Parcells Assurances About Bledsoe Not Reassuring

When Bill Parcells talks about Drew Bledsoe, I think about Pat Harlow.

I shouldn’t, but I do.

It’s illogical, perhaps even irrational. But these are, after all, the Patriots we’re talking about, and how often do logic and rationality apply to anything this team has ever done?

Parcells confirmed Patriots fans’ worst fears yesterday when he announced Bledsoe would not play Sunday in Atlanta because of the left shoulder separation he suffered in San Francisco.

Well, not exactly Pats fans’ worst fears. Those would be that Bledsoe wouldn’t be playing the rest of the season, or at least a goodly portion of what remains.

Not to worry, Parcells says.

“Drew has a separated shoulder. He’s going to be out this week. We’ll see how he looks next week. He’s going to have to be able to practice efficiently before I’ll let him play again.

“But I’ll say this: he’s much improved from what he was a week ago. This is not a season-ending injury, fortunately. Drew will be back with us.”

But I do worry.

Drew will be okay, they say. He will play again, they say - and probably sooner, rather than later. I have no reason to think that won’t be the case.

Until I think about Harlow’s case.

Prior to this season, Harlow had started every game since being drafted by New England in the first round out of Southern Cal in 1991.

In mid-August, he had arthroscopic surgery to remove bone chips from his left ankle. He was expected to sit out the final preseason game, then be ready for the opener against Cleveland.

Harlow wasn’t able to play against the Browns, but he did practice the following week in preparation for the Dolphins. But then he didn’t play against Miami.

Harlow was in uniform in San Francisco, but never got off the sidelines. After returning from the West Coast, however, Parcells said Harlow probably could have played against the 49ers and, last Wednesday, said he should be ready to face the Falcons.

On Thursday, Harlow had his leg in a cast, which is where it has remained.

“We’ve put a walking cast on his foot to restrict movement,” Parcells said. “We’re going to leave it on a while longer. He won’t practice.

“This is kind of a lingering thing. Initially, we thought he’d be ready to play in the first game. But it just hasn’t come along.”

Now, tell me again, Bill, what that was you said about Drew? Please remind me that he’s a lot better than he was. Reassure me that he’ll be back in the lineup soon.

Because a Patriots team without Bledsoe is a Patriots team without hope of making the playoffs.

This team hasn’t been able to score with Bledsoe in the lineup. How is it going to be able to put points on the board without him?

The Patriots are heading for Atlanta having scored one touchdown in three games. In each of their last two games, they have scored only one field goal. Now they’ll be going up against a blitzing, gambling Falcons team that has won three of its first four games.

With Bledsoe sidelined with a sore shoulder, the burden of jump-starting the stalled New England offense falls on Scott Zolak, who hasn’t started a game since 1992.

His last start, not exactly encouragingly, was in Atlanta, where the Pats were routed, 34-0, by the Falcons. Since then, Zolak has thrown three passes in three years.

“We’ll have to do the best we can,” Parcells said. “Teams are doing that all over the league at all different positions.

“Anyone loses their quarterback, they have a tough time. It’s the same all over league. There’s not a volume of depth at that position. The most obvious case is Pittsburgh. Their quarterback is out, and they’re not doing well.”

Steelers’ quarterback Neil O’Donnell broke a finger in the first game and, with veteran backup Mike Tomczak in the lineup, Pittsburgh has lost its last two games.

They fell to 2-2 last Sunday, committing seven turnovers - including three interceptions - in a 44-24 rout at the hands of the Vikings in Three Rivers Stadium.

“People get hurt,” Parcells said. “That’s the way it is in football. Sometimes, you get so many injuries, it puts you in a hole you can’t dig yourself out of. But we’re not at that point yet.

“We need to hold the fort ‘til Drew gets back. Teams that can do that find themselves in a better position at the end of the year than those who can’t.

“I wouldn’t be as concerned if we were playing better. It’s not who we’re playing, it’s how we’re playing. We need to start playing better. We need to go out and play better football than we’ve been playing.”

They will play better when Bledsoe is feeling better.

Drew will be back, Bill says. And, ahem, Harlow, too.