New England Patriots links 11/23/21 - Safeties off: Physical play of Phillips, Dugger fires up the D

TEAM TALK

• Mike Dussault says the Patriots’ upcoming game against the Titans will have a lot on the line. They will need their best in Sunday’s key AFC contest.
• Paul Perillo talks about the Patriots getting some help on Sunday to slide into first place in the AFC East.
• Angelique Fiske talks with a Patriots super fan making his longest road trip yet from Foxborough to L.A.
• Press Conference: Josh McDaniels - Bill Belichick - Steve Belichick - Jerod Mayo - Cam Achord.
• Sights and Sounds: Week 11 vs Atlanta Falcons. (4 min. video)
• WEEI Patriots Monday: Mac Jones. (13 min.)
• Do Your Job: The role of a Coaching Assistant. (7.21 min. video) /Interesting, worth a watch.
• New England Patriots Foundation hosts their annual holiday toy drive to benefit children in need. (30 sec. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Andrew Callahan writes the Patriots are winning again because they’re zagging. The Pats offense and defense are cutting against the grain of most modern-era trends, especially lately during the team’s five-game win streak.
• Phil Perry writes the ‘2-4’ underdog mentality hasn’t left the locker room.
• John Rooke (FullPressCoverage) Are the Patriots rising to the top of the AFC? Or is the AFC falling to New England’s level.
• Evan Lazar’s Notebook: Did Texans and Colts give Patriots a blueprint to beat the Titans and Bills?
• Mike D’Abate (Patriot Maven) Notebook: Vrabel talks ‘challenge’ of facing Patriots, Judon reaches milestone; More.
• Karen Guregian says Mac Jones is ready to take on more during the crucial ‘meat of the batting order’ on deck.
• Ryan Hannable suggests Mac Jones, not the defense, will determine how far the Pats go for the rest of this season.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Mac of all trades: Jones’ heads-up approach to the game continues to impress McDaniels.
• Zack Cox hears from Mac Jones college coach Nick Saban on Jones’ turning point for handling failure.
• Karen Guregian reports Mac Jones says N’Keal Harry isn’t just good at blocking. The receiver can also make plays, and wouldn’t be surprised to see more of that going forward.
• Mike Reiss discusses how TE Jonnu Smith’s transition to New England hasn’t produced immediate bang for the buck. But “patience” has been a buzzword when it comes to Smith, whose former club the Titans, come to Foxboro on Sunday.
• Phil Perry notes physical safeties Adrian Phillips and Kyle Dugger are key cogs in Belichick’s elite defense.
• Ian Glendon (FullPressCoverage) Matt Judon leading Patriots defensive resurgence.
• Dakota Randall notes Matthew Judon reportedly has filed a trademark for his mysterious sack celebration.
• Isaiah Houde (PatriotsWire) Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne laughs hysterically while watching Colts rout Bills.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Best of Social Media: Week 11 Patriots vs Falcons.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) ICYMI: David Andrews mic’d up versus the Browns.
• Andrew Callahan notes ILB coach Jerod Mayo sounds ready for a head-coaching job.
• Zac Cox wonders if this could be Jerod Mayo’s final season as Patriots assistant coach. Mayo has been open about his ambition to be an NFL head coach.
• Robert Alvarez (PatsFans) Remembering the “butt fumble” nine years ago Monday.
• Dakota Randall relays Julian Edelman explaining his version of events from his 2020 vandalism arrest.
• One Patriots Place podcast: Clare, Murph, and Steve talk Pats with Matt Chatham. (53 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Jeff Chadiha (NFL.com) The First Read, Week 12: Free-for-all in the AFC; Jalen Hurts rising
• Albert Breer (SI) Monday Afternoon QB: This is the best Cam Newton has looked since probably early 2018; Plus, Kirk Cousins’s trust in his receivers, Trevor Lawrence’s growing pains, two Broncos extensions and Baker Mayfield on boos.
• Dan Wetzel (Yahoo! Sports) The gaudy Bills need to toughen up pronto because winter is coming — and so are the Patriots.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) NFL standings: Updated AFC, NFC playoff picture after Week 11.
• Adam Schein (NFL.com) NFL Week 11 stars: Jonathan Taylor enters MVP race; Justin Herbert exorcises Chargers demons. No Pats. /lolz.
• Matt Miller (TheDraftScout) Scouting Notebook: Re-drafting the 2021 QB class. 3. Mac Jones: Two of the five scouts polled actually ranked Jones as the QB2 in a re-draft. Situation matters, we all know that, and Jones landed in the perfect situation for his skillset as a smart, accurate, composed passer who isn’t asked to do a lot outside the pocket. Jones is talented, but he’s also in the best situation. When re-drafting, that comes into factor of course, but his play so far has been the best of all the rookie quarterbacks.
• Steven Ruiz (The Ringer) How Did the Buffalo Bills go from the top of the AFC to the fringe of the playoff picture?
• Danny Kelly (The Ringer) How Jim Mora’s iconic “playoffs” rant lives on, 20 years later.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Charles Robinson (Yahoo! Sports) As NFL’s billion-dollar mediation with St. Louis begins, team owners could wage civil war.
• Bill Shaikin (LA Times) How St. Louis is beating the NFL in court and may win billions after losing the Rams