New England Patriots Links 10/21/09 - Pats Getting Ready to Play Across The Pond

Tom Brady talks with the London media about what he thinks has been the key to building what the New England Patriots have with their organization.

I think it always starts with the top. It starts with the ownership, Robert Kraft and Jonathan Kraft. They hired probably the best coach in the history of the NFL, Coach [Bill] Belichick. He's controlled the personnel, he brings in the players he wants and he brings players that fit in - not only to the system that wants to play offense and defense - but also that buy into what the concept of team is. You've got to put the individual goals aside. And he finds players like Junior Seau, Kevin Faulk, Randy Moss, that just want to come in here and win games. It's not so much about making the Pro Bowls, becoming an all-star, and being the highest paid player. What it's about is going out there and buying into the team goals are greater than any individual goals or successes that you may have. That's what this team's all about. That's where it starts and - pretty much - that's where it ends.

Mark Farinella explains the cries of running up the score are just born out of fear.

That's exactly what Bill Belichick, Brady and the rest of the Patriots did on Sunday. They played on the same snowy field as the Titans, but unlike the visitors from Nashville, they caught the ball, they ran with the ball, they didn't fumble it, they made the tackles and finished their plays.

And yes, Tom Brady was out of the game quickly in the third quarter. Brian Hoyer made his NFL debut with about 71/2 minutes left in the third quarter, he scored a touchdown, and then they took the air out of the ball in the fourth quarter.

But no, the big, bad Patriots are running up the scores again. They're cheaters, their coach is a criminal and the quarterback is "going to hell" according to a South Carolina fundamentalist Baptist congregation.

And what does that tell you?

The Patriots may actually be scaring a few individuals again.

TEAM SHOTS

• Brady nominated for FedEx Air Player of the Week.
• Erik Scalavino Roster moves kick off London week; Tuesday notes.
• Tom Brady Conference Call with the London media.  (21.53 min.) Plus Transcript.
• Bill Belichick Tuesday Presser (20 min. video) Plus Transcript.
• Ask PFW: Trading deadline fun plus more in the weekly mailbag.
• Patriots travel to London to face the Buccaneers.  Broadcast info, NFL International quick facts, series history, team connections and more.
  

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss details the play that broke Julian Edelman's arm.
• Chris Gasper talks about Belichick's dual roles of head coach and personnel czar, saying that any roster miscues are all on his shoulders.
• Shalise Manza Young recaps the roster moves yesterday, concluding there was a method to the madness.
• Christopher Price notes it was a strange week for Banta-Cain and the Patriots LBs.
• Ian Rapoport notes the Patriots look to fill roster vacancies from within.
• Mike Reiss says that by cutting Galloway, the Patriots admit that they made a mistake.
• Ian Rapoport talks about the Patriots losing their third WR options with Galloway cut and Edelman out with a broken arm.
• Mike Reiss offers his Ten Quick-Hit thoughts on the Bucs.
• Mike Reiss notes Tully Banta-Cain's production was rewarded by the Patriots, almost tripling his base salary.
• Michael Vega notes the NFL trade deadline came and went with the Patriots only juggling their roster internally.
• Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag on all things Patriots.
• Mike Reiss offers some quick hits from Bill Belichick's news conference.
• Boston Globe Patriots Notebook: Adalius Thomas was present for the Patriots' walkthrough practice at Gillette yesterday; The Patriots now have 21 days to either activate, release, or place Brandon Tate and Mark Levoir on season-ending IR; Sam Aiken received a 2-year contract extension; Tom Brady was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time this season and 14th time in his career.
• Steve DeOssie grades the Harlem Globe Trotters Patriots vs. Buccaneers.  A's all around.
• Karen Guregian discusses some of the logistics and planning for the Patriots trip to London, noting Belichick is not going to act as a league ambassador for the game.  "I'm just trying to coach a team."
• Ian Rapoport describes the field conditions at Wembley Stadium.  The NFL and Wembley officials have worked to alleviate the mud-bowl conditions from the game two years ago between the Dolphins and Giants.
• Dan Guttenplan has a bit of fun adding his own responses to the questions that were asked of Tom Brady by the London media.
• Ron Borges (The National Newspaper) London not a good trip for Belichick.
  

NATIONAL NEWS

• Jerome Bettis (SI) Patriots turning it on; why Titans won't be down long. When Brady can get the ball to Moss and to Wes Welker (who had 10 catches for 150 yards and two touchdowns), this team is unstoppable.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) How I see it: AFC East stock watch.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Julian Edelman was chosen as the AFC East's surprise rookie because he has been a contributor to a star-studded offense. Candidates were chosen from players drafted from the third round and beyond or not drafted at all.
• Gregg Easterbrook (ESPN) TMQ: How did the Titans fall so fast?.
• Mike Wilkening (ProFootball Weekly) High winds in forecast for Patriots-Buccaneers in London.
• Mark Woods (Britball Media for ESPNBoston) London getting ready for the NFL.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Matt Millen declares no NFL receiver tilts the field like Randy Moss. (1 min. video)
• Don Banks (SI) Inside the NFL.  "When anyone said Tom Brady wasn't "back'' yet, what that really meant was he wasn't back to his near-perfect 2007 form."
• Sean Leahy (USA Today) With four unbeaten teams standing, is there another 16-0 season brewing?

VIEW FROM TAMPA

• Gary Shelton (St. Petersburg Times) Buccaneers trip to England has the makings of a mismatch in favor of the Patriots.
• Bucs Beat (St. Petersburg Times) FB B.J. Askew out for season after car accident.
• Buccaneers.com Bucs add CB Marcus McCauley, lose Askew for season.