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More on downgrades

Running backs Patrick Pass and Heath Evans are out for Sunday’s game against the Bills. So are offensive tackles Nick Kaczur and Matt Light. Tight end Daniel Graham has also been downgraded to out.

The Patriots will need to deactivate two more players, plus name a third quarterback, before kickoff.

Perhaps the biggest blow is the loss of Kaczur, who has filled in admirably at left tackle since starter Matt Light was injured in Week 3. The Patriots can go in several directions at the position. Here are a few of the choices:

1) Insert Tom Ashworth at left tackle and keep the rest of the line intact. Ashworth has never started a regular-season NFL game at left tackle.

2) Move Brandon Gorin to left tackle and insert Ashworth at right tackle. Gorin's only regular-season work at left tackle came last year, Oct. 31, against the Steelers. He filled in at the position in the fourth quarter.

3) Move rookie left guard Logan Mankins to left tackle and insert either Billy Yates or Gene Mruczkowski at left guard. Mankins, who has started all 12 games at left guard, played left tackle throughout his college career at Fresno State. He has yet to take a regular-season NFL snap at left tackle.

Our guess would be option No. 1.

This will certainly be an area to watch, as Buffalo has had success bringing pressure off the edge with Aaron Schobel (9 sacks; 2 vs. the Patriots on Oct. 30).

As for the other deactived players, here is a quick look at how this impacts others on the roster:

* With Pass and Evans out, the Patriots have Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk and Michael Cloud at running back. Faulk (questionable, foot) missed some practice time this week, so his status is in question. If he can’t go, the Patriots will be especially thin at the position. Faulk is also excellent in blitz pickup, which could be a key in the game.

* With Graham out, the Patriots will line up with Benjamin Watson and Christian Fauria at tight end. This will be the third game missed by Graham (shoulder), whose contributions are valuable as both a blocker and pass catcher.

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting our next update Sunday before kickoff.

--Mike

Five downgraded

Five Patriots players have been downgraded to 'out' for Sunday's game against the Bills:

RB/FB Patrick Pass
FB Heath Evans
OT Matt Light
OT Nick Kaczur
TE Daniel Graham

We'll have more later.

Pro Bowl #'s

The following are results through seven weeks of fan Pro Bowl voting. Fan balloting on nfl.com ends Dec. 13 and accounts for one-third of the vote. Coaches and players account for the other two-thirds.

From a Patriots perspective, the lone leader is Patrick Pass at fullback, which is somewhat surprising. Also, Richard Seymour has been placed in the interior d-line category, because his responsibilities as an end in the 3-4 are more tackle-like.

Quarterback:
Peyton Manning (Colts) – 812,503
Carson Palmer (Bengals) – 665,123
Tom Brady (Patriots) – 373,302
Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers) – 365,410
Drew Brees (Chargers) – 275,515

Running back:
LaDainian Tomlinson (Chargers) – 760,870
Edgerrin James (Colts) – 651,002
Willis McGahee (Bills) – 259,083
Rudi Johnson (Bengals) – 133,224
Tatum Bell (Broncos) – 117,750

Fullback:
Patrick Pass (Patriots) – 234,661
Lorenzo Neal (Chargers) – 192,878
Kyle Johnson (Broncos) – 154,891
Dan Kreider (Steelers) – 76,272
Jeremi Johnson (Bengals) – 64,818

Receiver:
Chad Johnson (Bengals) – 705,722
Marvin Harrison (Colts) – 584,597
Randy Moss (Raiders) – 361,822
Hines Ward (Steelers) – 360,987
Keenan McCardell (Chargers) – 187,269

Center:
Jeff Saturday (Colts) – 161,288
Jeff Hartings (Steelers) – 116,926
Tom Nalen (Broncos) – 99,865
Rich Braham (Bengals) – 67,228
Nick Hardwick (Chargers) – 58,928

Guard:
Alan Faneca (Steelers) – 178,823
Will Shields (Chiefs) – 129,807
Joe Andruzzi (Browns) – 73,667
Kendall Simmons (Steelers) – 72,483
Ryan Lilja (Colts) – 69,136

Offensive Tackle:
Jonathan Ogden (Ravens) – 120,714
Willie Roaf (Chiefs) – 116,292
Willie Anderson (Bengals) – 103,290
Tarik Glenn (Colts) – 101,482
Marvel Smith (Steelers) – 70,101

Tight End:
Antonio Gates (Chargers) – 699,614
Tony Gonzalez (Chiefs) – 292,955
Heath Miller (Steelers) – 166,471
Todd Heap (Ravens) – 157,782
Randy McMichael (Dolphins) – 123,844

Interior Defensive Lineman:
Montae Reagor (Colts) – 190,261
Warren Sapp (Raiders) – 145,430
John Henderson (Jaguars) – 128,163
Richard Seymour (Patriots) – 89,600
Casey Hampton (Steelers) – 73,767

Defensive End:
Dwight Freeney (Colts) – 268,585
Kyle Vanden Bosch (Titans) – 212,389
Derek Burgess (Raiders) – 129,040
John Abraham (Jets) – 87,969
Jared Allen (Chiefs) – 75,495

Inside Linebacker:
Zach Thomas (Dolphins) – 203,000
Jonathan Vilma (Jets) – 147,925
Donnie Edwards (Chargers) – 131,472
Ray Lewis (Ravens) – 83,135
James Farrior (Steelers) – 78,550

Outside Linebacker:
Cato June (Colts) – 162,135
Keith Bullock (Titans) – 155,220
Joey Porter (Steelers) – 114,338
Mike Vrabel (Patriots) – 97,004
Clark Haggans (Steelers) – 54,785

Cornerback:
Deltha O’Neal (Bengals) – 264,271
Champ Bailey (Broncos) – 256,955
Ty Law (Jets) – 217,191
Tory James (Bengals) – 85,611
Rashean Mathis (Jaguars) – 81, 973

Strong Safety:
Troy Polamalu (Steelers) – 186,309
Lawyer Milloy (Bills) – 51,690
Erik Coleman (Jets) – 50,135
Mike Doss (Colts) – 49,066
Ed Reed (Ravens) – 47,553

Free Safety:
John Lynch (Broncos) – 108,770
Chris Hope (Steelers) – 97,505
Troy Vincent (Bills) – 82,016
Bob Sanders (Colts) – 62,535
Bhawoh Jue (Chargers) – 47,244

Kicker:
Shayne Graham (Bengals) – 156,492
Adam Vinatieri (Patriots) – 150,986
Mike Vanderjagt (Colts) – 107,018
Jeff Reed (Steelers) – 105,847
Jason Elam (Broncos) – 92,466

Punter:
Shane Lechler (Raiders) – 155,006
Todd Sauerbrun (Broncos) – 143,123
Josh Miller (Patriots) – 109,525
Chris Hanson (Jaguars) – 93,580
Chris Gardocki (Steelers) 85,363

Kick Returner:
Dante Hall (Chiefs) – 207,265
Terrence McGee (Bills) – 76,887
Darren Sproles (Chargers) – 46,486
Ricardo Colclough (Steelers) – 36,069
Darrent Williams (Broncos) – 30,716

Special Teams:
Robert Mathis (Colts) – 91,484
Larry Izzo (Patriots) – 72,763
Sean Morey (Steelers) – 61,858
Kassim Osgood (Chargers) – 46,621
Keith Burns (Broncos) – 41,385

3 keys

Three areas of focus in the Patriots’ road game against the Bills on Sunday.

Offense
When the Patriots played in Buffalo in 2004, the Bills blitzed about 40 times, an extremely high number. So surely, the Patriots are preparing for such pressure again, as the Bills’ defense has been reeling and needs some type of spark. The presence of Kevin Faulk (questionable, foot) -- arguably the team’s best running back in blitz pickup -- will be a key. So will establishing a running game. And with the Bills ranking 31st in rushing yards allowed per game (140.3), there should be an opportunity to run the ball with Corey Dillon. Bill Belichick was pleased with the balance the Patriots had against the Jets (37 passes, 35 rushes), and the Patriots will look to match that in Buffalo, where weather conditions (i.e. wind) could be a factor.

Defense
As it usually is each week, the first priority is to shut down the running game. The Patriots have been improving in this area -- five weeks ago they ranked 27th in the NFL, they now rank 17th (opponents totaling 112.3 rushing yards per game). With Willis McGahee leading the way, the Bills rank 18th in rushing yards per game (107.7). Buffalo’s passing game is ranked in the lower end of the NFL -- 29th in yards per game, 29th in sacks allowed per pass play, 22nd in third-down efficiency, 27th in first downs per game, and 26th in points per game. So the Patriots will look to stop the run and put the game in the hands of Bills quarterback J.P. Losman. Not having to worry about receiver Eric Moulds (one-game suspension) also helps.

X Factor
The field position game. Buffalo leads the league in kickoff coverage, allowing just 18.9 yards per return. The Bills are second in kickoff return average, at 25.8 yards per runback. Buffalo has given the Patriots some problems on special teams in recent games, so captain Larry Izzo and Co. must bring their ‘A’ game against Terrence McGee and the Bills.

QUICK HITS: The Patriots are 16-5 in games played in December under head coach Bill Belichick … With a win in Buffalo and a Dolphins loss in San Diego, the Patriots will clinch the AFC East … This is the 92nd meeting between the Patriots and Bills, and the Patriots’ 50 wins over the Bills are their most against any opponent … The potential playoff berth will be the 14th in team history … Kevin Harlan (play-by-play and Randy Cross (color commentary) will call the game on television … Bill Carrollo is scheduled to referee the game, breaking a string of 12 straight games in which the Patriots had a different referee. Carrollo called the Patriots-Steelers game in Week 3.

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting an update later tonight if the Patriots report any de-activated players. We also have the latest fan numbers from Pro Bowl voting to post, with Patrick Pass a surprise leader at fullback.

