>YAWN!That seems to be the reaction from everywhere except New England when Pro Picks has asked folks about the prospect of the Patriots being in yet another Super Bowl.Apparently Mitchell Trubisky Bears Jersey , they have become the team people love to hate: America¡¯s Team they ain¡¯t.And they care not a bit about their popularity, or about what they¡¯ve already achieved.¡°I think it¡¯s a mistake if you take anything we¡¯ve ever done in the past and translate it to what we¡¯re doing now,¡± left tackle Nate Solder says.¡°I think it¡¯s a different story. We¡¯re writing our own story this year, so what we¡¯re doing is preparing to see the Jacksonville team of this year and how we¡¯re going to beat them and be as ready as we can go to play our best football.¡±That might elicit more yawns, but it¡¯s indicative of how things work in Foxborough.But there¡¯s a sneaking suspicion that the Patriots (14-3) are well aware of what All-Pro safety Jalen Ramsey of the Jaguars (12-6) has been saying about Sunday¡¯s AFC championship game, in which host New England is a 9-point choice. Ramsey guaranteed a Jacksonville victory.¡°I think what I have learned for a long time is it¡¯s how you play, it¡¯s not what you say,¡± Tom Brady said during his weekly radio appearance on WEEI in Boston.¡°Everyone has different ways of handling things. Players do, coaches do. We do what works for us, other players do what works for them. The game is going to be decided by who plays the best, not who hypes the best or speaks the best.¡±This is a meeting of the No. 2 (Jags) and No. 5 (Pats) scoring defenses in the league. It¡¯s also a meeting of Brady against Blake Bortles.Enough said.YAWN!PATRIOTS, 31-16Minnesota (minus 3) at PhiladelphiaNo shortage of attention here after both of these teams went down to the wire to advance.This one figures to come down to defense: Minnesota allowed the fewest points in the NFL, 252, while Philadelphia was fourth stingiest.That could mean it will be decided by the pass rush, and each team has some dynamic sack threats. The Eagles¡¯ Fletcher Cox was sensational against Atlanta last weekend, and is complemented by Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett and Chris Long. For the Vikings, it¡¯s Everson Griffen and Danielle Hunter causing problems.¡°We don¡¯t want to steer away from nothing different than what we do Authentic Alex Cappa Jersey ,¡± Graham says, ¡°and we¡¯re going to go out there and we¡¯re going to wreak havoc. We¡¯re going to go out there and give it everything because it¡¯s the championship, baby.¡±Philadelphia last made the Super Bowl for the 2004 season, losing to New England. The Vikings haven¡¯t been in the big game since â€?get this â€?1977, their fourth loss in as many tries.That¡¯s ancient history, of course. After what¡¯s been dubbed the ¡°Minneapolis Miracle¡± that lifted them past New Orleans last Sunday, they believe anything is possible.If they do things right.¡°What matters is how we play on Sunday, how we execute today in practice, how we do those things,¡± coach Mike Zimmer says. ¡°I feel like I have a pretty smart, level-headed football team. They understand the magnitude of things and they know what¡¯s at stake, so let¡¯s just go out, let¡¯s continue to do what we¡¯ve been doing all year long, let¡¯s play good, let¡¯s play together as a team, take care of the football. All of the things you talk about all year long, really.¡±As they say in politics, this one is too close to call. So going with the hosts.EAGLES  http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ed-dickson- jersey , 21-20_2017 RECORD:Last week: Against spread (3-1). Straight up (2-2)Season Totals: Against spread (122-124-10). Straight up: (165-97)Best Bet: 10-9 against spread, 11-8 straight up.Upset special: 10-8 against spread, 9-9 straight up â€?Anyone can see just how much the Dallas Cowboys desperately miss Ezekiel Elliott.Now the New England Patriots will get a reminder of life without Tom Brady¡¯s favorite target when Rob Gronkowski sits out his own suspension Monday night in Miami.¡°He¡¯s a big focal point in our offense,¡± Brady said of Gronk. ¡°I mean, I think when he gets going, it¡¯s great for everybody, so it¡¯s been great having him in there this year. He¡¯s worked really hard and he¡¯s a great player. I love playing with him. We¡¯ve got a great rapport.