Patriots players not bothered by practice facilities in West Palm Beach

BOSTON -- It was just a few weeks ago that Bill Belichick was in awe at the set up in Las Vegas. The Patriots got to enjoy what the head coach referred to as the "Taj Mahal" of football facilities.

What the team is working with this week in West Palm Beach is a little different. A lot different, actually, considering Palm Beach Atlantic University doesn't even have a football team.

That has caused a lot of pundits to question Bill Belichick's game plan leading up to New England's Week 1 clash with the Dolphins, and has left the Patriots to get a bit creative. Most notably, the team is working with makeshift goalposts, which caused a kerfuffle on Boston sports talk radio after Wednesday's first practice of the week. (In Belichick's defense, kicker Nick Folk is probably the one player on the roster that doesn't need much practice.) 

The field is also right near an airport, so planes constantly fly over as the Patriots practice and chat with reporters. It's not exactly on par with what NFL players are used to.

But while folks back in New England may be losing their mind over the practice setup, Patriots players don't seem to mind.

"It's good enough," center David Andrews said Thursday. "I've played on worse."

That's not exactly a ringing endorsement of what the team is working with this week, but Andrews has a nice perspective on things.

"It is what it is. It has been good enough for me. I get to play football for a living. It's not bad," he said.

Defensive end Deatrich Wise Jr. is a fan of the field, since he enjoys practicing on grass a lot more than artificial turf. And the main reason the Patriots are spending five days in Florida is to give everyone a chance to acclimate to the heat and humidity that awaits them on Sunday in Miami.

"We have to get used to conditioning and running in these types of temperatures," said Wise. "A lot different than Boston, but something we needed heading into Sunday."

We'll see if the decision to spend the week in Florida pays off come Sunday. But after two days in the sweltering heat and humidity on some rather unusual practice grounds, Patriots players don't seem to be bothered with Belichick's decision.