Huddles to lead to Patriots' plan

How soon, even Belichick doesn't know.

''It's really hard to predict how the first few days at the end of the season will go," Belichick said. ''So we'll just kind of take it as it comes, but it'll take a little while here just to kind of clean up things and get reorganized and make sure we have all of the information we need to try to get everything in place so we can analyze it.

''It's been a long year."

One of the first things the coaching staff does at the end of a season is evaluate everything the team did during the season, from any tendencies they inadvertently developed in play calling, to personnel moves, good and bad.

The Patriots will have a jump-start this offseason compared to the previous two years when at this point they still had two games yet to play.

While being one of the 28 teams that isn't working on a game plan today isn't an envious position, it affords Belichick and vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli extra time to prepare for the free agent signing period that begins after the Super Bowl.

Belichick has talked about feeling as if he has had to cram for an exam the past two seasons, in preparing to bring in free agents and evaluating draft prospects.

He had to be pleased with last year's draft, which brought to the team three players who developed into starters -- offensive linemen Logan Mankins and Nick Kaczur, and cornerback Ellis Hobbs.

''I think that next year they will be starting from a much higher point in terms of experience and background in our system, knowing what it takes to play in the league and all of that," Belichick said. ''I think they came in at a very mature level. To avoid the second year not being as good as the first, they have to maintain their same work ethic and attitude, desire, aggressiveness, all of those kind of things that gave them a chance to be successful this year.

''I think they need to maintain that and then combine it with a good offseason and that same type of energy and preparation for the game and experience, then they have a chance to improve."

Belichick addressed the Patriots' running game, particularly Corey Dillon, who ran for fewer than half the yards he did a year ago.