TEAM TALK
- Game Preview: Patriots at Steelers.
- Broadcast Information: Patriots at Steelers.
- Andy Hart tackles this week's Ask PFW Mailbag: Gostkowski's struggles, pass defense concerns and more.
- Conference Call Transcripts: Bill Belichick - Matt Patricia and Josh McDaniels.
- Patriots Today - Players lend a hand at the Greenwood Elementary School. (1.34 min. video)
- Patriots Today - Nate Ebner's Olympic dreams: We had the chance to chat with the Patriots defensive back, his mom and members of Team USA. (4.25 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Evan Lazar says Tom Brady 'has won 80 percent of his games against the Steelers, the highest winning percentage of any QB with at least five starts against Pittsburgh since the 1970 merger.'
- Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) 5 First impressions of the Steelers. 1. Offense explosive with or without Roethlisberger.
- Nick O'Malley reports the Steelers announced Ben Roethlisberger is officially listed as "out" for this Sunday's game.
- Karen Guregian thumbnails some of the unknowns that still surround this year's Patriots team.
- Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) James White isn't going anywhere once Dion Lewis returns.
- Felger & Mazz guest Greg A. Bedard asserts that James White is "not a source of strength' for the Patriots.
- Jeff Howe liked how the Patriots unleashed Dont'a Hightower, finally healthy after his meniscus tear in Week 1.
- Mark Farinella details 'The Drive' that followed Hightower's sack of Andy Dalton in the end zone for a safety, that "had all the subtlety of a sledgehammer. And it put the Bengals down for the count. It was as close to a perfect possession for the moment as one could get".
- Matt Dolloff takes a look back at how his matchup predictions went for the Patriots' win vs. the Bengals.
- Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Best of social media: Week 6 Bengals vs Patriots.
- Karen Guregian Patriots Notebook: Special teams captain Matthew Slater supports struggling Stephen Gostkowski; More.
- Nick O'Malley looks ahead at the Patriots' remaining opponents to see which team has the biggest mess at QB.
- 98.5 Sports Hub guest Boomer Esiason: 'Patriots are alone atop a murky AFC'.
- Nik DeCosta-Klipa notes that despite Bill Belichick's verbal and physical bashing of Microsoft's Surface tablet, the technology giant and the NFL are standing by the product.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Jenny Vrentas (The MMQB) The Bengals undoing.
- Danny Kelly (The Ringer) Landry Jones can’t save the Steelers: But with a couple of adjustments, the Pittsburgh offense could lend its backup quarterback a hand.
- Tyler Sullivan (247 Sports) Breaking down the opponent: Pittsburgh Steelers.
- Tyler Sullivan (247 Sports) Tom Brady is on a historic pace in his return to Patriots.
- Alex Knapp (Forbes) Martellus Bennett wants you to be what you really wanted to be when you grew up.
- Danny Kelly (The Ringer) The middle linebacker isn't dead yet: Look at New England's Dont'a Hightower.
- Henry McKenna (USA Today) How Bill Belichick and Patriots are disguising their kickoff coverage.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick hates NFL's sideline tablets, will stop using them.
- Ray Ratto (CSN Bay Area) Belichick's rant against communication systems proves chaos always wins. "Bill Belichick is, in his own weird way, becoming my new favorite sports figure because he is such a royal butt spur.".
- Sam Laird (Mashable) Analysis: Microsoft and the NFL's $400 million marketing fumble. [Jan. 28, 2016]
- Dan Hanzus (NFL.com) Bill Belichick will probably be a solid grandfather.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) No suspension imposed on Vontaze Burfict.
- David Steele (Sporting News) Don't blame NFL for stopping Vontaze Burfict when Bengals LB can't stop himself.
- Sam Monson (Pro Football Focus) Best player at every position in Week 6. Four Patriots players make this 'team'.
- Andrew Lynch (Fox Sports) 10 injuries that will shape Week 7 in the NFL.
- Peter King (The MMQB) The Week 7 Mailbag.
- Ross Tucker (Sports on Earth) The NFL needs to change its replay rules.
- Dan Hanzus (NFL.com) Let's celebrate the anniversary of the worst play ever.
- Gallery (Sporting News) Ten worst coaching blunders in NFL history. One year ago Tuesday, Chuck Pagano joined this list.
VIEW FROM PITTSBURGH
- Teresa Varley (Steelers.com) 3 Takes from Tomlin on the Patriots game.
- Ed Bouchette (Pittsbugh Post-Gazette) Sunday's outlook dim for defense.
- Joe Rutter (Triblive.com) Roethlisberger out, Jones in for Steelers against Patriots.
- Ron Cook (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Roethlisberger says injury history could briefly delay return.
- Ray Fittipaldo (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) With Roethlisberger out, it’s time for the offensive line to step up.
- Joe Rutter (Triblive.com) With Big Ben out, Steelers look to re-establish running game.
- Joe Rutter (Triblive.com) Steelers Notebook: Heyward to miss 2nd straight game.
- Paul Zeise (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Tom Brady is an all-time great, but Bill Belichick isn't.
- Brian Bowling (Triblive.com) Indianapolis Colts' app records audio, suit filed in Pittsburgh claims. /File under: 'W-T-F!?!.
DUMPSTER DIVE
- 98.5 Sports Hub caller puts forth some stats that suggest it was actually Aaron Rodgers who suffered the most severe consequences from DeflateGate.
- Christopher Price shares some thoughts on why fans are actually turning their backs on the NFL.
- Kevin Clark (The Ringer) Is there too much football?
- Bob Glauber (Newsday) Why are the NFL’s ratings on the decline? There are a few reasons.
- Pat Imig (Sporting News) Poor play, referee-controlled games turning NFL fans away.
- Brett Bodner (NY Daily News) ESPN announcer Sean McDonough calls out poor officiating and NFL ratings during ‘Monday Night Football’.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) An idea to improve prime-time ratings.
- Chris Chase (Fox Sports) The dirtiest teams in the NFL, ranked from No. 1 to No. 32. /Guess which team is No. 1? No, really... Hint: Chris Chase wrote this waste of time.