The Patriots are used to seeing assistant coaches and coordinators leave for promotions elsewhere. Yet, it seems Bill Belichick will be able to retain the heart of his coaching staff in 2016.

The New England Patriots are headed back to familiar territory. The Patriots outlasted the Chiefs at Foxborough, 27-20, on Saturday and advanced to their fifth straight AFC Championship Game.

Dez Bryant's confrontation with a reporter went from the locker room to the masses in minutes. Nothing new in 2015. Albert Breer studies the crunch of constant scrutiny -- and much more -- in his notebook.

A year younger than Miami Dolphins interim head coach Dan Campbell, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady proved once again Thursday night age is just a number for the prohibitive MVP.

Adrian Peterson will present an interesting debate for Comeback Player of the Year honors this season. Find out which other stars are preseason candidates for the award in 2015.

Put a best-of-his-generation quarterback in Tom Brady together with a monstrous defensive line led by Ndamukong Suh, and what do you get? Dave Dameshek's All-AFC East Team.

Dane Fletcher is back where he started with the Patriots. The team signed the veteran linebacker to a one-year deal on Tuesday.

Brandon Spikes is headed back to New England. The veteran linebacker agreed to a deal with the Patriots on Monday after spending one season with the Bills.

NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that free-agent linebacker Brandon Spikes is in New England for a visit with the Patriots.

Linebacker Jerod Mayo and the Patriots will continue working together. Mayo has agreed to a one-year deal worth $4.5 million fully guaranteed, Ian Rapoport reports.

A fresh set of games are upon us and Kevin Patra has got you covered with all the Week 7 action, including the 49ers-Broncos showdown. Sit back and enjoy the latest edition of the viewer's guide.

Kelvin Benjamin missed his second day of practice after suffering a concussion and could be in jeopardy of missing this week's game against the Packers. What other injuries are we monitoring?

After posting 19 sacks in 2013, Robert Quinn is looking for his first quarterback takedown of 2014. Marcas Grant tries to diagnose what's wrong in this week's Reading the Defense.

How high do the Dallas Cowboys fly in the latest edition of the Power Rankings? How low do the Pittsburgh Steelers go? Elliot Harrison reassesses the NFL pecking order heading into Week 7.

Ian Rapoport reports Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo is out for the season after injuring his knee Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. Who in New England will replace the Pats' defensive linchpin?

An MRI confirmed ACL and MCL tears for running back Stevan Ridley. Now, the New England Patriots are faced with having to replace their leading rusher. Has Ridley carried his last ball for Belichick?

Philadelphia Eagles running back Darren Sproles will likely miss at least one week of action after suffering a sprained MCL in Sunday's win over the Giants. What other injuries are we tracking?

Bill Belichick said losing Jerod Mayo will be a big hit to his defense. It's one the New England Patriots' coach knows won't easily be filled, but he's keeping his "fingers crossed" for his linebacker.

Tony Romo and Tom Brady put on emphatic performances on Sunday, leaving little doubt what their teams are capable of at their best. Find out what else you need to know from Week 6.

New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley suffered a knee injury in Sunday's win over Buffalo. He will undergo an MRI on Monday, but the team already is bracing for the worst: a torn ACL.

With a 37-22 win over the Bills, Tom Brady and the Patriots are back in first place in the AFC East. The victory didn't come without sacrifice, though, as Jerod Mayo and Stevan Ridley both left with injuries.

Ian Rapoport reports that the New York Jets believe cornerback Dee Milliner tore his Achilles. What other injuries are we following from Sunday's slate of games?

Yes, it's still extremely early in the 2014 NFL season -- and Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo is already on the hot seat. Adam Schein eyes players and teams who must perform this week.

J.J. Watt was fantastic in Week 1, but it was Cameron Wake who stole the show in plenty of IDP leagues. Marcas Grant has that and more in this week's Reading the Defense.