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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Patriots running back Kevin Faulk had his own off-the-field troubles with the law a few years back and can relate to what wide receiver Julian Edelman is going through after being arrested for indecent assault and battery earlier this week.

Faulk, who was cited for marijuana possession in his native Louisiana in February of 2008, suggested Edelman's troubles are in the rear-view mirror as far as the team is concerned.

"It's over with now," said Faulk. "We're focused on the Giants. It happens. But the worst thing happened, now it's over. Keep letting everybody else talk about it and don't worry about it. You got a game to play on Sunday. I was actually in that situation in the offseaosn a few years ago. It's one of those things where you forget about it. It happened already, so you move on."

While being peppered on the subject earlier in the day, Patriots coach Bill Belichick suggested he had talked with Edelman and that all internal discipline would be handled behind the scenes. Faulk noted it was no longer an issue in the Patriots' locker room.

"We talk about it; It’s hard for you not to hear about it because the media’s talking about it," said Faulk. "But at the same time, it’s not being talked about in here. The thing being talked about right now is the Giants."

After he was asked if he might take a younger player like Edelman aside and give him a little pep talk, Faulk admitted he would be happy to dispense advice, but again suggested it was in the past.

"At the same time, you talk to Coach [Belichick], you talk to Mr. [Robert] Kraft, and they discuss everything. Now it's a dead issue for anybody else on the team," said Faulk. "Now it's for him to talk about and his attorney to talk about, that's it."

PITTSBURGH -- Back in game action for the first time in 13 months Sunday against the Steelers, Patriots running back Kevin Faulk seemingly played with less rust than some of his teammates who had endured a mere 14-day break over the bye.

Faulk caught five passes for 20 yards through the air, while adding six carries for a team-high 32 yards on the ground. It was all overshadowed by the outcome -- a 25-17 loss -- at Heinz Field.

"At the beginning of the game, it's a great feeling [to be back out there]," said Faulk. "But once you get going in the game, you’re doing your job, and not worrying about it being your first game back or whatever. You're just trying to win a football game. Obviously, they made more plays than us to win the football game.

"I'm just trying to help my team, whatever they ask me to do. I didn't know the role at the beginning of the week, but at the same time, you just do your job and your role will define itself later."

Faulk tore the ACL in his right knee during Week 2 of the 2010 season and missed the rest of the year. He started the 2011 campaign on the reserve/physically-unable-to-perform list, sitting out the first six games before returning to practice on Oct. 17.

Faulk was officially added to the active 53-man roster Saturday and, one day later, he was doing typical Faulk-like things again, like picking up blitzes, running routes in the flat, and hunting for yards off inside draws. Faulk, who wore a barely-noticeable brace, also showed the ability to still get outside and turn the corner, nearly scoring on a short run in the second quarter on an outside run (he got pushed out at the 2 and, on the next play, Deion Branch caught a touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady for the team's first score).

Not all went perfectly for Faulk -- not only with the outcome, but his own play.

"I don’t know how closely you were watching, but I had a couple mistakes," said Faulk. "I missed a blitz pickup. At the same time, winning the game was the most important thing for me. This might have been my first football game in 13 months, but winning the game was most important and we didn’t do that."

(Read full post)

The Patriots' patience with Kevin Faulk, Ron Brace, and Brandon Deaderick may soon pay dividends writes Chris Forsberg:

On the day of the NFL trade deadline, the New England Patriots added three potential starters to the practice field. The cost? Nothing but patience.

Three thousand miles away, the Oakland Raiders gave up a small ransom (potentially two first-round picks) to land holdout quarterback Carson Palmer, a move that highlighted the smattering of deadline activity.

Patriots personnel director Nick Caserio had noted Monday that his team would be content to move forward with the roster it had. Sure enough, New England's roster juggling Tuesday was limited to re-signing a depth cornerback (Phillip Adams) and starting the clock on three players on the reserve/physically unable to perform list.

