Rich Thompson reports the first NFL game of the season is like Christmas to RB Fred Taylor.

"It signifies that camp is officially over and, like the fans, I love the approaching football season," said Taylor.

"I always get excited because you get the chance to compete for 60 full minutes against somebody that is trying to take their best shot at you. You want to give them your best shot, but I will always be motivated by Opening Day football."

Peter King (SI) Brady OKs 4-year deal with Pats; focus shifts to Colts QB Manning.

Now, it'll be up to the Indianapolis Colts to make the next move. Peyton Manning had been the highest-paid quarterback in the league -- he'll earn $15.7 million in 2010, the last year of his deal -- and it's widely expected Manning's deal will trump Brady's. When the Patriots file this contract to the league office on Friday, this will be the first time in their illustrious careers that Brady will be better-compensated than Manning, on average. If that seems unfair, Brady, in essence, has been playing from behind his entire career. He was the 199th player draft in 2000; Manning was the first player picked in 1998. Directly behind Manning: Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who is in the fifth year of a six-year, $60 million contract he signed in 2006. It's likely Saints GM Mickey Loomis and owner Tom Benson will let Brees at least finish the current year before opening talks with the defending Super Bowl MVP, who leads the NFL in most quarterbacking categories over the last two seasons.

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino notes Brady's car accident dominated locker room talk yesterday.
• Patriots-Bengals Injury report.
• Patriots Now - Brady at team walkthrough. (48 second video clip)
• Patriots Today - Brady out in full pads. (1 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Analyzing Pats-Bengals. (3.06 min. video)
• Locker Room Uncut - Thoughts from the locker room. (2.01 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Ian Rapoport reports Tom Brady has finalized a contract extension that gives him the opportunity to be a Patriot for life.
• Albert Breer breaks down the details in Brady's new contract.
• Shalise Manza Young analyzes Brady's new four-year deal with the Patriots, worth $72 million, with $48.5 guaranteed.
• Mike Reiss reports that in one day, Tom Brady went from a scary car accident to a historic contract extension.
• Albert Breer says Brady's extension adds up to a worthwhile deal.
• Comcast SportsNet Troy Brown says he 'didn't have any doubts' a deal would be struck to keep Brady in Foxboro. (2.40 min. video)
• Albert Breer notes the pressure is now shifting to the Colts.
• Ian Rapoport looks at who gets the next big-time contract?
• Chris Gasper offers his three keys vs. the Bengals.
• Gary Marbry posts his gameday nuggetpalooza: Patriots vs. Bengals.
• ESPNBoston Patriots-Bengals prediction roundup.
• Tom E. Curran sits down with Pats defensive captain Jerod Mayo to talk about the season opener and Randy Moss in the locker room. (Plus 4.27 min. video)
• WEEI Patriots Friday: Jerod Mayo tells Dennis & Callahan to keep an eye on Devin McCourty.
• WEEI Stephen Neal has no regrets about returning for 2010 and is excited to play. "The body's feeling pretty good."
• Boston Herald Is Bill Belichick in jeopardy of losing his "genius" status - or has he lost it already? Gerry Callahan, Ron Borges, Steve Buckly and Karen Guregian weigh in.
• Mike Reiss reports several players expressed relief Thursday morning that QB Tom Brady was not seriously hurt in the car accident yesterday.
• Comcast Sports Network reports the police report absolves Brady of blame in yesterday's crash.
• Dan Shaughnessy pokes fun at the celebrity status of Boston's own "Brady Gaga."
• Steve Buckley talks about the over-the-top media coverage of Tom Brady's car accident yesterday.
• Ian Rapoport Patriots Notebook: Even Jerod Mayo can't predict how the Patriots defense will be this year; Kevin Faulk believes Bill Belichick trusts him to be ready; Bengals may be without sack-happy DE Antwan Odom Sunday, he's facing a 4-game suspension for violating the league's drug policy; Plus injury update.
  

NATIONAL NEWS

• Tim Graham (ESPN) Tom Brady agrees to monster extension.
• Nancy Gay (Fox Sports) Pats, Brady finalize $72M extension, making him the richest QB in NFL history.
• Jack Bechta (Nat'l Football Post) Leverage, respect, and style. Why some deals get done and others don't.
• Mike Chappell (Indy Star) Irsay: All quiet on Manning contract front.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Patriots pass rush worse when it adds heat.
• Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots WR Tate primed for breakout season.
• NFL Live crew Mark Schlereth and Tedy Bruschi discuss the Patriots' concerns vs the Bengals. (3 min. video). Brutus Bruschi picks Cincy.
• Gil Brandt (NFL.com) Matchups to watch: Season starts with some great QB duels.
• Randy Cross (Nat'l Football Post) Does football get any better in 2010? Weekend picks.
• USA Today NFL game previews for Week 1.
• Mike Tanier (NY Times) Week 1 NFL matchups.
• Chris Chase (Yahoo! Sports) Shutdown Corner predicts the 2010 NFL season. Patriots get some love for the AFC East but get lost on the way to the Super Bowl.
• SI.com's NFL Season Predictions. Best team that won't make the playoffs??? Guess that qualifies the Pats as underdogs.
• National Football Post Super Bowl Predictions.
• Richard Deitsch (SI) 2010 NFL Broadcasting Guide.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Where does Brett Favre stand on union solidarity? Apparently on the sidelines with his back turned.
• Vic Carucci (NFL.com) The season hasn't even started, and NFL officials already have generated the wrong kind of headlines.
• Jeff Pearlman (SI) Redskins' Albert Haynesworth epitomizes worst in pro athlete.

VIEW FROM CINCINNATI

• Joe Reedy (Cincinnati Enquirer) Odom admits positive test, says it's not PEDs and under appeal.
• Kevin Kelly (Cincinnati Enquirer) Tom Brady is key to Patriots' success.
• Geoff Hobson (Bengals.com) Can't raise flags to Patriots. Pats had the 4th fewest false starts in the AFC and the 4th fewest holding calls.
• Joe Reedy (Cincinnati Enquirer) Owens: Belichick will have Pats ready.
• Geoff Hobson (Bengals.com) T.O. antsy for 15th opener.