New England Patriots links 10/30/20 - Pats-Bills: Young receivers get their chance to shine

TEAM TALK

• Patriots-Bills Thursday Injury Report.
• Mike Dussault’s Unfiltered Notebook 10/29: Opportunity arrives for Jakobi Meyers.
• What They’re Saying: Buffalo Bills.
• Angelique Fiske reports Devin and Jason McCourty offer leadership advice to the Boston College football team.
• Press Conference: Cam Newton (21 min. video)
• Patriots vs. Bills preview: Everything you need to know. (3.30 min. video)
• Belestrator: Preparing for the complex Buffalo attack (4 min. video)
• One-on-One with Matthew Slater. (3 min. video)
• Memorable Moment: 1978 Patriots vs. Bills. Patriots capture their first division title with a last second field goal against the Buffalo Bills. (1 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Evan Lazar’s Patriots Game Plan: Pats must get back to the Cam Newton version of their offense. ‘The Patriots offense needs to play “bully ball” with Cam Newton, meaning they can’t dig themselves into holes on the scoreboard and need to lean on their rushing attack offensively.’
• Thomas Murphy (DieHardBostonSportsFans) Monster keys to Pats Bills: ‘It’s Super Bowl week in Buffalo.’
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots-Bills Week 8 key matchups: Who has the razor’s edge? ‘Three losses in a row, injuries to key WRs in an offense that already has had trouble throwing the football is not a good recipe for turning things around this week.’
• Ryan Hannable believes Damien Harris and the running game will be extremely important Sunday vs. Bills.
• Mike Reiss reports Cam Newton called Sunday’s road game against the Bills “a must-win for us.”
• Alex Barth posts a video of Cam Newton working on his mechanics at practice.
• Doug Kyed takes a look at the Patriots’ salary cap situation ahead of the trade deadline, and notes they have plenty of space to make a trade.
• Ryan Hannable notes Bill Belichick passes on getting involved in talk radio discussions regarding the Pats at the trade deadline. /Snarky Belichick is the best Belichick.
• Zack Cox makes the case why the 2-4 Patriots still have a fighting chance in the competitive AFC East race.
• Zack Cox Patriots Notes: Cam Newton once coached Jakobi Meyers in high school; Dalton Keene reacts to his NFL debut; More.
• Doug Kyed addresses his Friday Patriots Mailbag: Is trading for WR at deadline now inevitable?
• Doug Kyed suggests the key for Cam Newton and the offense might be to find a middle ground .
• Mike Reiss reports Julian Edelman has been limited all season because of his knee, and a source told ESPN he is expected to be sidelined for “some period of time” after a precautionary knee procedure.
• Doug Kyed shares nine thoughts on how Julian Edelman’s injury impacts the offense. 1. The Patriots are left with Damiere Byrd, Jakobi Meyers and Gunner Olszewski on their current WR depth chart. Isaiah Zuber, Kristian Wilkerson and Mason Kinsey are on the practice squad. ...
• Chris Mason notes Jakobi Meyers could have a lot on his plate Sunday with injuries to N’Keal Harry and Julian Edelman, but he seems ready.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Dalton Keene makes NFL debut, impresses TE’s coach Nick Caley.
• Matt Vautour finds rookie TE Dalton Keene eager to build off of last week’s debut.
• Thomas Murphy (DiehardBostonSportsFans) This is what you wanted, wasn’t It? /Murph pens an ode to Felger & Mazz and everyone else who pushed the “It’s time to move on from Brady” mantra.
• Andrew Desino (MusketFire) Tom Brady was the ‘system’ in New England.
• Jerry Trotta (MusketFire) New England followed Red Sox formula for benefitting during pandemic year.
• CBS Boston staff make their Week 8 predictions. Three of five pick Bills over Pats.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate and Joe Marino (Locked On Bills) discuss all things Pats-Bills. (40 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Friday Game Plan: Mohamed Sanu shows how the NFL trade deadline can impact a career; Some names that teams are getting calls about, how the 49ers are withstanding injuries, power rankings; More.
• Danny Heifetz (The Ringer0 Your NFL Week 8 Matchup Guide: Divisional rivalry week is upon us. Pittsburgh vs. Baltimore is a game for the ages, and one that will help determine the winner of the AFC North. Plus: The Bills finally have a real chance at beating the Patriots, and Le’Veon Bell gets his revenge game.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick passes on “talk radio” chatter that Patriots will sell at trade deadline.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Cam Newton knows “losing is not acceptable” in New England.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick thinks Julian Edelman will be back this season.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Super Bowl Opening Night will be virtual-only in 2021.
• Greg Bishop (SI) As his father watched, Ryan Shazier announced the end of his football career. /Good read.
• Michael McCann (Sportico) Google antitrust case draws sports industry eyes with digital rights in play.
• Gregg Rosenthal (NFL.com) NFL Week 8 game picks. Bills 24-18.

VIEW FROM BUFFALO

• Mark Gaughan (Buffalo News) Xs and Os: Bills gear up for meat-and-potatoes Patriots offense.
• Sal Maiorana (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle) After a blazing hot start, Bills offense has cooled considerably in last three games.
• Alex Brasky (The Daily News) Bills-Patriots dynamic has suddenly shifted; AFC East crown now Buffalo’s to lose.
• Jason Wolf (Buffalo News) Josh Allen among NFL’s elite in interception rate since reckless loss to Patriots in 2019
• Sal Maiorana (Rochester Democrat and Chronicle) Jon Feliciano’s season debut will toughen up Buffalo Bills’ offensive line.
• John Wawrow (AP) Bills don’t miss Brady in preparing to face Newton-led Pats.
• Daniel Fetes (13WHAM) Beasley and Bills ‘prepare for anything’ Belichick can throw at them.