Corey Dillon

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Chiefs have problems of their own, but in taking one final glance at the New England Patriots, who bopped them over the head Monday night, then cruised out of town with a 27-19 win, the impression (aside from coach Dick Vermeil's succinct advice to "pay your respects and move on") was that somehow, some way, those danged defending Super Bowl champions are more balanced than ever. "You expect Tom Brady to hurt you," said Chiefs defensive end Jared Allen.

FOXBOROUGH - The Patriots will carry an undefeated record into the RCA Dome tomorrow, but they suffered their first big loss yesterday. The team announced running back Sammy Morris, its leading rusher (85 carries, 384 yards), had been placed on injured reserve with a chest injury, ending his season. Morris, 30, was injured in the third quarter of the Patriots' 48-27 victory in Dallas Oct. 14. Following a 2-yard run, Patriots lineman Stephen Neal and Cowboys linebacker Bradie James landed on Morris with their combined weight, injuring a bone in his chest.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Running back Corey Dillon wants to leave the game on his own terms, saying yesterday he will ask the Patriots for his release and is prepared to retire. "I think more of my health, how I envision myself 5-10 years down the road," Dillon said via cellphone from California. "I don't want to be broken down, not able to play with my kids. I've been blessed and fortunate enough to play 10 years. I can get up and walk around and be comfortable. That's one of the big determining factors.

He'll never be confused with Sir Laurence Olivier, but Laurence Maroney was the star yesterday as he filmed a commercial for Reebok and Modell's Sporting Goods at Madison Park High School in Roxbury. "I just wanted to go with it and see how it would be," Maroney said. "I always told myself I wanted to go to Hollywood someday. This is my first shot at it. " The question is, will Maroney be able to play a leading role in the Patriots backfield next season? The second-year running back had offseason shoulder surgery, and his participation in last week's mandatory minicamp was limited.

FOXBOROUGH -- Don't expect to see Corey Dillon on the field at Kansas City tomorrow. He won't be there. Heath Evans, yes. Michael Cloud, yes. Patrick Pass, probably. Kevin Faulk, no. Corey Dillon? Not according to the running back. While speaking to the media yesterday in the Patriots' locker room -- a rare occurrence this season -- Dillon expressed disappointment he hasn't spent much time on the field, though he acknowledged he wouldn't be back in the lineup for another week.

FOXBOROUGH -- You are wondering about Corey Dillon. He knows that. You see the numbers -- just 99 total yards rushing in two games -- and you are concerned. You are concerned because you never even had to think about him last year. He was a model Patriot, efficient and explosive and exceedingly well-behaved. He cranked out a career-high 1,635 yards and 12 touchdowns in the midst of the best football season of his life. He re-established himself as a premier running back, provided needed balance to Tom Brady's offensive arsenal, and proved to be one of the most significant pickups -- if...

FOXBOROUGH -- The young running back packed his bags for one weekend, because that's all the Patriots promised him. "They flew me in on a Friday and I was planning on leaving that Sunday," he recalled. More than three months later, rookie Patrick Cobbs is hoping his longer-than-expected itinerary stretches through the 2006 season. He's making it hard for the Patriots to let him go after totaling 143 rushing yards on 26 carries and making five receptions for 100 yards -- to go with three touchdowns -- through three exhibition games.

FOXBOROUGH -- On Laurence Maroney's first day as a Patriot, Corey Dillon sweated. He just didn't sweat the arrival of Laurence Maroney. While Maroney has been preparing the last few months for the draft that made him the Patriots' No. 1 pick yesterday, Dillon has been laboring in Thousand Oaks, Calif., working for the first time with a personal trainer he claims to be taking seriously. Four days a week Dillon has been running sand dunes, doing hill work that reminds some of the legendary workouts of Walter Payton, working on drills to improve and quicken his footwork, and doing whatever else...

FOXBOROUGH -- The Patriots are expected to run all over the Cincinnati Bengals tomorrow at Gillette Stadium. At least that is what the statistics indicate. "We want to run the ball every week," Patriots tight end Christian Fauria said yesterday. "It doesn't matter who we are playing. If we can run the ball it opens up other things for us, and every defense we play against is thinking the same thing. We have done well but we can always get better. We have a lot of weapons. If that's not working we can rely on [Tom]

FOXBOROUGH -- There is a billboard for an airline above Interstate 65 in Indianapolis with a picture of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, his right arm cocked, that reads, "Taking care of business. Mostly through the air. " The Colts' offense came as advertised in a 27-20 victory over the Patriots Sunday night at Gillette Stadium, as Manning, who was 20 of 36 for 326 yards and two touchdowns (with one interception), dropped back to pass on 39 of Indianapolis's 64 offensive snaps.

