THE TREND WAS SET: The Patriots are getting a lot of attention for playing Sunday's game without committing a single penalty, but in reality they have been very stingy about committing penalties all season. The Pats are now first in the NFL when it comes to avoiding penalties, as they have been flagged just 22 times over seven games (projo.com).

THE RAMS' RETORT: What might be viewed as a great accomplishment by many was seen as something quite different among members of the Rams. Jim Haslett yesterday listed three instances in which the Patriots should have been called for penalties (St. Louis Post-Dispatch). On the Seymour face-mask play, I absolutely agree with Haslett.

CHANGE OF STRATEGY: According to an unnamed Patriots player quoted by The Boston Globe, the team went into Sunday's game with the Rams intent on pounding the ball with the run. But when the Rams -- who had the league's third-worst run defense entering the game -- stacked men close to the line of scrimmage, New England changed to a pass-first mentality, and Matt Cassel showed that he could handle the challenge.

GOOD BUT NOT GREAT: That sums up Ron Borges' evaluation of the Patriots performance, which he reveals in his weekly report card. Borges gives Cassel, the running backs and wide receivers all B grades, but he had high praise for the front three on defense: Seymour, Warren and Wilfork (Boston Herald). Michael Felger, over on WEEI.com, gives Cassel an A minus.

HE'S IN A BETTER PLACE: Linebacker Adalius Thomas, whose role was minimal in last year's victory at Indianapolis, is expecting to play a much more important part this week, when the Patriots meet the Colts. That's partly because of the injury to Rodney Harrison, but also because Thomas has taken his game up a notch (Boston Herald).

CHAMPION OF THE LITTLE GUY: Wes Welker, the 5-9 wide receiver, is understandably a hero to short athletes everywhere. I was surprised to read this morning, however, that many of these athletes contact Welker hoping that he will call college coaches on their behalf to help them get recruited (Boston Globe).

DOWN FOR THE COUNT? The Indianapolis Colts, who host the Patriots on Sunday night, saw their division hopes take a crippling blow (Indy Star) last night at the hands of the 7-0 Tennessee Titans, who played the statement game that I thought they would (The Tennessean). Thanks to the Titans' second-half run of 25 unanswered points, the Colts now trail Tennessee by four games in the standings, and they're in a three-way tie for second. The web site ColdHardFootballFacts looks at the game and compares the Titans to the Super Bowl champion 2003 Patriots: "A superior defensive team with clutch offensive play that just keeps on winning, while observers keep demanding more proof that they're legitimate."

END OF AN ERA: Tom Curran writes that last night's game guaranteed that the Colts' run of divisional dominance has come to an end (NBC Sports).

'A MEDIA LYNCHING': Those are some of the words that the Rev. Al Sharpton is using to describe the treatment of Giants wide receiver Plaxico Burress. Sharpton is calling on the New York Post to take immediate action to address a column about Burress that Sharpton describes as racist (N.Y. Daily News). Specifically, Sharpton is assailing Post columnist Steve Serby for writing a column that led with these words: "Good for Tom Coughlin. Good for Coughlin for tightening the noose around Plaxico Burress." Click here to read the column in question.

A WIN FOR THE TEAM, BUT NOT FOR THE QUARTERBACK: The Cowboys don't seem to be giving Brad Johnson much credit for their win over the Bucs last weekend. Johnson, who averaged a pitiful 3.7 yards per pass attempt for the game, might be replaced by journeyman Brooks Bollinger in the upcoming showdown with the Giants if Johnson struggles early (Dallas Morning News).

NOW THAT'S A RIVALRY: Speaking of Cowboys-Giants, New York defensive end Justin Tuck sums up the feelings between the club thusly: "They hate us, we hate them." (N.Y. Post)

DATE WITH THE COMMISH: Chiefs running back Larry Johnson yesterday was charged with simple assault for the incident in which he allegedly spat a drink out at a woman, and he is set to meet with Roger Goodell today in New York (Kansas City Star). Johnson hasn't yet been suspended by the league -- you can bet it's coming -- but Chiefs GM Carl Peterson indicated that the club on its own might keep him out of the lineup for the third straight week.

THE NUMBERS TELL THE STORY: J.T. O'Sullivan led the league in a lot of bad categories: fumbles, interceptions, times sacked. So it's no surprise to learn that Mike Singletary has put the former Pats practice squad member on the bench and replaced him with Shaun Hill (San Francisco Chronicle). Hill will have a full two weeks to prepare for the 49ers' next game, following the bye week against the Cardinals.

DUE IN COURT: Former Colts and Packers lineman Chijioke "Chukie" Nwokorie has a pretrial conference set today on allegations that he sexually assaulted a friend (Indy Star).

NOW THAT'S WHAT YOU CALL A COMEBACK: The Eagles' Brian Westbrook returned from his injury to post a career-high 167 yards rushing against the Falcons (ESPN).