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Ashworth's tale

There are many things that take place behind the scenes with NFL teams that aren’t revealed until after the fact. One such story comes from the hours leading up to Saturday night’s AFC Divisional Playoff game between the Patriots and Broncos.

According to team sources, offensive tackle Tom Ashworth had a severe case of the stomach virus the night before the game, and remained in tough condition throughout the day on Saturday. Team doctors injected him with fluids throughout the day and there was a question as to whether Ashworth, a four-year veteran, would be able to play.

The situation was especially important to the Patriots, given that rookie Nick Kaczur (shoulder) -- who had replaced opening-day starter Matt Light for 12 starts -- was unable to play. That meant Ashworth had to start at left tackle, just his third career start at the position.

But when the Patriots came out for warm-ups before the contest, Ashworth wasn’t part of the mix. Rookie Logan Mankins warmed up at left tackle, with second-year player Billy Yates filling in at left guard. Ashworth was back in the locker room at the time, still dealing with the effects of his illness.

Ashworth (6-6, 305) ended up taking the field with his teammates for opening introductions, and ultimately played the entire game. It was his 41st career contest and 34th career start, and it might have been one of his best efforts, given the circumstances and his performance.

It also might have been Ashworth’s last game as a Patriot. The 28-year-old is one of 17 unrestricted free agents and the team returns Light, Kaczur and Brandon Gorin at offensive tackle in 2006. It is unknown how Ashworth fits into the mix.

If it was indeed Ashworth's last effort as a Patriot, it was a gutsy one.

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

--Mike