The New England Patriots announced on Friday morning that they have released veteran CB Leigh Bodden.

Bodden, who played his college ball at Duquesne, was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns in 2003 as an undrafted free agent where he spent five seasons originally making the team as a special teams player.  In 2008 he was traded to the Detroit Lions and was a member of the team that finished the season 0-16.

After being released by Detroit in February 2009 he signed a one year contract with the Patriots.  In ’09 he played in 15 games starting 14 of them.  In the offseason after exploring free agency he returned to New England when he signed a 4-year, $22 million deal with $10 million guaranteed.  The bulk of the contract was front loaded with Bodden earning 14 million over the first two seasons.

He never saw the field in the 2010 regular season being place on the IR in August 2010 with a shoulder injury.

Bodden returned this season and played in 5 games making 16 tackles and defended 4 passes.

CB Josh Victorian who was released earlier in the week looks like the candidate to take the roster sport left open by Bodden’s release.

Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem

Photo credit: Getty Images

This Week

The New England Patriots visit the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Stadium on Sunday at 4:15 p.m.

The Patriots (5-1) are 2-1 on the road, 0-0 against the AFC North and 4-1 in the AFC conference.  The Steelers (5-2) are 3-0 at the Ketchup Bottle, 0-0 vs. the AFC East and 3-2 against the AFC conference.

The Line/Prediction

As of Thursday the line on the game from Yahoo! Sports have the Patriots at minus 2 1/2.  The over under is 52.

My Prediction is Patriots 30, Steelers, 28.  Take the points (Steelers) and take the over.  I am 3-2-1 against the spread and 5 of 6 on calling the over/under in 2011.

Tickets

The Steelers are reporting the game as a sell out.

Tickets to the game, if available, can be purchased through Ticketmaster.  You can check the availability here.

Getting to the Game

If you’re lucky enough to be going to the game in Pittsburgh make sure you check out the links.

Here is the up to date weather forecast for the game from weather.com for Pittsburgh PA.

Click for all the game day information including stadium directions and parking, stadium information, parking map and a Heinz Field seating chart.

Tailgating

Here’s a bunch of different tailgating recipes from Tailgating.com.  There’s something there for everyone and every type of meal or snack.  I’ve tried some of the recipes and they’re very good.

And with tailgating many people enjoy some adult beverages.  With that in mind check out Drink Nation for how to make all sorts of great drinks.  You can look things up by name, ingredient(s) or theme.

Whether it’s at the game, a bar or a friend’s house moderation is always the key to a great time.  Please don’t drink and drive and designate a sober driver.  Remember You Drink, You Drive, You Lose.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television

CBS in televising the game to most of the nation and Jim Nantz will do play by play while Phil Simms will provide the game analysis.  You can look here for your local affiliate.

See if you’re getting the game courtesy of J.P. Kirby at the506.com.

The DirecTV designation is Channel 712.

Here are all the rules on NFL TV broadcasts including explaining the blackout rules, flex scheduling and commercial breaks.

Radio

The Patriots Radio Network broadcasts the game from flagship station WBZ-FM, 98.5 the Sports Hub in Boston. Gil Santos handles the play-by-play, former Patriot Gino Cappelletti does the color and new this year Scott Zolak will man the sidelines. It all starts with Gary Tanguay, Andy Gresh and Zolak with the pregame show at 1 p.m. along the network. The post game starts after the final gun and continues for three hours along the network.

If you are outside the broadcast are of the stations on the Patriots Radio Network you can purchase NFL Field Pass, which allows you to listen to any game live.  You can also pick which teams broadcasters you want to listen to.

All NFL Games are also available on Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio also carries all the NFL games under a special additional package.  They usually only carry the home team feed.

The Patriots radio network call is available on Sirius Channel 91 and on SiriusXM Internet Channel 870.

The Steelers Radio Network has Bill Hillgrove calling the game while former Steelers player Tunch Ilkin provides the game analysis with Craig Wolfley doing the sideline reporting on their flagship station WDVE-FM. Their call is available on Sirius Channel 86, XM Channel 230 and SiriusXM Internet Channel 872.

Westwood One will also broadcast the game to a national audience amongst its affiliates with Kevin Kugler and Mark Malone calling the game.  Their game call can be heard on Sirius Channel 88 and XM Channel 88.

Patriots All Access

Patriots All-Access features behind the scenes looks, interviews and breakdowns with head coach Bill Belichick and in depth features on the team.  It’s hosted by Steve Burton of WBZ-TV (Boston) and airs weekly in most New England television markets.

• Boston MA on TV 38 Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.
• Providence RI on WNAC Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.
• Manchester NH on WMUR Saturday at midnight
• Portland ME on WMTW Sunday at 5 a.m.
• Hartford CT on WCTX Saturday at 5 p.m.
• Springfield MA on WFXQ Saturday at 7 p.m.
• Bangor ME on WVII Sunday at 11 a.m.

You can also watch it anytime on the teams website in the media section.

To continue reading the New England Patriots @ Pittsburgh Steelers preview, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Last Week

The Patriots did not play they were on their bye week; while the Steelers beat the Cardinals, 32-20 on the road.

