Tim Graham (ESPN) Kevin Faulk's injury will sting Patriots.
"That role is a lot more than having the ball in your hands," Belichick said. "Kevin is in there a lot of plays when he doesn't have it in his hands, blocking, blitz pickup, formation. It's not just handling the ball."
Monique Walker gets Wes Welker's thoughts on Kevin Faulk's injury.
"Kevin is such a unique player," Welker siad. "He's such a great match up for us against teams and not only that he's a great leader and a great guy. Whenever you put him in the game, [opponents] don't know if we're going to go empty and throw the ball around, which he's almost like a receiver out there and the great thing about him is that he can play running back too. It creates a problem for them of what personnel they want to put in the game. He's definitely a great player for us, and I hope everything turns out alright for him."
Karen Guregian reports newly signed RB Danny Woodhead may come in handy, as he had a similar job to Faulk.
"That’s exactly what he did," Belichick said. "He actually made (the Jets) as a receiver. He played kinda between receiver and sub back for the Jets."
We’ll start working with him this week and see what type of progress we make," Caserio said. "He was a really productive player, albeit at a (lesser) level of competition (in college), but his production was astronomical. Typically with smaller-school players, you’d like to see them produce at a very high level, and he did that at Chadron State."
TEAM TALK
- Game Preview: New England Patriots vs. Buffalo Bills. Series history, broadcast info, team connections and more.
- Ask PFW: Picking up the pieces.
- New England Patriots announced today the signing of first-year TE Carson Butler to the practice squad.
- Patriots Today - Looking at Pats' D and RBs. (4.07 min. video)
- Patriots Today - The Brady-Sanchez battle. (3.25 min. video)
-
Tuesday Conference Calls: Bill Belichick (11.11 min.), Nick Caserio (8.12 min.), Receivers coach Chad O'Shea (8.11 min. ) Plus Transcripts, and Sebastian Vollmer (13.16 min.)
- Pete Sheppard joins Patriots.com Radio lineup. Tuesdays, 4-6.
LOCAL LINKS
- Christopher Price writes about what the loss of Kevin Faulk would mean to the Patriots.
- Christopher Price offers the most complete series of Kevin Faulk highlights ever assembled.
- Karen Guregian notes the Patriots are left with a giant hole without Kevin Faulk. Plugging in a body won't equate to his rare abilities.
- Albert Breer reports the Patriots loss of Faulk is a blow to the team, losing a dependable leader and reliable playmaker.
- Shalise Manza Young details what happened to Kevin Faulk and what his loss means to his teammates.
- Merril Hoge on WEEI's Dennis & Callahan: Patriots offense "concerning."
- Mike Reiss discusses why Matthew Slater stuck on the final roster.
- Mike Reiss takes a look at the snaps played by Patriots defenders in Sunday's loss, and analyzes what it means.
- Gary Marbry breaks down some target data of the New England receivers from the past couple of seasons.
- Jerry Thornton presents one man's quest to fix the Patriots.
- Mike Reiss answers his weekly reader mailbag.
- Karen Guregian Patriots Notebook: Eric Smith's illegal blow to the head bothered Belichick more than Wes Welker; Matt Light and Welker took part in a charity golf event and said Monday's film study and session was long; Belichick thinks Gillette Stadium fans are supportive and the Patriots have a good record at home.
- Christopher Price notes the Patriots take one last look back at the second-half horror show.
- Monique Walker catches Matt Light talking about the communication with the O-line and the Jason Taylor sack.
-
Kirk Minihane Patriots Report Card. It's going to get ugly after last week's written lap dance.
NATIONAL NEWS
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Faulk injury will force Patriots to dig deep.
- Peter King (SI) MMQB - Tuesday Edition. Alex Smith, Mark Sanchez passed with flying colors in Week 2.
- Andrew Brandt (Nat'l Football Post) Asked and answered: Tuesday's mailbag.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Notes and updates on Braylon Edwards.
- Tim Graham (ESPN) Rules stop Jets from deactivating Edwards.
- Michael Rosenberg (SI) If Braylon Edwards wants to be a star he should start acting like one.