Let's remember that running back Kevin Faulk and defensive linemen Ron Brace and Brandon Deaderick were all starters at one point for last season's 14-2 team. Each must prove he is healthy enough to return to action, then carve out a role on this season's squad, which has improved depth at both positions.

Hop HERE to read the full story.

[Your turn: Which PUP player will have the biggest impact on the team moving forward? Will Faulk's veteran experience mean more than Brace and Deaderick's depth on the defensive line? Sound off in the comments.]

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk acknowledged Tuesday night that he'll "probably" start the season on the physically unable to perform/reserve list while continuing to work his way back from the right knee injury that sacked much of his 2010 campaign.

Entering his 13th year in the league, Faulk admitted it's been tough to be a spectator ever since tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in the second game of last season, but said he's willing to do whatever helps the team, even if the PUP list leaves him unable to return to the gridiron until Week 6 of the 2011 season.

"When you’re a player and you've been doing it for this long, you understand the business and understand the game, so you accept your role and move on," Faulk said while addressing reporters before the Patriots' Kickoff Gala Tuesday night at Gillette Stadium. "Keep getting better [while on the PUP list], each and every day, and wait to see when your opportunity comes again. That's been my role for the past 13 years."

"It would be difficult, but that’s probably what’s going to happen," Faulk said of starting on the PUP list. "I’ll deal with it as it comes, that goes with the territory."

Faulk, one of four captains last season, remains the longest-tenured member of the Patriots after inking a one-year, incentive-enriched deal this offseason. He is the Patriots' all-time leader in all-purpose yards (12,140) and kickoff return yards (4,098) and is the all-time leading return specialist, totaling 5,031 combined return yards (4,098 kick return yards and 933 punt return yards).

"I feel pretty good," Faulk said. "I went into [coach Bill Belichick's] room, me and him talked, and he said, 'I know if I said I can put you out there right now, you’d give me 120 percent.' And he’s probably right, but he was like, 'I want you to be better than 120 percent.' That’s Bill. He’s just being himself. I told him, 'I understand, whatever it is I can do to help this team win, that’s what I’m going to do.'"

That's included being a veteran presence. Faulk acknowledged that he enjoys when the younger players seek him out for guidance. He was spotted during the preseason opener earlier this month celebrating scoring runs with players on the sideline, including fellow LSU product and rookie running back Stevan Ridley. Those moments are helping him grind through not being able to participate.

Could the extended break aid Faulk down the road when he is able to return?

"See, that’s a tricky question," Faulk said with a smile. "As you're going through it, you’re like, 'How can it be helping me?' But later on, down the line, it might be that it helped me. I can’t answer that right now. Right now I’m beating myself up.

"What’s really helping me is being able to go to the meetings, interact with the guys, and see what they’re seeing on film, that’s really helping me out."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- An emotional Kevin Faulk confirmed Wednesday he was out for the season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, saying he "cried a whole lot" after it happened but has since accepted his fate.

"Hey, it's life. You have to deal with it," Faulk said. "You get knocked off the road sometimes. [It's about] how you get back on and who you are as a person."

The 34-year-old New England Patriots running back said he would have surgery in about a month, after the swelling subsided, and that he plans to "work my butt off" to rehab from the injury before deciding if he will try to return for a 13th NFL season.

Click HERE to read more from Faulk.

New England Patriots running back Kevin Faulk has a torn ACL in his right knee, an NFL source told the Boston Globe. It is an injury that usually means the end to a player’s season, though the Patriots have not yet placed Faulk on injured reserve.

"They're still working on it. I think part of it is how things come around in the next day or so," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said on a conference call with reporters earlier Tuesday. "We'll see how things go in the next day or so and based on how that is, then make a decision at that point."

Read more about it HERE.

Earlier today, Mike Reiss blogged about what a significant Faulk injury would mean for the recently acquired Danny Woodhead.

