Coach gets Beli-laughs

INDIANAPOLIS -- Bill Belichick sure knows how to work a room.

The Patriots head coach, dressed sharply in a dark-colored suit and light blue patterned tie, let his guard down long enough to deliver quick one-liners to a packed room of reporters Sunday.

Belichick quipped that he had never been shown much hospitality in Indiana -- that is, until the Patriots lost, 35-34, to the undefeated Colts at Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 15, 2009. After New England's 13-point lead dwindled to six, Belichick opted to go for it on fourth-and-2 with 2:03 remaining, but Kevin Faulk came up short. "Since then, I've been greeted in a lot more friendly manner," he said.

Belichick also warmly responded to a question posed by a 12-year-old reporter, who asked him for his thoughts on potentially tying Steelers coach Chuck Noll with four Super Bowl rings. "It would make me feel pretty good," he said, smiling. "It's a great honor to be mentioned in the same conversation as Chuck."

Belichick has been in such a good mood lately, some of his players can't help but wonder if Cupid has something to do with it. "I don't know if there's a lady in his life or what the deal is," Wes Welker said. "He definitely smiles a little bit more than he used to. But trust me, he's just as hard on us as he's been since Day 1."

Gronk in boot

Rob Gronkowski (high ankle sprain) arrived in Indy wearing the same walking boot he's had all week. "He's feeling a lot better today than he did a week ago," Tom Brady said Sunday night on NBC. Belichick remain tight-lipped, saying simply that Gronkowski is "day to day."

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EXTRAS: The Patriots, who ahead of the Giants, will keep their Monday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday practice schedule intact in order to have a "normal week," said Belichick.