New England Patriots links 8/15/17 - Patriots-Texans week begins

TEAM TALK

• Angelique Fiske notes Patriots fans can relieve the days leading up to the Super Bowl on the latest "Wahlburgers" episode.
• Press Conference Transcript: Bill Belichick.
• WEEI Patriots Monday: Bill Belichick (16.04 min. audio) - James White (9.01 min. audio) - Trey Flowers (12.05 min. audio)

LOCAL LINKS

• Ryan Hannable Monday training camp report: Team getting healthier before heading to West Virginia.
• Phil Perry's Postcard from camp: Branch off PUP, back in action.
• Mark Daniels Training camp observations: Patriots get Branch, Mitchell and O’Shaughnessy back.
• CBS Boston Patriots injury update: Deatrich Wise attended but did not participate in Monday's practice.
• Doug Kyed thumbnails what we learned through two-and-a-half weeks of open practices.
• Rich Thompson reports­ Alan Branch began the bonus phase of his NFL career with an abbreviated workout on the practice fields.
• Ryan Hannable notes Alan Branch, when asked why he started the year on PUP, says 'You can ask Bill [Belichick] that one.'
• Stephen Hewitt notes Rex Burkhead has been staying after practice, working on 'getting more comfortable'.
• Rich Garven notes Malcolm Mitchell has shown an ability to shake free of opposing defenses, but what he can’t seem to shed is the injury bug.
• Stephen Hewitt Patriots notebook: No concerns for Bill Belichick when it comes to too much time with Texans.
• Matt Dolloff says there's no reason to believe that bringing in a free-agent kicker would push Stephen Gostkowski to be any better.
• Hayden Bird relays Bill Belichick explaining how Glenn Gronkowski has grown since joining the Patriots and has "a little different personality" than his brother Rob.
• Ryan Hannable hears from Tom Brady on why it's unfair to compare the 2017 Patriots to the 2007 team.
• Ryan Hannable reports Tom Brady called into Kirk & Callahan to kickoff the 2017 WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio Telethon this morning. Brady went in-depth on last season and what it was like playing while his mom, Galynn, was going through cancer treatments.
• CBS Boston mentions Bill Belichick couldn't resist taking a jab at reporters when commenting on players with a "second gear."
• Rachel Bowers catches Bill Belichick running some hills after practice yesterday.
• Kyle Daluz ranks the top 20 wins in the second half of the Patriots dynasty, from 2009-2016.
• Chris Warner (BostonSportsMediaWatch) Patriots Flashback: 2008 Letter from camp.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Ben Shpigel (NY Times) Welcome to the NFL's luxury camp in the mountains. /This is where the Patriots are practicing this week.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Belichick unfazed by joint practices with a familiar foe.
• John McClain (Houston Chronicle) Patriots bring variety, familiarity to practice for Texans.
• Bucky Brooks (NFL.com) AFC preseason grades: Jimmy Garoppolo, T.J. Watt rock Week 1. Pats: A.
• Chris Burke (SI) A lesson on tackling from Falcons' Dan Quinn.. /Suspended CB Jalen Collins (PEDs) led ATL with 10 tackles in Super Bowl LI. Prob. not one of Quinn's lessons.

DUMPSTER DIVE

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Arbitrator selection will be most important step in Ezekiel Elliott case.
• Stephanie Stradley (StradleyLaw) Ezekiel Elliott and the NFL Domestic Violence Policy.
• Mark Maske (Washington Post) Ezekiel Elliott suspension: An inside look at the NFL’s investigation and punishment decision.
• Michael Hurley provides a condensed look at three reasons why it’s hard to believe that Roger Goodell and the NFL suddenly feel compelled to “get it right” in a domestic violence case.
• Ross Tucker (Sports on Earth) Goodell takes the safe approach.
• Alex Reimer dreams of Robert Kraft and Jerry Jones forming a partnership to oust Roger Goodell as NFL commissioner.
• Kevin Clark (The Ringer) Can Roger Goodell survive without Jerry Jones? /It's the Mara's and the Rooney's who run Goodell.