to turn the corner. Fauria – who undoubtedly heard that through his career – asked coach why that is. Is it just because there’s more film, or just the fact everyone has more practice time?

For the first time and really the only time this week, Bill seemed to get his back up on this one.

“Again, Christian, we try to prepare for every game and try to prepare well for every game” Belichick said, slightly annoyed (or so it seemed). “If you go back and look at our records early in the season I’m sure there are other teams that would take it. We try to play well every week, after Labor Day, before Halloween, after Halloween, before Christmas. We always try to play good. I don’t really put a lot of significance into a holiday for our football team.”

Ordway pointed out all the obstacles the Patriots have gone through this year, and then added it seems as if Bill is enjoying this year more than years past. Is he?

“I mean I enjoy coaching,” he said. “I’m fortunate to have the opportunity. There was a point this year I’d say a lot of us weren’t sure how the year would go and weren’t sure if we’d be playing. It”s something we’ve kind of taken for granted – at least I have – I’d say the last 45 years in the NFL other than a couple strike years. This year was a little bit different. I enjoy the opportunity to interact with our players and staff.

“They’ve worked very hard this year under the circumstances that they and the rest of the league are under. I have a lot of respect for how hard they’ve worked and the sacrifices they’ve made. I want to try and make the same on my end to try and help the team the best way I can.”

The most interesting part of the afternoon followed when Ordway asked Bill what it’s like coaching with his two sons. How much has Bill enjoyed watching them grow and learn every day?

“It’s great, it’s a great opportunity,” he said. “It’s good to see them every day and work with them every day. The rest of our staff does a great job too. I feel like I’m very fortunate to have the staff we have here and I learn a lot from those guys. They help me in a lot of different ways. Sometimes they see things from a perspective I don’t see, I try to take input from everybody, listen to everybody and make the best decisions for the team.”

The biggest question we’ve had for many years now is whether or not there’s anyone left in the organization that will say “no” to Bill. Well, apparently his kids do.

“The good thing about Steven and Brian is they aren’t afraid to tell me when I’ve screwed something up, which is fairly regularly,” he said. “It’s good perspective to keep me in check and that’s helpful too. They work hard, they know our system. I know they haven’t been on the staff but they have been. They’ve been in team meetings and heard stuff for 21 years.

“It’s good to have guys like them, but Josh, Ivan, Berg, Nick, Ernie, they have been here all the way through and can have a perspective on all 21 years here, and Jerrod and Troy can go back too…these days it’s hard to have people like that that have been with you for a long time that know you and know what you’re doing.”

Belichick did his best to dodge some accolades before it was time for the Mercedes Benz Question of the Week. This one was a good one, with Belichick having to pick his toughest stadium to play at after winning a game in a record setting 50th different stadium this past weekend.

“Of course, the old baseball stadiums were built for baseball and the old locker rooms were baseball locker rooms,” he said. “Cleveland’s Municipal Stadium and I’d say many of the other baseball stadiums at that time. The Astrodome, the King Dome in Seattle, San Diego, RFK. Those baseball stadiums were..the Vet…they were built for baseball and a lot of the locker rooms were packed with 40 guys where 20 guys fit.

“In Cleveland we dressed upstairs basically in a storage room above the locker room. I know the visitors locker room was just boards with nails and I know Baltimore was kind of like that too. In terms of environment, they’re all tough to play in on the road if you’re good. If you’re not and they’re happy to see you it doesn’t really matter. I’d say one of the harder places to play just because it was so different was Dallas. The way it was designed, it had the lights and shadows coming in, it was not a normal situation.”