FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Quick-hit thoughts and notes around the New England Patriots and NFL:
1. Bennett enjoying new beginning: Michael Bennett is in his 11th NFL season, and he told me late Thursday night that he experienced something for the first time in his career in the Patriots' 10-3 win against the Carolina Panthers on Thursday.
Bennett had never been part of an alignment where he is the only player in a three-point stance and everyone else is standing around the line of scrimmage. That's what happened on the second-quarter play when Bennett, aligned over starting center Matt Paradis, powered through the A-gap to register a sack.