History

 

• This is the 26th meeting between the Patriots and the Steelers since the merger in 1970.
• The Steelers lead the all-time series 14-11, which includes a 1-4 record vs. the Patriots in the post season.
• The Patriots are 3-1 at Heinz Field and that includes a crushing 41-27 defeat of the Steelers in the 2004 AFC Championship game.
• The two franchises have appeared in 14 Super Bowls winning a combined nine championships.
• These two teams combined to win 5 of the 10 Super Bowl titles between 2000-09.
• The Patriots won the last meeting in 2010 in Week 10 when they routed the Steelers, 39-26 at Heinz Field.

Patriots Team Notes

Here is the Patriots roster, depth chart and injury report for the game.

2011 Patriots Schedule/Results

The Patriots overall franchise record is 406-364-9.  They have won three Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) in six appearances.  They last appeared in the playoffs in 2010 when they lost at home to the New York Jets in the AFC Divisional Playoff, 28-21.  They last appeared in a Super Bowl in 2007 losing to the New York Giants 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII.  They won the AFC Conference championship that season with playoff wins over Jacksonville and San Diego.

The Patriots are the defending two-time AFC East Champions; they have won the division 8 times since 2000.

The Patriots are dedicating the 2011 season to the memory of Myra Hiatt Kraft, the late wife of owner Robert Kraft. Every Patriots player and coach will honor Myra’s memory by wearing a patch with her initials on it in recognition of her lifelong contributions to the local and global community and her influence on the charitable mission of the entire Patriots organization. The patch will be worn on the left chest of every player throughout the season.

The Patriots are 8-10 as the road team in the series but are 4-1 at Heinz Field.

New England has won 7 of the last 10 meetings between the teams.

Since 2003 New England is 32-5 in October, they are 14-5 on the road.

New England saw their streak of consecutive games scoring 30 or more points end in Week 6 at 13 games, one shy of the NFL record of 14 set by St. Louis in 1999-2000.

Since 2000 the Patriots share the best road record in the NFL at 59-32 with the Indianapolis Colts.

New England twice has had a season high of four turnovers in a game (at Buffalo, Week 3 and vs. Dallas, Week 6).

The Patriots are 5-1 or better for the 8^th time in team history.

The Patriots defense has allowed opponents to convert 42.5% of the time on 3^rd down (22^nd), while the offense has a 3^rd down conversion rate of 53.6% 3^rd best in the NFL.

The New England defense has sacked the opponents quarterback 10 times in 6 games.

The Patriots are 4th in the NFL in points per game with 30.8.  While they allow 22.5 points per game good for 16th in the NFL.

Opponents are outscoring the Patriots 54-52 in the 4^th quarter.

New England is now plus 1 in turnover differential, tied for 13th best in the NFL.  The offense has given up 8 INT and 2 fumbles, while the defense has 8 INT and 3 fumble recoveries.

Patriots Staff Notes

This is the link to head coach Bill Belichick’s Wednesday press conference on the Steelers.

Bill Belichick coached teams are 10-9 vs. Pittsburgh overall. He is 6-2 with New England and 2-6 with Cleveland in the regular season while his teams are 2-1 vs. the Steelers in post season play with his lone loss coming as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns.

Overall in his NFL career Belichick is 167-95 in 16 NFL seasons.  He is 129-52 with New England and 36-44 with Cleveland.  He is 15-6 in the playoffs, 14-5 as head coach of the Patriots in the post season.  When you combine his regular season and post season records he is 182-101.

Belichick’s 182 wins are good for 10^th all-time.  Bill Parcells is 9^th with 183 wins.

He was named NFL Coach of the Year for the 3^rd time in 2010.

Patriots Possible Starters

Offense:

• LT: Light
• LG: Mankins
• C: Connolly
• RG: Waters
• RT: Solder
• QB: Brady
• RB: Green-Ellis
• TE: R. Gronkowski
• TE: Hernandez
• TE: D. Gronkowski
• WR: Branch

Defense:

• DE: Ellis
• DT: Wilfork
• DT: Love
• DE: Carter
• OLB: Guyton
• ILB: Spikes
• OLB: Ninkovich
• LCB: McCourty
• RCB: Arrington
• S: Chung
• S: Ihedigbo

Patriots Players Notes

This Tom Brady’s 12^th NFL season he is 6-1 vs. Steelers with 2 of those wins coming in the playoffs.

Brady has a 4 game win streak vs. Pittsburgh.  He was injured when the Steelers won 33-10 in 2008.

Overall Brady is 116-33 as a starting QB and is 14-5 in the playoffs for an overall record of 130-38.  Brady is a 6 time Pro Bowl QB; two time NFL MVP and has won 3 Super Bowls while twice being named the games MVP.  He is also listed as the 21^st Greatest Player in the History of the NFL according to the NFL Network.

In 2010 Brady won his second NFL MVP and he was the first unanimous winner in league history.

Brady is 51-23 on the road in his career in the regular season.

Brady has thrown 16 TD’s and 8 INT’s while being sacked 11 times in 6 games.

Brady has 277 TD passes in his career he is now 8th all-time.  Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas is 7^th with 290.

With a win on Sunday Brady and Belichick will break the record they share with Dan Marino and Don Shula as the winningest quarterback-coach combination in the Super Bowl era with 116 wins.

WR Wes Welker now has catches in 88 consecutive games including playoffs, 71 as a Patriot.  The last time Welker did not have a catch in a game was 12/24/05 as a Dolphin.

CB Kyle Arrington has a team leading 4 INT’s in 2011, DT Vince Wilfork is 2^nd with 2.

