"After registering a pair of widely talked about and debated DNPs, there was finally a Laurence Maroney in-game sighting last night.

The Patriots' 2006 first-round draft choice, who appears to no longer hold the job of the team's lead back, finally was inserted early in the second quarter of last night's 20-17 loss to the Giants after the starters played two series.

Maroney's first carry was a burst through left end for 6 yards. He finished with nine carries for 32 yards, and wound up as the team's leading rusher on the night. That topped his output for the preseason, which all came during his only other appearance in the first game, when he had eight carries for 30 yards.

The longer Maroney went without action, the longer he went without getting a start, the more people's curiousity was piqued.

He never got to be on the field with the starters. So it seems he's now relegated to more of a relief role behind Fred Taylor.

When asked if he was also wondering what was going on with his situation, Maroney provided a rather Patriots-like reply.

"I'm just one of the guys right now. I'm just being patient and sitting back and seeing how things play out," he said. "Like I said, it's just one of them situations where I'm always going to be prepared for anything. For the best or for the worst. Whenever they call my number, I'm always going to be ready."

Maroney was reminded that only last week he had referred to himself as being "the stuff" and capable of being something special."