Rookies Make Play

The local draftniks in the press panned the Patriots 2003 draft for trading down for additional value picks while the New York Jets traded up to pick up Kentucky DT Dewayne Robertson. Robertson was the pick du jour of the press and many fans despite few seeing him play a down for the Wildcats. Robertson has had his struggles with the Jets, but it is not fair to call him a bust five games into his pro-career as some media have.

The key component to the Patriots season so far has been the contributions from the rookie class of Eugene Wilson, Asante Samuel, Dan Koppen, Bethel Johnson, Dan Klecko, and Ty Warren.

The Boston Globe's Ron Borges, who ridiculed the Patriots draft for "value" in 2003, and blasted them for picking Pro Bowl DE Richard Seymour over underachieving WR David Terrell in 2002 takes a look at Dan Koppen today.

Koppen has done a good enough job that Belichick doesn't have to worry about it. Or about him. For a rookie making all the offensive line calls that set the blocking schemes, that is saying something. Something about him and something about the job he's doing one month into a professional career that has moved faster than he ever expected.

Michael Felger in the Boston Herald takes a look at rookie Bethel Johnson

To date, Johnson has made a mark returning kickoffs. He piled up 188 yards on five kick returns last week against Tennessee, including a crucial 71-yarder to set up the go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Johnson currently ranks fourth in the AFC with an average of 27.5 yards per return.

Johnson may get a bigger opportunity this week, as Deion Branch has been held out of practice the last two days and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Gillette Stadium against the New York Giants with an ankle injury. Another receiver, David Givens [news] (chest), is also banged up.

Shock Jock

The Giants outstanding 2nd year tight end, Jeremy Shockey continues to make noise on the field and off. After last week's loss to the Dolphins, Shockey ripped the Giants fans for leaving the stadium early. Tom Canavan has the latest on the outspoken Giant.

"Give up on us if you want to,'' Shockey said, his lower lip bulging with chewing tobacco. "If you want to leave, leave! Leave the game! Don't even come to the game! Give your tickets away!''

Also coming to town is the NFL single season sack record holder *(thanks to Favre-Flop) Michael Strahan. The Boston Globe's Michael Smith has Coach Belichick's high praise of the Giants DE.

Asked whether Strahan, fourth among active players with 97 1/2 career sacks, could have started for the 1986 Giants, Belichick, coordinator of that famed defense, didn't take a moment to consider it..."Oh, hell yeah," Belichick said. "You kidding me? We didn't have any defensive linemen in his class. Not even close."

"He said that?" Strahan said. "Wow. Now that's the ultimate compliment. Wow. Man. I can't even imagine. That is a huge compliment. Hopefully I can live up to that on Sunday."

Cowboy Up Red Sox Corral Oakland 4-3 in Game 5 Thriller

Go Sox! Go Pats!

Clickers across New England got a workout with the Red Sox/Patriots victories. Yesteday, fans at Gillette Stadium saw more scoring than an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie set. The Patriots outgunned the Titans 38-30 in a victory brightened by the debut of former BC running back Mike Cloud.

Ron Borges takes a look at the Mike Cloud with BC coach Tom O'Brien and fellow Eagle Damien Woody.

Boston College football coach Tom O'Brien was watching The Weather Channel yesterday when a reporter he was talking with suggested he might want to switch stations. When he did, everything he saw was partly Cloudy. "I just saw him score,"

I knew what he was capable of," said Cloud's former BC teammate, guard Damien Woody. "He rushed for almost 2,000 yards in college. He can make some things happen."

"That's what the plan was from Wednesday," Woody said. "Coach said, `We're going to run the ball.' OK, then we're going to run the ball. That makes an offensive lineman smile. It's like being at a buffet looking at the menu. What can I have next?"

Michael Felger looks at Patriot fans eyes on the field, but ears to the Cowboy Up Red Sox comeback win over Oakland.

It was a surreal day at Gillette Stadium, one in which a penalty nullifying a Troy Brown punt return for a touchdown was met with wild applause and a Tennessee go-ahead touchdown late in the fourth quarter was greeted with a standing ovation.

Kevin Mannix takes a look at the courageous play of Pat's corner Ty Law.

The ankle injury that has bothered the cornerback since halftime of the Jets game two weeks ago flared up again early in the third quarter, sending him to the sidelines.... "When Ty came over to me and said he was ready to go back in the game, I wasn't really expecting that,'' Belichick said. "But Ty is a great competitor.''

Four plays into the Titans possession, Law anticipated a quick out-pass to Calico. Law jumped in front of the rookie to make the interception, and didn't look too gimpy on the runback, either, as he returned it 65 yards for the decisive touchdown.