Corner is back in his spot

FOXBOROUGH - Asante Samuel is right back where he started and that's a good thing.

For the first time this season, Samuel got the starting nod at left cornerback and he responded by coming up with his first interception of the season. Samuel picked off Bills backup quarterback Trent Edwards in the fourth quarter of the Patriots' 38-7 victory yesterday at Gillette Stadium.

"Well, it was a skinny post and I read it pretty good and the quarterback kind of overthrew it and I just saw the ball and I jumped up and I grabbed it," said Samuel, who tied for the league lead in interceptions last season with 10.

The pick had no bearing on the game, but it served as yet another sign that Samuel is back in form after missing a month of training camp because of a contract dispute.

"Yeah, it kind of felt good to get one and catch one," he said. "Last week I kind of dropped one a little bit, so it felt good to finally get on the board and catch one."

Samuel, who signed an amended $7.79 million franchise tender Aug. 28, began the first two games on the bench in favor of Randall Gay, although each time he entered after four plays and played extensively.

"I guess it was time. It was time for coach to say, 'He's in shape. He's ready,' " Samuel said. "I've been playing a lot. [Yesterday] was my first start. Coach finally put me in there and started me and I felt good and I made a play or two."

Samuel looked like he was in line for his sixth career interception return for a touchdown - including the playoffs - as he intercepted the ball at the Patriots' 46 and returned it 42 yards to the Buffalo 12.

"I thought I was too," he said. "I wish I could have taken it all the way."

Upon further review . . .

Wes Welker got away with one. The Patriots wide receiver tossed an impromptu lateral to Randy Moss in the third quarter after a 26-yard catch and run.

Welker was at the Buffalo 15 when he flipped the ball to Moss, who took it 11 additional yards. Moss was not credited with a catch on the play, but he did earn 11 receiving yards. Welker said he expected to receive a good-natured lecture about the lateral.

"That is something I'm probably going to get yelled at [for today]," said Welker. "I don't know. It just kind of happened. It's one of those plays where he was there, I felt like it was safe, a possibility to score. Unfortunately, Randy wasn't able to finish for me."

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said the play worked out, but he wasn't pleased.

"I don't think that was the best play that I've ever seen, let's put it that way," Belichick said. "I'll talk to Wes about it and see exactly what he saw. I don't think we want to make a habit of that. In that case, it worked out for a few extra yards. It's hard to get on him, but we'll try. We'll get on him anyway."

Maroney on mark

Running back Laurence Maroney registered the second 100-yard rushing game of his career. The second-year rusher had 103 yards on 19 carries, a 5.4-yard average. The only other time he eclipsed the century mark was against the Patriots' next opponent, the Cincinnati Bengals, who will host New England a week from today. Maroney had 15 carries for 125 yards and two touchdowns in a 38-13 win at Cincinnati last Oct. 1 . . . Patriots tight end David Thomas was active for the first time this season. Thomas, who suffered a broken foot during the team's offseason conditioning program, missed the entire preseason as he was on the active/physically unable to perform list until Sept. 1. Thomas finished with one catch for 9 yards on New England's first drive. . . . Safety Rashad Baker, who had three tackles, was also making his 2007 debut, as he returned from a broken right hand.

Not much legwork

Chris Hanson has done little to solidify his hold on the punting job. In fairness, he has had little practice, punting only four times in three games, but yesterday Hanson punted twice and finished with a 29.5-yard average. His first punt, which came in the third quarter, was a 29-yard shank that went out of bounds, and in the fourth quarter he had a 30-yarder that went out of bounds. For the season, he is averaging 36.5 yards per punt . . . Right guard Stephen Neal missed his second straight game with a shoulder injury. Russ Hochstein got the start in his place. Wide receiver Kelley Washington was out with a hamstring injury and defensive lineman Mike Wright sat out his third straight game with a knee injury. The other New England inactives were offensive tackle Wesley Britt, defensive end Kareem Brown, and linebackers Corey Mays and Chad Brown. Matt Gutierrez was the third quarterback.

McGee sidelined

Buffalo was without starting cornerback and Pro Bowl kickoff return man Terrence McGee (ribs), who had been listed as questionable Friday. The other Bills inactives were wide receiver Sam Aiken (groin), defensive ends Ryan Denney (foot) and Copeland Bryan, linebackers Coy Wire (knee) and Keith Ellison (ankle), and offensive lineman Duke Preston. Running back Fred Jackson was designated as the third QB . . . Junior Seau, who had five tackles and played three snaps as a goal line fullback, played in his 244th game at linebacker, passing Bill Romanowski for second on the all-time list of most NFL games played by a linebacker. Clay Matthews holds the record with 278 from 1978-1996 . . . Tight end Kyle Brady collected his first catch as a Patriot, hauling in a 20-yard reception in the second quarter . . . Moss's 100-yard receiving effort was the 49th of his career . . . Celtics stars Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce were on the field prior to the game . . . The Patriots improved to 5-1 in their silver alternate jerseys.

Christopher L. Gasper can be reached at cgasper@globe.com.