New England Patriots Links 1/11/12 - Patriots All-In 100% After the Bye

Bill Belichick is asked about Denver's pass rushers.

They're very good. Von Miller is outstanding, [Elvis] Dumervil is outstanding, [Robert] Ayers, they do a good job. When they put Miller and Dumervil outside, those guys are fast and explosive. They can go inside, outside, power rush, occasionally drop into coverage, make a lot of plays from behind, they're strong at the point of attack. They're very good, very good.

Tom Brady responds to a question about whether anything has changed since their earlier matchup.

It's the same guys in there on defense and there are some of the same schemes. There are definitely some new wrinkles that they've added to what they're doing that we have to be able to prepare for. But the way the team has played the course of the entire season, you don't go into these games and think, ‘Oh, let's change it up.' You get to this point for playing a certain style. They're going to continue to play their style - what they think they do very well. And we're going to try to do the things that we do well.

Vince Wilfork talks about what the Patriots need to do on defense Saturday.

This game is going to come down to disciplined football for us. I think we said it the first time - disciplined football for us - up front, secondary and with the backers. I think every one of us is going to have a job to do. If we don't do that, we will find ourselves in trouble, quick, fast and often. That's one thing we're trying to minimize. We're trying to prepare well and play well on Saturday. That's our goal. It's a one game season for us right now. The more we can get down and practice with the preparation.

I think last week was a big week for us as a team. Just having the extra time and going out and actually getting some extra looks at things, get some stuff ironed out that we thought may give us some problems going forward or doing some things that we think can help us going forward. I think last week was a big week for us and it really helped us.

This is the postseason now. I'm expecting everything. I'm expecting them to throw the kitchen sink. Like I said, you lose now, you go home. I think every team understands that. Before it's too late, you have to understand what you're going into. You have to understand the battle you're going into. It started last week for us, just coming in and getting some things done. Hopefully it can transfer over to this week and onto the game Saturday.

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino says players are trying to keep cool amid a fired-up playoff atmosphere, and more notes from Tuesday at Gillette.
• Erik Scalavino shares his practice and locker room notes from Tuesday.
• Ask PFW: Questions in this week's mailbag begin with the addition of Josh McDaniels and more.
• Press Conferences: Bill Belichick (17.38 min. video), Tom Brady (10.41 min. video), Devin McCourty (5.30 min. video) and Vince Wilfork (19.16 min. video)
• Player Interviews: Sterling Moore (1.09 min.), James Ihedigbo (2.32 min.), Stevan Ridley (1.47 min.), Patrick Chung (2.54 min.) and Rob Gronkowski (4.48 min.)
• Patriots locker room quotes.
• Patriots Today - Pats in prime time in the playoffs. (3.55 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Preparation in full swing. (2.01 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Denver's edge rushers. (1.11 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Mankins and McDaniels on board. (1.44 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Business as usual this week. (2.56 min. video)
• Locker Room Uncut - Tuesday locker room thoughts. (3.22 min. video)
• Broncos Conference Call transcripts: John Fox and Tim Tebow.

