Bills a special challenge

Belichick believes they are among NFL's best

Patriots wide receiver Sam Aiken attributes the Bills' special teams success to coach Bobby April. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

FOXBOROUGH - When Patriots coach Bill Belichick addressed the media earlier this week, he opened his remarks by noting that any preparation for the Buffalo Bills starts on special teams. He said that year in and year out the Bills have one of the best special teams units in the NFL and this season is no exception.

"They are very sound and also explosive," he said. "They ran a fake punt last week against the Jets, had a big day returning punts against Seattle, and we've seen - whether it was [Terrence] McGee or [Leodis] McKelvin or whoever - [they've] had plenty of success returning kicks, too.

"So that is a big point of emphasis for us this week, as it always is, but I think this is truly a team that can win a game on special teams, and I don't know if we face that every week."

Patriots wide receiver Sam Aiken, who was a core member of the Bills' special teams units from 2003-07, believes Buffalo's excellence in that area starts with special teams coach Bobby April.

Aiken detailed how April helped create an atmosphere in which "everyone takes pride in special teams," noting that April has created his own scoring system to rate players.

The scoring system is kept on a large board that is updated each Monday and includes categories such as tackles, knockdowns, tackles inside the 20-yard line, successful blocks, and shedding blocks. Photographs of excellent plays are included on the board.

Aiken felt the scoring system created an internal competition, and a fun challenge, among players.

"On Saturday, we'd have sort of a ceremony in front of the entire team that would honor the special teams player who stood out from that week," he said. "I think that motivated guys."

Aiken said he's seen some of the same attention to detail from Patriots special teams coach Brad Seely.

While Buffalo, behind punt returner Roscoe Parrish, is second in the league in punt return average (14.2 yards), the Patriots lead the NFL in kickoff return average at 26.8 and have the league's leading kickoff return man in Ellis Hobbs (29.3 yards).

Hall a target?
According to multiple media reports, the Patriots are considering making a play for cornerback DeAngelo Hall, who was released Wednesday by the Oakland Raiders. New England, of course, has mounting injury issues at the position.

Hall cleared waivers yesterday and is a free agent.

Hall, who turns 25 Nov. 19, played eight games for Oakland and had three interceptions, 13 passes defended, and 48 tackles, but was also victimized for some big plays in man-to-man coverage. That would not be as much of a problem with the Patriots, who don't tend to play a lot of man-to-man with their corners.

Other teams expected to be interested in signing Hall, according to ESPN and NFL.com reports, are the Giants, Redskins, Saints, and Steelers.

The Raiders traded second- and fifth-round picks to the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason to acquire Hall, a two-time Pro Bowler, but waived him in a cost-cutting measure. Hall had signed a seven-year, $70 million deal with Oakland after the trade and would have been due $16 million in payments next season that would become guaranteed if he was injured before then.

Medicine men
LaMont Jordan's right calf injury isn't cooperating with his desire to return to the field. Jordan, who has missed the last four games because of the injury, which he suffered against the San Francisco 49ers Oct. 5, did not practice yesterday after having limited participation Wednesday.

Jordan was one of four Patriots who did not practice. He was joined by cornerbacks Terrence Wheatley (left wrist) and Lewis Sanders (hamstring) and running back Sammy Morris (knee), all three of whom missed practice for the second straight day.

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork (toe) once again had limited participation in practice, but wide receiver Randy Moss, who is listed on the participation report as having a foot injury, had full participation after being limited Wednesday.

For the Bills, safety Donte Whitner (separated right shoulder) sat out practice for the second straight day, but linebacker Kawika Mitchell (ankle) had limited participation after not practicing Wednesday.

Wilfork pleads innocence
Wilfork continues to try to clear his name after meeting with commissioner Roger Goodell last week about his style of play and avoiding a suspension but being fined $35,000 for an elbow to the head of Denver Broncos quarterback Jay Cutler.

Wilfork said last Friday that a big part of his meeting, which addressed the nose tackle's penchant for perceived dirty play, focused on his elbow to the left knee of J.P. Losman last season, a borderline low blow after Losman released the ball that knocked the Bills quarterback out for three games and resulted in Wilfork being fined $12,500 (reduced upon appeal to $10,000).

ESPN initially reported that during the meeting and after reviewing that play with the commissioner, Wilfork admitted to Goodell his hit on Losman was a cheap shot. Yesterday he issued a statement through his agent repudiating that report.

"After a very productive and fulfilling meeting with the NFL commissioner, it was inaccurately reported by ESPN that I stated that the hit on Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman last season was a cheap shot," said the statement. "I did not say that. I am not that type of player and would never intentionally try [to injure] a fellow NFL colleague."