Maroney in zone of his own

CINCINNATI -- When Laurence Maroney took a handoff from Tom Brady in the third quarter, he was thinking end zone. It didn't matter that he was 25 yards away.

``I'm always thinking end zone every time I touch the ball," Maroney said after totaling 125 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns, including a 25-yard score in the third quarter. ``I always try to crack a joke and tell the offensive line `Let's go one and out, I'm tired of being in this huddle.' It just keeps it a little fun in the huddle."

Naturally, Maroney is making quick friends with the offensive linemen.

He became the first Patriots rookie to score multiple touchdowns in a game since Curtis Martin in 1995. His 25-yard run in the third quarter was the Patriots' longest touchdown run since Nov. 3, 2002, and was a reminder of the explosive dimension he brings to the team's offense.

Maroney added a 41-yard run in the third quarter, which was the Patriots' longest rush since Corey Dillon rambled 44 yards on Oct. 24, 2004. He also had one catch for 15 yards.

``He's a good back, he's a playmaker," said coach Bill Belichick. ``He obviously made some big plays for us running the ball and also caught a short pass and turned it into a nice gain when the coverage dropped back on the receivers, being an outlet for Tom. And his blitz pickup is getting better.

``He's becoming a complete player and there are still a lot of things he needs to work on. But he's certainly making some plays for us and did a nice job. He's done a nice job all year."

Maroney said he was motivated to run hard because he knew how much yesterday's game meant to Dillon, who spent the first seven years of his career with the Bengals.

Maroney was actually heading onto the field on a fourth-and-1 play in the fourth quarter, but was waved off by Dillon. He said he was glad to stay on the sideline.

``That was Corey, he really wanted to get in the [end zone]," Maroney said. ``So I said, `Stay in there.' I think that's why our rotation is so good.

``We knew that we had to come out here and work twice as hard. We knew that the run was going to have to play a big part and basically I just came out here to help Corey, because it meant a lot to the guy. It was a good feeling."

Receiver Doug Gabriel earned his first start with the Patriots and responded by catching four passes for 57 yards and one touchdown. Gabriel's second-quarter touchdown, in which he snared a pass in the left-hand side of the end zone, helped the Patriots open a 14-6 lead.

``He did a nice job," said Brady. ``There were a few others I would have liked to hit him on, but he caught a nice touchdown pass there, that was a big play in the game. There were a few big third-down receptions.

``He's a big, strong physical guy, so if you put the ball up there, he usually grabs it.

``He's going to be a great asset for this team, a big part of our passing game each week. We have to continue to find ways to get him the ball."

When receiver Reche Caldwell absorbed a big hit in the third quarter and stayed on the field, the officials flagged Bengals defensive back Kevin Kaesviharn with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. That was the correct call, according to Jim Daopoulos, the on-site supervisor of officials.

``You want to protect the defenseless receiver, especially when he's not making the catch," Daopoulos said. ``He's so vulnerable when he's open like that, and it's any type of hit like that up near the head. The rule says we don't want them launching, we don't want helmet-to-helmet contact on a defenseless receiver. We want to give him some protection at that point. I felt it was illegal, it was high, and the receiver was defenseless."

Linebacker Tedy Bruschi called out the Bengals' crowd after the game. ``I didn't like the way they reacted when Reche got hit. He got up and came off and they booed," Bruschi said. ``That's not classy. You don't boo."

Belichick said Caldwell should be OK, noting he returned to the game.

Receiver Troy Brown made his first appearance at defensive back, chipping in because of the Patriots' shorthanded situation with starters Ellis Hobbs and Eugene Wilson out. Belichick's thoughts on Brown's performance? ``A little rusty," he said, tongue in cheek. ``Troy has bailed us out so many times, it's just amazing. We had in a couple new coverages and tried to make some adjustments to deal with Cincinnati's passing game, which we know is outstanding. Troy had to pick up some things that were new to him and he did a great job." Belichick also cited the exemplary performance of cornerback Hank Poteat, who was re-signed earlier this week when Randall Gay went on injured reserve . . . Kevin Faulk's 43-yard punt return in the second quarter was the team's longest since Brown returned a punt 68 yards in the 2001 season finale. ``You have to credit the blocking," Faulk said. ``I made one guy miss. That's my job -- make one guy miss and hit it up the field. It was there, and it got the momentum for our team and we scored."

Rookie kicker Stephen Gostkowski missed a 48-yard field goal in the third quarter, marking the third straight game in which he's had an attempt either blocked or missed . . . The Patriots extended their streak without back-to-back losses to 53 games, the longest active streak in the NFL and nearing the league record of 60 . . . The Patriots promoted cornerback Antwain Spann from the practice squad to the active roster, and Spann suited up for yesterday's game, playing mostly on special teams (one penalty, 2 assisted tackles). The team released offensive lineman Gene Mruczkowski to make room for Spann . . . Cornerback Asante Samuel sent a playful message back to talkative Bengals receiver Chad Johnson, who called out the Patriots' secondary earlier in the week. ``Tell him he's slipping a little bit, to work a little harder," Samuel joked . . . Wilson, Hobbs, tight end Garrett Mills, outside linebacker Pierre Woods, offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan, and defensive linemen Le Kevin Smith, Marquise Hill, and Johnathan Sullivan were inactive for the Patriots . . . Defensive lineman Jarvis Green totaled a career-high three sacks . . . Brady's 22-yard run in the third quarter was the longest run of his seven-year career . . . First-year player Wesley Britt earned his first career start at right tackle.

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