Lots of links for this morning, and here's a rundown of the top stories:
PATSFANS.COM
Patriots Wilfork All Smiles and Among the League Leaders in Interceptions - Ian Logue
It's not every day you see a 300+ pound defensive lineman among the league leaders in interceptions.
Welker: 'You don't put Regular Unleaded in a Jet Engine' - Ian Logue
Welker said that he's feeling the best he's ever felt, and that his speed has improved because he's taking care of his body than he's done in previous years.
Patriots Win With Discipline, Not Defense - Bob George
George writes that the reason New England won Sunday is because they didn't kill themselves with mistakes.
Wes Welker Press Conference Transcript - Ian Logue
Tom Brady's Press Conference Transcript - Ian Logue
Vince Wilfork's Press Conference Transcript - Ian Logue
Bill Belichick Press Conference Transcript - Ian Logue
BOSTON HERALD
Pats make resilient statement - Karen Guregian
Guregian writes that Sunday's performance taught us the most of the four games about Bill Belichick's team.
Jerod Mayo feels the sprain - Ian Rapoport
Rapoport writes that linebacker Jerod Mayo sprained his MCL and is expected to miss up to six weeks, which is better than being gone for the year - as many had feared.
Battered Patriots run to victory - Ian Rapoport
Rapoport writes that the team was anything other than a "finesse" team against Oakland on Sunday, and did a great job of pounding the ball on the ground against the Raiders.
Patriots vs. Raiders: The Best and The Worst - Ron Borges
Borges has the best and worst from yesterday's game, which includes a variety of interesting scenarios.
Tom Brady's brilliance flusters foes again - Ron Borges
Borges has a good article on Sunday's game, and writes that, "Even on a day in which the Patriots quarterback was less than perfect, the Oakland Raiders felt the pressure of 'The Brady Effect'.
Richard Seymour commits costly early mistakes - Richard J. Marcus
Marcus has an article on some costly early penalties by Richard Seymour that helped New England to get off to a great start on the road yesterday.
Throwing it all away - Karen Guregian
Guregian takes a closer look at the costly interception that Oakland threw down on the goal line to Patrick Chung, which killed a scoring opportunity for the Raiders yesterday.
''He threw it (right to me). You still have to catch it, man. That's why you're out there. When the opportunities come, you have to be prepared.''
BOSTON GLOBE:
Pats successfully contain McFadden - Shalise Manza Young
Young writes that the Patriots defense did a great job in handling runningback Darren McFadden during yestrday's win.
Win not pretty, even gift wrapped - Christopher Gasper
Gasper writes that the bad news about yesterday's win "is that there is no reasonable or discernable evidence that they are a better team than last year or have fixed any of the fatal flaws that led to their playoff ouster by a certain vociferous coach and his cocksure team."
Brady, Welker pack punch -Zuri Berry
Berry has an article on the fact that the Bay area was treated to another performance by Tom Brady and Wes Welker that rivaled those seen by guys like Joe Montana and Jerry Rice.
Carrying the day - Shalise Manza Young
Young looks back at yesterday's game and writes that the Patriots still can bounce back from a loss and the Raiders still aren't quite able to get out of their own way.
He left Montana behind - Shalise Manza Young/Monique Walker
Young & Walker file their "notebook" this morning, which leads off with the fact Tom Brady surpassed childhood idol Joe Montana's touchdown mark on Sunday.
Offense finds its balance - Monique Walker
Walker has a look at yesterday's offensive performance, which included a solid afternoon for Stevan Ridley and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.
"It's always fun [to get carries], but at the same time you have to realize we're an offensive team with a lot of weapons and everyone is going to have to be involved for us to be successful,'' Green-Ellis said.
Defense now must hold it together - Greg Bedard
Bedard has a good article on the defense in this morning's "On Football" column, and writes that it's time all of us adjust our expectations for the Patriots defense, and that what you saw yesterday in New England's 31-19 victory over the Raiders is about as good as it's going to get.
Brady: Welker is the 'heart and soul' of the team - Zuri Berry
Tom Brady pointed out after yesterday's game that Welker is the "heart and soul" of this football team, and a great example for everyone who's part of it.
WEEI.COM
Ten Things We Learned Sunday: Wes Welker, MVP - Christopher Price
As usual Price has another "must read" Monday column, recapping yesterday's game.
CSNNE.COM
On winning ugly - Rich Levine
Levine writes that while New England didn't make any grand statements or drastically change our expectations, they got the job done.
Curran: Patriots defense takes baby steps - Tom Curran
Curran writes that the defense is better, but still not good after yesterday's win.
Wilfork: Stopping the run a start for Patriots - Mary Paoletti
Paoletti has more from Vince Wilfork, who was pleased with how they stopped the run yesterday.
NESN.COM
Wes Welker Made a Deal With the Devil and Other Leftover Patriots Thoughts - Michael Hurley
Hurley has a great look back at yesterday's game, including his thoughts on Wes Welker's performance, along with a host of others.
YAHOO.COM
Second homecoming more than Brady ever imagined - Michael Silver
Silver writes that Brady's dream was to some day play in one of the stadiums near his home town, although back then he thought he'd be playing baseball.
"I thought I was going to play baseball," Brady said. "I'd be a catcher - maybe catch a no-hitter against the A's. That was my dream."
ESPNBOSTON.COM:
Patriots keep Seymour quiet - Chris Forsberg
Forsberg writes that despite a noisy start, New England did a good job of keeping Richard Seymour relatively quiet yesterday.
Ridley's role increases in Oakland - Mike Reiss
Reiss has an article on runningback Stevan Ridley, who had a big afternoon on Sunday out in Oakland.
Wilfork's 'vacuum cleaner' hands - Chris Forsberg
Bill Belichick credited Vince Wilfork's second interception of the season yesterday to his "vacuum cleaner hands."
Welker leads Patriots past Raiders - Mike Reiss
Reiss has more on Wes Welker's 9 catch, 158 yard performance during New England's win over Oakland.
Ridley finds green in sea of silver and black - Chris Forsberg
Forsberg writes that Stevan Ridley saw plenty of green during his touchdown run in the third quarter on Sunday.
"[The holes were] huge, man," said Ridley. "The offensive line did an awesome job. Like I said, those were the biggest holes I've ever seen in my life. So I just had to keep running and hit them at full speed."
Defense gets the job done - Chris Forsberg
Forsberg writes that the Patriots defense did what they needed to during yesterday's win over in Oakland.
ESPN.COM
No mistake: Raiders can't hang with Pats - Bill Williamson
Williamson writes that the 31-19 loss to the Patriots showed the Raiders is they are not yet ready to be considered a top AFC team.
PATRIOTS.COM
Analysis/reaction: Patriots-Raiders - Erik Scalavino
Scalavino has his thoughts after yesterday's win by New England.
ATTLEBORO SUN CHRONICLE:
KIRBY: Play with the celebs at TPC
The Chronicle has an article this morning with more information on the second annual Legends Golf Classic, which will include former Patriots Joe Andruzzi, and Pete Brock.
LAWRENCE EAGLE TRIBUNE:
Back on Track: Patriots adds physicality to balance offense in Oakland - Bill Burt
Burt writes that the Patriots went back to their winning days on Sunday — bend and don't break on defense and tough, opportune football on offense.
PROVIDENCE JOURNAL:
Banged up defense bent, but it didn't break - Paul Kenyon
Kenyon writes that while the yards may have piled up yesterday on the Patriots defense, the points didn't.
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That's it for this morning. We'll have more in a bit.
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Vrabel’s Goal For Christian Barmore in 2026: “Being able to finish”
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