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 defeated the Ravens to earn a Super Bowl berth.
• Later on in the night yesterday, the Giants defeated the 49ers, setting up a rematch of Super Bowl XLII.
• Robert Kraft said after the game yesterday that there are “forces at work” with this Patriots team.
• Check out a collection of Ravens postgame quotes HERE and Patriots postgame quotes HERE.
• You can read the transcripts of the postgame press conferences of Tom Brady, Wes Welker, Vince Wilfork, and Bill Belichick.
• Rob Gronkowski was spotted after the game in a walking boot to protect his injured ankle.
• The Patriots’ win yesterday defied statistical odds.