FOXBOROUGH - The team meeting had just adjourned when the doors to the Patriots' locker room swung open.
Billy Yates, playbook in hand, came marching into the room along with several of his colleagues on the offensive line. After the Patriots had absorbed a humiliating 38-13 setback against the Miami Dolphins in Week 3, there was not much left to say or do except to get back to work, making corrections and adjustments.
And so, even during the bye week, there was no rest for the weary.
But Yates chose to describe the time off another way.
"It's 'Getting Better Week,' " said the soft-spoken, 6-foot-2-inch, 305-pound guard from Texas A&M. "It's the truth, though. We've got to get better these next few days."
Although Gillette Stadium will be dormant tomorrow, and remain so until the Patriots host Denver for a "Monday Night Football" game Oct. 20, the team will not have the opportunity to do anything about the loss to the Dolphins until they face the 49ers in San Francisco Oct. 5.
Check that. The Patriots will not have the opportunity to do anything except practice and perfect their techniques. And that's how Yates, along with the rest of his teammates, expected to spend the bye week.
"I'm just trying to get better and I think that's what everyone else is trying to do, too," said Yates.
That was Yates's objective from the start of preseason camp, when an opportunity to gain more playing time presented itself. Starting right guard Stephen Neal (shoulder) was placed on the physically unable to perform list and reserve lineman Russ Hochstein missed valuable time because of an injury. At no time did Yates think it would propel him to three starts at right guard through the first three weeks of the 2008 season.
"I didn't even think about it like that," he said. "I was just thinking about the opportunity just to try to play football. You just push yourself as much as you can and just to try to get better. Really, that's been my whole focus: just to get better, get better, get better. Do this better, do that better."
Yates's commitment to improve his game has earned the trust and confidence of his coaches and teammates alike.
"Billy is a tough guy. He's a big, strong, physical guy," said offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. "He has been in there for quite a bit of time now. We have relied on Billy over the last few years and he has come through.
"We don't feel like we have a hole at any spot on the [offensive line]. That is a tribute to Billy because when Billy goes in there, last year or this year, we don't feel like we have to alter what we do."
Yates has proven he can provide crushing drive blocks and protect the passer.
