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September 17, 2007

Rosevelt Colvin has monster game

BY ROBERT LEE
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO – Rosevelt Colvin is living his dream.

“It’s a great situation to be in . . . Where else are you going to get the opportunity to put, 60, 70, or 80,000 people on their feet making one play?” the Patriots linebacker said. “I cherish the moment.”

Colvin brought the Patriots crowd to its collective feet more than once last night.

On San Diego’s first offensive play in last night’s 38-14 New England victory, Colvin intercepted a Philip Rivers pass intended for Buster Davis.

Don’t call him Nostradamus just yet, but Colvin predicted that he would have an interception in last night’s game last week.

“I didn’t think that it was going to come on the first play, but I knew that I was going to have an opportunity to get back into coverage,” Colvin said. “That’s one of the things that I’ve always liked in my game – being able to be a cover guy. I’ve always been able to rush [the quarterback]. A couple of things clicked over the last week-and-a-half.”

New England couldn’t capitalize on Colvin’s pick though. Stephen Gostkowski missed a 41-yard field goal four plays later.

“He made some plays,” New England coach Bill Belichick said of Colvin. “I saw a couple out there that I think he could’ve done a little better on, but he made some plays. Obviously the first play action pass there, getting out underneath that comeback route was a great play, our first defensive play, he did a nice job on that. He read the play well and made a nice catch, something our linebackers aren’t always noted for, but he made a great catch and that was a big turnover for us.”

The pass interception wasn’t Colvin’s only specialty last night. He flew all over the field, helping New England’s defense stuff the run. He finished with five tackles, two sacks, an interception, and two forced fumbles.

He sacked San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers at the Patriots’ 44-yard line with 42 seconds left in the first quarter, forcing him to fumble on the play.

The sack gave Colvin 49.5 career sacks – the sixth highest total among all active NFL linebackers. Vince Wilfork recovered the loose ball, giving the Patriots possession.

The turnover led to a 24-yard Gostkowski field goal.

Colvin didn’t stop there.

He recorded career sack 50.5 a minute into the fourth quarter, wrapping up Rivers for a 10-yard loss and stripping him of the ball. San Diego’s Kris Dielman recovered the fumble.

Colvin led the Patriots with 8.5 sacks and 26 quarterback hits last season.

Posted by Rob Lee  at 1:25 AM | Permalink