New England Patriots links 8/09/18 - Preseason Week 1: New England vs. Washington

TEAM TALK

• Broadcast Information: Redskins at Patriots.
• Erik Scalavino posts the camp news and notes from Wednesday: Rule changes explained; More.
• Andy Hart’s Day 11 Blogservations: Light game prep and heavy rain.
• Positional breakdown videos: Wide receivers - Defensive backs - Offensive linemen - Running backs.

LOCAL LINKS

• Kevin Duffy gives us five things he’ll be watching tonight: 1. The Hoyer/Etling show.
• Mike Dussault (PatsPropaganda) Patriots gameplan: Five to watch tonight.
• Zack Cox highlights 15 players to watch during Pats-’Skins.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) What to watch for, NE-Wash. preseason opener: Left tackle position.
• Mike Petraglia with 5 things to watch for as Football finally returns to Foxboro. (6.06 min. video)
• Andrew Callahan offers his Patriots-Redskins preview: Broadcast info; Five players to watch; More.
• Matthew Geagan tells us what he’ll be watching for when the Patriots take their home field for the first time in six months: The rookies.
• Evan Lazar looks at past years to try and determine whether it’s likely we see Brady or Gronkowski Thursday night against Washington.
• Ryan Hannable looks at past years to determine if and how much Tom Brady will play in tonight’s preseason game.
• WEEI guest Adam Schefter believes the reason why Tom Brady has been getting light reps so far this preseason is that the team is managing Brady’s arm.
• Mike Reiss highlights the importance of the Patriots getting some hits from their 2018 rookie class.
• Evan Lazar hopes the Pats can find their pass rush under Brian Flores.
• Zack Cox talks about how this year’s crop of rookie defensive backs is different from others.
• Andrew Callahan comes up with 10 things we’ve learned from the first two weeks of camp: Brady, Gronk receiving unusually light workloads.
• Ryan Hannable’s Wednesday camp report: Session a little more intense than a standard walk-through.
• Phil Perry sends another Postcard from Camp, Day 11: One of the more impressive completions of the day was a long pass down the left sideline from Tom Brady to Phillip Dorsett.
• Andrew Callahan shares his observations from camp: Tom Brady sees more reps; Rain cuts practice short; More.
• Matt Dolloff posts his notes from the last practice before preseason: Cyrus Jones caught some punts in full team drills. No fumbles, positive sign.
• Doug Kyed reports the Patriots worked out free agent WR Brenton Bersin.
• Conor Ryan passes along a report that the Patriots plan to “circle back” on talks with free-agent CB Bashaud Breeland after preseason opener.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) Patriots’ hardest games of 2018.
• Michael Hurley tries to imagine the massive media meltdown if Tom Brady had said what Aaron Rodgers did about his receivers’ “piss poor” efforts after practice.
• Ryan Hannable predicts there will be plenty of flag-waving this season, and we have the NFL’s new anthem policy helmet rule to thank for it.
• Michael Hurley wishes everyone would ‘chill out’ over new helmet rule hysteria.
• Doug Kyed notes the NFL will be taking a trial-and-error approach to the new helmet rule this preseason. /There goes ‘level playing field for all 32 teams’ out the window.
• Tom E. Curran points out how the league is its own greatest enemy. It didn’t learn from deflategate and this year has created two issues that are going to overshadow the games, the players and the competition: The new anthem policy and the helmet rule.
• Kevin Duffy Patriots Notebook: Officials say there will be plenty of preseason flags thrown thanks to batch of new rules.
• Ian Logue (PatsFans) Thursday Patriots Notebook: Quiet practice on Wednesday; Bengals fans bitter at Burkhead; More.
• Doug Kyed addresses his Patriots Mailbag: Will long undrafted rookie streak come to an end?

NATIONAL NEWS

• Staff (CBS Philly) Artist unveils Eagles’ Super Bowl artwork for billboard In Foxboro. /Artist might want to keep this one veiled. Prob not going to get the hoped-for reaction, lols.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Familiarity with Josh McDaniels’ offense should help Eric Decker catch up.
• Albert Breer (SI) The new Niners culture, or why every week should be shark week; MMQB Mailbag.
• Andy Benoit (SI) Could Miami sneak into the AFC playoff picture? 10 Thoughts on the 2018 Dolphins.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Martellus Bennett: Aaron Rodgers has the best arm, but Tom Brady is easier to play with.
• Dan Hanzus (NFL.com) NFL training camp optimism all-stars! 25 players fielding praise. /No Pats.
• Highlights (NFL.com) Best moments of 2018 training camp. (4.37 min. video)
• Training Camp Primetime (NFL.com) One thing to watch for in each of Thursday’s preseason games. (5.15 min. video)
• Esten McLaren (TheScore) NFL refs leaning toward calling penalties for new helmet rule.
• Kevin Seifert (ESPN) The NFL’s latest safety measures face resistance from players. “Guys are going to end up broke.” /Good read.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Heath Evans sounds off on his NFL Network firing.
• Sheilla Dingus (AdvocacyForFairnessInSports) Please don’t drink the Kool-Aid regarding NFL concussion settlement payouts.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) HOF game, ceremony ratings down for 2018.