LOCAL SHOTS
- Barbara Matson checks in with wide receiver Sam Aiken.
- Karen Guregian gives us the Adalius Thomas - Mike Nolan admiration society.
- Guregian says the players are glad to say bye to the Bye, or as Tedy Bruschi put it, "they’re sick of smacking each other in practice and want to pop someone else for a change."
- Chad Finn posts the transcript of Bill Belichick's Friday Q & A session with reporters.
- Eric McHugh writes "Mayo no Willis, but not for lack of effort."
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Mike Reiss reports on Patriots defensive coordinator Dan Pees' turn with the media, and then spends a few minutes with Lamont Jordan.
- Reiss expects that former Patriots OLB Tully Banta-Cain might see his first playing time this season, due to Manny Lawson's hamstring injury.
- Mark Farinella tells us that Vince Wilfork is just itching to get back on the field and exorcise those Miami demons. Says Wilfork, "it all boils down to trusting one another out there on the field."
- Ron Borges writes about the QB that got away, "single-minded perseverance in the face of consistent disappointment is the formula O'Sullivan followed into the 49ers' huddle this season," and he's making the most of his big opportunity.
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Mike Petraglia reminisces with Belichick about his memories of Candlestick Park.
LONG SHOTS
- Tim Graham (ESPN) noticed Dan Pees didn't sound like a happy camper during Friday's news conference.
- Keith Kidd (Scouts Inc.), writing for ESPN.com, has Patriots first-round LB Jerod Mayo ranked eighth on his top-20 list of "impact rookies."
- Graham presents his AFC East Week 5 preview.
- Dan Brown (Inside Bay Area) wonders if the 49ers will use trickery to upset the Pats. "We might do it a little bit," running back Frank Gore said with a smile. "You'll see."
- Matt Sohn (ProFootball Weekly) speculates on 2nd round draft pick Terrence Wheatly's scarce playing time.