CB Devin McCourty leads the team in tackles with 41, S Patrick Chung is 2^nd with 38.

DE Mark Anderson leads the team in sacks with 3.5; DE Andre Carter has 2.5 sacks.  Anderson also leads the team with 5 quarterback hits while Carter and LB Dane Fletcher each have 4.

Anderson, Wilfork and LB Jerod Mayo have each forced a fumble this season while LB Rob Ninkovich, DL Kyle Love and DE Gerard Warren each have recovered a fumble.

CB Antwaun Molden and LB Tracy White are tied for the team lead with 5 special teams tackles.

Earlier in the week the Patriots released CB Josh Victorian from the practice squad and re-signed 2011 draft pick CB Malcolm Williams from TCU to the practice squad.  The 7^th round pick originally signed a four-year contract before training camp.

The only players who had no participation in Thursday practice were rookie CB Ras-I Dowling (hip) and LB Dane Fletcher (thumb). Several others were limited in practice.  We probably won’t know until just before game time if LB Jerod Mayo will play after being out for 3 weeks.

The Patriots have four New England natives on the roster they are: TE Aaron Hernandez (Bristol CT); OL Donald Thomas (New Haven CT); S James Ihedigbo (Northampton MA) and DE Ron Brace (Worcester MA).  They have 8 players who played for a New England school or a Big East Conference member.  They are: WR Deion Branch (Louisville); S James Ihedigbo (UMass); C Dan Koppen (Boston College – IR); CB Devin McCourty (Rutgers); NT Vince Wilfork (Miami), OL Donald Thomas (UConn); DE Mike Wright (Cincinnati – IR) and DE Ron Brace (Boston College).

The Patriots have 7 retired numbers: 20 – Gino Cappelletti, 40 – Mike Haynes, 73 – John Hannah, 78 – Bruce Armstrong, 79 – Jim Lee Hunt and 89 – Bob Dee.

Pro Bowl voting is open feel free to cast your votes for deserving players.

Steelers Team Notes

Here is the Steelers roster, depth chart and injury report for the game.

2011 Steelers Schedule/Results

Pittsburgh’s all-time record is 546-501-20 and they are 33-20 in the post season. Their last post season appearance was in 2010 when they beat the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Division game and the New York Jets in the AFC Championship game and lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV.  They have won 6 Super Bowl titles (IX, X, XIII, XIV, XL, XLIII) in 8 appearances.

Since 2002 Pittsburgh has won 5 AFC North Division titles.

Pittsburgh is 59-22-1 at home including playoffs since 2002.

It will be interesting to see what the playing surface at Heinz Field looks like on Sunday after hosting the Pitt/UConn Big East game on Wednesday night.

The Steelers defense has allowed opponents to convert 38.3% of the time on 3^rd down (15^th), while the offense has a 3^rd down conversion rate of 48.9%, 4^th best in the NFL.

The Pittsburgh defense has sacked the opponents quarterback 17 times in 7 games.

The Steelers are 19th in the NFL in points per game with 21.6.  While they allow 17.4 points per game good for 3rd in the NFL.

Pittsburgh is now minus 9 in turnover differential, ranked 32nd they are last in the NFL.  The offense has given up 6 INT and 6 fumbles, while the defense has 2 INT and 1 fumble recoveries.

Pittsburgh has won 3 straight games since losing to Houston in Week 4.

The Steelers mascot is “Steely McBeam”.  I’m not kidding.

The Steelers have called 6 different stadiums “home” over the years.  They are Forbes Field, Shibe Park, Comiskey Park, Pitt Stadium, Three Rivers Stadium and Heinz Field.

The Rooney family has owned the team since its inception in 1933.

The Steelers are the fifth oldest franchise in the NFL.

In 1938 future Supreme Court Justice Byron “Whizzer” White played for Pittsburgh.

The “Terrible Towel” was founded by Steelers radio play by play man Myron Cope in 1975.  Much imitated it is the true original.

Pittsburgh has sold out every home game since the 1972 season a streak of 331 games.

The Steelers do not have an official fight song but many versions of “Here we go Steelers” and “The Steelers Polka” have been recorded.

Pittsburgh has the third most inductees in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

AccuScore is predicting a Steelers victory on Sunday.

Steelers Staff Notes

Read what Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin had to say to the New England media about the match up.

Overall in his NFL career Pittsburgh head coach Mike Tomlin is 48-23 in 6 seasons with the Steelers and he is 5-2 in the playoffs.  When you combine the regular season and postseason records, Tomlin is 53-25.

Tomlin coached teams are 1-2 vs. New England.

He is the third Steelers head coach since 1969 being succeeded by only Bill Cowher (1993-2006) and Chuck Noll (1969-92).

Steelers Players Notes

Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is 2-4 vs. the Patriots including 0-1 in the post season.

Roethlisberger is 74-31 in 8 NFL seasons.  He is 10-3 in the playoffs and overall he is 84-34.  He was the 11^th overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft by Steelers out of Miami (OH).

Roethlisberger has thrown 12 TD passes with 6 INT’s.  He has been sacked 20 times in 7 games.

Pittsburgh has battled a lot of injuries in recent weeks.  Among the players who have suffered injuries are LB James Harrison (fractured eye socket), NT Casey Hampton (shoulder), NT Chris Hoke (neck), S Troy Polamalu (concussion), QB Ben Roethlisberger (knee), WR Hines Ward (sprained knee) and DE Aaron Smith (foot/neck).

