TEAM TALK
- Press Release: Patriots will host Texans in AFC Divisional playoff game.
- Erik Scalavino gives some love to the 'invisible players' on the practice squad.
- Angelique Fiske reports Tom Brady joined Instagram this weekend.
- Don Banks Snap Judgments: Wild Card playoffs.
LOCAL LINKS
- Mike Reiss offers some quick-hit weekend thoughts: With just 4 players on IR, this is the healthiest Patriots playoff team of the Belichick era; More. /interesting nuggets in here.
- Karen Guregian picks three reasons the Patriots should rout the Texans: 1. History.
- Mike Reiss shares ten thoughts on next weekend's matchup: Patriots are a much different team than the Week 3 version that crushed the Texans.
- Kevin McNamara skips ahead to Thursday, when the hyperbole on the Texans will be out of control, and tells us not to pay attention to any of it.
- Alex Speier wonders if the defense will step up in the playoffs and play like they think they can.
- Mike Lowe writes that not every Patriot is a star, but every one contributes to the team's success.
- Ryan Hannable tells us why this year is different: The Patriots can reach the Super Bowl without Rob Gronkowski.
- Mark Daniels points out that unlike previous postseasons, the Patriots receiving corps is well stocked.
- D. J. Bean notes the Wild Card weekend confirms the Patriots are in a class of their own in the AFC.
- Phil Perry reports the Patriots will host the Texans on Jan. 14th. This will be Houston's second trip to New England this season.
- Doug Kyed previews Patriots-Texans: New England holds clear edge in matchup.
- Rachel G. Bowers gives us a closer look at the Houston Texans.
- Kevin Duffy notes that the Pats-Texans 16-point spread is the 4th highest in NFL playoff history.
- Mike Reiss passes along some numbers from ESPN's Stats & Information to gain perspective on the Patriots opening as 16-point favorites against the Texans.
- Chad Finn shares 11 thoughts on the AFC playoffs so far: "Texans have the privilege of coming to Foxborough next Saturday to be the sacrificial . . . er, opponent, in the divisional round matchup."
- Ben Volin takes a stab at how the Texans can pull off the upset, while adding this note: None of this is going to happen and the Patriots are going to win.
- Matt Dolloff looks at three issues that could potentially keep the Patriots out of the Super Bowl.
- Jeff Howe tracked an assortment of stats based on his Patriots film review this season.
- Jeff Howe finds that the Patriots ran the ball this season more than they have since 2010, resulting in a well-rounded offense.
- Jeff Howe notes that the Patriots called more rushing plays than passing plays five times during the regular season.
- Ryan Hannable lists the hard-hitting Steelers defense and Le'Veon Bell as the only things in the Patriots' way from reaching a Super Bowl.
- Christopher Price shares 5 Pats-related thoughts on Sunday's Wild-Card win for the Steelers.
- Jeff Howe says it looks like Tom Brady has been jobbed by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell yet again, as his suspension cost him an All-Pro bid.
- Andrew Tomasi (12UP) Tom Brady's Instagram account is already on cuteness overload.
- Chris Mason notes how Kyle Van Noy is grateful to be involved with the Patriots, and he's never had a coach stick up for him like Bill Belichick did this week.
- Mike Reiss notes that few expected Trey Flowers to become one of the key players on the Patriots' defense, but teammates see it as a case of hard work paying off.
- Mark Farinella says Martellus Bennett is a big fan of Patriots fans.
- Dan Shaughnessy does a quick edit and mails it in with another column, this time on the All-World Tomato Cans Houston Texans.
- Hayden Bird looks at the ever-changing cast of assistant coaches he's lost to other teams.
- Tom E. Curran lays out the vastly different options Josh McDaniels will have to weigh out, now that his interviews are over.
- Tanner Rebelo (ChowderandChampions) Several players fined in Patriots-Dolphins game including Blount.
- Miguel Benzan (PatsFans) Previewing the 2017 Patriots Salary Cap (Part 1).
- Mark Farinella remembers the long stretch when "the playoffs" were an unattainable goal for the Patriots.
- Brandan McGuirk reviews the Gronk Zone at the Boston Sports Club.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Funny or Die (You Tube) It's like you're sleeping with Tom Brady. (2.18 min. video) /Pretty funny.
- Jimmy Golen (AP) Pick 6? Not even. A look at 2 who picked off Brady this year.
- Kyle Hightower (AP) Pats enter playoffs with unprecedented passing efficiency.
- Bart Hubbuch (NY Post) The hunt to be the second best quarterback in the NFL playoffs.
- Jay Busbee (Yahoo! Sports) Tom Brady joins Instagram, already has more followers than you and all your friends.
- Nate Davis (USA Today) Three things to know: Texans (4) at Patriots (1) divisional playoff preview.
- Sarah Barshop (ESPN) Texans get rematch with Patriots in divisional-round playoff game.
- Cameron DaSilva (Fox Sports) Ranking the final 8 NFL playoff teams’ chances to win the Super Bowl.
- David Purdum (ESPN) Patriots among biggest playoff favorites of past 40 years.
- Kenneth Arthur (Sports on Earth) The X-Factor for each playoff team.
- Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) The Debrief, Divisional round: Loaded matchups ahead.
- Greg A. Bedard (SI) NFL Wild-Card Blanket: First look at compelling divisional round matchups.
- Peter King (The MMQB) MMQB: Wild-Card Weekend: 'It must be scary sight to watch us.'
- Gary Gramling (The MMQB) 10 Things I think I think: Aaron Rodgers is good at football; Too much Le'Veon Bell; Offseason look ahead for Wild-Card losers.
- Kevin Seifert (ESPN) NFL Playoffs Reset: What each of the eight teams can expect.
- Around the NFL (NFL.com) Twelve things we learned from Wild Card Weekend.
- Nasir Bhanpuri (NFL.com) Patriots-Seahawks in Super Bowl LI? That's what my math says!
- Dieter Kurtenbach (Fox Sports) NFL Wild Card weekend was bad, but Roger Goodell wants to make it worse.
- Nate Bouda (NFLTradeRumors) 2016 Strength of Schedule.
- Cy Brown (Sports on Earth) Top 10 NFL playoff circus grabs. No. 5, No. 3 and the infamous No. 1.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Nick Caserio declined to interview with 49ers.
DEFLATEGATE, DUMPSTER DIVE
- Cindy Boren (Washington Post) Roger Goodell says he’s at game in Seattle, promptly gets ripped by Patriots fans.
- Brian Parchmann (12UP) Roger Goodell gets completely roasted on Twitter after landing in Seattle for Wild Card round.
- Phillip Bupp (The Comeback) The NFL proves once again their concussion protocol is bullshit.
- Michael Tunison (Sports on Earth) Hit raises Moore concussion worry.
- Rob Bradford looks at how Twitter helped define how far Phil Simms has fallen.
- James Wray (MonsterandCritics) The Search premieres with Fast and Furious sideways ejector seat and deflategate. (2.56 min. video)
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Joey Porter arrested after reported altercation with police.
- Dan Gigler (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) Police: Steelers assistant coach Joey Porter arrested after altercation outside South Side bar; 5 charges.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NFL, NFLPA have no comment on Lane Johnson lawsuit.