The Boston Globe's Mike Reiss reports on injured Patriots safety Rodney Harrison. According to a league source, Harrison suffered a broken scapula (commonly known as the shoulder blade) in Sunday night's game. The injury won't require surgery, although a timetable for Harrison's return is unknown.
The Boston Herald's John Tomase also reports on Harrison's injury, citing a league sources as well. Harrison suffered a similar injury on his other shoulder back in 1999, when he was still playing with the Chargers. Harrison, 34, was out for 10 of the last 11 games of the season that year. He also went down with a season-ending knee injury last season.
Alan Greenberg of the Hartford Courant reports on Harrison and the injury he suffered against the Colts. Greenberg predicts that Harrison will not return until December or January, and remembers Harrison talking about how lucky he felt to be playing only a week ago. Harrison will be 34 in December and has recorded more sacks (28.5) than any NFL defensive back.
Mike Reiss of The Boston Globe reports on the purposes and practices surrounding NFL injury reports. The process garnered some extra attention last week when the Patriots and Colts ended up with a combined 39 players on their injury reports. So, 36 percent of the players on active rosters for that game were injured. Of those 39 players, 36 were listed as 'questionable,' meaning they had a 50-50 chance of playing.
The Boston Globe's Patriots Notebook takes a look at what home-field advantage means to the Patriots. They're 2-2 at Gillette Stadium this season and 4-0 on the road. Also included are short pieces on some recent Pats roster moves, the Pats kickoff coverage unit and Jets coach Eric Mangini.
Michael Felger of the Boston Herald reminds you that the regular season is already half-over, but don't worry. Coach Belichick's Patriots always improve as the season progresses. Felger compares first and second-half records over the last few seasons. Felger also talks about rematches in which the Patriots have gotten revenge in recent years.
Eric McHugh of The Patriot Ledger discusses a pass tipped by Kevin Faulk in the final two minutes of the Colts game, which was intercepted. Troy Brown knows just how Faulk feels, because it's happened to him too. "That's just a bad feeling," Brown said.
Glen Farley of The Enterprise offers some criticism of the Pats game plan last Sunday against the Colts. The Patriots terrible run defense begged more running attacks from the Pats, according to Farley. "We just have to do a better job," the head coach reflected. "We have to be more consistent. We have to coach better. We have to play better. We just have to do a better job, that's all."
Michael Parente of the Woonsocket Call reports that the Patriots are over their loss to the Colts and are moving on to the Jets, reminding readers that the Patriots have played 57 consecutive games, including the postseason, without losing in back-to-back games. The New York Jets will try to end that run on Sunday afternoon when they travel to Gillette Stadium, where they haven't't won since December of 2002, which, ironically, marked the last time the Patriots lost consecutive games.
Don't forget to check out USA Today's Inside Slant on the Patriots, updated again today.