Smith has been placed on the season ending IR for the 3^rd consecutive season.

Roethlisberger says there’s no problem with his ailing knee and he’s good to go while Ward did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.

RB Rashard Mendenhall had a season high 146 rushing yards against Tennessee in Week 6.  It was his 4^th highest career total and was named AFC Offensive Player of the Week.

The Steelers have 2 players who played for a Big East Conference member.  They are: CB William Gay (Louisville) and S Ryan Mundy (WVU).

Pittsburgh’s captains for 2011 are: Roethlisberger, Ward, LB James Farrior and WR Arnaz Battle.

The Steelers have 1 officially retired number: 70 – Ernie Stautner.  Unofficially the following numbers have not been reissued they are: 12 – Terry Bradshaw; 32 – Franco Harris; 36 – Jerome Bettis; 52 – Mike Webster; 58 – Jack Lambert; 59 – Jack Ham; 63 – Dermontti Dawson and 75 – Joe Greene.

Next Week

The Patriots host the New York Giants next Sunday at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro MA.  Kick off is at 4:15 p.m. on FOX.

Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem

With the New England Patriots in their bye week on Sunday the news and notes do not seem to be as readily available but we will attempt to dig some things up for you.

Bill Belichick spent part of his bye week at Rutgers on Friday night watching his son Steven who is a long snapper play for Scarlet Knights.  He even wore a suit and tie.  The coach was also seen having lunch with his girlfriend in Nantucket on Saturday.

Belichick had his weekly Monday media meeting via conference call about the week ahead.

While the coach was tending to family members TE Rob Gronkowski was hanging out with a reputed porn star.  As long she isn’t a spy planted by Mike Tomlin, more power to him.

While Rob was “Gronking” a porn star, his brother Dan was doing something different.  This week’s “Football Journey” on ESPN Boston highlighted Patriots TE Dan Gronkowski.

Former Patriot CB Ty Law was named the Gridiron Club of Boston’s Man of the Year this week.  It’s a very nice honor for Law.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Karen Guregian of the Boston Herald writes that OL Marcus Cannon, a cancer survivor, may start practicing this week but probably will not play in any games.

The Boston Globe has a story on Patriots DE Andre Carter.

The Patriots owner, Robert Kraft speaks his mind to the Globe.

ESPN Boston’s Chris Forsberg puts the Patriots 2008 draft in focus.

Patriots LT Matt Light will be honored at the Hockomock Area YMCA Legends Ball on November 15^th.

The Patriots reportedly will look to make a decision on RB Kevin Faulk by the end of the week.  By November 6^th they either have to activate him or put him on the IR, those are the only two solutions.  The same decisions will have to be made on DL Brandon Deaderick and DE Ron Brace with in the next two weeks.  If any of the three are activated a corresponding player release will need to be made to keep the roster at 53.

Mike Reiss and the five things he has learned about the Patriots and his Top 5 questions about the team.

Brady and Belichick may break the tie with Miami’s Dan Marino and Don Shula as the winningest quarterback-head coach combination in the Super Bowl era with a win on Sunday in Pittsburgh.

Brady passed former teammate Vinny Testaverde for 8^th all time on the TD pass list with his 277^th against Dallas.  Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas is 7^th with 290.

LB Jerod Mayo (MCL) is looking at a possible return against Pittsburgh, the week of practice will tell a lot.  In addition to Mayo, players who missed the last game against Dallas with injuries were S Sergio Brown (chest), CB Ras-I Dowling (hamstring), WR Julian Edelman (ankle), S Josh Barrett (hamstring/thumb) and T Sebastian Vollmer (back). QB Ryan Mallett was a healthy scratch for the 5^th time in 6 weeks.

AFC East Standings

Patriots                   5-1/2-1

Bills                        4-2/1-0

Jets                        4-3/1-1

Dolphins                  0-6/0-2

New England plays the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday at 4:15 p.m. at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.  Look for the Sox & Dawgs “In The Red Zone Game Preview” available on Friday.

Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem

On Monday we put out a post that the New England Patriots had activated RB Kevin Faulk and DE Ron Brace off of the PUP list and had signed CB Phillip Adams to the final slot on the practice squad.

Well Adams was actually signed to the 53-man roster on Monday and on Tuesday they added S Ross Ventrone to the 53-man roster to fill the two open roster spots, one of which occurred when Ventrone was released last week.

That still left one spot open on the practice squad and that was filled when the club signed CB Sterling Moore who was released last week with Ventrone.

In addition to Faulk and Brace, also coming off the PUP list was DL Brandon Deaderick, who was the Patriots 7^th round pick out of Alabama in the 2010 NFL Draft.  As a rookie he played in 10 games and started 4 in 2010, notching 10 tackles and 2 sacks.

He wasn’t without issues though, as he was suspended for an undisclosed reason during the Patriots playoff bye week.  His suspension was lifted after the end of the teams season.

With Faulk, Brace and Deaderick now off of the PUP list the team gets a three week roster exemption for each player.  The exemption allows the players returning from the PUP a chance to practice and get up to speed but not play in games.  If the team is going to have them play they need to have a one for one change to the 53-man roster as currently the team is maxed out on their regular roster spots.

The New England Patriots will announce shortly that they are removing long time RB Kevin Faulk and Worcester, MA native and Boston College alum DL Ron Brace from the PUP list.  Both are expected to practice Tuesday and Wednesday.

