December 9, 2007
PATRIOTS CLINCH FIRST-ROUND PLAYOFF BYE
By virtue of their victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers today, the Patriots have clinched a first-round playoff bye for the fifth time since the current NFL playoff format was implemented in 1990. New England has earned first-round byes in 1996, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2007. If the Indianapolis Colts lose to Baltimore tonight, the Patriots would also clinch the top seed in the AFC and homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. If the Colts defeat Baltimore, the Patriots can clinch homefield advantage with a victory over the New York Jets next week.
500 POINTS FOR THE SEASON
With Tom Brady's 2-yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker in the third quarter, the Patriots' season point total stood at exactly 500 points scored, marking the first time an NFL team has broken the 500-point mark since the 2004 Indianapolis Colts scored 522 points. New England finished the game with 503 total points this season. The 2007 Patriots are the 11th team in the 88-year history of the NFL to break the 500-point mark. The 1998 Minnesota Vikings hold the NFL record with 556 points scored.
PATRIOTS RAISE SEASON TD TOTAL TO 65
Following four touchdowns today, the Patriots have scored 65 touchdowns this season, a total that ranks seventh in NFL history. The 1984 Miami Dolphins hold the all-time record with 70 touchdowns, following by the 2000 St. Louis Rams (67). Four teams have scored 66 touchdowns in a season, most recently the 2004 Indianapolis Colts.
BRADY'S 45 TOUCHDOWN PASSES ARE THIRD HIGHEST NFL SINGLE-SEASON TOTAL
Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes to raise his season total to 45 touchdown passes. Brady's 45 touchdown passes are the third-highest single-season total in NFL history, trailing only Peyton Manning's NFL-record 49 touchdown passes in 2004 and Marino's 48 scoring throws in 1984 Brady's 45 touchdown passes have eclipsed the Patriots' old single-season mark of 31, set by Vito "Babe" Parilli in 1964. Brady has thrown 45 touchdowns and just five interceptions so far in 2007.
NFL SINGLE-SEASON TOUCHDOWN PASS LEADERS
Player Team Year TD
Peyton Manning IND 2004 49
Dan Marino MIA 1984 48
Tom Brady NE 2007 45
Dan Marino MIA 1986 44
Kurt Warner STL 1999 41
BELICHICK RECORDS 100th VICTORY AS PATRIOTS HEAD COACH
Bill Belichick recorded his 100th overall victory as Patriots head coach today. Since being hired by the Patriots prior to the 2000 season, Belichick has now recorded 88 regular-season victories and 12 playoff wins for a total of 100 victories. He is one of four current NFL head coaches to win 100 or more overall games with their current team, joining Washington's Joe Gibbs (168 wins), Denver's Mike Shanahan (130) and Tennessee's Jeff Fisher (117). Belichick has an overall coaching record of 137-84 (.620), including a 124-81 regular-season mark and a 13-3 playoff record.
MOSS'S 19 TOUCHDOWN CATCHES ARE SECOND HIGHEST NFL SINGLE-SEASON TOTAL
With two touchdown receptions in the first half, Randy Moss caught his 18th and 19th touchdown passes of the season, recording the second highest single-season receiving touchdown total in NFL history. Moss's 19 touchdown catches this season trail only Jerry Rice's NFL record total of 22 in 1987. The 19 touchdown receptions set a new career high for Moss, topping his 17 scoring catches in 1998 and 2003 while with the Minnesota Vikings.
NFL SINGLE-SEASON RECEIVING TD LEADERS
Player Team Year TD
Jerry Rice SF 1987 22
Randy Moss NE 2007 19
Sterling Sharpe GB 1994 18
Mark Clayton MIA 1984 18
Randy Moss MIN 2003 17
Randy Moss MIN 1998 17*
(Six others tied with 17 touchdown receptions)
*-NFL Rookie Record
BRADY RECORDS FIFTH GAME WITH FOUR OR MORE TOUCHDOWN PASSES IN 2007
Tom Brady threw four touchdown passes, marking his fifth game of the season with four or more scoring throws. Brady's five games with four or more touchdowns tie the third highest total in NFL history, trailing only the six games with four or more touchdown passes by Peyton Manning in 2004 and by Dan Marino in 1984. Brady's five games with four or more scoring passes tie Donovan McNabb's 2004 total, Marino's 1986 total and Brett Favre's 1996 total.
MOSS SETS TEAM RECORD FOR MOST OVERALL TOUCHDOWNS IN A SEASON
With his first touchdown catch of the day, a 4-yard reception from Tom Brady, Randy Moss set a new Patriots record with his 18th overall touchdown of the season, topping Curtis Martin's previous record of 17 touchdowns in 1996. Moss added a 63-yard scoring grab in the second quarter to raise his season total to 19 touchdowns. All 18 of Moss's touchdowns have come via receptions. In 1996, Martin had 14 touchdowns via rushes and three via receptions.
PATRIOTS SINGLE-SEASON OVERALL TD LEADERS
Player Year TDs Rush Rec. Ret.
