It's another year of Steve Spurrier proving he doesn't belong coaching in the NFL, or so it would seem from Saturday night's preseason match up at the Redskin's own FedEx Field in Landover, MD against the New England Patriots. While the score was a close 20-13, it wasn't that close. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had over 100 yards passing in the first quarter, thanks in part to an 85 yard touchdown pass to David Patten. And that came after a 5 yard rushing touchdown from Antowain Smith. And not to forget a 98-yard kick return from rookie Bethal Johnson and an interception from rookie Eugene Wilson. However, not everything is icying on the cake from Head Coach Bill Belichick.

"It felt like a long night," said Belichick. "It started well, but we didn't have the consistency in the last three quarters of the game. We made some big plays. There was some good and some not so good."

There were plenty of problems as well. Kicker Adam Vinatieri missed a point after and a 56-yard attempt after a potential scoring drive came up empty with yards and abundant with penalties.

"We didn't handle that well," said Brady of the two-minute offense. "You're not going to win if you don't put together four good quarters."

The Patriots will have a chance for improve on Friday when they travel to Philadelphia to take on the Eagles.

These mobile quarterbacks aren't the answer to everything. Falcons quarterback Michael Vick went down in Saturday night's game against Baltimore with a broken fibula, and will be out at least six weeks.

"This team will have to pull together, and we'll all have to play at a little higher level than they were going to before," Falcons owner Arthur Blank said. "But they have the capacity to do that."

"I am terribly disappointed," Vick said in a statement. "But this is the ultimate team sport and we will have to keep playing. I have confidence that these guys and coaches can get it done."

Last season, Philadelphia lost their star quarterback - and nearly all playoff hopes when Donovan McNabb went down with a similar break. Koy Detmer came in with a stunning Monday night performance, only to go down late in that game with a painful elbow injury. AJ Freely, the third back up came in, finish the final four games with victories. McNabb returned for the playoffs.

"Obviously, Mike is a critical part of this team, but the players have a tremendous amount of confidence in Doug Johnson, and Mike does, too," Blank said.

Atlanta's orthopedist said in Sunday that he did not think Vick would require surgery. In the meantime, Vick sure will not be a Fantast Pick.

Willis MaGahee has signed with the Buffalo Bills and Byron Leftwich has signed with Jacksonville.

MaGahee, a star running back out of Miami was a surprise first round pick - even more so to go to the Bills who were looking for defense because of a bad injury to his knee he sustained during the championship game last January. MaGahee is not expected to even play this year, which leaves second-year player Travis Henry plenty of reasons to improve on his 1,400 yard rookie season that also included 11 fumbles.

MaGahee, a 23rd pick was paid like an eight pick, 5 years, $15.5 million (eighth pick Jordon Gross signed a five year, $14 million deal).

The seventh pick Leftwich ended his holdout and signed a 5 year, $23 million deal and will compete for the starting quarterback position against veteran Mark Brunell for the Jaguars.

MaGahee and Leftwich for the final two first rounders to be signed.

First pick Carson Palmer threw tow touchdowns against the Lions Saturday night in the second half...Jacksonville running back Jimmy Smith has been suspended for four games for violating the league's substance abuse policy...Giants Tight End Jeremy Shockey will be sidelined for the remainder of the preseason because of a broken rib...Cleveland head coach Butch Davis is going with back up Kelly Holcomb as the starter for the Browns. Holcomb has had a stellar preseason, surpassing starter and former first pick Tim Couch...Titan Tight End Frank Wycheck sustained a concussion during Saturday night's game against the Bills and is doubtful for the third preseason game...Carolina linebacker Mark Fields has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's' Disease and will have to leave the team in order to undergo several months of chemotherapy...Free-agent defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson has signed with the Lions after being released from the Redskins on the second day of camp...After losing Gilbert Brown to a biceps injury, the Packers signed veteran nose tackle Larry Smith. Smith was cut by Jacksonville a week ago.

Monday Night football returns for real this week (not just on ESPN while ABC replays a bad Stephen King mini series) with Tampa Bay at St. Louis at 8 PM.

FOX will air Dallas at Pittsburgh on Thursday night at 8PM.

CBS will air Atlanta at Miami at 8PM on Friday night.

The Patriots will travel to Philadelphia on Friday for a 7:30PM kick off on WCVB-TV 5 with Don Criqui and Randy Cross in the booth, or Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti on WBCN 104.1.

1. The Pats look good, dominating. I know it is preseason, and beating the Redskins isn't exactly difficult, but I'm still optimistic.

2. The Bills way overpaid for Willis MaGahee. They really overpaid twice, first by picking him in the first round, then paying him top ten dollars. Pathetic! What is GM Tom Donahue thinking?

3. Speaking of overpaying, how 'bout Time Couch being paid $6.2 million to warm the bench in Cleveland?

4. Bill Parcells is going have a hard time getting this Cowboy team to win. I don't think they have it in them this year.

5. The Patriots will have to decide whether to take all six wide receivers who are in camp, or only five. David Patten was primed for cutting, but that touchdown pass may have given him some solid points.

6. Speaking of wideouts, David Givens looks so much improved since last season that he looks like a different player entirely.

7. Pretty funny. Top movie of the week: the very long awaited battle, "Freddy vs Jason" took in $36.4 million at the box office this weekend. Even funnier, it beat out a movie called "Freaky Friday."

8. I read in Book Magazine that of the best selling classics, JD Salinger's "Catcher in the Rye" was number 2 in 2002, and sold over a half million copies. The book is better than 40 years old. No wonder Salinger retired years ago.

9. Anyone thinking of renaming the area the Northern Bayou yet?

10. And the sharp whistle gets sharper as the Red Sox dive deeper.

ejh