New England Patriots Links 11/02/15 - Patriots Defense Not a Weak Link

TEAM TALK

• Erik Scalavino offers a film breakdown of New England's win over Miami.
• Andy Hart highlights Bill Belichick's Friday presser: Ball security, Bryan Stork's versatility, and more.
• Paul Perillo and Andy Hart debate whether or not Bryan Stork should get his starting job back immediately.
• Conference Call transcripts: Bill Belichick, Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia.
• Patriots Today - Locker room celebration. (1.30 min. video)
• Infographic: Breaking down the win over Dolphins.

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss posts some quick-hit weekend thoughts from the Patriots and around the NFL: Detailing how Jets sparked NFL inquiry of Pats' employees.
• Karen Guregian sees the Patriots defense as solid so far.
• Jerry Thornton posts his post-game knee-jerk reactions to the Patriots Week 8 win.
• Eric Wilbur notes the Patriots are so far above everyone else it's hard not to look ahead to January.
• Christopher Gasper tells fans to brace for, and accept, another 16-0 season.
• Mike Giardi credits coaching continuity as being crucial to the Patriots success.
• Ben Volin revisits the Pats-Fins game (with gifs and diagrams) to give credit to some unheralded plays that didn't make the stat sheet but made all the difference.
• Karen Guregian sees Tom Brady playing a cut above the rest of the league.
• Chad Finn thinks Dion Lewis could be the most electrifying third-down back the Patriots have ever had... and they've had some really good ones.
• Christopher Price explains how Dion Lewis beat the odds to become an NFL star.
• Mike Petraglia examines the Chandler Jones question: What is the true value of the defensive end to the Patriots defense?
• Adam Kurkjian talks up Jonathan Freeny and his new opportunity in New England.
• Kerry J. Byrne explains why having sexy, high-powered offenses are often not enough for Super Bowl glory.
• William Hyland (Boston Title Town Talk) AT 7-0 Patriots still haven't reached their peak.
• Levan Reid issues his Gold Stars & Penalty Flags: Pats defense impresses, Gostkowski sets record.
• WEEI highlights Tom Brady on D&C: Undefeated season 'the furthest thing from anybody's mind.'
• Mike Reiss ranks which remaining games for the Patriots are the most challenging.
• Bob Ryan opines on how we are the most blessed sports fans in America.
• Jackie MacMullan has jumped on the Patriots bandwagon, says they haven't come close to reaching their peak.
• Steve Buckley encourages Patriots fans to enjoy the ride: "Paranoia, when it’s somebody else’s, can be a lot of fun."
• Ryan Hannable looks at potential trade targets for the Patriots.
• Mike Reiss tells us the football journey of Akiem Hicks.
• Christopher Price shares what the pundits were saying about the Patriots on Sunday.
• Mike Reiss re-posts a picture from Tom Brady's Facebook page: 'Every great costume starts with a mustache.'
• Ron Borges issues his Week 8 Patriots Report Card: Tom Brady perfect student.
• Tom Leyden ofers an excerpt from Troy Brown's new book (written with Mike Reiss) that reflects on his lengthy career in New England.
  
• Karen Guregian Patriots Notebook: Trade deadline is tomorrow at 4 p.m.; Bill Belichick doesn't see too much trade talk going on in the league; Belichick isn't ready to put the Pats' LBs into the Hall of Fame just yet; Coaching staff is ready for the 'Skins; Belichick referred reporters to the league, when asked about the Jets' mid-game security check of the Pats' sideline, "We don't have anything to do with those things."

NATIONAL NEWS

• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Patriots keep passing, and keep winning.
• Erik Frenz (Bleacher Report) How the Patriots run defense has significantly improved after tough start to 2015.
• Brian Billick (NFL.com) New England Patriots primed for perfection in 2015 campaign?
• Ben Stockwell (Pro Football Focus) MIA-NE Grades: Tom Brady with masterful display of quick-release football.
• Bob Snowdon (Goal Line Gazette) The new Tom Brady.
• Kerry Byrne (Football Nation) Tom Brady powers most relentless victory machine in NFL history.
• Nathan Jahnke (Pro Football Focus) Safety trio lifting Patriots secondary.
• Oliver Thomas (247 Sports) Report: Patriots guard Tre' Jackson day-to-day with knee injury.
• Adam Schefter & Chris Mortensen (ESPN) The coaching toll of competing with New England. /What, Mort needs Schefter's tag now?
• Jim Reineking (NFL.com) Colts, Panthers each had massive MNF moments vs. Patriots. /This is how he's previewing tonight's game.
• Peter King (The MMQB) MMQB: Unbeaten and undressed.
• Albert Breer (NFL.com) Week 8 notebook: Peyton Manning; Tom Brady's court schedule; More.
• Don Banks (SI) Week 8 Snaps: Record-setting Saints win redeems week filled with injuries.
• Mike Tanier (Bleacher Report) Monday Morning Hangover: Scary, sad, season-changing Week 8 injuries.
• Gary Gramling (The MmQB) 10 Things I think I think: That Belichick coaching tree, trouble brewing for Aaron Rodgers, More.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Thirty-six things we learned from Week 8.
• Staff Report (USA Today) 50 things we learned in Week 8 of the NFL season.
• Sean Wagner-McGough (CBS Sports) Onslaught of serious, scary injuries scars Week 8 of NFL season.
• Rob Mason (Sports Quotient) The NFL's biggest first-half surprises.
• Patrick Redford (Deadspin) NFL backs scientist who explains CTE as ex-NFLers being sad they aren't famous.

DUMPSTER DIVE

• Tom E. Curran lays out why the NFL's sideline shakedown of Patriots employees should be considered a very big deal.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Jets instigated sideline interrogation of three Kraft Sports employees.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL swept Jets locker room for bugs before Sunday’s game.
• Seth Walder (NY Daily News) Jets deny report they asked NFL to check for listening devices in Patriots visiting locker room.
• Phil Perry notes Bill Belichick chose not to comment on the Jets' charges: 'Those are really league matters, I think you should talk to the league about that.'
• Ben Volin writes an interesting column after experiencing NH law professor Michael McCann's Deflategate class.
• Paul Newberry (AP) Patriots taking out Deflategate wrath on rest of NFL.
• WEEI guest Mike Florio joins D&C: Deflategate 'clearly one of the issues on which the NFL is tone deaf.'
• Ricky Doyle notes Stephen A.Smith thinks the NFL is going overboard against Tom Brady in deflategate.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Injury reporting rules leave little wiggle room for Colts.
• Tom E. Curran notes Andrew Luck's reported injury puts the Colts in the crosshairs.
• Doug Kyed wants Patriots fans to contain their outrage over the Colts' Injury Report scandal.