Randy Moss 2007 19 0 19 0
Curtis Martin 1996 17 14 3 0
Curtis Martin 1995 15 14 1 0
Corey Dillon 2006 13 13 0 0
(Five others tied with 13 overall touchdowns)
GAFFNEY HAS CAREER HIGH YARDAGE
Jabar Gaffney set a career high with 122 receiving yards on seven catches, including a 56-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Gaffney's previous career high was 109 receiving yards, achieved while playing for the Houston Texans against Chicago on Dec. 19, 2004. The 100-yard receiving game was the second of Gaffney's regular-season career. He also has two 100-yard games in three career playoff contests, all with the Patriots in 2006.
BRADY HAS SECOND HIGHEST YARDAGE TOTAL OF CAREER
Tom Brady totaled 399 passing yards against Pittsburgh, completing 32-of-46 passes (69.6 percent) with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 125.2 passer rating. The 399 passing yards are the second highest of Brady's career, trailing only his 410 passing yards in a 41-38 overtime win over Kansas City on Sept. 22, 2002. Brady's 399 yards are his highest career total in a non-overtime game. Including today's yardage total, four of Brady's top five career single-game yardage totals have come this season. Against Pittsburgh, Brady recorded his sixth 300-yard passing game of the season and the 21st 300-yard game of his career.
BRADY PASSES 4,000-YARD MARK
With a 4-yard completion to Wes Welker in the third quarter, Tom Brady exceeded 4,000 passing yards for the season, marking the fourth 4,000-yard passing season in Patriots history. Following that completion, Brady had 4,001 yards on the season. He finished the game with 4,095 passing yards, a total that ranks third in team history. Brady has accomplished the feat for the second time in his career, having also exceeded the milestone in 2005 (4,110 yards). Drew Bledsoe also exceeded 4,000 passing yards two times in a Patriots uniform (4,555 yards in 1994 and 4,086 yards in 1996).
TWO COMPLETIONS OF 50 YARDS OR LONGER FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2001
The Patriots completed two touchdown passes of longer than 50 yards, marking the first time since 2001 that the Patriots have had two completions of 50 yards or more in the same game. Against Pittsburgh, Tom Brady hit Randy Moss for a 63-yard touchdown in the second quarter and later completed a 56-yard touchdown toss to Jabar Gaffney in the third quarter. The last time New England completed two passes of 50 yards or longer in the same game was on Oct. 21, 2001 at Indianapolis, when Brady threw a 91-yard touchdown pass to David Patten and Patten threw a 60-yard scoring pas to Troy Brown.
WELKER BREAKS 90-CATCH MARK
With an 11-yard reception in the fourth quarter - his 90th catch of the season - Wes Welker recorded the fifth 90-reception season in Patriots history. He joins Troy Brown (101 receptions in 2001 and 97 receptions in 2002), Ben Coates (96 catches in 1994) and Terry Glenn (90 receptions in 1996) as the only players in Patriots history to achieve the feat. Welker finished the game with 93 receptions this season, a total that ranks fourth in team history.
MOSS PASSES 1,200-YARD MARK
On his 63-yard touchdown catch in the second quarter, Randy Moss passed the 1,200-yard receiving mark for the season, becoming the second player in Patriots history to achieve the 1,200-yard receiving plateau. Following that catch, Moss had 1,212 yards on 78 catches in 2007. Moss joins Stanley Morgan (1,491 yards in 1986) as the only players in franchise history to achieve the feat. Moss has exceeded the 1,200-yard receiving mark for the seventh time in his 10 NFL seasons and has achieved the milestone for the first time since gaining a career-high 1,632 receiving yards in 2003 with Minnesota.
MOSS RECORDS 54th CAREER 100-YARD RECEIVING GAME
With 135 yards on seven catches, Randy Moss has recorded his eighth 100-yard receiving game of the season and the 54th 100-yard receiving game of his career. Moss's 54 career 100-yard receiving games rank third all-time, trailing only Jerry Rice (76) and Marvin Harrison (59). Stanley Morgan holds the Patriots single-season record with nine 100-yard receiving games in 1986. Moss's 135 receiving yards are his third highest total of the season, trailing only his 183 yards against the New York Jets on Sept. 9 and his 145 yards against Indianapolis on Nov. 4.
MOSS CATCHES 63-YARD TOUCHDOWN PASS
Randy Moss hauled in a 63-yard touchdown reception from Tom Brady in the second quarter to give the Patriots a 14-3 lead. The reception was Moss's longest of the season, topping a 55-yard grab at Indianapolis on Nov. 4. It was also Moss's fourth catch of 50 yards or longer this season and was the 33rd reception of 50 yards or longer in his career. The 63-yard touchdown was Moss's 11th touchdown catch of 60 yards or longer in his career. It was the second longest reception of the season for the Patriots, trailing only a 69-yard scoring pass from Brady to Donte Stallworth at Dallas on Oct. 14.
