Welcome to first and 10, a roundup of all the (mostly) Patriots-related news you need to start your Wednesday. Grab your coffee and let's get to it.
--It'll be back to work for the Patriots on Wednesday, as prep begins for Sunday's regular-season finale against the Jets. We'll get a chance to see who's at practice -- Cordarrelle Patterson was dinged up at the end of last Sunday's win over the Bills. Given his recent importance, it's going to be interesting to see how New England will handle his reps come Sunday. Same for Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski. The feeling here? They get the start, but if the Pats are able to put it away early, those guys should get a relatively quick hook.
--Sony Michel is 119 rushing yards shy of 1,000 with one game left in the regular season. Bill Belichick has always been mindful of guys hitting milestones like that one -- in 2010, I remember BenJarvus Green-Ellis getting 184 yards in his last two games to go over the 1,000-yard mark, and when he broke through, he was immediately yanked. Given the fact Michel has topped 100 yards four times this year (including once already against New York last month), and the Jets are 26th in the league against the run, having allowed an average of 126 rushing yards per game, it's a realistic possibility. (What would make it all the more impressive? He'd turn the trick despite playing in just 13 regular-season games. He could become just the second running back in franchise history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in 13 games in a single season -- Curtis Martin had 1,160 yards in 13 games in 1997.)
--One more statistical note: Joe Thuney is the only guy on either side of the ball to go wire-to-wire in the first 15 games of the season. We have no problem admitting that we're pulling for him to become the resident ironman this weekend. If he can pull it off, he'd be the first guy to play every possible snap on his side of the ball since Brady and Ryan Wendell were in on offensive snap during the 2013 regular season.
Wednesday’s Schedule
11:45 a.m.: Bill Belichick press availability
12:30 p.m.: Media availability at practice
3:15-4 p.m.: Approximate time for player availability (locker room) and James White (media workroom)
3:45 p.m.: Todd Bowles conference call (media workroom)
Now, on with the links...
1. With a week to go in the regular season, here's a snapshot of the AFC playoff picture.
2. Mike Reiss wonders if ground-and-pound is the blueprint the rest of the way for these Patriots.
3. Pro Football Focus takes a last look back at Patriots-Bills, singling out Trey Flowers for his work against Buffalo. "Flowers was all over the field, as he successfully set the edge against the run and got into the backfield on multiple pass plays and also drew a holding penalty," notes PFF. "The Patriots edge defender certainly played a big part in Josh Allen having a rough day."
4. After they mixed it up last month, wonder if we're going to see Patterson-Anderson II this weekend. If it goes down, it's sure to be a real grabber.
5. Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report says the Patriots are headed back to the Super Bowl. Reasons Gagnon: "This is the perfect year to be less than perfect, and the Patriots still have just enough experience, talent and smarts to take advantage of the fact that the rest of the AFC is composed of sick kittens that are destined to lose control of their bladders the moment they step foot on the FieldTurf at Gillette Stadium."
6. Walt "Tuck Rule" Coleman will work as the referee for Sunday's regular-season finale.
7. Our buddy Manish Mehta says Sam Darnold isn't the only future star on the Jets' roster -- there's also tight end Chris Herndon. That, and four other takeaways from New York's most recent defeat.
8. Todd Bowles could be out, but he's not addressing the rumors that he'll be fired sooner rather than later.
9. New York still has a chance to land the No. 1 pick in next year's draft.
10. The Patriots have opened as a 13.5-point favorite over the Jets.
Extra Point:
How do we feel about being AFC East Champions?
Awww yeah. pic.twitter.com/w5IiP7LAIK
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) December 25, 2018