New England Patriots
Player
Pos
Injury
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Rosevelt Colvin LB Hip Out - Injured Reserve
Mike Compton G Foot Out - Injured Reserve
Ted Johnson LB Foot Out
Ted Washington NT Leg Out
Mike Vrabel LB Arm Doubtful
Je'Rod Cherry S Leg Questionable
Adrian Klemm T Ankle Questionable
Ty Law CB Ankle Questionable
Fred McCrary FB Knee Questionable
David Patten WR Knee Questionable
Damien Woody C Knee Questionable
Tom Brady QB Arm Probable
Washington Redskins
Player
Pos
Injury
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
David Fiore OL Knee Questionable
Zeron Flemister TE Ankle Questionable
Champ Bailey CB Wrist/Shoulder Probable
Jermaine Haley DT Hand Probable
Taylor Jacobs WR Abdomen Probable
Antonio Pierce LB Ankle Probable
Player
Pos
Injury
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Rosevelt Colvin LB Hip Out - Injured Reserve
Mike Compton G Foot Out - Injured Reserve
Ted Johnson LB Foot Out
Ted Washington NT Leg Out
Mike Vrabel LB Arm Doubtful
Je'Rod Cherry S Leg Questionable
Adrian Klemm T Ankle Questionable
Ty Law CB Ankle Questionable
Fred McCrary FB Knee Questionable
David Patten WR Knee Questionable
Damien Woody C Knee Questionable
Tom Brady QB Arm Probable
Washington Redskins
Player
Pos
Injury
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
David Fiore OL Knee Questionable
Zeron Flemister TE Ankle Questionable
Champ Bailey CB Wrist/Shoulder Probable
Jermaine Haley DT Hand Probable
Taylor Jacobs WR Abdomen Probable
Antonio Pierce LB Ankle Probable
Injuries remain hot topic
24 Sep 03 / by Andy Hart, Patriots Football Weekly
HOT LINKS
Vinatieri Throwback Replica Jersey
Patriots United
Inaugural 2003 Training Camp Tee
Brady Throwback Replica Jersey
Related Bios
- Wilbert Brown
It seems like the record is stuck on the Patriots injury report, but unfortunately the names change every Wednesday. For the fourth consecutive week the game-week story around Gillette Stadium has more to do with who will or won't be suiting up for the Patriots on Sunday than to do with the opponent the team is preparing to face.
On Wednesday the team released an injury report that includes an incredible 12 players. That's right 12 players, more than a quarter of the number of players, 45, who can be active on any given Sunday. Even worse for New England fans may be the fact that of those 12 players, 11 could be considered starters and 11 are listed as questionable (a 50-percent chance to play) or worse.
The details of the report are as follows: Rosevelt Colvin (hip) and Mike Compton (foot) are both out as they were placed on injured reserve earlier in the week. Two other players, Ted Johnson (foot) and Ted Washington (leg) are also listed as out. Mike Vrabel (arm) is doubtful. Je'Rod Cherry (leg), Adrian Klemm (ankle), Ty Law (ankle), Fred McCrary (knee), David Patten (knee) and Damien Woody (knee) are all questionable. Tom Brady (arm) is probable.
The reactions around the New England locker room vary, but to a man every player knows that health issues aside the team must continue to move forward and compete. Offensive captain Troy Brown believes that the players must have confidence in each other and not worry about the ability of the backups to do their jobs when called upon.
“I am not worried about it,” Brown said. “I have confidence in my guys. They know what to do. I've seen them play and they know how to play. So I am not worrying about a guy, 'Is he going to mess up?' These guys, they can play some good football.”
Law, a player who battled back from an injury to return to play a key role last Sunday in New England's win over the Jets, knows that sometimes injuries are harder to deal with after the emotion of a game dissolves.
“I mean it was definitely adrenaline,” Law said of his fourth-quarter return against New York. “It was a big game and I wanted to be back out there on the field. Of course you have a whole different attitude the next morning, after you sit down and everything has calmed down. But when you are in the heat of the moment of the game the pain seems to be a little bit more minimal than it is when you sit down and have to wait over night. But it's about wanting to be out there. That's what it boils down to, wanting to be out there. Of course I could have sat down, but that is not me. It's just going out to play. Buy like I said before if I felt I was going to hurt the team I wouldn't have been back out there because it is not that important. No one is trying to be a hero or anything. It's just about going out there and competing and wanting to be out there with your teammates.”
But wanting to get out there to compete and being able to contribute can be two different things. Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick said he did not expect the Pro Bowl corner to practice on Wednesday and the player knows that he will be walking a fine line between gutting it out and potentially hurting his team by playing through the ankle injury.
“There is a very thin line,” Law said. “You get close to it, but I don't think I would ever cross that line because I don't want to hurt myself and at the same time more importantly I don't want to hurt this team by me being out there and not being able to perform. Like I said, no one is trying to be a hero. It's just about going out there and playing and wanting to compete. I'll push myself as much as I can to be out there because I get paid play, I don't get paid to sit down.”
Another player who will be fighting an uphill battle to get on the field this Sunday in Washington is Vrabel.
“We don't want to rule anything out on Wednesday,” Vrabel said while wearing a cast covering from his left biceps down to his hand. “We will evaluate it through the week and make a decision later. I just don't want to make any decisions right now.”
Regardless of whether he is one of the players on the field or not, Vrabel is confident that the Patriots coaching staff will put in a capable game plan regardless of the players who are able to go.
“I think every week we are very, very prepared defensively against the other team's offense,” Vrabel said. “So I don't think that's ever a problem, what we are trying to put in. You consider who we have or who we don't have. I think they are putting a plan in, I think all those things come into account with who you are playing, who you are doing it with. I think that goes into account every week, regardless.”
This week though Belichick and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel will certainly earn their paychecks preparing for one of the most potent offenses in the NFL. Not only must they prepare for Patrick Ramsey, Laveranues Coles and the rest of the Redskins attack, they must also prepare to counter that attack with numerous different personnel groupings based on which players are healthy enough to play come Sunday.
Brown, from foe to friend
Newest Patriots offensive lineman Wilbert Brown, a Washington Redskin as late as last Friday, isn't necessarily opposed to helping his new team prepare for his former mates. The 6-2, 320-pound guard/center said Wednesday that the best way to attack Steve Spurrier's potent offensive attack is through pressure.
“I am a Patriot now,” Brown said. “I am not a Redskin, so if they ask me something I will tell them.”
“[The Redskins] love to throw the football. You have to put pressure on the quarterback. There are a lot of weak points in the protection scheme, but if you get to the quarterback you will disrupt everything. They want to throw the ball. He'll run it if people start telling him to, but wants to throw the ball.”
Brown also defended his new teammates against the charges of Redskins defenders this preseason that the New England offensive line utilized dirty cut blocks in the trenches. Washington defensive lineman Brandon Noble was injured in the Patriots preseason win in Washington and subsequently placed on injured reserve.
“That's stupid. Everybody goes for cuts,” Brown said of the allegations of dirty play. “The whole league does that. That's not being dirty. I mean if the ball is going away from you and you are backside you are going to cut the guy. If you don't want to get cut, you don't want to play football. It's going to happen. Everybody around the league cuts. So if you don't want to get cut, get another job.”
According to Giants defensive end Michael Strahan though, Brown may not be the best source when it comes to fair play. Strahan was asked about Brown last week leading up to a Giants-Redskins matchup, one that Brown did not play in as he was cut last Friday, and responded with some strong comments dating back to a meeting between the two players in the 2002 season.
“There's a certain way to play the game and there's a certain way you don't play the game,” Strahan said last week when asked about Brown. “There's a difference between being aggressive and being out of control. One thing as a player, we all respect each other and we all understand you're out there to compete. I don't think anybody wants to go out there to legitimately try to hurt anybody else and just do something that's flat-out dirty, and that's what I ran into with him last year.”
Brown doesn't have quite the same view of the players' 2002 meeting.
“We played them last year and we got into a little scuffle,” Brown said. “I didn't think it was any big deal, but apparently he does. He keeps bringing it up. I have nothing against the guy. I think he is a great football player. But if he doesn't like me, that's his problem. I really don't care.”
Depending on how things go the two could have a chance to once again cross paths on the field, as the Patriots will host the Giants on Oct. 12.
Redskins injuries
The Redskins released a slightly shorter, six-man injury report for Sunday's game. Washington lists offensive lineman Dave Fiore (knee) and tight end Zeron Flemister (ankle) as questionable. Cornerback Champ Bailey (wrist/shoulder), defensive tackle Jermaine Haley (hand), wide receiver Taylor Jacobs (abdomen) and linebacker Antonio Pierce (ankle) are all listed as probable.
24 Sep 03 / by Andy Hart, Patriots Football Weekly
HOT LINKS
Vinatieri Throwback Replica Jersey
Patriots United
Inaugural 2003 Training Camp Tee
Brady Throwback Replica Jersey
Related Bios
- Wilbert Brown
It seems like the record is stuck on the Patriots injury report, but unfortunately the names change every Wednesday. For the fourth consecutive week the game-week story around Gillette Stadium has more to do with who will or won't be suiting up for the Patriots on Sunday than to do with the opponent the team is preparing to face.
On Wednesday the team released an injury report that includes an incredible 12 players. That's right 12 players, more than a quarter of the number of players, 45, who can be active on any given Sunday. Even worse for New England fans may be the fact that of those 12 players, 11 could be considered starters and 11 are listed as questionable (a 50-percent chance to play) or worse.
The details of the report are as follows: Rosevelt Colvin (hip) and Mike Compton (foot) are both out as they were placed on injured reserve earlier in the week. Two other players, Ted Johnson (foot) and Ted Washington (leg) are also listed as out. Mike Vrabel (arm) is doubtful. Je'Rod Cherry (leg), Adrian Klemm (ankle), Ty Law (ankle), Fred McCrary (knee), David Patten (knee) and Damien Woody (knee) are all questionable. Tom Brady (arm) is probable.
The reactions around the New England locker room vary, but to a man every player knows that health issues aside the team must continue to move forward and compete. Offensive captain Troy Brown believes that the players must have confidence in each other and not worry about the ability of the backups to do their jobs when called upon.
“I am not worried about it,” Brown said. “I have confidence in my guys. They know what to do. I've seen them play and they know how to play. So I am not worrying about a guy, 'Is he going to mess up?' These guys, they can play some good football.”
Law, a player who battled back from an injury to return to play a key role last Sunday in New England's win over the Jets, knows that sometimes injuries are harder to deal with after the emotion of a game dissolves.
“I mean it was definitely adrenaline,” Law said of his fourth-quarter return against New York. “It was a big game and I wanted to be back out there on the field. Of course you have a whole different attitude the next morning, after you sit down and everything has calmed down. But when you are in the heat of the moment of the game the pain seems to be a little bit more minimal than it is when you sit down and have to wait over night. But it's about wanting to be out there. That's what it boils down to, wanting to be out there. Of course I could have sat down, but that is not me. It's just going out to play. Buy like I said before if I felt I was going to hurt the team I wouldn't have been back out there because it is not that important. No one is trying to be a hero or anything. It's just about going out there and competing and wanting to be out there with your teammates.”
