TEAM TALK
- Press Release: What to watch for in the 2016 postseason.
- Erik Scalavino tackles this week's Ask PFW Mailbag: Plethora of postseason topics.
- Infographic: Breaking down the win over the Dolphins.
- Andy Hart passes along a report that ESPN makes 'promise' the Patriots will get a 1st round pick for Jimmy Garoppolo.
- John Rooke Nitpicks and Nitwits: Resolving to be tougher...learning from your mistakes...and this team is digging deeper in the trenches...
- Lauren Williams profiles the Fan Club of the Month: Patriots fans of Denver.
- From the NFL - Kimberly Jones reports on how the New England Patriots have become a well-oiled machine that continues to show greatness. (4.25 min. video)
- Sights and Sounds: Week 17 vs Miami Dolphins. (4.46 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss looks at starting safeties Patrick Chung and Devin McCourty as the most significant constant for the defense over the past three seasons.
- Tom E. Curran believes that the controversial moves seem to have worked: Chandler Jones will get his big contract, Jamie Collins might, and the New England Patriots are stronger than ever on defense.
- Ian Logue (PatsFans) Which receivers caught the most 3rd down passes from Tom Brady in 2016?
- Evan Lazar reports the Patriots had the best point differential in the league, outscoring their opponents by 191 -- 57 more than 2nd-place Atlanta..
- CSNNE looks a the Cold Hard Football Facts and puts the brakes on the "But the Patriots didn't play anybody this year!" talk: No one did better against winning teams this season.
- Doug Kyed finds that Martellus Bennett and Eric Rowe stand out in season-end advanced stats.
- Nick O'Malley examines where the Patriots players stack up against the rest of the league in individual stats.
- Doug Kyed talks with Chris Hogan as he looks back on his first Patriots season with 'big-play opportunities.'
- Mike Dussault (PatsPropaganda) Patriots Tuesday 10 Pack.
- Christopher Price revisits his predictions from the start of 2016.
- Eric Wilbur picks 3 things we learned: On Tom Brady, Michael Floyd and the AFC playoffs.
- Hayden Bird notes Julian Edelman gives a "Regulate" tribute to Michael Floyd for his devastating block that freed him to run a 77-yard score.
- Mike Reiss highlights Ravens WR Steve Smith with some good things to say about the Patriots defense and scouting.
- Hayden Bird notes Steve Smith gave the Patriots high praise during an ESPN interview on Tuesday, comparing them to Kevin O'Shea's Cowboys in "Little Giants.'
- Mike Reiss says the Patriots are in a prime spot as the AFC's No. 1 seed, but they've learned the hard way that regular-season success means little when the playoffs start.
- Rich Levine sends a hearty and snarky 'Thank you' to Roger Goodell for Tom Brady's suspension, which was the best thing that could’ve happened to the 2016 Patriots.
- Ryan Hannable states that if Tom Brady doesn't win NFL MVP, it's because of Roger Goodell.
- Zack Cox reports that the Patriots surprised Matthew Slater with the news he'd won the Bart Starr Award.
- Evan Macy tells us that Rob Gronkowski will appear on the Jan. 15 episode of 'Family Guy.'
- Karen Guregian Patriots Notebook: Both coordinators to interview with other teams on Saturday for vacant head coaching jobs.
- Chris Mason ranks the coaching jobs available for Josh McDaniels and Matt Patricia.
- Phil Perry relays the glowing endorsement Bill Belichcik provides Nick Caserio.
- Karen Guregian notes Bill Belichick takes the blame for one of the Dolphins touchdowns.
- Felger & Mazz guest Greg Bedard gets hit with 10 questions from around the NFL, including his picks for MVP and Coach of the Year.
- Karen Guregian notes that former Patriots CB Ty Law is among the 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Marc Sessler (NFL.com) Tom Brady: Pats 'can rely and count on' Michael Floyd.
- Jeff Diamond (Sporting News) NFL playoff teams must have ignored talk of a devalued running game.
- Brad Gagnon (The Comeback) 32 crazy stats from the 2016 NFL regular season.
- Jason Lisk (TheBigLead) Jimmy Garoppolo-type acquisitions have outperformed first round quarterbacks.
- Andrew Tomasi (12UP) Are we just going to ignore the fact that TE Matt Lengel looks like Gronk?
- Mike Sando (ESPN) The case against Brady for MVP. (1.05 min. video) /His four-game suspension. Bogus.
- Mark Maske (Washington Post) NFL playoffs: The first round produces an NFC slugfest and an AFC snoozer.
- Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) The Debrief, Wild Card Weekend: Potential coach-team pairings.
- Will Leitch (Sports on Earth) NFL Playoffs rootability rankings.
- Andre Vergara (Fox Sports) The New England Patriots have the easiest path to the Super Bowl.
- Staff (AP) Ageless Brady leads hot Patriots team into playoffs.
- Peter King (The MMQB) Rumor mill is abuzz with coaching names and scenarios; MMQB Mailbag.
- Tadd Haislop (Sporting News) NFL playoffs predictions 2017: Picks from wild-card round through Super Bowl LI.
- Will Brinson (CBS Sports) 2017 Super Bowl Odds: Pats, Cowboys huge favorites heading into NFL playoffs.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Wild-card referees are set.
- Ross Tucker (Sports on Earth) Redirect your NFL referee anger.
- Jose Martinez (Complex) ESPN will reportedly lose $75 million because of Texans/Raiders wild card game.
- Chris Chase (Fox Sports) The 16 most fascinating stats from a wacky and wild NFL season.
- Andrew Brandt (The MMQB) the NFL was hardly business as usual in 2016.
- Andy Benoit (The MMQB) Here’s how the six head coach openings rank in order of attractiveness, and why…