Bill Belichick will take his New England Patriots to M&T Bank Stadium Monday night to play the Ravens. His only previous trip there was for last spring's NCAA lacrosse Final Four.

"It was awesome being there last year, watching Hopkins win the national championship,'' Belichick said during his teleconference with reporters in Owings Mills. "That was a great experience. It's a lot different than the old Memorial Stadium.''

Belichick spent many nights there, too, growing up in Annapolis while his late father, Steve, coached at Navy.

"I don't need to tell you that Memorial Stadium will always hold a special place for me because that's where I did start,'' Belichick said, speaking of his coaching career that began with the Colts. "Even as a kid, going up to watch the Orioles and Colts play, when I was young. You kind of get weaned onto those two sports and that sticks with you for a lifetime."

And this trip?

"It will be good to come back, but on the other hand, it's really a business trip, and we're coming down there for one reason, and that's to try to play our best against the Ravens,'' Belichick said. "That will be a handful. We know that.''