But wanting to get out there to compete and being able to contribute can be two different things. Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick said he did not expect the Pro Bowl corner to practice on Wednesday and the player knows that he will be walking a fine line between gutting it out and potentially hurting his team by playing through the ankle injury.
“There is a very thin line,” Law said. “You get close to it, but I don't think I would ever cross that line because I don't want to hurt myself and at the same time more importantly I don't want to hurt this team by me being out there and not being able to perform. Like I said, no one is trying to be a hero. It's just about going out there and playing and wanting to compete. I'll push myself as much as I can to be out there because I get paid play, I don't get paid to sit down.”
Another player who will be fighting an uphill battle to get on the field this Sunday in Washington is Vrabel.
“We don't want to rule anything out on Wednesday,” Vrabel said while wearing a cast covering from his left biceps down to his hand. “We will evaluate it through the week and make a decision later. I just don't want to make any decisions right now.”
Regardless of whether he is one of the players on the field or not, Vrabel is confident that the Patriots coaching staff will put in a capable game plan regardless of the players who are able to go.
“I think every week we are very, very prepared defensively against the other team's offense,” Vrabel said. “So I don't think that's ever a problem, what we are trying to put in. You consider who we have or who we don't have. I think they are putting a plan in, I think all those things come into account with who you are playing, who you are doing it with. I think that goes into account every week, regardless.”
This week though Belichick and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel will certainly earn their paychecks preparing for one of the most potent offenses in the NFL. Not only must they prepare for Patrick Ramsey, Laveranues Coles and the rest of the Redskins attack, they must also prepare to counter that attack with numerous different personnel groupings based on which players are healthy enough to play come Sunday.
Brown, from foe to friend
Newest Patriots offensive lineman Wilbert Brown, a Washington Redskin as late as last Friday, isn't necessarily opposed to helping his new team prepare for his former mates. The 6-2, 320-pound guard/center said Wednesday that the best way to attack Steve Spurrier's potent offensive attack is through pressure.
“I am a Patriot now,” Brown said. “I am not a Redskin, so if they ask me something I will tell them.”
“[The Redskins] love to throw the football. You have to put pressure on the quarterback. There are a lot of weak points in the protection scheme, but if you get to the quarterback you will disrupt everything. They want to throw the ball. He'll run it if people start telling him to, but wants to throw the ball.”
Brown also defended his new teammates against the charges of Redskins defenders this preseason that the New England offensive line utilized dirty cut blocks in the trenches. Washington defensive lineman Brandon Noble was injured in the Patriots preseason win in Washington and subsequently placed on injured reserve.
“That's stupid. Everybody goes for cuts,” Brown said of the allegations of dirty play. “The whole league does that. That's not being dirty. I mean if the ball is going away from you and you are backside you are going to cut the guy. If you don't want to get cut, you don't want to play football. It's going to happen. Everybody around the league cuts. So if you don't want to get cut, get another job.”
According to Giants defensive end Michael Strahan though, Brown may not be the best source when it comes to fair play. Strahan was asked about Brown last week leading up to a Giants-Redskins matchup, one that Brown did not play in as he was cut last Friday, and responded with some strong comments dating back to a meeting between the two players in the 2002 season.
“There's a certain way to play the game and there's a certain way you don't play the game,” Strahan said last week when asked about Brown. “There's a difference between being aggressive and being out of control. One thing as a player, we all respect each other and we all understand you're out there to compete. I don't think anybody wants to go out there to legitimately try to hurt anybody else and just do something that's flat-out dirty, and that's what I ran into with him last year.”
Brown doesn't have quite the same view of the players' 2002 meeting.
“We played them last year and we got into a little scuffle,” Brown said. “I didn't think it was any big deal, but apparently he does. He keeps bringing it up. I have nothing against the guy. I think he is a great football player. But if he doesn't like me, that's his problem. I really don't care.”
Depending on how things go the two could have a chance to once again cross paths on the field, as the Patriots will host the Giants on Oct. 12.
Redskins injuries
The Redskins released a slightly shorter, six-man injury report for Sunday's game. Washington lists offensive lineman Dave Fiore (knee) and tight end Zeron Flemister (ankle) as questionable. Cornerback Champ Bailey (wrist/shoulder), defensive tackle Jermaine Haley (hand), wide receiver Taylor Jacobs (abdomen) and linebacker Antonio Pierce (ankle) are all listed as probable.
Patriots travel to DC to take on the Redskins
24 Sep 03 / by New England Patriots
The Patriots (2-1) return to the road this weekend to face the Washington Redskins (2-1) at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. New England will look to continue its momentum after winning its last two games, including last week's 23-16 victory over the New York Jets in the home opener at Gillette Stadium. The Redskins, on the other hand, will try to get back on the winning track after their bid for a 3-0 start was foiled by the New York Giants in overtime last weekend. At stake for both teams is an opportunity to finish the opening month of the 2003 season with a solid 3-1 record.
New England enters this week's contest against the Redskins after showing a successful balanced attack last week against the Jets. The Patriots ran for more than 100 yards as a team for the second time in three games as Kevin Faulk and Antowain Smith combined for 134 yards on the ground. New England also showed proficiency in the passing game, as quarterback Tom Brady singled out tight ends Daniel Graham and Christian Fauria for a combined five catches for 86 yards against New York. The Patriots will face a challenge on defense, lining up against the Redskins offense, which is ranked number one in the NFL after three weeks, averaging 406 total yards per game. But New England's defense has been productive itself, as Tedy Bruschi and Asante Samuel have each come up with interception returns for touchdowns since Week Two.
The Patriots were in D.C. just six weeks ago for a preseason matchup with the Redskins, but have not traveled to Washington for a regular-season game since Oct. 25, 1981. The 22-year gap between trips is the longest for any Patriots opponent and spans 355 games, during which time the Patriots have played in 32 other NFL cities.
Television:
This week's game will be televised by CBS. The game can be seen locally on WBZ-TV Channel 4 in Boston. Greg Gumbel will handle the play-by-play duties and Phil Simms will provide analysis. Armen Keteyian will provide reports from the sidelines throughout the game. Following the game, the Fifth Quarter postgame show can be seen on WBZ-TV.
Radio:
WBCN 104.1 FM is the flagship station for the Patriots Rock Radio Network. Play-by-play broadcaster Gil Santos is in his 27th season as the voice of the Patriots, and calls the action along with Patriots Hall of Famer Gino Cappelletti. In 2003, Santos and Cappelletti celebrate their 20th season as a broadcast tandem.
National Radio:
This week's game will be broadcast nationally by Westwood One Radio. Dave Sims and John Riggins will call the action from FedEx Field.
Patriots vs. NFC
New England has won seven of its last eight games against NFC opposition, dating back to the 2001 season. The streak includes the Patriots' Super Bowl XXXVI win over St. Louis. The Patriots have won four straight games against the NFC, including a 31-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week Two. New England posted identical 3-1 records against the NFC in 2001 and 2002.
The End of the Road
The Washington game will mark the end of an opening month in which the Patriots will have played three of their four games on the road. New England will return home for the month of October, playing three of their next four games at Gillette Stadium. They will begin a two-game homestand against the Tennessee Titans (Oct. 5), followed by a clash with the New York Giants (Oct. 12).
Series History
The Patriots will square off against the Redskins for the seventh time in the regular season and for just the second time since 1990. The Redskins have won the last five games in the six-game series. Three of the last five games have been decided by five points or less. The Patriots are playing in Washington in the regular season for just the second time in their history. The last time New England traveled to the District of Columbia for a regular-season game was on Oct. 25, 1981, when they were edged at RFK Stadium, 24-22. Since that time, they have played in 32 other NFL cities, including Los Angeles, which no longer has a team, and Baltimore and Houston when teams other than the current clubs played there. The Patriots have played 355 games since their last regular-season trip to Washington, including postseason contests. Despite their regular-season unfamiliarity, the Patriots have played the Redskins frequently in the preseason. The teams have tangled in the exhibition slate in each of the past six preseasons. The Patriots beat the Redskins in the 2003 preseason, taking a 20-13 win on Aug. 16. New England holds an 11-7 lead in the all-time preseason series, with a 6-2 lead in the eight games since 1994.
Washington 5, New England 1
Date Result +/- Stadium
10/01/72 at Patriots 24, Redskins 23 +1 Foxboro
09/03/78 Redskins 16, at Patriots 14 -2 Foxboro
10/25/81 at Redskins 24, Patriots 22 -2 RFK
09/23/84 Redskins 26, at Patriots 10 -16 Foxboro
12/15/90 Redskins 25, at Patriots 10 -15 Foxboro
10/13/96 Redskins 27, at Patriots 22 -5 Foxboro
Series Trends
Overall Record in Series 1 win, 5 losses
Total Points Redskins 141, Patriots 102
Record in New England 1 win, 4 losses
Record in Washington 0 wins, 1 losses
Longest winning streak 1 game (10/01/72)
Longest losing streak 5 games (09/03/78 - present)
The Last Time
Washington 27, Patriots 22 – October 13, 1996
The Patriots dropped to 3-3 on the 1996 season with a five-point loss to the Redskins at Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots brought a 16-10 lead into halftime, but a pair of Redskins touchdowns in the third quarter lifted Washington to a 27-22 win. After the loss to the Redskins, the Patriots won eight of their last 10 regular-season games to finish at 11-5, then won a pair of playoff games in Foxborough to earn a trip to Super Bowl XXXI.
Curtis Martin was the offensive star of the game for the Patriots, rushing 17 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Drew Bledsoe completed 23-of-48 passes for 222 yards and Gus Frerotte passed for a pair of touchdowns for Washington. For the Redskins, Henry Ellard led the way with eight receptions for 152 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots got a pair of field goals by Adam Vinatieri to take a 6-3 lead by the end of the first quarter. The teams traded touchdowns before another Vinatieri field goal gave the Patriots a 16-10 lead at halftime. But Frerotte threw for a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to give the Redskins a 24-16 lead. The Patriots clawed back to within two points on Martin's second touchdown of the afternoon, but Washington got another field goal in the final minute to put the game away, 27-22.
Tale of the Tape
2003 Regular Season New England Washington
Record 2-1 2-1
Divisional Standings T-1st T-1st
Total Yards Gained 842 1,218
Total Offense (Rank) 280.7 (24) 406.0 (1)
Rush Offense 104.7 (16) 136.3 (7)
Pass Offense 176.0 (24) 269.7 (T-2)
Points Per Game 18.0 23.3
Total Yards Allowed 919 840
Total Defense 306.3 (16) 280.0 (8)
Rush Defense 90.3 (14) 95.0 (16)
Pass Defense 216.0 (18) 185.0 (10)
Points Allowed/Game 19.0 22.7
Possession Avg. 31:47 32:18
Sacks Allowed/Yards Lost 9/62 13/80
Sacks Made/Yards 10/58 5/23
Interceptions By 4 2
Penalties Against/Yards 29/292 35/276
Punts/Avg. 21/40.4 15/37.5
Takeaway/Giveaway Ratio +4 –3
Unfamiliar Foe
The Patriots and Redskins have faced off in the regular season just once since the beginning of the 1991 season. New England played Washington in 1996 in the teams' only meeting in the past 12 seasons. With the new NFL scheduling format that took effect last season, the Patriots and Redskins will now face off at least once every four years, eliminating the scheduling aberration. This season, the Patriots will get reacquainted with some old foes as they play four teams they have played two times or less since the beginning of the 1991 season
Times played
Team Since 1991 Year(s)
Washington Redskins* 1 1996
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2 2000, 1997
New York Giants* 2 1999, 1996
Dallas Cowboys* 2 1999, 1996
Philadelphia Eagles* 2 1999, 2003
*-2003 opponent
Connections
-Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick was raised in Annapolis, Md.
