#mental-toughness

#mental-toughness

Hafley must deal with this organization's mental game before the physical game. Hopefully that's what the new hires at general manager and head coach acknowledge. Hafley, the former Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator, is believed to be here because of his relationship with new general manager Jon-Eric Sullivan. The two worked together in Green Bay for the past two seasons when Sullivan was vice president of player personnel.

For Francischinelli, it's more than a championship opportunity, it's a chance to cement himself as one of LFA's next breakout stars on a stage built for future UFC talent. And the first thing anyone notices about the Brazilian striker is his sheer physical presence; standing an incredible 6-foot-6 at 170 pounds, it's no surprise he's viewed as one of the promotion's most intriguing prospects.

It would've been easy for the Patriots to fall into a trap game against an inferior opponent after a big Week 5 victory over the Buffalo Bills, but Mike Vrabel didn't let it happen. New England took care of the New Orleans Saints, and although it was ugly at times, the 25-19 victory represented that the Patriots' mental toughness is getting stronger.

The day's events revealed a team with a serious lack of spirit rather than quality, highlighting performance inconsistencies and their struggle under pressure.