Shots Heard 'Round The Web - Patriots Links 10/22/08

LOSING RODNEY HARRISON

• Mike Reiss discusses the gaping Rodney Harrison-sized hole at safety, and how the Patriots will try to fill it.
• Karen Guregian gives her take on the void left by Rodney Harrison, referring to him as the emotional leader, and the nerve center of the defense.
• Dan Duggan highlights Rodney Harrison's career and says his achievements will stand the test of time.  Already he's the only player to record 30 interceptions and 30 sacks.

LOCAL SHOTS

• Chris Gasper talks about the players having fun out there Monday night, and updates us on Sammy Morris, Lewis Sanders, Stephen Neal, and Laurence Maroney.
• Guregian focuses on the running backs, and noted Green-Ellis was used on the scout team, emulating players like Miami’s Ronnie Brown and San Diego’s LaDainian Tomlinson.
• Robert Lee reports on the productive debut of rookie RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, who earned praise from Belichick and was just happy to contribute.
• Ron Borges feels that after being bombed into oblivion last Sunday in San Diego, the Patriots needed to come back strong on Monday night, and they did.  He issues his Weekly Report Cards on their performance.
• Michael Felger issues his Weekly Report Cards and wonders, "What happened to the team that so routinely had Bill Belichick's number through the years?" 
• Lee says Patriots made a statement with their victory over the Broncos.
• Mike Petraglia gives us his post-game analysis of Patriots-Broncos.
• Jim Donaldson notes, "We’re only six games in and already this Patriots’ season has veered in more directions than Sammy Morris did in the first half against the Broncos."
• Shalise Manza Young says Stephen Neal was happy to return to Patriots line, and thankfully he feels good.
• Reiss also takes a look at the snaps played by offensive skill-position players, the positional groupings utilized, and opens his weekly Mailbag.
• Andy Hart at Patriots Football Weekly opens his mailbag and answers reader questions.
• Art Martone provides the transcript of Bill Belichick's Tuesday conference call.

TEAM SHOTS

• Legendary Patriots linebacker Andre Tippett's Pro Football Hall of Fame bust is on display at the Patriots Hall of Fame until Saturday.
• Listen to WEEI's day-after interviews with Matt Cassel, Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, Vince Wilfork, and Bill Belichick.

LONG SHOTS

• Peter King (SI) who attended the game at Gillette Stadium, feels Matt Cassel is doing okay for the Patriots, and says the positives outweighed the negatives in his analysis of Monday night's game.
• Michael Lombardi (National Football Post) compares the defenses of both teams from Monday "One team, the Pats, was physical and looked like they could lift the entire weight room, as the other team looked weak and each time they tried to tackle they were carried for five yards."
• Matt Sohn (ProFootball Weekly) says the Patriots in 2008 will only go as far as their quarterback will take them, and this was the type of performance the Patriots needed out of Matt Cassel.