01:00 AM EST on Thursday, December 23, 2004

BY TOM E. CURRAN
Journal Sports Writer

FOXBORO -- Wondering what's happened to David Givens' role in the Patriots offense? So is he.

"You tell me," Givens said when asked yesterday why there's been a dropoff in the number of plays he's been on the field for. "It's got nothing to do with my body."

Givens has generally been out of the locker room during media access periods for the past two months or so. "There's really nothing to say," he said yesterday.

The Patriots' third-year wide receiver was one of the AFC's leading receivers through the first nine games of the season with 42 catches for 700 yards. In the five games the Patriots have played since he has 10 catches for 80 yards. Givens was inactive for one of those games (Cincinnati on Dec. 12), caught six passes in the slop against the Ravens, caught one pass for 3 yards against the Chiefs and had three catches for 25 yards against the Browns. Monday, Givens had one pass thrown his way -- the final throw of the night, which was intercepted. It was the first time in 23 games that Givens has played but not caught a pass.

The decline in Givens' production is undoubtedly tied to the return of wide receiver Deion Branch, who missed seven-and-a-half games earlier this season. Branch has made 17 catches since returning from injury against the Chiefs on Nov. 22.

But while Branch was down, Givens had four games where he topped 100 yards receiving. Even though Branch's return has reshuffled the receiving corps a bit, it's unusual to see a player be so productive and then fall almost completely off the radar.

It's worth wondering how this drop will affect Givens' contractual status with the team this offseason. He's going to be a restricted free agent at the end of the year and when he was on pace to finish the year with Pro Bowl-caliber numbers, he certainly figured to be one of the most attractive free agents -- restricted or otherwise -- on the market.

Since his production has dropped, it's not as likely that some team will throw a blockbuster offer at him. That figures to help the Patriots who -- because Givens is restricted -- would have the right to match any offer made by another team. So every quiet game that Givens has helps the Patriots in the long-term.

As Givens said quietly before leaving the locker room to work out, "It's a business."

Slow times for Vinatieri

Monday's game in Miami marked the third straight week in which Adam Vinatieri didn't have a field goal attempt. He'd never gone two games in a row before this current attempt drought.

"We've been scoring touchdowns," Vinatieri shrugged yesterday. "Sometimes you don't get any [attempts] and you never know if the following week you're going to have five.

I prefer winning games. You like to be on the field as often as you can, but ultimately winning the game is the most important thing, whether that's with field goals, extra points or winning 2-0 on a safety."

Sowing the seeds

If the 12-2 Patriots win on Sunday in New York, they clinch a first-round bye and would be at least the second seed in the AFC playoffs.

If New England loses and the 11-3 San Diego Chargers win at 11-3 Indianapolis, San Diego and the Patriots would both be 12-3 overall but the edge would go to the Chargers because they would have a better record within the AFC (9-2 in the AFC to 9-3 for the Pats).

The Patriots' final game is against an NFC team (hapless San Francisco); San Diego's would be against the unpredictable Chiefs in San Diego. All San Diego would have to do then is beat Kansas City to finish the season 10-2 in the AFC and edge the Patriots for second seed.

As for Indianapolis, its last two games are against San Diego and at Denver. They are currently 7-3 in the AFC. Even if Indy wins its last two games to finish 13-3 and 9-3 in the AFC and the Patriots lose to the Jets and wind up 13-3 and 9-3 in the conference, the Pats would get the No. 2 seed because they beat the Colts head-to-head.

Two in, two out

The Patriots released cornerback Omare Lowe and linebacker Justin Kurpeikis yesterday. Kurpeikis had the best shot at Miami returner Wes Welker early in Welker's 71-yard punt return but got juked and lost containment to his right. Miami scored on the next play. The team re-signed wide receiver Kevin Kasper and running back Rabih Abdullah , who were both with the team earlier in the year.