-Patriots Strength & Conditioning Coach Mike Woicik was born in Baltimore, Md.
-Patriots fullback Larry Centers played for the Redskins in 1999 and 2000, setting a team record for receptions by a running back with 81 catches in 2000.
-While playing for the New York Giants, Patriots wide receiver David Patten recorded a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Washington (11/1/1998).
-Patriots linebacker Roman Phifer recorded his 700th career tackle against Washington while playing for the St. Louis Rams (11/30/97).
-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Redskins tackle Jon Jansen were teammates at the University of Michigan.
-Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi attended the University of Arizona, as did Redskins running back Trung Canidate and Redskins linebacker Antonio Pierce.
-Patriots strong safety Je'Rod Cherry played at California with Redskins defensive end Regan Upshaw; Patriots rookie linebacker Tully Banta-Cain also played at California.
-Patriots quarterback Rohan Davey played in the same class at Louisiana State as Redskins tight end Robert Royal. Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green was a year ahead of the two, and running back Kevin Faulk also played at Louisiana State.
-Patriots fullback Fred McCrary played two years ahead of Redskins guard Randy Thomas at Mississippi State.
-Redskins defensive end Regan Upshaw, while playing for the Oakland Raiders, started at New England in the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff Game at right defensive end and made five tackles, including one sack for a 7-yard loss. He also forced one fumble.
-Redskins punter Bryan Barker had a 60-yard bomb while playing for Jacksonville against New England (1/3/99), setting a Jaguars team playoff record and establishing his postseason personal best.
-Redskins safety Matt Bowen caught his first career interception against New England (10/13/02) while playing for the Green Bay Packers.
-Redskins guard Randy Thomas made his NFL debut against the Patriots while playing for the New York Jets.
-In his first season with Washington, defensive end Bruce Smith recorded a sack on the first play of preseason against New England (8/11/00).
Passing Performances
Tom Brady is facing the Redskins for the first time in the regular season. He has played against Washington three times in the preseason, winning the two games he started and compiling a 96.9 passer rating in the three games in which he played. Washington's Patrick Ramsey has faced the Patriots in each of the past two preseasons, losing in his only start and earning a 60.3 passer rating in the two games.
Tom Brady vs. Washington Redskins (2-0 preseason)
Date A C Yd % TD I Rating W/L Score
08/11/00 DNP
08/30/01 19 11 166 .579 1 0 104.3 Did not Start
08/29/02 10 7 59 .700 0 0 85.0 W 28-14
08/16/03 18 9 145 .500 1 0 95.8 W 20-13
Totals 47 27 370 .574 2 0 96.9 2-0
Patrick Ramsey vs. New England (0-1 preseason)
Date A C Yd % TD I Rating W/L Score
08/29/02 14 7 102 .500 1 1 68.2 Did not Start
08/16/03 24 13 149 .542 0 1 55.7 L 13-20
Totals 38 20 251 .526 1 2 60.3 0-1
Patriots – Redskins Quick Hits
-The Patriots have not defeated the Redskins since 1972, marking their longest drought against any NFL team.
-The Patriots have not played in Washington since 1981. Since that time, they have played in 32 other NFL cities, including visits to play the Baltimore Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Raiders and Houston Oilers.
-The Redskins are one of just three teams (along with Seattle and Tampa Bay) that the Patriots have not defeated since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994.
-New England has won seven of its last eight games against NFC opposition, dating back to the 2001 season. The streak includes the Patriots' 20-13 win over St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXVI.
-The Patriots have defeated the Redskins in six of their eight preseason meetings since 1994, including once in each of the last three years.
24 Sep 03 / by New England Patriots
The Patriots (2-1) return to the road this weekend to face the Washington Redskins (2-1) at FedEx Field in Landover, Md. New England will look to continue its momentum after winning its last two games, including last week's 23-16 victory over the New York Jets in the home opener at Gillette Stadium. The Redskins, on the other hand, will try to get back on the winning track after their bid for a 3-0 start was foiled by the New York Giants in overtime last weekend. At stake for both teams is an opportunity to finish the opening month of the 2003 season with a solid 3-1 record.
New England enters this week's contest against the Redskins after showing a successful balanced attack last week against the Jets. The Patriots ran for more than 100 yards as a team for the second time in three games as Kevin Faulk and Antowain Smith combined for 134 yards on the ground. New England also showed proficiency in the passing game, as quarterback Tom Brady singled out tight ends Daniel Graham and Christian Fauria for a combined five catches for 86 yards against New York. The Patriots will face a challenge on defense, lining up against the Redskins offense, which is ranked number one in the NFL after three weeks, averaging 406 total yards per game. But New England's defense has been productive itself, as Tedy Bruschi and Asante Samuel have each come up with interception returns for touchdowns since Week Two.
The Patriots were in D.C. just six weeks ago for a preseason matchup with the Redskins, but have not traveled to Washington for a regular-season game since Oct. 25, 1981. The 22-year gap between trips is the longest for any Patriots opponent and spans 355 games, during which time the Patriots have played in 32 other NFL cities.
Television:
This week's game will be televised by CBS. The game can be seen locally on WBZ-TV Channel 4 in Boston. Greg Gumbel will handle the play-by-play duties and Phil Simms will provide analysis. Armen Keteyian will provide reports from the sidelines throughout the game. Following the game, the Fifth Quarter postgame show can be seen on WBZ-TV.
Radio:
WBCN 104.1 FM is the flagship station for the Patriots Rock Radio Network. Play-by-play broadcaster Gil Santos is in his 27th season as the voice of the Patriots, and calls the action along with Patriots Hall of Famer Gino Cappelletti. In 2003, Santos and Cappelletti celebrate their 20th season as a broadcast tandem.
National Radio:
This week's game will be broadcast nationally by Westwood One Radio. Dave Sims and John Riggins will call the action from FedEx Field.
Patriots vs. NFC
New England has won seven of its last eight games against NFC opposition, dating back to the 2001 season. The streak includes the Patriots' Super Bowl XXXVI win over St. Louis. The Patriots have won four straight games against the NFC, including a 31-10 win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week Two. New England posted identical 3-1 records against the NFC in 2001 and 2002.
The End of the Road
The Washington game will mark the end of an opening month in which the Patriots will have played three of their four games on the road. New England will return home for the month of October, playing three of their next four games at Gillette Stadium. They will begin a two-game homestand against the Tennessee Titans (Oct. 5), followed by a clash with the New York Giants (Oct. 12).
Series History
The Patriots will square off against the Redskins for the seventh time in the regular season and for just the second time since 1990. The Redskins have won the last five games in the six-game series. Three of the last five games have been decided by five points or less. The Patriots are playing in Washington in the regular season for just the second time in their history. The last time New England traveled to the District of Columbia for a regular-season game was on Oct. 25, 1981, when they were edged at RFK Stadium, 24-22. Since that time, they have played in 32 other NFL cities, including Los Angeles, which no longer has a team, and Baltimore and Houston when teams other than the current clubs played there. The Patriots have played 355 games since their last regular-season trip to Washington, including postseason contests. Despite their regular-season unfamiliarity, the Patriots have played the Redskins frequently in the preseason. The teams have tangled in the exhibition slate in each of the past six preseasons. The Patriots beat the Redskins in the 2003 preseason, taking a 20-13 win on Aug. 16. New England holds an 11-7 lead in the all-time preseason series, with a 6-2 lead in the eight games since 1994.
Washington 5, New England 1
Date Result +/- Stadium
10/01/72 at Patriots 24, Redskins 23 +1 Foxboro
09/03/78 Redskins 16, at Patriots 14 -2 Foxboro
10/25/81 at Redskins 24, Patriots 22 -2 RFK
09/23/84 Redskins 26, at Patriots 10 -16 Foxboro
12/15/90 Redskins 25, at Patriots 10 -15 Foxboro
10/13/96 Redskins 27, at Patriots 22 -5 Foxboro
Series Trends
Overall Record in Series 1 win, 5 losses
Total Points Redskins 141, Patriots 102
Record in New England 1 win, 4 losses
Record in Washington 0 wins, 1 losses
Longest winning streak 1 game (10/01/72)
Longest losing streak 5 games (09/03/78 - present)
The Last Time
Washington 27, Patriots 22 – October 13, 1996
The Patriots dropped to 3-3 on the 1996 season with a five-point loss to the Redskins at Foxboro Stadium. The Patriots brought a 16-10 lead into halftime, but a pair of Redskins touchdowns in the third quarter lifted Washington to a 27-22 win. After the loss to the Redskins, the Patriots won eight of their last 10 regular-season games to finish at 11-5, then won a pair of playoff games in Foxborough to earn a trip to Super Bowl XXXI.
Curtis Martin was the offensive star of the game for the Patriots, rushing 17 times for 164 yards and two touchdowns. Drew Bledsoe completed 23-of-48 passes for 222 yards and Gus Frerotte passed for a pair of touchdowns for Washington. For the Redskins, Henry Ellard led the way with eight receptions for 152 yards and a touchdown.
The Patriots got a pair of field goals by Adam Vinatieri to take a 6-3 lead by the end of the first quarter. The teams traded touchdowns before another Vinatieri field goal gave the Patriots a 16-10 lead at halftime. But Frerotte threw for a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to give the Redskins a 24-16 lead. The Patriots clawed back to within two points on Martin's second touchdown of the afternoon, but Washington got another field goal in the final minute to put the game away, 27-22.
Tale of the Tape
2003 Regular Season New England Washington
Record 2-1 2-1
Divisional Standings T-1st T-1st
Total Yards Gained 842 1,218
Total Offense (Rank) 280.7 (24) 406.0 (1)
Rush Offense 104.7 (16) 136.3 (7)
Pass Offense 176.0 (24) 269.7 (T-2)
Points Per Game 18.0 23.3
Total Yards Allowed 919 840
Total Defense 306.3 (16) 280.0 (8)
Rush Defense 90.3 (14) 95.0 (16)
Pass Defense 216.0 (18) 185.0 (10)
Points Allowed/Game 19.0 22.7
Possession Avg. 31:47 32:18
Sacks Allowed/Yards Lost 9/62 13/80
Sacks Made/Yards 10/58 5/23
Interceptions By 4 2
Penalties Against/Yards 29/292 35/276
Punts/Avg. 21/40.4 15/37.5
Takeaway/Giveaway Ratio +4 –3
Unfamiliar Foe
The Patriots and Redskins have faced off in the regular season just once since the beginning of the 1991 season. New England played Washington in 1996 in the teams' only meeting in the past 12 seasons. With the new NFL scheduling format that took effect last season, the Patriots and Redskins will now face off at least once every four years, eliminating the scheduling aberration. This season, the Patriots will get reacquainted with some old foes as they play four teams they have played two times or less since the beginning of the 1991 season
Times played
Team Since 1991 Year(s)
Washington Redskins* 1 1996
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2 2000, 1997
New York Giants* 2 1999, 1996
Dallas Cowboys* 2 1999, 1996
Philadelphia Eagles* 2 1999, 2003
*-2003 opponent
Connections
-Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick was raised in Annapolis, Md.
