New England Patriots links 11/17/23 - Pats come out of the Bye with eye on the future

The Pats head into Week 11 as spectators. Reportedly - and unenviably - players have been watching their own film with an eye on self-scouting. They’ll also have the opportunity to watch this week’s slate of games like the rest of us.

In the AFC East, Miami hosts Las Vegas at 1:00, and Buffalo hosts the Jets at 4:25. Go Raiders. Go ... Jets? Doesn’t matter with that last one. Watching one of them lose will be enjoyable. Should be a relaxing Sunday. Enjoy!

TEAM TALK

• Salute To Service: Patriots celebrate Veterans Day with Operation Shower, pickleball tournaments, a visit to Ramstein Air Force Base and more.
• Photos: Patriots Foundations hosts Coats 4 Vets.
• Alexandra Francisco helps us get to know New England Patriots sponsored golfer Alexa Pano for a day-in-the-life video after earning her first win on the LPGA Tour.
• Patriots Unfiltered: What went wrong vs. Colts, What needs to improve after the Bye, 1-on-1 with Ezekiel Elliott. (22 min. video)
• One on one with Ezekiel Elliott. (2.37 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered: Midseason awards, NFL Week 11 picks, Bye Week ponderings. (2 hours)
• Patriots Catch-22: 3 up/down from Colts, Mac Jones through 10 weeks, State of the Patriots at the Bye, Early draft talk. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Taylor Kyles issues his way-too-early grades for the Patriots’ 2023 rookie class.
• Andy Hart writes that “sadly” the harsh reality for the Patriots is that struggling third-year QB Mac Jones might still be the best option the team has.
• Mike Kadlick relays LB Jahlani Tavai refuting the Boston Herald report that ‘New England’s locker room is ‘80-20’ out on Mac Jones as the quarterback’. “I don’t know who said that, but he hasn’t lost any of us ... we got his back.”
• Nick O’Malley gives us his NFL Week 11 anti-analysis: 21 players you probably forgot were Patriots in 2023.
• Nick O’Malley passes along a report Kendrick Bourne had successful surgery, with an optimistic return timeline.
• Nick Goss suggests Patriots fans should follow these Week 11 games if they’re following the 2024 NFL Draft order.
• Jerry Thornton writes that if you’re calling for Bill Belichick to get fired midseason, YOU need to be fired. Straight into the sun.
• 98.5 Sports Hub highlights guest Albert Breer sharing his thoughts about where things are heading with Bill Belichick and the Patriots. /Strictly speculation.
• Jason Ounpraseuth suggests five teams the Patriots could trade Mac Jones to next season.
• Doug Kyed reports three Patriots assistants were named in an NFL head coach watch list: Jerod Mayo, DeMarcus Covington (DL) and Ross Douglas (WR).
• Richie Whitt (Patriots Country) Despite Patriots-Colts, NFL international games enjoy increased ratings.
• Hayden Bird passes along the first look at Apple TV+’s 10-part documentary series about the Patriots’ dynasty. The series, which includes interviews with Robert Kraft, Tom Brady, and Bill Belichick, is coming in February. /Yay!

NATIONAL NEWS

• Jimmy Golan (AP) Patriots will come out of their bye week with an eye on the future for Bill Belichick, Mac Jones.
• Timothy Rapp (Bleacher Report) NFL playoff picture, Week 11: Standings, scenarios after Ravens vs. Bengals. ‘The AFC is wide, wide open. You could make an argument that basically every team not named the Patriots still has at least an outside shot of playing their way into the postseason.’ /...Oof!
• Doug Farrar and Greg Cosell (TouchdownWire) The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Previewing Week 11’s biggest NFL matchups.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Was wrist wrap a coincidence, or did Joe Burrow have a pre-existing wrist injury?
• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Joe Flacco among QBs working out for Browns Friday.
• Jeff Kerr (CBS Sports) Revisiting Deshaun Watson trade two years later: Texans fleece Browns by capitalizing on major draft capital
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) NBC’s top crew will handle Peacock-only Bills-Chargers game on December 23.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Multiple sideline reporters react to Charissa Thompson’s admission of faked sideline reports.
• Nate Davis (USA Today) NFL Week 11 picks: Jets head to Buffalo to face the Bills and new OC Joe Brady in a matchup that could be a de facto playoff elimination game.
• Will Brinson (CBS Sports) NFL Week 11 odds, picks, best bets: Chiefs topple Eagles in Super Bowl rematch.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Week 11 NFL picks: Steelers or Browns in AFC North bout? Who wins Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl rematch?
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) PFT’s Week 11 2023 NFL picks.