New England Patriots links 1/10/19 - Patriots vs. Chargers: Everything on the line[s]

TEAM TALK

• Patriots-Chargers Wednesday Injury Report.
• Erik Scalavino shares the news, notes and locker-room buzz from Wednesday at Gillette: Devin McCourty returns to practice.
• Erik Scalavino tackles this week’s Ask PFW Mailbag: Divisional playoff edition.
• Press Conference transcripts: Bill Belichick - James White - Patrick Chung.
• Locker Room Quotes: Patriots.
• Patriots Right Now: Chargers report; Deatrich Wise face off. (15.55 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Karen Guregian notes Tom Brady has faced Gus Bradley’s Cover-3 defense plenty of times in the past, and it hasn’t exactly been his Kryptonite.
• Nick O’Malley scouts the Chargers to see how the Patriots measure up at each position against one of the toughest opponents they’ve seen in a while.
• Kevin Duffy dives into the matchups: Rob Gronkowski vs. Derwin James, Chargers defense.
• Ross Gienieczko explains how the Patriots defensive depth will be tested by Philip Rivers and the Chargers playmakers.
• David Latham (LastWordOnSports) Patriots AFC divisional round gameplan: Stopping the Chargers offense.
• Devon Clements (PatriotsWire) 3 Matchups to watch in Patriots’ divisional round vs. Chargers. 1. Melvin Ingram vs. Joe Thuney.
• Zack Cox brings up how J.C. Jackson is looking to follow in Malcolm Butler’s footsteps in his first Patriots postseason.
• Kevin Duffy says rookie J.C. Jackson is pretty confident heading into his playoff debut, which is good because the Patriots are counting on him.
• Joshua Schrock looks at Sony Michel’s rookie season with New England and finds it’s been a successful first year.
• Phil Perry takes a look at why Adrian Clayborn, a healthy scratch each of the final two weeks of the regular season, isn’t exactly hitting the playoffs with much momentum.
• Doug Kyed relays Melvin Gordon on how James White was a mentor for him at the University of Wisconsin.
• Ryan Hannable passes along the good news that Devin McCourty and Cordarrelle Patterson were both full participants in practice, while Dwayne Allen (knee) and Deatrich Wise (ankle) were limited.
• Chris Warner (BostonSportsMediaWatch) Patriots Thursday notes, pre-division edition: “This has to turn into a nail-biter, right?”
• Darren Hartwell highlights Jerod Mayo on why he thinks the Chargers are the worst possible matchup for the Patriots, and how this game could be over by halftime.
• Brendan Howe (FullPressCoverage) Mid-Week thoughts: Patriots divisional match-up vs. Chargers: The weather will be a big factor.
• Hayden Bird writes about Philip Rivers’ shot-put style unorthodox throwing motion.
• Ross Gienieczko notes Jason McCourty says Philip Rivers has the “it factor” that players want to go into a game or a season with.
• Matt Vautour reports the Chargers just signed a kickoff specialist in time for Sunday.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Anthony Lynn: Stephon Gilmore ‘looks like a completely different man’.
• Ryan Hannable posts some quotes from people who were there in an oral history of the Patriots-Chargers 2006 AFC divisional round classic.
• 98.5 The Sports Hub relays the story from Philip Rivers of how Bill Belichick ‘fussed him out’ at the 2011 Pro Bowl. /Kinda funny, really.
• Zack Cox talks about Brian Flores rapid coaching rise, which is no surprise to his ex-Boston College teammates and coach.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) 13 Important Patriots who are slated to be free agents in 2019.
• Dakota Randall posts an NFL highlight video of all of Tom Brady’s 77 playoff touchdowns.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Henry Bushnell (Yahoo! Sports) The genesis of Tom Brady’s legend.
• Danny Kelly (The Ringer) Philip Rivers has never beaten Tom Brady—What can their history tell us about the divisional round?
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Philip Rivers has never beaten Tom Brady.
• Cynthia Frelund (NFL.com) NFL Divisional Round: X-factor for each remaining playoff team. Patriots: Pounding the rock with heavy personnel. Chargers: Running back efficiency.
• Neil Paine (FiveThirtyEight) Will the divisional playoffs restore order to the NFL, or just keep the chaos going?
• John Breech (CBS Sports) NFL Playoffs 2019: Cowboys-Rams has dramatic finish and seven other bold predictions for the Divisional Round.
• Cindy Boren (Washington Post) ’No matter where I am, I still think about her’: A grieving father plans to play against the Patriots.
• Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Playoff odds, picks: All the ‘dogs bark, Cowboys win outright in Divisional Round. Patriots win 27-24.
• Will Brinson (CBS Sports) 2019 NFL Playoff Picks: Cowboys stun Rams, Chargers take out Patriots in wild divisional round. Chargers win 27-24.
• Matt Youmans (NY Post) Why underdogs can keep the NFL playoff upsets coming.
• Dave Hyde (South Florida Sun-Sentinel) Adam Gase off to Jets — and should Dolphins really care?
• Ted Holmlund (NY Post) Jets fans are ticked off about Adam Gase head coach hire.
• Andrew Marchand (NY Post) Buzz is picking up that ABC wants in on NFL rights.

VIEW FROM LOS ANGELES

• Ricky Henne (Chargers.com) Scouting Report: Chargers vs. Patriots.
• Mike DiGiovanna (LA Times) Chargers face totally different task against Tom Brady and New England Patriots.
• Tom Krasovic (San Diego Union Tribune) Rivers sheared the beard; Belichick lauds fast Gus bus; Raiders to S.D. report denied.
• Ricky Henne (Chargers.com) Bill Belichick breaks down Bolts’ defense.
• Tom Krasovic (San Diego Union Tribune) After W behind Ingram-led D, Rivers & Gates get chance to exorcise Patriots ghosts.
• Jeff Miller and Mike DiGiovanna (LA Times) Michael Badgley is on the money, his five field goals a key to Chargers’ 23-17 wild-card victory over the Ravens.
• Jeff Miller and Mike DiGiovanna (San Diego Union Tribune) Chargers activate tight end Hunter Henry for AFC playoff game against New England.
• Ricky Henne (Chargers.com) Brandon Mebane set to play with heavy heart following loss of daughter. /Sad.