¡±Yes, even Brady has a teammate who makes him better.And every NFL team has that one player that makes everything click, someone with so much ability and leadership who makes everyone else better, too. Or, in the case of tail-ending teams, a player who stands above the mess.Sure, the quarterback is the most important, touching the ball every snap on offense. But take Mr. Indispensable off the field, and nothing works quite the same.Nobody knows that better than Dallas, 1-3 since Elliott started serving his suspension and putting a serious crimp in the Cowboys¡¯ postseason plans. Dallas finally ended the skid last week, beating Washington. Surviving and staying in the playoff hunt until Dec. 24 when Elliott returns against Seattle may not be possible without what he brings to the field.Washington linebacker Zach Brown says it¡¯s easy to see on film just how different the Cowboys are without Elliott¡¯s speed and ability to score on any carry.¡°Now everybody¡¯s forcing them to pass the ball,¡± Brown said.Gronkowski leads the Patriots with 55 catches and seven touchdowns  Connor Williams Jersey Cowboys , and he just turned in his best game this season with nine catches for 147 yards. But his late hit on Bills cornerback Tre¡¯Davious White means Gronk will miss his first game this season with the Pats chasing the AFC¡¯s No. 1 seed.¡°He¡¯s obviously a guy that¡¯s super consistent when he¡¯s been out there for us, and he¡¯s really playing that same role this year,¡± Brady said.A quarterback¡¯s best friend can be a left tackle like Joe Thomas in Cleveland or David Bakhtiari in Green Bay. The Falcons didn¡¯t click on the offensive line until signing center Alex Mack last year, and then they went straight to the Super Bowl.A talented wide receiver also can carry an entire team. Just look at Pittsburgh¡¯s Antonio Brown , or conversely what it¡¯s been like for the Giants without Odell Beckham Jr.Defenders can be indispensable, too.In Carolina, Cam Newton may do the Superman poses, but the Panthers¡¯ real MVP is middle linebacker Luke Kuechly. The Panthers aren¡¯t the same without the 2013 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and he¡¯s missed time with three concussions over the past three seasons. When healthy, Kuechly rarely misses a tackle. He also usually knows what play is being called .¡°When you watch his film against other teams, he¡¯s pointing where the run is going,¡± Miami coach Adam Gase said. ¡°It¡¯s really amazing to watch him play, because he¡¯s a tough guy to play chess with. For me, I¡¯m on the sideline and he¡¯s on the field, so it makes it really tough.¡±Jacksonville had been spending millions on its defense that seemed wasted until end Calais Campbell arrived as easily the league¡¯s best free-agent acquisition of 2017. He¡¯s helped put the Jaguars (8-4) in the mix for their first playoff berth since 2007. Campbell leads the AFC in sacks and is a calming influence in the locker room.¡°He¡¯s everything that¡¯s been advertised,¡± Jaguars coach Doug Marrone said. ¡°Just from the way to prepare, the leadership in the locker room, on the field Authentic Travis Wood Jersey , leads by example and, obviously, has been playing extremely well for us. A lot of times in free agency, maybe you don¡¯t get, sometimes, the value of what you would like, but that¡¯s not the case with Calais. We¡¯ve gotten that, and I believe more, out of him.¡±Oakland may have one of the worst defenses in the NFL, but defensive end Khalil Mack â€?last year¡¯s Defensive Player of the Year â€?helped the Raiders contend again in the struggling AFC West despite being the defender each opposing offense focuses on most.¡°Some of the stuff he was doing just can¡¯t be done,¡± Denver linebacker Von Miller said earlier this season. ¡°Just pick up offensive linemen and run straight through them â€?that stuff, it can be done, but not the way Khalil does it.¡±Then there are players that teammates know mean everything to a franchise such as two-time Pro Bowl tight end Delanie Walker in Tennessee . Such players may not get the attention from fans their play deserves, but opposing teams build their game plans around them.¡°I know that the teams we¡¯re playing are trying to stop him,¡± Titans coach Mike Mularkey said.That¡¯s the ultimate sign of how indispensable a player really is.AP Pro Football Writers Josh Dubow and Schuyler Dixon and AP Sports Writers Mark Long, Kyle Hightower and Steve Reed contributed to this report..