NFL reviewing Light fight

Suspension would hurt vs. Steelers

FOXBOROUGH - The Patriots could find out as early as today whether left tackle Matt Light will be suspended for fighting with Miami Dolphins linebacker Channing Crowder during the fourth quarter of New England's 48-28 victory Sunday.

The NFL confirmed yesterday that director of football operations Gene Washington was going to review the incident, which resulted in the ejection of both players.

Light and Crowder became locked up on Stephen Gostkowski's 30-yard field goal with 7:08 left in the game, and they hit each other in the face with punches. Light landed a few to the face of a helmetless Crowder.

Typically, if the NFL suspends a player, the notification is on Monday or Tuesday. Fines usually are handed out later in the week and announced Friday.

A suspension of Light for Sunday's game against the Steelers could be devastating for the Patriots because Pittsburgh is second in the NFL in sacks with 37 and has a pair of dangerous outside linebackers in LaMarr Woodley (10 1/2 sacks) and James Harrison (12 sacks).

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said in an e-mail that all on-field fights are reviewed for potential discipline.

Light almost certainly will be fined.

The league's player policy manual has a chart of fines, including one for fighting (minimum $10,000 for first offense; minimum $25,000 for second offense). Higher fines or suspensions may be imposed, based on the circumstances of the particular violation.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick was asked about the altercation yesterday and refused comment, referring back to his statement following the game.

"We hate to see that. That's not anything we want to be a part of," Belichick said Sunday. "We want to make a statement on the field with the way we're playing. We don't need to get any fouls or penalties or get into a verbal battle back and forth after the game. We'll say what we have to say on the field."

Presence is felt

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is among those happy to have injured quarterback Tom Brady working out at Gillette Stadium.

Speaking at the Patriots-Morgan Memorial Goodwill Industries "Thanksgiving in a Basket" charity event last night in Roxbury, Kraft said Brady has "an infectious way of impacting people, so we're happy that he's back and getting himself into good shape."

Kraft said he was confident that Brady, whose rehabilitation from surgery to repair tears in the anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligaments in his left knee has been set back by a staph infection, would be back next year.

"I'm not a doctor, but we have no reason to believe that he won't be," said Kraft. "He looks fine to me."

But Kraft could not say whether Brady's infection had been eradicated.

"I'm not going to talk on medical issues," said Kraft, "because I'd be talking about something that I really don't know about. But I've seen him. He looks great."

Let's get physical

One thing the Patriots' defensive backs will have to be wary of against the Steelers is the blocking ability of Pittsburgh wide receiver Hines Ward, who broke the jaw of Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers this season.

Cornerback Lewis Sanders said Ward has a reputation for being a physical receiver in the blocking game and that defensive players have to keep their head on a swivel.

"Oh, definitely, you don't want to be on ESPN," said Sanders.

Against a physical team like Pittsburgh, the 6-foot-1-inch, 210-pound Sanders, who had missed four games with a hamstring injury before returning against Miami, would seem like a good player to have healthy, especially since he showed against the Dolphins that he also can play safety, subbing in for James Sanders at times.

Sanders said playing safety wasn't a big deal: "Well, throughout the year they've been throwing me out there in practice, so it wasn't new for me."

A nice touch

Gostkowski has set a career high this season with 16 touchbacks on kickoffs. He said part of the credit goes to the coverage, which has made returners think twice about bringing the ball out of the end zone. "I know there were a lot of kicks last year that could have been touchbacks, but they brought them out," said Gostkowski. "It all depends. There have been a couple where I've given them no choice but to be a touchback. But that's 16 free plays that we got not to have a chance for a big play. Any time you get to do that, I know my [special teams] coach [Brad Seely] and coach Belichick and the guys appreciate it."

Collateral damage

Gostkowski had a front-row seat for the Light-Crowder fight, a tussle that nearly injured the kicker. "Light landed on my leg," said Gostkowski. "I had no idea what was going on. I was just worried about them falling on my leg. I didn't want to get hurt from something like that. I'm not out there enough to get mad or upset at anybody. That's their fight. Let them do what they want to do. Those guys are twice my size. I only pick fights that I can win, to tell you the truth." . . . Along with Kraft, Patriots players Kevin Faulk, Sammy Morris, Ray Ventrone, Larry Izzo, Matthew Slater, and Kevin O'Connell put the giving into Thanksgiving by handing out food baskets to 200 families at the Goodwill in Roxbury yesterday. Kraft puts it in every player's contract that they have to make 10 charitable appearances a year. "It's a big way we're able to give back to our communities," said Morris. "The way things are, there are more people we can help due to economic times."