--Mike

Faulk in focus

FAULK IN FOCUS: Running back Kevin Faulk (questionable, foot) missed the first portion of practice that was opened to the media. This marks the third straight day that Faulk wasn’t present. While that doesn’t necessarily mean Faulk won’t play on Sunday, it can’t be construed as a positive sign. Faulk finished with 35 yards on 10 carries, and added four catches for 46 yards in last Sunday’s win over the Jets. After the game, he said: “It felt good getting back in the groove, and playing with the guys. That’s the most important thing, getting out there again and having fun with them. … I credit the entire coaching staff, the trainers, the strength and conditioning coaches, for not bringing me back too soon. If it was up to me, I probably would have tried to come back two or three weeks ago, but they wanted me to be full strength. I would have played as much as they wanted me to today. That is my job. Whenever the coaches ask me to do something, that’s what I want to do, help the team win, no matter what it is.”

PRACTICE/LOCKER ROOM REPORT: In addition to Faulk, the only other player on the injury report not present at the start of today’s practice was offensive tackle Matt Light (doubtful, ankle). … That meant offensive tackles Tom Ashworth and Nick Kaczur; running backs Corey Dillon and Patrick Pass; fullback Heath Evans; receivers David Givens and Bethel Johnson; tight end Daniel Graham; quarterback Tom Brady; cornerback/safety Artrell Hawkins; and safety Michael Stone -- all of whom are listed on the injury report -- were present … With heavy snow falling in the area, the team practiced inside the Dana Farber Fieldhouse. … In the locker room, linebacker Rosevelt Colvin drew one of the larger media crowds and took some ribbing from one teammate who said “Haven’t you all got enough Rosevelt Colvin quotes?” Colvin often conducts interviews every day. ... Practice squad offensive lineman Ryan Krug walked through on crutches.

BELICHICK BITS: Head coach Bill Belichick was almost 30 minutes late for his scheduled Friday press conference (10:30 a.m. ET) and said a meeting with the team’s quarterbacks and receivers went long. He said the group was looking at old footage of Green Bay’s Don Hutson. “He revolutionized the game, the first receiver,” Belichick said, noting Hutson still holds 10 NFL records. “It was a game my dad played in, with the Lions. He was the first guy who really ran pass patterns. He was kind of the forerunner to the Johnny Unitas, Raymond Berry … there are a lot of guys in between, but guys who actually ran routes as opposed to just go out and throw them the ball.” Belichick said discussing the history of the game isn't a regular Friday occurrence, but that players have a weekly "highlight." ... Belichick touched on a few other subjects, including how offensive play-calling is impacted by snowy conditions … He said he might be attending tonight’s Bon Jovi concert in Boston. Belichick and Bon Jovi are close friends.

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on filing our next update on Saturday, breaking down three aspects of the game. If there is a change to the injury report, we’ll plan on updating later today.

--Mike

Analysis: D-Line

Has the Patriots’ defensive line underachieved this season?

End Richard Seymour is a three-time Pro Bowler. Fellow end Ty Warren is now in his third season and hasn’t missed a game in his career. Nose tackle Vince Wilfork, now in his second season, is highly regarded.

Toss in the fact that each player was drafted in the first round, and big things were expected of the Patriots’ line this season.

So how has the unit fared?

You have to look pretty deep to come up with an accurate answer.

Unlike other defensive lines in the NFL, analyzing the Patriots’ unit is a bit trickier because of the base 3-4 defensive system employed in New England. Patriots coach Bill Belichick said as much in his Thursday press conference.

“I think if you look at a lot of 3-4 teams, you'll see a lot of their defensive linemen's stats are less than maybe some 4-3 teams, defensive linemen stats,” Belichick said. “Tackles. Sacks. All of that kind of thing. I'm not saying they're better. I'm just saying that sometimes that's just a little bit inherent in the way that the defense works itself out.”

A simple comparison between the Colts and Patriots proves the point. Consider that Colts ends Dwight Freeney (9˝ sacks) and Robert Mathis (10˝ sacks) are near the top of the league rankings in sacks. The combination of Seymour (2) and Warren (1) has three.

It’s a classic case of how linemen in different systems are asked to do different things. In the Colts’ 4-3, the defensive ends are the primary pass rushers. In the Patriots’ 3-4, that responsibility falls primarily to the outside linebackers.

The Patriots’ linemen are also asked to play the run differently.

“We’re asked to control the blocker and really let the linebackers come and make the play,” said Seymour on Thursday. “That’s the nature of the beast, that’s kind of what we're dealing with. It’s tough to go out and get personal statistics and rewards. That’s something you have to sacrifice.”

In other words, tackles and sacks aren’t a great measure of the play of Patriots’ linemen. Instead, Belichick said the number of times a Patriots lineman beats the player assigned to block him is a better way to gauge d-line success.

Because of this, it’s possible that a player like Seymour could receive high grades from the coaching staff despite finishing with zero tackles against the Jets this past Sunday (Patriots coaches later credited him with one tackle after watching game tape).

Belichick also said an opponents’ rushing total/average is sometimes a good gauge of defensive line play -- because “in the running game, everything starts with the defensive line.” In the Patriots’ last four games, the Jets averaged 2.6 yards per carry, followed by the Chiefs (3.0), Saints (4.1) and Dolphins (3.1). These are excellent numbers.

So on the whole, the Patriots’ defensive line might not have Freeney-like statistics. But that doesn’t mean the unit hasn’t been successful of late.

Since Seymour returned from injury against the Dolphins four games ago, the group has been on the upswing. They are beating their blockers more often. They are limiting opposing running games.

The easy-to-spot stats like tackles and sacks might not show it. But the stats that are most important to the Patriots -- beating blockers and limiting the opponents’ running game -- certainly do.

Maybe that’s why Chiefs coach Dick Vermeil raved about the Patriots’ line two weeks ago.

“They’re tough to run on. Those guys up front are mean, and lean and tough,” he said. “Seymour is, I think, the best defensive end we play against.”

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Belichick gave a tutorial of sorts on defense today. A few points of note included:

* Defensive linemen rushing the passer in the 3-4 have a greater challenge than those linemen rushing in the 4-3. The reason is that linemen in the 3-4 have to balance the formation depending on which outside linebacker is rushing. “It's a little harder to rush the passer when you're balancing up your rush as opposed to when you're in a [4-3] and you can just take those prongs and go pretty much straight at the quarterback,” he said.

* In the 3-4, the pass rush has to primarily come from the outside linebackers, not defensive linemen. “If [outside linebackers] can't rush the passer, you might not want to be playing a 3-4 defense, because you really need those guys to be pass rushers as opposed to cover linebackers,” he said.

* From an overall perspective, Belichick feels sacks are an overrated statistic. What he values is a defense that consistently is “hitting the quarterback and knocking him down as he's releasing the ball” because “that really means that you're forcing the ball out” -- which will impact pass coverage.

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There were no changes to the Patriots' injury report today.

Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting our next update Friday after Bill Belichick’s press conference and the locker room access. The update should be posted around 1:30 p.m. ET.

--Mike

Pats wrap

PRACTICE REPORT: Running back Kevin Faulk (questionable, foot) was absent for the portion of Patriots practice opened to the media today … The only other player on the injury report not present for the start of practice was offensive tackle Matt Light (doubtful, ankle) … That meant offensive tackle Tom Ashworth; running backs Corey Dillon and Patrick Pass; fullback Heath Evans; receivers David Givens and Bethel Johnson; tight end Daniel Graham; offensive tackle Nick Kaczur; quarterback Tom Brady; cornerback/safety Artrell Hawkins; and safety Michael Stone were all present despite being listed on the injury report … The team practiced outside on the Gillette Stadium game field … Bruce Springsteen’s “Merry Christmas Baby” played softly while players stretched.

LOCKER ROOM REPORT: After Bill Belichick spoke at length during his press conference on line play in the 3-4 defense, Richard Seymour drew a large media crowd during locker room access today (11:15-11:55 a.m. ET) … Linebacker Mike Vrabel also drew a large crowd for the second day in a row … There has been some Heisman Trophy chatter (the award will be presented on Saturday), with quarterback Matt Cassel (USC) answering some questions on his former teammate Reggie Bush … Quarterback Doug Flutie has also answered some questions on the Heisman -- which he won in 1984 -- in recent days … Rookie offensive lineman Logan Mankins said it was time for a change, so he shaved his Fu Manchu mustache for the first time in more than a year.

Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting one more update later today/tonight, with any updates on the injury report, plus a short analysis on the team’s defensive line play.

--Mike

Third degree

Patriots coach Bill Belichick entered the media room for his Thursday press conference (10:45 a.m. ET) and felt a chill in the air.

“Is the air-conditioning on,” he asked. “Getting ready for the game conditions?”

Then Belichick said the team would be focusing on third down at today’s practice.

“It was certainly a big problem for us in the first Buffalo game,” he said. “We couldn’t convert any of them and we had a hard time getting them off the field.”

Buffalo was 7-of-14 on third down in the Oct. 30 game. The Patriots were 1-of-7.

“That’s an area we’ll really try to emphasize and work on today,” Belichick said. “Hopefully we can do that a little bit better and that will give us a chance to be a little more competitive in the game. That was a big problem in the first game, our inability to play well on either side of the ball on third-down situations.”

The Patriots’ offense ranks 12th in third-down efficiency, converting 61-of-157 chances (38.9 percent). The Patriots’ defense ranks 29th on third down, with opponents converting 70-of-166 chances (42.2 percent).

Buffalo’s offense ranks 22nd on third down, converting 35.7 percent of the time. Buffalo’s defense ranks last in the league on third down, with opponents converting 45 percent of the time.

Overall, this was one of Belichick’s more technical press conferences, and he was asked several questions about the role of the defensive line in the 3-4 defense. Later today/tonight, we’ll plan on posting a short analysis piece, which will put a microscope on the Patriots’ defensive line play. It’s one of the harder positions to analyze, because tackles and stats don’t necessarily provide an accurate gauge of a lineman’s performance in the 3-4.

Our next update will come around 2 p.m. ET, with a wrap from Patriots practice and the locker room.

--Mike

Injury Report

The Patriots released their Wednesday injury report and two names were added to the list, while two names were removed from last week’s list.

Safety/cornerback Artrell Hawkins (thigh) and rookie left tackle Nick Kaczur (shoulder) are the additions. Both are questionable.

