Wearing Super Bowl rings on both hands, Patriots defensive end Ty Warren just arrived here at the media center. He's the first Patriots player we've spotted down here during Super Bowl week.

Warren, who is in town to do charity work, also has plans to "co-host" Jim Rome's television show on Friday. One part of his job will be to show viewers the scene at the Super Bowl, especially on "radio row."

Warren said the sting of the AFC Championship loss to the Colts hasn't gone away, and that it was different being at the Super Bowl without playing in the game.

"But if you're going to do it," he said, "there are worse places than Miami."

When longtime Patriots fans reflect on the 1991 and 1992 seasons –- a.k.a. the Dick MacPherson era –- names like receiver Irving Fryar, tight end Marv Cook, running back Leonard Russell, linebacker Andre Tippett and safety Fred Marion might come to mind.

Another player from those teams is present here at Super Bowl XLI. And despite the teams posting records of 6-10 in 1991 and 2-14 in 1992, he reflects fondly on that era of Patriots football.

“I had great memories,” said quarterback Hugh Millen, who works part-time as a football television and radio analyst and is here with Seattle-based radio station KJR.

“The New England people are very provincial and passionate. I was told when I came that Steve Grogan is beloved because he was a tough guy, and right or wrong, that Tony Eason wasn’t perceived as being as tough so people kind of got on Tony Eason. They said first things first in New England, you better be tough. I thought that was good advice.

"We didn’t have success the Patriots are obviously having now, and I wasn’t the quarterback that Tom Brady is, that’s stating the obvious. But I had great memories and that was the only time in my career that I got to be a starter. The team had been 1-15 the year before, and not that you’re a good team when you’re 6-10, but it was a unique period in Patriots history that the fans could really be excited about. My sense from the New England fans was that we had a level of appreciation that would belie our 6-10 record.”

Millen enjoyed the time he lived in the region.

"Sean McDonough was my neighbor and we became good friends," he said. "I had nothing but good experiences, I just wish the next season, in 1992, I separated my shoulder in the first quarter of the first game and that year was a lot more difficult. I was kind of in and out the lineup, and trying to play with a separated shoulder. If I had to do it again, I probably wouldn't have played with that injury."

Millen, who was a backup in Dallas and Denver after his two-year Patriots career, currently resides in Seattle.

Tony Corrente has been selected as the referee of Super Bowl XLI.

Patriots fans might remember Corrente from the AFC Divisional round victory over the Chargers. Corrente, now in his 12th season as a referee, officiated that game. This is Corrente's first Super Bowl. He was the backup referee last year.

Corrente's backup this year is Jeff Triplette.

The Patriots will allocate center/guard Brian Barthelmes to NFL Europe this year. Barthlemes, who played in college at Virginia, ended the 2006 season on the team's practice squad.

The Patriots have also allocated punters Tom Malone and Danny Baugher to NFL Europe. Both Malone and Baugher were on the team's practice squad at the end of the 2006 season.

Although the Super Bowl is a big event, it is also a reminder that the NFL is a small world with a lot of connections. Bears offensive line coach Harry Hiestand delivered that message when he spoke about Patriots offensive line coach Dante Scarnecchia.

Hiestand and Scarnecchia were introduced by Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner, who broke into coaching as a graduate assistant with Scarnecchia at Pacific in 1977.

Hiestand first met Scarnecchia at the University of Illinois.

"One year, Dante was coming to Illinois to work out some of our offensive linemen who were draft eligible, and when he came I had a chance to meet with him. I've always admired his work," said Hiestand, who was Illinois' offensive line coach. "He's had tremendous success in what he does. He's a great coach, one of the great coaches in the offensive line to ever coach in the NFL. He's somebody who has influenced a lot of people in the way he's done it. More importantly, he's a great man too. You get to know him, he's something really special."

MIAMI -- Former Patriots defensive lineman Dan Klecko touched on last week's AFC Championship victory over the Patriots during today's Super Bowl XLI media day festivities.

Klecko caught a touchdown pass in the game.

“It was a team that didn’t think I could play for them anymore, but here I am in Miami," he said. "It’s really special for me.”

Klecko also reflected on his time in New England, and how it ended.

“I talked to Bill [Belichick] and Scott [Pioli] and they just decided it was time to move on," said Klecko, a fourth-round draft choice in 2003 who played several different positions. "We had enough with the experiments and all, and it was just time to move on. There is no bad blood there. I think it was kind of mutual.”

Klecko does feel he could have stuck in New England had he played only one position.

“I think if they would have did that, I could have really flourished into something," he said. "But the past is the past, and that’s over. I would have liked to have played 3-technique, stuck with the nose in pass rushing situations and all. But that’s water under the bridge now.”

For the Colts this year, Klecko said he has been playing about 10-15 snaps per game at defensive tackle, backing up Anthony McFarland. Asked if he put on some weight since his time in New England, he laughed.

“Honest to God, I’m the same exact weight. I think it’s the uniform," he said, which drew laughter from reporters. "I'm 280. I stepped on the scale Thursday. I think it is the white uniform and all. I don’t know what it is, because I see it too. I look and I’m like ‘Oh my God, what the heck.’ It’s not slim in this uniform. I think it’s the 61. It all just looks horrible."

Klecko said he has been reminded of his plump look by Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel.

“Vrabel calls me all the time and messes with me," he said. "I really don’t know how to explain it.”

MIAMI -- When Bears kicker Robbie Gould was entering the NFL in 2005, he had a choice of three teams with which to sign a free-agent contract -- the Patriots, Steelers or Lions.

He chose the Patriots.

"I thought 'who else better than the New England Patriots?'" Gould said today at Super Bowl XLI Media Day at Dolphin Stadium. "They were the best team in the league and I figured a lot of teams would be looking to take guys from their squad. They had the best kicker in the league and the best coach. I was looking for an opportunity to make myself better and I felt that was the best opportunity for me."

Gould, who attended Penn State, spent four months with the Patriots before he was waived. He was signed to the Ravens' practice squad for 20 days, before he was waived again. Gould signed with the Bears Oct. 8, 2005, essentially on a week-to-week basis.

Now, he's the Bears permanent kicker, having earned a Pro Bowl berth. Gould said part of his success can be attributed to the time he spent with the Patriots, learning from Adam Vinatieri.

