New England Patriots Links 9/21/11 - Belichick Plans for Everything, even Streakers

Bill Belichick talks about how disrupting fake injuries can be to a no-huddle offense.

Well I think we all see that the way the game is now there are different breaks in the game at all points in time. You can have the momentum or positive things going on in your favor and we stop and review a play or review a score or a play gets challenged or a player gets injured or you know or a beach ball rolls onto the field or it could be a dog runs out there. It could be anything - streakers. Things happen.

That's just part of being focused and playing through the situation, whatever it is that comes up, things you can't control. Plays are going to get reviewed; plays are going to get stopped. Momentum and the tempo is going to change. You have to be able to deal with it on both sides of the ball, for it or against it, on the road and at home. It's just part of the game. I think if you want to address that whole issue then that's something that needs to go to the people who make the rules.

Bill O'Brien talks about what challenges the Bills defense presents.

This week, starting up front with Kyle Williams, an excellent player, great effort player, never stops playing. [Marcell] Dareus, the rookie from Alabama, he's playing very well for them for a rookie. The linebackers are solid. Nick Barnett, instinctive player, good player. And then the secondary, I think they have two really good corners in [Drayton] Florence and [Leodis] McKelvin, instinctive and good athletes and [they] present challenges because of their athletic ability and their instincts. And both safeties are smart players and understand the scheme that they're playing very well. Q: How would you characterize the defense they play? BO: I would characterize it as an aggressive, very disciplined defense that plays with tremendous effort.

Nick Caserio addresses Bills center Eric Wood and their O-Line.

They moved him to center. He's played guard over the past few years, at least when he's healthy. They had [Geoff] Hangartner playing center so they had bumped him over and he's been a consistent player. He's tough, he's smart, he's a good athlete, he has good playing strength [and] he has a good playing style. Their offensive line has played well over the past two games. They have some younger players like he and [Andy] Levitre, who if I remember correctly, I think they took them in the same year, might have been the year after. He started a number of games, basically since he's been in the league, he's been a three-year starter. Between Levitre and Wood on the interior, Kraig Urbik, who they acquired either on waivers or they signed as a free agent, is another younger player. And then [Demetrius] Bell has started there for a number of years. [Erik] Pears is playing right tackle; they have some other guys that work at that position. Collectively as a group they've played well. Eric is a good player - he's been able to make the transition over from guard to center.

TEAM TALK

• Game Preview: New England Patriots at Buffalo Bills. Broadcast info, series history, team connections and more.
• Andy Hart takes a second look at the end of the Patriots  35-21 win and the team's use of four-minute offense to run the clock out on San Diego.
• Ask PFW: On the defensive.
• Conference Call Transcripts: Bill Belichick - Bill O'Brien - Nick Caserio.
• Patriots Today - Mayo Bowls 'em over. (2.20 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Lights out at shootout. (1.55 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Halftime Hall of Fame ceremony. (6.36 min. video)
• FedEx Air Player of the Week (NFL.com) Vote for Tom Brady here.
• Game with the Greats charity event: Watch the Pittsburgh game with dozens of former Patriots.
• PFW in Progress - 9/20/11 (2 hour program)
• Patriots Playbook - John Rooke and Erik Scalavino break down the win over the Chargers and preview Sunday's matchup against the Bills. (2 hour program)

LOCAL LINKS

• Andrew Mooney gets inside Tom Brady's blistering start.
• David Pevear notes the undefeated Bills are being taken seriously by the Patriots.
• Greg A. Bedard warns this will be a different visit to upstate New York.
• Karen Guregian chats with players at Matt Light’s Celebrity Shootout yesterday, and finds none of them will acknowledge their 15-0 record against the Bills.
• Glen Farley says the Patriots are about to find out if these Bills are legit or counterfeit.
• Kevin McNamara reports the Patriots are talking up the undefeated Bills and saying this year's team is for real.
• Mike Reiss notes Marv Albert and Rich Gannon will be the broadcast team Sunday, with Albert in his first year calling NFL games for CBS.
• Chris Forsberg wonders how Aaron Hernandez' absence will impact the Patriots offense, and shows what they did to compensate last year in Buffalo.
• Karen Guregian focuses on Devin McCourty and his struggles through the first two games of the season.
• Greg A. Bedard thinks the Patriots defense needs more from Albert Haynesworth.
• Carolyn Thornton speculates that with Hernandez hurt, the elder 'Gronk' may see more time on the field.
• Jeff Howe points out that for the Gronkowski brothers, Sunday will be a home game in Buffalo.
• Chris Forsberg notes the Patriots O-Line is getting the job done so far this season.
• Mike Reiss catches us up with former Patriots who were with the team in training camp.
• Mike Reiss looks at where the Patriots rank in key statistical areas, with the big change this week on third down defense.
• Chris Forsberg finds Tom Brady at the top in Total QBR through Week 2.
• Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag: Is Patriots' defense good 'enough'?
• Greg A. Bedard graphs out Sunday's 'Play of the Game', Vince Wilfork's interception.
• Monique Walker Patriots Notebook: Patriots punting situation is still in limbo, with Zoltan Mesko day-to-day; Belichick views fake injuries as just another distraction and says the focus can't change for the offense because of them; Devin McCourty is seeing opponents target him more, but he's very competitive and is up for the challenge; Chad Ochocinco and all of the receivers are progressing, according to offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots 'D' needs to avoid lapse vs. Bills.
• Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots-Bills matchup of the day: Pats pass rush vs. Bills O-Line.
• Steve Wyche (NFL.com) Crazy stats will put spotlight on Brady, Pats in playoffs.
• Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots rookie report: Week two.
• James Walker (ESPN) AFC East Power Rankings analysis.
• James Walker (ESPN) AFC East Stock Watch.
• Peter King (SI) MMQB Tuesday Edition: Newton representing major shift in NFL offenses; mail.
• Page 2 (ESPN) Gunslingers: Tom Brady meets Cam Newton on Under Armor shoot. (4.31 min. video)
• Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) Week 2 Winners and losers.
• Don Banks (SI) Through two weeks, NFL has shown us how much we don't know.
• Matt Bowen (Nat'l Football Post) Defensive players faking injuries? You bet they are.
• Mike Pereira (Fox Sports) Faking injuries 'is allowed because it is not against the rules.'
• Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) League could fine for faking injuries if it could be proven.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) With two exceptions, quarterbacks are doing well this year.
• Jason Whitlock (Fox Sports) Week 2 NFL Truths: Would you approve of Peyton Manning using PEDs?
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Out-of-country stem-cell therapy doesn't violate league policy.
• Lance Pugmire (LA Times) Buffalo Bills are in a much better place this season.

VIEW FROM BUFFALO

• Leo Roth and Sal Maiorana (Democrat and Chronicle) Can Buffalo Bills beat New England Patriots?
• Jerry Sullivan (Buffalo News) Some reasons for concern about Bills.
• Bob Matthews (Democrat and Chronicle) The Buffalo Bills are no fluke.
• Chris Brown (BuffaloBills.com) Bills offense is rolling.
• Paul Jannace (Wellsville Daily) Time for Bills to show what they're made of.