Tired, weary Belichick, Patriots start preparing for Super Bowl

FOXBORO, Mass. — The master of Xs and Os needs to catch up on his Zs.

Bill Belichick was “runnin’ on fumes” Monday — his brain and body still busy after a draining win that put his New England Patriots in another Super Bowl. A few early morning winks would have to do for a coach who treats wasted minutes as missed opportunities.

He even held a pre-dawn team meeting after the Patriots arrived from Pittsburgh at the airport outside Providence, R.I., at about 2:30 a.m.

“We’re all pretty well spent,” Belichick said. “We don’t want to feel good Monday. We want to put all our energy into the game and that’s what they did.”

The defending champions beat the Steelers 41-27 Sunday night and go for their third NFL championship in four years when they play the Philadelphia Eagles in Jacksonville on Feb. 6.

With two weeks between games, the pooped Patriots have time to rest. Belichick gave them today and Wednesday off but suspects most players will head back to Gillette Stadium and work out during that time.

Some were there Monday morning — soon after a slow-speed ride from the airport along snowy streets — exercising in the weight room.

“That really is a credit and really a mark of the attitude of the team,” Belichick said. “We’re getting ready for another game and some of them have already begun that process.”

He said the Patriots didn’t study the Eagles before Sunday’s game. But they did well with only one full week to prepare for Pittsburgh. They had two weeks to get ready for their first playoff game, a 20-3 win over Indianapolis.

The Colts led the NFL in scoring but were held to a field goal. The Steelers gave up the fewest points in the league but surrendered 41.

“Our players made some outstanding plays at the right times” in Pittsburgh, Belichick said. “We struggled for a lot of yards in that game and that’s a good defense.”

The Patriots gained 322 yards, 108 of them on three touchdown plays, and scored 24 points off turnovers. Just nine minutes into the game, they led 10-0.

“The game really couldn’t have started any better for us,” quarterback Tom Brady said.

By Monday, that was old news.

“We got this victory, did our five-minute celebration, and now everybody is back to normal,” Deion Branch said after scoring on a 60-yard pass play and a 23-yard run. “We know we still have one big game.”