Outside linebacker Willie McGinest (finger) and safety James Sanders (ankle) -- both of whom were questionable last week -- are no longer on the list.

The injury report:

Offensive tackle Matt Light (ankle) -- doubtful
Offensive tackle Tom Ashworth (knee) -- questionable
Running back Corey Dillon (calf) – questionable
Fullback Heath Evans (shoulder) -- questionable
Running back Kevin Faulk (foot) -- questionable
Receiver David Givens (knee) -- questionable
Tight end Daniel Graham (shoulder) –- questionable
Cornerback/safety Artrell Hawkins (thigh) –- questionable
Receiver Bethel Johnson (pelvis) –- questionable
Offensive tackle Nick Kaczur (shoulder) -- questionable
Fullback Patrick Pass (hamstring) -- questionable
Safety Michael Stone (ankle) -- questionable
Quarterback Tom Brady (right shoulder) -- probable

Buffalo’s injury report:
Tight end Mark Campbell (hamstring) -- questionable
Guard Chris Villarrial (hamstring) -- questionable
Offensive tackle Mike Williams (chest) -- questionable

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting our next update Thursday after Bill Belichick’s scheduled press conference (10:45 a.m. ET).

--Mike

Pats wrap

PRACTICE REPORT: Offensive tackle Matt Light (ankle), fullback Heath Evans (shoulder), tight end Daniel Graham (shoulder), running back Kevin Faulk (foot), safety Michael Stone (ankle) and running back Patrick Pass (hamstring) were players on the most recent injury report not present for the start of today’s practice … Safety/cornerback Artrell Hawkins, who wasn’t on the most recent injury report, wasn’t present for the start of practice … Those on the most recent injury report present at practice included: offensive tackle Tom Ashworth; running back Corey Dillon; receiver David Givens; receiver Bethel Johnson; outside linebacker Willie McGinest; safety James Sanders; and quarterback Tom Brady. … The team practiced inside at the Dana Farber Fieldhouse.

LOCKER ROOM REPORT: Safety Artrell Hawkins; cornerback Ellis Hobbs, defensive lineman Jarvis Green; outside/inside linebacker Mike Vrabel; and outside linebacker Rosevelt Colvin were a few players drawing larger media crowds. … Quarterback Tom Brady met the media in front of his locker at 11:40 a.m. and he touched on a variety of topics: from complimenting the work of rookie left guard Logan Mankins and rookie left tackle Nick Kaczur; to being honored last night as Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year; to the boost the Patriots’ offense received with the return of running backs Corey Dillon and Kevin Faulk, and receiver David Givens … ESPN’s Chris Berman was present in the locker room, with special teams captain Larry Izzo greeting him by his nickname, “The Swami.”

MOULDS ‘EXCUSED’ FROM PRACTICE: In a conference call with the New England media, Bills coach Mike Mularkey didn’t elaborate when asked about the status of receiver Eric Moulds. Published reports indicated that Moulds will be suspended for Sunday’s game against the Patriots. Mularkey said Moulds has an excused absence from practice today and tomorrow. Otherwise, he said, the issue was being kept in-house.

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting our next update around 4 p.m. ET, when the team released its injury report.

--Mike

Bill on Bills

Patriots coach Bill Belichick opened his Wednesday press conference (10:45 a.m. ET) by speaking about the team’s opponent this Sunday, the Buffalo Bills.

“Well, Buffalo in December. We all kind of know what that will probably be like on Sunday. We’ll get a little dose of the weather here this week, but looking at Buffalo it’s kind of interesting to see a team that has played so well at home [4-2 record]. Statistically and even just on tape, I’m not saying it’s a different team but sometimes they look at a higher level at home, let’s put it that way. That’s something that’s impressive, very concerning. Of course, they came in here and pretty much controlled the game for 55 minutes in October. So I think we’re going to have to play a lot better than we played in the first game. Buffalo has some new faces in there, we saw a little bit of [receiver Roscoe] Parrish, but he’s much more of a factor in the game than he was a few weeks ago – both in the return game on punts and as a receiver. [Jason] Peters has pretty much taken over at right tackle [replacing Mike Williams] and he’s done a good job for them. New quarterback [J.P. Losman], who we had seen before but we prepared for [Kelly] Holcomb and got [Holcomb] in our game. We’ll have to get ready for both guys here. It’s some new people on offense and more of the same group on defense. We’ve seen all those guys. That’s kind of where we’re at here.

“They certainly have played well. The Carolina game, the Atlanta game – even though they lost those they were kind of [decided on the] last possession. They’ve won a lot of games there and statistically they’ve controlled most all those games. We’ll have to be able to handle the elements, handle the crowd noise, and most importantly, prepare to handle the Buffalo Bills. That’s really the heart of the problem – their players, their scheme and what they do.”

Belichick was asked a few questions apiece on running back Kevin Faulk and rookie offensive tackle Nick Kaczur. He said he felt Kaczur has been solid since replacing Matt Light at left tackle in Week 3.

EXTRA POINTS: Quarterback Tom Brady is scheduled to hold a press conference at 11:40 a.m. ET today … Bills quarterback J.P. Losman (11:50 a.m. ET) and Bills coach Mike Mularkey (12:15 p.m. ET) will hold conference calls with the New England media. … The Patriots will practice inside the Dana Farber Fieldhouse today.

Looking ahead, we’ll file our next update with a practice/locker room wrap, around 2 p.m. ET.

--Mike

History lesson

A look back at some moments on this week (Dec. 5-11) in Patriots history:

* Dec. 10, 1978 -- The Patriots clinch their first outright divisional championship in the club’s history with a last minute 26-24 victory over Buffalo at Schaefer Stadium.

* Dec. 7, 1986 -- Wide receiver Stanley Morgan establishes a new team record for catches in a single season with his 67th reception. Morgan, who finished the season with 84 catches, broke Derrick Ramsey’s previous mark of 66 grabs, set in 1984.

* Dec. 8, 1996 -- The Patriots clinch their second playoff berth in two years by defeating the N.Y. Jets 34-10 at Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots would go on to win the AFC Championship and advance to Super Bowl XXXI.

* Dec. 6, 1999 -- In a Foxborough town meeting, more than 93 percent of the town’s residents vote in favor of passing six necessary articles to approve construction on a new stadium, now Gillette Stadium.

* Dec. 7, 2003 -- The Patriots defeat the Miami Dolphins, 12-0, in snowy Foxborough to claim the seventh division title in franchise history en route to the team’s second Super Bowl championship in three years.

* Dec. 5, 2004 -- Bethel Johnson returns the game’s opening kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown to kick-start a 42-15 road victory over the Cleveland Browns.

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Looking ahead, we'll plan on posting our next update Wednesday after Bill Belichick's scheduled press conference (10:45 a.m. ET).

--Mike

Brady's night

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady will be in New York tonight to be honored as Sports Illustrated's Sportsman of the Year.

The special presenter will be Donald Trump. HBO Sports' Bob Costas, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Saturday Night Live's Seth Meyers and other celebrities will also be present.

Yankees closer Mariano Rivera, Giants running back Tiki Barber, and Giants receivers Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress are among those New York athletes scheduled to be in attendance at the Time Warner Center.

Past Sportsman of the Year winners have included Lance Armstrong, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali.

Looking ahead, we'll plan on posting another update later in the day.

--Mike

Around the AFC East

Taking a spin around the AFC East, where the Patriots (7-5, 3-0 in division) hold a commanding lead.

The standings:
New England (7-5, 3-0)
Miami (5-7, 1-3)
Buffalo (4-8, 2-2)
N.Y. Jets (2-10, 1-2)

Miami (5-7, 1-3)
The Dolphins staged their biggest comeback in almost 31 years, roaring back from a 23-3 fourth-quarter deficit to post a 24-23 victory over the visiting Bills.

Starting quarterback Gus Frerotte left the game after suffering a concussion on a safety, with backup Sage Rosenfels coming off the bench to lead the charge. He finished 22-of-37 for 272 yards and two touchdowns. Receiver Chris Chambers set franchise single-season records with 15 catches for 238 yards.

The Dolphins’ defense was shredded for 151 yards in the first quarter, falling behind 21-0. The team allowed only 143 yards over the next three quarters. A key play came when cornerback Sam Madison intercepted a pass late in the third quarter.

Next: at San Diego


Buffalo (4-8, 2-2)
Things appear to be unraveling for the Bills, with one Buffalo News columnist panning the club after it blew a 23-3 lead and lost 24-23 in Miami. The Bills are now 0-6 on the road.

“They're not a good team, not close to the playoff team their diehard supporters envisioned,” Jerry Sullivan wrote. “The Bills have been poor finishers in close games under Mike Mularkey. They've scored four touchdowns in the second half the entire season, only one in the fourth quarter.”

Receiver Eric Moulds had his streak of 121 games with at least one catch come to an end. He wasn’t happy.

In one post-game report card, the Bills’ coaching was given an “F-minus.” The secondary, including former Patriots Lawyer Milloy, gets a “F.”

Next: vs. Patriots


N.Y. Jets (2-10, 1-2)
The visiting Jets lost to the Patriots, 16-3, at Gillette Stadium. The loss was the Jets’ seventh in a row, and the team is 0-7 in its last seven road games.

Running back Curtis Martin said “I’ve never experienced anything like this in my career.”

The Jets are now averaging 11.9 points per game, the worst mark in franchise history.

Cornerback Ty Law said his return to Gillette Stadium was cool.

Next: vs. Oakland

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting our next update Tuesday afternoon.

--Mike

'Satisfying win'

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick arrived at his Monday press conference (11:45 a.m. ET) and told the assembled media “December football is here. Snow. December conditions yesterday.”

Then he broke down the Patriots' 16-3 win over the Jets.

“It was a satisfying win, good to win a division game, good to beat the Jets,” he said. “That was a big game for us. I thought overall as a team we responded pretty well to the situation. We got off to a little bit of a slow start offensively; I think the Jets had something to do with that. They hit us on a couple blitzes, or pressures. We had a three-and-out, we missed a third-down conversion, we had some penalties and ended up in a third-and-90, or whatever it was.

