Bledsoe Points To The Future With Optimism

For the New England Patriots, Saturday night’s game in Indianapolis will mark a disappointing end to a season that began with high hopes.

For Drew Bledsoe, it will be a test to see if he’s rediscovered what he lost this year, something he believes he found last Saturday in Pittsburgh.

“Last week, I was able to be more accurate,” said Bledsoe, who went 39 for 60 for 336 yards and three touchdowns in the Patriots’ 41-27 loss to the Steelers that dropped them to 6-9 and eliminated them from playoff contention. “I threw the ball downfield and was able to hit some things consistently. I can use that as a starting point and go from there.”

Bledsoe heads into the finale with the Colts as the 14th-rated passer in the American Football Conference. Only Seattle’s Rick Mirer has a lower passer rating in the conference.

Bledsoe doesn’t feel it’s his right arm that’s betrayed him this season. He believes the left shoulder he separated in a 28-3 loss at San Francisco Sept. 17 has restricted him.

“That had some effect, in looking back,” said Bledsoe. “I got hurt and had to miss a game. Then, what happened was, when I came back, I failed to pay enough attention to what I was doing with my left arm.

“The thing I have to do next year is to try to maintain some consistent mechanics in my throwing motion. Because of the injury or whatever, I strayed from my throwing motion this year and that had adverse effects.”

The numbers reflect that: 306 completions in 599 passing attempts (51.1 percent) for 3,321 yards and 12 touchdowns with 13 interceptions.

Last season, Bledsoe’s second in the NFL, he went 400 for 691 (57.9 percent) for 4,555 yards and 25 TDs with 27 interceptions.

“This is a very disappointing year, looking back,” said Bledsoe. “But the way I’m looking at it now, most of the quarterbacks who are premier guys in the league have gone through a tough time at one point or another in their careers.

“To have high expectations and not meet them with what was a subpar year, to say he least, is frustrating, but it’s not like I’m the first guy to go through it. The premier guys in the league are the ones who’ve bounced back.”

Hostetler has season-ending surgery

Oakland Raiders quarterback Jeff Hostetler underwent arthroscopic surgery on his ailing left shoulder and will miss the rest of the season. Hostetler was placed on injured reserve and replaced on the roster by Jeff Graham, who will be the No. 3 quarterback Sunday against Denver in a must-win game for the Raiders.

Coach Mike White said Billy Joe Hobert will start and 40-year-old backup Vince Evans also will play.

The Raiders (8-7), who have lost their last five games, can make the playoffs by beating the Broncos (7-8) and getting a little help.

Hostetler missed 3-1/2 games after being sacked by Dallas defensive lineman Chad Hennings in a loss to Dallas that started Oakland’s losing streak.

Hostetler returned to action last Sunday night in Seattle but appeared rusty, and a sack by Michael Sinclair early in the third quarter knocked him out of the game.

Hobert, who was 8 of 13 for 127 yards and a touchdown against the Seahawks, had four passes intercepted in his only start - a 29-10 home loss to Pittsburgh.

“I’m just going to do my game, play with as much heart and emotion as I can,” said Hobert, the former University of Washington star. “I’ve never thrown four interceptions in a game. I had to learn to deal with that.”

Wannstedt denies rumor

Chicago Bears coach Dave Wannstedt laughed off a rumor he was interested in the University of Oklahoma coaching position vacated by Howard Schnellenberger.

“I’ve had 20 years of putting my life in the hands of 18-year-olds,” he said. “Now I’m going for the mature guys - Rashaan, Sauerbrun, Riley.”

The reference was to Bears rookies Rashaan Salaam, 21, Todd Sauerbrun, 24, and Pat Riley, 23.

Bills’ Kelly to sit

Buffalo will rest quarterback Jim Kelly this week against Houston, but will allow Thurman Thomas to play so he can join an elite group of running backs.

Kelly has started all season, but played the last three games with a sore passing shoulder, prompting Bills coach Marv Levy to give rookie Todd Collins his first career start on Sunday. Buffalo’s game against Houston has no playoff implications.

Thomas is 15 yards shy of joining Eric Dickerson and Barry Sanders as the only running backs to gain more than 1,000 yards rushing in seven consecutive seasons. Sanders accomplished the feat earlier this season.

Thomas and his offensive line are expected to be pulled from the game shortly after he reaches the milestone.

Jags sign ex-Seahawk

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed wide receiver Terrence Warren to fill the spot left open by injured defensive end Jeff Lageman. Warren, 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, has spent most of the last two seasons with the Seahawks, playing in 16 games with 13 tackles and no receptions.

He was waived by the Seahawks on Aug. 28 and signed with San Francisco the next day. The 26-year-old was waived by the 49ers following the season opener.

Lageman was put on injured reserve Tuesday with a severely sprained right foot.