Daily news and links for Thursday
TEAM TALK
- Patriots-Cardinals initial Injury Report.
- Evan Lazar’s Patriots Gameplan: Previewing Drake Maye vs. Kyler Murray in a Week 15 matchup in Arizona.
- Mike Dussault’s Patriots Notebook: Locking in on the Final Four.
- Press Conferences: Jerod Mayo and Drake Maye, Deatrich Wise Jr. and Hunter Henry.
- Game Preview: Key matchups and players to watch against the Cardinals. (4.45 min. video)
- Film Review: RB coach Taylor Embree breaks down Antonio Gibson’s touchdown against the Colts. (1 min. video)
- Patriots Playbook with John Rooke: Cardinals preview, Hot topics. (2 hours)
LOCAL LINKS
- Doug Kyed writes Drake Maye has been a Patriot for less than eight months, and he’s already sick of losing. “So I think there’s some urgency. You see it in those guys, and you see the veterans, and just seeing me as a quarterback, there’s some urgency to get to that point, to fix these things or work on them and get better, and use these last four games as a kind of a stepping stool.”
- Andrew Callahan explains how more is at stake over the Patriots’ final four games than meets the eye. And they know it.
- Tom E. Curran explains why the Patriots should aspire to be like Panthers in their final games and be competitive.
- Mark Daniels suggests it’s time to unleash the rookie receivers.
- Alex Barth reports the Pats had two players miss practice and 10 others listed as limited in first post-bye practice.
- Doug Kyed reports WR Javon Baker is in concussion protocol coming out of the bye week.
- Karen Guregian makes the case Jerod Mayo needs to take honest look at his coaching staff.
- Chris Mason’s Patriots Mailbag: Will Bill Belichick be a success at North Carolina? Do Patriots fans not realize we have the worst OL in the league? Both run and pass? More.
- Chris Mason notes WR Kendrick Bourne offers sage Bill Belichick advice to North Carolina players.
- Locked On Patriots podcast: Mike D’Abate is joined by Alex Clancy (Locked On Cardinals) to break down the biggest stories and keys to victory on this “Crossover” episode. (29 min.)
NATIONAL NEWS
- Contributors (ESPN) Best 2024 rookies: Ranking top 10 players through Week 14. Drake Maye received some votes.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Commanders claim WR K.J. Osborn on waivers.
- Cody Benjamin (CBS Sports) 2024 NFL owners meetings takeaways: Berlin game, new Nike deal, Dolphins among teams with new minority owners.
- Report (NFL.com) Facemask penalties could be subject to replay assistance in 2025 NFL season.
- Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) NFL wants elimination of all low blocks.
- Mike McDaniel (SI) Patrick Mahomes has valid criticism about closing stretch of regular season. Chiefs play three times in 11 days. /Oh! The humanity!
- Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Week 15 NFL picks. Cardinals win 28-20. ‘The Patriots are off a bye to play a team that has lost three straight. Kyler Murray hasn’t played well the past three weeks, but that will change here. The Arizona offense will get back on track as it gets a victory that will keep it in the playoff chase.’
- John Breech (CBS Sports) NFL Week 15 picks and score predictions. Cardinals win 30-23.
- Anthony Dabbundo (The Ringer) Best NFL bets for Week 15: Goodbye, bye weeks. Patriots at Cardinals included.
- Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) NFL confident Netflix can stream Christmas Day games without technical difficulties.
BELICHICK
- Charean Williams (ProFootballTalk) Bill Belichick will become eligible for Pro Football Hall of Fame in Class of 2026.
- Mike Florio (ProFootballTalk) Michael Lombardi will follow Bill Belichick to UNC, as G.M. of the program.
- Seth Wickersham (ESPN) In choosing UNC, Bill Belichick chose himself. “This is a big f— you to the NFL.”
- Jonathan Jones (CBS Sports) Inside Bill Belichick’s shocking career change.
- Conor Orr (SI) Bill Belichick and the NFL were no longer a fit for each other. Somewhere along the way, the league as an entity grew tired of its most legendary modern coach. The feeling must have been mutual.
- Jori Epstein (Yahoo! Sports) Belichick is officially breaking into college ranks. What does that say about the NFL?
- Staff (ESPN) Belichick to UNC – 5 biggest questions: What he’s up against and how it might work.
- Brigid Kennedy (SI) Bill Belichick confidant details why coach’s move to UNC is not so wild after all.
- Nate Davis (USA Today) Winners & losers of Bill Belichick becoming new North Carolina football coach.
- Dan Wolken (USA Today) Can Bill Belichick turn North Carolina into a winner? At 72, he’s chasing one last high.
- Jerry Thornton is still processing Bill Belichick officially accepting the UNC job.
- Liam McKeone (SI) Tom Brady had classy message for Bill Belichick after North Carolina hire.
- J.J. Post (ESPN) Bill Belichick joins other NFL head coaches who have taken college gigs.
- Ryan McGee (ESPN) Hiring Bill Belichick a Hail Mary for underachieving North Carolina football.