Welcome to first-and-10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your day.
1. Tennessee All-Pro safety Kevin Byard said Tom Brady was "great," but he wants to make him “look like Blake Bortles" this weekend.
2. Titans offensive lineman Taylor Lewan compares people who doubt the Titans to sandwich toppings — specifically, pickles.
3. Marcus Mariota: Brady has “been the best for quite some time.”
4. Mariota also had a lot of nice things to say about his protege, Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
5. If the Titans want to have a chance Saturday night, this writer believes they have to emulate the 2010 Jets.
6. Three quick hits from Tuesday’s Tennessee practice.
7. From Paul Kuharsky: How the quiet QB Marcus Mariota is prompting noise from the Titans (subscription required)
8. Rob Gronkowski talks about his return to playoff football and the intensity level around Gillette. (Stay tuned … I have a Gronkowski feature coming later this morning.)
9. Is this the end of the season for Malcolm Mitchell?
10. Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, Mike Mitchell sounds awfully confident the Steelers can beat the Patriots if the two get to the AFC title game. “We’re going to play [the Patriots] again,” Mitchell promises. “We can play them in hell, we can play them in Haiti, we can play them in New England. ... We’re gonna win.”
Extra Point: Jalen Ramsey is ready for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers.
Jalen on Big Ben comments: I would want to play us again too if I were him. We had five picks and after the game I think he was contemplating retirement. @1010XL @Jaguars #Jaguars
— Brent Martineau (@BrentASJax) January 8, 2018