Roster of inactives includes one surprise

Johnson was among the Patriots' eight inactives for yesterday's 27-13 win over the Jaguars at Gillette Stadium. According to a team source, Johnson was deactivated for disciplinary reasons. Johnson, the team's second second-round pick last spring, was not seen on the sideline during the game or in the locker room afterward.

According to the source, Belichick grew tired of the unprofessional attitude and lack of a work ethic Johnson has displayed. Johnson practiced every day last week and was told on Saturday, according to the source, he would not play yesterday. The source said that Johnson's performance in practice was less than satisfactory. It is unclear whether Johnson received a fine from the team.

Asked why Johnson was inactive, Belichick, who did not start defensive end Richard Seymour for disciplinary reasons, portrayed the move as strategic, saying, "Coaching decision. That's what I'm getting paid to do as coach of a team. All of those guys on the inactive list, I would like to have all of them. You can't have all of them. I can only activate 45 players."

Sparked by Troy Brown's return, the Patriots' passing game fared fine without its fastest receiver. Tom Brady completed 22 of 34 attempts for 228 yards and 2 touchdowns, with no interceptions, for a rating of 103.6. Brady completed passes to eight receivers, including five each to tight end Daniel Graham and receiver David Givens, both of whom had receptions of 30 or more yards.

Leading receiver Deion Branch missed most of the game with an injured finger on his right hand. He had the finger wrapped in a splint after the game.

Givens, who battled what he believes was a virus all week, required attention for his right leg in the second half but returned.

Green at position

Jarvis Green started in place of Seymour at right end. Seymour knew Friday when he returned from his grandfather's funeral that he would not start. Green learned that he would replace Seymour when Belichick said to him "Get ready" during warmups. Green made one tackle and deflected a pass before giving way to Seymour in the second quarter. "I was just surprised," Green said. "I played pretty good. I read a screen, deflected a pass, made a tackle. We were playing a 3-4, and they were trying to chip us. But we worked on that all week. Everybody they've played, they chip them, and they chip them hard. I'm making progress. You always wish you could do better." . . . Prodigal punter Ken Walter averaged 40.3 yards on four punts, with a long of 51, in his return from a one-game absence. The Patriots' punt coverage was something for them to be proud of, as Jacksonville's David Allen returned two punts for a total of minus-1 yard, giving Walter a net-punting average of 40.5. Walter placed three of his four punts inside the 20, including a 33-yarder in the third quarter that Je'Rod Cherry downed at the 4. As he did in the weeks leading up to his Dec. 2 release, Walter did not make himself available to the media after the game. "I thought [Walter's performance] was OK," Belichick said. "Certainly better than a couple of the other games recently." Said kicker and Walter supporter Adam Vinatieri, "He got his head back in it and did well." . . . New long snapper Sean McDermott appeared to get off clean snaps on six of his seven opportunities. Walter had to reach to his left on his 51-yard punt for McDermott's off-target snap. "I worked with all the guys, so I felt real comfortable with everything," McDermott said. "I've done it since I was a kid, and I've been pretty successful. So I have a lot of confidence in what I'm doing."

Unlikely drops

Fullback Larry Centers did not make the most triumphant of returns. The league's all-time leading receiver among running backs, re-signed last Tuesday after spending the previous eight weeks rehabilitating a torn medial collateral ligament, dropped two passes, including a sure touchdown in the second quarter. "Larry has caught about 8,000 balls," Brady said. "[A drop] doesn't happen often." . . . Center Dan Koppen had his left elbow wrapped in ice after the game . . . Three of the Patriots' four penalties were personal fouls. Seymour and Matt Light each were flagged for unnecessary roughness, and Tyrone Poole drew a roughing-the-passer call . . . Chris Akins was inactive for the third consecutive game with a calf injury . . . Even with Damon Huard no longer holding on field goal attempts, Rohan Davey was inactive as the third quarterback for the second week in a row. He was the backup QB the previous two games . . . According to CBS's research, Antowain Smith's third-quarter fumble was his first lost fumble in 418 touches . . . Seymour was the lead blocker on Smith's 1-yard touchdown run with 4 minutes 18 seconds remaining . . . Poole's two interceptions gave him a team-leading and career-high six for the season. Poole was the third Patriot this season to intercept two passes in a game, joining Rodney Harrison (Oct. 12) and Ty Law (Nov. 16) . . . Vinatieri's first field goal gave him 902 career points and made him the second Patriot to score at least 900 points in his career. Gino Cappelletti is the team's career scoring leader with 1,130 points . . . Brady's two touchdown passes moved him past Jim Plunkett for fourth on the team's all-time list with 63.