Crumpler hopes Pats help him win the title

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - Alge Crumpler signed with the Patriots in March, but he signed with the Patriots for January.

The veteran tight end who spent most of his career in Atlanta and the last two seasons in Tennessee came to New England in search of a championship. In his first nine years in the league he's played in seven playoff games and won just two of them. Now, he and the Patriots have a pretty good chance of matching and even exceeding that number in the next few weeks.

"I think we've handled the regular season exceptionally well," he said Tuesday. "Now, we've still got goals that we want to accomplish and it starts this Sunday at 4:30 against the Jets."

Crumpler was adamant that winning playoff games is not about him. "I've taken myself out of it. I'm not really focused on anything personal in my regards, period."

That's clear from the unselfish role he's taken on with the Patriots. Still, it would undoubtedly be nice to have a career that included multiple trips to the Pro Bowl in Hawaii capped by a trip to the Super Bowl.

Although he was a four-time Pro Bowl tight end with the Falcons and caught 316 passes for 4,212 yards and 35 touchdowns there, his job description now is a blocker. That transition began with the Titans, where he was a blocker in front of Chris Johnson, but even there he was catching some passes. Here, he's ostensibly been a sixth offensive lineman.

Crumpler has caught six passes for 52 yards and two TDs this season. That used to be a good game for him. But his contributions have not come on the stat sheet.

"Really, since Day One, whatever we have asked him to do, he's not only tried to do them, he's been very receptive to anything," Bill Belichick recently said of the 33-year-old Crumpler. "A 'whatever you need' type of attitude. Do you need me to do this? Do you need me to do that? How do you want me to do something else? And he'll try to do it that way. He's been great."

He's also been a positive influence on the two Patriots tight ends who are catching passes. Rookies Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez have totaled 87 catches, 1,109 yards and 16 TDs. The Patriots think so highly of Crumpler, they named him a captain.

Crumpler won't be the only decorated veteran who hooked up with a new team for what could be a last shot at a title when the Patriots and Jets play. Jason Taylor and LaDainian Tomlinson have made no pretenses about hoping that the Jets can be their ticket to a championship. Between the three of them they have been voted to 15 Pro Bowls and played in zero Super Bowls.

But after Sunday, only one team will be standing a win away from a trip to Dallas.