Shots Heard 'Round The Web - Patriots Links 10/16/08

LOCAL SHOTS

• Mike Reiss reveals what Deltha O'Neal has already figured, that the Broncos will test him deep.
• Karen Guregian gets the view among expert observers regarding Matt Cassel, and what it will take for him to lose his job or to keep it.
• Shalise Manza Young says Cutler's big-play Broncos will test patriots' vulnerable defense.  Young also focuses on Cutler's recovery from diabetes.
• Reiss reports OG Stephen Neal and OT Oliver Ross began practicing yesterday, and lists the 7 players who were absent from practice and why. His football notebook gives a more detailed account of the practice, the Patriots' injuries, and other items of note.
• Kerry J. Byrne concludes the Brady vs. Belichick argument after just 5 games, saying that the loss of Brady meant the loss of Belichick's genius.  The impatient "I want it all and I want it now" theory of instant gratification taken to extremes, in my opinion.
• Tony Massarotti claims there's no defense for the Defense and lays it all on Belichick.  Fine.  He lost me while rehashing most of the negative characterizations that "many will tell" about our Head Coach.  Guess it's news that he's seen as an "insultingly arrogant" "social misfit" among other things.  Thanks for spreading the love Mazz!
• Tom Wilcox sacks the offensive line and looks for the cause of its troubles.
• Wilcox gives us his Three Keys vs. The Broncos. 
  
• Projo.com posts the transcripts of Bill Belichick's Wednesday Press Conference.

LONG SHOTS

• Mike Klis (Denver Post) talks about the shifting look of the Denver Defense.
• Jim Armstrong (Denver Post) "What, you think the Patriots, the top of the NFL food chain for most of the 21st century, are humble? They may be the most arrogant organization in the league, or at least a strong second behind the Cowboys."
• Nick Groke (Denver Post) points out that the Denver Broncos are 5-1 against the Patriots since 2001.  The rest of the NFL combined vs. the Pats are 26-102.  Pretty cool stat actually.
• Nick Groke (Denver Post) quotes Denver QB Jay Cutler, who says "we expect to put up 30, 40 points every game and that's kind of the bar that we set."
• Lindsay H. Jones (Denver Post) notes that ex-Patriot Daniel Graham will be returning to New England, and updates readers on Bronco injuries and team notes.
• DenverBroncos.com posts the transcripts of head coach Mike Shanahan, and QB Jay Cutler's press conference regarding Monday night's matchup.
  
• The AP reports on an NFL owners meeting with Roger Goodell Tuesday, that took place in St. Petersburg, Florida, where the topic of adding games to the pre-season and regular season was discussed.  No schedule changes are in store for 2009.

POWER RANKINGS

• What If Sports ranks them 21st (-3):  Yikes!
• Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver ranks them 20th:  That goal-line pass to Mike Vrabel doesn't look so smooth with a certain quarterback missing, does it?
• The Metro ranks them 18th (-7):  With the exception of his 66-yard TD to Randy Moss against the 49ers, every one of Matt Cassel’s deep throws is off target by about 15 yards.
• ESPN ranks them 17th (-8):  The Patriots don't have an extra week to regroup from this blowout like they did their last one.  (Notes)
• ProFootball Weekly ranks them 16th (-7):  Will Randy Moss keep an edge with offensive limitations?
• NFL.com ranks them below twelfth:  in the middle of the pack.
• The Sporting News ranks them 11th (-4):  Before Bill Belichick took over in 2000, two years earlier it was still Pete Carroll, who went on to coach current Patriots QB Matt Cassel at USC. Cassel's inconsistent play makes it hard to know where to place the Pats every week.
• Peter King at SI ranks them tied for 11th (-5): They play Denver on Monday night and St. Louis the following Sunday, both in Foxboro. Then, for the 89th straight year, Pats and Colts play on the first Sunday of Sweeps Month.
• Dr. Z at SI ranks them 10th (-4):  Bill Belichick's Monday press conference followed his viewing of the Chargers film, with one team at normal speed and the other in slow motion.  "From what I saw of the game," he said, "it's not different than what we saw last night."