The Patriots’ First Shot

Good morning! The First Shot provides you with a healthy helping of links to the top Patriots-related stories around the internet to get your day started. Enjoy your breakfast, your coffee, and kick off the weekend right with an early morning football fix. The links begin after the jump…

• Samer Kalaf from theGoodPoint.com takes a closer look at the Chad Ochocinco/Alber Haynesworth trades, with a little help from yours truly.
• Here’s a look at the Patriots-Jaguars game by the numbers.
• Bill Belichick had a conference call yesterday where he addressed several aspects of the team’s first preseason game. You can read the transcript HERE.
• After just his first preseason performance, NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks is calling rookie QB Ryan Mallett the “steal of the draft.”
• ESPN Boston reviews the first quarter, second quarter, and second half of the Patriots’ preseason game, and also takes a look at some overlooked aspects of the game.
• Jeff Howe of NESN.com makes a 53-man roster prediction based on Thursday’s preseason game.
• Tom Curran of Comcast Sports Net looks at players that are up and down after Thursday’s preseason game.