There Are Some Disadvantages to Winning

Sometimes, being good costs you.

Just ask Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel. They’re New England’s offensive and defensive coordinators, respectively, and not so long ago both were hot head-coaching prospects. But teams with an interest in hiring them right away for those vacancies would have had to wait until after the Super Bowl, and, as it happened, none of them did.

The NFL doesn’t allow coaches whose teams are alive in the postseason to accept jobs with other teams. The Raiders hired Miami assistant coach Norv Turner on Monday, filling the last head-coaching vacancy.

“There are a lot of jobs that get filled,” Weis said Tuesday, “and whether or not you were good enough to get that job, you’ll never really know. Because by the time our season’s over, there aren’t any jobs left.

“Would Romeo and I like to be head coaches? Sure, we’d like to be head coaches. But you know those jobs have come and gone, and we’ll worry about that after the season.”

Crennel was interviewed by five of the seven teams looking for a new head coach, everybody except Washington and Oakland.

“I think the system, as it currently is, probably was a slight disadvantage to Charlie and myself,” he said.

“Everybody assumed we were going to the Super Bowl, which they were correct, and they didn’t want to wait until February to have a chance to talk to us again and maybe make a decision about a coaching job. I would have to say it was a disadvantage.”

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Patriot linebacker Tedy Bruschi, a key defensive player who has been nursing a strained calf muscle, couldn’t say for sure whether he’ll be ready to play Sunday.

“I want to, I want to,” he said. “I can’t tell you how my injury situation is going to become Sunday, but this is something that you all know: I’ll do everything I possibly can do to play in this game, and it’s going to take a lot to hold me out.”

Bruschi, who was voted a defensive captain by teammates and was second on the team with 137 tackles this season, would be replaced by Ted Johnson were he unable to play.

“If I’m in a situation where I’m out there and I’ll hurt the team, I’ve got to do what’s best for the team and let Ted Johnson go,” he said.

“Ted Johnson’s completely capable to do the job, if you ask me.”

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Carolina’s ability to run the ball with Stephen Davis and DeShaun Foster is well documented. But the Panthers have rounded into a good passing team too, and that’s what has gotten the attention of New England’s cornerbacks.

“They set it up with the run so well, then they hit you with the play-action passes,” cornerback Ty Law said. “They’re a very patient team, but when they do hit you, they hit you good.”

So far, the most dangerous receiver has been Steve Smith, who had 298 yards receiving on 11 catches in the first two playoff games, victories over Dallas and St. Louis. That yardage total ranks second in NFL history for players appearing in their first two postseason games. Minnesota’s Anthony Carter leads the list with 306 yards in two games.