LOCAL LINKS

• Ian Rapoport reports there's no looking back now for Tom Brady and the Patriots.
• Shalise Manza Young says the comeback wins have fostered confidence in a Patriots team ready to tough it out.
• Jeff Howe reveals Brandon Spikes used to be known as the Tebow of the defense at Florida, in reference to his leadership.
• Karen Guregian notes the Patriots defense will be facing a more confident Tim Tebow, who beat the Steelers with the long ball.
• Mark Daniels reminds us how solid the Denver defense is too.
• Christopher Price reports the Patriots want to keep Miller and Dumervil away from Brady again.
• Mike Petraglia hears Rob Gronkowski and Stevan Ridley agree that Denver is more than just Tim Tebow.
• Tom E. Curran says the Pats must pack their poise on Saturday.
• Mike Reiss offers two takeaways from Tuesday's practice. Belichick had the team in full pads to work on run defense.
• Michael Whitmer says Tom Brady is concentrating on beating the Broncos and ending his streak in the playoffs.
• Rich Levine notices Tebow is getting all the attention but the QB on the other side is still pretty good.
• Tony Massarotti thinks the Patriots will make the Broncos methodically drive down the field to make Tebow show consistency.
• Steve Buckley is tired of the Good vs. Evil bit. Me too.
• Ian Rapoport catches up with Broncos CB Jonathan Wilhite, who is preparing to play his former team on Saturday.
• Paul Kenyon talks about the playoff experience of the players on both teams.
• Ian Rapoport Patriots Notebook: Josh McDaniels was out on the practice field, wearing his familiar hoodie just like before; Every player suited up for practice yesterday and players noticed a sense of urgency; Stevan Ridley is ready to have a big game if called on; Pats D is prepared to get physical against the best rushing offense in the NFL.
• Shalise Manza Young Patriots Notebook: For the first time this season, no players were missing from the Pats' full-pads practice; John Fox remembers how his team didn't do a good job of defending Aaron Hernandez (9 for 129); Fox, a friend of Belichick, says he'll never forget Super Bowl XXXVIII; Belichick was happy for close friends Romeo Crennel and Nick Saban; This is the first time NE faces Denver in the playoffs at home.
• Ian Rapoport looks at Tom Brady's playoff numbers.
• Christopher Price wonders what the Patriots offense will look like in 2012 under Josh McDaniels.
• Mark Farinella calls the Denver media and some national writers "Crybabies!" for their take on the McDaniels hiring.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots-Broncos matchup of the day: DE Elvis Dumervil and OLB Von Miller vs. OTs Matt Light, Nate Solder and Sebastian Vollmer.
• Peter May (NY Times) Patriots try to dismiss postseason blemishes.
• Ian Rapoport (Pro Football Weekly) Valuing versatility: Patriots get the most out of their players.
• Brian Baldinger (NFL.com) Will Tebow succeed against Patriots' D? (3.14 min. video)
• Herm Edwards (ESPN) Best strategy for Broncos vs. Patriots. (1.07 min. video)
• AP Report (Fox Sports) Tebow sends Pats back to drawing board.
• Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Under the radar: They're not stars, but could play key role in playoffs. Kyle Love gets some love.
• Anna Katherine Clemmons (ESPN Magazine) A cornerback comes of age: Kyle Arrington's rise from practice player to Pats starter to stat leader impressive. Nice read.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) League should close the McDaniels loophole.
• PFW Staff (Pro Football Weekly) They said it: Patriots divisional-round edition.
• Total Pro Sports (TeamCoco.com) Conan O'Brien re-enacts the Broncos' overtime victory using peanuts. (1.12 min. video) Hilarious.
• James Walker (ESPN) Josh McDaniels can't lose.
• Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) I was wrong, Josh McDaniels was right about Tebow.
• Reid Forgrave (Fox Sports) In pass-happy NFL, WRs trump RBs.
• Jason Whitlock (Fox Sports) Saints have a dirty little secret, and more truths.
• Don Banks (SI) No shortage of storylines to watch among playoffs' elite eight.
• Will Brinson (CBS Sports) Grudge Report: Divisional matchups are chippy.
• Eric Edholm (Pro Football Weekly) The first fifteen: Divisional round.
• Adam Dobrowolski (Cold Hard Football Facts) Mathletics: Who are the best bets for the Super Bowl?

VIEW FROM DENVER

• Tom Kensler (Denver Post) Patriots coach Belichick good at confusing opposing QBs.
• Jeff Legwold (Denver Post) Forget recent playoff history: Don't underestimate Patriots or Tom Brady.
• Lindsay H. Jones (Denver Post) To play on, Tom Brady knows the Patriots must end their playoff drought.
• Jeff Legwold (Denver Post) Broncos' nickel wasn't worth much in first meeting with Patriots this season.
• Dave Krieger (Denver Post) Broncos are playing with house money vs. Patriots.
• Jeff Legwold (Denver Post) Josh McDaniels' return to New England coaching staff no big deal to Patriots or Broncos.