"Adam says he hasn't helped me, that's the rumor, but as much as he says he hasn't he has," Gould said. "He's a guy who I asked a lot of questions, but not too many questions. So I just more looked at his preparation, saw what he did in the weight room, to what he does on the practice field and really in games. He's one of those guys I like to watch every weekend if I get a chance. You can just tell in his eyes and in his face that when the lights are on, it's time to go to work."

FORT LAUDERDALE -- Kicker Adam Vinatieri was front and center Monday night, one of six Colts players to meet with the media after the team's arrival. Vinatieri addressed his teammates last week, speaking to them about what the Super Bowl is all about. This is Vinatieri's fifth Super Bowl in his 11-year career.

Vinatieri was asked how Colts coach Tony Dungy and Patriots coach Bill Belichick are similar and different.

"The way they are similar is that they are both very, very intelligent and very good coaches as far as Xs and Os," he said. "I guess, pretty much everything beyond that, is different. It's hard to even compare. They are two completely different styles but both very successful. Coach Dungy approaches everyting more of as a friend type of thing where he wants you to play well because he wants to see you succeed. Coach Belichick is a little bit more of a figurehead, maybe that's the wrong terminology, but more of a scary figure."

Vinatieri was also asked about the styles of the first two coaches he played for in the NFL, Bill Parcells and Pete Carroll.

"We're getting into my whole career here," he said. "I think everybody knows how Coach Parcells coaches. He's that strong, tough-nosed guy and very successful obviously. And then Pete Carroll won national championships at USC. They are four completely different coaches, so it just goes to show that you have the right team, and the right players and the right leadership on the team, you can lead in your own way and still be successful. A lot of guys have rings, so I guess you can't complain one way or the other. Hopefully [Dungy] will get one, too."

TUESDAY LOOK-AHEAD: The Bears and Colts will take part in Media Day festivities on Tuesday, with the Bears at 10 a.m. and the Colts at noon.

Patriots fans hoping for a big free-agent signing such as linebacker Lance Briggs might consider seeking alternatives.

Briggs, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in March, was one of six Bears players to speak with the press here at the Super Bowl.

Asked by a New England reporter if he could envision himself in a 3-4 defense -- which is what the Patriots play -- Briggs didn't sound enthused.

"The 3-4 is a whole different scheme," he said, noting that he played in the middle of a 3-4 at the University of Arizona.

Asked if he liked playing in that scheme, he said: "Not really."

Briggs believes he's a good fit in the Bears' scheme, which is a 4-3 that features smaller, athletic players.

"It allows me to play ball, the weakside position in this defensive scheme, you're kind of called on to make play after play after play," he said. "When Lovie [Smith] came here, he said 'I want you to play the weakside, I want you to be the Derrick Brooks of this defense.' In this defense, you are relied to make play after play."

Asked how that would transfer to a 3-4, playing inside linebacker, he said: "Not real well."

The 6-foot-1, 240-pound Briggs has been credited by Bears coaches with 176 tackles, ranking him second on the team. He does have one tie to the Patriots, with linebacker Tedy Bruschi.

"We went to the same college and we're also from the same area in [Sacramento] California," he said. "I heard a lot of great stories about Bruschi. When I see him, he always has nice words for me."

COLTS LOOK-AHEAD: The Colts will meet with the press at 8:30 p.m. EST after arriving in South Florida from Indianapolis. Head coach Tony Dungy will be joined by players Adam Vinatieri (kicker), Jeff Saturday (center), tight end Dallas Clark, linebacker Gary Brackett, defensive lineman Anthony McFarland and safety Bob Sanders.

A look at players on both Super Bowl teams who have connections to the Patriots:

Bears
Robbie Gould -- Pro Bowl kicker entered the NFL in 2005 as an undrafted free agent with the Patriots. Was waived Aug. 30, 2005 and signed to the Ravens' practice squad. Was waived by the Ravens Sept. 27, 2005 and signed by Chiacgo Oct. 8, 2005. Led all NFL kickers with 143 points in 2006, going 32 of 36 on field goals this season. Was 5 of 5 on field goals in two playoff games.

Colts
Dan Klecko -- Fourth-round draft choice of the Patriots in 2003. Waived on Sept. 2, 2005 and claimed by the Colts Sept. 3. Played in 10 regular-season games as a backup defensive tackle, as well as a short yardage fullback. Scored a touchdown in AFC Championship game against the Patriots.

Dexter Reid -- Fourth-round draft choice of the Patriots in 2004. Waived on Aug. 29, 2005 and claimed by the Colts on Aug. 30, 2005. Reserve safety who appeared in all 16 games for the Colts in 2005, he was waived at the start of the 2006 season and re-signed on Oct. 25. Played in 10 regular-season games this year, contributing mostly on special teams.

Adam Vinatieri -- After spending 10 years with the Patriots, kicker signed a free-agent contract with the Colts on March 22, 2006. Was 25 of 28 on field goals this season, and was 11 of 11 in three playoff games.

MIAMI -- It didn't take long for the Patriots to become a topic of discussion here at the Super Bowl.

When Bears Pro Bowl center Olin Kreutz was asked about Rex Grossman being the "other" quarterback in this game, he said: "Unless you’re Tom Brady in a game with Peyton Manning, you’re probably the other quarterback."

Kreutz also touched on how the Bears' loss to the Patriots on Nov. 26 didn't affect the team's confidence. It was one of only three losses for the Bears on the season.

"Our mindset was that we lost the game and had to get back to work, that’s always our mindset,” Kreutz said. “New England did a great job beating us, we knew it would be a tough game for us, and it proved to be true. But we were 11-2, still leading the conference, and everything was right there for us.”

MIAMI -- Welcome to Miami, where the media coverage of the Super Bowl officially begins at 4 p.m. EST with the arrival of the Chicago Bears.

Six Bears players are scheduled to meet with the media at 6 p.m. EST. The players are linebacker Brian Urlacher, defensive end Alex Brown, receiver Muhsin Muhammad, cornerback/returner Devin Hester, cornerback Charles Tillman and center Olin Kreutz.

Bears head coach Lovie Smith is also scheduled to be available to the media.

We'll pass along updates of note after the access. The Colts aren't scheduled to arrive until Monday night.

As we transition from the 2006 season to the offseason, here is one look back, as we handed out some "awards" that cover the past season.

We'll be heading to Miami for Super Bowl XLI on Sunday and will plan on passing along updates from there.

