Scratch that

Maybe the Patriots don't need to go out and sign a free-agent running back after all.

Sammy Morris left the game at halftime with an unspecified knee injury, but before that, he rushed for 138 yards on 16 carries -- including a 34-yarder and a 29-yarder -- and a touchdown. And in the third quarter, BenJarvus Green-Ellis rushed eight times for 41 yards.

(Wisecrack of the night in the press box: "I thought his name was BenTy Warren-Ellis.")

As a team, through three quarters, the Patriots had 179 rushing yards on 24 carries; an average of 7.5 yards every time they handed it off. This came from a team that had averaged 111.8 rushing yards per game through the first six weeks of the season, good for 18th in the NFL.

If Morris' injury is severe, all bets are off. (He must have suffered it at the end of the 29-yard run that set up the Patriots' second touchdown with less than a minute to go in the half.) But Bill Belichick and Josh McDaniels have to be awfully pleased with what they've seen out of their running backs, tight ends and offensive line tonight.