New England Patriots links 1/03/23 - Week 18 on hold as NFL considers proper path to move ahead

TEAM TALK

• Evan Lazar’s After Further Review: Mac Jones is showing reasons to be optimistic about his NFL future, making more high-level throws in recent weeks.
• Mike Dussault reports the Patriots-Bills Week 18 kickoff time will be Sunday at 1:00pm on CBS.
• Mike Dussault looks at whether the the Patriots can flip the Bills script to punch their playoff ticket on Sunday.
• Alexandra Francisco reports how Mac Jones helps welcome F-18 pilot home at Gillette Stadium.
• Press Conference: Bill Belichick.
• WEEI Patriots Monday: Bill Belichick and Mac Jones.
• Locker Room Celebration after Patriots win over the Dolphins. (1.21 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Andrew Callahan’s Patriots-Dolphins film review: How the Pats saved their season with lessons they can take to Buffalo.
• Michael Hurley serves up some leftover Patriots thoughts: At least there’s a final week with juice.
• Jerry Thornton gives us his knee-jerk reactions to Week 17.
• Chad Finn’s Unconventional Review: We expected the unexpected, and that’s what we received — a game-clinching drive that gives Patriots hope.
• Mark Morse (PatsFans) Observations from Patriots’ Week 17 victory over the Dolphins. 1. The Defense stood tall. They held Waddle to 3-52 and Hill to 4-55. That was Jonathan Jones and Myles Bryant. Even Practice Squad call-ups Quandre Mosley and Tae Hayes got involved. Mosely was on the field for the Dugger pick-six.
• Ian Logue (PatsFans) Five thoughts on the Patriots’ win over the Dolphins. 1) For anyone who hasn’t been happy with Mac Jones, Sunday saw him finally show some signs of life when they needed him to step up.
• Phil Perry explains how the Patriots showed a glimmer of ‘complementary’ identity vs. the Dolphins.
• Phil Perry’s Patriots Report Card: Defense passes with flying colors vs. Dolphins.
• Steve Balestrieri (PatsFans) Patriots Week 17 report card. “Like most of this season, the offense spent large parts of the game looking inept. And the Special Teams also spent much of the game, like much of the season, left one scratching their heads.”
• Mike D’Abate (Patriots Country) Patriots-Bills kickoff set for Week 18.
• Tom E. Curran writes sure, the Patriots are flawed, but why not root for a miracle?
• Michael Hurley lays out how the Patriots can make the playoffs even if they lose to Bills, but adds it won’t be easy.
• Sara Marshall (MusketFire) Mac Jones responds to former quarterback Boomer Esiason’s harsh take.
• Connor Zimmerlee (Patriots Country) ‘Resiliency’: Coach Bill Belichick’s No. 1 source of pride as Patriots control playoff destiny.
• Hayden Bird highlights Bill Belichick reflecting on the team’s win against the Dolphins and the defensive touchdowns as well as the matchup vs. the Bills in Week 18. “Everybody just poured everything they had into it, and that’s what we needed to do.”
• Zack Cox notes Jakobi Meyers has been the Patriots’ most reliable receiver for the last three seasons. He hopes they won’t need to find a new one in 2023. ‘That’s kind of my dream’.
• Dakota Randall notes Christian Barmore credited Patriots players, coaches and training staff after delivering his best game of the season.
• Phil Perry spotlights Kyle Dugger’s game-changing athleticism as a weapon for the Pats.
• Kevin Tame, Jr. (Patriots Country) Patriots players in awe of teammate Kyle Dugger: Write him a ‘blank check!’
• Keagan Stiefel relays NFL analyst Mina Kimes sharing effusive praise of Kyle Dugger.
• Hayden Bird reports how the Patriots shared messages of support for Damar Hamlin.
• Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike and Murph discuss the Patriots Week 17 victory, Kyle Dugger and more. (31 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Mike Tanier (Football Outsiders) Week 17 Walkthrough: Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady’s shiny new year; Patriots 23, Dolphins 21, What it means: The Patriots deserve the seventh seed in the AFC playoffs. Nothing less, but absolutely nothing more. ... The Patriots know how to scratch out wins. The Dolphins have been searching helplessly for a Plan B since the start of December.
• Albert Breer (SI) NFL Week 17 Takeaways: As Bengals face Bills, Burrow ‘looks like Tom Brady’ when he first started rolling; Plus, more on Derek Carr’s benching, J.J. Watt’s retirement and Kenny Pickett’s dramatics.
• Rodger Sherman (The Ringer) Winners and losers of NFL Week 17. Loser: The Miami Dolphins’ invisible corner.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) NFL quietly added new language to rule on reviewing forward progress in 2022.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) NFL announces complete Week 18 schedule with Lions-Packers on ‘Sunday Night Football.’
• John Breech (CBS Sports) NFL Week 18 flex scheduling changes: Titans-Jaguars showdown moved to Saturday night along with Chiefs-Raiders.
• Steven Ruiz (The Ringer) The five teams NFL contenders should be afraid to see on Wild-Card Weekend. No Pats. /Lolz.
• Alaina Getzenberg (ESPN) Behind methodical strategy, Bills primed to contend for years.
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Dolphins preparing for Teddy Bridgewater or Skylar Thompson to start Week 18.

EXTRACURRICULAR

• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Damar Hamlin family spokesperson says, “He’s fighting.”
• Kevin Clark (The Ringer) Damar Hamlin and the most terrifying night of football.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Bills safety Damar Hamlin in critical condition after suffering cardiac arrest; Buffalo-Cincinnati game postponed.
• Nick O’Malley looks at whether the NFL will reschedule the postponed Bills vs. Bengals game: ‘Nothing in consideration right now.’
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Troy Vincent: NFL did not consider giving players five minutes to warm up and continue.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Damar Hamlin’s community toy drive is flooded with millions in donations.