Flag football was no fun

Players frustrated by calls (and non-calls)

Several Patriots players, including wide receiver Randy Moss (who referenced "iffy calls"), struggled to hold their tongues, for fear of being fined, as they were frustrated by the officiating in Sunday night's 18-15 loss to the Colts.

No call was more frustrating than the unnecessary roughness penalty on tight end David Thomas in the fourth quarter for blocking Indianapolis defensive end Robert Mathis after the whistle. Instead of having third and 1 at the Colts' 31, the Patriots were pushed back to the 46 and had third and 16, setting up Matt Cassel's interception on fourth and 15 that all but sealed the game.

"I don't want to get fined or anything. It's tough, man," said Ellis Hobbs. "Even on that last interception they're mauling Ben [Watson] down the seam. It works for you sometimes and sometimes it doesn't."

The Colts were called for just one penalty in the game - a false start on the final play of the first half while they tried to spike the ball to set up a field goal - while the Patriots had two penalties for 20 yards.

One player who tried to bite back his feelings but couldn't was Matt Light. Asked about Thomas's penalty, he said, "There is not a whole lot to talk about with it. It was called. One of these days we'll get back to playing football."

After a follow-up question about how frustrating such calls are, Light launched into a diatribe about how the league deals with penalties and players.

"Look, it's part of the game," said Light. "There are going to be calls that you agree with and some you don't. Unfortunately, I've had to waste a lot of my time dealing with having some type of fine that I have to have and then you have to go back and appeal and then have the appeals process. Then you end up winning those or you lose them.

"So, as a player, you get tired of dealing with the excessive amount of calls that go out there, whether it's on you or not. But when it does happen to you, then you've got to waste your day, file an appeal, then go on a conference call, then waste another hour and a half out of your day. The money is already taken out of your check; it's a done deal. You're tried and found guilty before it's all said and done.

"So, I think those type of things get frustrating. But like I said it's all part of the game. We had a lot of calls that have gone our way and will continue to go our way, and we'll be happy about it. That's the game. I think if we would have made a few more plays and executed a little bit better and finished some of those drives in the red area, we wouldn't be talking about this."

Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about the penalty on Thomas, who said he didn't hear the whistle. After reviewing the film, he seemed to stand by the call.

"Well, I could see why they called it," said Belichick.

Escape artist

For the first time all season, Cassel was not sacked.

While Cassel, who was 25 of 34 for 204 yards and rushed five times for 20 yards, has taken a lot of the blame for the Patriots' mounting sack totals this season, he avoided a few against the Colts with scrambles and picked up a first down on the Patriots' lone touchdown drive with a 7-yard scamper on third and 7.

"I like what I see. I don't think I'm the only one that's liking what I see," said Moss, when asked about Cassel. "I think that Matt is really carrying this team and running the offense really well.

"I think we're still really getting accustomed to him being out there, but at the same time we don't really have that time to be waiting. He's doing a heck of a job. I think he's distributing the ball. We're moving the ball well on offense, and he's done everything expected of him.

"We knew what Matt Cassel could do. The main thing is just really to go out there and prove it. He's got 10 other guys on his side, so anything is possible in this offense.

"The sky's the limit still for this offense."

Red alert

After reviewing the tape of the Colts game, Belichick said one area the Patriots are going to have to improve on is red zone efficiency - on both sides of the ball. The Patriots came away with just one touchdown - a 6-yard run by rookie BenJarvus Green-Ellis in the third quarter - in four trips to the red zone, while the Colts converted both of their red zone opportunities into touchdowns. "We just have to do a better job of getting it in, and we have to do a better job of keeping them out," said Belichick. "That is execution all the way across the board with whatever plays we are calling - runs and passes; defensively - blitzes, zones, mans. I am confident in Matt throwing the ball. I am confident in us running it. I am confident in us stopping them, but we just have to do a better job of it, that's all." . . . The Patriots missed safety Rodney Harrison, who is out for the season with a torn right quadriceps, when it came to defending Colts tight end Dallas Clark. Clark, who was held to just two catches for 15 yards last season against the Patriots, had four catches for 63 yards Sunday night . . . The Patriots ran 67 plays to the Colts' 50. "They did a great job at holding the ball and controlling the field and keeping us on the field," said Colts safety Bob Sanders . . . Patriots players are off today and return to work tomorrow.