FOXBORO -- The Patriots' recent "running back by committee" appears to have become a committee of one: Sammy Morris.

On a night that began with the announcement that Laurence Maroney -- the Pats' first-round draft choice in 2006 and leading rusher last season -- would be spending the rest of the year on the injured reserve list with a shoulder injury, Morris made it seem as if Maroney wouldn't be missed.

Hitting quick-opening holes at high speed, making sharp cuts and breaking tackles, the 31-year-old Morris ran like he was 21, rushing for a career-high 138 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.

He didn't play in the second half, held out of action with what the club said was a knee injury. But, unlike veteran safety Rodney Harrison, whose career appears to be in jeopardy after being carted off the field at the end of the third quarter with an injured knee, Morris was seen walking out of the locker room last night without even a limp.

"Sammy runs as good and as hard as anyone," said Logan Mankins, the Pats' All-Pro left guard. "He hits the holes."

Thanks to Mankins and his buddies along the offensive line, including fellow Pro Bowlers Matt Light and Dan Koppen, there were plenty of holes to hit.

"They got it going early with the running game," Denver defensive back Dre Bly said of the Pats, who, with undrafted rookie BenJarvus Green-Ellis picking up 65 yards in the second half on the first 13 carries of his career, racked up 257 rushing yards -- their highest team total since Craig James and his teammates ran for 281 against the Bengals in Foxboro on Dec. 22, 1985.

"They were able to find some creases in the defense," said Bly, "and [Morris] got going early."

"That's what you want to do every game," said the Pats' Kevin Faulk, whose primary role out of the backfield is as a receiver, but who last night ran for 50 yards on just four carries, after having scored two touchdowns two weeks ago at San Francisco. "You want to be able to run the ball, then come back and throw the ball.

"We all knew Sammy could play," Faulk said. "He was given an opportunity and he took it."

Hopefully, Morris can stay healthy.

Morris surpassed the 100-yard mark in back-to-back games last year before he suffered a season-ending chest injury against the Cowboys in Week 6.

With Maroney out for the year, and LaMont Jordan sitting out the past two games with a calf injury, the Patriots look to the veteran Morris to provide a running threat to take some of the pressure off young quarterback Matt Cassel in the passing game.

Although it's too early in his career to call Maroney a bust, he certainly has been a disappointment.

As a rookie, he sat out two games and carried fewer than 10 times in four others. He surpassed the 100-yard mark only once.

Last year, after sitting out most of training camp following offseason surgery, he missed three games and carried fewer than 10 times in three others. He did play very well at the end of the season, however, rushing for a career-high 156 yards on just 14 carries against the Dolphins two days before Christmas, then running for 122 yards and a touchdown against both Jacksonville and San Diego in the AFC playoffs.

That raised hopes -- and expectations -- for this season, especially when he was healthy throughout the summer.

As it turns out, he will have played in just three games in 2008, achieving season highs of 10 carries and 51 yards against the Chiefs. He didn't catch a pass, nor did he score a touchdown.