Derrick Burgess

FOXBOROUGH - Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo suffered a sprained medial collateral knee ligament in Monday night’s dramatic victory over the Bills, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the injury. One source said Mayo is expected to be out 6-8 weeks with the Grade 3 MCL sprain, but the other source said the timetable is “not that bad’’ and the 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year could return sooner. Mayo was injured in the first quarter tackling Bills tailback Fred Jackson at the end of a 16-yard run. Mayo limped around before falling to the turf, where he received attention before...

FOXBOROUGH - For Adalius Thomas, Randy Moss, Gary Guyton, and Derrick Burgess, being banned from work yesterday at Gillette Stadium meant a ride home through a nasty winter storm. For everyone on the roster, it served as an ultimatum. Either get on board, or get out of here. And it’s a riskier approach than you might think. The Patriots will be 1,770 days removed from their last Super Bowl championship when they take the field Sunday against the Panthers. At Super Bowl XXXIX’s kickoff, injured rookie Brandon Tate was a senior at Cummings High in North Carolina, and...

FOXBOROUGH - Everything has been a rush for Derrick Burgess in his first three weeks as a Patriot. On the field, his job description has been straightforward: rush the passer off the left defensive edge. Burgess has not played in the base defense, just sub packages. Off the field, he is in a rush as well: to bone up on the playbook. “I’m still kind of playing catch-up,’’ said Burgess. “I’m behind from having not been here. It’s a work in progress. “I like the organization, I like what they’re doing, and I like what the coaches have in mind.

FOXBOROUGH - Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo suffered a sprained medial collateral knee ligament in Monday night’s dramatic victory over the Bills, according to two sources with direct knowledge of the injury. One source said Mayo is expected to be out 6-8 weeks with the Grade 3 MCL sprain, but the other source said the timetable is “not that bad’’ and the 2008 Defensive Rookie of the Year could return sooner. Mayo was injured in the first quarter tackling Bills tailback Fred Jackson at the end of a 16-yard run. Mayo limped around before falling to the turf, where he received attention before...

FOXBOROUGH - Derrick Burgess didn’t arrive in time to take part in the Patriots’ walkthrough yesterday morning at Gillette Stadium, but it was clear the team was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the veteran pass rusher, who was acquired Thursday via a trade with the Raiders. Burgess became unwanted in Oakland, where he had become persona non grata after begging out of minicamp with “sickness’’ and boycotting training camp. But he is a welcome addition in New England, which might have plugged the team’s one glaring weakness - outside linebacker.

FOXBOROUGH - Around noon yesterday, Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio reiterated the confidence he had in the team’s candidates to replace Mike Vrabel at outside linebacker. Both the team’s confidence and patience expired six hours later when New England traded for Oakland Raiders defensive end Derrick Burgess. The 6-foot-2-inch Burgess, who is in the final year of his contract and will carry a $2 million base salary, projects as an outside linebacker and situational pass rusher in the Patriots’ 3-4 defense and gives a much...

FOXBOROUGH - For Adalius Thomas, Randy Moss, Gary Guyton, and Derrick Burgess, being banned from work yesterday at Gillette Stadium meant a ride home through a nasty winter storm. For everyone on the roster, it served as an ultimatum. Either get on board, or get out of here. And it’s a riskier approach than you might think. The Patriots will be 1,770 days removed from their last Super Bowl championship when they take the field Sunday against the Panthers. At Super Bowl XXXIX’s kickoff, injured rookie Brandon Tate was a senior at...

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Steve McNair missed his second consecutive day of practice yesterday with a stiff back, and the team will make a decision before kickoff tomorrow whether he will play against St. Louis. Backup quarterback Kyle Boller took all the snaps again with the starting offense. McNair missed the second game of the season with a groin pull that has hampered him since the season opener in Cincinnati. "It's just tightened up," Ravens coach Brian Billick said of McNair's back.

Seattle Seahawks Pro Bowl linebacker Lofa Tatupu was arrested early Saturday morning in Kirkland, Wash., for investigation of drunken driving. Police in Kirkland, the suburban home of the Seahawks' headquarters and practice facility, reported Tatupu registered blood-alcohol levels of .155 and .158 in breath test readings - nearly twice the legal limit in Washington. Those tests came almost 90 minutes after the 25-year-old cornerstone of Seattle's defense was handcuffed and driven to the police station.

Oakland Raiders defensive tackle Warren Sapp was fined $75,000 yesterday by the NFL for his confrontation with game officials that led to his ejection last Sunday. Sapp avoided a suspension, however. Defensive end Derrick Burgess was also fined $25,000 for verbally abusing an official. The altercation came late in the first half of a 49-11 loss at Jacksonville. The dispute began when Jaguars right tackle Tony Pashos was flagged for illegal hands to the face.

FOXBOROUGH - Everything has been a rush for Derrick Burgess in his first three weeks as a Patriot. On the field, his job description has been straightforward: rush the passer off the left defensive edge. Burgess has not played in the base defense, just sub packages. Off the field, he is in a rush as well: to bone up on the playbook. “I’m still kind of playing catch-up,’’ said Burgess. “I’m behind from having not been here. It’s a work in progress. “I like the organization, I like what they’re doing, and I like what the coaches have in mind.

FOXBOROUGH - Derrick Burgess didn’t arrive in time to take part in the Patriots’ walkthrough yesterday morning at Gillette Stadium, but it was clear the team was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the veteran pass rusher, who was acquired Thursday via a trade with the Raiders. Burgess became unwanted in Oakland, where he had become persona non grata after begging out of minicamp with “sickness’’ and boycotting training camp. But he is a welcome addition in New England, which might have plugged the team’s one glaring weakness - outside linebacker.

FOXBOROUGH - Around noon yesterday, Patriots director of player personnel Nick Caserio reiterated the confidence he had in the team’s candidates to replace Mike Vrabel at outside linebacker. Both the team’s confidence and patience expired six hours later when New England traded for Oakland Raiders defensive end Derrick Burgess. The 6-foot-2-inch Burgess, who is in the final year of his contract and will carry a $2 million base salary, projects as an outside linebacker and situational pass rusher in the Patriots’ 3-4 defense and gives a much...

LaDainian Tomlinson is bolting for the Big Apple. The New York Jets signed the former Chargers running back to a two-year contract yesterday, adding an aging star to an offense that ranked No. 1 in rushing last season. Tomlinson’s agent, Tom Condon , confirmed the deal. “He wanted to go to a team that he thought had a chance to compete for the championship,’’ Condon said. “He wanted to go somewhere where he had a chance to have a significant role, and so with the Jets he also was going to be very familiar with the offensive system.’’ The Jets...

While the focus in the Patriots’ exhibition opener Thursday night was on the offense and the return of quarterback Tom Brady, what took place - or didn’t take place - on the other side of the ball was just as interesting. By coach Bill Belichick’s admission, the Patriots hardly played any 3-4 defense in their 27-25 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, instead almost exclusively employing a 4-3. “It was all four-man fronts, really,’’ said Belichick after the game.