Don Shula, coach of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only team in NFL history to go undefeated in a season, softened his comments about the Patriots' pursuit of perfection yesterday.
During a radio appearance on ESPN's "Mike & Mike in the Morning" show, Shula, who had been quoted in a New York Daily News piece Tuesday saying Spygate had "diminished what they've accomplished" and mentioned an asterisk being attached to a Patriots undefeated season, evoking Barry Bonds's name, backed away from the asterisk claim.
Shula said any disclaimer should be up to commissioner Roger Goodell.
"[Spygate] came after the first game of the season. If they run the table and they win all the games, then they are doing it within the rules of the National Football League, and there shouldn't be any attachment to it," Shula said. "That would be the accomplishment that they made. It would be the best in all of sports."
Shula also equivocated when asked if he thought there should be an asterisk.
"That's not for me to say, whether or not that's done," said Shula. "What they're doing this year, you just have to stand back and applaud because they are a great football team. What's happened in the past, that's not for me to judge. They were fined and a first-round draft choice was taken away from them."
One at a time
If the Patriots (9-0) finish 16-0, they will break their NFL record for consecutive regular-season victories of 18 straight, which was set Oct. 5, 2003, through Oct. 24, 2004. The Patriots have won 12 straight regular-season contests, dating to a 40-7 victory over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium last Dec. 17."I think Tedy Bruschi said it best when we had our 21-game winning streak [including the 2003 playoffs]," said Richard Seymour. "We won 21 games in a row, but we did it one at a time. We won one game 21 times in a row. That's how we look at it."
Gobbling them up
Scary thought for the rest of the NFL: Traditionally, the Patriots have played their best after Thanksgiving.Since 2001, New England is 40-8 after Thanksgiving, the best mark in the NFL. The next best record belongs to the Pittsburgh Steelers, who are 33-12. The Patriots have one game remaining before Thanksgiving (Nov. 22), playing at Buffalo a week from Sunday.
Saints' Young out
New Orleans Saints sacks leader Brian Young had arthroscopic surgery for left knee swelling and will miss Sunday's home game against the St. Louis Rams. The news was better regarding running back Reggie Bush, who returned to action after not practicing a day earlier because of a sore left knee . . . Running back Larry Johnson's injured right foot "has made significant improvement," the Kansas City Chiefs said, but he is expected to miss Sunday's game against Denver . . . Vinny Testaverde is the leading candidate to start at quarterback when the Carolina Panthers take on Atlanta Sunday after he practiced for a second straight day. Testaverde, who turns 44 next week, and undrafted rookie Matt Moore took all the snaps as David Carr missed his second straight practice with a concussion . . . Miami Dolphins linebacker Zach Thomas returned to full contact at practice and hopes to play Sunday against Buffalo. Thomas missed two games in September with a concussion and he suffered a neck injury in a car accident following the Dolphins' 49-28 loss to the Patriots Oct. 21 in Miami . . . Browns starting guards Eric Steinbach and Seth McKinney missed practice and their status is uncertain for Sunday's game against Pittsburgh . . . Tennessee defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth sat out a second straight practice because of a hamstring injury and will be a game-time decision for Sunday's game against Jacksonville.Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.