INDIANAPOLIS -- Running back Corey Dillon wants to leave the game on his own terms, saying yesterday he will ask the Patriots for his release and is prepared to retire. "I think more of my health, how I envision myself 5-10 years down the road," Dillon said via cellphone from California. "I don't want to be broken down, not able to play with my kids. I've been blessed and fortunate enough to play 10 years. I can get up and walk around and be comfortable. That's one of the big determining factors.

FOXBOROUGH -- It was like trying to play football in the middle of a freeway at rush hour. The action simply whirled around both teams at warp speed. This was a necessary game plan for the Patriots, who had been manhandled by the Jets back on Nov. 12. Quarterback Tom Brady spent most of that dismal afternoon at Gillette Stadium under siege from New York's relentless blitz packages. He was sacked, harassed, flushed from the pocket, and ultimately negated from operating with his most lethal weapon: his poise.

FOXBOROUGH -- Only 15 players in NFL history have rushed for 11,000 yards, and the newest member of the elite club was standing in a corner of the Patriots' locker room last week. He's a proud man, this Corey Dillon. And he was asking for one thing. Respect. He's pounded the NFL pavement for 10 seasons, ringing up 11,083 yards, most often rumbling into defenders with a punishing, pad-crunching style. The total ranks him 15th in league history, the list topped by Emmitt Smith (18,355)

FOXBOROUGH -- There is a billboard for an airline above Interstate 65 in Indianapolis with a picture of Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, his right arm cocked, that reads, "Taking care of business. Mostly through the air. " The Colts' offense came as advertised in a 27-20 victory over the Patriots Sunday night at Gillette Stadium, as Manning, who was 20 of 36 for 326 yards and two touchdowns (with one interception), dropped back to pass on 39 of Indianapolis's 64 offensive snaps.

FOXBOROUGH -- The young running back packed his bags for one weekend, because that's all the Patriots promised him. "They flew me in on a Friday and I was planning on leaving that Sunday," he recalled. More than three months later, rookie Patrick Cobbs is hoping his longer-than-expected itinerary stretches through the 2006 season. He's making it hard for the Patriots to let him go after totaling 143 rushing yards on 26 carries and making five receptions for 100 yards -- to go with three touchdowns -- through three exhibition games.

FOXBOROUGH -- On Laurence Maroney's first day as a Patriot, Corey Dillon sweated. He just didn't sweat the arrival of Laurence Maroney. While Maroney has been preparing the last few months for the draft that made him the Patriots' No. 1 pick yesterday, Dillon has been laboring in Thousand Oaks, Calif., working for the first time with a personal trainer he claims to be taking seriously. Four days a week Dillon has been running sand dunes, doing hill work that reminds some of the legendary workouts of Walter Payton, working on drills to improve and quicken his footwork, and doing whatever else...

FOXBOROUGH -- On the weekend of Jan. 15-16, Corey Dillon will find himself where he has never been -- the playoffs. For a back who has run the ball so hard for so long, it is normally a difficult time. But Dillon, 30, who is nine rushes away from tying the busiest season of his career (he had 340 carries in 2001 with Cincinnati), appears ready to take his act into the postseason. There has been talk of Dillon's sore foot and thigh all season, but he has never complained. He missed the Oct. 31 game in Pittsburgh, but since then has played every game.

FOXBOROUGH - The Patriots will carry an undefeated record into the RCA Dome tomorrow, but they suffered their first big loss yesterday. The team announced running back Sammy Morris, its leading rusher (85 carries, 384 yards), had been placed on injured reserve with a chest injury, ending his season. Morris, 30, was injured in the third quarter of the Patriots' 48-27 victory in Dallas Oct. 14. Following a 2-yard run, Patriots lineman Stephen Neal and Cowboys linebacker Bradie James landed on Morris with their combined weight, injuring a bone in his chest.

FOXBOROUGH -- Don't expect to see Corey Dillon on the field at Kansas City tomorrow. He won't be there. Heath Evans, yes. Michael Cloud, yes. Patrick Pass, probably. Kevin Faulk, no. Corey Dillon? Not according to the running back. While speaking to the media yesterday in the Patriots' locker room -- a rare occurrence this season -- Dillon expressed disappointment he hasn't spent much time on the field, though he acknowledged he wouldn't be back in the lineup for another week.

FOXBOROUGH -- Patrick Pass often talks about knowing his role. He talks about doing whatever he is asked and accepting his opportunities. You name a cliche that is used to describe a team player and Pass has said it this season. The good thing for the Patriots is that Pass isn't just dropping cliches. He is the team player who knows his role, does whatever is asked, and accepts his limited opportunities. You name a cliche that is used to describe a team player, and Pass's teammates have said it about him. "Knowing your role is basically putting the team first," Pass...