The Patriots didn't necessarily beat the Rams, so much as they overcame them.

That was particularly true in the third quarter, when four Patriots miscues could have changed the game. But the Pats allowed the Rams only two field goals in the third.

"We've got to put those in," Rams right guard Richie Incognitotold the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "It's imperative. If we want to win our division, we've got to put those in the end zone."

Rams head coach Jim Haslettrevealed afterwards that he would have gone for a two-point conversion if his team scored a touchdown at the end of the game. But his quarterback, Marc Bulger, threw and INT to New England's Deltha O'Neal.

"I was just trying to put it up there and see what's going to happen. Because we were running out of plays," Bulger said in the same story.

On the other sideline, there wasplenty of praise for Pats QB **Matt Cassel**, who led his to to a come-from-behind victory and has guided New England to a 5-2 record in place of injured starter Tom Brady.

"I love the kid's resiliency," fullback Heath Evanssaid to reporters around his locker. "He manages to take all this stuff in and just roll with the punches."

"I think Matt realizes what we're all about and realizes what his responsibilities are," said left tackle Matt Light. "There's no better way to see it all unfold in front of you than to have a guy like [Brady] show you how to do it. [Matt]'s done a good job."

Cassel was at his best late in the game, when he tossed the game-winning touchdown pass to running back Kevin Faulk. It was a perfectly placed pass and a great catch by Faulk.

"If you're going to put it in one person's hands, it might as well be his," Evans said of his backfield mate. "When it comes down to pressure situations and someone that's done it for 10 years one way -- with great consistency -- who else's hands would you want it in?"

"It was a play we put in last week and we had the opportunity to run it today," Faulk explained. "They showed us a matchup early on that favored that play, so we ran it and it was successful."

QUICK HITS

A *Boston Herald *column focuses on the Pats' 5-2 record.

"I'm not saying we're proving everyone wrong," defensive lineman Ty Warrensaid. "That's just gravy. We’re just having fun trying to get better. And what I mean by that is in practice, in the film room, everybody's been attentive and doing things and having fun with it."

Meanwhile, a *Providence Journal *column declares that Cassel has gone from game manager to game winner.

"I think they can win with him," Rams defensive back Ron Bartellsaid in the piece. "He's poised, and does a great job running that offense."

The *Boston Globe *also has a column about Cassel's growth as a signal-caller.

"Cassel did his job to help us win the game," said Faulk. "That's all you can say about it. That's what we want to do, win games no matter what it takes, and he did that."