PATRIOTS NOTEBOOK: Dion Lewis sounds off

Ex-Pat running back says Titans' win was `personal'.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Running back Dion Lewis resurrected his NFL career in Foxboro with the Patriots. That doesn’t mean he left on good terms.

On Sunday, following the Titans’ 34-10 win over the Patriots, he sounded off on his old team. Lewis ran for 57 yards, caught two passes for 11 yards and said that this matchup was personal after the Patriots had not signed him in free agency.

“Hell, yeah, it’s personal,” Lewis told the NFL Network. “That’s what happens when you go cheap. You get your (butt) kicked.”

Lewis signed a four-year, $19.8-million deal with Tennessee during the first week of free agency in March. According to multiple sources, the Patriots were never serious contenders for the running back. Lewis’ ire with the Patriots dates to well before he signed with the Titans.

According to a source, Lewis was told at the end of the 2017 training camp that he was fourth on the depth chart behind Mike Gillislee, Rex Burkhead and James White. Lewis was even told that he might be inactive to start the season. That turned out to be a mistake that the offensive coaches rectified. After the first four weeks, Lewis became the Patriots' lead back and he finished the 2017 season with a career-high 896 rushing yards and six touchdowns.

Lewis' usage, however, dwindled as the playoffs progressed and Burkhead returned to the fold following an injury. Lewis had 15 carries in the Pats' first playoff game, followed by just nine in the AFC Championship and nine in the Super Bowl. After catching 16 passes in the first two playoff games, Lewis caught zero in the Pats' Super Bowl loss.

According to a source, Lewis also was unhappy with the lack of playing time in those final games. He entered free agency almost certainly headed to a new team.

Throughout his time in Foxboro, Lewis often talked about a chip on his shoulder. It seems as if that has only gotten more intense since he left the Patriots. Lewis wasn’t the only former Patriot to get some revenge on Sunday, but Malcolm Butler and Logan Ryan said Sunday's game wasn’t personal for them.

“Most definitely not,” Butler told reporters. “It’s not personal. I wanted to win, though. I want to beat everyone I go against. It wasn’t personal. No bad blood between (Bill) Belichick, none of those players, none of those coaches, none of those guys. I’ve got nothing but respect for them.”

“Nah, it wasn’t personal,” Ryan said after the game. “I have a lot of respect for that organization, and if we want to get to where we want to get to, we have to beat teams like that and beat organizations like that. I’m grateful for my entire four years there, but it made me a better player and made me a leader of the team I’m on today.”

Develin runs, scores: James Develin loved the feeling, but would trade in Sunday’s touchdown in a heartbeat.

On Sunday, the six-year NFL veteran and Brown University grad did something rarely seen — he carried the ball. Early in the second quarter, Develin got the call at the goal line during a second-and-1 play. The fullback rumbled forward and broke through for his first touchdown since 2013.

Of course, that score marked the Patriots only touchdown in their 34-10 loss. It was a good feeling for the 30-year-old Develin but he was upset with the game's final score.

“Yeah, I mean it’s been a while, but on any play, with whatever the coaches call, we go out there and execute,” Develin said. "I’m lucky to have had my number called down on the goal line and the offensive line did a great job just paving a way for me. I was able to dive over the top and get it. It was a cool experience but I’d trade it all for a win.”

This season, the Patriots have had some struggles on the goal line. Last week, against Green Bay, the Patriots failed on the goal line — at the 1-yard line — and turned the ball over on downs after four attempts. On Sunday, Patriots running back Sony Michel was stuffed on first down at the 1 and that’s when the Patriots gave the ball to Develin.

“You know it’s in the game plan but you never know when it’s going to be called,” Develin said. “We’ve got to go out there and execute on every down and every snap.”

Michel 'felt good': After avoiding what appeared to be a serious knee injury, Michel was back on Sunday.

The rookie running back rushed for 31 yards on 11 carries. It was his first appearance since suffering a knee injury in Week 7 in Chicago. Michel, who had missed the previous two games, said he was feeling good physically following the Patriots' loss on Sunday.

“I felt good. Felt good,” said Michel, who said the past two weeks weren’t hard to get past. “Not difficult at all. It’s a process. It’s a growing process. When you go through things, you've just got to go through that process. Whatever it takes, you've just got to deal with it.”

The Patriots had little success on the ground on Sunday. Michel averaged just 2.8 yards per carry. The Patriots finished with 40 total rushing yards but Michel’s presence bodes well.