New England Patriots links 1/19/17 - Patriots 'looks good on paper' defense can earn its rank Sunday

TEAM TALK

• Patriots - Steelers Wednesday Injury Report.
• Postseason: Inside the Numbers.
• Broadcast Information: Patriots vs. Steelers.
• Patriots - Steelers Connections.
• Erik Scalavino gives us the news, notes and locker-room buzz from Wednesday at Gillette: Patriots stay focused on Steelers.
• Patriots Press Pass: Blount, Long, Lewis, Ninkovich and more address the media in the locker room on Wednesday. (2.29 min. video)
• Angelique Fiske posts the video of Tom Brady visiting the "Seabass School of Football".  /Worth a watch. (2.41 min. video)
• How They Got Here: New England Patriots. (2.05 min. video)
• Sights and Sounds: Week 19 vs. Houston. (5.05 min. video),

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Petraglia believes the 'Gold Standard' Patriots have it all over Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers.
• Jeff Howe looks at the Brady-Roethlisberger matchup, and why we haven't seen more of it in the playoffs.
• Ryan Hannable says the 'looks good on paper' Patriots defense will get to prove itself on Sunday.
• Mike Giardi highlights the unique talents of LeVeon Bell, who presents the biggest challenge to the Pats defense.
• Nora Princiotti finds that Rob Ninkovich has two things on his mind: Roethlisberger and Bell.
• Rich Thompson notes Dont'a Hightower and the Pats defense have set their sights on stopping Le'Veon Bell.
• Matt Dolloff relates Bill Belichick’s famous Super Bowl gameplan to Le’Veon Bell.
• Doug Kyed explains why Malcolm Butler has a lot riding on his playoff matchup with Antonio Brown.
• Jeff Howe takes a look at key head-to-head matchups leading up to Sunday: Malcolm Butler vs. Antonio Brown.
• Chris Mason notes Malcolm Butler and Antonio Brown have been battling during TV commercials breaks for months, and Sunday they get to do it again for real on the field.
• Jen McCaffrey delves into the Malcolm Butler vs. Antonio Brown matchup to see who has the edge.
• Danny Picard doesn't think there is a defense left in the playoffs that can stop Tom Brady.
• Mark Daniels talks about how Nate Solder finds solace on the field, as his 27-month old son Hudson fights cancer.
• Kevin Duffy traces the roots of legendary OL coach Dante Scarnecchia to see what has made him so great.
• Ben Volin finds the Steelers has forged a stiffer defense since their first meeting vs. the Pats.
• Phil Perry notes Michael Floyd has been in New England for about a month, but he admits he still has a lot to learn. "Brady likes things a certain way."
• Alex Speier wonders if there is any truth behind the idea that the Patriots improve after ugly wins.
• Ron Borges writes"If [the Steelers] can’t stay focused for 17 minutes to listen to their coach, can they stay focused for three hours and listen to him under the kind of extreme pressure that comes from being one win from the Super Bowl?"
• Kevin Duffy mentions Bill Belichick downplays how much home field advantage matters: "Ask Kansas City and Dallas."
• Doug Kyed reports Steve Belichick's first season as a Patriots position coach has been a success.
• Mike Reiss notes Tom Brady was stoic and serious during his Wednesday news conference.
• Karen Guregian looks at the styles of Bill Belichick and Mike Tomlin and says both lead to success.
• Christopher Price notes Tom Brady doesn't know why some people don't like the Patriots.
• Mike Reiss reveals Tom Brady's jersey is hanging in Ben Roethlisberger's office, but notes Ben expressed his dismay that his conversation with Brady had to be made public.
• Christopher Price notes Dion Lewis says he's not the only reason the Patriots are 15-0 since the start of last season with him in the lineup.
• Ricky Doyle finds Michael Floyd keeping his head in the Patriots' playbook, still trying to catch up to speed.
• Christopher Price hears from Phil Simms, who really likes the Patriots secondary: "The most underrated group in the league."
• Joy Manning (BostonSportsChick) A look at each of the Patriots' turnovers.
• Darren Hartwell thumbnails all the hottest takes Tom Brady proved wrong during a dominant 2016.
• Tyler Sullivan (247 Sports) Tom Brady once beat Jimmy Garoppolo in a foot race.
• Jeff Howe Patriots Notebook: Testing times for injured rookie Malcolm Mitchell.
• Mark Daniels gives us a practice update: Perfect attendance.
• Matt Burke's Crunch Time: Aaron Rodgers hates his family, Tom Brady 'playing for his job'.
• Evan Macy picks 5 match ups to watch for in NFC, AFC championships.
• Hayden Bird remembers the time when Anthony Smith 'guaranteeing' a Steelers win against the Patriots, almost a decade ago. /That was awesome.
  

NATIONAL NEWS

• Robert Mays (The Ringer) The Patriots' backfield of forgotten men. /Worth a read.
• Lars Anderson (Bleacher Report) Secrets of the Patriot Way. "The first rule of Bill Belichick's club is: You only talk about winning..."
• Greg A. Bedard (SI) Dante Scarnecchia is back in Foxboro, and so is an effective, reliable Patriots offensive line.
• David Steele (Sporting News) Patriots' defensive parts make up a top-ranked whole.
• Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) Patriots must protect Tom Brady from Steelers' peaking pass rush.
• Ian O'Connor (ESPN) Meet the self-appointed scout whom Tom Brady trusts.
• Mike Freeman (Bleacher Report) 10-Point stance: Brown video causing headaches for Steelers, NFL. "Why are we assh--es when he's doing the name-calling?"
• Cindy Boren (Washington Post) Put down the shield, Roger Goodell, and go to a Patriots game.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Headset issues have arisen in Pittsburgh, too.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Antonio Brown: Malcolm Butler "puts hands on you like no other".
• Cameron DaSilva (Fox Sports) Ranking the 11 key players who will decide the Steelers-Patriots AFC title game.
• Peter King (The MMQB) Green Bsy 34, Dallas 31. An appreciation of an epic game; MMQB Mailbag.
• Sound FX (NFL.com) Best of Tom Brady and Ben Roethlisberger from the 2016 season. (video)
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Carl Cheffers set to referee the Super Bowl.
• Graphic (NFL.com) NFL road to the Super Bowl.
• Video (ESPN) Tom Brady through the years. (1 min. clip) /You could call it a hair piece.

VIEW FROM PITTSBURGH

• Ben Schmitt (TribLive) For Steelers fans, it's so easy to hate Brady, Belichick and the Patriots.
• Ray Fittipaldo (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Toughest test ahead for Le'Veon Bell in New England.
• Chris Harlan (TribLive) Steelers Burns and Davis are young but ready.
• Ed Bouchette (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Legacies on the line for Steelers, Patriots in AFC championship.
• Chris Adamski (TribLive) Brady, Big Ben meet again in AFC title game.
• Paul Zeise (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Is Ben Roethlisberger the Steelers' biggest liability?
• Sean Gentille (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Antonio Brown makes us wait, then delivers a solid apology for Facebook mess.
• Gerry Dulac (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Playoff picks: Championship round. Steelers 27-24.