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…

• Check out the Patriots’ odds in the playoffs and the Super Bowl HERE.
• A limited amount of playoff tickets for the Patriots will go on sale this Friday, January 6.
• Rookie DB Sterling Moore earned Pepsi NFL Rookie of the Week honors for his Week 17 performance. Moore is the first Patriots rookie to earn the honor this season.
• After being thought to be out of contention, Patriots OC Bill O’Brien is interviewing for the Penn State head coaching job, which could precipitate the return of Josh McDaniels as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator.
• Both Tom Brady and Wes Welker were absent from Wednesday’s bye week practice.
• Go HERE for a collection of links to some All-Pro teams being pieced together by various sports writers. The most consistent Patriot on the All-Pro teams is TE Rob Gronkowski.
• Both Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo like their chances this year in the playoffs, keying in on the team’s mental toughness, as opposed to previous years.