PATRIOTS 25, BILLS 24

FOXBORO - Patriots star linebacker Jerod Mayo left last night's game in the first quarter with a right knee injury, a potentially devastating blow to the Patriots . The reigning AP defensive rookie of the year looked to sustain the injury when engaged with a blocker, tumbling to the turf and spending several moments there. Doctors flexed Mayo's knee, then took him into the locker room. Officially, he was listed as ``questionable.'' In his place, Gary Guyton moved to the middle. Following the Pats' 25-24 win over the Bills, coach Bill Belichick said he had no update. ``I wish I did,'' he said. Teammates described Mayo as being in ``good spirits'' at halftime. Mayo told one teammate, ``It's nothing serious.'' Always a Patriot Bob Kraft enjoyed a close relationship with Richard Seymour. That's why it was an especially tough decision for the Pats owner to agree to send Seymour to the Oakland Raiders for a 2011 first-round draft choice. ``Richard is someone I have a strong affection for, and someone who was a great contributor here. I think the Raiders are very lucky to have him,'' Kraft said yesterday, speaking for the first time on the transaction. ``He'll always be one of my favorite Patriots . I'll always consider him a Patriot.'' And as far as he is concerned, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell believes all parties behaved ``properly'' in the drama involving Seymour. Goodell did not find fault in Seymour taking nearly a week to report to the Raiders for a trade, calling him ``a class act.'' ``Richard made himself clear about the issues he had to deal with in the short term, somewhat personal in nature, with his family, and we understand that,'' Goodell said before last night's game. ``He's honoring his contract with enthusiasm, and I'm sure he'll do a good job in the future for the Raiders.'' Doubting Thomas What appeared to be a sack turned into a 15-yard penalty, and Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas doesn't know why. Thomas grabbed Bills quarterback Trent Edwards around the waist and flung him to the ground in the fourth quarter, drawing a roughing the passer call. ``I really don't know what to do if you're in the middle of a play, i.e. the Super Bowl, and you let the quarterback go, and he comes out and throws the ball 60 yards,'' said Thomas, referring to the Super Bowl theatrics of Giants quarterback Eli Manning. ``If the quarterback is trying to run around in circles, I don't know what else to do.'' Smack down Lost in the hoopla about Patriots special teamer Pierre Woods' strip of kick returner Leodis McKelvin and kicker Stephen Gostkowski's fumble recovery late in the game was Brandon Meriweather's hit. The safety popped McKelvin first, stunning him and allowing Woods to take the ball and set up the winning score. ``Now that he's really in there, it's fun to see him out there playing,'' quarterback Tom Brady said. Just as surprising was McKelvin's decision to return it out of the end zone. ``The guy brought it out, it was like, `Wow,' '' Woods said. ``I didn't think he was going to bring it out.'' T.O. says no After making just two catches for 46 yards, Bills receiver Terrell Owens bolted without talking to reporters. Yet he did take time to address the result via Twitter. ``We'll b ready next week!'' Owens tweeted. ``I promise u that!! Congrats 2 the Pats!!'' . . . Rookie receiver Julian Edelman, who captured the imagination of fans with his punt return for a touchdown in the preseason opener, was inactive. So was running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, the NFL's leading rusher in the preseason. Also, the Pats dressed just seven offensive linemen. . . . In honor of the old AFL, the Patriots did, as planned, wear their throwback jerseys, and `Pat Patriot'' was back on their helmets. To honor the old school, Phil Bissell, the creator of the logo, was an honorary captain. Karen Guregian contributed to this report.