-Patriots Strength & Conditioning Coach Mike Woicik was born in Baltimore, Md.
-Patriots fullback Larry Centers played for the Redskins in 1999 and 2000, setting a team record for receptions by a running back with 81 catches in 2000.
-While playing for the New York Giants, Patriots wide receiver David Patten recorded a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Washington (11/1/1998).
-Patriots linebacker Roman Phifer recorded his 700th career tackle against Washington while playing for the St. Louis Rams (11/30/97).
-Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and Redskins tackle Jon Jansen were teammates at the University of Michigan.
-Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi attended the University of Arizona, as did Redskins running back Trung Canidate and Redskins linebacker Antonio Pierce.
-Patriots strong safety Je'Rod Cherry played at California with Redskins defensive end Regan Upshaw; Patriots rookie linebacker Tully Banta-Cain also played at California.
-Patriots quarterback Rohan Davey played in the same class at Louisiana State as Redskins tight end Robert Royal. Patriots defensive end Jarvis Green was a year ahead of the two, and running back Kevin Faulk also played at Louisiana State.
-Patriots fullback Fred McCrary played two years ahead of Redskins guard Randy Thomas at Mississippi State.
-Redskins defensive end Regan Upshaw, while playing for the Oakland Raiders, started at New England in the 2001 AFC Divisional Playoff Game at right defensive end and made five tackles, including one sack for a 7-yard loss. He also forced one fumble.
-Redskins punter Bryan Barker had a 60-yard bomb while playing for Jacksonville against New England (1/3/99), setting a Jaguars team playoff record and establishing his postseason personal best.
-Redskins safety Matt Bowen caught his first career interception against New England (10/13/02) while playing for the Green Bay Packers.
-Redskins guard Randy Thomas made his NFL debut against the Patriots while playing for the New York Jets.
-In his first season with Washington, defensive end Bruce Smith recorded a sack on the first play of preseason against New England (8/11/00).
Passing Performances
Tom Brady is facing the Redskins for the first time in the regular season. He has played against Washington three times in the preseason, winning the two games he started and compiling a 96.9 passer rating in the three games in which he played. Washington's Patrick Ramsey has faced the Patriots in each of the past two preseasons, losing in his only start and earning a 60.3 passer rating in the two games.
Tom Brady vs. Washington Redskins (2-0 preseason)
Date A C Yd % TD I Rating W/L Score
08/11/00 DNP
08/30/01 19 11 166 .579 1 0 104.3 Did not Start
08/29/02 10 7 59 .700 0 0 85.0 W 28-14
08/16/03 18 9 145 .500 1 0 95.8 W 20-13
Totals 47 27 370 .574 2 0 96.9 2-0
Patrick Ramsey vs. New England (0-1 preseason)
Date A C Yd % TD I Rating W/L Score
08/29/02 14 7 102 .500 1 1 68.2 Did not Start
08/16/03 24 13 149 .542 0 1 55.7 L 13-20
Totals 38 20 251 .526 1 2 60.3 0-1
Patriots – Redskins Quick Hits
-The Patriots have not defeated the Redskins since 1972, marking their longest drought against any NFL team.
-The Patriots have not played in Washington since 1981. Since that time, they have played in 32 other NFL cities, including visits to play the Baltimore Colts, Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Raiders and Houston Oilers.
-The Redskins are one of just three teams (along with Seattle and Tampa Bay) that the Patriots have not defeated since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994.
-New England has won seven of its last eight games against NFC opposition, dating back to the 2001 season. The streak includes the Patriots' 20-13 win over St. Louis in Super Bowl XXXVI.
-The Patriots have defeated the Redskins in six of their eight preseason meetings since 1994, including once in each of the last three years.
List of wounded Patriots grows again
By HOWARD ULMAN, AP Sports Writer
October 1, 2003
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots injury list is actually getting longer.
Beset all season by serious ailments, New England had 13 players on the list Wednesday, up one from a week ago.
From top to bottom, the problems involved one neck, one shoulder, one chest, one arm, one elbow, two legs, three knees, two ankles and one foot.
``There's not too many times you're going to come out there 100 percent,'' cornerback Ty Law said. ``But it's just, how much can you take? How much can you tolerate?''
Law sprained his ankle in the Patriots' second game and played in last Sunday's 20-17 loss at Washington even though he was listed as questionable. He's questionable again for Sunday's home game against Tennessee.
``It's definitely feeling better than it did after the first week,'' Law said. ``I want to get to this bye week and give it a real rest.''
That doesn't come until Nov. 9 and the Patriots have five games before then.
``We're a wounded team, but wounded teams are still dangerous,'' said defensive end Richard Seymour, who played some defensive tackle last Sunday because of injuries. ``Sometimes when a running back goes down the team kind of pulls together and gets stronger.''
Wednesday's injury report included 10 players who figured to be starters and four others who were hurt last Sunday and are listed as questionable -- running back Kevin Faulk, wide receiver David Givens, tight end Daniel Graham and linebacker Willie McGinest.
Three players who were on the list a week earlier were off it Wednesday. But linebacker Rosevelt Colvin and guard Mike Compton were removed because they went on injured reserve and are out for the season.
The Patriots actually may be getting an injured player back. Running back Mike Cloud had calf surgery in July and is eligible to return after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy while he was with Kansas City last season.
He was barred from Gillette Stadium during his suspension and met with a trainer once a week at a nearby McDonald's to assess his condition.
``I feel very confident where I'm at physically and mentally,'' Cloud said before his first regular-season practice with the team Wednesday, ``but it's different when you're on the field.''
The Patriots have a one-week exemption before having to decide whether to put Cloud on the roster or release him, but Cloud said he'd like to play against Tennessee.
He could come in handy if Faulk is limited.
Faulk began last Sunday's game as New England's leading rusher but was hurt and sat out most of the second half after gaining 12 yards on 10 carries and catching one pass. He ran behind an offensive line missing three sidelined starters.
By HOWARD ULMAN, AP Sports Writer
October 1, 2003
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots injury list is actually getting longer.
Beset all season by serious ailments, New England had 13 players on the list Wednesday, up one from a week ago.
From top to bottom, the problems involved one neck, one shoulder, one chest, one arm, one elbow, two legs, three knees, two ankles and one foot.
``There's not too many times you're going to come out there 100 percent,'' cornerback Ty Law said. ``But it's just, how much can you take? How much can you tolerate?''
Law sprained his ankle in the Patriots' second game and played in last Sunday's 20-17 loss at Washington even though he was listed as questionable. He's questionable again for Sunday's home game against Tennessee.
``It's definitely feeling better than it did after the first week,'' Law said. ``I want to get to this bye week and give it a real rest.''
That doesn't come until Nov. 9 and the Patriots have five games before then.
``We're a wounded team, but wounded teams are still dangerous,'' said defensive end Richard Seymour, who played some defensive tackle last Sunday because of injuries. ``Sometimes when a running back goes down the team kind of pulls together and gets stronger.''
Wednesday's injury report included 10 players who figured to be starters and four others who were hurt last Sunday and are listed as questionable -- running back Kevin Faulk, wide receiver David Givens, tight end Daniel Graham and linebacker Willie McGinest.
Three players who were on the list a week earlier were off it Wednesday. But linebacker Rosevelt Colvin and guard Mike Compton were removed because they went on injured reserve and are out for the season.
The Patriots actually may be getting an injured player back. Running back Mike Cloud had calf surgery in July and is eligible to return after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy while he was with Kansas City last season.
He was barred from Gillette Stadium during his suspension and met with a trainer once a week at a nearby McDonald's to assess his condition.
``I feel very confident where I'm at physically and mentally,'' Cloud said before his first regular-season practice with the team Wednesday, ``but it's different when you're on the field.''
The Patriots have a one-week exemption before having to decide whether to put Cloud on the roster or release him, but Cloud said he'd like to play against Tennessee.
He could come in handy if Faulk is limited.
Faulk began last Sunday's game as New England's leading rusher but was hurt and sat out most of the second half after gaining 12 yards on 10 carries and catching one pass. He ran behind an offensive line missing three sidelined starters.
Pats O-line faces physical Titans challenge
1 Oct 03 / by Andy Hart, Patriots Football Weekly
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Inaugural 2003 Training Camp Tee
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Some teams try to beat you with athleticism, some teams try to beat you with scheme and some teams simply try to beat you up. While the 3-1 Tennessee Titans definitely have aspects of all three styles, they probably fall most heavily under the third umbrella.
On both sides of the ball the Titans play a rather physically dominating style. Between a consistent diet of bruising running back Eddie George and an aggressive defensive front that may be one of the best in football, Tennessee plays what many would term 'old school' football.
That style presents a serious test for New England heading into Sunday's game, especially for what has become a bit of a patchwork Patriots offensive line. Both tackle Tom Ashworth and guard Russ Hochstein made their first NFL starts last week in Washington and rookie Dan Koppen is still learning the ropes at center. A unit that has seen only left tackle Matt Light start each of the first four games in the same spot will probably have to play more like a cohesive veteran group in order to counteract the strong Titans front.
“They really rely on their front four guys to make a lot of plays for them,” Light said. “But they are going to blitz us. They are going to bring guys at us. They have a great group of linebackers. Obviously their secondary is pretty strong. These guys are tough to score points against and that's our job. So whatever we can do this week to get better is what we are going to be working on. You can't say enough about guys like Jevon Kearse. You can't say enough about Kevin Carter. You can't say enough about guys like Robaire Smith, guys that can all make plays at any point in the game. Those are the guys we are going to have to stop.”
But as much as the line is still trying gel as a unit, Light believes that Tennessee's physical style of play could actually benefit the Patriots this week.
“When you have a lot of guys that are shuffling in and out, whether it is injuries or whether you are just trying to do some different things offensively and defensively, I think the physical aspect of the game is the one thing that you can control,” Light said. “So if you are playing a physical team and you are in a situation like we are where there are some guys who are beat up, banged up and other guys are stepping up to make plays, that's the one thing that we can control. That's the one thing that those guys that are stepping in can do, they can go out there and play physical ball and I don't think we are going to have a problem getting that out of anybody that's out there starting. Everybody's going to play physical.”
And Koppen believes that the young offensive linemen are already making positive strides in terms of coming together as a group.
“The more we get together and the more we are talking on the line and the more we are practicing the better it gets for us,” Koppen said. “It's at the point where we don't have to make calls. We can just give a look over and we know what is going to happen. So the more that happens the better we will be. I think we have gelled over the past few weeks and I think we are going to continue to get better.”
