Daily news and links for Thursday.
TEAM TALK
- Patriots-Bills updated Injury Report.
- Evan Lazar’s Patriots Gameplan: Breaking down Drake Maye vs. Josh Allen in the rookie’s first trip to Buffalo.
- Mike Dussault’s 10 to Watch: Patriots face final road test vs. Bills.
- Transaction: Patriots sign WR Alex Erickson to the practice squad.
- Press Conferences: Jerod Mayo – Drake Maye – Hunter Henry – Deatrich Wise; Jonathan Jones receives Ron Hobson Good Guy Award.
- Mike Dussault & Evan Lazar discuss this week’s key matchups and players to watch against the Bills. (5 min. video)
- Patriots Playbook with John Rooke: Cardinals recap, Bills preview. (2 hours)
LOCAL LINKS
- Matt Vautour tells us who to root for in Week 16 to improve the Patriots’ draft position.
- Mark Daniels suggests the Patriots should follow the Bills’ Josh Allen plan with Drake Maye.
- Doug Kyed talks about the similarities between QBs Drake Maye and Josh Allen.
- Andrew Callahan considers whether Drake Maye can catch Josh Allen as one of the NFL’s best.
- Doug Kyed gives us a practice update: Defenders Kyle Dugger and Marcus Jones both missed practice yesterday.
- Matt Dolloff is shocked to hear wide receiver Kendrick Bourne take accountability for his own actions.
- Karen Guregian writes, ‘Jerod Mayo has fallen and can’t get up.’
- 98.5 Sports Hub guest Albert Breer talks about how we still don’t know the Patriots identity under Jerod Mayo.
- Brian Foisy wonders if the Patriots should try to replace Jerod Mayo with Mike Vrabel.
- Tom Carroll notes Jerod Mayo avoided questions about assurances of job security by the Krafts.
- Chris Mason hears from RB Antonio Gibson offering an honest look inside locker room.
- Chris Mason’s Patriots Mailbag: Should the Patriots fire Jerod Mayo?
- Alex Barth reports the Patriots added veteran wide receiver Alex Erickson to practice squad.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Vote (NFL.com) Week 15 Rookie of the Week. Drake Maye included.
- John Breech (CBS Sports) NFL makes big changes to Week 17 schedule: Three games moved to Saturday.
- Staff (SI) NFL Week 16: Best games, key matchups, best bets, predictions and more.
- John Breech (CBS Sports) 2024 NFL playoff picture: Projecting the 14-team bracket for AFC and NFC.
- Seth Walder (ESPN) Projecting 2024 NFL standings, playoff games, Super Bowl.
- Tom Pelissero (NFL.com) NFL GMs, other executives vote on 2024 season awards.
- Turron Davenport (ESPN) NFL MVP watch 2024: Ranking candidates with award odds, stats.
- Maurice Jones-Drew (NFL.com) RB Index, Week 16. No Pats.
- Joel Corry (CBS Sports) Agent’s Take: 2025 franchise tag projections, potential candidates to get designated.
- Kyle Koster (SI) Jets owner Woody Johnson’s teenage sons have growing influence on team’s decisions; New piece from The Athletic is quite a read.
- Tyler Sullivan (CBS Sports) NFL Week 16 odds, picks: Josh Allen, Bills clear massive spread vs. Patriots.
- Pete Prisco (CBS Sports) Week 16 NFL picks. Bills win 36-17.
- John Breech (CBS Sports) NFL Week 16 picks and score predictions. Bills win 31-17.
- MMQB Staff (SI) NFL Week 16 picks. Six of six pick Bills to win.