J.P. Losman's pre-season stats show he completed 67% of his passes. Of course, pre-season is a lot different from the regular season. Losman made four road starts in 2005, during which time his Buffalo Bills scored 43 points. And in a home game against the Patriots in December, he completed 10 of 27 passes with three interceptions in a 35-7 defeat. It may be a stretch to say he won the QB job by default, but Kelly Holcomb didn't put up much of a contest. Losman might be more mature this season, but he doesn't have as much of a receiving corps (Eric Moulds is gone). Meanwhile, New England comes into the season opener unusually thin in the passing game. Tom Brady could probably make things work under any circumstances, but New England's top two wideouts from last year are not available (David Givens is elsewhere, Deion Branch is holding out). Chad Jackson, the second-round draft choice, is not close to 100%. Things got to the point where the Pats had to make a deal to get Doug Gabriel from the Raiders. So one might expect Brady to go to his running game, which is bolstered with the arrival of talented rookie Lawrence Maroney. That will kill some clock. New England's defense also gets a boost with word that Rodney Harrison and Tedy Bruschi should be in action.
THE PLAY: UNDER 41 ****
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