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TEAM TALK
- Erik Scalavino shares the news, notes and locker-room buzz from Wednesday at Gillette: During bye, Patriots focus on Patriots.
- Press Conference Transcripts: Bill Belichick - James White.
- Patriots 2018 ratings finish as highest in three years.
- The Kraft Family awards $90,000 to nonprofits during halftime ceremony last Sunday.
- Belichick Breakdown: Top plays against the Jets. (8.44 min. video)
- Sights and Sounds: Week 17 vs. Jets. (3.46 min. video)
LOCAL LINKS
- Evan Lazar reviews the film to see how the passing offense found a rhythm heading into the postseason.
- Kevin Duffy points out the uncertainties on both sides of the ball for the Pats, a statistical oddity involving the run defense stats for this year’s playoff teams, and how the defense has improved.
- Evan Lazar reports James White had the best season ever for a Patriots receiving back.
- Mike Reiss writes we haven’t seen Rob Gronkowski make the same impact that he used to, which fuels speculation about this being his last playoff run, and hope that he can rediscover some of his old magic for the postseason.
- Karen Guregian believes we’ll see more spurts from Gronk in the playoffs like we saw in Week 17.
- Nick Goss reports Stephon Gilmore was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL this season, and the stats back that up.
- Ryan Hannable notes that interestingly, Stephon Gilmore was primarily a quarterback while in high school, in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
- Michael Hurley presents a slightly early scouting report on Patriots’ potential playoff opponents in divisional round.
- Phil Perry tells us why Pats fans should become Texans’ fans for a week.
- Brendan Howe (FullPressCoverage) Previewing the Patriots’ possible divisional round opponents
- Mike Dussault (PatsPropaganda) Patriots 2018 season snap counts: Nobody died.
- Doug Kyed takes a look at how the Patriots’ actual draft picks fared this season.
- Matt Vautour gazes into his crystal ball to make some 2019 Boston sports predictions. 1. Rob Gronkowski will retire.
- Alex Reimer says it appears as if the Brady-Belichick partnership is poised to continue for 2019 and beyond.
- Zack Cox Patriots Notes: Amoeba defense has been New England’s not-so-secret weapon.
- Chris Warner (BostonSportsMediaWatch) Patriots Thursday Notes, Jets and Happy New Bye Edition. /Worth a perusal.
- Kevin Duffy gives us a practice update: Devin McCourty absent for 1st practice of bye week.
- Kevin Duffy Patriots Notebook: Bill Belichick has ‘great admiration’ for Urban Meyer.
- Sean T. McGuire Patriots Notebook: Edelman, McCourty miss out on incentive bonuses.
- Ryan Hannable notes that whether Josh McDaniels leaves or stays, his decision will be telling.
- Nick O’Malley passes along a report that the NFL set a record for penalties after assessing 3,447 flags in 2018 season, the most ever. /I’m shocked, shocked!
- Nick O’Malley offers a breakdown of every team’s flags in 2018, and notes the Patriots remained among the league’s least-flagged team.
- Russ Goldman (PatsFans) Patriots Fourth and Two podcast: The NFL playoffs for the Patriots this season. (57.30 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Ben Cooper (Pro Football Focus) The Patriots’ secondary has what it takes to carry the team through the playoffs.
- Cynthia Frelund (NFL.com) Strength, area of concern for each AFC playoff team. Patriots: Strength: Run blocking and early-down consistency. Concern: Run defense on first down.
- Lorenzo Reyes (USA Today) One weakness for every team in NFL playoffs. Patriots: Rushing defense.
- Staff (ESPN) Biggest injury questions for all 12 NFL playoff teams. Patriots: Devin McCourty and Cordarrelle Patterson.
- Analysis Team (Pro Football Focus) Final list of PFF’s highest-graded quarterbacks in the NFL in 2018.
- Curtis Crabtree (ProFootballTalk) PFT’s 2018 Awards.
- Jenny Vrentas (SI) Why are NFL GMs being let off the hook?
- Jeremy Fowler (ESPN) Antonio Brown saga: What happened, Steelers’ next move, trade chances.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Report: Steelers players think Antonio Brown wasn’t injured.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Tomlin’s press conference points to multiple injury report problems.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) 40 of 50 Most-watched sporting events in 2018 were NFL games.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) The NFL now has an official casino sponsor. /NFL also has an official hypocrite commissioner.
- Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) New ref Shawn Hochuli and his crew set an NFL record for penalties called.
- Samer Kalaf (Deadspin) The Booger Mobile has been decommissioned for the season, and possibly forever.