FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Observed and heard in the locker room after the New England Patriots' 16-9 win over the Oakland Raiders:
Edelman -- first on the field and last to leave: Receiver Julian Edelman was the first player on the field before the game -- catching one-handed passes some three-plus hours before kickoff -- and he was the last player to depart the locker room after the game. Talk about a long day of work. "Sometimes you've got to grind them out," Edelman said after flipping through an official gamebook while searching for the offense's third-down percentage (9-of-18). "A pretty loss is [worse] than an ugly win. You know how it goes."
Wilfork Island picks up momentum: With defensive tackle Vince Wilfork coming up with the big interception to seal the game, safety Devin McCourty had a little fun after the game. Asked to comment on the play, he cracked, "Wilfork Island?"
Ryan's interference penalty in focus: Patriots coach Bill Belichick seemed to give cornerback Logan Ryan a pass for his pass-interference penalty late in the fourth quarter that positioned the Raiders for a game-tying score. "I don't know about that one," he said. Later, Ryan discussed how he put the play behind him to help the defense close out the game. "I have a right to the ball also," he said before noting he was interested in seeing on film whether it was a penalty.