PATRIOTS HELD ON OPENING POSSESSION
New England did not score on its opening possession for just the second time in 13 games this season. The only other game this season in which the Patriots did not put points on the board on its first offensive possession of the game was at Indianapolis on Nov. 4. On their 13 game-opening possessions this season, the Patriots have scored eight touchdowns, three field goals and have punted twice.
STEELERS BECOME FIRST PATRIOTS OPPONENT TO SCORE ON OPENING POSSESSION
The Patriots allowed the Steelers to convert a 23-yard field goal on Pittsburgh's first offensive possession of the game. The points were the first of the season that New England has allowed on an opponents' opening possession of the game. Entering this week's game, the Patriots were the only NFL team not to allow an opponent score on their opening possession. Jacksonville entered the week ranked second by allowing nine points on opponents first drives.
QUICK HITS
-Vince Wilfork stuffed Willie Parker in the backfield for a 2-yard loss in the first quarter.
-Chad Jackson returned a kickoff 39 yards in the first quarter, marking the fifth kickoff return of 35 yards or more by the Patriots this season.
-Jarvis Green sacked Ben Roethlisberger for a 9-yard sack in the first quarter. The sack was Green's fifth of the season, a total that ranks second on the team.
-Vince Wilfork sacked Roethlisberger for an 8-yard sack in the third quarter. The sack was Wilfork's first of the season.
-Adalius Thomas sacked Ben Roethlisberger for a 2-yard loss in the fourth quarter. The sack was Thomas's fourth of the season.
-James Sanders recovered a Steelers fumble on a punt in the second quarter. Sanders pounced on the ball after it his Pittsburgh's William Gay, giving the Patriots possession at the Steelers' 34-yard line.
-Rodney Harrison batted away a pass intended for Santonio Holmes in the end zone on third down in the fourth quarter. On the next play, Harrison combined with Richard Seymour to stuff Hines Ward for no gain and keep the Steelers out of the end zone.
HOT WHEN IT'S COLDThe Patriots have enjoyed tremendous recent success in cold weather and are 21-3 since 1993 when the kickoff temperature is 34 degrees or less. Today's kickoff temperature was 34 degrees. New England has won 16 of its last 18 games when the kickoff temperature has been 34 degrees or colder. Tom Brady is 23-2 as a starter when the temperature is less than 40 degrees.
PATRIOTS GAMES 34 DEGREES OR COLDER SINCE 1993 (21-3)
Sorted by Temperature
Date Opp. Temp Notes W/L Score
01/10/04 TEN* 4 Wind Chill -10 W 17-14
01/23/05 at PIT* 11 Wind Chill -1 W 41-27
12/26/93 IND 19 Wind Chill -1 W 38-0
01/07/06 JAX* 24 Clear and Calm W 28-3
12/21/96 at NYG 24 Wind Chill 17 W 23-22
01/01/06 MIA 25 Wind Chill 20 L 26-28
01/16/05 IND* 25 Snow W 20-3
12/14/03 JAX 25 Wind Chill 16 W 27-13
01/19/02 OAK* 25 Snow W 16-13 ot
12/05/05 NYJ 26 Light Snow W 16-3
12/10/95 NYJ 26 Wind Chill 12 W 31-28
01/12/97 JAX* 27 Wind Chill 11 W 20-6
12/07/03 MIA 28 Wind Chill 17 W 12-0
12/11/05 at BUF 30 Light Snow W 35-7
12/26/04 at NYJ 30 Wind Chill 21 W 23-7
12/20/03 at NYJ 30 Wind Chill 20 W 21-16
11/05/06 IND 31 Clear and Calm L 20-27
12/24/00 MIA 31 Wind Chill 22 L 24-27
01/02/05 SF 32 Wind Chill 27 W 21-7
01/18/04 IND* 32 Light Snow W 24-14
11/16/03 DAL 33 Cloudy and Calm W 12-0
11/26/95 at BUF 33 Flurries W 35-25
12/09/07 PIT 34 Cloudy and Cold W 34-13
12/16/01 at BUF 34 Wind Chill 25 W 12-9 ot
12/12/93 CIN 34 Wind Chill 23 W 7-2
*-playoffs
Posted by Mike McDermott 
at 9:53 PM | Permalink
November 25, 2007
FOXBORO -- Asante Samuel became the 20th -- that's right, 20th -- New England player to score a touchdown this season when he returned an interception 40 yards for a score in the opening minutes against the Eagles.
He joins Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Benjamin Watson, Sammy Morris, Donte Stallworth, Kyle Brady, Tom Brady, Kyle Eckel, Ellis Hobbs, Mike Vrabel, Willie Andrews, Matt Cassel, Rosevelt Colvin, Heath Evans, Kevin Faulk, Jabar Gaffney, Randall Gay, Laurence Maroney, and Adalius Thomas in getting into the end zone for the Patriots.
The NFL record for most players scoring in a season is 21, shared by the 2000 Denver Broncos and the 1987 Los Angeles Rams.
-- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson at 10:06 PM | Permalink
November 22, 2007
Happy Thanksgiving!!
The Patriots held practice this morning, and have a shortened participation report:
Did Not Participate
DL Jarvis Green - ankle
Limited Participation
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
**Adalius Thomas (did not participate, team decision), Stephen Neal (limited participation, shoulder) and Eugene Wilson (limited participation, ankle) were on yesterday's list.
UPDATE
For the Eagles:
Did Not Practice
QB Donovan McNabb - ankle, thumb
S Quintin Mikell - knee
Limited Participation
T William Thomas - illness
Full Participation
WR Jason Avant - groin
FS Brian Dawkins - thigh
LS Jon Dorenbos - abdomen
G Todd Herremans - knee
CB William James - foot
DT Mike Patterson - ankle
RB Brian Westbrook - knee
** Thomas was upgraded, as he did not practice Wednesday; also, linebacker Omar Gaither (back) is removed from the list.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 12:47 PM | Permalink
November 21, 2007
For the Patriots:
Did Not Participate
DL Jarvis Green - ankle
LB Adalius Thomas - team decision
Limited Participation
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
G Stephen Neal - shoulder
S Eugene Wilson - ankle
**Despite returning to practice for the first time in a month, Eric Alexander (knee) is not on the list; also note that Kevin Faulk (concussion) and Laurence Maroney (foot) are not on the list.
For the Eagles:
Did Not Participate
QB Donovan McNabb - ankle, thumb
S Quintin Mikell - knee
T William Thomas - illness
Full Participation
WR Jason Avant - groin
FS Brian Dawkins - thigh
LS Jon Dorenbos - abdomen
LB Omar Gaither - back
G Todd Herremans - knee
CB William James - foot
DT Mike Patterson - ankle
RB Brian Westbrook - knee
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 4:04 PM | Permalink
The Patriots are holding their first practice of the week on a wet and very chiily practice field.
As the entry title indicates, Eugene Wilson and Eric Alexander returned to practice today, while Adalius Thomas and Jarvis Green were not spotted.
Kevin Faulk and Laurence Maroney are also on field for the full-pads practice.
Pierre Woods, Bam Childress, Tim Mixon and Santonio Thomas were each in black jerseys as practice player of the week.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 1:13 PM | Permalink
November 19, 2007
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. – During New England’s win in Indianapolis, Adalius Thomas became a football version of “Where’s Waldo?,” as the high-priced free agent linebacker wasn’t spotted too often on the RCA Dome turf.
Was he injured? In the dog house? A rare bust for Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli?
The answers: who knows, who knows, and probably not.
Last night, as New England played a high number of snaps in a 4-3 defense rather than its base 3-4, Thomas got to see a lot of time at outside linebacker, and got to fill out the stat sheet as a result: three tackles for 2 ½ sacks, four quarterback hits and one pass defensed.
"I was just really working," Thomas said of his ability to pressure J.P. Losman. "Anytime you can get a sack early in the game it sets the tone, especially on a long third down, it
gives you some momentum and it gives you a chance to get your offense back
on the field."
After Buffalo picked up 16 yards on its first play of the game, Thomas broke through the line completely unabated and dropped Losman for a nine-yard loss. One play later, on second-and-19, Losman dropped back again, and though he got off the pass, he probably would have preferred another up-close meeting with Thomas: his pass attempt was picked off by Randall Gay, setting up the Pats’ first touchdown.
“He’s a pretty versatile guy,” Bill Belichick said of Thomas. “He’s played inside and outside (linebacker). He does a great job for us. He’s able to do a lot of different things, which helps give our defense some flexibility.”
In all, the Patriots’ defense had four sacks on Losman, with one from Mike Vrabel and Tedy Bruschi getting a half-sack as well.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 1:53 AM | Permalink
November 18, 2007
These are provided by the Patriots' PR department:
BRADY SETS FRANCHISE CAREER TOUCHDOWN PASS MARK
Tom Brady has passed Steve Grogan to become the Patriots’ career touchdown pass leader. With a 6-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss in the second quarter – Brady’s third of the night and the 183rd of his career – Brady passed Grogan’s old career record of 182 touchdown passes. With four touchdown passes tonight (as of halftime) Brady has 184 touchdown passes in 106 career games (104 starts), while Grogan totaled his 182 scoring passes in 149 career games (131 starts). Brady’s 37 touchdowns in 2007 (as of halftime) are a Patriots single-season record (Babe Parilli, 31, 1964).
MOSS SETS FRANCHISE SINGLE-SEASON TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION RECORD
Randy Moss set a new Patriots single-season record with his 13th touchdown reception of the season and his first touchdown of the night, a 43-yard scoring catch in the first quarter to give the Patriots a 14-0 lead. With three more touchdowns in the second quarter, Moss raised his season total to 16 touchdowns (as of halftime). Moss eclipsed the previous team record of 12 touchdown receptions, achieved by Stanley Morgan in 1979. Moss’s 16 touchdown catches (as of halftime) are the third highest single-season total of his career, trailing only his career-high 17 scoring receptions in 1998 and 2003.
