"During the bye week, Laurence Maroney took extra time to examine his performance during the past two games. Though the wins over the Titans and Buccaneers were two of his most productive, the Patriots running back said he looked at them the harshest.

"I've really been a hard critic on myself, just seeing how I can be better," said Maroney, who gained 166 yards on 29 carries with two scores in those two games. "How I can be patient, how I can hit the hole better, how can I read it smoother? I critique myself."

Maroney is averaging 4.3 yards per carry, with 265 yards on 61 rushes, as Fred Taylor [stats] and Sammy Morris are out with injuries. While he joked that he's just a running back so his areas of focus are narrow, he said allowing the play to develop is a key."