Sports Redux: Ground Buffalo

These injury-rattled 2008 Patriots may have finally settled on an identity. And it's not one that's going to please the kind of people who are only pleased by blowouts and offensive explosions. But football purists and fans of efficiency have to be pleased by the Pats' 20-10 win over Buffalo. It was a masterpiece of clock management, a triumph of minimalism.

Matt Cassel somehow collected 234 passing yards in the win, but the only images that are going to stick in anyone's head are Cassel's nine scrambles (one for the pace-setting TD) and BenJarvus Green-Ellis' 26 carries, which seemed like 50 and must have seemed like 250 to a Buffalo defense that spent most of the day trudging backwards six or seven yards at a time. The capper came when the Pats took almost the entire fourth quarter on a demoralizing 19-play, 9:08 drive that ended with a BenJarvus Green-Ellis (it doesn't feel right shortening that name) touchdown and the Pats' 10th straight win over the Bills.

But the real world has a way of intruding on even the most satisfying wins. Adalius Thomas may soon be joining the other 34 guys on the out-for-the-year list with a broken arm. And the Pats have to turn it around right away, with the Jets coming on Thursday and sole possession of first on the line. Asked if he was sad that the close game kept him from resting anybody, Coach Belichick delivered a terse masterpiece of Belichickiana: "We are trying to win the game. We are trying to beat the Buffalo Bills - they are a good football team. They are 5-3. We are trying to win the game. We are not trying to rest anybody. It is the Buffalo Bills. They are 5-3. We are playing for first place. You don’t rest when you are playing for first place."

It was a sad day in Detroit, as the Lions' quest for 0-16 continues, and then the home debut of new Piston Allen Iverson was spoiled by the defending champs. The Celtics kind of toyed with the Pistons in the first, then buried them with their traditional defense and some great contributions from the bench: six points and physical play from Leon Powe, a couple of key 3's by Eddie House, and a staggering 23 from Tony Allen. Tony's good spurts are getting longer and longer and closer together. Hmmm. The C's entertain Toronto (or, better yet, the other way around) at the Garden tonight.

Photo by Michael Dwyer/Associated Press.