Tom Brady reflects on the year that Nate Solder has had as a rookie playing both sides of the line.

We've asked Nate to do quite a bit. He's played both tackle spots. He's also played some tight end for us. For a rookie to come in and to be able to add that type of value to a team and to really perform the way he has really speaks to his character, his ability to prepare, how tough he is, how smart he is, all those things that make up a damn good football player. I'm glad we have him. Anytime a quarterback has two tackles like Matt Light and Nate and add Sebastian [Vollmer] and Marcus Cannon into that, that's a lot of comfort I have dropping into the pocket.

Aaron Hernandez comments on all the hard work that has been put in to get to this point.

"It was a lot of screaming at us, a lot of discipline and obviously over the two years we have had a lot of help and we have great players around us that get us ready and prepared for the game. We are in a great organization that makes sure we know each detail of each route, how to run it and where we need to be, and we got taught a lot of discipline. That is obviously why we have some success."

Jerod Mayo talks about the growth of the Patriots defense in terms of communication.

Yeah, I think it comes down to consistency, just getting guys back, getting [Brandon] Spikes back, getting [Patrick] Chung back. That's huge for us and any time you can get the same guys for consecutive weeks, the communication will be there.

TEAM TALK

• Patriots-Ravens Wednesday Injury Report.
• Marc Sessler notes Gronkowski, Hernandez or both could have been Ravens instead of Patriots.
• Press Conferences: Bill Belichick (18.22 min. video), Tom Brady (12.53 min. video), Jerod Mayo (5.33 min. video) and Vince Wilfork (14.28 min. video)
• Player Interviews: Kevin Faulk (1.03 min.), Kyle Arrington (2.07 min.), Deion Branch (4.15 min.), Devin McCourty (4.04 min.), Aaron Hernandez (4.52 min.), Brandon Spikes (4.52 min.) and Rob Gronkowski (6.15 min.)
• Patriots Locker Room Quotes.
• Patriots Today - Facing physical Baltimore. (3 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Back on the practice field. (1.36 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Belichick talks Wilfork, Chung. (1.44 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Brady's 6th AFC title game. (1.06 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Balancing football and family. (1.37 min. video)
• Patriots Today - Championship game history lesson. (5.55 min. video)
• Locker Room Uncut - Hernandez, Gronkowski, and more. (3.48 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Rodak & Mike Reiss offer some quick-hits from the media-access period in the locker room.
• Mike Reiss notes that for the second time in a month, WR/DB/R Julian Edelman's practice work has been lauded by the coaching staff.
• Chris Gasper warns the NE defense has to play well or the Patriots will go the way of Brady's offensive counterparts, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees.
• Karen Guregian notes Jerod Mayo has quietly become the team's emotional leader, inspiring his players in the pregame huddle.
• Mark Daniels reports Brandon Spikes takes his game day emotions to another level.
• Mike Petraglia doesn't think the Patriots will allow Ray Rice to burn them this time around.
• Michael Whitmer talks about versatile Rob Ninkovich finding his niche with the Patriots, and loving it.
• Zuri Berry lays down some predictions on how the Patriots-Ravens game will play out.
• Ron Borges notes that it won't matter how Joe Flacco wins, if he wins, on Sunday.
• Dan Duggan analyzes one of Sunday's key matchups: Tom Brady vs. Ed Reed.
• ESPNBoston notes Rob Gronkowski approves of the Boston TE Party nickname suggested for him and Aaron Hernandez.
• Mike Reiss shares a few quick injury-related thoughts on the Patriots.
• Amalie Benjamin reports the Ravens are standing by Flacco after his own teammate called him out.
• Ian Rapoport rehashes the Ravens' hating on Tom Brady from 2009.
• Ryan O'Halloran reports Bernard Pollard is unapologetic and hasn't changed his style of play since his low hit on Tom Brady in 2008.
• Ian Rapoport Patriots Notebook: Tom Brady sat out of Wednesday's practice; Aaron Hernandez and Nate Solder both suffered concussions against the Broncos; Hernandez insists he feels great and 'ready to play'; Ty Law was the second former player to be named honorary captain; Jerod Mayo credited consistency and getting Spikes and Chung back on the field for the terrific performance Saturday; Vince Wilfork said having the ball is a lineman's dream; Kevin Faulk expressed admiration for Ray Lewis.
• Shalise Manza Young Patriots Notebook: Bill Belichick loves Ed Reed; Tom Brady was the only player who didn't take part in the shells-and-sweats practice.
• Tony Massarotti hears the clock ticking on Tom Brady, and this Sunday could be what amounts to the 2-minute drill of his historic career.
• Chad Finn ranks the Patriots' ten best playoff games.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots 60-second rant: Let's get physical.
• Clark Judge (CBS Sports) Not many outside of Baltimore expect (or want) Ravens to beat Patriots.
• Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) Patriots-Ravens matchup of the day: Patriots O-line vs. Ravens OLB Terrell Suggs.
• Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady misses entire practice with left shoulder injury.
• James Walker (ESPN) Pats-Ravens: Brady chasing Joe Montana.
• John Parolin (ESPN Stats & Information) Three-point stance: Pats-Ravens AFC title.
• Staff Report (Washington Post) NFL playoffs 2012: Baltimore Ravens at New England Patriots.
• Peter Schrager (Fox Sports) Who will play in Super Bowl XLVI?
• Scott Kacsmar (Cold Hard Football Facts) No quality wins for Patriots = playoff fail?
• Jason Cole (Yahoo! Sports) Belichick's dual TE threat started in 1970s.
• Top Value Performer (Vizio.com) Rob Gronkowski has been nominated for this award and fans can vote for him here.
• Steven Krasner (ESPN) Gronk, Hernandez are two of a kind.
• Jeremy Lundblad (ESPN) Gronk, Hernandez making history.
• Pat Kirwan (NFL.com) Can Ravens' stout D check Patriots' dynamic offense?
• Gregg Rosenthal (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick is president of the Ed Reed fan club.
• Mark Kriegel (Fox Sports) Defense will take center stage Sunday.
• Jamison Hensley (ESPN) The stage is yours, Joe Flacco.
• Kevin Braig (Cold Hard Football Facts) Quarterback class warfare on display.
• Peter King (SI) MMQB Mail: Flacco hasn't starred, but he doesn't have to vs. Patriots.
• Mike Freeman (CBS Sports) Ten-point stance: Flacco's flawed, but doesn't deserve all the flak.
• Ben Shpigel (NY Times) Ravens seek offense worthy of their defense.
• Scott Kacsmar (Cold Hard Football Facts) SuperStudy: Home-field advantage in playoffs.
• Jason La Canfora (NFL.com) Plot lines run thick on enticing Championship Sunday.
• Jason Cole (Yahoo! sports) Turnovers don't doom teams to blowout losses.
• John Clayton (ESPN) Playoff officials staying in background.
• Jack Bechta (Nat'l Football Post) Three more rounds please!
• James Walker (ESPN) Kiper's AFC East mock draft.
• Alex Marvez (Fox Sports) Brady-Peyton rivalry could be done.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) League won't investigate Haley's bugging/phone tampering claims, yet.
• Manish Mehta (NY Daily News) LaDainian Tomlinson says Mark Sanchez is "a bit pampered" by the Jets. No surprise he's dishing the dirt.

VIEW FROM BALTIMORE

• Jeff Zrebiec (Baltimore Sun) Flacco has shined against playoff teams, avoiding interceptions and winning games.
• Ryan Mink (BaltimoreRavens.com) Ravens-Patriots has become intense Rivalry.
• Aaron Wilson (The Capital) Prolific Patriots present high-scoring challenge for Ravens.
• Edward Lee (Baltimore Sun) Ravens' Dickson, Pitta out to prove they can be as effective as Patriots' tight ends.
• Ryan Mink (BaltimoreRavens.com) Ankle doesn't keep Reed from practice.
• Edward Lee (Baltimore Sun) Jarret Johnson on Ravens defense: "We're a challenge".
• Sarah Ellison (BaltimoreRavens.com) Wow. Never cross Suggs when it comes to Joe.
• Edward Lee (Baltimore Sun) Ravens eager to show improvement in short-yardage situations.