MOSS SETS FRANCHISE SINGLE-GAME TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION RECORD
With four touchdown receptions (as of halftime), Randy Moss has set the franchise’s single-game touchdown reception record, recording the first four-touchdown catch game in team history. Moss’s four scoring catches set a new single-game career high, topping his previous mark of three, achieved three previous times, most recently while playing for the Minnesota Vikings against San Francisco on Sept. 28, 2003. Moss is the first Patriot to catch at least three touchdown passes in a game since Ben Coates had three scoring grabs on Nov. 26, 1995. Coates’s performance also came in a game against the Bills in Buffalo.
MOSS BREAKS 1,000-YARD MARK FOR THE SEASON
With a 5-yard reception with 2:27 remaining in the second quarter, Randy Moss eclipsed the 1,000-yard receiving mark for the year, becoming the first Patriots player to record 1,000 or more receiving yards since Troy Brown had 1,199 receiving yards in 2001. Moss’s 1,000-yard season is the 10th 1,000-yard receiving season in Patriots history and he joins Troy Brown (1), Terry Glenn (2), Ben Coates (1), Stanley Morgan (3), Irving Fryar (1) and Harold Jackson (1) as the only players in team history to achieve the feat. Morgan holds the team’s single-season record with 1,491 receiving yards in 1986. For Moss, the 1,000-yard season is the eighth of his 10-year career and his first since 2005, when he had 1,005 yards for the Oakland Raiders.
MARONEY REACHES END ZONE
Laurence Maroney scored his first touchdown of the season on a 6-yard run in the first quarter to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. The touchdown was Maroney’s first since Dec. 31, 2006, when he scored on a 1-yard run at Tennessee in the 2006 regular-season finale. His touchdown against the Bills was the eighth touchdown of Maroney’s career (7 rush, 1 rec.).
MARONEY BECOMES 19th PATRIOT TO SCORE A TOUCHDOWN IN 2007
Laurence Maroney became the 19th player to score a touchdown for the Patriots this season, scoring on a 6-yard run in the first quarter to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. The NFL record for most players scoring a touchdown in a single season is 21, achieved by the 2000 Denver Broncos and the 1987 Los Angeles Rams.
QUICK HITS
Ø Tonight’s kickoff temperature was 36 degrees, making this the Patriots’ coldest game since Nov. 5, 2006, when the temperature was 31 degrees for a Sunday night game against Indianapolis at Gillette Stadium.
Ø Jabar Gaffney caught a 31-yard pass from Tom Brady in the catch was Gaffney’s second longest since joining the Patriots in 2006, trailing only his 33-yard catch against the New York Jets on Nov. 12, 2006.
100-YARD GAME FOR MOSS
With 112 receiving yards on eight catches (as of halftime), Randy Moss has recorded his seventh 100-yard receiving game of the season and the 53rd 100-yard receiving game of his career. Moss’s 53 career 100-yard receiving games rank third all-time, trailing only Jerry Rice (76) and Marvin Harrison (59). Stanley Morgan holds the Patriots single-season record with nine 100-yard receiving games in 1986.
RANDALL GAY RECORDS THIRD INTERCEPTION OF THE SEASON
Randall Gay recorded his third interception of the season when he picked off a J.P. Losman pass on the Bills’ fourth offensive play of the game and returned it 21 yards to Buffalo’s 13-yard line. The interception set up a two-play touchdown drive that ended in a 6-yard scoring run by Laurence Maroney and a 7-0 Patriots lead. Gay’s three interceptions tie Junior Seau for the second highest total on the team, trailing only Asante Samuel’s team-high four interceptions. Gay’s three interceptions establish a new career high, topping his two interceptions as a rookie in 2004. Gay’s interception against Buffalo raised his career total to five interceptions.
VRABEL RAISES SEASON TOTAL TO 9.5 SACKS
Mike Vrabel was credited with a zero-yard sack of J.P. Losman in the first quarter. The sack raised Vrabel’s team-high season total to 9.5 sacks, tying his single-season career high, also achieved in 2003. Vrabel’s 9.5 sacks tie the highest total by a Patriots player since Willie McGinest had 11.0 sacks in 1995. Since then, a Patriot has totaled 9.5 sacks four times: Vrabel (2003, 2007), McGinest (1996, 2004).