Injury Report
The Patriots injury report continued to grow to a total of 13 players as four new faces joined the wounded mix and two other players were downgraded from a week ago. Ted Johnson (foot) and Ted Washington (leg) remain listed as out. Adrian Klemm (ankle) and Fred McCrary (knee) have both been downgraded from last week to join Mike Vrabel (arm) as doubtful. Kevin Faulk (leg), David Givens (chest), Daniel Graham (shoulder), Ty Law (ankle), Willie McGinest (neck), David Patten (knee) and Damien Woody (knee) are all listed as questionable. Tom Brady remains listed as probable with his right elbow injury.
Klemm, McCrary, Vrabel, Faulk, Graham, Law and McGinest all sat out practice on Wednesday.
Like most teams the Patriots will face, the Tennessee injury report is much shorter with just four players. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (elbow), linebacker Peter Sirmon (back), safety Tank Williams (shoulder) and tight end Frank Wycheck (concussion) are all listed as questionable for Sunday's game.
Notes
Running back Mike Cloud took part in his first practice Wednesday since returning from his four-game NFL suspension. “I am feeling very comfortable,” Cloud said. “I am just anxious to get back out there. Given the opportunity I think I can definitely make some plays to help this team out.” The Patriots have a one week roster exemption that will allow Cloud to practice with the team without counting toward the 53-man roster, although the team will have to make a decision to either activate the former Boston College star or release him by next week. … Ty Law discussed his gutsy performance that saw him play through an ankle injury to help slow down a potent Redskins aerial attack in Sunday's tough loss. “It is internal,” Law said of playing through pain. “It depends on the individual, but I look at it as part of the job description. Like I said before there are not too many times you are going to come out there at 100 percent. It's just how much can you take and how much can you tolerate? I think it stems from back when I was in high school just wanting to play and actually in little league, just wanting to be out there and wanting to play. I think that if your adrenaline is flowing and it's flowing hard enough then you are able to tolerate a little more pain. Of course sometimes the pain gets to a point where you can't actually go or you will hurt the team. It's a fine line and I've just been fortunate enough to be able to take a little bit of pain.” … He may be just a rookie, but Koppen took a pretty basic, veteran approach when questioned about the team's current state. “This is our fifth game of the year and we are 2-2 and we have to get to 3-2. That's how we look at it. We'll just go out there Sunday and we'll try to prepare as best we can this week and see what happens.”
1 Oct 03 / by Andy Hart, Patriots Football Weekly
HOT LINKS
Vinatieri Throwback Replica Jersey
Inaugural 2003 Training Camp Tee
Patriots United
Brady Throwback Replica Jersey
Some teams try to beat you with athleticism, some teams try to beat you with scheme and some teams simply try to beat you up. While the 3-1 Tennessee Titans definitely have aspects of all three styles, they probably fall most heavily under the third umbrella.
On both sides of the ball the Titans play a rather physically dominating style. Between a consistent diet of bruising running back Eddie George and an aggressive defensive front that may be one of the best in football, Tennessee plays what many would term 'old school' football.
That style presents a serious test for New England heading into Sunday's game, especially for what has become a bit of a patchwork Patriots offensive line. Both tackle Tom Ashworth and guard Russ Hochstein made their first NFL starts last week in Washington and rookie Dan Koppen is still learning the ropes at center. A unit that has seen only left tackle Matt Light start each of the first four games in the same spot will probably have to play more like a cohesive veteran group in order to counteract the strong Titans front.
“They really rely on their front four guys to make a lot of plays for them,” Light said. “But they are going to blitz us. They are going to bring guys at us. They have a great group of linebackers. Obviously their secondary is pretty strong. These guys are tough to score points against and that's our job. So whatever we can do this week to get better is what we are going to be working on. You can't say enough about guys like Jevon Kearse. You can't say enough about Kevin Carter. You can't say enough about guys like Robaire Smith, guys that can all make plays at any point in the game. Those are the guys we are going to have to stop.”
But as much as the line is still trying gel as a unit, Light believes that Tennessee's physical style of play could actually benefit the Patriots this week.
“When you have a lot of guys that are shuffling in and out, whether it is injuries or whether you are just trying to do some different things offensively and defensively, I think the physical aspect of the game is the one thing that you can control,” Light said. “So if you are playing a physical team and you are in a situation like we are where there are some guys who are beat up, banged up and other guys are stepping up to make plays, that's the one thing that we can control. That's the one thing that those guys that are stepping in can do, they can go out there and play physical ball and I don't think we are going to have a problem getting that out of anybody that's out there starting. Everybody's going to play physical.”
And Koppen believes that the young offensive linemen are already making positive strides in terms of coming together as a group.
“The more we get together and the more we are talking on the line and the more we are practicing the better it gets for us,” Koppen said. “It's at the point where we don't have to make calls. We can just give a look over and we know what is going to happen. So the more that happens the better we will be. I think we have gelled over the past few weeks and I think we are going to continue to get better.”
Injury Report
The Patriots injury report continued to grow to a total of 13 players as four new faces joined the wounded mix and two other players were downgraded from a week ago. Ted Johnson (foot) and Ted Washington (leg) remain listed as out. Adrian Klemm (ankle) and Fred McCrary (knee) have both been downgraded from last week to join Mike Vrabel (arm) as doubtful. Kevin Faulk (leg), David Givens (chest), Daniel Graham (shoulder), Ty Law (ankle), Willie McGinest (neck), David Patten (knee) and Damien Woody (knee) are all listed as questionable. Tom Brady remains listed as probable with his right elbow injury.
Klemm, McCrary, Vrabel, Faulk, Graham, Law and McGinest all sat out practice on Wednesday.
Like most teams the Patriots will face, the Tennessee injury report is much shorter with just four players. Defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth (elbow), linebacker Peter Sirmon (back), safety Tank Williams (shoulder) and tight end Frank Wycheck (concussion) are all listed as questionable for Sunday's game.
Notes
Running back Mike Cloud took part in his first practice Wednesday since returning from his four-game NFL suspension. “I am feeling very comfortable,” Cloud said. “I am just anxious to get back out there. Given the opportunity I think I can definitely make some plays to help this team out.” The Patriots have a one week roster exemption that will allow Cloud to practice with the team without counting toward the 53-man roster, although the team will have to make a decision to either activate the former Boston College star or release him by next week. … Ty Law discussed his gutsy performance that saw him play through an ankle injury to help slow down a potent Redskins aerial attack in Sunday's tough loss. “It is internal,” Law said of playing through pain. “It depends on the individual, but I look at it as part of the job description. Like I said before there are not too many times you are going to come out there at 100 percent. It's just how much can you take and how much can you tolerate? I think it stems from back when I was in high school just wanting to play and actually in little league, just wanting to be out there and wanting to play. I think that if your adrenaline is flowing and it's flowing hard enough then you are able to tolerate a little more pain. Of course sometimes the pain gets to a point where you can't actually go or you will hurt the team. It's a fine line and I've just been fortunate enough to be able to take a little bit of pain.” … He may be just a rookie, but Koppen took a pretty basic, veteran approach when questioned about the team's current state. “This is our fifth game of the year and we are 2-2 and we have to get to 3-2. That's how we look at it. We'll just go out there Sunday and we'll try to prepare as best we can this week and see what happens.”
Pride in his work rules Law
He excels despite injury, uncertainty
By Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff, 10/1/2003
FOXBOROUGH -- Words often misused when describing a sports star are "courageous," "gutsy," "gallant," and "brave." Those words should be saved for those who defend our country, and those who protect the streets, our families, and our homes.
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Yet in professional football in any given week, one sees performances that are honorable in a different way.
Most NFL players do not have guaranteed contracts. The good ones get bonuses up front, and play year-to-year for a good wage. But the players can be released virtually any time (see Lawyer Milloy), and their compensation is certainly not on par with that of baseball, basketball, and some hockey players. Football players compete with injuries, knowing one hit could end their career. More than players in other sports, football players have reason to protect their own interests.
With that in mind, cornerback Ty Law's effort, will, and desire Sunday for the Patriots against the Washington Redskins, while playing with a sprained right ankle, deserves mention.
Law's fine performance against Laveranues Coles, arguably one of the top five receivers in the game, shows why he is one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Likely looking at a pay reduction in the offseason, the nine-year veteran keeps proving why his salary ($6.105 million this season) and high cap number ($8.806 million) are justified.
"Just doing my job," said Law. "It's what I'm supposed to do. That's what they pay me to do. Every week there's a great receiver out there and my job is to shut him down."
Law sprained his ankle the previous week against the Jets, and still is recovering from a serious offseason surgery that he will not provide details of. He spent all of last week in the trainers room receiving treatment on the ankle, which he hurt on a vicious sideline collision with teammate Roman Phifer while diving to make a play. Anyone who saw the play thought Law had sustained major damage to his leg, as he stayed on the turf in pain for some time. He got himself up and for the most part got to the sideline on his own, much to the amazement of his teammates.
He received treatment on the sideline from team physician Bert Zarins, had the ankle wrapped, then began to place weight on it. He started walking, then running slowly, then with a bit more speed until he proved to the trainers and finally to coach Bill Belichick that he could return to the game. Not only did he return, he rendered the Jets' fastest and best receiver, Santana Moss, almost irrelevant.
Law was peppered with questions during the week about his status and whether he'd play in Washington. There seemed no doubt in his mind. He also is constantly asked about his contract and cap number, and whether he will agree to the Patriots' wishes to lower the cap number, especially after the team let go his best friend, Milloy.
Law, only 29, is tired of talking about that. He was even asked last week whether it would have been in his best interests to protect his body and sit out the game against Washington so he'd be intact to play for a new team a year from now.
During the Milloy controversy, Law's reference to being his own corporation, and how he has to look out for that corporation, was misinterpreted in some quarters.
It does not mean Law will sit out games or that he won't give the Patriots $6.1 million worth of play this season. In fact, his actions of the past two weeks have been just the opposite. If this is Law's last season in New England, he's going to make sure he leaves on a high note. Certainly he would be more marketable if he again is a Pro Bowl cornerback. Four games into the season, with the Patriots riddled with injuries, there probably hasn't been a better corner in the league, according to one AFC pro personnel director.
"Right now," said the personnel director, "I don't think there's a better [one]. Just look at the way he's shutting down good receivers. That Buffalo game was just horrible for just about every player on that team, but if you look at Law, he did pretty well against [Eric] Moulds when you consider what was going on in front of him. He handled the Philly receivers easily, shut down Moss, and Coles was really taken away from that offense because of Law. He's also back there with a couple of young kids like [Asante] Samuel and [Eugene] Wilson. Those kids are pretty good, but he's making them look good, too."
One of Law's former defensive backs coaches noted, "I think you're going to see that film being used on how to play Coles. Ty did a great job."
Even Coles, who had five catches for 62 yards with a long of 24 yards, agreed that, "He's been to the Pro Bowl a few times for a reason. It was a battle all day. Always is."