The 35-yeard old Faulk has never played for another team since being drafted out of LSU by New England with their 2^nd round pick in the 1999 NFL Draft.  He is a 3-time Super Bowl champion and a member of the Patriots all-2000’s and 50^th anniversary teams.

While at LSU Faulk was second in SEC history to Hershel Walker in rushing yards and held the SEC record for touchdowns with 53 until it was passed by Florida’s Tim Tebow.  He also holds more than a half dozen LSU football records.

In the NFL, he has proven that his versatility makes him a precious commodity in that he can run, catch passes, pass block and return kicks and punts.

Brace will help solidify the defensive line that over the last few weeks has had some injury concerns.  Several defensive linemen have missed games and practice since the start of the season.

Brace who can play inside or outside was a second round pick in 2009 out of Boston College.  He played in 13 games in 2010 making five starts.

Also on the roster front CB Phillip Adams has returned. He will be added to the practice squad.

Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem

As the New England Patriots head into their bye week it looks like the defense may be making strides.  In the category that means the most, points allowed, they are now 13^th in the NFL.  Last week they were 20^th, the week before that they were 27^th.

Tom Brady and Bill Belichick continue to climb up the record charts in various categories.  Brady in TD passes, Belichick in career wins and the pair as the winningest combo in the Super Bowl era.

As of now there are two roster spots open on the 53-man roster and one on the practice squad so for sure there will be movement.  Some of that movement may come from the PUP list.

With the other teams in the division having at least 2 losses each the Patriots are guaranteed to remain in first place through the bye.  After the bye they go to Pittsburgh, have a home game against the Giants and then face the Jets on the road. A 2-1 mark in those games would still have them at least in a first place tie in the division just past the halfway point of the season.

To continue reading, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

New England head coach Bill Belichick had his weekly day after media meeting via conference call about Sunday’s game and the week ahead.

The Patriots have not lost a regular season game at Gillette Stadium since the 2008 season having won 20 consecutive regular season home games.  It is the longest current streak in the NFL.

Since 2002 when Gillette Stadium opened the Patriots are 70-14 at home.

They are 18-1 at Gillette Stadium vs. the NFC.

On Monday afternoon the team announced that CB Sterling Moore and S Ross Ventrone had both been released.  No corresponding roster moves were announced but you have to wonder if RB Kevin Faulk, DE Ron Brace or DL Brandon Deadrick are ready to come off of the PUP list.  Moore and Ventrone are both practice squad eligible.

The Patriots wore their white jersey at home Sunday forcing the Cowboys to wear the little worn navy jersey.

QB Tom Brady made his weekly appearance as part of “Patriots Monday” on Boston’s WEEI AM/FM.

Brady and Belichick tied Miami’s Dan Marino and Don Shula as the winningest quarterback-head coach combination in the Super Bowl era with their 116 win on Sunday.

Brady passed former teammate Vinny Testaverde for 8^th all time on the TD pass list with 277.  Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas is 7^th with 290.

LB Jerod Mayo missed the game with a sprained MCL and could return after the bye against Pittsburgh.  In addition to Mayo players who missed the game Sunday with injuries were Sergio Brown, Ras-I Dowling, Julian Edelman, Josh Barrett and Sebastian Vollmer. Ryan Mallett was a healthy scratch for the 5^th time in 6 weeks.

With the Patriots playing mostly with 2 wide receivers and 2 tight ends Chad Ochocinco was only on the field for 7 plays against Dallas.

So what is Ochocinco’s role and what’s next for him?

The New England defense had one three and out the entire game and that was when they got Brady the ball back for the game winning drive. It was the 32nd comeback win of his career and his first in 2011.

TE Aaron Hernandez says with Brady anything can happen.

CB Kyle Arrington had a 1^st quarter INT, it’s his fourth of the season, he now leads the NFL in INTs.

Poor decisions do in Cowboys.

ESPN Boston’s Mike Reiss and his Patriots 3 Up, 3 Down.

Did anyone really think Brady wouldn’t deliver with the game on the line?

Rookie RB Stevan Ridley made his first NFL start on Sunday.

The Gronkowski brothers, Rob and Dan, were in the starting line up together for the first time.

In the end the Cowboys couldn’t conserve the lead.

Wilfork praises progress of the defense.

A look at how the Patriots got physical with Cowboys TE Jason Witten.

The defense is starting to state its case.

Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan honored not only Myra Kraft but also Al Davis on his play sheet.

With the bye next week the Patriots were off Monday, back at Gillette on Tuesday and Wednesday and then off from Thursday through Monday.  They return on Tuesday October 25.

And unless there’s major news involving the team so will we.  Have a great Sunday with no Patriots game.  I’m sure your spouses/significant others already have a fall foliage ride, apple picking or yard work in your future.

New England plays the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday October 30 at 4:15 p.m. at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh.  Look for the Sox & Dawgs “In The Red Zone Game Preview” available on Friday October 28.

Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem

On Saturday afternoon the New England Patriots released DT Marcus Harrison who was just signed 24 hours before to provide defensive line help.

The release of Harrison leads to speculation that DT Kyle Love and DT Albert Haynesworth will play on Sunday vs. Dallas.

Taking the spot on the 53-man roster is practice squad member CB Sterling Moore.

Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem

On Friday morning just before practice the New England Patriots released CB Phillip Adams and replaced him on the 53-man roster with DT Marcus Harrison.

