Chris Baker News

When assessing surprises in the first half of the Patriots' 2009 season, a few players emerge.

The Dolphins will let you score. Well, they won't let you, but teams do seem to rack up the points on Miami.

In the season opener, Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson caught two touchdowns in the final two minutes of a comeback win against Buffalo.

Coming up empty has a negative connotation, but it's been mostly positive for the Patriots' offense.

Veteran New York Post columnist Steve Serby has written a book about Brett Favre's single season with the New York Jets called "No Substitute for Sundays." Serby called with some anecdotes about Favre and sent along a few excerpts from the book.

The trickiest thing about the Patriot flea flicker that ripped Tennessee last Sunday was how deeply RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis had penetrated the line before his pitch-back to Tom Brady.

Galloway, who was rumored Monday to be available via trade, was released yesterday along with third-string tight end Michael Matthews .

There is nothing like the deep pass play. That moment that catches a defense by surprise.

Yesterday was one of the those days which defied logic. Early in the second quarter, with the Patriots [ team stats ] holding a 10-0 lead, coach Bill Belichick decided to dig into the playbook for a little bit of razzle-dazzle. On a first-and-10 from the Tennessee 40-yard line, quarterback Tom Brady [ stats ] handed the ball off to running back ...

BEFORE anyone gets too excited, the snowy conditions in which the Patriots and Titans played on Sunday hands a natural advantage to offensive tackles in their tangles with defensive ends.

Listening to Football coaches warn their players about an upcoming patsy on the schedule brings to mind a couple of lines from ``A Few Good Men.'' Lieutenant Kaffee : ``Any chance Lieutenant Kendrick ignored the order?'' Colonel Jessup : ``Ignored the order?'' Kaffee: ``Any chance he forgot about it?'' ``No.'' ``Any chance Lieutenant Kendrick left ...

If you're wondering whether the Patriots will begin to revert back to their longtime favorite - the 3-4 defense - doing the math may help.

Tom Brady's timing is off, but his offensive line has done a pretty good job lately of giving him time to throw.

Tom Brady launched a long pass to Randy Moss that was too long. He threw a short pass and hit an open Wes Welker -- in the foot.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady looks to pass Sunday against the Broncos. First reaction: It had to be a mistake.

Strange game at Gillette Stadium on Sunday. As well as the Patriots played in defeating the Baltimore Ravens , 27-21, they were still hanging on by their fingertips in the final seconds, able to exhale only after Clayton had let a very catchable fourth-down pass clang off his chest near the Patriots ' 10-yard line.

An interview with referee Ron Winters, from the Patriots: The Patriots attempted a fake field goal with 7:18 left in the fourth quarter.

With Tom Brady coming back from knee surgery and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels heading to Denver to become the Broncos' head coach, there figured to be some questions concerning the Patriots' offense, or at least a period of adjustment before this year's unit could establish an identity.

The Patriots tried a little trickery in the fourth quarter yesterday, faking a field goal on fourth-and-4 from the Ravens' 9-yard line.

John Felty lives in Uncasville and grew up in Gales Ferry. Hea s a graduate of Ledyard High School and Uconn and now teaches in Griswold.