Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Friday. Grab your coffee and let’s get to it.
It was a relatively quiet Thursday in Foxborough, but things should pick back up a bit on Friday, as we expect to hear from Tom Brady, Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon. We could also get some more clarity around the health of Rob Gronkowski, who did not practice on Thursday because of ankle and back issues.
--It doesn't look like the betting line has moved a whole lot over the course of the week -- right now, the Patriots remain six-point favorites in most locations.
--According to weather.com, it looks like Sunday is going to be a really nice night for football.
--Greg has a 4 p.m. Q&A you're going to want to be a part of. It'll be epic.
--If you own a business and would like to become a presenting sponsor for "First and 10," let me know -- drop me a line at price@bostonsportsjournal.com.
Friday Schedule
10 a.m.: Bill Belichick media availability (media workroom)
11:40 a.m.: Media availability at practice
1:15 p.m.: Approximate time for player availability (locker room) and Brady (media workroom)
Now, on with the links...
1. I talked with Dante Scarnecchia and a few of the Patriots' starting offensive linemen about why sacks of Brady are down over the first eight games of the year when compared to previous seasons. You'd think they'd spend the time talking about how awesome they have done in pass protection. Not the case.
2. Defensive play-caller Brian Flores weighed in on a number of topics, including the play of a handful of guys on the defensive side of the ball to this point in the season. Some interesting insights here from Flores on Kyle Van Noy and others. "He obviously works hard — studies a lot of film," Flores said of Van Noy. "He has a pretty good idea of what’s coming, and he has good anticipation. Because of that, he’s made a few plays."
3. The notebook has a handful of things, including the Thursday injury report and analysis, the news Stephen Gostkowski came in for a special teams honor, and some quotes from Devin McCourty about where the team stands at the midpoint of the regular season, and the challenge of facing the Packers.
4. I was feeling chatty on Thursday, so I spent some quality radio time with Bill Michaels in Wisconsin and Downtown Rich Kimball in Maine.
5. Greg and I dropped our picks for the week. Highlights? I like the Patriots to win and (just barely) cover, while Greg is going with the Saints to beat the Rams.
6. Phil Perry says Brady and Aaron Rodgers have studied each other for years.
7. Could rookie cornerback Duke Dawson be able to play Sunday?
8. Andy Benoit says Sunday's showdown between Brady and Rodgers should provide a master class in great quarterbacking. "The choice between Brady and Rodgers comes down to one’s preference for quarterbacking style," writes Benoit. "Rodgers is certainly more enthralling, but, in the big picture, less effective."
9. Rob Demovsky, who covers Green Bay for ESPN, says Rodgers and Brady are contemporaries, but not rivals. "Through no fault of his own, Rodgers has never found the kind of regular quarterback rivalry that can endure throughout a career like Brady has," writes Demovsky. "That's just another reason there's so much intrigue about Sunday's showdown in New England -- (it's) only the second time that Rodgers and Brady have started against each other."
10. Sean Payton said he borrowed a play in New Orleans' recent win over the Vikings from New England, a play that went for a three-yard touchdown for the Saints. He saw the Patriots run the same thing against the Bears a couple of weeks ago. “That was a play seen the week before, Patriots vs. Bears,” Payton said of the play, which resulted in a touchdown for New England. “Great idea. It fit with what we were doing and had nothing to do with the Vikings. And yet, it applied to their defensive structure. And so, certainly, most of the week is spent watching your opponent’s tape, and yet there’s still going to be a part of the week devoted to the league.”
Extra Point:
Aaron Rodgers & Tom Brady’s Teammates:
Skill Players
• Rodgers: 7 Pro Bowlers
• Brady: 5 Pro Bowlers
Offensive Lineman
• Rodgers: 6 Pro Bowlers
• Brady: 6 Pro Bowlers
Defenses
• Rodgers: 2 Top 10 scoring defenses
• Brady: 14 Top 10 scoring defenses#RodgersVsBradyII
— NFL Research (@NFLResearch) November 1, 2018