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Page 8 of 18 -- Do you think the lack of a running game with hurt the Patriots in the playoffs when you should be running the ball in the cold weather since it's a lot harder to pass?
Scott Fleming, Natick

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A: This is the old conventional wisdom topic, Scott. Every ounce of logic says yes, they need to run in cold weather. The evidence suggests, that's not the case.

Hi, Nick. Great column, and thanks for accepting my first ever question to a sports e-mail forum (last week). This has encouraged me to ask this one: how good are our backup QBs? Is there a Bulger or at least a Rattay hidden in one (or both) of them? I ask this 'cause November is do-or-die for the Dolphins, Jets, and, of course, the playoffs. Defenses will be gunning for Brady, given our limited running game. I know the O-line will do all it can to protect Brady, but we all remember the effects of Mo Lewis' hit on Bledsoe. It changed the whole season, and eventually the organization itself (by good fortune, for the positive). So, back to my question: how do you rate Davey and Huard against their peers?
Ram Krishnan, Nashua, N.H.

A: Ram, I doubt anyone knows the answer to that. Huard is suited for Weis' offense. Davey has really come on as an exciting QB with a big arm in practice. But Huard hasn't played in a game for two years. Davey is very inexperienced. I would say with all the injuries this team has been able to overcome, Brady's loss would be the toughest to come back from.

Hey, Nick, I wanted to respond to the person who said that the Pats should just call the same side in the coin toss every week, they'd win 50 percent of the time. Setting aside the fact that they only get to choose when they're on the road anyway, this assessment is not true. Statistically speaking, there's just as much chance of tails coming up a thousand times in a row than there is of any other combination of a thousand results. It doesn't matter whether they pick heads or tails in any toss, or what they picked the previous week. No matter what and no matter when, they always have the same 50-50 shot. Thanks.
Ryan Meech, West Roxbury

A: Good point.

The talk in Pittsburgh is Bettis is done. I still think he could give the Pats a year or two, since they don't overwork the backs in this offense. If New England could get him at low cost, do you think he'd like to attend a Super Bowl in a Patriots uniform?
Paul Iannelli, Kennesaw, Ga.

A: Yeah, I'm sure he would. If Smith goes next season and the Patriots don't re-sign Faulk, Bettis could be your short-yard option provided you have a good young back ready to take the reigns.   Continued...