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’ offense couldn’t get it done in Super Bowl XLVI.
• Lots of blame is getting tossed around New England, but I feel that it is misguided.
• Jackie MacMullan from ESPN Boston provides a similar take on the blame game.
• Speaking of blaming people, Tom Brady’s wife, Gisele Bundchen, was caught on camera tossing some blame at the Patriots’ receivers.
• James Ihedigbo doesn’t feel that any one player is to blame for the Patriots’ loss.
• Check out the Hub on the main page here at Musket Fire  in Links section for video of Monday’s Robert Kraft and Bill Belichick press conferences.
• NFL.com’s Pat Kirwan provides 6 storylines from Super Bowl XLVI, including the puzzling story of the Patriots abandoning their potent no-huddle offense.
• The Giants themselves were surprised the Pats didn’t use as much no-huddle as well.
• Eric Mangini feels that Rob Gronkowski not being at 100% played a significant role in how Super Bowl XLVI unfolded.
• ESPN Boston provides a good breakdown of contract lengths of the Pats’ players.