“But I thought the drive at the end of the half was a good drive for us, a good two-minute drive for us. We were able to answer their field goal with some points. We had a pretty good mix offensively of the runs and the passes, the play-actions and things like that. We were able to put together a couple long drives; I wish we could have got them in the end zone [4 red zone trips, 1 TD], but we were able to move the ball and get it off the goal-line a little bit. That was good.

“I thought the Jets did a good job of taking away some of the longer passes that we had designed. I think Tom did a good job, and the receivers did a pretty good job, of adjusting to that and taking what was more available.

“Defensively, I thought that we played the run, did a pretty good job in the running game – other than containing the quarterback, who got out a couple times. That hurt us. Fortunately, we were able to get the lead, play from ahead, and that’s always a position you want to be in at the end of the game when they have to throw. Make it a one-dimensional game, take Curtis Martin out of the game by the score, and then be able to just play the passing game.

“So I thought overall, there were some positive things in the game. A lot of things could have been better, there’s no question about that. We have a lot of things to work on, but it was a good, positive win for us.

“Now we’re going to Buffalo. It’s a team that’s played very well at home, big win against Kansas City a couple weeks ago. That’s a lot more than we can say. We were in a real tough game with them last time, got some plays in the fourth quarter that enabled us to win. But it certainly didn’t look too good there for about 3˝ quarters. We’ll have to be at our best in Buffalo this week. Looking forward to it, looking forward to another division game. In the middle of December, so we have a pretty good idea of what it will be like in Buffalo this week.”

Belichick was asked 35 questions, one of the longer press conferences of the year. A few highlights.

On Tom Brady being named Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year:
“It’s a well deserved honor. To me, I would just add maybe ‘Person of the Year.’ I think Tom, what he does, goes beyond sports. Tom, as a person, his makeup, his character, and the way he carries himself -- on and off the field, in and out of football -- is exemplary in all phases. Not just as an athlete and not just on the football field, but as it extends to pretty much everything he does in his life, I think it’s exemplary. I think the recognition is well deserved. He’s certainly had a lot of accomplishments in football and on the field – all those are well deserved. But I think his excellence extends well beyond that. To me, I hope the award is in part reflective of that.”

On Richard Seymour expressing disappointment with crowd noise and if he feels the same disappointment:
“I respect what the players say. They’re out there and whatever they feel or see or hear, that’s what they feel or see or hear. I think it’s a little bit different for me. I’m involved in every single play of the game. To me, the next play is the most important play. I’m not sure I’m as aware of [crowd noise] as a player who is on one unit, and he’s out there, then when he comes off, he kind of sees it from a little different perspective while he’s waiting to go back out there again. Whatever they feel, I respect that. From my standpoint, I don’t really pay that much attention to it. I’m not sure I’m that aware of it. … I think what you hear when you’re at home is when they boo. I think you hear that. How loud it is, or if it was louder than in the middle of the first quarter than it was at the start of the fourth, I don’t know.”

On Richard Seymour calling this the ‘season of truth’ in a radio interview and if that has been a theme for the season this year:
“I think that is a good focus for our team, and therefore it has been an emphasis point. Next year it could be another. Last year it could be something else. But I think if you can focus on something that keeps everything in perspective, in the long run that’s probably good. In this case, I think being realistic, being truthful and being factual, is a lot better for our football team than it is talking about perception or what everyone else thinks we are or aren’t, or can be, or should be.”

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ROSTER MOVE: The Patriots released cornerback Michael Harden off the practice squad today. The team didn't announce any replacement.

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on filing our next update by taking a spin around the AFC East later tonight.

--Mike

Ups & downs

Who’s up, who’s down from the Patriots’ 16-3 win over the Jets:

Up
Tom Brady -- Bounces back from a four-interception outing to finish 27-of-37 for 271 yards. He doesn’t throw a touchdown or an interception but is in command throughout.

Defensive coaches -- While the Patriots coaches stayed with a 3-4 defense, they were more aggressive with bringing pressure.

Kevin Faulk –- Running back returns from injury and finishes with 35 yards on 10 carries and 46 yards on four catches, specifically providing a spark on third downs.

Front 7 -- Holding the Jets to 41 rushing yards -- with Curtis Martin finishing with 29 yards on 15 carries -- is impressive work.

Adam Vinatieri -- Kicker becomes the all-time Patriots leader in points scored, surpassing Gino Cappelletti’s mark of 1,130. Vinatieri now has 1,135 career points.

Down
Stephen Neal -- Guard’s first-quarter clipping penalty stalls the team’s third drive and highlights some of the offensive line’s early struggles. Also had a false start penalty later in the game.

Benjamin Watson –--Tight end finishes with two catches for 43 yards, but couldn’t handle at least one pass. Also had a holding penalty.

Red zone offense –- Four trips -- three field goals and one touchdown, although one field goal came in the two-minute drill at the end of the second quarter.

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Looking ahead, we’ll plan on posting our next update Monday after Bill Belichick’s scheduled press conference (11:45 a.m. ET).

--Mike

Quick hits

* The Patriots held the Jets to just 41 yards rushing, the lowest total by an opponent since Sept. 15, 2002, when the Jets totaled 32.

* The Patriots gained 146 yards on 35 carries (4.2 avg), setting a season-high for team rushing.

* Rookie cornerback Ellis Hobbs recorded his second interception of the season, in the fourth quarter. He's tied for the team lead in interceptions, along with linebacker Mike Vrabel.

* Deion Branch recorded his 200th career reception, reaching the
milestone on a 10-yard reception from Brady on third-and-six in the third quarter, his fifth catch of the day.

* Tom Brady now boasts a 4-0 career record in the games following his four-interception outings.

Vinatieri's moment

The following is the transcript from the press conference for kicker Adam Vinatieri, who became the franchise's all-time leading scorer.

ROBERT KRAFT:
"We don't usually celebrate individual achievements here at the Patriots, but for those of us who have been longtime Patriots fans, on December 20, 1970, one of the greatest players in the history of the Patriots, Gino Cappelletti, kicked his 1,130th point. And 34 years, 349 days later, that record was broken. And so it took 533 1/2 games. And I would like to call upon Gino now to make a special presentation."

GINO CAPPELLETTI:
"Thank you, Bob. Well, the inevitable happened and I am glad it is finally over. Adam Vinatieri certainly has proven time and time again his prowess, of his ability to do things that earned him a lot of recognition, and also what he has achieved and what he has accomplished has been tremendous for the New England Patriots. I had my time, Adam is having his time. Certainly, it has been two different eras, looking at the '60's and also as of now. So I only would like to say that I am very happy, I am very proud to have someone of the character of Adam Vinatieri take over this record. It was going to take somebody that could endure over a period of time to amass career records like that. It only comes by putting in the time and year after year being able to perform at a high level to do the things that have to be done. I think that right now this is a significant milestone for Adam at this particular point, but in time it will be an insignificant milestone because I hope we are all around here watching him make his 2,000th point. And certainly, that is a very strong possibility. I could foresee a guy like Adam continuing to perform at a high level for quite a few years to come, so some day we will all be here congratulating him for his 2,000th point. And certainly, that is within his reach. He is a tremendous individual. He is a tremendous kicker. The greatest kick I have ever seen or know about has been the snow kick. And I was happy that I was able to be around to help broadcast it. My association with the Patriots now for some 40-plus years has been one that has really been a thrill for me. It has been a big part of my life. And as we have records, we hold on to them for a while, but it is just that it is only because of the time that has been put in. And like I said, I had my time. The character of the game has changed since the time I played until the time that the game is being played now, and it is still the greatest game in our country. So without any further ado, I would like to ask Adam to come up here, and I would like to present him with the game ball in which he sets a new career all time record. And Adam, I am proud to know you, and congratulations."

ADAM VINATIERI:
"Thank you. I appreciate it. Thank you. Well, you know, it's funny when you amass as many points as Gino Cappelletti in his career, it means a couple of things. You have been on very successful teams and you have been around a long time. Every time, throughout my career, when people started talking about me getting close to that record, it really made me feel special because I have been able to meet with you, golf with you, hang out with you a little bit. And to know how great of a man Gino was and how much he did for the New England Patriots organization, not only kicking balls but catching a lot of touchdowns in his day too and a little bit of defensive back. So he truly was and still is the ultimate Patriot. And just to be able to stand here and share this with you, it is tremendous. I look back at my going 10 years now and it has been a lot of fun. There have been a lot of neat games out there, a lot of memorable things. Thank you, Mr. Kraft, for bringing me in here and sticking with me for this long. And hopefully, I have many more opportunities to keep putting that number a little bit higher. So thank you very much.

If you were to rank your own kicks, do you have a favorite?
"The one I am most proud of, I think, would be the one in the snow. I would have to say that is probably my most difficult kick that I have had to make. There has been a lot of other kicks out there that were pretty pressure packed and stuff. But ultimately, in that game, you know, not only is the game on the line but the season is on the line. You know, I still think of it as it is kind of a luck, the luck game too. There is a lot of things that happened in that game. But for our team -- and that is one other thing, I want to make a reference to is I can't can do any of the stuff without the other 10 guys on the field. But saying that, you know, that one in the snow, you know, Tom (Brady) and the guys did such a great job getting us back into the game. We were down by 10 points with a few minutes left and we found a way to win that game. So I think that kick would probably be my one I am most proud of."

Is there anything that bothers you when you are lining up for a kick, getting ready to make a kick, as you mentioned, pressure and field conditions, anything, either one of those or anything else?
"Pressure, not as much. If you can block that out of your mind, that is pretty much irrelevant. Field conditions, you know, obviously in New England we get plenty of snow games and tough weather. And the field gets in pretty tough shape towards the end of the year so you have to deal with a lot of adverse situations out there. So if you can kind of figure them out and do the best you can and try to keep that all in check, you will be more successful."