Adams, who was released last Saturday only to be re-signed on Thursday, once again is the odd man out on Friday.

Harrison, a 2008 3^rd round draft pick of the Chicago Bears out of Arkansas, is expected to add some depth to the interior of the line.  Generally when a move happens late in the week it’s due to some injury concerns.

Those concerns for New England are with DT Kyle Love and DT Albert Haynesworth; both are battling back injuries.

Harrison has 53 tackles and 3 sacks in 33 NFL games all of them with Chicago.

Follow Steve on Twitter @djstevem

This Week

The New England Patriots host the Dallas Cowboys at Gillette Stadium on Sunday at 4:15 p.m.

The Patriots (4-1) are 2-0 at The Razor, 0-0 against the NFC East and 0-0 vs. the NFC.  The Cowboys (2-2) are 1-1 on the road, 0-1 vs. the AFC East and 0-1 against the AFC.

The Line/Prediction

As of Thursday the line on the game from Yahoo! Sports has the Patriots minus 7.  The over under is 55.

My Prediction is Patriots 35, Cowboys, 17.  Give the points (Patriots) and take the under.  I am 3-1-1 against the spread and 4 of 5 on calling the over/under in 2011.

Tickets

The Patriots are reporting the game as a sell out. It is the 186^th consecutive sell out dating back to the 1994 season opener.  The record includes preseason, regular season and playoff games.

Tickets to the game, if available, can be purchased through Ticketmaster.  You can check the availability here.

After market tickets are available through the Official Patriots Ticket Exchange where season ticket holders can sell their unused seats to fans on the season ticket waiting list.

Getting to the Game

If you’re lucky enough to be going to the game in Foxboro make sure you check out the links.

Here is the up to date weather forecast from the Weather Channel for Foxboro, MA.

Click for all the game day information including stadium directions, parking information and map and a Gillette Stadium seating chart.

Tailgating

Here’s a bunch of different tailgating recipes from Tailgating.com.  There’s something there for everyone and every type of meal or snack.  I’ve tried some of the recipes and they’re very good.

And with tailgating many people enjoy some adult beverages.  With that in mind check out Drink Nation for how to make all sorts of great drinks.  You can look things up by name, ingredient(s) or theme.

Whether it’s at the game, a bar or a friend’s house moderation is always the key to a great time.  Please don’t drink and drive and designate a sober driver.  Remember You Drink, You Drive, You Lose.

BROADCAST INFORMATION

Television

FOX is televising the game regionally and Thom Brennaman will do play by play while Troy Aikman will provide the game analysis.  You can look here for your local affiliate.

See if you’re getting the game courtesy of J.P. Kirby at the506.com.

The DirecTV designation is Channel 713.

Here are all the rules on NFL TV broadcasts including explaining the blackout rules, flex scheduling and commercial breaks.

Radio

The Patriots Radio Network broadcasts the game from flagship station WBZ-FM, 98.5 the Sports Hub in Boston. Gil Santos handles the play-by-play, former Patriot Gino Cappelletti does the color and new this year Scott Zolak will man the sidelines. It all starts with Gary Tanguay, Andy Gresh and Zolak with the pregame show at 1 p.m. along the network. The post game starts after the final gun and continues for three hours along the network.

If you are outside the broadcast area of the stations on the Patriots Radio Network you can purchase NFL Field Pass, which allows you to listen to any game live.  You can also pick which teams broadcasters you want to listen to.

All NFL Games are also available on Sirius Satellite Radio and XM Satellite Radio also carries all the NFL games under a special additional package.  They usually only carry the home team feed.

The Patriots radio network call is available on Sirius Channel 86, XM Channel 230 and on SiriusXM Internet Channel 872.

The Cowboys Radio network has Brad Sham calling play by play and former Dallas quarterback Babe Laufenberg doing the color via their flagship KRLD-AM/FM.  Their call is available on Sirius Channel 137 and SiriusXM Internet Channel 877.

Patriots All Access

Patriots All-Access features behind the scenes looks, interviews and breakdowns with head coach Bill Belichick and in depth features on the team.  It’s hosted by Steve Burton of WBZ-TV (Boston) and airs weekly in most New England television markets.

• Boston MA on TV 38 Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.
• Providence RI on WNAC Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m.
• Manchester NH on WMUR Saturday at midnight
• Portland ME on WMTW Sunday at 5 a.m.
• Hartford CT on WCTX Saturday at 5 p.m.
• Springfield MA on WFXQ Saturday at 7 p.m.
• Bangor ME on WVII Sunday at 11 a.m.

You can also watch it anytime on the teams website in the media section.

To continue reading the Dallas Cowboys @ New England Patriots preview, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

Last Week

The Patriots beat the Jets at the Razor 30-21; while the Cowboys had a Week 5 bye.

History

• Dallas leads the all-time series 7-3.
• The Patriots are 2-3 as the home team in the series.
• Dallas hasn’t played in Foxboro since 2003.  The other Dallas visits to Foxboro were in 1999, 1987, 1981 and 1975.
• Combined the two franchises have appeared in 14 Super Bowls winning a combined eight times.
• The two teams last met in the 2007 season in Dallas in a game won by the Patriots, 48-27.  Prior to that game both teams were 5-0.

Patriots Team Notes

Here is the Patriots roster, depth chart and injury report for the game.

