Shots Heard 'Round The Web - Patriots Links 10/30/08

TEAM SHOTS

• With the secondary short on numbers and experience, Wheatley and Wilhite could undergo a baptism by fire at Lucas Oil Stadium.
• Team news includes reaction from Wilfork, LaMont Jordan back at practice, and other practice notes from Gillette.
  

LOCAL SHOTS

• Karen Guregian reports that Vince Wilfork will be just fine(d).
• Stephen Buckley notes Wilfork honestly assessed the real issue, “I just need to taper down at the end of the play,” he said.  "Not at the beginning."
• Guregian says the young Defensive backs can thank Brady for preparing them for Manning.  She also notes that Rodney Harrison shut down Dallas Clark last year, and that job will most likely go to Adalius Thomas.
• Mike Reiss analyzes the Patriots' penalties in general, and the Rams' complaints in particular.  Head of officiating, Mike Pereira noted there were a few calls that should have been made against the Patriots, and a few more that should have been called against the Rams.
• Reiss also gives us the Patriots and Colts practice participation reports, and Indy coach Tony  Dungy's Q & A with the media.
• Shalise Manza Young & Daniel Barbarisi report that Terrence Wheatley says he's learned from his mistakes.
• Shalise Manza Young points out, the unfairness of being Cassel these days is that outsiders expect him to be just like Brady.
• Dan Shaughnessey on the Belichick bandwagon?  Who knew?  "With all the stuff that's going on around this Patriots team in 2008, it's good to have Bill Belichick on your side."  Maybe the coach smiled in his general direction recently.
• Bill Reynolds asserts that Belichick is doing one of his best coaching jobs ever.
• Globe Patriots Notebook says even without the hype, matchup with the Colts is still important, and gives us an injury update for both teams.
• Daniel Barbarisi knows that Belichick and the Patriots won't be taking the struggling Colts for granted.
• Kevin Byrne proves that the 21st-century Patriots are the best big-game team in NFL history.  In fact,nobody else is even close.
• Art Martone gives us the transcript of Bill Belichick's Wednesday Press Conference, focusing on Indianapolis.

FOCUS ON THE COLTS

• John Oehser (Colts.com) quotes Peyton Manning as saying this game against the Patriots will be "a good mental test right now."
• John Oehser (Colts.com) presents its readers a look at the New England Patriots from the Indy point of view.
• Colts.com gives us a Q & A with Colts' president Bill Polian discussing the upcoming game and the status of the Colts.
• Mike Chappell (Indy Star) notes with Joseph Addai set to come back from his hamstring injury to against the Patriots, Dominic Rhodes will return to his backup role.
• Phil Richards (Indy Star) updates readers on the status of injured and recovering players in his Colts Notebook.
  

LONG SHOTS

• Sean Leahy (USA Today) notes Sen. Arlen Specter is back in the news, criticizing the league for its upcoming slate of games available exclusively on the NFL Network.  Gee, maybe he could work on his favorite campaign contributer Comcast to include the NFL Network in it's basic package.  That might work.
• Alex Marvez (FOX) We're number one!  We're number one!  The New England Patriots were voted number one out of the NFL's 10 most injured teams.
• Lindsay H. Jones and Mike Klis (Denver Post) report ex-Patriot Chad Jackson had his first workout for the Broncos on Tuesday.