Projo Pats Blog

The loss of safety Rodney Harrison to a season-ending quad injury will force the Patriots to make some significant changes on defense. Through the first five games of the season, only one other New England defender (linebacker Adalius Thomas) had been on the field for more opposing snaps than Harrison -- who missed only 13 defensive plays before the Broncos game (Boston Globe). Harrison is also second on the team in tackles, behind rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo.

In the short term, the injury will certainly increase the pressure on second-year player Brandon Meriweather, who has had a nice start to the season with three interceptions (Boston Herald). While Meriweather is certainly faster and better in pass coverage than Harrison, it is a question whether he can be as versatile as was Harrison -- who often played close to the line of scrimmage to act as an extra linebacker, both taking and dishing out punishment with tight ends. New England likes that approach and tried to train offseason acquisition Tank Williams to do the job in training camp before Williams was lost for the season to an injury.

There is also, of course, the question of leadership, since Harrison has had a very important role there, as Bill Belichick noted yesterday. There is wide speculation that the Patriots will reach out to veteran John Lynch, whom they brought in for the preseason but did not keep, and even rumors yesterday that Lynch had been sighted at Logan Airport.

Of course, this isn't the first time the Patriots have had to deal without the services of Harrison, and they've persevered before. They remain long on veteran leadership -- the real question still seems to be whether they have enough talent.

HARRISON CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: The Herald's Dan Duggan lists down some impressive facts and figures from the veteran safety's 15 years in the NFL. And ESPN's Tim Graham writes that despite Harrison's reputation as a dirty player, he should eventually be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

WHAT ABOUT SAMMY? Meanwhile, but the status of Sammy Morris, who left Monday night's game with a knee injury after an outstanding first half, is still unclear (projo.com). Although Morris reportedly left the locker room after the game without a noticeable limp, Bill Belichick wouldn't say anything more than to wait and see who practices today.

THEY'RE HURTING, TOO: If it was a painful game for the Patriots, it was even more painful for the Broncos, who of course were on the short end of a 41-7 score, as well. League sources told the Denver Post that linebacker Boss Bailey and backup quarterback Patrick Ramsey are both out for the season as a result of injuries suffered Monday, and stud cornerback Champ Bailey will be out four to six weeks with a torn right groin muscle.

THEY GOT THE BOUNCE: New England's impressive Monday night showing resulted in them going from 17th to ninth in ESPN's latest league power rankings. The top five -- Titans, Giants, Steelers, Bills, Redskins -- remained unchanged, while the Cowboys and the Colts both fell out of the top 10. ColdHardFootballFacts, meanwhile, upgrades the Pats from 21st to 12th, with the Titans, Bucs, Giants, Steelers and Bills in the top five.

BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW: Sports Illustrated's Peter King analyzes Matt Cassel's numbers through six NFL appearances and finds this surprising fact -- with the exception of one important category (touchdowns), they are almost identical to the numbers put up by Tom Brady through his first six games of 2001.

CHAD JACKSON FINDS AN EMPLOYER: The Patriots 2006 second-round draft bust has reportedly landed with the Denver Broncos (ProFootballTalk.com).

AND SO DOES KYLE ECKEL: The former Patriots fullback will join his hometown team, the Philadelphia Eagles, and may push another former Patriot -- Dan Klecko -- for a starting position there (Philadelphia Inquirer).

NEW COACH, NEW ATTITUDE: In the last two weeks, the St. Louis Rams, who face the New England Patriots on Sunday in Foxboro, have gone from a team that had lost all of its games by lopsided scores to one that has beaten NFC heavyweights two weeks in a row. The change: new head coach Jim Haslett has somehow given this once downtrodden team an attitude. Wide receiver/kick returner Dante Hall sums it up: "He doesn't say, 'Oh, you've got the Cowboys coming in, you've got to watch out for T.O. ... he says, 'Bleep those Cowboys,' and it kind of carries over." (Belleville News Democrat)

AND THE PLAYERS MAKE A DIFFERENCE, TOO: The Rams have also benefited greatly from the improved play of their defensive line, featuring number-two overall draft pick Chris Long (St. Louis Post-Dispatch).

ANOTHER ROMO NO-GO: There won't be much drama over the Cowboys starting quarterback this week, as Tony Romo announced yesterday on Terrell Owens' radio show (where news breaks first) that he will not be able to play against the Bucs. Romo also didn't sound too confident about returning before the team's Nov. 9 bye week. Meanwhile, columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor says you shouldn't take Jerry Jones' assertions about Wade Phillips' job security to the bank.

AN UNLIKELY RETURN: Packers cornerback Al Harris, once thought to be out for the season with a torn spleen, has been cleared to play and is hoping to be ready for Green Bay's next game -- a big one on Nov. 2 against the Tennessee Titans.

WHAT HE REALLY MEANT TO SAY WAS... A Baltimore Ravens team spokesman is saying that linebacker/defensive end Terrell Suggs didn't understand the meaning of the word "bounty" when he was asked whether the Ravens had set one against Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward (ProFootballTalk.com). Suggs also probably annoyed the team by stating in the same interview that Troy Smith, and not Joe Flacco, should be the starting quarterback.

HOW WE DEAL WITH THAT HERE: Speaking of comments that annoy team management, the Cleveland Browns have dealt with the Kellen Winslow issue -- and their answer is a one-game suspension for criticizing the way the team treated him while he was hospitalized with a staph infection (Akron Beacon Journal). Meanwhile, the NFL Network's Adam Schefter reports that the Browns quietly tried to trade Winslow before last week's league deadline.

NOTHING GETS HIM DOWN: Redskins running back Clinton Portis played one of the best single games by any player in the NFL this season, despite missing all of the previous week's practice with a hip flexor (Fanhouse.com). Not only did he run for 175 yards on 27 carries, he was fearless as a blocker in pass protection.

DEALING WITH L.J.: Kansas Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards hinted yesterday that he may bench running back Larry Johnson this week regardless off the status of the league's investigation of allegations that Johnson assaulted a woman. Meanwhile, CBS Sportsline's Clark Judge says that the Chiefs should go further, and get rid of Johnson now.

NO FINE THIS TIME: Hines Ward, who has twice been fined by the league for rough play that did not result in penalties, will not be docked for the hit that broke the jaw of Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers, ending Rivers' season (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review).

ANOTHER RUN AT HISTORY? Last year the Patriots became the first NFL team to finish a regular season 16-0. Two teams remain candidates to become the first 0-16 team in NFL history. Don Banks of Sports Illustrated says he likes the Lions' chances.

MICHAEL VICK TO PLEAD GUILTY: The suspended Falcons quarterback has a hearing next week on state dogfighting charges he faces in Virginia, and his attorneys are asking the court to allow Vick to plead guilty via videoconference (Atlanta Journal-Constitution).

 Tags  Football Today

---