Law always has talked boldly about his ability. He considers himself one of the best cover men in the league and makes no apologies about his salary. Not only has he lived up to his contract, it might be outdated.
The Patriots, who always have an eye toward getting younger and cheaper players at every position, certainly had Law in mind when they drafted Samuel and Wilson in the first four rounds.
Wilson has replaced Milloy, but he likely was earmarked for Law's spot. Law's seven-year, $51.55 million deal began in 1999 and runs through the '05 season. His salary will rise to $6.756 million next season and $9.856 million in '05, while his cap numbers are scheduled to soar to $9.457 million next season and $12.557 million in '05.
Law's current $7.365 million yearly average salary ranks him first among corners, ahead of Samari Rolle ($7.3m), Sam Madison ($7.1m), Ray Buchanan ($6.2m), and Chris McAlister ($5.96m). His salary cap number is highest among corners, ahead of Patrick Surtain ($7.34m), Madison ($7.0m), McAlister ($5.96m), and Marcus Coleman ($5.8m). Champ Bailey of the Redskins has a big deal on the way, which should trump Law's.
Is Law worth it?
If he's playing the best of any cornerback right now, according to some people in the league, you get what you pay for. Law, far from 100 percent physically, is delivering the goods, and if he's indeed the next to go, it might be a case of pay now or pay later for the Patriots.
© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.
He excels despite injury, uncertainty
By Nick Cafardo, Globe Staff, 10/1/2003
FOXBOROUGH -- Words often misused when describing a sports star are "courageous," "gutsy," "gallant," and "brave." Those words should be saved for those who defend our country, and those who protect the streets, our families, and our homes.
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Yet in professional football in any given week, one sees performances that are honorable in a different way.
Most NFL players do not have guaranteed contracts. The good ones get bonuses up front, and play year-to-year for a good wage. But the players can be released virtually any time (see Lawyer Milloy), and their compensation is certainly not on par with that of baseball, basketball, and some hockey players. Football players compete with injuries, knowing one hit could end their career. More than players in other sports, football players have reason to protect their own interests.
With that in mind, cornerback Ty Law's effort, will, and desire Sunday for the Patriots against the Washington Redskins, while playing with a sprained right ankle, deserves mention.
Law's fine performance against Laveranues Coles, arguably one of the top five receivers in the game, shows why he is one of the NFL's highest-paid players. Likely looking at a pay reduction in the offseason, the nine-year veteran keeps proving why his salary ($6.105 million this season) and high cap number ($8.806 million) are justified.
"Just doing my job," said Law. "It's what I'm supposed to do. That's what they pay me to do. Every week there's a great receiver out there and my job is to shut him down."
Law sprained his ankle the previous week against the Jets, and still is recovering from a serious offseason surgery that he will not provide details of. He spent all of last week in the trainers room receiving treatment on the ankle, which he hurt on a vicious sideline collision with teammate Roman Phifer while diving to make a play. Anyone who saw the play thought Law had sustained major damage to his leg, as he stayed on the turf in pain for some time. He got himself up and for the most part got to the sideline on his own, much to the amazement of his teammates.
He received treatment on the sideline from team physician Bert Zarins, had the ankle wrapped, then began to place weight on it. He started walking, then running slowly, then with a bit more speed until he proved to the trainers and finally to coach Bill Belichick that he could return to the game. Not only did he return, he rendered the Jets' fastest and best receiver, Santana Moss, almost irrelevant.
Law was peppered with questions during the week about his status and whether he'd play in Washington. There seemed no doubt in his mind. He also is constantly asked about his contract and cap number, and whether he will agree to the Patriots' wishes to lower the cap number, especially after the team let go his best friend, Milloy.
Law, only 29, is tired of talking about that. He was even asked last week whether it would have been in his best interests to protect his body and sit out the game against Washington so he'd be intact to play for a new team a year from now.
During the Milloy controversy, Law's reference to being his own corporation, and how he has to look out for that corporation, was misinterpreted in some quarters.
It does not mean Law will sit out games or that he won't give the Patriots $6.1 million worth of play this season. In fact, his actions of the past two weeks have been just the opposite. If this is Law's last season in New England, he's going to make sure he leaves on a high note. Certainly he would be more marketable if he again is a Pro Bowl cornerback. Four games into the season, with the Patriots riddled with injuries, there probably hasn't been a better corner in the league, according to one AFC pro personnel director.
"Right now," said the personnel director, "I don't think there's a better [one]. Just look at the way he's shutting down good receivers. That Buffalo game was just horrible for just about every player on that team, but if you look at Law, he did pretty well against [Eric] Moulds when you consider what was going on in front of him. He handled the Philly receivers easily, shut down Moss, and Coles was really taken away from that offense because of Law. He's also back there with a couple of young kids like [Asante] Samuel and [Eugene] Wilson. Those kids are pretty good, but he's making them look good, too."
One of Law's former defensive backs coaches noted, "I think you're going to see that film being used on how to play Coles. Ty did a great job."
Even Coles, who had five catches for 62 yards with a long of 24 yards, agreed that, "He's been to the Pro Bowl a few times for a reason. It was a battle all day. Always is."
Law always has talked boldly about his ability. He considers himself one of the best cover men in the league and makes no apologies about his salary. Not only has he lived up to his contract, it might be outdated.
The Patriots, who always have an eye toward getting younger and cheaper players at every position, certainly had Law in mind when they drafted Samuel and Wilson in the first four rounds.
Wilson has replaced Milloy, but he likely was earmarked for Law's spot. Law's seven-year, $51.55 million deal began in 1999 and runs through the '05 season. His salary will rise to $6.756 million next season and $9.856 million in '05, while his cap numbers are scheduled to soar to $9.457 million next season and $12.557 million in '05.
Law's current $7.365 million yearly average salary ranks him first among corners, ahead of Samari Rolle ($7.3m), Sam Madison ($7.1m), Ray Buchanan ($6.2m), and Chris McAlister ($5.96m). His salary cap number is highest among corners, ahead of Patrick Surtain ($7.34m), Madison ($7.0m), McAlister ($5.96m), and Marcus Coleman ($5.8m). Champ Bailey of the Redskins has a big deal on the way, which should trump Law's.
Is Law worth it?
If he's playing the best of any cornerback right now, according to some people in the league, you get what you pay for. Law, far from 100 percent physically, is delivering the goods, and if he's indeed the next to go, it might be a case of pay now or pay later for the Patriots.
© Copyright 2003 Globe Newspaper Company.
On balance, Brady's play is off
TD-interception ratio troubling
By Michael Smith, Globe Staff, 9/30/2003
FOXBOROUGH -- What impressed Bill Belichick most two years ago about Tom Brady, you may recall, were his game-management skills.
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Today, on the two-year anniversary of his first pro start, and two days after throwing two incompletions on a four-play, potential game-tying drive in the final two minutes of a 20-17 loss at Washington, Brady doesn't seem to be managing things quite as well. At times this season, some of his decisions with the ball have been questionable.
Which prompts the very difficult question:
Is something wrong with Tom Brady?
Well, duh. Anyone who has seen the pictures knows there's plenty wrong with his right elbow. But Brady refuses to use persistent arm pain as an excuse. He'll stand in front of his locker and swear for the (pick a large number) time in the last two weeks that the subject itself is more sore than his arm. But that's not what we're getting at. We're wondering what's happening in that mature mind of his.
Statistically speaking, Brady is what they call "upside-down." That means he has more interceptions than touchdowns (seven to five). Brady's quarterback rating is 70.8, placing him 21st in the league; his career rating coming into this season was 85.9. He and the Chargers' Drew Brees have thrown the most interceptions among AFC QBs.
In Washington, Brady endured his second three-interception game this season -- he tossed four against the Bills in the opener -- after throwing three or more picks just twice in his previous 32 games.
Perhaps this is nothing more than an overreaction to one bad ending in one bad game and forgetting the three touchdown passes he tossed without an interception against Philadelphia three games ago. But the fact remains that Brady has thrown half as many interceptions in a quarter of the season as he did in all of the 2002 campaign.
Add to his seven picks the fumble he lost against the Jets, and Brady has accounted for all but one of New England's nine turnovers this season. Not good.
So if you choose to believe there isn't anything wrong with Brady mentally, we'd argue that everything isn't right.
"Look, we can talk about the interceptions, and we do talk about them," said Belichick yesterday. "We talk about them as a team. Every interception is not because the quarterback made a bad throw. That's just a fact. Sometimes it's a combination of the recognition of the route [or] the visual communication between the receiver and the quarterback. Sometimes receivers make mistakes. Sometimes there is pressure. Sometimes it is a combination of things."
Absolutely. Take Sunday. On Brady's second interception, David Givens didn't appear to get adequate separation from Washington's Champ Bailey on a fade route, leaving his quarterback with little place to go with the ball. Admittedly, Brady tried to force it, something he may be doing too much of these days. And on his third interception, Brady was hit as he threw over the middle to Givens, allowing Rashad Bauman to cut underneath and pick it off.
But on the first interception, by Ifeanyi Ohalete on a pass intended for Deion Branch in the end zone in the second quarter, the blame falls squarely on Brady. He would agree, which was evident by his pounding the FedEx Field surface and yelling at himself as he left the field. He said afterward that he saw Branch flash open, but, as would be the case on his final throw of the afternoon, Brady was tardy delivering the ball.
A trend?
Maybe.
Or maybe the league has gotten hip to his and the Patriots' tendencies and limitations. Go back to Nate Clements's end-zone interception in Week 1. Lawyer Milloy likely would not have been able to deflect the pass intended for David Patten had the ball been on time and on target.
Belichick did not appear concerned about the inordinate amount of "that's-not-what-we're-looking-for" plays his quarterback has committed. And three offensive teammates privately expressed no doubts regarding Brady's judgment.
"When you have a play like that, I don't think anybody is going to sit here and say, `Well, yeah, it was a great play. I'm glad we lost the ball,' " the coach said. "That's not what it's about. You make mistakes, the other team makes a good play, and you try to not let those things happen again and you regret that they happen. That's the way we all feel. Anybody who handles the ball or anybody who calls plays or anybody who is involved . . . when they don't work out favorably and when you lose possession of the ball, nobody feels good about them and you would like to have them back. You would like to do it a little bit different."
Which brings us the Patriots' final possession Sunday. On first down, Brady's "high-low" read took him away from primary target Troy Brown underneath and further downfield to Branch, who couldn't find space in the Redskins' Cover 2. Incomplete. On fourth and 3 from Washington's 38, Brady's first read (Brown again) was covered short, forcing the quarterback to go deeper and down the middle to Graham. The ball was behind the tight end, who after the game tried to deflect criticism from his quarterback as quickly as Ohalete had knocked away his fourth-down pass.
"They took away the short routes and we just weren't able to hit the pass over the middle, which we had a shot at but they made a good play on it," Belichick said.
Larry Centers said Sunday that he thought he was open near the first-down marker, but after reviewing the film, Belichick said yesterday, "I wouldn't have thrown it to him."
To his credit, Brady never appeared discouraged, rallying his team from 17 points down to within 3 by completing 15 of 20 passes in the last 20 minutes. It's that kind of poise and resiliency that endears him to his teammates. And he might have seven TD passes had Branch not dropped one in Buffalo and Brady not overthrown Brown against New York.
One last thing about Brady: He hasn't been one to have consecutive horrible outings. Recall that he followed up a four-interception day at Denver in 2001 with a three-touchdown performance in Atlanta. This Sunday, however, he's facing the 3-1 Tennessee Titans, against whom he completed a career-worst 48 percent of his passes last season -- still the only game in which Brady has failed to connect on at least half his attempts.
After the Titans, New England gets the Giants, Dolphins (in Miami), Cleveland, and Denver (on the road).
The wrong teams at the wrong time for a quarterback trying to get himself right.
TD-interception ratio troubling
By Michael Smith, Globe Staff, 9/30/2003
FOXBOROUGH -- What impressed Bill Belichick most two years ago about Tom Brady, you may recall, were his game-management skills.
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Today, on the two-year anniversary of his first pro start, and two days after throwing two incompletions on a four-play, potential game-tying drive in the final two minutes of a 20-17 loss at Washington, Brady doesn't seem to be managing things quite as well. At times this season, some of his decisions with the ball have been questionable.
Which prompts the very difficult question:
Is something wrong with Tom Brady?
Well, duh. Anyone who has seen the pictures knows there's plenty wrong with his right elbow. But Brady refuses to use persistent arm pain as an excuse. He'll stand in front of his locker and swear for the (pick a large number) time in the last two weeks that the subject itself is more sore than his arm. But that's not what we're getting at. We're wondering what's happening in that mature mind of his.
Statistically speaking, Brady is what they call "upside-down." That means he has more interceptions than touchdowns (seven to five). Brady's quarterback rating is 70.8, placing him 21st in the league; his career rating coming into this season was 85.9. He and the Chargers' Drew Brees have thrown the most interceptions among AFC QBs.
In Washington, Brady endured his second three-interception game this season -- he tossed four against the Bills in the opener -- after throwing three or more picks just twice in his previous 32 games.
Perhaps this is nothing more than an overreaction to one bad ending in one bad game and forgetting the three touchdown passes he tossed without an interception against Philadelphia three games ago. But the fact remains that Brady has thrown half as many interceptions in a quarter of the season as he did in all of the 2002 campaign.
Add to his seven picks the fumble he lost against the Jets, and Brady has accounted for all but one of New England's nine turnovers this season. Not good.
So if you choose to believe there isn't anything wrong with Brady mentally, we'd argue that everything isn't right.
"Look, we can talk about the interceptions, and we do talk about them," said Belichick yesterday. "We talk about them as a team. Every interception is not because the quarterback made a bad throw. That's just a fact. Sometimes it's a combination of the recognition of the route [or] the visual communication between the receiver and the quarterback. Sometimes receivers make mistakes. Sometimes there is pressure. Sometimes it is a combination of things."
Absolutely. Take Sunday. On Brady's second interception, David Givens didn't appear to get adequate separation from Washington's Champ Bailey on a fade route, leaving his quarterback with little place to go with the ball. Admittedly, Brady tried to force it, something he may be doing too much of these days. And on his third interception, Brady was hit as he threw over the middle to Givens, allowing Rashad Bauman to cut underneath and pick it off.
But on the first interception, by Ifeanyi Ohalete on a pass intended for Deion Branch in the end zone in the second quarter, the blame falls squarely on Brady. He would agree, which was evident by his pounding the FedEx Field surface and yelling at himself as he left the field. He said afterward that he saw Branch flash open, but, as would be the case on his final throw of the afternoon, Brady was tardy delivering the ball.
A trend?
Maybe.
Or maybe the league has gotten hip to his and the Patriots' tendencies and limitations. Go back to Nate Clements's end-zone interception in Week 1. Lawyer Milloy likely would not have been able to deflect the pass intended for David Patten had the ball been on time and on target.
Belichick did not appear concerned about the inordinate amount of "that's-not-what-we're-looking-for" plays his quarterback has committed. And three offensive teammates privately expressed no doubts regarding Brady's judgment.
"When you have a play like that, I don't think anybody is going to sit here and say, `Well, yeah, it was a great play. I'm glad we lost the ball,' " the coach said. "That's not what it's about. You make mistakes, the other team makes a good play, and you try to not let those things happen again and you regret that they happen. That's the way we all feel. Anybody who handles the ball or anybody who calls plays or anybody who is involved . . . when they don't work out favorably and when you lose possession of the ball, nobody feels good about them and you would like to have them back. You would like to do it a little bit different."
Which brings us the Patriots' final possession Sunday. On first down, Brady's "high-low" read took him away from primary target Troy Brown underneath and further downfield to Branch, who couldn't find space in the Redskins' Cover 2. Incomplete. On fourth and 3 from Washington's 38, Brady's first read (Brown again) was covered short, forcing the quarterback to go deeper and down the middle to Graham. The ball was behind the tight end, who after the game tried to deflect criticism from his quarterback as quickly as Ohalete had knocked away his fourth-down pass.
"They took away the short routes and we just weren't able to hit the pass over the middle, which we had a shot at but they made a good play on it," Belichick said.
Larry Centers said Sunday that he thought he was open near the first-down marker, but after reviewing the film, Belichick said yesterday, "I wouldn't have thrown it to him."
To his credit, Brady never appeared discouraged, rallying his team from 17 points down to within 3 by completing 15 of 20 passes in the last 20 minutes. It's that kind of poise and resiliency that endears him to his teammates. And he might have seven TD passes had Branch not dropped one in Buffalo and Brady not overthrown Brown against New York.
One last thing about Brady: He hasn't been one to have consecutive horrible outings. Recall that he followed up a four-interception day at Denver in 2001 with a three-touchdown performance in Atlanta. This Sunday, however, he's facing the 3-1 Tennessee Titans, against whom he completed a career-worst 48 percent of his passes last season -- still the only game in which Brady has failed to connect on at least half his attempts.
After the Titans, New England gets the Giants, Dolphins (in Miami), Cleveland, and Denver (on the road).
The wrong teams at the wrong time for a quarterback trying to get himself right.
List of wounded Patriots grows again
By HOWARD ULMAN, AP Sports Writer
October 1, 2003
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots injury list is actually getting longer.
Beset all season by serious ailments, New England had 13 players on the list Wednesday, up one from a week ago.
From top to bottom, the problems involved one neck, one shoulder, one chest, one arm, one elbow, two legs, three knees, two ankles and one foot.
From: To:
Departing: Returning:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
``There's not too many times you're going to come out there 100 percent,'' cornerback Ty Law said. ``But it's just, how much can you take? How much can you tolerate?''
Law sprained his ankle in the Patriots' second game and played in last Sunday's 20-17 loss at Washington even though he was listed as questionable. He's questionable again for Sunday's home game against Tennessee.
``It's definitely feeling better than it did after the first week,'' Law said. ``I want to get to this bye week and give it a real rest.''
That doesn't come until Nov. 9 and the Patriots have five games before then.
``We're a wounded team, but wounded teams are still dangerous,'' said defensive end Richard Seymour, who played some defensive tackle last Sunday because of injuries. ``Sometimes when a running back goes down the team kind of pulls together and gets stronger.''
Wednesday's injury report included 10 players who figured to be starters and four others who were hurt last Sunday and are listed as questionable -- running back Kevin Faulk, wide receiver David Givens, tight end Daniel Graham and linebacker Willie McGinest.
Three players who were on the list a week earlier were off it Wednesday. But linebacker Rosevelt Colvin and guard Mike Compton were removed because they went on injured reserve and are out for the season.
The Patriots actually may be getting an injured player back. Running back Mike Cloud had calf surgery in July and is eligible to return after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy while he was with Kansas City last season.
He was barred from Gillette Stadium during his suspension and met with a trainer once a week at a nearby McDonald's to assess his condition.
``I feel very confident where I'm at physically and mentally,'' Cloud said before his first regular-season practice with the team Wednesday, ``but it's different when you're on the field.''
The Patriots have a one-week exemption before having to decide whether to put Cloud on the roster or release him, but Cloud said he'd like to play against Tennessee.
He could come in handy if Faulk is limited.
Faulk began last Sunday's game as New England's leading rusher but was hurt and sat out most of the second half after gaining 12 yards on 10 carries and catching one pass. He ran behind an offensive line missing three sidelined starters.
By HOWARD ULMAN, AP Sports Writer
October 1, 2003
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- The New England Patriots injury list is actually getting longer.
Beset all season by serious ailments, New England had 13 players on the list Wednesday, up one from a week ago.
From top to bottom, the problems involved one neck, one shoulder, one chest, one arm, one elbow, two legs, three knees, two ankles and one foot.
From: To:
Departing: Returning:
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031
``There's not too many times you're going to come out there 100 percent,'' cornerback Ty Law said. ``But it's just, how much can you take? How much can you tolerate?''
Law sprained his ankle in the Patriots' second game and played in last Sunday's 20-17 loss at Washington even though he was listed as questionable. He's questionable again for Sunday's home game against Tennessee.
``It's definitely feeling better than it did after the first week,'' Law said. ``I want to get to this bye week and give it a real rest.''
That doesn't come until Nov. 9 and the Patriots have five games before then.
``We're a wounded team, but wounded teams are still dangerous,'' said defensive end Richard Seymour, who played some defensive tackle last Sunday because of injuries. ``Sometimes when a running back goes down the team kind of pulls together and gets stronger.''
Wednesday's injury report included 10 players who figured to be starters and four others who were hurt last Sunday and are listed as questionable -- running back Kevin Faulk, wide receiver David Givens, tight end Daniel Graham and linebacker Willie McGinest.
Three players who were on the list a week earlier were off it Wednesday. But linebacker Rosevelt Colvin and guard Mike Compton were removed because they went on injured reserve and are out for the season.
The Patriots actually may be getting an injured player back. Running back Mike Cloud had calf surgery in July and is eligible to return after serving a four-game suspension for violating the NFL's substance abuse policy while he was with Kansas City last season.
He was barred from Gillette Stadium during his suspension and met with a trainer once a week at a nearby McDonald's to assess his condition.
``I feel very confident where I'm at physically and mentally,'' Cloud said before his first regular-season practice with the team Wednesday, ``but it's different when you're on the field.''
The Patriots have a one-week exemption before having to decide whether to put Cloud on the roster or release him, but Cloud said he'd like to play against Tennessee.
He could come in handy if Faulk is limited.
Faulk began last Sunday's game as New England's leading rusher but was hurt and sat out most of the second half after gaining 12 yards on 10 carries and catching one pass. He ran behind an offensive line missing three sidelined starters.
Tennessee at New England
NFL.com wire reports
Matchup Breakdown | Game Notes
FOXBORO, Mass. (Oct. 1, 2003) -- The last thing the New England Patriots need now is a matchup against one of the NFL's most physical teams.
Video preview
Titans QB Steve McNair rushed for two touchdowns against the Patriots last year.
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New England, which could be without 10 opening-day starters, will try to make do with a patchwork lineup for the second successive week when the Tennessee Titans visit Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots failed Sept. 21 in a bid to win their third consecutive game, falling 20-17 to the Washington Redskins. Though it played without three starting linebackers and was forced to give two offensive linemen their first NFL starts, New England had a chance to tie the game in the final minutes.
After two second-half touchdown passes by Tom Brady, the Patriots chose not to give Adam Vinatieri a shot at kicking a potential, game-tying 55-yard field goal. Instead, New England went for it on fourth-and-3 and Brady's pass fell incomplete.
"What more can you ask for than what we had?" Brady said. "We came back, we did a good job getting ourselves back in the game. You get the ball on the 45 and you can't get a first down. That's a pretty bad feeling."
Brady completed 25 of 38 passes for 289 yards and two TDs, but was intercepted three times -- twice with New England well within Vinatieri's range.
Included in New England's lengthy injury list are linebackers Mike Vrabel, Ted Johnson, Willie McGinest and Roosevelt Colvin, nose tackle Ted Washington, offensive linemen Damien Woody, Adrian Klemm and Mike Compton, receivers David Patten and David Givens, fullback Fred McCrary, running back Kevin Faulk, tight end Daniel Graham and cornerback Ty Law.
"There's not too many times you're going to come out there 100 percent," Law said. "But it's just, how much can you take? How much can you tolerate?"
New England coach Bill Belichick knows facing the Titans could leave his club with an even longer injury list.
"They have some big, physical players. They have a very aggressive attitude," Belichick said. "Defensively they have a very good defensive line. They are big and they bring it. They blitz the linebackers a lot. They are a tough team, they are a physical team, and they are a very good team."
Titans safety Lance Schulters takes pride in his team's style.
"The way we practice so physical ends up showing on the field. We're physical, we run to the ball, and we hit," he said.
One obstacle facing Tennessee will be its inability to win the following week after beating archrival Pittsburgh.
"We've put two wins in a row together, which is important, but the last three times we've beat Pittsburgh, we've come back and lost the following game," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "We've got a challenge now, and we need to continue to improve each week."
Steve McNair, the NFL's top-rated passer, was 15 of 16 for 161 yards and three TDs, and the Titans received several big plays from their defense in a 30-13 victory Sept. 21 at Pittsburgh.
Although the Patriots have done a good job the past two weeks slowing down quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Patrick Ramsey, McNair presents an even greater challenge for Belichick.
Deion Branch steadily has emerged as one of New England's top receivers.
In Tennessee's 27-9 home victory against New England on Dec. 16, McNair completed only 11 of 24 passes for 136 yards, but ran for two TDs as the Titans controlled the ball for over 41 minutes. The Patriots were held to a season-low 176 yards of total offense in that game.
While injuries on the defensive side will make it difficult for New England to contain McNair, the Patriots have just as many concerns on the offensive end, particularly if Faulk cannont play.
Faulk ran 10 times for 12 yards against Washington before leaving in the third quarter with an injured leg. Antowain Smith, relegated to a backup role this season, ran 14 times for 56 yards and might need to carry an even greater load in Week 5.
Brady must also be better if the Patriots are to move back above .500. He has been intercepted seven times in two losses this season, but not at all in two victories.
STANDINGS: Titans -- 2nd place, NFC South. Patriots -- 2nd place (tied), AFC East.
TITANS LEADERS: Offense -- McNair, 820 passing yards and 8 passing TDs; George, 209 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD; Derrick Mason, 25 receptions and 248 receiving yards; Justin McCareins, Drew Bennett and Tyrone Calico, 2 receiving TDs. Defense -- Kevin Carter, 3 sacks; Rocky Boiman and Samari Rolle, 1 interception.
PATRIOTS LEADERS: Offense -- Brady, 848 passing yards, 5 passing TDs and 1 rushing TD; Faulk, 176 rushing yards; Troy Brown, 16 receptions; Deion Branch, 160 receiving yards; Christian Fauria, 2 receiving TDs. Defense -- McGinest, 3 sacks; four with 1 interception.
TITANS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense -- 68.5 yards per game (30th in NFL); Passing Offense -- 219.8 ypg (14th); Total Offense -- 288.3 ypg (25th). Rushing Defense -- 63.3 ypg (3rd); Passing Defense -- 220.5 ypg (19th); Total Defense -- 283.8 ypg (5th).
PATRIOTS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense -- 105.0 yards per game (16th); Passing Offense -- 202.3 ypg (21st); Total Offense -- 307.3 ypg (17th). Rushing Defense -- 97.0 ypg (13th); Passing Defense -- 195.3 ypg (12th); Total Defense -- 292.3 ypg (8th).
LAST MEETING: Dec. 16; Titans, 24-7. At Nashville, Tenn., McNair ran for two touchdowns and George rushed for 101 yards.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Titans -- Since Fisher took over as coach in 1995, the Titans are an NFL-best 38-28 on the road. ... RB George has rushed for over 100 yards in both of his career games against New England. ... WR Mason is second in the AFC with nine third-down receptions. Patriots -- K Vinatieri has made 33 consecutive field goals of 40 yards or less. ... The Patriots' defense leads the AFC with five fumble takeaways and is tied for the conference lead with 12 sacks. ... Opposing quarterbacks have thrown for two TDs and been intercepted four times against New England this season.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Titans -- 1-1 on the road; Patriots -- 1-0 at home.
NFL.com wire reports
Matchup Breakdown | Game Notes
FOXBORO, Mass. (Oct. 1, 2003) -- The last thing the New England Patriots need now is a matchup against one of the NFL's most physical teams.
Video preview
Titans QB Steve McNair rushed for two touchdowns against the Patriots last year.
56k | 300k
New England, which could be without 10 opening-day starters, will try to make do with a patchwork lineup for the second successive week when the Tennessee Titans visit Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots failed Sept. 21 in a bid to win their third consecutive game, falling 20-17 to the Washington Redskins. Though it played without three starting linebackers and was forced to give two offensive linemen their first NFL starts, New England had a chance to tie the game in the final minutes.
After two second-half touchdown passes by Tom Brady, the Patriots chose not to give Adam Vinatieri a shot at kicking a potential, game-tying 55-yard field goal. Instead, New England went for it on fourth-and-3 and Brady's pass fell incomplete.
"What more can you ask for than what we had?" Brady said. "We came back, we did a good job getting ourselves back in the game. You get the ball on the 45 and you can't get a first down. That's a pretty bad feeling."
Brady completed 25 of 38 passes for 289 yards and two TDs, but was intercepted three times -- twice with New England well within Vinatieri's range.
Included in New England's lengthy injury list are linebackers Mike Vrabel, Ted Johnson, Willie McGinest and Roosevelt Colvin, nose tackle Ted Washington, offensive linemen Damien Woody, Adrian Klemm and Mike Compton, receivers David Patten and David Givens, fullback Fred McCrary, running back Kevin Faulk, tight end Daniel Graham and cornerback Ty Law.
"There's not too many times you're going to come out there 100 percent," Law said. "But it's just, how much can you take? How much can you tolerate?"
New England coach Bill Belichick knows facing the Titans could leave his club with an even longer injury list.
"They have some big, physical players. They have a very aggressive attitude," Belichick said. "Defensively they have a very good defensive line. They are big and they bring it. They blitz the linebackers a lot. They are a tough team, they are a physical team, and they are a very good team."
Titans safety Lance Schulters takes pride in his team's style.
"The way we practice so physical ends up showing on the field. We're physical, we run to the ball, and we hit," he said.
One obstacle facing Tennessee will be its inability to win the following week after beating archrival Pittsburgh.
"We've put two wins in a row together, which is important, but the last three times we've beat Pittsburgh, we've come back and lost the following game," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said. "We've got a challenge now, and we need to continue to improve each week."
Steve McNair, the NFL's top-rated passer, was 15 of 16 for 161 yards and three TDs, and the Titans received several big plays from their defense in a 30-13 victory Sept. 21 at Pittsburgh.
Although the Patriots have done a good job the past two weeks slowing down quarterbacks Donovan McNabb and Patrick Ramsey, McNair presents an even greater challenge for Belichick.
Deion Branch steadily has emerged as one of New England's top receivers.
In Tennessee's 27-9 home victory against New England on Dec. 16, McNair completed only 11 of 24 passes for 136 yards, but ran for two TDs as the Titans controlled the ball for over 41 minutes. The Patriots were held to a season-low 176 yards of total offense in that game.
While injuries on the defensive side will make it difficult for New England to contain McNair, the Patriots have just as many concerns on the offensive end, particularly if Faulk cannont play.
Faulk ran 10 times for 12 yards against Washington before leaving in the third quarter with an injured leg. Antowain Smith, relegated to a backup role this season, ran 14 times for 56 yards and might need to carry an even greater load in Week 5.
Brady must also be better if the Patriots are to move back above .500. He has been intercepted seven times in two losses this season, but not at all in two victories.
STANDINGS: Titans -- 2nd place, NFC South. Patriots -- 2nd place (tied), AFC East.
TITANS LEADERS: Offense -- McNair, 820 passing yards and 8 passing TDs; George, 209 rushing yards and 1 rushing TD; Derrick Mason, 25 receptions and 248 receiving yards; Justin McCareins, Drew Bennett and Tyrone Calico, 2 receiving TDs. Defense -- Kevin Carter, 3 sacks; Rocky Boiman and Samari Rolle, 1 interception.
PATRIOTS LEADERS: Offense -- Brady, 848 passing yards, 5 passing TDs and 1 rushing TD; Faulk, 176 rushing yards; Troy Brown, 16 receptions; Deion Branch, 160 receiving yards; Christian Fauria, 2 receiving TDs. Defense -- McGinest, 3 sacks; four with 1 interception.
TITANS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense -- 68.5 yards per game (30th in NFL); Passing Offense -- 219.8 ypg (14th); Total Offense -- 288.3 ypg (25th). Rushing Defense -- 63.3 ypg (3rd); Passing Defense -- 220.5 ypg (19th); Total Defense -- 283.8 ypg (5th).
PATRIOTS TEAM RANK: Rushing Offense -- 105.0 yards per game (16th); Passing Offense -- 202.3 ypg (21st); Total Offense -- 307.3 ypg (17th). Rushing Defense -- 97.0 ypg (13th); Passing Defense -- 195.3 ypg (12th); Total Defense -- 292.3 ypg (8th).
LAST MEETING: Dec. 16; Titans, 24-7. At Nashville, Tenn., McNair ran for two touchdowns and George rushed for 101 yards.
STREAKS AND NOTES: Titans -- Since Fisher took over as coach in 1995, the Titans are an NFL-best 38-28 on the road. ... RB George has rushed for over 100 yards in both of his career games against New England. ... WR Mason is second in the AFC with nine third-down receptions. Patriots -- K Vinatieri has made 33 consecutive field goals of 40 yards or less. ... The Patriots' defense leads the AFC with five fumble takeaways and is tied for the conference lead with 12 sacks. ... Opposing quarterbacks have thrown for two TDs and been intercepted four times against New England this season.
ROAD/HOME RECORDS: Titans -- 1-1 on the road; Patriots -- 1-0 at home.