2011 Patriots Schedule/Results

The Patriots overall franchise record is 405-364-9.  They have won three Super Bowls (XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) in six appearances.  They last appeared in the playoffs in 2010 when they lost at home to the New York Jets in the AFC Divisional Playoff, 28-21.  They last appeared in a Super Bowl in 2007 losing to the New York Giants 17-14 in Super Bowl XLII.  They won the AFC Conference championship that season with playoff wins over Jacksonville and San Diego.

The Patriots are the defending two-time AFC East Champions; they have won the division 8 times since 2000.

The Patriots are dedicating the 2011 season to the memory of Myra Hiatt Kraft, the late wife of owner Robert Kraft. Every Patriots player and coach will honor Myra’s memory by wearing a patch with her initials on it in recognition of her lifelong contributions to the local and global community and her influence on the charitable mission of the entire Patriots organization. The patch will be worn on the left chest of every player throughout the season.

The Patriots will wear their white jersey on Sunday.

The last time the Patriots played the Cowboys in Foxboro the field surface was natural grass.  It has since been replaced with field turf.

New England is 17-1 vs. the NFC at Gillette Stadium.

Since 2002 the Patriots are 7-1 vs. the NFC East in the regular season.  The lone loss was in Washington in 2003.

The Patriots have not lost a regular season game at Gillette Stadium since the 2008 season having won 19 consecutive regular season home games.

Since 2002 when Gillette Stadium opened the Patriots are 69-14 at home.

Since 2003 New England is 31-5 in October with a 17-1 mark at The Razor.

The Patriots have scored 30 or more points in 13 consecutive regular season games.  The NFL record is 14 games set by the St. Louis Rams in the 1999 and 2000 seasons.

The Patriots defense has allowed opponents to convert 44.3% of the time on 3^rd down, while the offense has a 3^rd down conversion rate of 51.8%.

The New England defense has sacked the opponents quarterback 8 times in 5 games.

The Patriots are 2nd in the NFL in points per game with 33.  While they allow 23.8 points per game good for 14th in the NFL.

Opponents are outscoring the Patriots 51-45 in the 4^th quarter.

CB Devin McCourty leads the team in tackles with 35.

DE Mark Anderson leads the team in sacks with 3.5, he also leads the team with 5 quarterback hits.

New England is now plus 3 in turnover differential, tied for 6th best in the NFL.  The offense has given up 6 INT and 0 fumbles, while the defense has 7 INT and 2 fumble recoveries.

Several Patriots players helped United Health Care and volunteers build a new playground at Dexter Training Ground in Providence, RI this week.

The Gillette Stadium fans were pretty loud last Sunday.

Patriots Staff Notes

This is the link to head coach Bill Belichick’s Wednesday press conference on the Jets.

Bill Belichick is 3-1 vs. the Cowboys in his career.  He is 2-0 as the head coach in New England.

Overall in his NFL career Belichick is 166-95 in 16 NFL seasons.  He is 129-52 with New England and 36-44 with Cleveland.  He is 15-6 in the playoffs, 14-5 as head coach of the Patriots in the post season.  When you combine his regular season and post season records he is 181-101.

Belichick’s 181 wins are good for 10^th all-time.  Bill Parcells is 9^th with 183 wins.

He was named NFL Coach of the Year for the 3^rd time in 2010.

Belichick was on SiriusXM NFL Radio’s “Movin’ the Chains” and he talked about the switch to the 4-3 defense.

Patriots Possible Starters

Offense:

• LT: Light
• LG: Mankins
• C: Connolly
• RG: Waters
• RT: Vollmer
• QB: Brady
• RB: Green-Ellis
• TE: R. Gronkowski
• TE: Hernandez
• WR: Welker
• WR: Branch

Defense:

• DE: Ellis
• DT: Wilfork
• DT: Warren
• DE: Carter
• OLB: Guyton
• ILB: Spikes
• OLB: Ninkovich
• LCB: McCourty
• RCB: Arrington
• S: Chung
• S: Ihedigbo

Patriots Players Notes

This is Tom Brady’s 12^th NFL season he is 2-0 vs. Dallas.  In the last meeting in 2007 at Dallas, Brady threw for 388 yards on 31 of 46 passing and 5 TD’s.

Overall Brady is 115-33 as a starting QB and is 14-5 in the playoffs for an overall record of 129-38.  Brady is a 6 time Pro Bowl QB; two time NFL MVP and has won 3 Super Bowls while twice being named the games MVP.  He is also listed as the 21^st Greatest Player in the History of the NFL according to the NFL Network.

In 2010 Brady won his second NFL MVP and he was the first unanimous winner in league history.

Brady has won 30 consecutive regular season games at home, a NFL record.  His last regular season home loss was November 12, 2006 to the New York Jets.

Brady is 64-10 at home in the regular season in his career.

Brady has thrown 14 TD’s and 6 INT’s while being sacked 8 times in four games.

Brady has 275 TD passes in his career he is now tied for 8th all-time with former teammate Vinnie Testaverde.  Hall of Famer Johnny Unitas is 7^th with 290.

With a win on Sunday Brady and Belichick will tie Dan Marino and Don Shula as the winningest quarterback-coach combination in the Super Bowl era with 116 wins.

WR Wes Welker now has catches in 87 consecutive games including playoffs, 70 as a Patriot.  The last time Welker did not have a catch in a game was 12/24/05 as a Dolphin.

