New England Patriots links 1/25/22 - Media highlights tough AFC slog ahead for Pats

TEAM TALK

• Patriots 2022 Mock Draft Tracker.
• Mike Dussault tackles this week’s Patriots Mailbag: Crafting an offseason Patriots plan.
• Paul Perillo’s NFL Notes: Have we seen the last of Brady?
• Mike Dussault talks about the three Patriots who made PFWA’s All-AFC Team.

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss talks about how the potential departure of OC Josh McDaniels to become a head coach looms large as the Patriots prepare for the 2022 season.
• Andrew Callahan spotlights Fix no. 4 for the Patriots in 2022: Mold the offense around Mac Jones.
• Khari Thompson offers three big Patriots thoughts after incredible NFL playoff weekend. 1.The Patriots need an “anytime” playmaker.
• Danny Jaillet (PatriotsWire) Mac Jones among highest-rated Patriots by Pro Football Focus.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Breaking down the best ways for the Patriots to add a WR1.
• Tom E. Curran says the great Divisional Round games show how much work remains for Patriots.
• Zack Cox shares four Pats-related thoughts on an incredible divisional round: Returning to power in this loaded AFC won’t be easy.
• Ryan Hannable suggests playoff runs for the Patriots may be few and far between in upcoming years.
• Tony Massarotti sees Mac Jones and the Patriots having some serious catching up to do as a new generation of franchise quarterbacks takes over the conference.
• Zack Cox looks at which practice squad players were not signed to futures contracts.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Three Patriots selected to 2021 PFWA All-AFC Team.
• Alex Reimer finds the Patriots TV ratings were up big this season, but still down considerably from Brady era.
• Michael Hurley mentions how the Rams-Buccaneers playoff game exposed an odd loophole that allowed a violent hit to the head of a defenseless receiver to essentially go unpunished.
• Dakota Randall highlights Boomer Esiason on why Josh McDaniels should leave New England to join the Raiders.
• Andrew Callahan passes along a report that Jerod Mayo is ruled out of the Broncos head-coaching search.
• Mike Kadlick tells us why the NFL should not touch the overtime rules.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Albert Breer (SI) Monday Afternoon QB: A potential last dance for Tom Brady; Special teams coaches discuss Bills’ touchback; Plus, inside the huddle with Patrick Mahomes and Jimmy Garoppolo, the Rams’ new players contribute and life isn’t fair.
• Jeffri Chadiha (NFL.com) The First Read: Six initial thoughts heading into Championship Sunday.
• Adam Schein (NFL.com) NFL Divisional Round fact or fiction: Best weekend ever? Best game ever? Tom Brady’s last game ever?
• NFL Nation (ESPN) NFL free agency 2022: Biggest signing decisions for all 32 teams.
• Zack Cox mentions how the Patriots’ Christian Barmore trade helped the Bengals reach the AFC Title game
• Doug Farrar (TouchdownWire) The NFL should change the Super Bowl LVI logo before it freaks everybody out.
• Madison Williams (Sporting News) Super Bowl halftime show 2022: Who is performing at Super Bowl 56 in LA?
• Mark Lane (TouchdownWire) One-Two Punch: 4 times the top 2 seeds in a conference were knocked out in the NFL playoffs since 1975.
• John Wawrow (AP) Bills add ’13 Seconds’ to history of heartbreaking losses.
• Shalise Manza Young (Yahoo! Sports) The NFL’s overtime rules are fine the way they are. Don’t change them
• Joe Rivera (Sporting News) NFL overtime history: Revisiting the 11 playoff games that have gone to OT since 2010 rule change.
• Jacob Camenker (Sporting News) A timeline of every failed NFL team proposal to change OT format since 2010.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Andy Reid: Overtime rules helped us, but both offenses and both defenses should play. “I wouldn’t be opposed to it.” /but you won’t be pushing for it either, will ya?
• Joe Rivera (Sporting News) Matt Rhule among ‘several NFL head coaches’ who would want Michigan job should Jim Harbaugh leave, per report.
• Nick Selbe (SI) Tom Brady weighs family with retirement decision: ‘It’s not always shat I want.’
• Jeff Kerr (CBS Sports) Rob Gronkowski unsure if he’ll return to Buccaneers or NFL in 2022, says Tom Brady decision won’t play factor.
• Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) 2022 NFL mock draft 1.0. Patriots pick Georgia DT Jordan Davis at No. 21.
• Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) 2022 NFL Mock Draft: Only one quarterback taken early; edge rushers and O-line dominate top 10. Pats pick Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner.