Big Shows

1. Kevin Faulk — Crown the crafty veteran from LSU the Patriots' MVP for the first four games.

2. Wes Welker — Matt Cassel's security blanket (8 catches, 73 yards) simply can't be covered.

3. Randy Moss — See, five catches for 111 yards and a TD. This guy can still dominate, even with a mediocre quarterback.

No Shows

1. Mike Vrabel — Free agent rookie Gary Guyton finished the day with two solo tackles. That was exactly two more than the combined total of Vrabel and Richard Seymour.

2. Richard Seymour — No solo tackles and no assists for the five-time Pro Bowl defensive lineman. Ouch.

3. Laurence Maroney — A rock-solid 10 carries for 26 yards out of the 2006 first-round pick, who with seven more yards gained will surpass the prestigious 100-yard mark on the season.

Cassel or O'Sullivan?

Funny, watching Matt Cassel and J.T. O'Sullivan square off yesterday, you couldn't help but notice the similarities between the two. Rattle either in the least and they lose sight of the field. Receivers on both sides were running open all afternoon at Candlestick, only to be ignored.

And how about O'Sullivan giving us a reprise of the late days of Drew Bledsoe with his final pass, flinging it out of bounds on fourth-and-long?

Gostkowski doing serious damage

Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski is off to a Pro Bowl start.

Gostkowski drilled three more field goals, including the game-clincher from 49 yards late in the fourth quarter, making it 10 for 10 this season and running his streak to 17 in a row.

In addition, Gostkowski drilled three more touchbacks on kickoffs.

California Dreaming

The Pats, now 3-1 and a half game behind 4-1 Buffalo, will stay in Northern California for the week in preparation for the Sunday nighter at San Diego.

The Chargers should be a little bit angry, sitting at 2-3 thanks to yesterday's 17-10 loss at Miami.