How do you deal with the pressure of two game-winning Super Bowl kicks when you trot out there?
"You know, it is one of those things that, honestly, to say it wasn't, it didn't affect me that much would be, would be a strange thing to say. Sure, the adrenaline was going and stuff. But I remember looking at the first one and even the second one, that our guys on our team played so well that game and fought so hard that I just had to do my little bit to help our team win. And going out there at the end of the game on that first one, it was one of those situations that, you know, 59 and 59 and almost 60 minutes of the game, I stayed on the sideline and watched it. And it is only fitting that I can try to help my team win a little bit at the end. So I don't know. I didn't really answer your question but it was just a great feeling."

When you caught Hershel Walker from behind, would you consider that one of the highlights of your career?
"That was a non-kicking situation, but that is maybe one of the top two or three things that I am really proud about. And even to this day, every once in a while if I see that highlight I have got to stop what I am doing and watch it because the good Lord gave me 10 seconds of speed and I couldn't do it again, but thank goodness for that one."

Did your experience at South Dakota State prepare you in a large way or a small way towards dealing with adverse conditions?
"Being in South Dakota, we had plenty of nasty weather games and some wind and some snow and that kind of thing. The difference is obviously at a college level we are not playing into January or February, whatever. We are usually done by November. So the weather wasn't that terrible in South Dakota at that time. But yes, for sure I think it gave me a little bit of an advantage at least psychologically to come and to play in some adverse conditions, sure."

When did you realize you had a shot at pulling this off? Was there a point in time when you thought about it?
"Honestly, I didn't think about it at all until probably this offseason. People started making a little bit of a reference to the fact that I was 70-something points behind Gino at that point and I kept on the point totals that I was doing for the majority of the year that I probably had a pretty legitimate chance of trying to get it. But you have to stay focused and the team has to do well. Obviously, I can't, I can't kick anything without, without the offense getting me down in range anyway. So at that point, you just hope for the best and you support your team the most you can. And then when you are asked to try to go out there and do something, you try to help your team.

Gino was a great receiver in his day, but do you think if you had the chance to throw the ball more, you could have racked up six points the way he did, in completion percentages?
"I am very glad that we have got the quarterbacks that we have. You definitely wouldn't want me out there doing that. Sure, I've thrown one in my day but I don't think there's too many in my future."

Can you go back to your rookie season a little bit, your whole mind set, what people were telling you. And I think it had to be a lot more questions than answers, and were you just going day-by-day, game by game?
"I really was. Coming in as a rookie, I was competing against Matt Bahr, the 18-year veteran, who obviously had an amazing career, had a lot of big kicks that helped win their Super Bowl for the Giants back in their day. I knew that I had some pretty stiff competition, but I tried to take training camp and even the season one day at a time and hoped for the best. Obviously, I didn't know if I was going to be around after training camp. And even as far as that goes, if you don't do well right away, you find yourself unemployed quickly. So I honestly tried to take it one kick at a time, one day at a time. And when I got through my rookie year, I finally I think took my first deep breath and said I am glad that one is over, let's keep going."

Do you still in some way take it that way?
"Absolutely, absolutely. It's going on 10 years now, but I still think you have something to prove every time you step on the field. Your past success doesn't make any difference whatsoever. I think you have to go out there every single day and re-establish yourself. And as a kicker I feel you are only one or maybe two bad days away from being unemployed so you try to take that mind set that you go out there and do a good job every time."

The record came with two seconds left in the second quarter
"I am happy that it came on a field goal, I mean just for selfish reasons, I guess, rather than an extra point. But like I said, it is something that you really have to congratulate our team to be able to put up 100 points a season for 10 years in a row, you can't do that without being on a successful team. We have so many great players. I saw Ted [Johnson] up there and them honoring him today was great. Guys like that, the Bradys, the Bledsoes, the Chris Slades, the Tedy Bruschis, you know, the guys that obviously I can't step on the field without their success. And I just feel very fortunate about being on such a great team."

Was there ever a point in your career where you felt like you were just kind of, you know, up against the wall or a paycheck away from unemployment?
"I felt that way my entire rookie year. And I know I was pretty close to that my first couple of games. I had a tough game up in Buffalo my rookie year. I knew I was only one lousy game away from being unemployed and probably never having another shot. So you have to step out there and put that behind you and forgot about that and think about kicking the ball."

Did you ever think you got to that point again?
"Every time, obviously, an injury at the wrong time, a couple of bad games in a row can get you, can get people talking about you. So I feel like every time you step on the field, you have to prove yourself."

What does it say about your career ...
"I think the league average is just over or just under three years in the league, so to be able to be on such a great organization, the New England Patriots, truly are the elite of the league, I am just so fortunate. As a rookie, coming out undrafted, to be able to fall into the best team, I feel like I fell ... to have the opportunity to fall into the best team in the league and to be able to play for 10 years for such a great owner and such a great organization, and I am truly blessed, truly, truly blessed. Thank you."

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We'll finish up the night with some notes and winners and losers.

--Mike

Belichick's take

Comments from Bill Belichick's post-game press conference:

(opening comment)
"Well, that was a satisfying win for the team. Defensively, any time you hold a team to three points you've got to feel good about that. And so I thought those guys did a good job in the running game and made some plays on third down and so that was good. It is good to have Corey (Dillon) and Kevin (Faulk) back. You know, that certainly helped us offensively on some third-down conversions and running the ball. I thought that overall we moved the ball OK. We just came up short too many times in the red area. Not that we're big on personal statistics but you've still have to recognize what Adam (Vinatieri) has done. Certainly his accomplishment to score however many points he scored, however many it is, I am sure he is thankful to me for a lot of those calls that I made to set up field goal opportunities for him. But, it is just a great milestone for him. It is a big win for us here in the division. We've got Buffalo next week. Hopefully, we can continue to play competitively here at this time of year with the conditions out there and hopefully, we can hang on to the ball and take it away a few times and play good defense. That was something we hadn't been doing a lot of here or been doing enough of, I should say, so that was encouraging."

You guys dominated time of possession today. What kind of trickle-down effect did that have on the defense, just getting them that rest, getting that time off the field?
"I'm not sure what the third down numbers were, but they certainly were a lot better than they have been. We picked up some on offense, so that has a lot to do with it. If you can get off the field on third down, you have got a chance to get that time possession in your favor. So again, it was all the units working together. I thought special teams gave us good field position, particularly on the coverage units against a good return team, but the third down conversions had a lot to do with that."

You've seen a lot of kickers in your years in the league. Where would you rate Adam?
"Pretty good. He's made a lot of big kicks and he's very dependable, works hard. As I said before, he is more of a football player than just a kicker. You know, there are some guys that when you say kicker that is really all they are, but I think Adam is a lot more than that. He has been an all‑season award winner for us. He competes and trains with everyone just like all the other players do. He certainly doesn't separate or come up short on any of the workload in the offseason or anything else. He is a great clutch player. So he has a good unit working with him, a snapper and a holder. I think since I have been here, regardless of who those people have been, they have been very good. He would be the first to give that to them. But this guy puts it through the uprights and he has got a great level of efficiency."

Do you have a favorite ‑‑ he's made some huge kicks, Super Bowl kicks.
"The snow bowl, yes. ... I think that is the best kick I have ever seen.

Why?
"Because of the conditions and because of what was at stake on that kick. I mean that is the game. That is the game. And it was a very difficult kick. Now, a couple game winners in the Super Bowl and I wouldn't want to take anything away from those."

It is the ultimate hypothetical, but if he doesn't make that kick at Oakland ...
"If he doesn't make that kick, it is over. We don't win that game without that kick. So that wasn't the win, that was the tie, so it is over. Of all, I have never seen a kick better than that. Never seen a kick, I mean he had a 50 whatever it was, 58-yarder in Chicago. But the conditions and what was at stake (against Oakland) that was a great kick. The kick against Tennessee was a great kick. There was a wind chill, zero degrees or whatever, and that was a 40 (plus) yarder on a newly sodded field and that was a great kick too. I think the Super Bowl kicks weren't the same degree of difficulty as those two, as the Tennessee and the Oakland kicks, but certainly what was at stake on those, you can't make the stakes any higher than that."

The fact that you had Corey (Dillon) and Kevin (Faulk) back in the lineup, did that allow you to do some things that you hadn't been able to do in a while?
"I don't think there was a lot that we haven't been able to do. I think we just did some things better. That was encouraging. That is really what the emphasis was this week and what I think our team needs to do. We just need to do a better job of what we are doing. I don't think it is some magic play that we can run. That stuff doesn't last too long anyway. We just need to do a better job of executing the plays that we do call, and I thought we did better on that, especially in the third down area. Came up a little short in the red area offensively, but we were certainly able to move the ball and that was good. A couple of times we were able to change field position when we were backed up. They did a good job of punting it and backing us up down there a couple of times, so digging it out off our goal line was important."

You seemed to get a lot more pressure on their quarterback, particularly Rosevelt Colvin.
"He's having a good year. I wouldn't limit it to last week. He had a good year last year, he is building on last year and where he finished up last year, I think he has been like that all year. [He was] able to come clean on a couple of pressures and it is good when he's there and then you can kind of take the running game out of it a little bit and get some other situations. I thought our run defense was good and it created some (long-yardage situations for them). Those guys, Willie (McGinest) and Rosie and Mike (Vrabel), Richard (Seymour), Jarvis (Green), you know, they did a good job."

Was this as consistent of a defensive performance as you got across the board?
"Certainly the results were good. I'm sure when we look at the tape there will be some things that we didn't cover quite as tightly as we would like to, but it didn't hurt us. So, it was certainly one of our better defensive efforts in a while and that is encouraging."

What was the difference in the secondary?
"Again, I think it's team defense, a combination of all of the units, line, linebackers, defensive backs. You know, the rush, coverage, forcing the ball out on time. You don't have to cover as long, the coverage is there. The quarterback has got to wait for somebody to get open and have a chance to hit him. I think we played better collectively as a unit than what we have in some other games in year."

Do you feel like you were a little bit more aggressive defensively today than you have been?
"I think it is a lot easier to be aggressive on second-and-10s, not second-and-ones. It is easier to be aggressive when you are ahead 16-3 than when you are down 26-3 or 28-3. So you know, I think that some of the situations and some of the plays that lead up to those line yardage situations makes it a little more advantageous."