The New England Patriots announced Wednesday they have agreed to terms with running back Kevin Faulk. The team did not release the terms of the deal, but a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter the deal was for one year and will be signed Thursday.

More on this to come ...

ESPN.com AFC East reporter Tim Graham is in western New York today, and he took part in Wednesday's conference call with Patriots running back Kevin Faulk. Graham blogs on Faulk's remarks regarding the Patriots' vulnerability.

"By the way we're playing? Yes. By the way we are playing as a football team, yes, we are vulnerable," Faulk says. "I think that's why you practice each and every day, to get better at the things you're not good at."

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- For Kevin Faulk and Jarvis Green -- two Louisiana natives who played collegiality at Louisiana State -- Monday's matchup with the Saints isn't just another big game, it's a homecoming.

And one that's been a long time coming, no less.

The Patriots haven't played in New Orleans since their 20-17 triumph over the St. Louis Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI on Feb. 3, 2002. They haven't played the Saints since Nov. 20, 2005, a game played in Foxborough. The Patriots last met the Saints at the Superdome on Oct. 4, 1998.

Both Faulk (drafted the year after that last regular-season visit to New Orleans) and Green (drafted the year after the Super Bowl victory) expressed excitement in returning home, but admit their cell phones haven't stopped buzzing with family and friends looking for tickets.

"Whoever's doing the schedule, I must tell them thank you," Faulk said with a smile. "That's just a joke, that's all. No, that's something that goes on, we can't control it, so why complain about it?"

Sidelined after undergoing knee surgery in late October, Green said it would be nice to return to the field in his home state, but that he's not looking that far ahead yet.

"I've got to see how I practice first," said Green, who had a purple and yellow LSU sweatshirt hanging in his locker. "It would be good, but let's just see how things go. One day at a time."

While joking the Patriots' visit to the Big Easy happens to come the year the Saints are 10-0, both players said the team's success is great for the community, particularly as the area continues to rebound from Hurricane Katrina.

"It's good for the whole state, just to see them coming along as a team. The state has been looking for this for a while," said Faulk. "You can tell by the fans, the backing they have and the sold-out game. That's how fans feel about [the Saints]. They've always had good fans, they just didn't have enough to cheer about."

Added Green: "It's good after what they went through a few years ago. It's something special down there. Like anything else, the city supports each other. It's huge for the city, it keeps them stronger."

ESPN football analyst Tedy Bruschi, who contributes his analysis weekly on ESPNBoston.com, shares his thoughts on the Patriots' 31-14 win over the Jets.

A few points that he highlights, which could be easy to overlook, include the role of running back Kevin Faulk providing blitz relief and the standout performance of linemen Vince Wilfork and Logan Mankins. Bruschi also tips his cap to Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis in his matchup against Randy Moss.

A look at snaps played by Patriots offensive skill-position players in the team’s 31-14 win over the Jets:

WR Randy Moss – 76 of 83 snaps
WR Wes Welker – 64 of 83
TE Chris Baker – 57 of 83
TE Benjamin Watson – 56 of 83
RB Kevin Faulk – 39 of 83
RB Laurence Maroney – 37 of 83
WR Julian Edelman – 28 of 83
WR Isaiah Stanback – 23 of 83
RB/FB BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 20 of 83
FB Dan Connolly – 5 of 83
WR Matthew Slater – 5 of 83
TE Mark LeVoir – 3 of 83

(snaps include an offensive holding penalty, defensive holding penalty, offensive pass interference penalty and two delay of game penalties)

ANALYSIS: The 83 snaps tied a season-high for a game (vs. Falcons) and reflected the decisive time of possession advantage the Patriots had (39:54-20:06). … Maroney’s 37 snaps were a season-high. His 23 carries were the third highest total of his career (including playoffs) as his hard running – and the fact he seemed to be get stronger later in the game -- was a big part of the win. … Edelman’s playtime spiked from last week (5 snaps vs. Colts) as he was part of three- and four-receiver sets. … One of the interesting parts of the game was how Connolly started at right guard then moved to fullback on the start of the second series of the game before returning to guard. … Green-Ellis lined up as a lead-blocking fullback, running back, and in the shotgun in a two-back set. … Slater was the lone receiver in a power set with two tight ends and lead-blocking fullback.