THOMAS SETS SINGLE-GAME CAREER HIGH WITH 2.5 SACKS
Adalius Thomas recorded 2.5 sacks in the first half against the Bills, setting a new single-game career high and recording his fourth career game with at least two sacks. Thomas sacked J.P. Losman for a 9-yard loss in the first quarter and later dropped Losman for a 6-yard loss in the second quarter. He then teamed with Tedy Bruschi to drop Losman for a 7-yard loss in the second quarter. The sacks raised Thomas’s season total to 3.0 sacks and his career total to 41.5 sacks. Thomas is the fifth player to record 2.0 or more sacks in a game for the Patriots this season, joining Mike Vrabel (twice), Rosevelt Colvin, Tedy Bruschi and Jarvis Green.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 10:15 PM | Permalink
October 31, 2007
New England has published its first participation/injury report of the week:
Did Not Participate
LB Eric Alexander - knee
S Mel Mitchell - groin
RB Sammy Morris - chest
CB Asante Samuel - team decision
S Eugene Wilson - ankle
Limited Participation
TE Kyle Brady - team decision
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
WR Randy Moss - team decision
LB Adalius Thomas - ankle
LB Mike Vrabel - shoulder
TE Benjamin Watson - ankle
Indianapolis has not yet submitted its report.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 4:06 PM | Permalink
October 24, 2007
The Patriots have released their first participation report of the week:
Did not participate
LB Eric Alexander - knee
S Mel Mitchell - groin
RB Sammy Morris - chest
TE Benjamin Watson - ankle
S Eugene Wilson - ankle
Limited participation
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
*Note that Laurence Maroney (groin), Kelley Washington (hamstring), Donte Stallworth (knee), Adalius Thomas (ankle) and Randall Gay (thigh) have all been removed from last week's list.
For the Redskins:
Out
G Randy Thomas - triceps
Did not participate
RB Rock Cartwright - quad
OL Stephon Heyer - hamstring
Limited participation
S Pierson Prioleau - coaches' decision
CB Carlos Rogers - knee
CB Fred Smoot - hamstring
Full participation
OL Casey Rabach - groin
LB Marcus Washington - hamstring
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 3:59 PM | Permalink
Hey all --
Well those of us looking for a juicy storyline with these Patriots have one, in the form of Ray Lewis vs. Adalius Thomas.
In last week's Sports Illustrated cover article, Thomas was quoted as saying that in Baltimore, "People sought out the limelight," starting with head coach Brian Billick.
Thomas's quote went on: "It was a star-studded system. Here [New England] it's about as different as you can get. Everybody here shies away from being the star guy. Nobody on this team beats his chest. They just all go about their business. And win."
Apparently, Ray Lewis found a way to take offense to that.
Speaking on his weekly radio show Tuesday, the linebacker called Thomas "a coward" for the comments quoted in SI, and implied that Baltimore had to change their defensive scheme to fit Thomas into it.
(As an aside, generally, if you're claiming that the man's supposed to be like a brother to you, you usually know how to say his name. Lewis repeatedly calls Thomas "Ad-a-LEE-us" and it's "A-day-lus." But we digress.)
Thomas took offense to being called a coward, and then pointed out how Lewis -- in the same interview -- took shots at Brian Billick's play calling.
"I said I played with Hall of Fame players. That was not in that quote," Thomas said. "I named names, Ray Lewis was one of the names I named, one of the players that was (among) great players. The only problem I have is the 'coward.' You know, call me a coward, you got my phone number. You can call me. And I will can Ray personally myself.
"As far as calling me a coward I think that goes to something personal, I don't like it. I will address that with Ray myself, but to attack my integrity, as far as that goes, and say that you had to make a scheme up for me, I didn’t know they made up outside linebacker. I didn’t know that. I know that you [Lewis] were crying about having a big man in the middle to keep blockers off you. I don’t know if that’s a scheme."
The great part is that Thomas said he didn't want to go back and forth with Lewis through the media, but then snuck in that bit about Lewis crying about wanting help in the middle. And in true Bill Parcells form, Thomas said he wouldn't engage in "he said/she said," when we think he could have easily said he said/he said...
Made for an unexpectedly interesting day in the locker room, that's for sure.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 12:35 PM | Permalink
October 17, 2007
The first report of the week has been released:
NEW ENGLAND
Did Not Participate
LB Eric Alexander - knee
RB Sammy Morris - chest
TE Benjamin Watson - ankle
Limited Participation
CB Randall Gay - thigh
RB Laurence Maroney - groin
S Mel Mitchell - groin
G Stephen Neal - shoulder
WR Donte Stallworth - knee
LB Adalius Thomas - ankle
WR Kelley Washington - hamstring
Full Participation
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
* Alexander, Morris and Watson are additions from last week's list; Matt Light (flu), Dan Koppen (ankle), Asante Samuel (foot) and Wesley Britt (personal) were all removed from the list.
MIAMI
Did Not Participate
QB Trent Green - concussion
DT Vonnie Holliday - ankle
LB Zach Thomas - toe
S Travares Tillman - knee
Limited Participation
TE David Martin - ankle
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 6:24 PM | Permalink
October 14, 2007
In addition to Laurence Maroney, here are the rest of the Pats' inactives:
QB Matt Gutierrez - third quarterback
S Mel Mitchell
S Rashad Baker
T Wesley Britt
G Billy Yates
DL Santonio Thomas
DL Kareem Brown
While Maroney is out, the good news is that C Dan Koppen (ankle), LT Matt Light (flu) and LB Adalius Thomas (ankle) are all active.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 3:28 PM | Permalink
October 12, 2007
Hey all --
Well apparently the flu bug has hit the Patriots' locker room a bit early, as that is the reason given for Matt Light's absence from practice today. The left tackle is one of 10 players listed as questionable for Sunday's game.