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis has 18 rushing TD’s in the last two seasons that’s the most in the NFL.

CB Kyle Arrington has a team leading 3 INT’s in 2011.  DT Vince Wilfork is second with 2 INT’s in the last 3 games.  S Sergio Brown and S Patrick Chung have the other INT’s.

DE Andre Carter played for Washington for 5 years and got a lot of experience playing Dallas.

RB Kevin Faulk is preparing to come off of the PUP list.

Patriots re-signed recently released OL Thomas Welch to the practice squad on Wednesday.

Patriots announced that DL Mike Wright has been placed on season-ending injured reserve with a concussion. It is the 2nd year in a row that Wright has had his season end due to concussion.  It could be a career threatening injury.

New England re-signed CB Phillip Adams to take the roster spot opened up by Wright.

Green-Ellis (toe) and Wilfork (personal) were not spotted at Thursday’s practice. LB Jerod Mayo (MCL) and Josh Barrett (hamstring/thumb) also were not spotted.  Most of the other injured players were limited in practice.

Barrett and Mayo both missed last week’s game against the Jets.  Mayo is expected to be out several more weeks while the timetable for the return of Barrett is unknown.

The Patriots have four New England natives on the roster they are: TE Aaron Hernandez (Bristol CT); OL Donald Thomas (New Haven CT); S James Ihedigbo (Northampton MA) and DE Ron Brace (Worcester MA – PUP).  They have 8 players who played for a New England school or a Big East Conference member.  They are: WR Deion Branch (Louisville); S James Ihedigbo (UMass); C Dan Koppen (Boston College – IR); CB Devin McCourty (Rutgers); NT Vince Wilfork (Miami), OL Donald Thomas (UConn); DE Mike Wright (Cincinnati – IR) and DE Ron Brace (Boston College – PUP).

The Patriots have 7 retired numbers: 20 – Gino Cappelletti, 40 – Mike Haynes, 73 – John Hannah, 78 – Bruce Armstrong, 79 – Jim Lee Hunt and 89 – Bob Dee.

Cowboys Team Notes

Here is the Cowboys roster, depth chart and injury report for the game.

2011 Cowboys Schedule/Results

The Cowboys all-time record is 440-324-6 and they are 33-25 in the playoffs with their last playoff appearance coming in 2009.  They beat Philadelphia in the Wild Card game, 34-14 and then lost to Minnesota in the NFL Divisional match up, 34-3. The Cowboys last appeared in a Super Bowl following the 1995 season and defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-17 to win Super Bowl XXX. Overall they have won five Super Bowls (VI, XII, XXVII, XXVIII, XXX) in eight appearances.

When the Cowboys last visited Gillette Stadium, Quincy Carter was the quarterback and Bill Parcells was the head coach.

The Cowboys will be wearing their navy jersey on Sunday due to New England being the home team and choosing to wear white.  It is the first time that Dallas has worn the navy jersey on the road since December 27, 2009 at Washington.

Dallas has lost the three meetings to New England.

The Cowboys mascot is named “Rowdy”.

The Dallas defense has allowed opponents to convert 38.2% of the time on 3^rd down, while the offense has a 3^rd down conversion rate of 34.6%.

The Cowboys defense has sacked the opponents quarterback 13 times in 4 games.

The Cowboys are 12th in the NFL in points per game with 24.8.  While they allow 25.3 points per game good for 23rd in the NFL.

Dallas is minus 4 in turnover differential, tied for 25th best in the NFL.  The offense has given up 7 INT and 3 fumbles, while the defense has 4 INT and 2 fumble recoveries.

The Cowboys gained ground in the division without even stepping on the field last week.

Cowboys Staff Notes

Hear what Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett had to say to the New England media about the match up.

Jason Garrett is 7-5 in his first full season as a head coach after replacing Wade Phillips halfway through last season.

Garrett has never coached against New England.

Rob Ryan, the twin brother of NY Jets head coach Rex Ryan, is the Cowboys defensive coordinator.

Jerry Jones is one of the few owners who also handle the general manager duties.

Cowboys Players Notes

Tony Romo is 41-24 as a starting QB and is 1-3 in the playoffs for an overall record of 42-27.  He signed with Dallas as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Illinois in 2004.

Romo is 0-1 vs. New England in his career.

He has thrown 7 TD passes and 5 INT’s while being sacked 7 times in 4 games.

Romo is ready for anything from the Patriots.

The key for Dallas is to eliminate 4th quarter turnovers.

WR Miles Austin and WR Dez Bryant are getting healthy for the Cowboys.

Does DeMarcus Ware compare to Lawrence Taylor?

Cowboys don’t want to sleep on the Patriots run game.

There’s no Darrelle Revis on Dallas so who covers Wes Welker?

Looks like CB Orlando Scandrick will be the man on Welker.

Dallas defense is going to bring the kitchen sink for Brady.

Dallas captains for 2011 are Romo, TE Jason Witten, P Matt McBriar, LB Bradie James and Ware.

The Cowboys have 3 players who played for a New England school or a Big East Conference member.  They are LB Alex Albright (Boston College); CB Mike Jenkins (South Florida) and FB Tony Fiammetta (Syracuse).

The Cowboys do not officially retire any numbers.

Next Week

The Patriots have a bye in Week 7.  They return to action against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field on Sunday, October 30^th at 4:15 p.m.

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