FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Fresh off their bye week, the New England Patriots returned to the practice field Tuesday and players said they took advantage of the time off to get their bodies ready for the second half of the season.The Patriots, 7-1 after reeling off four wins with Tom Brady back following his Deflategate suspension, open their second half at home Sunday night against the Seattle Seahawks.It was nice. Much-needed rest, mentally and physically, so hopefully everybody maximized that time, and time to get back to work, special teams captain Matthew Slater said before practice. Our focus just needs to be as high as its been all season and worry about preparing for Seattle. It will be one of the best teams that well see at any point in the season, so we have to be ready for the challenge.With some of their bumps and bruises healed. This is a healthy team that will have back running back Dion Lewis either this week or Nov. 20 at San Francisco.Wide receiver Chris Hogan was excited about returning to work.Weve got a big game coming up, he said. Sunday night. Its easy to get excited for something like that, so well spend this week preparing ourselves for the game.Added linebacker Rob Ninkovich: It was nice to get a little time to watch some football and spend time with the family. Now its back to work.The team traded Pro Bowl linebacker Jamie Collins to Cleveland at the start of the break.To cap off their week, the Patriots got to watch their next opponent play Monday Night Football, giving them a look at two mobile quarterbacks, Tyrod Taylor, whom they just faced in Buffalo, and Seattles Russell Wilson, who nearly beat them in the Super Bowl two years ago.Its difficult any time you have a guy thats mobile that can make every throw on the field, is very accurate, is a very good quarterback in the pocket and yet when things arent looking so good he can pull the ball down and try to run for a first down, Ninkovich said.Asked again about attacking the rest of the season refreshed, the 31-year-old Slater said: Its definitely needed. An NFL season is a grind on you physically -- especially when they start to add up, when you get a little bit up there, so to speak. That rest is needed. I think we did a good job, from what Ive seen, of taking advantage of it. Hopefully it will benefit us down the stretch.Game notes While the players didnt want to comment on who they were voting for, or on the letter of support Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump said he received from coach Bill Belichick, Slater made it clear he planned to vote. Tonight . after practice, he said. My mom, my wife . Im getting a text today to make sure I vote. Too many people . especially as an African-American, in America, too many people have had to sacrifice . and die for me to have the right to vote, so I definitely need to exercise that. . Hogan also said he was going to vote and that there wasnt much chatter about it in the locker room. The locker room, I dont think, is really a huge place for guys to really talk politics, he said. Theres always a couple of guys in here that will be in here butting heads or something like that.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL Adidas NHL Jerseys Wholesale . 24 Baylor in a Big 12 clash between teams trending in opposite directions. Andrew Wiggins made 10-of-12 from the foul line and scored 17 for Kansas (14-4, 5-0 Big 12), which capped a stretch of four straight games against ranked opponents unscathed. NHL Jerseys Outlet Store . -- Anaheim Ducks captain and leading scorer Ryan Getzlaf has been scratched from Sunday nights game against the Vancouver Canucks because of an upper-body injury. http://www.wholesalenhljerseys.us/ . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie. Wholesale NHL Jerseys Authentic .J. Ellis hit two-run homers and the NL West champion Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 4-0 Saturday night. Cheap NHL Jerseys China . Any real chance at payback wont come until the playoff. Still, Pittsburgh knows its taut 3-2 win over the Bruins on Wednesday night is a pretty good place to start laying the groundwork. "They are a very good defensive team," Penguins forward Brandon Sutter said. Once again, the Kansas City Royals are without a lucky praying mantis.This time, though, it was for good reason.?Rally Mantis Jr., the second such creature to be dubbed the teams good luck charm (RIP to the original Rally Mantis?), has a new home at a Kansas City, Missouri, nature center. The team donated the insect to the nature center, according to a tweet from Royals ?vice president of communications Mike Swanson.?The Royals found Rally Mantis Jr. at Comerica Park during a three-game road series against the Detroit Tiigers?in mid-August, days after the passing of the first Rally Mantis.dddddddddddd The Royals swept the Tigers that series and finished with a 12-6 record in the Rally Mantis Jr. era, according to Swanson.Maybe Rally Mantis Jr. will be able to send some of its good luck mojo over to Kaufman Stadium as the Royals chase a wild-card spot. 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