FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots wore pads as they practiced hard in the rain inside their stadium Wednesday.No light workout on the adjacent field where they usually prepare even though Sundays game against the Buffalo Bills has no impact on either teams playoff status.Not from coach Bill Belichick, who has plenty of experience preparing his teams for the post-season.Well do the same thing we always do, he said. It wont be any different this week than its been any other week. It wont be any different this year than its been any other year. Well do what we feel is best for our football team, period.Hes just not saying what that is.Having clinched the top seed in the AFC and home-field advantage throughout the conference playoffs, the Patriots (12-3) could limit the playing time of quarterback Tom Brady, tight end Rob Gronkowski and other key starters.No sense exposing them to injury against the Bills (8-7), who missed the playoffs for the 15th straight season, the longest current drought.Whatever Belichick plans, his players arent saying even if they know.Were players, safety Devin McCourty said. We dont decide who plays or what plays are called. We can only do one thing and thats to be ready to play.They may be more motivated after squeaking out a 17-16 win over the lowly New York Jets last Sunday. Theyd like to go into their first-round bye with a solid performance.When you win a bunch of games, you string a bunch together, you can build some momentum, Brady said. Weve worked pretty hard to get to this point. I think this is the time to put the pedal to the metal and not really go the other direction.For the fourth time in Belichicks 15 years as coach of the Patriots, they clinched their playoff spot before their last game. In three of those years, starters sat out or played less than usual. In the other, 2007, the Patriots were trying to finish 16-0 and did it with a 38-35 win over the New York Giants.But this season they clinched the No. 1 seed when the Cincinnati Bengals beat Denver on Monday night, eliminating the Broncos from contention for that spot.That was really out of our control, Brady said. We did our best to do our part on Sunday, which was good, but still the season is not over for us. There is plenty of time to think about things down the road. This isnt the time for it.The Bills are coming off a 26-24 upset by the Oakland Raiders but have a formidable defence that has allowed the fourth fewest yards and fifth fewest points.But their running game is weak and the Patriots havent allowed a second-half touchdown in their last five games.I dont think Buffalo cares much if were the No. 1 seed, McCourty said. We talk about how after Thanksgiving its important for us to get better each time we step on the field. So I think getting the No. 1 seed doesnt change that. We still want to play good football every time we go out there.Belichicks constant message to his players is not to look beyond the next game. But theres one game that five of them would love to miss — the Pro Bowl.Thats scheduled for the weekend before the Super Bowl and those players hope to be preparing for that.Special teams captain Matthew Slater was humbled to be chosen for the fourth straight season but said, I have no desire to play in it. What goes on in this locker room is more important to me.Brady, Gronkowski, cornerback Darrelle Revis and kicker Stephen Gostkowski also were picked.But this week theyre focused on beating the Bills at home for the 14th straight time.We have to stay in tune, Revis said. We have to keep that level of energy that we had throughout the course of the year.No matter who plays.Were going to do whats best for the New England Patriots, Belichick said. Thats what Ive always done. I cant imagine ever doing anything different.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Custom Saints Jerseys .com) - Mikko Korhonen carded a 5-under 67 on Thursday to claim medalist honors at the European Tours Final Qualifying Stage tournament. Marcus Davenport Saints Jersey . 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell. http://www.officialsaintslockroom.com/ri...-saints-jersey/. Team spokesman Donald Beauchamp said there was no new information on the 80-year-old Hall of Famers condition. The family has requested privacy. Marcus Davenport Jersey . With the union re-formed, negotiations with owners will resume Friday on the remaining issues that would be in the collective bargaining agreement, according to a person familiar with the plans. TreQuan Smith Jersey . Two-time Olympic bronze medallists Savchenko and Szolkowy received 79.02 points to finish ahead of world bronze medallists Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford of Canada, who had 77.01 points.The Toronto Raptors have been scoring at a pace impressive even by their own standards. That offensive output will face a stiff challenge Tuesday night against the defensive-minded Portland Trail Blazers in a battle of two of the NBAs hottest teams. Catch all the action on TSN 1050 in Toronto starting at 9pm et. Toronto (24-7) has won eight of its last nine contests, seven by double-digits. The Raptors ranked second in the league with 107.3 points per game through Dec. 17, but have reached another level of production in their last five, averaging 114.8 points. Kyle Lowry has led Torontos balanced offence, which has committed only 11.6 turnovers per game - the second-fewest in the league - and hasnt given it away more than 10 times in the past five. Lowry is averaging career highs in field-goal percentage (45.5 percent), assists (7.7) and scoring (20.5 ppg), including a 30-point, 11-assist effort in Sundays 116-102 victory over Denver. The Raptors bench also has been outstanding, scoring 40.1 points per game to rank among the leagues top five. Reserve Lou Williams led the way on Sunday with 31 points. When Lou gets it going you want to find him, Lowry said after Toronto improved to 7-0 when Williams scores 20 points. Our teams like that. Were unselfish. We want everyone to be successful. Including DeMar DeRozan, who has been sidelined since Nov. 28, nine players average at least 7.7 points. Thats one of the major things that this team has; were a very poised group, Lowry told the Raptors official website. Guys just go out and compete and even when things slip a little bit, we tend to get it back. After winning largely because of its offence llast season, Portland (25-7) has been excellent at both ends in the seasons first two months.dddddddddddd. The Blazers are averaging 104.0 points to rank sixth in the league, but theyre holding opponents to 96.5 per game - a 6.3-point improvement over 2013-14. Lately, theyve had to do it without LaMarcus Aldridge, whos missed three of the past four with an upper respiratory illness. Wesley Matthews has stepped up, scoring 25 in a 114-93 win over Philadelphia on Friday to kick off Portlands seven-game homestand before leading the way with 28 on Sunday in a 101-79 rout of the New York Knicks. Its great, I think, having to depend on guys coming off the bench who havent had much of an opportunity, Damian Lillard said. It gives our team confidence, more guys we can depend on even when we have full strength. Aldridge is questionable for this one, and the Raptors would certainly like if he took another night off. Hes averaged 27.7 points and 13.5 rebounds in his last six against Toronto, and Portland has won 10 of the last 11 in the series. Even if Aldridge cant go, the Blazers long-distance shooting has been helping make up for his absence. Portland has taken an average of 36.7 3-pointers over the past three games, and made 46.4 percent of them - including 6 of 9 in the first quarter against the Knicks. Its contagious. It was just a good vibe from the jump, said Matthews, whos 18 of 37 from long distance in that stretch. I think I missed the first one, but then (Nicolas Batum) hit one, Damian hit one and I think the floodgates really opened. 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