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Monday, October 31, 2005
Dillon makes his presence known at the right time
Copyright © 2005 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc. | ||
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Corey Dillon spent much of the week leading up to Sunday night's game between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills joking with the media about how old he was. He turned 31 last Monday. Against the Bills, he showed he still had a lot of spring left in those legs. Still hobbled by an ankle injury, Dillon entered the game in the second quarter, after Patrick Pass was injured, and had one of his best games of the season, rushing for 72 yards with two 1-yard touchdown runs in the fourth quarter as the Patriots rallied past the Bills 21-16 at Gillette Stadium. Dillon, who suffered his ankle injury late in the Patriots' 31-28 victory at Atlanta on Oct. 9, wasn't immediately available after the game, but others knew what his presence meant. "Corey's the type of guy who's always going to fall forward," said center Dan Koppen. "And when you got a guy who's going forward and running the way he is, running tough, it just makes you want to block harder for him and give him a lane to go through." Even when Dillon didn't have great lanes, he made yardage. Such was the case on the winning touchdown. He ran left, hit a wall at the goal line and spun to his right to fall into the end zone. His presence was welcomed by an offense that had struggled for much of the night. "Corey really hasn't practiced hardly at all the last three weeks, he was a game-time decision," said Coach Bill Belichick. "He played a lot more plays than I expected him to play tonight. He ran hard, he ran well, he made some tough yards down by the goal line." The 72 yards represented Dillon's second-best effort of the season. Pass, who suffered a leg injury on the second play of the second quarter and had to be helped off the field, had the best game of his career in New England's last game against Denver. He had gained 21 yards on two carries when he ran left Sunday's game after suddenly pulling up and grabbing his left hamstring, fumbling the ball as he did. Buffalo recovered at its 47 and went in for a field goal and a 3-0 lead. Pass' injury left the Patriots with only two running backs for the game: Dillon and Amos Zereoue. Zereoue was signed on Sept. 28, three days after Kevin Faulk broke his foot in New England's 23-20 win at Pittsburgh. Zereoue had been listed on New England's injury report this week with a thigh injury. CHAD BROWN, the veteran linebacker signed as a free agent in the off-season, knew his role would change when Tedy Bruschi returned to inside linebacker. But he may not have anticipated this. Brown, an outside linebacker throughout his career who filled in at inside linebacker and led the Patriots in tackles (39) entering the game, was inactive for the first time this season. Since his name did not appear on the Patriots' injury report all week, he was likely a healthy scratch. Also out were defensive end Richard Seymour, despite his pronouncement during bye week that he would be ready from the knee injury he suffered while playing fullback against San Diego; cornerback Randall Gay (ankle); safety James Sanders (ankle); and wide receiver Troy Brown (foot). Also listed as inactive were running back Kevin Faulk (broken foot) and offensive tackle Matt Light (broken leg). BRUSCHI'S RETURN prompted some changes in the Patriots' starting defensive lineup. Mike Vrabel, usually an outside linebacker, started inside next to Bruschi instead of Monty Beisel. Vrabel had practiced that position during the preseason. Rosevelt Colvin and Willie McGinest started at outside linebacker. Beisel replaced Bruschi at the start of the second quarter and was in the middle during Buffalo's 49-yard drive that led to a field goal and a 3-0 lead. QUARTERBACK TOM BRADY gave a big hug to former teammate and Buffalo safety Lawyer Milloy at the pregame coin flip. During the week, Brady said he was looking forward to playing against Milloy. "We always stay in touch," he said. "We're always e-mailing each other and talking on the phone. There is a great friendship there and when you play, it's that much more fun . . . some good bragging rights." Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:
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