The bye week came at a good time for quarterback Tom Brady.
Brady absorbed a season-high eight quarterback hits in the team's last game, against the Cowboys, which marked the second straight week in which the opposing defense got some good shots at him.
A look at the sacks/hits that Brady has absorbed this season (QB hits charted by in-game statisticians):
at Dolphins: 1 sack/2 quarterback hits
vs. Chargers: 2 sacks/5 quarterback hits
at Bills: 0 sacks/4 quarterback hits
at Raiders: 1 sack/4 quarterback hits
vs. Jets: 4 sacks/5 quarterback hits
vs. Cowboys: 3 sacks/8 quarterback hits
The Patriots rank 10th in the NFL in sacks allowed per pass play (11 in 248).