PHILADELPHIA -- Five observations on the 2003 New England Patriots, gleaned from an Aug. 22 preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles:

	Kevin Faulk had 271 yards and 2 TDs last season.

1. Given the unsettled position of the Patriots offensive line, it is difficult to evaluate the team's running game, but it certainly seems as if fifth-year veteran Kevin Faulk now has a viable chance to supplant the aging Antowain Smith as the starting tailback. The much quicker Faulk averaged 5.2 yards per carry in 2002 and, on Friday night versus the Eagles defense, was by far the niftier and more productive back. Smith once again looked slow, rushing for a puny 26 yards on 14 carries, and at age 31, doesn't seem to have much left in the gas tank. The questions surrounding Faulk are ones of durability, since he is just 5-feet-8, has never carried more than 164 times in a season, has averaged 81 rushes in his four NFL seasons, and lately has been primarily a third-down back. There is a chance the Pats will once again be forced to use a committee approach at tailback but, as history has demonstrated, that rarely bolsters a running game. And the Pats, who statistically ranked No. 28 in rushing offense a year ago, and who averaged a microscopic 2.5 yards per carry on Friday night, need some kind of boost, not to mention more balance. Then again, it might not be fair to cast total culpability for the running game woes on the backs. With injuries, abrupt retirements and general ineptitude, the New England offensive line remains in flux. So much so that, newly-acquired guard Corbin Lacina could well be a starter by opening day, and the team is still thinking about signing former Bears right tackle James "Big Cat" Williams. Last year's starter, Kenyatta Jones, is still recovering from surgery on both knees during the offseason and the tandem of Adrian Klemm and Tom Ashworth hasn't excited anyone. Line coach Dante Scarnecchia is one of the league's best, but he isn't a miracle worker, and this simply isn't a unit that comes hard off the ball yet. For the Patriots to be as good as some people in their organization feel they are, they've got to run the ball better, but there are scant indications that will be the case in 2003.

2. Arguably the NFL's premier defensive mind over the past two decades, head coach Bill Belichick has always built his designs around creative use of his linebackers, and he should have plenty of fun in 2003. New England has three reserves -- Willie McGinest, Tedy Bruschi and Don Davis -- who have been starters in the league. So that underscores how solid the starters must be in the team's new-look 3-4 front. The sputtering career of Ted Johnson has been resurrected by the switch to the three-man front and the change also plays well to the talents of weak-side outside linebacker Mike Vrabel. But here is the most notable thing about the linebacker corps: In McGinest, Vrabel and high-profile free agent acquisition Rosevelt Colvin, who should be the catalyst for a much-improved pass rush, Belichick and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel have three hybrid defenders who will afford the staff tremendous flexibility. It has always been difficult, given his use of linebackers, to accurately label the various fronts Belichick has used. Even when his defenses were "base" 4-3 practitioners, there were plenty of 3-4 principles, and Belichick has the potential for even more confounding front-seven looks now. Colvin will almost always move to left end in the "sub" situations and, with McGinest coming off the right edge, New England should be able to bring more heat than it has in several years. Also, Vrabel has always been a better player coming forward than playing in reverse space, and he will get some rush opportunities as well. The fertile mind of Belichick now has a multitude of possibilities from which to consider. Against the Buffalo Bills in one of two meetings last year, for instance, Belichick employed just one down lineman and five linebackers in some situations. He may not be as exotic every time out in 2003, but the depth of the linebacker corps, and the diversity of the flank defenders the Pats have on the roster will certainly get mad scientist Belichick back to the lab on a frequent basis.

3. Nose tackle Ted Washington, acquired from the Chicago Bears in a late Tuesday night trade, isn't going to make nearly as many plays as Colvin, who will almost certainly post double-digit sacks. In fact, the 375-pound (conservatively speaking) nose man might not total 25 tackles all season. But he could make as significant an impact on the Patriots' run defense as Colvin, his former Chicago teammate, does on the typically mundane pass rush. When he was on the field Friday night, the Eagles attempted five running plays, and totaled a mere 10 yards. Those are the kinds of statistics, not tackle numbers, that reflect what Washington means to a defense. New England ranked 31st against the run in 2002 and, to Belichick, that is intolerable. In fact, the Pats haven't been better than No. 13 versus the run in his three seasons as head coach. If you are going to play the 3-4, and play it well, you'd better have a space-eater in the middle, and Washington certainly fits that job description. The Pats had been attempting the entire offseason to secure a viable nose tackle and, until the Washington trade, their efforts were unsuccessful. He might play just one season in New England, since that's what remains of his contract, but if he is the final piece of the run defense puzzle, the fourth-round pick surrendered to the Bears for him will have been worth it. New England won't use Washington for more than 20-25 snaps a game. But having him means the Pats can work in high-motor rookie Dan Klecko in some circumstances and perhaps develop Jarvis Green as the nose tackle of the future. Green weighs about 295 pounds, has great quickness, and the Pats coaches feel he should be able to play at 305 pounds without sacrificing any speed.

	Patten

4. There is a logjam at wide receiver in New England and some observers keep trying to nudge tiny David Patten onto the bubble but, every time we see the six-year veteran and former Arena Football League standout, he is making plays. He authored big catches again on Friday night and it's difficult to imagine the Pats starting the season without him. Since becoming a starter in 2000, Patten has averaged 50 catches, 706.3 yards, and 3.3 touchdown catches. OK, so not great numbers, but he is still a very good complement to hard-working intermediate receiver Troy Brown. And the fact is, although Patten is just 5-10, the Pats need the vertical dimension he supplies to keep defenses honest. Watch the games in which the New England offense is most successful, and they usually include three or four deep attempts for Patten, who at age 29 is still capable of running past almost any cornerback in the league. And he also gives the Pats versatility, since he is excellent on reverses, can return kickoffs and punts if necessary, and has even thrown a touchdown pass. The future in New England belongs to young wide receivers like Deion Branch and Bethel Johnson, a rookie who just might be the NFL's fastest player, but who must figure out a way to stay healthy. But if the Pats want a chance to get back to the Super Bowl, they need Patten for the present, the naysayers aside. This is a deep receiving corps, with enough talented players that the Pats might be forced to retain six wideouts, and Patten should be one of them. That said, look for Branch, who had 43 catches as a rookie, to come on strong. And at tight end, 2001 first-round pick Daniel Graham seems much improved over his rookie campaign, and should in time take over the starting job from steady Christian Fauria.

5. New England selected a pair of cornerbacks in this year's draft, Eugene Wilson (No. 2a) and Asante Samuel (No. 4b), and both could log meaningful playing time in their rookie campaign. In fact, the two youngsters were good enough in camp to allow the Pats to release venerable Otis Smith, one of Belichick's all-time favorite players. Samuel and Smith aren't especially big, but both can run, and they've got smooth technique. The Pats certainly need to start mixing in some young blood to the secondary. The four projected starters average 7.8 seasons of NFL experience and 29.8 years in chronological age. It remains to be seen if former San Diego standout strong safety Rodney Harrison has enough left to make a difference. And safety Lawyer Milloy and cornerback Ty Law have whopping contracts that, at some point soon, will need to be reworked. Both have balked, however, at that suggestion.

Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.