Huard’s Role Important

FOXBORO, Mass. —  New England Coach Bill Belichick called quarterback Damon Huard one of the most valuable players in Sunday’s victory over Indianapolis.

That’s quite a compliment considering Huard didn’t play a down.

He was the scout-team quarterback in the week leading up to the game who emulated Peyton Manning for the Patriots’ No. 1 defense.

“I just wanted to go out there and give the defense the best look that I could,” he said. “I played against Peyton Manning when I was with the Dolphins and the Colts were in our division. So I’ve seen him, and I’ve seen him operate the offense.”

Huard has another resource too, albeit one who isn’t terribly cooperative when it comes to doling out insights about the Colts. His younger brother, Brock, is Manning’s backup in Indianapolis.

“We talked all week,” Damon said. “There wasn’t a lot of trash talking, more just logistics in trying to get the folks to the game.”

Damon was quick to point out he is 4-0 when standing across the field from his younger brother, who spent his first three seasons with the Seattle Seahawks.

“It’s kind of like Wiffle ball in the backyard, I guess,” Damon said with a smile.

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New England linebacker Tedy Bruschi was asked if the game was like a chess match between the Patriot defense and Manning.

“I don’t like to use the word chess, because that’s a finesse thing,” Bruschi said. “To us, this was more like Rock ‘em, Sock ‘em Robots.”

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The Patriots, who have won 14 consecutive games, also have scored a touchdown on their opening drive in the last five games. Sunday, quarterback Tom Brady orchestrated a 13-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a seven-yard touchdown pass to David Givens.

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When the white stuff starts falling, so do New England’s opponents. The Patriots are 7-0 in snow games in Foxboro, winning three this season. The most memorable whiteout game in team history came in a divisional playoff game against the Raiders two years ago, when the Patriots closed the door on the old Foxboro Stadium with an overtime victory.

That game hinged on a controversial non-fumble call after Charles Woodson jarred the ball loose from Brady. Walt Coleman was the referee in that game and had the same role in Sunday’s game.

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Indianapolis tight end Marcus Pollard angered some New England players after the victory over Kansas City by saying that if the Colts kept playing the way they were, “you can just go ahead and hand us the rings.”

After Sunday’s game, several Patriots mentioned that they were determined to keep their mouths shut last week and prove things on the field.

“We’re a humble group,” said Willie McGinest, who plays both linebacker and defensive end. “I think we don’t have a lot of guys out there [in the public eye] because we don’t talk as much. The Marcus Pollard comment, we felt disrespected by it and the way the media portrayed this game.”