New England Patriots links 12/22/21 – B.A.H. Humbug! Bourne, Agholor, Harry in doubt for Sunday vs. Bills

TEAM TALK

• Game Preview: Bills at Patriots. Series history, scouting the matchups, tale of the tape.
• How to watch/listen: Bills at Patriots.
• Mike Dussault notes Josh McDaniels is putting together a new gameplan for the Bills from scratch.
• Mike Dussault takes a look at what the Patriots receiving corps will look like vs. Buffalo.
• Paul Perillo says that despite the loss in Indy, the Patriots still have plenty to play for down the stretch.
• Paul Perillo tackles this week’s Patriots Mailbag: Looking ahead to draft and playoffs.
• Paul Perillo’s NFL Notes: End of streak knocks Pats from top.
• Press Conferences: Josh McDaniels – Brian Belichick – Cameron Achord.
• Belestrator: Breaking down Buffalo’s defense and preparing for Josh Allen. (5.56 min. video)
• Coffee with the Coach: Thoughts on Belichick’s upcoming career milestone, his 800th game. (1 min. video)
• From NFL Network – Mike Giardi thinks Bills-Patriots is destined to be the game of the weekend. (3.22 min. video)
• Sights and Sounds: Week 15 vs Colts. (3.49 min. video)

LOCAL LINKS

• Mike Reiss notes New England is expecting a ‘different game’ than their Week 13 win at Buffalo.
• Kevin Stone (NEFootballJournal) Big week needed from Bill Belichick if Patriots are going to be true AFC contenders.
• Mike D’Abate (Patriot Maven) What now at wideout? Patriots could turn to pair on their practice squad for help against Bills.
• Henry McKenna (PatriotsWire) Patriots face uncertainty at WR position heading into Week 16 against the Bills.
• CBS Boston reports Kendrick Bourne says he has no symptoms after landing on COVID-19 list.
• Evan Lazar says Hunter Henry is exactly as advertised 14 games into his first season with the Patriots.
• Dakota Randall highlights safeties coach Brian Belichick with praise for rookie Joshua Bledsoe while also revealing previously unknown details about his injury recovery. “It’s been a long, long road since he got here. He had two wrist surgeries in 2021.”
• Mike D’Abate (Patriot Maven) Bills place WR Cole Beasley on COVID-19/Reserve: What it means for Patriots in Week 16. The 32-year-old slot receiver has 76 receptions for 640 yards and one touchdown for Buffalo in 2021.
• Mike D’Abate (PatriotMaven) Early lines favor Patriots over Bills in Week 16 as races for conference, division tighten.
• Andrew Callahan relays Cam Achord explaining his special teams unit’s league-worst three blocked punts.
• Jon Lyons (NEFootballJournal) Patriots special teams mistakes piling up.
• Andrew Callahan lays out how the Patriots can clinch a playoff berth, the AFC East and AFC’s No. 1 seed.
• Dakota Randall updates the Patriots playoff picture: Clinching scenarios, latest analytics.
• John Anderson says the Bills’ Super Bowl window is closed. The nature of rookie quarterback contracts in the NFL has arrived in Buffalo.
• Anthony Treash (PFF) 2022 Pro Bowl: PFF’s selections for the AFC and NFC Pro Bowl rosters. J.C. Jackson and Adrian Phillips included.
• Monte Perez (NutsAndBoltsSports) End of the season awards. No Pats.
• Michael Hurley relays Vince Wilfork on ‘Man in the Arena’ sharing one secret of Bill Belichick’s coaching methods.
• CBS Boston passes along a report from according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero that zero players opted out of the remainder of the season due to rising COVID cases. Monday at 2pm was the deadline.

NATIONAL NEWS

• Jeffri Chadiha (NFL.com) The first read, Week 16: Wish list for playoff teams; Cardinals scuffling.
• Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) Bills’ Cole Beasley tests positive for COVID-19, will miss Buffalo’s Week 15 matchup vs. Patriots. Beasley, who is unvaccinated, will now go into a mandatory 10-day quarantine
• Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Cole Beasley: The rules, not COVID, are keeping me out.
• Kyle Stackpole (CBS Sports) NFL COVID-19 tracker, Week 16: Tyreek Hill, Cole Beasley among more than 140 players on COVID list.
• Sam Monson (PFF) NFL Week 16 offense rankings. Patriots 13th.
• Sam Monson (PFF) Grading all 32 first-round picks after Week 15 of the 2021 NFL season. Overall Rookie Grade: 81.5 (Rank: 1/7); Week 15 Grade: 62.5 — Jones had a rough game against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday, throwing a pair of ugly interceptions. Still, he showed some impressive character and was able to keep the Patriots in a game that many believed was done and dusted after those early errors. Jones made two big-time throws and posted a hugely aggressive average depth of target of 11.2 yards against the Colts, showing some of the traits that have been questioned by detractors during his rookie season. He remains the best-performing rookie quarterback, even in a poor game by his standards.
• Mike Tannenbaum (ESPN) NFL quarterback rankings 2021: How all 32 teams’ QBs stack up and weekly big takeaways. Mac Jones 12th.
• Andrew Brandt (SI) The Top 10 ‘Business of Football’ stories of the year.
• John Breech (CBS Sports) NFL Week 16 picks: Bills shock Patriots 20-17.
• Vinnie Iyer (Sporting News) NFL picks, predictions against spread Week 16: Bills pay back Patriots 20-17.
• Bill Bender (Sporting News) NFL picks, predictions for Week 16. Patriots 23-21
• Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) NFL Week 16 early odds: Patriots slim favorites vs. Bills.
• Doug Farrar and Luke Easterling (TouchdownWire) 4-Down Territory: COVID protocols, Giants/Panthers reboots, best AFC team? (13.22 min. video)