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 Stitched Angels Jerseys . -- Mike Smith never saw his first NHL goal go in. Wholesale Angels Jerseys . Nigeria beat surprise package Ethiopia 2-0 in the second leg of their playoff for a comfortable 4-1 aggregate victory. Victor Moses converted a 20th-minute penalty after an Ethiopian handball, and Victor Obinna made certain of Nigerias place in Brazil with his powerful free kick in the 82nd at UJ Esuene Stadium. https://www.cheapangels.com/ . The phone hearing is scheduled for 4:30pm et/1:30pm pt. Winchester, who was not penalized for the hit, appeared to make contact with Kellys head early in the first period of Thursdays game in Boston. Los Angeles Angels Shirts . - The Washington Redskins have cut defensive lineman Adam Carriker and punter Sav Rocca. Los Angeles Angels Gear .Y. -- Buffalo Bills coach Doug Marrone has drawn on his Syracuse connections once again by hiring Rob Moore to take over as receivers coach. MONACO -- The IAAF has ratified Ruth Jebets world record for the womens 3,000-meter steeplechase.The Bahraini runners time of 8 minutes, 52.78 seconds at the Diamond League Paris meet in August, 12 days after she won Olympic gold at the Rio de Janeiro Games, bettered Gullnara Galinkas 8-year-old world record.ddddddddddddThe previous mark of 8:58.81 had been set by the Russian at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. ' ' '