New England Patriots links 12/01/23 – Week 13 Pats-Chargers: Previews, matchups, keys to victory

Daily news and links for Friday.

Go Pats! Maybe. Sort of. No, wait… yeah, Go Pats!

My brain will never get the hang of this ‘losing is winning’ and ‘winning is losing’ Bizarro-world of watching the Patriots play. No matter how much the team will benefit from a high draft pick come April, I refuse to enter the upside-down world of rooting for the Patriots to lose. Too many players I see fighting and trying, week after week. They deserve my support – which to make clear, has zero impact on the outcome of the game. So save your outrage.

Love is love, as the saying goes. I’ll be cheering on every (cough, or any) touchdowns this Sunday, for Chad Ryland to make his kicks, for Rhamondre and Zeke to run with the force they’ve shown the last few weeks and for Bailey Zappe to hand off like a pro. Sorry, Mac. Go Pats!

TEAM TALK

• Patriots-Chargers updated Injury Report.
• Transactions: Patriots sign K Matthew Wright to the practice squad; Release WR Mathew Sexton.
• Highlights: Bailey Zappe spoke to reporters inside the locker room with all signs pointing to Zappe getting the start against the Chargers. Zappe said he is ‘preparing like I do every other week’.
• NFL Week 15 Flex Scheduling Update: Patriots vs. Chiefs moved to Sunday, Dec. 17th at 1 pm.
• Press Conferences: Bailey Zappe – David Andrews – Lawrence Guy – Hunter Henry.
• Belestrator: Breaking down Chargers playmakers Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen. (2 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered on TV: Matchups to watch vs. Chargers, Jalen Mills 1-on-1. (22.28 min. video)
• Previewing the Key Matchups: Tamara Brown sits down with Mike Dussault and Evan Lazar to look at all the key matchups vs. the Chargers. (6 min. video)
• Patriots Unfiltered: Week 13 picks, Thursday practice updates, Chargers preview. (2 hours)
• Patriots Catch-22 podcast: Who starts at QB?, Chargers matchups to watch, 3 up/down vs. Giants. (2 hours)

LOCAL LINKS

• Murph gives us his Monster Keys to Patriots victory over the Chargers. 1. K.I.S.S. Keep. It. Simple. Stupid. “…Simple doesn’t mean predictable Billy. Keep the division Run/Pass as even as you can. Zappe does his best work out of play action so Let Stevenson and Zeke set the table and move the chains.”
• Taylor Kyles’ Scouting Report: Keys to the Patriots finding a spark vs the Chargers. 1. Keep leaning on the ground game.
• Mike Kadlick identifies 3 crucial clashes in the Pats’ Week 13 matchup vs. Chargers.
• Alex Barth tells us what to watch for when the Patriots host the Chargers on Sunday. 1. Bill Belichick vs. Justin Herbert.
• Michael Hurley suggests Sunday could provide a soft landing for Bailey Zappe if he indeed gets the start against a bad Chargers defense.
• Andrew Callahan writes Bill Belichick made the right call sitting Mac Jones – a broken player, in favor of Bailey Zappe – a worse passer whose confidence is intact.
• Jerry Thornton doesn’t hate that the Patriots are making the switch at QB but he’s “not exactly glad about it either. Bittersweet isn’t the right word. I’ll call this the Salted Caramel of mixed emotions. On the one hand, I’m salty as hell Jones could break so bad after showing so much promise. He was The Best in Show in one of the most highly graded QB rookie classes of my lifetime. On the chewy, sugary goodness side, I’m grateful this Sunday to be spared having to watch him implode even more than he already has.”
• Mark Daniels explains how Malik Cunningham ‘s special talents could give the Pats a spark.
• Zack Cox takes a look at the latest injury report: OL Riley Reiff (knee) did not participate, Demario Douglas in concussion protocol, Kayshon Boutte (shoulder) limited; More.
• Greg Dudek mentions how the Chargers plan to handle the Patriots’ messy QB situation.
• Alex Barth suggests some quarterback prospects to watch during Conference Championship Weekend.
• Andrew Callahan reports the upcoming Patriots vs. Chiefs matchup in Week 15 has become the first game in NFL history to be flexed out of Monday Night Football. /Fifth paragraph down he mentions “the newly expanded flex scheduling that took effect this year, allowing games to be moved from Monday or Thursday nights.”
• Greg Dudek relays a Mike Reiss tweet showing Amazon Prime’s Pats-Steelers promotion graphic with Bill Belichick representing New England vs. T.J. Watt for Pittsburgh. /They could’ve gone with Zeke.
• Ian Logue’s Patriots Notebook: Mac Jones regression frustrating; Mac Cassel talks current USC prospect Caleb Williams; More.
• Chris Mason’s Patriots Mailbag: Jim Harbaugh, Bailey Zappe, offensive philosophy, resting players, and potential Santas at the Patriots holiday party.
• Zack Cox’ Patriots Mailbag: Why Malik Cunningham should have a role in new-look offense.
• Michael Hurley points out the NFL has an intentional grounding problem and makes his Week 13 picks.
• Michael Hurley rounds up the CBS Sports staff’s Patriots-Chargers Week 13 predictions.
• A Clare Perspective podcast: Clare welcomes CLNS Media’s Taylor Kyles to talk all things Patriots. (30 min.)

NATIONAL NEWS

• Josh Alper (ProFootballTalk) Bailey Zappe: Nothing set in stone, preparing like every other week.
• NFL Nation (ESPN) NFL Week 13 picks, schedule, odds, injuries.
• Nick Shook (NFL.com) NFL QB Index, Week 13. No. 32 Mac Jones.
• Around the NFL (NFL.com) Week 13 NFL picks. All five pick Chargers to win.
• Will Brinson (CBS Sports) NFL Week 13 odds, picks, best bets.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) NFL reveals Saturday Week 15 triple-header including Broncos-Lions in prime time.
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Jordan Phillips’ hit on Cam Jurgens could prompt more defenses to aggressively attack QB push play. /Interesting.
• Michael David Smith (ProFootballTalk) Cowboys and Seahawks never punted, sixth game in NFL history without a punt. /Would have been a better game without all the flags.
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Pete Carroll on NFL season-high 257 yards in penalties: We’ve got to get that out of football.
• Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) Jim Harbaugh rumors: Panthers and Bears are two NFL teams are already discussing Michigan coach as potential hire, per report
• Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Tyreek Hill will cover pay for photographer suspended by NFL.
• Bryan DeArdo (CBS Sports) Von Miller turns himself in on assault charge, released on bond after incident in Dallas.

VIEW FROM LOS ANGELES

• Valentina Martinez (ChargersWire) Chargers QB Justin Herbert has historically struggled vs. Patriots.
• Gavino Borquez (ChargersWire) 4 Patriots players to watch vs. Chargers.
• Valentina Martinez (ChargersWire) Chargers EDGE Khalil Mack named AFC Defensive Player of the Month.
• Gavino Borquez (ChargersWire) Chargers Week 13 injury report: Keenan Allen not practicing for 2nd straight day.
• Eric Smith (Chargers.com) Chargers Mailbag: Looking ahead to Week 13 vs. New England.
• Omar Navarro (Chargers.com) Week 13 game picks: Chargers or Patriots?