TEAM TALK
- Press Release: 2018 Patriots opponents.
- Paul Perillo runs down some of the curious coaching decisions that hurt the Patriots in the loss.
- Erik Scalavino offers his season-ending Super Bowl synopsis and analysis.
- John Rooke’s View from Above: Questions remain, and answers may not be swift.
LOCAL LINKS
- Ryan Hannable believes Tom Brady has good reason to be upset with Bill Belichick. “...his decision to not play Butler spoiled arguably Brady’s best playoff game ever and a sixth Super Bowl ring.”
- Darvence Chery offers up some stats that highlight the absurdity of Brady’s Super Bowl LII performance.
- Karen Guregian wonders if some players are simply tired of being Patriots with the extra time, demands, expectations, tough environment and stress of contending for a Super Bowl. ‘Win, and it’s worth it. Lose, and it’s time to reflect’.
- Rich Garven notes the Patriots lack of talent on defense finally caught up with them on Sunday, and they need to find some answers this offseason.
- Jeff Howe writes a thoughtful piece that includes some speculation of what went into Malcolm Butler’s benching, and mentions the ways Butler’s presence could have helped the team make the one or two stops necessary to win.
- Doug Kyed offers his final film review of the season, and tells us where exactly the Patriots missed Malcolm Butler.
- Tom E. Curran isn’t going to hold off judgment until we know exactly why the Patriots benched Malcolm Butler, but says it’s all part of a larger story that’s still unfolding in Foxboro.
- Kevin Duffy passes along a report that a ‘rough week of practice’ contributed to Butler being benched.
- Steve Buckley says Bill Belichick owes the fans better answers on why he benched Malcolm Butler.
- Ricky Doyle points out that not one Patriot that was on the field when Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson in the Super Bowl 3 years ago played a defensive snap in Super Bowl LII.
- Chad Jennings finds there are no answers, only questions in a desolate Patriots locker room the day after the Super Bowl.
- Ron Borges issues his Super Bowl Report Card (not for the faint of heart): Big red F’s for coaching, defense.
- Matthew Geagan takes a look at Bill Belichick’s to-do list during the 2018 offseason.
- Joshua Schrock relays how Gisele Bundchen explained the loss to their children.
- WCVB5 reports that according to police, Rob Gronkowski’s home was robbed while he was away at the Super Bowl. /That’s rotten.
- Ryan Hannable notes special teams coach Joe judge will be going to Indy with Josh McDaniels.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Jonathan Jones (SI) A dejected Tom Brady shows no signs of stopping after Super Bowl LII loss.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Brady is first QB to lose a game with 500 yards, 3 TDs, 0 interceptions.
- Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Belichick on Gronk: Everybody goes through a process at end of year.
- Rodger Sherman (The Ringer) The Patriots defense did everything wrong.
- Don Banks (Patriots.com) Super Bowl Snap Judgments: The Patriots season ended pretty much like it started, with a torching by an opposing offense and a defense that never seemed to make a key stop all night.
- Danny Kelly (The Ringer) The 10 biggest questions heading into the offseason.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Only one Patriots player spoke on locker-cleanout day.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) As Malcolm Butler heads into free agency, he should explain what happened.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Reasons for Malcolm Butler benching still aren’t clear, probably never will be.
- Dan Gartland (SI) Report: Patriots CB Malcolm Butler benched due to ‘a perfect storm of issues.’
- Feitelberg (Barstool Sports) A writer at PFF is saying Malcolm Butler missed curfew, got caught with weed, then had a meltdown on the coaches.
- Dave Birkett (Detroit Free Press) Detroit Lions officially hire Matt Patricia as head coach.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Josh McDaniels to follow through with Colts.
- Zak Keefer (Indy Star) Insider: Icy Colts-Patriots relationship thaws under Chris Ballard.
- Nat Newell (IndyStar) Who won the Dwayne Allen trade between the Colts and Patriots?
- Andrew Bucholtz (Awful Announcing) NBC’s 3D graphics of Tom Brady and Nick Foles were blasted for looking like an old video game.
- Alex Putterman (Awful Announcing) NBC could have used a rules analyst on two crucial Eagles touchdowns.
- Richard Deitsch (SI) Breaking down the hits and misses of NBC’s broadcast of Super Bowl LII.
- Jared Dubin (CBS Sports) After Eagles win, these are the only 12 teams to have never won a Super Bowl.
- Alex Putterman (Awful Announcing) Super Bowl rating declines from previous years, but at a slower rate than rest of NFL season.
- Darin Gantt (ProFootballTalk) Ravens owner calls NFL’s catch rules “stupid”.