Five quick-hit Patriots thoughts on Friday:

1) Without Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel and Richard Seymour, many questions have been asked about filling a leadership void on defense. This was the adversity-filled week to find out, and second-year linebacker Jerod Mayo officially declared that a big part of the torch has been passed his way with his strong remarks Thursday.

2) After playing all but two plays in a sub package against the Colts, this week's game should feature more of a return to the base 3-4 alignment against the Jets' No. 1 ranked rushing offense. The outside linebacker spot opposite Adalius Thomas will be important to watch. If Tully Canta-Cain isn't healthy enough to play, it could thrust Pierre Woods back into the lineup. Woods hasn't played on defense in the last three games.

3) The Patriots need to be more efficient in the red zone, but their 25th ranking in that area is a bit misleading when considering the Buccaneers are the NFL's top red-zone offense. Would you rather be the Buccaneers (12 TDs in 17 trips) or the Patriots (18 TDs in 40 trips)?

4) With Jarvis Green (knee) unlikely to play and Ty Warren with a nagging ankle injury, and with the physical Jets running game to stop, this could be the week the Patriots call on rookie Ron Brace more along the defensive line. Brace saw his first action since Week 2 when he was on the field for the final two goal-line plays Sunday in Indianapolis.

5) Nine games into the season, the Patriots have already had five different players as a primary kickoff returner because of injuries: Laurence Maroney, Julian Edelman, Kevin Faulk, Brandon Tate and Matthew Slater. That hasn't helped them in the field-position game. The team's average drive start is the 24.9 yard line -- 13th in the AFC and 22nd in the NFL.

FOXBOROUGH -- Three days after his involvement in what has to be one of the most talked-about fourth-down conversion attempts in NFL history, Kevin Faulk was still taking questions on it.

Faulk, who appeared to initially bobble a pass from Tom Brady, was ultimately ruled to have landed shy of the first-down marker late in the fourth quarter, allowing the Colts to take over on downs and emerge with a 35-34 triumph Sunday night in Indianapolis.

"A catch is a catch to me -- I don't know how you define clean," said Faulk. "I don't make that judgment, the ref does ... I don't go into the game thinking, 'Oh, I'm going to bobble this one, I'm not going to catch this one.'"

Informed that it's rare to see Faulk bobble a pass, he simply smiled and said: "Hey, I'm human, too."

Which is exactly what Faulk stressed when asked about fellow running back Laurence Maroney's fumble on the goal line in the third quarter. The Patriots were up 24-14 at the time and it seemed likely the play would be insignificant. After the Indianapolis rally, the giveaway got thrust back into the spotlight.

Maroney has only two fumbles in his NFL career -- a span of 553 touches between kickoff returns (37), receptions (34), and rushes
(482) -- and didn't fumble in either his junior or senior season at Minnesota.

"I'm not going to say it's shocking; you can be the guy that hasn't fumbled, or the guy who hasn't thrown [an interception] in 500 attempts. It's going to happen," said Faulk. "It's human nature; it's what we do. Those guys that play defense, they get paid to stop us.
It's going to happen regardless."

When the conversation shifted to this week's game against the Jets, Faulk was asked about the Patriots' ability to avoid consecutive losses, particularly in the division where they've avoided series sweeps for most of this decade.

"You're not trying to jinx us," Faulk joked with a reporter. "I can't pinpoint it, it's knowing that, hey, you gotta get it done. You lost the game the week before, you have to get it done, so you give everything you've got on the field."