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, put off your work (just keep an eye out for the boss), and get your early morning football fix. The links begin after the jump…

• The Patriots showed balance on offense Sunday in Oakland. Will this strategy continue?
• Tom Brady made his weekly appearance on the Dennis and Callahan Show on WEEI radio. You can listen to it HERE.
• The Patriots are ranked 5th in NFL.com’s Power Ranking. In the experts’ individual rankings, the Pats range from 5th to 2nd.
• For now, it appears that Gary Guyton will be the man stepping in for the injured Jerod Mayo.
• Patriots’ defensive line coach Pepper Johnson says that he is “more than satisfied” with the play of his defensive line. Really???
• Apparently, the Patriots were interested in signing Plaxico Burress when he became available in the summer.
• Check out WEEI’s Kirk Minihane’s report card of the Patriots’ performance against the Oakland Raiders. Comcast Sports’ Andy Gresh also hands out his grades, which you can read HERE.
• NESN’s Jeff Howe discusses the coddling of NFL quarterbacks and the questionable calls and non-calls when it comes to roughing-the-passer penalties.