One new twist to free agency this year is with restricted free agents.

In past years, there have been three options for teams with their restricted free agents.

If the Patriots can not reach contract extensions with cornerback Asante Samuel and tight end Daniel Graham before free agency begins March 2, they could retain one player by using the franchise tag.

The franchise tag figures have been finalized for 2007 and the numbers for the cornerback and tight end positions are as follows:

Cornerback: $7.79 million
Tight end: $4.31 million

ANALYSIS: The franchise figure for Samuel would give him the second highest cap hit on the team, behind quarterback Tom Brady ($11.3 million). It is possible the Patriots could use the tag the same way they did with Tebucky Jones in February of 2003, when the Patriots tagged Jones and then traded him. Otherwise, the tag is likely too rich for the Patriots, who would have almost $19 million of the $109 million cap tied up in two players, which runs counter to their philosophy of spreading more money to more players. As for Graham, the preference on both sides is to work out an extension, but if that fails, it's hard to imagine the Patriots letting him go given that the franchise tag is "only" $4.3 million.

Punters Tom Malone and Danny Baugher, who were signed to 2007 contracts after spending parts of the '06 season on the Patriots' practice squad, will be allocated to NFL Europe.

John Rickert, the agent for Malone, said that NFL teams must allocate a minimum of three players and a maximum of five players to NFL Europe. Allocated players are granted a roster exemption through the end of training camp.

For Malone (USC) and Baugher (Arizona), it's a chance to punt in live games and get themselves on videotape for NFL teams to see.

Malone and Baugher factor in to what could be an interesting situation at punter for the Patriots. Likely factoring into the team's decision-making at punter is that 2006 opening-day starter Josh Miller -- who was placed on season-ending injured reserve Nov. 26 due to his shoulder -- is due a $100,000 roster bonus on the 15th day of the 2007 league year.

Veteran punters Ken Walter and Todd Sauerbrun are among a group of 14 Patriots players who are scheduled for unrestricted free agency in March.

The Patriots announced the signing of seven players off their practice squad to contracts for the 2007 season:

Center Brian Barthelmes
Punter Danny Baugher
Offensive tackle Sean Bubin
Running back Quadtrine Hill
Tight end Matt Kranchick
Punter Tom Malone
Defensive lineman Santonio Thomas

The eighth player on the practice squad was defensive back James Patrick.

The AFC Championship game between the Patriots and Colts on Sunday night averaged 46.7 million viewers, up 20 percent from last season's title game, CBS announced.

The 46.7 million total was the highest number of average viewers for the AFC Championship game since the Patriots-Dolphins drew 47.5 million viewers Jan. 12, 1986.

In addition, the 46.7 million viewers made the AFC Championship the most-watched non-Super Bowl program since the series finale of “Friends” on NBC (52.5 million, May 6, 2004), according to CBS.

“Few things stand the test of time in today’s television environment like the NFL,” said Sean McManus, President CBS News & Sports, in a statement. “To reach viewership numbers that have not been reached in more than 20 years really builds great momentum for our team heading into the Super Bowl."

With the Patriots turning their attention to the offseason, here is a snapshot look at the 14 players scheduled for unrestricted free agency:

Closing the book on the Patriots' 38-34 loss to the Colts in the AFC Championship game by looking at the positional groupings used by the team:

3 WR/1 TE/1 RB -- 26 of 58 snaps
2 WR/2 TE/1 RB -- 19 of 58
3 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 6 of 58
2 WR/1 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 3 of 58
1 WR/2 TE/1 FB/1 RB -- 3 of 58
3 WR/1 FB/1 RB -- 1 of 58

TUESDAY LOOK-AHEAD: There is no scheduled media access at Gillette Stadium. We'll plan on passing along a team-based update at some point during the day.

A snapshot look at offensive participation from the Patriots' 38-34 loss to the Colts in the AFC Championship game:

TE Benjamin Watson -- 50 of 58 snaps (86 percent)
WR Reche Caldwell -- 48 of 58 (82 percent)
WR Jabar Gaffney -- 47 of 58 (81 percent)
TE Daniel Graham -- 34 of 58 (58 percent)
WR Troy Brown -- 31 of 58 (53 percent)
FB Heath Evans -- 30 of 58 (51.7 percent)
RB Laurence Maroney -- 17 of 58 (29.3 percent)
RB Corey Dillon -- 14 of 58 (24.1 percent)
RB Kevin Faulk -- 10 of 58 (17.2 percent)
TE David Thomas -- 7 of 58 (12 percent)
WR Chad Jackson -- 2 of 58 (3.4 percent)

ANALYSIS: When it comes to how the Patriots used their personnel, the first thing that stands out is that Kevin Faulk wasn't on the field for the team's final 24 snaps. One week after playing the most snaps of all the running backs in San Diego (47), Faulk played in just 10, apparently because of a health-related issue. In his absence, Heath Evans played when the Patriots went to their three-wide set. Faulk's last snap was the third offensive play of the third quarter. At tight end, Benjamin Watson took a lead role, playing in the team's two-TE package and was also the primary tight end in the team's three-wide set. At receiver, Reche Caldwell and Jabar Gaffney were 1-2 in the two-wide set, with Troy Brown coming on the field as a target in the slot.

MONDAY UPDATE: There is no media access at Gillette Stadium today. We'll plan on passing along our next update later tonight.

A look at who's up and who's down from the Patriots' 38-34 loss to the Colts in the AFC Championship game

Up
Stephen Gostkowski -- Rookie kicker did his part, with some booming kickoffs (2 touchbacks) and two field goals.

Ellis Hobbs -- Cornerback had an 80-yard kickoff return in the second half and was strong in coverage.

Offensive line -- Led by left tackle Matt Light, who had a solid effort against Dwight Freeney, this unit holds up in pass protection against an athletic Colts front.

Asante Samuel -- Interception return for a touchdown, as cornerback capped off a tremendous season.

Down
Reche Caldwell -- Two dropped passes, the second of which forced the Patriots to settle for a field goal to go up 34-31.

Linebacking unit -- Just not enough plays from the crew that consisted of Rosevelt Colvin, Tedy Bruschi, Eric Alexander and Mike Vrabel, especially in the second half.

Laurence Maroney -- Rookie running back was a disappointment, finishing with eight carries for 13 yards (1.6 avg.) and a fumble on the goal-line.

