Projo Sports Blog

By Kent Babb
The Kansas City Star

FOXBORO - Bernard Pollard said it wasn't a dirty hit. Randy Moss said it was.

Either way, Pollard's hit sent New England quarterback Tom Brady to the sideline Sunday because of a left knee injury, and the Patriots are uncertain how long their record-breaking passer will be out.

Pollard, the Chiefs' strong safety, ran into Brady on a pass play with 7 minutes, 38 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Brady's knee buckled, and he lay on the turf for a few minutes before being helped off the field. He didn't return, and the Patriots didn't reveal the extent of Brady's injury.

About a half-hour after the final gun, Pollard already faced the firing line.

"It's not a dirty play. I'm not a dirty player," Pollard said. "I just tried to get him down. It was football. I can't do anything but pray-pray for him."

Pollard said he apologized to Brady after the play and his apology proved he hadn't hurt the quarterback intentionally.

The apology wasn't enough for everyone.

"To me, personally, it looked dirty to me," said Moss, the Patriots' All-Pro receiver. "When stuff like that happens, it opens eyes. That particular situation, it opened my eyes."

Moss said he hopes the NFL examines the play to determine whether Pollard should be fined for the hit.

"If it's good, it's good," Moss said. "If it's bad, it's bad."

Patriots coach Bill Belichick said he spoke with the team's medical staff after New England's 17-10 victory but said he was uncertain of the injury's severity. Belichick said Brady was undergoing tests on the knee. Brady missed all four of the Patriots' preseason games and has started 128 consecutive regular-season games. Backup quarterback Matt Cassel replaced Brady on Sunday and completed 13 of 18 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown.

Cassel also connected with Moss for a 51-yard pass when New England faced third and 11 from its 1. The Patriots had rushed the ball on the two previous plays, neither of which gained positive yardage. Eight plays after Cassel's deep pass to Moss, the Patriots were in the end zone.

"He came in and did his job," Chiefs cornerback Patrick Surtain said.

Chiefs coach Herm Edwards said the defensive strategy didn't change much once Brady departed, other than that the Chiefs had to face more rushing plays without Brady in New England's lineup. Brady was seven for 11 for 76 yards before his injury.

Brady completed a 28-yard pass to Moss during the play in which he was injured. Pollard came around the right corner of the offensive line and collided with Brady during the quarterback's follow-through.

Brady fell to the ground and held his lower leg. Pollard said that's when he apologized to Brady.

"If it was a dirty play, I wouldn't have apologized," Pollard said. "I would've gotten up and went on my way. I immediately started apologizing.

"As soon as he went down, I started saying, 'I'm sorry, my bad, I'm sorry.' That right there, I think-it's not going to bring him back. It's not going to heal that injury any quicker than what it is."

Pollard said he had to put Brady's injury out of his thoughts after the quarterback was helped off the field. He said he'd have to do the same for those who thought Pollard's hit was a cheap shot.

"For the people who said that," Pollard said, "that's their opinion. They can say what they want to say."

 Tags  Bernard Pollard Kansas City Chiefs New England Patriots Tom Brady

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