New England Patriots Links 1/24/11 - Steelers Do The Dirty Work, Shut Up Jets

Karen Guregian notes Tom Brady's guru Tom Martinez wasn't aware of how bad Brady's foot injury was.

"His dad mentioned his foot was bothering him, but it wasn’t like it was an injury," Martinez said. "I e-mailed back and forth with Tom and he never said anything. But he’s not the type to do that. He wouldn’t tell you if he got his leg amputated. That’s just the way it is. "I know stress fractures can be painful when they flare up. That makes what he did this year even more impressive."

Christopher Price lists ten things we learned Sunday:

The Jets peaked too soon. It was somewhere between the third or fourth missed tackle from Bart Scott and the crushing hit that Mark Sanchez took just before the end of the first half before the realization started to set in: After an emotionally draining win over the Patriots the previous Sunday in Foxboro, the Jets had nothing left in the tank.

Making their second AFC Championship Game performance in as many years, New York came out emotionally flat against the Steelers on Sunday night, and in the end, it cost them.

Doug Farrar(Yahoo! Sports) interviews Rodney Harrison, and here are a couple of his responses.

What do you miss most about playing?

Rodney Harrison: Probably just the guys - I don't miss the wear and tear, but I miss the guys. The conversations, the bonding periods, the opportunities to talk and get to know guys off the field and outside the realm of the locker room. Knowing them as men, as husbands and fathers and things like that.

What do you like best about TV analysis?

RH: It gives me an opportunity to stay close to the game. I'm really in a great situation because I'm with NBC, and what a first-class network that is. Being with Tony Dungy and Dan Patrick, just first-class guys. It just gives me an opportunity to share the football moments; the special times in each game and each week.

TEAM TALK

• New England Patriots official 2010 season review.
• Patriots Today - What does the offseason hold? (4.58 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Ian Rapoport awards his Patriots post-season superlatives.
• Ron Borges sees Pittsburgh on the verge of a new dynasty and stealing the Pats' thunder.
• Tom E. Curran reports it's safe to uncover your eyes and ears. The Jets are dead.
• Kirk Minihane keeps a running diary of the AFC Championship game.
• Dan Shaughnessy writes the AFC Championship game was a sloppy four quarters that only reinforced the notion that the Patriots blew a golden opportunity to go to the Super Bowl this year.
• Greg A. Bedard reports Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are moving on the the Super Bowl.
• Jim Donaldson has a newsflash: Good defenses win.
• Mike Reiss offers some of his quick-hit thoughts from the Patriots and around the league.
• WEEI looks back at some of the results from the NFL Combine last year and how they translated into production on the field in 2010. Today ... the 40-yard dash.
• Mike Reiss lines up the New England Patriots' biggest offseason needs, with the focus on both sides of the line of scrimmage.
• WEEI scouts potential Patriots for the NFL Draft: DE Adrian Clayborn (Iowa).
• Mike Reiss updates us on the status of Myron Pryor and his back injury. No surgery will be required in the offseason, just rest and rehab.
• Mark Farinella looks back at Super Bowl XX and the 1985 Patriots as the starting point for success.
• Mark Farinella shares his bittersweet memories of covering the Patriots' first Super Bowl appearance 25 years ago.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Jeremy Lundblad (ESPN) What's gone wrong for New England Patriots in past three playoff games? Spotlighting three troubling trends in three straight playoff losses.
• Andy Kent (NFL Fanhouse) Tom Brady's foot injury only adds to his 2010 season mystique.
• Doug Farrar (Yahoo! Sports) The Shutdown Corner interview: Rodney Harrison, Part One and Part Two.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Rapid reaction: Steelers 24, Jets 19.
• Tim Graham (ESPN) Jets emotional vein simply tapped out.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Rex Ryan says those who criticize the Jets "really got no right."  Really?
• Peter King (SI) MMQB: Super Bowl XLV, pitting Packers vs. Steelers, is one for history books.
• Damon Hack (SI) Steelers will need help of big-play defense to beat Pack in Super Bowl.
• Don Banks (SI) Steelers-Pack Super Bowl a dream game for fervent fans, and more.
• Jim Trotter (SI) Don't question Cutler's toughness.