The Boston Globe from Boston, Massachusetts • 41

TV highlights NBA: Pacers-Celtics 7p.m.,FSNE NHL: Bruins-Hurricanes 7:80 p.m., Ck 88 NFL: Raiders-Broncos 1 9 p.m., Ch. 5 Schools D8 TV-radio E16-17 Scoreboard E18 Classified E19 THE BOSTON GLOBE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 1999 Picked Defense is a Miami vise as the Dolphins force Bledsoe into five interceptions By Nick Cafardo GLOBE STAFF MIAMI They are turning into guppies in a division of sea llMll II MU: iii iiTI 1 -I- Immmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm monsters. Last Monday night the Patriots were devoured by the Tuna. Yesterday it was the Dolphins. The 6-4 Patriots are barely afloat in the AFC East following a 27-17 loss to Miami at Pro Player Stadium before 74,295.

New England quarterback Drew Bledsoe, who tied his career high with five interceptions, tried to get to the core of the latest downfall. "The story of this game is very simple. When the ball is in my hands, it's my responsibility to take care of it, and when I turn it over five times we've got no chance," said Bledsoe, who has been picked off eight times in the last two games, doubling his total over his first eight games. That explanation is true, but too simple. The problems seem much deeper than that.

Remember the self-scouting the Patriots did during their week off? Whatever the conclusions were they were wrong, for the Patriots are falling into the same routine. Week after week teams blitz them repeatedly, leaving New England's superstar quarterback vulnerable and prone to mistakes. "The frustrating thing is you know what they're going to do," said offensive lineman Bruce Armstrong. "We know they're going to send five or six guys. When they throw that at us we have to be able to counter that with something else or just do what we do better.

Maybe there are some plays you don't want to run." The Patriots continue to emphasize the deep ball, and Bledsoe still is holding the ball too long at times waiting for someone to get free. The lone exception yesterday was Shawn Jefferson's 68-yard catch-and-run in the third quarter. Terry Glenn was held to three catches for 39 yards. Ben Coates had two catches for 27 yards. PATRIOTS, Page E8 Drew's miscues Drew Bledsoe's five interceptions against Miami yesterday tied his career worst mark.

The Patriots record for interceptions in a game is six, held by Babe Parilli (1967) and Steve Grogan (1980). A look at Bledsoe's worst games: Int Date Opponent Outcome 5 112299 at Miami 27-17 5 120593 at Pittsburgh 17-14 4 110694 at Cleveland 12-10 4 121194 vs Indianapolis 28-13 4 012697 vs. Green Bay" 35-21 GLOBE STAFF PHOTO JIM DAVIS There's a celebration going on (Miami's Jason Taylor with one of five Dolphin interceptions), but Drew Bledsoe has little desire to watch. fo-o I in Many left steaming after another lackluster effort i J3v MIAMI -LIT- tlo fiA a IiuqHIv- conceived studio Carolina 31 Baltimore 34 Cleveland 17 Cincinnati 31 Green Bay 26 Arizona 13 Detroit 17 Dallas 9 Seattle 31 Chicago (on 23 Kansas City 19 San Diego 20 NY Jets 17 St. Louis 23 Buffalo 7 San Francisco 7 Indianpolis 44 Washington 23 Philadelphia 17 NY Giants 13 Tampa Bay 19 Jacksonville 41 Atlanta 10 New Orleans 23 Tennessee 16 NFL coverage, Pittsburgh 10 Pages E6-11 "'it.

J3 group known as 0 T-" that the last thing a visiting team wants is what the Patriots were subjected to yesterday the sound of a home crowd singing, "Na, Na, Hey, Hey, Goodbye" in the waning seconds of a game. That can't-get-the-tune-out-of-your-head song is the official punctuation mark of a lost performance. And in this particular case it may carry an even deeper meaning. For not only were the 74,295 fans at Pro Player Stadium quite happy to kiss the Patriots goodbye, so, too, RYAN, Page E9 Steam realize I 4 if that an innocuous Top 40 song would become an integral part of the GLOBE STAFF PHOTO JIM DAVIS The first of five thefts belonged to Sam Madison, who Jumps over Ben Coates in the first quarter. American sports experience, but there is no denying 7 Dominant Davenport a tall order for Hingis United get third title in shutout 173 By Frank Dell'Apa GLOBE STAFF NEW YORK Martina Hincis's Inside Grogan joins list QB is No.

40 on The Globe's all-century listE2 UMass gets word Minutemen to face Furman in Div. 1-AA playoffs. E12 BC women ousted No. 3 Georgia advances to NIT final, 78-70. E15 For updated scores and news: Globe Online at http:www.bostoii.con).

Keyword: gtobesports. FOXBOROUGH 1 1 mother undoubt- There were no atmospheric disturbances Ci told her there'd be days rare days for Martina Hingis, the No. 1 tennis player in the universe, who was knocked flatter than the world before Columbus by Lindsay Davenport. Martina could have masqueraded as a tortilla after Davenport worked her over, 6-4, 6-2, using a racket as a rolling pin. Bygone fight manager Joe Jacobs had an expression for what happened on the blue carpeted rectangle of Madison Square Garden.

"We shoulda stood in bed!" he would lament after one of his pugs "gotruinL" Martina Hingis's wSi like this. That's 4 vw--7'T i a. 17 i Jt, are for: to warn xVVf I their offspring in the MLS Cup final yesterday. Instead, the storms occurred on the field, as D.C. United blanked the Los Angeles Galaxy, 2-0, for its third title in four years.

United played purposefully and was the more composed and confident team, continuing a run of suc-MLS CUP, Page E13 that no matter how well things are going, somebody might just step up and flatten you. Yesterday was one of those very GLOBE STAFF PHOTO MATTHEW LEE The MLS Cup trophy is quite a catch for D.C. United players Marco Et-cheverry (left) and Carlos Llamosa..