Faulk: Back steps forth again

FOXBOROUGH - Dust off the old script and read it once again: When the Patriots are facing a shorthanded situation, or are in need of a big play, Kevin Faulk rises up and delivers.

Down to three healthy running backs yesterday, the Patriots kept Faulk - not one normally associated with workhorse status - on the field for 44 of 62 plays (not including game-ending kneel-downs).

And in need of a clutch play to unknot a 16-16 game late in the fourth quarter, the indispensable Faulk came up with a gem, hauling in a 15-yard pass from Matt Cassel in the lefthand corner of the end zone with linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa draped all over him.

Put those elements together and it's understandable why coach Bill Belichick offered Faulk the loftiest of praise in the aftermath of the win, comparing him to Mr. Patriot, Troy Brown. The words clutch, consistent, and dependable also were part of the discussion.

"It seems like you can always count on Kevin, no matter what phase of the game it is in," Belichick said.

On his touchdown catch, Faulk explained that the Patriots added the play more than a week ago, but there wasn't an opportunity to run it last Monday night against the Broncos. Facing first and 10 from the Rams' 15, with just more than three minutes remaining, they seized the opportunity to try it.

From the initial design of the play, to the on-field execution, it was a thing of Xs and Os beauty.

Faulk was split out wide to the offensive left. The Patriots had receivers Randy Moss, Jabar Gaffney, and Wes Welker and tight end Benjamin Watson as their other skill-position players on the field - a personnel package they used on 42 of their 62 snaps.

The Rams countered with a nickel defense (five defensive backs), which meant a linebacker - in this case the speedy Tinoisamoa - was assigned to cover Faulk.

Faulk started his route toward the middle of the field before breaking it back to the outside. With a longer developing double-move pattern, it was imperative for the protection to hold up at the line of scrimmage (which it did), and then rising-to-the-challenge quarterback Matt Cassel delivered what Faulk described as the "perfect throw."

Tinoisamoa was right there, but Faulk still made the catch along the side of the end zone, proving that size is hardly all that matters in a game in which bigger is often believed to be better. Tinoisamoa is 6 feet 1 inch, 240 pounds; Faulk 5-8, 202 pounds.

"That was a great, great play by Kevin," said Tinoisamoa, now in his sixth NFL season. "He faked like he was going in, and then he peeled back out. I felt like I was in pretty good position, but it was a great catch and throw."

From the Patriots' perspective, having Faulk matched up one-on-one on a linebacker is advantageous because he has receiver-like skills, with smooth route-running and Stickum hands. It's not uncommon for Faulk to be split out wide, and in fact, the Patriots had him there in the first half as well, with a few different plays for him - a screen pass and a hitch-and-go route.

"He's got that shake and bake in him," Rams interim coach Jim Haslett said.

On a day that normally sure-handed Moss and Welker dropped passes, Faulk was the sure thing, finishing with four catches for 47 yards, and adding 60 rushing yards on 13 carries, pounding the ball up the middle in the slightest of creases when often it looked like nothing was there.

The 42 snaps were easily a season high for Faulk, who entered the game having played 28 percent of the team's offensive plays (he missed the season opener because of an NFL suspension). His previous high for snaps was 28 against the 49ers, but he knew he'd have to do more yesterday with Sammy Morris (knee) and LaMont Jordan (calf) sidelined.

In one stretch, Faulk was on the field for 20 straight offensive plays. In another, he stayed on for 14 consecutive plays.

"I think that's what you come in for; you don't have a lot of opportunities sometimes, but you always have to be ready because you don't know when the situation is going to come up," he said. "We were down to three running backs and we had to carry the load."

Shorthanded situation? Big play needed?

No surprise, that's Kevin Faulk time.

"He is one of the best team players we have," Belichick said. "Whatever he can do to help us win, he'd do. Mop the floors, he'd mop the floors. Like Troy Brown, you just can't say enough about a guy like Kevin Faulk."

Mike Reiss can be reached at mreiss@globe.com.