Jabar Gaffney/Jarvis Green/Heath Evans/Tully Banta-Cain -- With the game coming down to the wire in the fourth quarter, each player commits a costly penalty.

MONDAY LOOK-AHEAD: Monday will be a travel day back to Indianapolis. We'll be on and off the web and will pass along any updates along the way.

A few comments from the Colts' side after their victory in the AFC Championship game:

Coach Tony Dungy
"Obviously, there is a lot of emotion in that locker room. I could not be more proud of our guys. We had to do it the hard way. We had to through a great champion, and we got down 18 points to them and that's not easy, but at halftime I just felt an energy in our locker room. ... Our team went the hard way the whole year, but they hung tough, and I'm so proud of them. I'm excited for our whole city, our organization, taking our team to the Super Bowl. Couldn't for a better way to end this part of our year."

Dungy
(on Manning winning it with a Tom Brady-style drive)
"Tom Brady is a great quarterback. Peyton is a great quarterback. Peyton has brought us back a lot of times. We haven't had this opportunity and had a chance to do it on this stage before. There was no doubt in anybody's mind that we were going to take that football and score. I think we all felt good that Peyton was going to drive us, and I think it's great for him to get to the Super Bowl with a drive like that. It probable won't shut anybody up until we win one, still be 'Well, you can't win the Super Bowl.' Peyton Manning is a great player. Anybody who doesn't know that doesn't know much about football."

Quarterback Peyton Manning
"I really appreciated it, Tedy Bruschi came up, Kevin Faulk, and Tom [Brady] just wished me luck. I just apprecoated the class those guys demonstrated. They've beaten us and today we beat them."

On advancing to the Super Bowl
"I don't get into monkeys [off the back] and vindication. I know how hard I've worked this season. I know how hard I worked this week to get ready for these guys, and it's always nice when you come away with a win. I thought this game was about two really good football teams. I can remember the disappointment three years ago when we lost up there to New England in the AFC Championship."

Kicker Adam Vinatieri
"Playing against them has a little extra emotion. This is one of the happier wins I've ever had. The key to this game was the heart on this team -- offense, defense, special teams. We never gave up and just kept on grinding, kicking, scratching and finding a way to get it done."

Comments from Patriots coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and players after the game:

Belichick
"It was a very tough football game against a good team. You've got to give the Colts credit. They made more plays than we did and they deserved to win. It was about as competitive a game as you can get. They just made a couple more plays than we did."

Brady
"We just let too many opportunities get away. We had the ball in good field position at certain times. We should have got the ball in the end zone. We didn't execute very well."

Receiver Reche Caldwell
"That was tough. They played for four quarters and made more plays than we did. I dropped a few critical balls that I should've had."

Linebacker Tedy Bruschi
"It was a tale of two halves, really. We had some key defensive stops and a key defensive score by Asante [Samuel]. We had a little bit of momentum going into halftime. Give credit to them. They made some great adjustments and were able to do a lot of things on us in the second half. It seemed like both defenses were doing what they could to make a stop, especially in the fourth quarter, and they got their stop to win the game."

Bruschi
(On his comments to Peyton Manning)
"I told him congratulations and good luck. He's a great competitor. He's always fought out there. I'm out there playing against him every time we play and he's got his heart and soul out there on the field. So I just wanted to wish him congratulations and good luck in the Super Bowl."

Linebacker Mike Vrabel
"Everyone had their opportunity there, to put the game away. Defensively, we weren't able to get much done in the second half. It's frustrating."

Linebacker Rosevelt Colvin
"We have to give credit to them. They made the plays when they were supposed to. We didn't execute in the situations when we had opportunities. As a defense, I think we have to play better than that to give ourselves a better chance to win."

Nose tackle Vince Wilfork
"The second half, they came out and played some great football. They ran the ball. They threw the ball. They play-actioned us and moved it up and down the field. We played our hearts out. That's all you can ask."

Cornerback Ellis Hobbs
"Coming out of the half, we were very lazy on defense and they just kept driving and driving on us. In the first half, we just beat their heads in. Then we came out flat and just basically let them in the game again. It's kind of like a boxing match. You keep punching, keep punching at them, and we didn't punch hard enough."

Outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain
"You don't want to get into a shootout with this type of team. They can play from ahead and behind. They can put points on the board before you know it. We had a comfortable lead but it wasn't really comfortable because they came right back."

INDIANAPOLIS -- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady promised a classic in tonight’s AFC Championship game against the Colts. The teams didn’t disappoint. This was an indeed an instant classic.

After a first half in which the Patriots controlled most of the action, the second half was simply sizzling. The Colts charged back from a 15-point halftime deficit, tying the game and setting up a toe-to-toe battle that added another epic chapter to this still-growing rivalry.

In the end, it came down to this: Holding a 3-point lead with 2:17 left, the Patriots couldn’t run out the clock, and faced the challenge of attempting to stop the Colts, who started at their own 20 yard-line.

It was too tall a task.

Quarterback Peyton Manning, who had been dogged by his inability to lead the Colts to the Super Bowl, directed a seven-play, 80-yard scoring drive, with rookie running back Joseph Addai bursting up the middle for a 3-yard score with one minute remaining, giving the Colts their first lead, 38-34.

The Patriots had one final chance, taking over at their 20 with two timeouts, but after advancing to the Colts’ 40, Brady was intercepted as the Colts recorded a thrilling victory before a super-charged crowd of 57,433 at the RCA Dome.

The Colts advance to Super Bowl XLI against the Bears on Feb. 4. The Patriots’ season ends, with the team suffering its first-ever loss in the AFC Championship game.

A few hours after the game, we'll plan on posting comments from coach Bill Belichick, quarterback Tom Brady and other players.

The Colts just announced that TE Ben Utecht has a right knee injury. His return is questionable.

Safety Artrell Hawkins has returned to action for the Patriots.

With Artrell Hawkins out with an injury, the Patriots have turned to Rashad Baker at safety alongside James Sanders.

Also, Colts tight end Ben Utecht was injured on a third-quarter play. We'll pass along any announcements from the press box.

The Patriots announced that safety Artrell Hawkins suffered a leg injury in the third quarter. His return is questionable.

OLB Rosevelt Colvin has returned to the game. He came back on when for the Colts' play at the 1, when Peyton Manning found Dan Klecko for a touchdown reception.

