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…

• Ed Reed provided us with some of the Ravens’ offensive weaknesses in his Joe Flacco criticism.
• A special AFC Championship edition of Patriots All Access will air live on Saturday, Jan. 21 from the home of Patriots owner Robert Kraft from 7-8 p.m.
• NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan provides a good breakdown of the upcoming Pats-Ravens game, including his prediction.
• Aaron Hernandez says he’s ready to play after suffering a head injury Saturday against the Broncos.
• For those that savor the flavor of nasty Jets news, LaDanian Tomlinson said that the environment in the locker room was, ”as bad as I’ve ever been around, honestly.”
• Terrell Suggs squashed any talk that he has beef with Tom Brady.
• Tom Brady did not participate in practice yesterday.
• Ty Law has joined Troy Brown as the second honorary captain for Sunday Pats-Ravens game from the 1996 AFC Championship team. Another will be announced later today and the final captain will be announced Friday.
• WEEI’s Jerry Thornton discusses the negativity among Boston sports fans.