Dallas cornerbacks Anthony Henry (ankle) and Courtney Brown (biceps) have both been declared out for the contest.
Here's the full injury list:
NEW ENGLAND
Questionable
CB Randall Gay - thigh
C Dan Koppen - ankle
T Matt Light - flu
RB Laurence Maroney - groin
S Mel Mitchell - groin
G Stephen Neal - shoulder
CB Asante Samuel - foot
WR Donte Stallworth - knee
LB Adalius Thomas - ankle
WR Kelley Washington - hamstring
Probable
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
T Wesley Britt - team decision
Britt, Light and Mitchell did not practice; Gay, Koppen, Maroney, Neal, Samuel, Stallworth, Thomas and Washington had limited participation; and Brady had full participation.
DALLAS
Out
CB Courtney Brown - biceps
WR Terry Glenn - knee
CB Anthony Henry - ankle
Doubtful
FB Oliver Hoyte - neck
Questionable
S Keith Davis - shoulder
Probable
LB Kevin Burnett - thigh
Henry did not practice; Brown and Hoyte had limited participation, and Davis and Burnett had full participation.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 4:15 PM | Permalink
October 10, 2007
The Patriots' first participation/injury report of the week is out:
Did Not Participate
T Wesley Britt - team decision
S Mel Mitchell - groin
Limited Participation
QB Tom Brady - right shoulder
CB Randall Gay - thigh
C Dan Koppen - ankle
RB Laurence Maroney - groin
G Stephen Neal - shoulder
CB Asante Samuel - foot
WR Donte Stallworth - knee
LB Adalius Thomas - ankle
WR Kelley Washington - hamstring
* Samuel and Thomas are new additions to the list; Rosevelt Colvin (ankle) has been removed.
For the Cowboys:
Out
WR Terry Glenn - knee
Did Not Participate
CB Anthony Henry - ankle
Full Participation
CB Courtney Brown - biceps
LB Kevin Burnett - thigh
S Keith Davis - shoulder
FB Oliver Hoyte - neck
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 4:43 PM | Permalink
October 7, 2007
Rosevelt Colvin, Linebacker
(On the Browns’ turnovers)
We made a couple of plays and got the ball away from them a few times. Any time you can get the ball to Brady and the offense, it’s a lethal weapon for us, so we try to do it as much as we can.
(On the first quarter red zone stand)
I think Asante [Samuel] tipped it and Junior came down with the ball and that was big because it was the opening drive for them and they were moving the ball well on us. It kind of turned the tables and the offense then got rolling.
(On Junior Seau’s interception run)
It was definitely something stamped into my memory for what not to do. Junior is a special kind of guy. When you practice and are with him on a daily basis you understand why he did it.
(On Junior Seau’s energy throughout the game)
Junior brings a lot of energy to this team. If you have been in the league for at least five years you have definitely seen him on film somewhere and the types of things he has done elsewhere and the energy he brings. He does a great job of brining energy and it helps everyone else get hyped up and ready to play.
Junior Seau, Linebacker
(On what he was thinking on his interception return)
That normally doesn’t happen. It’s an untapped territory for me to tell you the truth and I will handle it better next time. It is what it is and I will take the punishment. I will obviously take a lot of kick back from the players all week because I didn’t look too good on that play.
(On if he thought about lateraling the ball)
Yeah, I did but coach wouldn’t have liked that either. I didn’t want to have two mistakes in one play so I took the one negative and went from there.
(On the defense’s turnovers)
It’s the name of the game. Obviously you go out there and want to perform well and stop the run and get them into a passing situation. Whenever you make big plays like we did today, it definitely leans in our favor and our offense took care of the rest.
(On where his energy comes from)
I love this game. I just do. I have a lot of passion for it and I’m very fortunate to be 38 years old and have played 18 seasons and to be part of something special. It probably didn’t show in that interception but I am humbled by that and it definitely is a great time.
Rodney Harrison, Safety
(On being nervous playing in his first game of the season)
I wasn’t really nervous. It just felt a little different… Being back on the field trying to get used to everything and the formations. It’s one thing seeing it in practice, but when you’re out there in the game it’s a lot different. The speed is totally different.
(On the positive support from the fans Sunday)
Through a difficult time the fans have supported me just as well as my teammates and the coaches, as well as Mr. [Robert] Kraft and Scott Pioli. I’m just glad to be able to get back and get some playing time and help this team to another victory.
(On whether or not he was surprised about playing as much as he did)
No, [Coach Belichick] told me to be ready to play. I knew I was going to play and I really didn’t know how much I was going to play and when I was going to play. That was somewhat of a surprise. For the most part you just have to stay ready because at any time you’re called on to go out there and play.
