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TEAM TALK
- Patriots high-scoring win draws highest ratings of the 2013 season.
- Patriots QB Tom Brady has been nominated for the FedEx Air Player of the Week for Week 9.
- Patriots WR Aaron Dobson has been nominated for the Pepsi Next Rookie of the Week for Week 9.
- Patriots Today - Belichick breaks it all down. (4.18 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Slater, Solder give back in Boston. (1.10 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Building a bridge for Myra. (3.06 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Petraglia notes the fire that burns in Tom Brady won't allow him to get away from football during the bye week.
- Mike Reiss prepares his Midseason Report for the New England Patriots.
- Zuri Berry reviews the first half of the Patriots season.
- Tom E. Curran breaks down the Patriots at the bye week. (2.49 min. video)
- Christopher Price breaks down special teams at the bye.
- Nick Underhill revisits his preseason predictions, and reassesses where they'll end up.
- Troy Brown has a few keys for the players during the bye week. (2.04 min. video)
- Boston Sports Live: Chris Gasper and Ben Volin discuss the Patriots' weaknesses and warn about getting too cocky. (13 min. video)
- The AP reports that despite their flaws, the Patriots are still the class of the AFC East.
- Howard Ulman (AP) believes the bye week gives the Pats a chance to work on their defense.
- Field Yates reports Tom Brady says the offensive line is the strength of the team.
- Karen Guregian reports Dante Scarnecchia is well aware his unit needs to perform better, both as run blockers and pass protectors.
- Doug Kyed studies the film and finds Tom Brady and Stevan Ridley carried the Pats' offense against the porous Pittsburgh Defense.
- Mike Reiss looks at the 7-2 Patriots in his weekly stat check, while comparing their numbers with the 5-3 Carolina Panthers.
- Mike Reiss breaks down the penalty flags so far this season, noting the Pats have the fifth-fewest on average.
- ESPN Boston introduces the Bruschi Defensive Index, averaging points allowed, red zone defense, third-down percentage and total turnovers.
- Karen Guregian Patriots Notebook: Tom Brady says there's no letdown on the bye week , this is the time to 'ramp it up'; Logan Mankins emphasizes that it's in November where teams make that push; Since 2010 Pats are 24-1 in the second half of the regular season; Ivan Fears has been impressed by veteran LeGarrette Blount; DL coach Patrick Graham feels the young players are working hard and that extra work is showing up on the field.
- Luke Hughes reports Nick Saban credits Bill Belichick with teaching him how to run a successful program.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Chris Burke (SI) NFL midseason grades. Patriots earn an A-.
- Don Banks (SI) NFL Midseason Report: 2013.
- Peter Bukowski (SI.com) NFL awards watch: Midseason. No Pats, not even as a runner up.
- Chris Burke (SI) Nate Burleson's injury, Tom Brady's outfits among Midseason Sour Rankings.
- Sound FX (NFL.com) Bill Belichick mic'd up as the Patriots take down the Steelers in Week 9. (3.05 min. video)
- Sound FX (NFL.com) Best of Week 9. (1.59 min. video)
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Bucs place Jeff Demps on IR.