Patriots OLB Rosevelt Colvin has left the game, and is being tended to by the team's medical staff on the sideline. He appears to be having some problems with his right leg.

He was replaced by Tully Banta-Cain.

Notes from the Patriots' media relations staff:

SAMUEL SCORES AGAIN
Asante Samuel returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to give the Patriots a 21-3 lead. The interception return for a touchdown was the third of Samuel’s 11-game playoff career, tying Oakland’s Willie Brown for the highest career playoff total in NFL history. Brown acheived the total in 17 career games. Samuel has now returned three of his four career playoff interceptions for touchdowns and has recorded a total of five career interceptions returned for touchdowns (including two in the regular season). He has recorded an interception in four of his last five playoff games dating back to last season. Samuel also returned an interception 36 yards for a touchdown in the Patriots’ first-round playoff victory over the New York Jets on Jan. 7. He tied for the NFL regular season lead with 10 interceptions in 2006, a mark that ranks as the second highest single-season total in Patriots history and the highest total by a Patriot since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger (Ron Hall, 11, 1964).

QUICK-STRIKE SCORES
The Patriots scored two touchdowns in a 53-second span in the second quarter to turn a 7-3 lead into a 21-3 advantage with 9:25 left in the first half. The achievement marked the second time during this season’s playoffs that the Patriots have recorded quick-strike back-to-back touchdowns. The Patriots scored twice in a 22-second span in the fourth quarter of their 37-16 win over the New York Jets in a first-round playoff game on Jan. 7. Today, the Patriots took a 14-3 lead on a 7-yard run by Corey Dillon with 10:18 left in the second quarter. Just two offensive plays later, the Patriots were in the end zone again when Asante Samuel returned an interception 39 yards for a touchdown with 9:25 left in the second quarter to give the Patriots a 21-3 lead.

TOUCHDOWN FOR MANKINS
Guard Logan Mankins recovered a Laurence Maroney fumble in the end zone in the first quarter to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead in the first quarter. The touchdown was the first of Mankins’ career and was the first touchdown scored by a Patriots offensive lineman since Dec. 17, 2005, when offensive tackle Tom Ashworth caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady after lining up as an eligible receiver in the Patriots’ 28-0 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Prior to Mankins’ touchdown, the last time the Patriots scored on a fumble recovery in the end zone was on Nov. 28, 2004, when Jarvis Green pounced on a loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown in New England’s 28-3 win over Baltimore at Gillette Stadium.

DILLON SCORES
Corey Dillon scored his second touchdown of this year’s playoffs and the fourth touchdown of his playoff career when he ran into the end zone from seven yards out to give the Patriots a 14-3 second-quarter lead. Dillon’s total of four career playoff rushing touchdowns rank second on the Patriots’ all-time playoff list, trailing only Curtis Martin’s five career playoff scores. Dillon led the Patriots with 13 touchdowns in the regular season.

LONG RUN FOR DILLON
Corey Dillon recorded a 35-yard run in the first quarter as part of New England’s first touchdown drive of the game. Dillon’s 35-yard run was the second longest of his playoff career, trailing only a 42-yard run against Indianapolis in the 2004 divisional playoffs on Jan. 16, 2005. Including today’s 35-yarder, the three longest runs of Dillon’s eight-game playoff career have all come against the Colts – the 42-yarder on Jan. 16, 2005, today’s 35-yard run and a 27-yard run on Jan. 16, 2005.

FOURTH-DOWN CONVERSIONS
The Patriots converted key fourth downs on each of their first two touchdown drives of the game. First, the Patriots went for it on fourth-and-inches at Indianapolis’ 48-yard line and Corey Dillon gained 35 yards on the play, setting up Logan Mankins’ fumble recovery for a touchdown to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. On the Patriots’ next drive, the Patriots went for it on fourth-and-six at the Colts’ 34-yard line and Troy Brown caught a 27-yard pass on the play, setting up Corey Dillon’s 7-yard touchdown run on the next play to give the Patriots a 14-3 lead. In the regular season, the Patriots led the NFL with an 80 percent conversion rate on fourth down attempts (16-for-20). New England also led the NFL in allowing its opponents to convert on fourth down just 27.3 percent of the time (3-for-11) during the regular season.

FIRST TO SCORE
The Patriots took a 7-0 lead on a fumble recovery in the end zone, marking the 10th time that they have scored first in their last 11 playoff games. The only playoff game in their last 11 in which the Patriots did not score first was Super Bowl XXXIX, when Philadelphia took a 7-0 lead in a game New England won, 24-21. The Patriots scored first in 10 of 16 regular-season games in 2006.

STARTING STRONG
The Patriots defense held the Colts to a punt on their opening drive of the game. Since Bill Belichick became head coach of the Patriots, New England has not allowed opponents to score on an opening drive in the playoffs. In 14 games (including today), Belichick’s Patriots have forced 12 punts and recorded two interceptions on opponents’ opening drives in the playoffs.

HALFTIME LEAD
The Patriots held a 21-6 halftime lead in today’s game. The Patriots entered today’s action with an all-time record of 15-0 when leading at halftime in the playoffs. Tom Brady entered today’s game with a 62-2 career record when leading at halftime, including a 9-0 mark in playoff games.

Analysis of the first half of tonight's AFC Championship game, with the Patriots leading 21-6:

Defensively, the Patriots made a strategic personnel change, inserting second-year player Eric Alexander at inside linebacker, shifting Mike Vrabel to the outside, and having outside linebacker Tully Banta-Cain start on the bench. That helped the unit get some more speed on the field, and put Vrabel into more of a pass-rushing role. It was an effective approach for much of the first half.

Also, cornerback Asante Samuel made a Ty Law-like play in the second quarter, picking off Peyton Manning and returning it 39 yards for a score. That play highlighted a theme throughout most of the first half: the Patriots' defensive backs have been marvelous, breaking up several pass plays by timing plays perfectly.

Offensively, fourth down has been the key. On both of the team's two touchdown drives, fourth-down plays were converted in the form of a 35-yard run by Corey Dillon (off the right side) and a 27-yard catch by Troy Brown (over the middle). The Patriots have protected generally well against the Colts' pass rush and have moved the ball well. One of the big negatives from the team's first-half performance on offense was a second-quarter drive that stalled on penalties, pushing the team out of field-goal range.

