New England Patriots links 11/29/18 - Will Pats choose chuck or go ground-and-pound vs. Vikes

TEAM TALK

• Patriots-Vikings Wednesday Injury Report.
• Patriots and WBZ-TV hosting Holiday Toy Drive prior to Sunday’s game against the Minnesota Vikings.
• Press Conference transcripts: Bill Belichick - James White - Rob Gronkowski.
• Press Pass: Players talk about the upcoming game against an unfamiliar foe. (1 min. video)
• Belichick Breakdown: Top plays against the Jets. (9.26 min. video)
• Interview: Jimmy Johnson discusses the Patriots and his relationship with Bill Belichick. (3.17 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Michael Hurley has a terrific answer to the question of why Tom Brady’s touchdown numbers are down: He may simply be playing selfless football. /That’s cheating!
• Ryan Hannable calls Sunday vs. the Vikings a statement game for the Pats.
• Andrew Mahoney takes a closer look at the Week 13 matchup vs. the Minnesota Vikings.
• Evan Lazar writes how the Patriots’ play-action passing attack could be key to beating Vikings defense.
• Phil Perry wonders if the Patriots will still choose to run the ball against one of the league’s best run defenses.
• Karen Guregian is concerned about the Patriots’ lack of efficiency in the red area.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) How to improve New England’s red zone offense.
• Andrew Callahan says no coach has given Tom Brady more consistent trouble than Vikings’ Mike Zimmer.
• Andrew Callahan reports Rob Gronkowski is ready for an All-Pro showdown with Vikings safety Harrison Smith.
• Doug Kyed explains how Sony Michel is reacting to the increase in explosive plays in the offense.
• Ryan Hannable finds Sony Michel’s increased confidence is leading to bigger plays.
• Kevin Duffy doesn’t see an easy solution for the Patriots to defend against Adam Thielen.
• Nick O’Malley explains why Vikings WR Adam Thielen is so hard to cover: ‘6-3 corners don’t grow on trees.’
• John Zannis and Evan Lazar discuss how for the Pats’ defense it’s ‘pick your poison’ with Vikings receivers Thielen and Diggs. (6.11 min. video)
• Doug Kyed suggests the Patriots should see what they have in their rookie cornerbacks before the playoffs.
• Zack Cox notes Rex Burkhead impressed Bill Belichick with his approach to coming back from IR.
• Doug Kyed gives us an injury update: Tom Brady still limited Rob Gronkowski fully healthy.
• Ryan Hannable offers a practice update, noting Dwayne Allen as the only player missing.
• Kevin Duffy notes that rarely does Bill Belichick praise an opposing coach the way he has praised Mike Zimmer this week.
• Devon Clements (PatriotsWire) Report: Tom Brady plans to wear his old helmet for the foreseeable future.
• Luke O’Brien (FullPressCoverage) Brady vs. Rodgers: Still dare to compare?
• Chad Finn points out how Rex Ryan got it all wrong about this year’s Patriots, when he said this could be the worst team of the Tom Brady era.
• Russ Goldman (PatsFans) Patriots Fourth and Two Podcast: We are on to Minnesota. (53.22 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Game Plan: Last roundup for the Patriots?
• Mike Freeman (Bleacher Report) 10-Point Stance: 3. The Pats’ remarkable consistency.
• Terez Paylor (Yahoo! Sports) 5 Things I enjoyed: 2. The return of Rob Gronkowski, and Jamal Adams being a boss.
• Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) NFL Week 13 questions: Will the Patriots stick to ground and pound?
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Tom Brady is limited again with a knee injury.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Adam Thielen limited in practice; Stefon Diggs sits.
• Jason La Canfora (CBS Sports) Jaguars, Falcons and Packers were all preseason favorites; here’s how it went horribly wrong.
• Jeremy Bergman (NFL.com) AFC Playoff Picture: Texans poised to nab a bye? Who’s No. 6?
• Maurice Moton (Bleacher Report) Each NFL team’s most boneheaded decision this year. Patriots: Leaving a question mark at cornerback. /???
• Jonathan Jones (SI) Morning Huddle: Reuben Foster’s situation shows how the NFL Commissioner’s Exempt List is being misused.
• Andrew Brandt (SI) Business of Football: Analyzing the shift from player agent to team exec.

VIEW FROM MINNESOTA

• Chris Tomasson (TwinCities) Bill Parcells proteges face off: Mike Zimmer’s Vikings vs. Bill Belichick’s Patriots.
• Ben Goessling (Star Tribune) New England’s master behind the mystique.
• Staff (Star Tribune) Tom Brady: The stats behind the mystique.
• Andrew Krammer (Star Tribune) As he faces Vikings, Tom Brady can pass Brett Favre on career TD list.
• Dane Mizutani (TwinCities) Vikings’ Zimmer: Patriots using Cordarrelle Patterson ‘way better than we did.’
• Mark Craig (Star Tribune) Patriots using ex-Viking Cordarrelle Patterson in run game.
• Tom Baker (Star Tribune) Road trip to New England is Vikings’ toughest test yet.
• Bob Sansevere (TwinCities) For Vikings’ Mike Zimmer, winning cures what ails him.
• Dane Mizutani (TwinCities) Play-makers will ‘take advantage’ if given ‘a little daylight.’
• Chris Tomasson (TwinCities) For Vikings’ Sheldon Richardson, sacks are money in the bank.
• Sid Hartman (Star Tribune) Vikings assistant Andre Patterson says Everson Griffen hasn’t lost a step.