Edwards's call: Jaguars are close

"I think we've got something going here," Edwards, a Patriots fullback in 2001 and '02, said last night from his home in Jacksonville, Fla. "We're similar to the [Patriots'] 2000 team that lost a lot of close games. We just need a couple more pieces to the puzzle. We've lost nine games, and [five] have been by a touchdown or less. Everybody's playing better. The defense is becoming suffocating, the offense is moving the ball well, we've corrected our problems on special teams. It's very encouraging."

Edwards left New England in the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. The Patriots' and Jaguars' contract offers were similar, and for three years, but Jacksonville's was a little better. "I would like to have been [with the Patriots]," he said. "They made a run at me before I signed here. But it was a better overall situation for my family and me. Unfortunately, that's part of this business. I've got nothing but a great deal of respect for what Bill [Belichick] and Charlie [Weis] did when I was there and what they're still doing. I'm not surprised at what they're doing this year, even with all the injuries."

Edwards's role in the Jaguars' offense is almost identical to the part he played in the Patriots'. Jacksonville often runs out of a two-back set, with Edwards opening holes for tailback Fred Taylor. "Freddy is so big and strong and lightning fast. I've never seen anybody that size be able to accelerate as quickly as he does," said Edwards, who has only carried seven times but has 24 catches. "It makes it easy to block for him. You put a hat on a hat and he can make something happen."

Patriots inside linebacker Tedy Bruschi expects his former teammate will want to plant his helmet in anyone not wearing black and teal come Sunday. "He was here, and he's going to want to prove something," Bruschi said. "When a player has an attitude like that, you have to keep your eye on him."

The Jaguars have their collective eye on the Patriots. "They're where we want to be," Edwards said. "This is a test to see where this young team is at."

Step forward

The Patriots' monthlong "Brownout" could end Sunday. The team reported that Troy Brown, listed on this week's injury report as questionable with a hamstring injury, practiced yesterday -- the first time he's practiced since a walkthrough Nov. 15. Brown has been inactive the past four games . . . Rookie Dan Klecko, inactive for last Sunday's game with a hand injury, practiced and is probable. Safety Chris Akins, questionable with a calf injury, did not practice . . . New England officially placed long snapper Lonie Paxton on injured reserve and announced the signing of Sean McDermott. If it were the exhibition season, working with a new long snapper and new holder (Damon Huard) wouldn't be as much of a problem. But it's Week 15. "We definitely have put in some extra time in those areas with the specialists, both themselves and also allocating more practice time to those field goals and the punting situations to try to do the best we can to create game-type conditions for the timing and all of that for the whole unit, not just the specialist," Belichick said. "It's going to take more work and we're going to have to put in some extra time on it, there's no question. It's not the type of thing you want to go through in December. But we don't really have any choice." . . . The choice to release J.J. Stokes for Larry Centers was not the easiest one, Belichick said. "It was tough to release him," the coach said. "He did a good job for us. I'm sure if we get into another bind, he's somebody, if he's available, we would certainly be interested in him down the road." . . . The Patriots also made official the signing of punter Travis Dorsch to the practice squad. They released offensive lineman Jamil Soriano from the practice squad.