The Patriots are in command, maintaining momentum after being kicked back on their heels at the end of the second quarter, when the Colts strung together an impressive 15-play drive in the two-minute offense. But the drive ended with the Patriots holding the Colts to a field goal.

The Colts get the ball to start the second half.

Patriots CB Antwain Spann was injured on a Patriots punt in the second quarter. He was tended to briefly by the Patriots' medical staff before walking off the field under his own power.

We'll pass along any announcement from the press box regarding Spann's condition. He appears OK.

The Patriots are now 2 of 2 on fourth down tonight, after a Corey Dillon 35-yard run and a Troy Brown reception that set up the team's second touchdown.

The Patriots were the league's best team on fourth down during the regular season, converting 16 of 20 chances.

Colts DB Nick Harper suffered a sprained left ankle. The announcement in the press box indicated his return is questionable.

DE Richard Seymour has returned to action, entering the game on a third-down play with 5:05 left in the first quarter.

DE Jarvis Green has remained in the game, playing right defensive end. Richard Seymour is still on the sidelines in uniform.

The Patriots' media relations staff reports that DL Richard Seymour will be returning to the game.

Meanwhile, Colts MLB Gary Brackett returned to action.

Colts MLB Gary Brackett was injured on a first-quarter running play by Laurence Maroney. We'll pass along any announcements made in the press box.

DL Richard Seymour sustained an injury on the Colts' first offensive play. We'll pass along an update when an announcement is made in the press box. Seymour is currently on the sidelines, jogging along the Patriots' bench.

The play was a run by Joseph Addai and Seymour was in on the tackle along the sideline.

Jarvis Green took Seymour's spot.

Defensive starters for the Patriots:

DE: Ty Warren
NT: Vince Wilfork
DE: Richard Seymour
OLB: Rosevelt Colvin
ILB: Tedy Bruschi
ILB: Eric Alexander
OLB: Mike Vrabel
CB: Asante Samuel
CB: Ellis Hobbs
S: James Sanders
S: Artrell Hawkins

The big change is Alexander in the middle and Vrabel moving to the outside. That bumps OLB Tully Banta-Cain out of the lineup.

Offensive starters for the Patriots:

LT: Matt Light
LG: Logan Mankins
C: Dan Koppen
RG: Stephen Neal
RT: Nick Kaczur
TE: Daniel Graham, Benjamin Watson
QB: Tom Brady
RB: Corey Dillon
WR: Reche Caldwell, Jabar Gaffney

OPENING KICKOFF: The Patriots elected for more bulk on their opening kickoff, using just one returner (Ellis Hobbs) and an extra player to set the wedge (Russ Hochstein).

The Patriots won the toss and elected to receive. The call was "heads". That marks the 13th time in 19 games that the team won the opening coin toss.

The Patriots were introduced as a team tonight, choosing not to have their offense or defense introduced individually. This is the same way the team was introduced to the nation before Super Bowl XXXVI in their victory over the Rams.

It is simply electric here in the RCA Dome. Both teams are stretching, but the home fans are roaring every time an on-field camera shoots the image of a Colts player or coach and it appears on the video screens high above each end zone.

When kicker Adam Vinatieri appeared on the scoreboard, he gave two thumbs-up and the place erupted.

Just when you thought you've seen it all, the fans in the RCA Dome are cheering during kicker warmups, as Adam Vinatieri (Colts) and Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots) go back and forth.

When one of Gostkowski's kicks from 53 yards hit the crossbar and bounced out, fans cheered. For each kick that Vinatieri made, the cheers were that much louder.

Analysis from the Patriots' inactive players and what that could mean for others:

Inactive players for the Colts:

WR Ricky Proehl
DB Tim Jennings
DB T.J. Rushing
LB Gilbert Gardner
OG Matt Ulrich
OT Dan Federkeil
WR John Standeford
DE Ryan LaCasse

LaCasse is from Stoughton, Mass.

Inactive players for the Patriots:

WR Bam Childress
WR Kelvin Kight
S Rodney Harrison
C/G Gene Mruczkowski
OT Wesley Britt
DL Le Kevin Smith
DL Marquise Hill
Vinny Testaverde -- 3rd quarterback

Wide receiver Troy Brown, who has been questionable on the team's injury report with flu-like symptoms this week, has taken the field to loosen up. He's wearing his game pants, which is an indication he's ready to play.

On the opposite side of the field, Colts quarterback Peyton Manning is firing passes as he loosens up.

Quarterback Tom Brady has taken the field at the RCA Dome, and is loosening his arm with backup quarterback Matt Cassel. While kicker Stephen Gostkowski and punter Todd Sauerbrun are on the field in their game pants, Brady is in shorts and a T-shirt.

Several players have taken the field to loosen up.

Honorary captain Andre Tippett, who is one of 17 finalists for the Hall of Fame, is present on the sideline.

STAT TO REMEMBER: As game-time approaches, one stat to keep an eye on is the Patriots' third-down efficiency. In two playoff games, the Colts' defense has held opponents to a 3-of-22 success rate on third down.

Patriots coach Bill Belichick has arrived at the RCA Dome, and took the field with his children. Wearing a suit and tie, he walked the length of the field, seemingly checking the surface, before engaging in a lengthy discussion with Colts offensive coordinator Tom Moore.

Patriots vice president of player personnel Scott Pioli is also present on the field.

One line of thinking from the Patriots' perspective is that they'd like to win the opening coin toss and score a quick touchdown, quieting what is expected to be a loud Colts crowd.

As we await for kickoff, we examined the Patriots' success on opening drives this season when they win the coin toss.

Here is the breakdown from 18 games (16 regular season, 2 playoffs):

Winning toss (12)
Touchdowns -- 3
Field goals -- 0
Punts -- 7
Turnovers -- 2

The touchdowns came in games against the Bills, Vikings and Jets (playoffs). The turnovers came in the season opener against the Bills and the regular season meeting with the Colts.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Welcome to the RCA Dome, where the Patriots will visit the Colts in the AFC Championship game tonight (6:30 p.m. EST).

The seating capacity of the Dome is slightly more than 57,000.

Some of the names listed on the ring around the stadium provide reminders of the Colts' past, such as former Boston University receiver Bill Brooks (1986-92), quarterback Jim Harbaugh (1994-97), and coach Ted Marchibroda (1975-79, 92-95).

