GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Patriots were without Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Nate Solder, Sebastian Vollmer, Rob Ninkovich and Dion Lewis on Sunday. Even with the odds stacked against his team, Bill Belichick still finds a way to get the best out of his team.

That was evident during the Patriots 23-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Typically, if you were to have taken away a starting quarterback, an All-pro tight end, both tackles and the best running back, a lot of teams would struggle. But somehow on Sunday, the Patriots found a way. After the game, Julian Edelman credited his coach with getting the best out of his players and reminisced about a short talk that two had in 2010.

“I remember in my second year in the league and I was doing a cold tub at like 12 o’clock at night, at the facility, just happy to be on the team,” Edelman said. “Coach was there on the treadmill watching film and we just so happen to walk out at the same time. I ask him, ‘coach, it’s pretty unbelievable you do this all the time.’

“He goes, ‘it beats being a plumber.’”

“Nothing wrong with plumbers or anything,” Edelman added. “But you know, it’s unbelievable. He’s just the most disciplined, hard-working guy and that’s why we have a team that goes out and tries to do the same.”

Patriots were down, 21-20, with 9:46 remaining in the game on Sunday and even with an inexperienced quarterback and a shaky offensive line, the offense was able to string together enough play to set up a Stephen Gostkowski 32-yard field goal.

Edelman said Belichick’s focus helps the team in games like this.

“Just always. That’s how he is,” Edelman said. “The Patriot way, I guess.”