Brady made some pretty big passes.
"I thought overall our passing game was pretty efficient. We dropped a couple balls and we were disappointed we didn't get the ball in the end zone there when we were down there a couple of times not before the half but a couple other occasions. I thought Tom threw the ball well and set up quickly and got it out of there, stood in there in the rush. They were kind of hanging on him and he ran well again. I don't know how many yards he gained, but he had a couple runs and he had one last week so I think he is going to be more of a threat with the ball in his hands."

What does it mean to have Vinatieri's presence?
"It has been good. It doesn't really matter whatever the situation is anywhere else. Look, the only time we send Adam out on the field is to score points. That is the only reason for him to ever be out there, to score points. And if we score, then he is out there for another play. So it all comes down to kicking the ball through the uprights, and he has given us consistency through his entire career. My first year here, when I was here in '96, it was Adam's first year and he came in and I think he showed a lot of maturity and mental toughness there. He is pretty much the same guy now as he was 10 years ago. Obviously, [he has] more experience and he is really a true pro, but he had a great attitude when he started here and came in as a rookie."

In that time of possession game, what would be a good number that you are shooting for the team to hit in a game?
"As much as possible. The more you have the ball, the better chance you have to score, the fewer chances they have. So you know, I don't want to pick a number because if you could keep it longer, it is to your advantage. So you try to hang on to the ball as much as you can. And then sometimes if you [hit a big play], you don't have it as long. But on a team like the Jets, they make it hard to get big plays. And they haven't given up many all year and certainly they didn't give up many today. Then you have to hit some of those 10, 15-yarders, run the ball, convert some third downs. And that is the way the game was today."

Do you see a different determination in Tom coming off this game than he had last week?
"I think Tom has a good work ethic and good attitude about every game. I have coached him really for five years. That first year, he really wasn't that close to playing very much. So I would say in the five years I have coached him, I don't think I have ever seen a game that I didn't think he worked hard and prepared well for it and I didn't have confidence of him going into the game, with five touchdowns and 400 yards passing and all that. But in terms of going into the game, his preparation, his work ethic, his understanding of the game plan and his ability to recognize things on the field, make adjustments, I felt confident every single week as I did in this game."

How have you been able to cope with this shuffle of losing so many starters and having to put guys in?
"This is the NFL. We would love to have everybody out there every week. That is just ... realistically, I don't think any team has that. Or if they do, there aren't very many and they are very fortunate. So unfortunately, that is part of the game that you have to deal with. Look, I have a lot of confidence in all of the players in our team and the depth that we have in our team, all 53 players, so everyone who is out there, I am confident. If I didn't feel that way, they wouldn't be on the team. So that is the way we approach it. Whoever is out there, they have worked hard, they know our system, they know what to do, and we put them out there and then they are going to do the best job they can, and I have confidence that they will do that."

What does it say about Adam Vinatieri's talent and ability that he has not only been in the NFL in a volatile position as place kicker but also all 10 years with the Patriots?
"Well, first of all, any player that can play in the league 10 years, I think that says a lot about the player's ability, durability and consistency. There are not that many guys that have long careers. We all know what the average is and it is a lot less than that. On the other hand, overall, I would say there is a little less movement among kickers and punters than there is some other positions. I am not sure exactly why that is, but I would say generally that is the case. Certainly it is a great tribute to Adam. And he has been a great, you know, a point of stability for the New England Patriots to have a player like Adam in that position, consistently performing well over a long period of time. And I think that is great."

Brady reaction

Comments from Tom Brady's post-game press conference:

How would you assess that one?
"It was a good win. After coming off last week, everyone was so bummed out and in the tank. And now we are at 7-5 and we are leading the [AFC East] division. And it would be nice to string together another win next week. So it is always good beating the Jets; nobody likes to lose to those guys. It was a fun game. I think, obviously, we left a few plays out there offensively. I would have liked to put the ball in the end zone a little bit more. But it was a tough game, tough conditions. It was cool."

Your passing game just seemed to click today overall
"Yes. The guys did a good job getting open. It makes it easy on me when it is like that. I just have to hit the guys. It was good execution. I think there were still a few plays out there we should have had. But I think that would have made the score a little bit more in our favor, but we'll keep working on it."

Were you trying to set up Adam for his winning points?
"What a great thing. Adam is a guy who ‑‑ I mean there are two guys who are true Patriot football players, Gino Cappelletti and Adam Vinatieri. And it was really cool. I mean you couldn't break a record from a better guy and a better guy couldn't have broke the record. So it was just a good day, a good day in Patriots club history."

Can you talk about the return of (Corey) Dillon and (Kevin) Faulk, what they did in terms of offense, opening it up and taking the pressure off you a little bit?
"Yes. We still want to run the ball better. We have to get those guys some practice at it, get them some space in there. The offensive line is working hard. It is such a young offensive line. Two rookies on the left side and Russ [Hochstein] in there just for his third week. You know, Steve [Neal] is in there. He has been the guy that has been in there most of the week. Brandon [Gorin] is in there at the right tackle. New tight ends. There is a lot of cohesiveness that goes in there. We certainly tried to run the ball, and at times we ran it better than others. It's so great having Kevin back on third down. He is a great safety blanket out there. Tried to get the ball out there and he makes great catches."

You go on these long grinding drives, and it seems to really help the defense just as far as getting them a rest on the side line, is that part of the game plan going on these eight play, 12 play drives, or is that kind of a product of what they gave us?
"Probably more of a product of what they gave us. They weren't going to give up any deep balls today. We were trying. The first play of the game, we were tying to go deep to Deion [Branch], but they took that away. I think for the most part we did a good job of taking what they were giving us. They were giving us some underneath throws where we made some plays. It is nice when you can string together those long drives. Those are good for the defense. They are good for offense too. You can really establish the tempo of the game and keep the momentum. It would be great if we finish them off with touchdowns instead of field goals, but we will take it for today."

Do you feel like there was a little more consistency today just as far as not many three and outs?
"Yes. I think the first few drives of the game weren't very good. We went backwards a little bit. They have got a good defensive front with [John] Abraham. With Abraham in there, he really creates some problems with the offensive line, always attacking the quarterback. And Dewayne Robertson is very good. Shaun Ellis is good. They have some good guys up front, a good group of linebackers too. We hit them with some plays earlier. And you are right, I am glad we did establish some type of momentum there, trying to stay on the field as long as we could. Time of possession was obviously in our favor. It is kind of the way we like it. It hasn't been that way in the last few weeks. It feels like we have been on the other side of that."

Did they allow you to do some different things today that you haven't been able to do for a while?
"A little bit. Kevin [Faulk] helped us on third down. I think the backs did a good job running the ball. It is good having those guys back. Hopefully, they can stay in there and stay healthy and getting it more effective."

What does it mean to you as a veteran player and also the veteran players to see a guy like Vinatieri not only hit a milestone like that, but to have past Patriots to be on hand like Ted Johnson and Gino Cappelletti to kind of share in that kind of thing?
"Yes, it is great. It is great. We all love seeing Ted [Johnson] around. A lot of times we wished he was out there with us. But at the same time, people's careers move on. And it was great seeing Ted at halftime. He was a heck of a player and a heck of a friend. And he had his family out there, he has a great family, great children, great wife. So if there is one thing about this place, it is that you keep in touch with the people that you did play well with, because we have been through a lot together and it a close-knit group and we always seem to keep in touch. And those friendships will be lifelong friendships."

Do you come out more determined, more focused after a game like last week?
"I think every time I thought about four interceptions this whole week, I just got in the worst mood. I mean even today I was going through the locker room, putting my pads on, and you think about last week. And I am saying, I can't say the word, but walking through the locker room, you just want to get past that game. Today was a good job of doing that. Like I said, I think we threw the ball defensively better than we did last week obviously. You know, the turnovers, it is important not to turn the ball over. If I would just not turn the ball over, we would be pretty good. There is no reason to turn it over. Even last week, we were forcing those."

Aren't you were the kind of quarterback that puts last week behind you?
"Not when you throw four picks, you can't. Every time you think about it, you go crazy. You go right back to it. It was a terrible week, it really was."

One of your most heads up plays was you threw the ball to Kevin Faulk, he fumbled it, got it back. The very next play you did the quarterback sneak, you knew to do that right away, didn't you?
"Well, that is what we do. I mean he got the first down, it was a fumble, he got the ball back. And you just want to put some pressure on the defense. I mean you are normally trying to sneak for one or two yards. It might have been one of the better rushing days I have had, surprisingly. It doesn't happen very often."

Did you get any tips from (Doug) Flutie?
"Yes. Flutie said, 'When did you turn into a runner? I was watching you in practice.'"

Facing the Bills in Buffalo next week ...
"It was a tough battle against them last time. They controlled the ball the whole game. We just made a few plays in the fourth quarter. After I saw the highlights in the locker room, they are going to give us everything we can handle. Hopefully, we will put together a good effort. It's always tough playing up there."

Did you talk to Ty (Law) today?
"Just on the field briefly. He wasn't in there. I don't know what happened to him later on in the game. I have a lot of respect for Ty. He is a great competitor. He is tough making a lot of plays out there. I didn't throw to his side a whole lot, but we completed a few balls over there."

Was that on purpose?
"When you challenge one of the best corners in the league, eventually he is going to make his play. We threw a lot of balls in front of him. He is pretty good. He is tough out there. It is always good seeing him, too."

What exactly does Kevin Faulk bring to this offense?
"He was really big on third down today. He caught some big third down balls. He is a great runner. I mean anytime you get more dependable, consistent players out there on the field like Kevin, who have performed well under pressure, [who] know our offense and know our scheme and is a great leader, he has been here all offseason working hard. It is a tough injury that he had, but he came back and he really fought hard to return this week. And he was a big factor for us in the win. So like I said, hopefully Corey continues to get healthy. Hopefully, David Givens continues to get healthy. Hopefully, we get [Daniel] Graham back soon. And like I said, the more players we can have out there, hopefully, the better we will perform."