The media crowd is overflowing here in the press box, which will have some of the working press watching from tables behind the press box.

Outside, construction continues on a new Colts stadium, which will be called Lucas Oil Stadium. It is scheduled to open in 2008.

We'll plan on passing along updates along the way.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Today marks the 13th anniversary of Robert Kraft pruchasing the New England Patriots. Kraft reflected on the day for a piece in today's Boston Globe.

This marks the Patriots' fifth appearance in the AFC title game in Kraft's 13-year tenure.

INDY FEEL: There was some overnight snow here in Indianapolis, but of course, conditions won't be a factor as tonight's game will take place inside the RCA Dome. We'll be heading over to the stadium around the start of the NFC title game and will plan on checking back then.

With the Patriots sure to draw more national media coverage heading into the AFC championship game, we'll cap off each night with five links from around the country:

The Patriots announced that safety Rodney Harrison was downgraded to "out" for Sunday's AFC championship game.

Harrison was listed as doubtful on the team's injury report with a knee injury.

The Patriots did not downgrade any other players to out.

Bill Carollo is scheduled to referee Sunday's AFC championship game between the Patriots and Colts at the RCA Dome.

This means Carollo was rated as one of the top five referees this season.

Also, at this stage of the playoffs, crews that worked the entire season together are no longer intact. Instead, the league takes the highest rated officials at each spot, and pieces together "all-star" crews.

Each official on the field this weekend is rated in the top five at their respective position.

SATURDAY LOOK-AHEAD: Today is a travel day to Indianapolis. We won't have access to the web at times, and will plan on filing an update later tonight should any players be downgraded on the injury repotr.

Television color analyst Phil Simms and radio color analyst Boomer Esiason shared their thoughts on Patriots-Colts on a conference call earlier this week.

Some of their thoughts (transcript from CBS):

Esiason on Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady
"The compelling thing for me is watching Peyton and how he plays this game, and hoping he doesn’t make the key mistake for his sake. It’s that kind of external pressure that unfortunately he is faced with because he is Peyton Manning. On Tom Brady’s side, he’s almost coming in with ‘house money.’ I don’t see how he can lose in this situation. Even if he did lose and played badly, it doesn’t matter, the story will focus on Peyton Manning going to the Super Bowl. There might be a little blip here or there that he didn’t play well. I don’t expect that to happen, but I do think that there is this intense, competitive thing within Tom Brady that wants to beat Peyton Manning. That is a great thing to be motivated by and I would expect him to play well on Sunday as well."

Simms on Manning and Brady
"There is no question that it is a battle between the two and that they do take it personally, and rightfully so. I would. That’s what drives you. Bad for the Colts is the fact that Tom Brady is probably not happy this week. Yeah they won, but still he’s steaming because of what he did against the San Diego Chargers. That will make him more focused than ever. For Peyton, I don’t ever like to say things like this, but yes, there is -- the public is looking at him -- the pressure. He’s trying to overcome a huge hurdle. Who knows, if they overcome it and they win a Super Bowl, who knows, all of a sudden they could be the team that wins three in a row. But boy, getting over that hurdle -- that’s big stuff."

Esiason on Manning
"Here’s the deal for Peyton Manning, perception is reality. If he doesn’t win on Sunday and doesn’t get to the Super Bowl, he might as well buy a house next to A-Rod -- Alex Rodriguez -- because they’re going to be living in the same neighborhood. And that’s the neighborhood of the guys making the most money without the championships with the most stats in the regular season. I don’t feel that way because I think it’s horrific that these two great athletes have to be looked at in that vein. But that’s unfortunately the way it’s going to be perceived."

Simms on Bill Belichick
"Can he be viewed any higher than he is right now? After last week’s victory and this year, I think it’s elevated to a spot that we’ve seen very few coaches in any sport have."

With the Patriots sure to draw more national media coverage heading into the AFC championship game, we'll cap off each night with five links from around the country:

The Colts added linebacker Rob Morris to their injury report on Friday. He is questionable with a knee injury, and was reported to have missed portions of team drills.

The Boston Globe's Christopher L. Gasper reports from Indianapolis that Morris is expected to play Sunday (scroll to second section).

Morris was recently elevated to the starting lineup in place of Gilbert Gardner at strongside linebacker.

The Colts had no other changes. The Patriots had no changes on their Friday injury report.

FOXBOROUGH -- Quarterback Tom Brady held a press conference live on NFL Network (2:20 p.m.) and, like the players before him, wore a suit. At one point, Brady reached into his pocket and wasn't expecting to find a couple of $20 bills.

"My lucky day," he said, smiling.

As for a new target he's been finding of late, Brady praised receiver Jabar Gaffney (18 catches in two playoff games).

"Jabar has done a great job since he's been in the starting role. He's found a nice role for himself and he's catching a bunch of passes and making guys miss after he's catches it. He has a bunch of great qualities that a lot of receivers would love to have. He's very competitive. I'm glad he's on our team and I'm glad he's playing as well as he's playing. He's going to need to his play his best game this Sunday. I think that's what I expect and I know that's what he expects."

Asked if this has been his most rewarding season, Brady reflected on some bumps in the road early in the year.

"I think it's rewarding for a lot of reasons," he said. "Each season is entirely different. We did have some early-season struggles as an offense, centered around a lot of issues. The departure of other players, on every team, that ends up being a factor. The guys we have now, the guys that have been playing, have been in this offense the entire season, are doing great. We're excited about what we can accomplish. We're one game from the Super Bowl. A lot of teams would love to be in this position. I'm certainly glad we have this opportunity. They don't come around too often, so you have to take advantage of them when you get them."

Brady also lauded veteran receiver Troy Brown.

"When you look up the New England Patriots in the dictionary, there is a big picture of Troy's face," he said. "He's everything we stand for. I think when guys come in here and they're trying to figure out what it means to fit in, all you have to do is look at Troy. The preparation he puts in each week, the way he lays it on the line.

"That play, last week on the interception, was the best play I've ever seen. It saved our season. It's the only reason we're here today, working this week, because of his effort, his awareness, his sense of what it takes. We talked all week about playing 60 minutes, every single play. A lot of people would be let down by something like that, Troy's out there, he looks at the guy and he's holding the ball in one arm, and Troy reaches in and rips it out, and makes a play that hopefully -- if we take care of business this week -- sends us to the Super Bowl. He's a great player."