(On playing more in the second half than in the first)
Coach Belichick has been coaching for 30 years, so he knows exactly what to do with guys like myself. You just sit and wait patiently and when you get your opportunity you try to take advantage of it.
(On playing special teams Sunday)
I’ve been doing that since ’94, since I first came into the league. Whether it’s guys that are backing up that play special teams or starters, we all have to play special teams. That’s part of your contribution on this team. I played some kickoffs - every kickoff, I think, seven or six of them – as well as some punt returns.
Ellis Hobbs, Cornerback
(On the defense not playing consistently throughout Sunday’s game)
We did a poor job today as far as playing the type of ball that we like to play. We started out fast, but we didn’t stay consistent throughout the whole game. We kind of had some down moments. Up and down, we can’t be like that. We have to be consistent every play, every game.
(On getting the win despite playing inconsistently)
It’s kind of a bittersweet feeling. We hold ourselves accountable to a higher level. Winning is just not enough for us. Playing well and winning is what we try to do. Pickoffs in the back end, the turnovers we had, the knockdowns, whatever. Up front, the linebackers, I think we can all agree that we have to pick it up and it’s not going to be enough to play Dallas and to beat Dallas.
(On Junior Seau’s move during his interception return)
I don’t know if he was trying to fake somebody out or what. I know we’re going to hear about that one tomorrow. It isn’t going to be just Junior, it’s going to be all of us hearing about that one. Tuck that ball away.
Benjamin Watson, Tight End
(On he and Donté Stallworth making the big plays this week, as opposed to Randy Moss and Wes Welker)
It’s great having the opportunity. That’s why you always have to be ready. You never know when your time is going to come to help out this team.
(On what the defense’s turnovers mean to the offense)
Just that we have to score. The defense played great. They got turnovers to set us up. They got a fumble recovery and scored. They played a great game. They set us up a lot with a short field. When we go out there and don’t score we feel like we’re letting them down.
(On the mindset of the offense during Sunday’s game)
We always feel like we want to score. We always feel like it’s tough to stop us unless we stop ourselves. But we tip our hats to the Browns defense because they played well, too. Coach Crennel had a good scheme for us. We want to score every time we get it, but sometimes it doesn’t turn out that way.
Adalius Thomas, Linebacker
(On the big plays made by the defense)
I think it was big, especially that they’d come off a big win and especially on the goal line and the interception on the first drive. I think that set the tone, but we left a lot of plays out there on the field and things that we must improve looking toward next week.
(On the “Humble Pie” t-shirts)
We’re going to have a nice dose of humble pie when it comes to tomorrow. I trust that if you call any of us or get any of us on the phone by 4 o’clock tomorrow, I think we’ll have enough. Ice cream will probably be out of the stores because we’ll be serving ice cream with this one.
(On Junior Seau’s second interception)
That was the play that I was on the ground on. They showed it on the big screen. When they showed it I said, ‘What are you doing?’ What was he doing? I thought he was in the end zone or something. Don’t worry, that’s going to be an extra large slice [of humble pie].
Asante Samuel, Defensive Back
(On The first red zone stop of the year)
We were in zone coverage and I had a guy going to the flat and I saw that someone had taken him, so I just zoned up and started reading the quarterback and I tipped the ball, which I should have caught and Junior Seau made a good play on the ball. So it was big because if they didn’t score on that play they would have made a field goal and that could have been big, you never know what the determination of the game could be.
(On his interception)
Adalius Thomas made a great play and I have been begging for a tipped ball all year and I finally got one and I almost dropped it, too.
Donté Stallworth, Wide Receiver
(On making his first touchdown catch after making several catches as a Patriot)
You just go out and play and wait on your opportunity. Today I got a little more opportunity because they were trying to take Randy out of the game. When that happens, they leave someone in single coverage [and] either me or Wes [are] able to make some plays. When that happens, the other guy has to stand up and make the plays.
(On the depth on the team)
We have some guys who can make plays, but you know we have to play a lot better than we did today. There are a lot of things that we could have done better out there and I am sure that we will hear about it tomorrow when we are watching the game film.
(On what happened in the second half where the offense slowed down)
I don’t know. There were times where we were just stopping ourselves. We just really weren’t efficient in the red zone and we came off the field on a lot of third downs. Those are the kind of plays we were making in the first couple of games. Third downs are very important and we just were not making the plays today to complete the third downs.
Posted by Art Martone at 6:51 PM | Permalink
October 4, 2007
Hey all --
So the media went into the locker room today and nearly every player was wearing the same t-shirt: on the front it said "I eat it" and the back said "humble pie."
Turns out, they were printed up by Adalius Thomas, and are a not-so-subtle reminder for he and his teammates to stay humble, in football and in life.
"It's just a fun thing and the guys like it," Thomas said. "You always want to be humble, not be egotistical. (You should) humble yourself every day rather than have someone else humble you."
Words to live by when you're 4-0 and the talk of football.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young at 11:55 AM | Permalink