Jets reaction

Coach Herman Edwards (opening comment)
"The first half, I thought it was a pretty good game by both teams. Second half, obviously, was not that way for us. They had the ball possession for the half. They have done what other teams have done to us in the past. In the last three weeks, we have scored one touchdown, and it is very difficult to win, especially on the road, and not score any points. That kept us in the half by not turning the ball over. I think the quarterback [Tom Brady] made some big time plays on third down."

Herman Edwards (on Ty Law)
"Ty Law, I thought, brought some leadership to us, obviously a good player. Earlier this season he was working his way into shape, he has done that, and he looks good now. He has made some big plays for us; he has 5 interceptions for us. He has played pretty good for us, he is consistent."

Herman Edwards (on scoring 3 points)
"It's tough, you have to score points to win. It’s tough in this league for a team to have a two-score lead; it is tough to come back. The quarterback made some good throws; he fit some balls in there."

Herman Edwards (on Brooks Bollinger)
"Brooks [Bollinger] is playing as good as he can play, that is all you can ask of the guy. He is doing everything he can to move the team. He is doing everything possible to play football at his position."

Cornerback Ty Law (on playing against the Patriots)
"It was cool. It wasn’t something I circled on my calendar. It was just another football game that happened to be against my old team. My mindset was to go out and try to win another football game."

Ty Law (on the season)
"As a team, we’re still searching to get another win and it’s been tough on us as a whole because we play hard but for some reason we are not making enough plays to win football games right now. It’s disappointing, because we had such high expectations coming in."

Ty Law (on expecting to be challenged during game)
"I was expecting double moves because I play aggressively. They tried a couple with Deion [Branch] but I was on them. We laughed because I told him I knew it was coming. I’m pretty used to it. Why would it be any different against the Patriots? If you look at my history of playing, you are going to try and take a chance here and there, but basically, Tom [Brady] took what he could and what he needed to get. He didn’t need to go at me and I wouldn’t think anybody would, I wouldn’t if I were a quarterback."

Safety Erik Coleman (on pressure put on defense when offense doesn’t score points)
"We could do some things ourselves to get the pressure off of us. Like getting off the field a couple of times. That helps us out regardless of the offense."

Running back Curtis Martin (on moving the ball)
"It’s just hard and we are having a hard time and we’re not getting it done. I don’t know exactly what the problem is. But, regardless, I’m just focused on not finishing up these last four games the way we have been playing. We have to play better."

Curtis Martin (on the Jets only having one touchdown in a month)
"It’s only something that you think is closely impossible. I never imagined that we would be in this position."

Pats quotes

Comments from the Patriots' locker room:

Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin (on the play of the defense)
"I think any time the offense can stay on the field it is a benefit for us, that means we can stay rested. I think it was more of an issue of us trying to do better on the defensive side of the ball. Like, stopping the run, putting the opposing team in second-and-long and getting them off of the field on third down. That also helps out the offense. The more they get in a groove, the more they can get things going. I think we did a better job of playing team defense this week and hopefully we can keep it going into next week. Any time you can get a win it is satisfying, when you have the opportunity to win in this league, because obviously it is going to be hard week in and week out facing a tough divisional opponent."

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork (on the win)
"We are going to have to continue to win to get into the playoffs and go further in the playoffs. We are going to have to make this a copycat effort, it is going to feel good coming in tomorrow and looking at the tape and seeing some positive things. We can look forward. Anytime you play a game you never play a complete game, you’ll get close to it. It is a positive thing right now that we came out with a win against a great team like the Jets. We just have to take this game and keep building on it."

Running back Michael Cloud (on returning to the Patriots)
"It has been an emotional roller-coaster through the last couple of days. I got the call to come back on Friday morning, so I had a lot of catching up to do to be active for the game. I had a lot of studying I had to do, like special teams plays and obviously the new plays on offense. I have to keep rolling with punches and make plays."

Running back Kevin Faulk (on his return)
"It felt good getting back in the groove, and playing with the guys. That’s the most important thing, getting out there again and having fun with them. I think that’s what we are supposed to do as offense, kill some time on the clock and run the ball, pass the ball and be a balanced attack and score."

Faulk (on being ready right away today)
"I credit the entire coaching staff, the trainers, the strength and conditioning coaches, for not bringing me back too soon. If it was up to me, I probably would have tried to come back two or three weeks ago, but they wanted me to be full strength. I would have played as much as they wanted me to today. That is my job. Whenever the coaches ask me to do something, that’s what I want to do, help the team win, no matter what it is."

Receiver Troy Brown (on Corey Dillon being back)
"Another healthy body, that’s all we’re asking for is to get some healthy bodies on the field. He was just being Corey, just running. That’s all he does, just run."

Brown (on clock control)
"That’s always important, we can keep the ball and they don’t have it and they don’t have a chance to score with it. If we don’t turn it over we have a pretty good chance of winning. I think we could be a little better in the red zone and get some touchdowns on the board instead of field goals. It was good for Adam [Vinatieri] today so he became the all time leading scorer, so I guess he was happy about kicking all the field goals but we have to do a little better down there. The team played a lot better today especially in the second half. Every little inch counts in this kind of weather."

Tight end Benjamin Watson (on Tom Brady)
"Tom is a great quarterback. Last week was tough for all of us. He wasn’t the only one who made mistakes out there. We all didn’t play up to the level we should have and it was great to see him out there making plays and leading us to a victory."

Linebacker Tedy Bruschi (on the game)
"It is a divisional game. I don’t care what the score is or who we are playing, Buffalo, Miami, or New York. We need to get the win and put some distance between us and the other teams in the division."

Post-game plan

A few hours after the conclusion of tonight's game, we'll update with reaction from Patriots coaches and players.

Ted talk

The following is the transcript from Ted Johnson's meeting with the media before today's Patriots-Jets game:

You have three members of your draft class here today -- you, Curtis [Martin] and Ty [Law]. You've all taken different roads.
"We’ve all taken different roads. I’ve probably taken the road less traveled -- an unexpected path but for me very rewarding and satisfying. I played 10 years longer than I thought I was going to play. But I miss it. [Tonight’s] game is the kind of game I wish I were playing in, and it’s pulling at the heart strings a little bit that I couldn’t play today. But that’s the way it goes. I have no complaints."

It's a nice gesture by the team to honor you...
"I’m certainly overwhelmed. It’s so flattering, over the top really. I’ll take it in, I’ll enjoy it and I’ll appreciate it and not let this moment pass me by. It’s really special for me. It’s great that they’re doing this."

That rookie class when you came in, Curtis [Martin] was the third round choice, Ty [Law] the first-round choice. Did you know that you three would have the careers that you’ve had?
"I don’t think anybody [knew], certainly Curtis with what he’s been able to do at that position. Ty? No. I think a week into camp Bill [Parcells] said to him ‘you’re going to be the first first-rounder I’ve ever cut.’ So I didn’t know how long his career was going to be, but he’s certainly proven that he’s a hell of a player. I knew we were a special group. You got Dave Wohlabaugh in there. Jimmy Hitchcock. He played seven or eight years. So it was a pretty stellar group of guys."

What’s been the hardest adjustment for you this first year?
"The buffet. Now that I’m in the media I’ve got the buffet again. So it’s nice to have the buffets, but probably just … right now there’s a bit of a lull, professionally, in what I’m doing. This TV stuff, there’s nothing to this stuff. I don’t know why everyone says it’s so hard [joking]. I don’t know why everyone’s complaining. But this is definitely a fun endeavor, the TV. It gives me some time to explore some other options and see what else we want to do. But this potentially could be a career for me, we’ll see. But I think you get up … you have a schedule, and everybody kind of goes off your schedule. ‘Dad’s not eating cereal ... normally he’s eating cereal at 6:30; now he’s eating it at 8 … is Dad gonna get up?’ I screw up the whole house."

Why are you surprised that you had such a long career?
"I don’t think I ever gave myself a lot of credit from an athletic standpoint. I always said, ‘I’m not an athlete, I’m just a middle linebacker.’ I was fortunate that there was still a need for my abilities and the assets that I brought. The game has changed and I just didn’t see what I did and how I played the game, I didn’t see the game evolving with that need as much. But I’ve been assured that there’s still a need. I still call [Virginia Head Coach] Al Groh and other coaches around the league and there’s still a need for that prototype [middle] linebacker. I’m happy for guys that are maybe not the most gifted athletically but they still have a place. They like to hit and initiate contact and like to play on the other side of the line. It’s good to know that."

Do you see Curtis going to the Hall of Fame? Would it surprise you if that happened?
"You know what’s weird, is that he’ll go and Adam [Vinatieri] will go one day and these are guys that I grew up with. So it’s almost like, ‘My God, my friends are going to go to the Hall of Fame.’ And I hope they do. I really do. It will be special because I feel like I’ll be part of it. Even though I didn’t play most of my career with [Curtis], we came in together and we were in the trenches with Parcells for a couple of years. So if he gets in, which I think he probably already has the numbers for, I’ll feel like a part of me made it into Canton too. It will be special."

Wayne Chrebet’s season was ended by a concussion. What advice would you give him as he contemplates retirement?
"I would tell him not to take it lightly; to go see the best neurologist he can see; find out as much as he can find out about it in regard to head trauma. There are a lot of side effects that people don’t know about. There are a lot of things that can affect you as far as memory loss and depression and different side effects that you kind of take for granted. You’re a football player. You’re not expecting to feel that way, but it’s a very serious thing and something you shouldn’t take lightly. I know he was contemplating it before the season. That hit — it was pretty eerie to see him with his eyes glossed over like that."

Did that really drive home your situation, knowing that people that love you have seen you like that at times?
"If my family saw me like that, knowing that for the last couple of years this has been on my mind, they would have been heartbroken. It’s kind of an eerie reminder of what this game can do. Wayne is not going to change his style of play. Wayne plays the way Wayne plays. I play the way I play. I’m not going to all of a sudden be a finesse football player. And that’s the way Wayne played. So for us to play the level we played at -- and really what got us into this league, and what kept us in this league is a physical style of play -- that’s what we have to do. So your body will tell you. Your body will tell you and hopefully you have the foresight and intelligence to know when to say when."

