Pioli and Belichick's incredible ability to create depth

	Bill Belichick (left) and Scott Pioli's ability to bring in capable backups has been a key factor in the Patriots' recent playoff success. AP
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Defensive tackle Michael Wright sat at his corner locker Thursday while a media armada encircled linebacker Mike Vrabel at the opposite end of the room. Wright, who sparkled in four emergency starts -- mostly for the injured Vince Wilfork -- has returned to being an obscure reserve, one who went undrafted in 2005.

In many ways, the 6-foot-4 University of Cincinnati product embodies the player that New England regularly lands while contending for the Super Bowl each season. He's smart, tough and relentless; yet he's versatile enough to play anywhere on the defensive line. Plus despite being a 290-pounder, Wright is on the kick-off coverage team.

"We believe that if you put one of our backups out there, it's not going to be much drop off, if any," said Wright. "When Rodney [Harrison] went down, James Sanders [a fourth-round pick in the 2005 draft] stepped up."

Sunday against San Diego, expect yet another little-known Patriot -- maybe Chargers castoff wideout Reche Caldwell -- to flourish. That's been the case since coach Bill Belichick and Scott Pioli, vice president of player personnel, forged their unique relationship seven years ago (Among coach/GM combos, only Baltimore's Brian Billick and Ozzie Newsome have been together longer). And it doesn't look to change anytime soon, now that Pioli, 42, has taken his name out of consideration for the New York Giants' GM position.

In February 2005, he declined a similar opportunity with Seattle, but the Giants seemed like his dream job. Pioli was an avid fan of the team while growing up in Washingtonville, N.Y., and he has a home not far from Giants Stadium. 

Thursday, I asked Belichick if he envisions Pioli eventually accepting an enticing job elsewhere. But Belichick was in no mood for dour prospects -- "You'd have to ask Scott. I wouldn't comment on his personal, professional situation." -- while praising his right-hand man for his preparation, selflessness and work ethic.

Even though he'll always be viewed as Belichick's sidekick as long as he stays in New England, Pioli seems to relish the role.

"The challenge we have here in attempting to sustain a high level of success is a pretty good challenge in itself," Pioli said, declining to discuss the Giants. "I think it's a pretty good challenge that we have against San Diego [on Sunday], and every season in front of us. What is so wrong with that?"

Pioli spoke excitedly about pursuing a fourth Super Bowl title in six seasons -- an unprecedented achievement during the salary-cap era. Although New England has several special players, the club wouldn't be in its position without Pioli's salary-cap management and talent evaluation, particularly with low-round picks. Only 10 Patriots remain who were on the team for the three Super Bowl championships.

"He probably doesn't get the credit that he should be getting," said Bills GM Marv Levy. "For several years, I've been tremendously impressed with what he's brought to that organization. Everybody loses players in today's game because of free agency and the salary-cap. But Belichick and Pioli go out and get the guys who buy into the system."

When Belichick joined New England in 2000, Pioli was one of his first hires. In contrast to the notion that rebuilding is inevitable, their approach was to field a contender in perpetuity, using their brand of players. "When we walked in the door," Pioli said, "that's what I put in our scouting manual."

The Pats differ from virtually every NFL team because essentially only two people are involved in the player acquisition. (Most clubs have four: the coach, personnel executive, salary-cap guru and contract negotiator.) After significant input from Pioli -- who also manages the cap and negotiates contracts -- Belichick has final say.

"We work very hard at finding players who are right for our system," said Pioli, who is married to Dallas coach Bill Parcells's daughter. "But no matter what we do, the bottom line is it still comes down to the players being good enough and executing."

Last offseason, the Patriots looked as if they took a step back by being outbid for wideout David Givens (Tennessee), linebacker Willie McGinest (Cleveland) and kicker Adam Vinatieri (Indianapolis). And even proponents of the club's fiscal responsibility felt that New England was irresponsible in the case of Vinatieri, who won two Super Bowls on last-second kicks.

New England's death knell ostensibly occurred in September with the trade of wideout Deion Branch to Seattle. The departure of the Super Bowl XXXIX MVP cast a pall in the locker room. Yet the doomsayers were premature as Caldwell produced career-highs in catches (61) and receiving yards (760).

"Deion leaving hurt, but if you're sitting around moping, then you're not helping us out," linebacker Rosevelt Colvin said. "The media had its opinion. The truth is that you guys didn't know what you were talking about. You have to credit Scott Pioli and Bill for getting guys that do multiple things. But you also have to credit the players who get the job done."

NUNYO's NOTES

The Giants mercilessly canned defensive coordinator Tim Lewis shortly after his interview to become Miami's head coach. Now, what are the chances of the Dolphins hiring a fired coach after previously hiring an overrated weasel? I think Lewis is more of a scapegoat than offensive coordinator John Hufnagel. The Giants's defense was ravaged by injuries, including to LaVar Arrington, Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora. ...

Tony Romo's gaffe against Seattle reminded me about NFL quarterbacks being delighted entering the season that the NFL allowed them to bring their own broken-in footballs to games. The change came after well, a drive, organized by Tom Brady, Matt Hasselbeck and Peyton Manning. Before this season, quarterbacks were forced to play with balls that they felt were often too difficult to grip. Unfortunately for Romo, kickers -- and holders -- didn't have the same privileges. However, the change didn't help many quarterbacks, including those who spurred the new rule. Here are some noteworthy quarterbacks whose completion ratings dropped from 2005: Manning was 65.0 percent this season (67.3 percent in 2005), Palmer was 62.3 (67.8), and Brady was 61.8 (63.). Hasselbeck took the biggest drop -- to 56.6 from 65.5 and Michael Vick went from bad (55.3 in 2005) to worse (52.6). ...

Here's why Edgerrin James is a class act. Despite his nightmarish season in Arizona, he told me that he's rooting hard for the Colts to win a Super Bowl. "I was with Marv for so long -- that whole team. It's the only thing Marv {Harrison]'s missing to cap off a career. And hopefully this is the year for him and the Colts. You work so hard to get somewhere, and you do everything it possibly takes. You can see how bad Marv wants to get there -- that whole team wants to get there."