FOXBOROUGH -- Linebacker Mike Vrabel held a press conference live on NFL Network (2:10 p.m.) and was asked if facing a high-flying offense like the Colts is a challenge he really looks forward to. Not exactly, he said.

"I'll go back to what Peyton [Manning] said the other day, you have to be careful what you wish for, you might get it," he said. "We're going into this game preparing for their absolute best and for them to be hitting on all cylinders."

On attempting to disrupt the timing of the Colts' offense, Vrabel said: "You look at timing and timing could be getting [Peyton Manning] off the spot that he is 5 of 6 yards behind the center; getting your hands up and tipping a ball; making him hold it a second longer. There is a lot that goes into it. It's not just beating the guy and getting a good pass rush. You're not going to come free every play in this league, so you have to try to do other things as a player to try to help that ball disruption and that timing."

Vrabel also passed along his thoughts on the being part of the core of players who have been with the Patriots since 2001, when their Super Bowl run started. This is the group's fourth AFC championship game since that time.

"We put everything into we can, we don't hold anything back," he said. "It's not Little League, where you try to save the best pitcher for the championship game. We're trying to get there. We're trying to do everything we can to get to the next game."

FOXBOROUGH -- Defensive end Ty Warren held a press conference live on NFL Network (2 p.m.) and follow up on Richard Seymour's comments on the linemen not awarding a championship belt this week.

"It's pretty simple; we went into the season saying we didn't want any 100-yard rushers," he said. "But it is the NFL, and that was LT. They had some success against us, and we felt like we didn't play our best game. That's why nobody got the belt. The good thing is that we have another opportunity to put our best work out on the field, with a chance to advance."

In Sunday's win over the Chargers, running back LaDainian Tomlinson totaled 123 yards on 23 carries (5.3 avg.) against the Patriots.

Warren also touched on his absence from the team for all of Wednesday and the parts of Thursday.

"It was a situation where my mother got a little ill and she was hospitalized, but she's doing a lot better now and was actually released last night," he said.

FOXBOROUGH -- Pro Bowl defensive lineman Richard Seymour held a press conference live on NFL Network (1:50 p.m.) and was asked which lineman was awarded the championship belt for their performance in the playoff win over the Chargers.

"It kind of switches back and forth, but we didn't even give out a belt last week, giving up a 100-yard rusher [LaDainian Tomlinson]," he said. "We're putting that on hold right now."

The Patriots' defensive linemen began awarding a championship belt after the team's 35-0 victory in Green Bay on Nov. 19. The linemen decide who has the best performance, and that player is the declared the reigning champion.

Seymour also talked about the importance of getting pressure on Colts quarterback Peyton Manning.

"I think that's going to be one of the keys to the game," he said. "We definitely have to apply pressure on Peyton. He's a guy that if you let him stand in the pocket, he can pick you apart. I think defensively we put the pressure on ourselves. We don't always have to get sacks, but cause bad throws, or cause throws where our guy has a chance at the interception, or whatever the case may be. Up front, we're definitely going to have to do a good job. If we just allow to sit back there -- Peyton to [Marvin] Harrison, Peyton to [Reggie] Wayne, it will be that all day. To [Dallas] Clark. They have a lot of different guys that get the ball. Defensively, that's one of our bigger tasks."

Seymour said he believes the best two quarterbacks in the league will be on the field -- "however you want to rank them -- 1-2, 2-1 -- it doesn't matter. Both of them are elite quarterbacks and lead their teams to victories."

FOXBOROUGH -- Dressed in a suit and wearing a green tie, Patriots coach Bill Belichick held his Friday press conference (1:40 p.m.) live on NFL Network and was asked about the flu-like symptoms that have hit some of the team's players.

"At this time of year, those things can always pop up and we have a couple of them this week," he said. "We'll see where things are on Sunday. Normally, that can turn around quickly, one way or the other, in 24 hours or so. So we'll just have to see how it plays itself out."

Belichick was asked about Rodney Harrison's return to the practice field this week, and if he's noticed it having an impact on other players.

"It's great to have every player around, and Rodney is getting better," he said. "His presence is a positive influence on our entire organization, certainly our football team. He's getting closer, he's making progress, and we'll just have to see where that ends up."

Belichick opened with the following remarks:

"On behalf of the organization and football team, it's an honor for the New England Patriots to participate in this championship game against the Colts. We have all the respect in the world for the Indianapolis Colts and what they've done, their organization, Bill Polian, Tony Dungy, Jimmy Irsay, coaching staff, players. They've had an awesome year. We caught them right in the middle of one of their long winning streaks earlier in the season, and they played an excellent game against us here [Nov. 5] and certainly deserved to win that game. So we have a lot of respect for them in all three phases of the game -- offense, defense, special teams. They do everything well and they're playing their best football of the year in the last two games. They can score, they can defend, they can return, they can cover. They're just an outstanding football team and we know we're going to have to play our best game of the year to be competitive at the Dome on Sunday. I think the players are excited to play. As usual, it was a difficult week to prepare. They're a tough team to get ready for, they're very good at everything. It was a tough week of preparation, but nevertheless I think we've got the point we need to be at, and we'll get on the plane tomorrow, go up there, and be ready to go Sunday afternoon."

The media schedule has been slightly altered today, with Ty Warren subbing in for Tedy Bruschi at 2 p.m. Warren has missed the last two days, tending to a personal matter in Texas.

The Patriots just sent out the following press release:

Former Patriots linebacker Andre Tippett, one of 15 modern-era finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2007, will serve as the Patriots’ honorary captain at Sunday’s AFC Championship Game in Indianapolis. Tippett, a member of the Patriots’ 1985 AFC Championship team, will accompany Patriots captains to midfield for the pregame coin toss. Tippett is a five-time Pro Bowler and a member of the NFL’s 1980s All-Decade Team. He was named as a finalist for induction into the Hall of Fame on Jan. 10, marking the first time he has been chosen as a finalist. The Hall of Fame’s 40-member Selection Committee will meet in Miami on Saturday, Feb. 3 to choose between three and six players from the finalist pool for election to the Hall of Fame.

Tippett recorded 16.5 sacks in 1985 and played in New England’s 31-14 victory over the Miami Dolphins in the AFC Championship Game that season.

A few notes from today's media access to practice: