TEAM TALK

• Locker Room Uncut - London locker room thoughts. (3.12 min. video)
• Locker Room Uncut - London chatter. (3.11 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Matt Chatham explains how Sunday's feel-good win was more about molding the offense into one that can beat opponents in December, in more ways than they can possibly prepare for. Great read.
• Jeff Howe details how the Patriots delivered in critical situations Sunday.
• Jeff Howe charts the Patriots efficiency on third down Sunday, both offensively and defensively.
• Christopher Price gives us a statistical comparison of the 2011 and 2012 Patriots through eight games.
• Mike Reiss notes Sunday's game couldn't have started much worse for the defense, but then talks about how they were able to put that behind them.
• Mike Petraglia wonders if the Patriots turned a corner on defense.
• Christopher Price tells us ten things we learned Sunday: For the Patriots, there was no better way to head into the bye week.
• Tom E. Curran points out Sunday was a "crushing afternoon of football for legions in New England who live to lament the decline of the Patriots."
• Rich Levine says Sunday's win might not change the Patriots future, but it sure made the present a little more tolerable.
• Mike Reiss focuses on how Rob Gronkowski manages to lighten up the all-business Pats while leading on the field.
• Field Yates passes along his observation after re-watching the game: First half and Second half.
• Mike Reiss breaks down the Patriots 45-7 win over the Rams in London. (1.32 min. video)
• ESPN Boston shares a sampling of some player Tweets after landing safely in Boston early Monday afternoon.
• Shalise Manza Young reports the Patriots have compiled 350 yards of offense or more in 17 straight games - an NFL record.
• Doug Kyed notes the Pats pass rush is behind last season's pace, despite adding Chandler Jones and Dont'a Hightower.
• Mike Reiss takes a look at the snaps played by Patriots defenders in the team’s 45-7 win over the Rams and analyzes what it all means.
• Mike Reiss looks at the positional groupings utilized Sunday and notes that without Aaron Hernandez the offense favored a 3-WR approach over their base 2-TE package.
• Mike Reiss updates the base vs. sub defense stats after Sunday's win over the Rams and takes a closer look at the blitz numbers as well.
• Mike Reiss breaks down the players who were part of multiple core units on special teams Sunday, noting injuries forced the Pats to shuffle the deck a bit.
• Field Yates explains why this year's Patriots could be poised for big second half run.
• Michael Whitmer reports the Patriots reach the halfway point of the season in first place, and looks at their upcoming schedule.
• Chad Finn looks at the Patriots at the midpoint and says they aren't half bad at all.
• Field Yates checks in on injured Patriots at the bye.
• Ron Borges issues his Week 8 Report Card. No angry red sharpie marks anywhere.
• Mike Rodak grades the Patriots in his Week 8 Report Card.
• Christopher Price fills in for Kirk "I only give Cs" Minihane in filling out this week's Patriots Report Card.
• Jeff Howe Patriots Notebook: Patriots want to emerge from the bye week with the same energy against the Bills, and keep the good times rolling; The players thought it was cool how the fans responded during the game, similar to a Super Bowl atmosphere; Bill Belichick liked the old-school feel of the stadium as well as the rain-soaked grass, like a good, old-fashioned football game.
• WEEI highlights of Tim Hasselbeck on Mut & Merloni. Hasselbeck says it's 'way too early to be pushing the panic button on the Pats defense'.
• Field Yates says ESPN Draft Analyst Mel Kiper, Jr. notes rookie CB Alfonzo Dennard is ahead of schedule.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Report (ESPN Stats & Info) Opposite ends for Brady, Sanchez.
• Jon Wertheim (SI) NFL experience still a puzzling, exciting one for Londoners.
• Jim Thomas (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) Rams' defense regresses.
• Kevin Fishbain (Pro Football Weekly) AFC East spin cycle: Dolphins keep pace with Patriots.
• Peter Schrager (Fox Sports) NFL Week 8 takeaways: NY Jets don't know how to use Tim Tebow.
• Brian Billick (Fox Sports) Week 8 drama turned way up.
• John Clayton (ESPN) Week 8: Pretenders unmasked.