FOXBORO -- In the last five games, the Patriots have allowed just one opposing quarterback to achieve a passer rating above 60 (Jay Fiedler, Miami 62.8). They're plus-11 in interceptions since the Washington game in Week 4 (12 to 1). They've allowed 14 touchdowns (tied for lowest in the league). And, in a league where the average number of touchdown passes allowed is 12.8, they have allowed just four, the lowest total in the league.
Just for kicks, those TD passes were a 7-yarder from Drew Bledsoe to Dave Moore in Week 1; a 29-yarder from Vin Testaverde to Wayne Chrebet in Week 5, a 6-yard pass from Fiedler to Chris Chambers in Week 7; and a 1-yard pass from Danny Kanell to Mike Anderson in Week 9).
Head coach Bill Belichick clearly remembers when his defense allowed 25 touchdown passes last season.
"There were some games last year there had to be close to four (TD passes)," Belichick said. "In the Minnesota game, I can still see them standing in the end zone waving their arms."
So this year's stats are impressive to the discerning head coach. More impressive, he says, when put in deeper context.
"(An offense) can get the ball in there on the 1-yard line and run some play-action pass and some guy is standing all alone in the end zone because everyone is playing the run on first-and-goal on the 1. (Then it's reported on TV), 'Joe Quarterback had two touchdown passes today,' when one was the kind that anyone in this room could have thrown. Some (touchdown passes) are big plays, some are gimmes. Tap-in putts. There's a big difference between those passes and an 82-yarder to win the game."
And this year's stats are most impressive when one realizes that four-fifths of the Patriots' secondary (Tyrone Poole, Rodney Harrison, Eugene Wilson and Asante Samuel) is new. Meanwhile, the only holdover from 2002, cornerback Ty Law, has been absolutely brilliant all season long.
"Ty has done a terrific job for us," Belichick said. "He's fought injuries and showed toughness and leadership. He's made big play after big play after big play all season long. Once in a while, we can all watch a game and feel, 'This is going to be a key play in this game.' No matter which way the play goes, it's going to have an affect on the game. A lot of Ty's plays have come at that time."
And Law's anchored this most valuable secondary while never giving up on his NFL pipe dream -- to play at wide receiver.
"He's there every week on that," said Belichick. "We could have 13 receivers and Ty, don't worry, he would be willing to get in there."
Ward returns
Speaking of receivers, Dedric Ward is back in the fold. The Patriots signed him yesterday after he was released by Baltimore on Monday. The team placed fullback Fred McCrary on injured reserve to clear room for Ward, who was cut at the end of training camp.
"Dedric came about as close as you can come to being kept on the 53 (man squad) as you can be," said Belichick. "He can give us some depth."
He can also provide some versatility.
"He played at the X (one of the outside receiver positions) and in the three-wides where David (Patten) did. But he played all three spots (in the wide receiver alignment) and also played the slot. His flexibility and versatility is good in our system. He gives us depth at every position in the two-wide and multiple-wide-receiver sets."
Will he play Sunday?
"I think he has a shot at that, yes," Belichick said.
McCrary, meanwhile, joins Mike Compton, Rosevelt Colvin, Kliff Kingsbury, Adrian Klemm, Stephen Neal and Patten on injured reserve.
Asked about J.J. Stokes, Belichick said that in Stokes' first practice Wednesday, he "didn't look bad."
Running on empty
After topping 100 yards rushing as a team in five of their first six games, the Pats haven't done it since.
Even though they've faced some tough defenses, Belichick isn't using that as an excuse.
"It is an area that could certainly stand improvement," he said. "I am not going to stand here and say that when we run for two yards a carry like we did in Dallas, that that is what we are looking for. There were times when the running game was productive. There were plenty of times when it was not. We need to do a better job. Whether that will manifest itself this week against Houston, I do not know, but we are going to try to improve it."
How is the platoon system working between Antowain Smith and Kevin Faulk?
"It definitely has not been consistent," Belichick said. "Any time you lose yards in the running game, that, to me, is the biggest problem that you have. If we want to lose yards, we might as well go back and try to throw for more yards. To hand the ball off and end up in second-and-12, that is not good football. We might as well run a quarterback sneak. A least you will be second-and-9."
Squib kicks
Ted Washington, Troy Brown and David Givens didn't practice yesterday. . . . Houston quarterback David Carr was upgraded from "out" to "doubtful" yesterday, which will no doubt send the Pats' coaching staff scrambling to prepare for Carr just in case, rather than backup Tony Banks.