Was there talk after the 1998 season about you leaving?
"There was a little bit of that. Probably more so when I was put on the expansion draft [list] after the 2001 season and we renegotiated my contract. I was certainly concerned at that point. A lot of ups and downs. More ups certainly than downs. I’ve learned a lot about myself. I have no regrets. I could have gone somewhere else, maybe, and been the pillar of the defense earlier. But it’s OK. I learned a lot from my injuries. I learned a lot from what Bill and I went through. I learned a lot about myself. I’ve been on the top and I’ve been on the bottom too. I feel that gives me a lot of credibility when I talk to guys and look them in the eye, because I have been where everybody’s been. I feel like I can relate on every single level that a player goes through."

You talked about memory loss and depression. Are you suffering from any of that still?
"There’s still some residuals. Not too bad, trust me. My brain is pretty cleared up. Hopefully my employers think that or else they would have me on TV. I feel good. My body feels great. I don’t feel like Nick Nolte getting out of bed in North Dallas Forty. That’s a good thing. I have four kids now. I can bend over and play with them and know for certain that Dad will be able to play catch with them and run around with them. That’s all I wanted to do. If I could ever leave the game in halfway decent shape and condition, I was going to do that. It was just my time. It was just my time."

What do you think of when you look at this team this year and the way they’re struggling on defense?
"I think of how important it is to have the right guys. When you have new guys who don’t know the system and don’t know each other, it’s hard to gel. In football, you do not have to have the best players to win, you just have to have the best players that work together. Football, there’s not another game where it’s so important and vital for you to play for each other. I don’t have a job unless my nose tackle is doing his job. Tedy [Bruschi] made plays to free me up and I made plays to free Tedy up. That’s the way it works. There was a synergy with the group of guys we had and a cohesiveness that was pretty special. With all these new guys it takes time to develop. They’re seeing that right now. Forty-three new starters? That’s amazing, and they still have five games left. Subtle things. Rodney [Harrison] looking at Ty [Law]. Just a look, a glance, a quick signal, they could change positions. Just that little subtle look –-because they’ve been doing it for so long together—can be the difference between a big play for us or a big play against us. They just don’t have guys that have worked together that long and that’s part of the problem and that’s a big deal."

Quick hits

* Corey Dillon's 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter is his eighth rushing score of the season.

* With Dan Klecko inactive, the Patriots used offensive tackle Tom Ashworth as their goal-line fullback. Ashworth also lined up as a third tight end earlier in the game.

* The Patriots' third-quarter scoring drive lasted 8:32. The team also had a drive last 8:09 in the second quarter.

Quick hits

* Offensive tackle Tom Ashworth was used as a third tight end earlier in the game.

* Rosevelt Colvin’s sack in the second quarter gives him 4˝ on the season, which leads the team. He now has 37˝ career sacks.

* The Patriots have been in scoreless ties after the first quarter of each of their three AFC East division games.

First half analysis

Penalties and breakdowns on the offensive line, some conservative play-calling early, and a failure to convert in the red zone are primary factors as to why the Patriots hold just a 6-3 lead over the Jets through the first two quarters.

A costly Richard Seymour facemask penalty, which negated a recovered fumble in the second quarter, also didn’t help.

All told, the Patriots’ offense was sporadic.

On the team’s first drive, quarterback Tom Brady was sacked on third-and-5. On the team’s second drive, two consecutive running plays were called on second-and-10 and third-and-4 -- which didn’t result in a first down. On the team’s third drive, a clipping penalty on Stephen Neal was followed by another sack. The fourth drive was a chain-mover -- 14-plays -- but Brady threw behind Troy Brown on third-and-2 at the Jets’ 3, forcing the Patriots to settle for a field goal. The final march, in the two-minute offense, set up another field goal.

Defensively, the Patriots have continued their recent fine play against the run, holding the Jets to 28 yards on 11 carries. Curtis Martin has just 16 yards on 10 carries. That has put the ball in the hands of Jets quarterback Brooks Bollinger and he has done enough (51 yards passing, one 12-yard scramble) to keep New York close.

The Jets get the ball to start the second half. For the Patriots to win, they’ll need to tighten up their play on the offensive line, avoid the costly penalties that hurt them in the first half and capitalize in the red zone.

Adam's feat

Kicker Adam Vinatieri became the Patriots' all-time leading scorer with a 34-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter. He now has 1,131 points, one more than Gino Cappelletti's previous record (1,130).

Adam closes in

Kicker Adam Vinatieri's 21-yard field goal in the second quarter gives him 1,128 career points. The franchise record is 1,130, held by Gino Cappelletti.

Quick hits

Quick hits from the first quarter of the Patriots-Jets game:

* Adam Vinatieri’s missed field goal attempt from 45 yards makes him 14 of 19 on field goals this season. He is 3-of-5 from a distance of 40-49 yards.

* The Patriots were forced to punt on their opening drive, the seventh time that’s happened in 12 games this season. The Patriots have scored three touchdowns on opening drives, kicked one field goal and missed one field goal.

* Tom Brady has been sacked twice already, the team’s 21st and 22nd sacks allowed. The Patriots entered the game ranked an impressive 8th in the NFL in sacks allowed per pass play.

* Punter Josh Miller continues to make a strong case for the Pro Bowl. His first two punts were for 50 and 45 yards, respectively. Miller entered the game tied for the league lead with a 46.6 average and was second with a 39.5 net.

Brady hits 17,000

When quarterback Tom Brady connected with tight end Benjamin Watson for a 25-yard gain in the first quarter, he became the third quarterback in franchise history to reach 17,000 career yards passing.

The others are Drew Bledsoe (29,657) and Steve Grogan (26,886).

Defensive starters

The following are the Patriots' defensive starters in their 3-4 alignment:

DE: Warren, Seymour
NT: Wilfork
ILB: Bruschi, Vrabel
OLB: McGinest, Colvin
CB: Samuel, Hobbs
S: Hawkins, Wilson

Offensive starters

The Patriots won the coin toss and elected to receive. The following is the team's starting lineup:

LT: Kaczur
LG: Mankins
C: Hochstein
RG: Neal
RT: Gorin
TE: Watson, Fauria
QB: Brady
RB: Dillon
WR: Branch, Davis

Johnson's day

The Patriots are honoring former Patriots linebacker Ted Johnson at halftime of today’s game, and Johnson met with the media moments ago here in the Gillette Stadium press box.

“I’m certainly overwhelmed,” said Johnson, who is scheduled to be introduced to the crowd by team owner Robert Kraft and vice chairman/president Jonathan Kraft. “It’s so flattering, over the top really. I will take it in, I will enjoy it, and I will appreciate it. I won’t let this moment pass me by, because it really is special for me.”

Johnson said a day like today reminds him how much he misses football.

“This is the kind of game I wish I was playing in,” he said before the Patriots-Jets contest. “It’s pulling at the heartstrings a little bit that I couldn’t play today.”

Johnson was a second-round draft choice of the Patriots in 1995. The team’s first-round choice and third-round choice that year -- cornerback Ty Law and running back Curtis Martin -- are now with the Jets.

“We’ve all taken different roads and I’ve probably taken the road less traveled, I guess,” Johnson said. “It’s definitely a path unexpected, but for me, very rewarding and satisfying. I played 10 years longer than I thought I was going to play. I miss it.”

We’ll have some more from Johnson later in the day.

--Mike

Inactive analysis

Analysis from the Patriots’ inactive players:

* With Patrick Pass and Heath Evans out for today’s game, that leaves Corey Dillon, Kevin Faulk and Michael Cloud as the team’s personnel in the offensive backfield. Faulk hasn’t played since injuring his foot in Week 3 against the Steelers. Dillon, who is projected to start, has been out for the last three games (except for one play against Miami).

* With offensive tackle Matt Light and offensive lineman Billy Yates out, the Patriots enter with seven offensive linemen: tackles Nick Kaczur, Brandon Gorin and Tom Ashworth; and interior linemen Logan Mankins, Stephen Neal, Russ Hochstein and Gene Mruczkowski. Gorin has started the last three games at right tackle and it will be interesting to see if Ashworth, who started the season’s first eight games at right tackle, will be back in the starting lineup.

* With tight end Daniel Graham out, the Patriots will have Benjamin Watson and Christian Fauria at the position. As the Patriots often do, Mike Vrabel could also be used in goal-line situations as a receiver. Graham often helps in pass protection, so look for Watson and Fauria to fill some of those responsibilities -- specifically helping left tackle Nick Kaczur against John Abraham.

* With fullback Dan Klecko out, the Patriots will be without their primary short yardage blocker. That spot could be filled by an extra tight end or offensive lineman.

* With defensive end Marquise Hill out, the Patriots have Ty Warren, Vince Wilfork, Richard Seymour, Jarvis Green and Mike Wright on the defensive line. The team is a bit light in this area, making it unlikely we'll see many 4-3 alignments.

Jets inactives

The following are the inactive players for the Jets, who entered the game with a 52-man roster:

Quarterback Jay Fiedler
Running back Derrick Blaylock
Defensive back Darrien Johnson
Center Norm Katnik
Guard Isaac Snell
Defensive tackle Sione Pouha
Kliff Kingsbury -- 3rd quarterback

Inactive players

The following are the inactive players for the Patriots:

Offensive tackle Matt Light
Running back Patrick Pass
Running back Heath Evans
Offensive lineman Billy Yates
Tight end Daniel Graham
Fullback/defensive lineman Dan Klecko
Defensive lineman Marquise Hill
Matt Cassel -- 3rd quarterback

Game day

FOXBOROUGH -- Welcome to Gillette Stadium, where the temperature outside is 28 degrees and a large green tarp -- covered with a light coat of now -- is currently being removed from the playing field (1:40 p.m. ET). Two small snowplows are helping remove some of the snow off the tarp.

A couple of notes to pass along:

* Kicker Adam Vinatieri needs six points to become the Patriots' all-time leading scorer, surpassing Gino Cappelletti. Vinatieri enters today's game against the Jets with 1,125 career points. Cappelletti's team record is 1,130.

* The Patriots will honor former linebacker Ted Johnson (1995-present) at halftime of today's game. Here is a story from today's Boston Globe on Johnson.

More to come throughout the day.

--Mike