Notebook: TE Graham Selected Rookie Of The Week

Ian Logue

Nov 7, 2002 at 5:00am ET

FOXBORO, MA -- Patriots fans powered tight end Daniel Graham to the top of the rookie class this week, with Graham being selected as the Pepsi NFL Rookie of the week for games played November 3rd-4th.

Fans voted on NFL.com and Graham was selected out of five candidates. Other players included Atlanta Falcons running back T.J. Duckett, San Francisco 49ers cornerback Mike Rumph, Dallas Cowboys cornerback Derek Ross and Tennessee Titans safety Tank Williams.

Graham caught three passes for 68-yards, averaging 22.7-yards per reception and also recorded a tackle on special teams in New England's 38-7 win over Buffalo on Sunday.

AFTER FURTHER REVIEW....

The Elias Sports Bureau changed a play in Sunday's Patriots-Bills game that turned a 45-yard pass play from Brady to Kevin Faulk into a 45-yard running play. The play was a screen pass to Faulk which resulted in a touchdown. Elias apparently determined that Faulk caught the ball behind Brady which makes it a run, not a pass. Gone is the 310-yard passing day for Brady. The change by Elias left Brady with 265 yards passing against the Bills, and lowered his formerly near-perfect QB rating to 147.6.

McGinest Fined

The Providence Journal reported on Thursday that Patriots' DE Willie McGinest has been fined an undisclosed amount for a sack of QB Drew Bledsoe in the Buffalo game. The NFL apparently determined that McGinest lifted Bledsoe into the air and slammed him onto the artificial turf at Ralph Wilson Stadium on Sunday.

JOHNSON COMING ON

There were many who wondered if the relationship between head coach Bill Belichick and linebacker Ted Johnson could ever be salvaged after Johnson's playing time had been reduced, including spending a couple of games on the inactive list earlier in the season. Apparently Johnson's recent play may finally be starting to win Belichick over. "I think Ted has really played well the last month of the season," said Belichick on Wednesday. "He's worked hard. He is doing a lot of things well. He's timing out his blitzes well. He's hitting guys in pass coverage and re-routing them. He is getting quicker reads in the running game. I think he has really done a good job in all the different responsibilities that he has had whether it be goal line play, short yardage, pass defense, blitzing. He's done really well."