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 weekend started. Enjoy your breakfast, your coffee, kick your feet up, and get ready for some Sunday NFL action. The links begin after the jump…

• Check out the Musket Fire staff’s picks for today’s games.
• The Patriots signed LB Jerod Mayo to a 5-year contract extension yesterday.
• Patrick Chung and Deion Branch are among 5 players that have been downgraded to out for today’s game.
• NFL.com Bucky Brooks feels that Rob Gronkowski is in the running for NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
• ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss offers 8 non-Tebow storylines for today’s Patriots-Broncos game.
• The NFL Countdown crew debate whether the Broncos should air it out against the Patriots’ secondary.
• WEEI’s Christopher Price provides 10 matchups to watch in today’s Patriots-Broncos game.