Longtime New England Patriots left tackle Matt Light formally retired Monday during a ceremony in Foxborough, Mass.

The 11-year veteran is one of five players in NFL history to have started in five Super Bowl games. With Light’s retirement, quarterback Tom Brady is the only current Patriot to have been on the team’s roster for each of its three Super Bowl wins.

“On the field, he was a tenacious competitor who had one of the toughest jobs,” Patriots owner Robert Kraft said at the ceremony. “Every week he’s (been) going up against the greatest athlete on the defensive (line) who was coming after our quarterback’s blindside.”

The team played a tribute video that featured highlights of Light’s career and commentary from Brady.

Both Kraft and head coach Bill Belichick praised Light’s dedication and sense of humor on and off the field.

“He had a great sense of when to tighten up and lighten up,” Belichick said.

Light closed the ceremony with a quote from Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do — excellence then is not an act, but a habit.” He added that he wanted to leave the game in good health.

Light played his entire career with the Patriots. He was chosen by the team in the second round of the 2001 draft.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh clarified comments he made on a local radio station Tuesday in which he said that Super Bowl championships won by the New England Patriots were “stained” and have “asterisks” because of the Spygate scandal in 2007.

Those comments were made on the 98 Rock morning show in response to a question about the New Orleans Saints’ bounty scandal and cheating in the NFL in general.

“In the end, everything is brought before the light of day, when it’s all said and done,” said Harbaugh in response to the question about the Saints. “What happens, even the thing in New England, no matter whether those things had any impact on whether they won their championships or not, they got asterisks now. It’s been stained.

“To me, it’s never worth it. You’ve got to figure out ways to use the rules to your advantage, you’ve got to figure out ways to make the most of everything. We’ve got new work rules here as far as what we can do and what we can’t do with our players, and we’re going to make the most of it. What we’re finding is, ‘Man, maybe we can do some things even better than we did before,’ because these rules make us focus more on some things that we didn’t focus on before. You just have to make them work for you. That’s what success is in the world. You have to find a way to do things better than somebody else. But if you’re cheating, in the end, you’re going to get discredited. It’s not worth it.”

By Tuesday afternoon, Harbaugh released a statement via the Ravens clarifying his comments.

“I answered a question about playing within the rules and referred to the perception that the Super Bowl championships won by the Patriots and Saints have a stain. My reference was to the perception out there that came as a result of the league’s actions,” Harbaugh said .

“I could have been more clear that I was referring to those viewpoints. I totally believe that the Patriot and Saint coaches and players earned those championships. [Patriots coach Bill Belichick] and [Saints coach Sean Payton] both know that.”

Harbaugh also acknowledged that he reached out to both Belichick, who he is friendly with and spent time on the sidelines with before a Johns Hopkins-Maryland men’s lacrosse game last month, and former Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi, who was on New England’s three Super Bowl-winning teams in 2002, 2004 and 2005, to explain his comments.

Now an analyst for ESPN, Bruschi questioned Harbaugh’s loyalty to Belichick who called Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti back in January 2008, and suggested that he give Harbaugh, then a special teams coach for the Philadelphia Eagles, a look for the team’s coaching vacancy. Harbaugh was ultimately hired to replace Brian Billick.

“There has been some distortion about what I said. The original tweet indicated I pointed the finger at Bill Belichick and mentioned Bill’s name. I did not,” Harbaugh said in the statement. “I have so much respect for Coach Belichick and the job he does and has accomplished in his Hall of Fame career. I called him to remind him of my respect for him. I also reached out to Tedy Bruschi, who rightfully defended those Patriot players and coaches on ESPN, to tell him that I agree with him that the Patriots earned every victory.”

Harbaugh is certainly not the first person in the NFL to reference the Spygate scandal and how that affects the Patriots’ legacy. In September 2007, the Patriots were caught illegally videotaping the New York Jets’ coaching sideline during a game. They were subsequently fined and docked a first-round draft pick.

If nothing else, Harbaugh’s comments are certain to put even more attention on the Ravens’ prime-time Week Three matchup against the Patriots on Sept. 23 at M&T Bank Stadium. There already figured to be plenty of hype heading into the game after the Patriots knocked off the Ravens, 23-20, in the AFC championship game in January.

The two organizations have been extremely respectful and complimentary of one another over the years. In the days before the AFC championship game, Harbaugh called Belichick “the greatest coach in our league right now” and the Patriots coach returned the favor by expressing his admiration for the job that Harbaugh has done, calling him a “great guy [who] does a good job with his football team.”

Patriots owner Robert Kraft and Bisciotti also have been highly complimentary of each other. However, the relationship between the two organizations will certainly be tested as a member of the Ravens’ coaching staff has now referenced — either directly or indirectly — the Spygate scandal for the second time in a little more than four months.

A couple of days after the bitter loss in the AFC title game in which wide receiver Lee Evans couldn’t hold onto a potential game-winning Joe Flacco touchdown pass and then Billy Cundiff missed an 32-yard field goal that likely would have forced overtime, Ravens kicking consultant Randy Brown went on a Philadelphia radio show and was asked about the scoreboard at Gillette Stadium displaying the wrong down on the final couple of plays of the Ravens’ last drive. The sideline confusion may have factored in Cundiff getting on the field late and rushing the kick.

Asked if the Patriots did it on purpose, Brown said, “I don’t think you can rule anything out in New England, can you?”

Harbaugh later dismissed Brown’s comments, saying “any suggestion that the wrong down information was a deliberate effort to affect the outcome of the game is nonsense.”

This time, Harbaugh was forced to defend his own comments after going on the radio show Tuesday morning to promote the upcoming ALS charity run for former Raven and current senior advisor to player developmentO.J. Brigance.

After Harbaugh made his controversial comments, he was asked if he ever felt an opposing team knew what play the Ravens were going to run ahead of time.

“Yeah, I have, but if I say when, it’s going to be like Pro Football Talk is going to blow up and go crazy and I’m going to get accused of accusing somebody of something,” Harbaugh said.

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Sun staff writer Matt Vensel contributed to this article

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Gary Guyton wants to turn the page on his former life.

No matter how enjoyable, or unpleasant his four-year run with the New England Patriots was, Guyton didn’t have much to say about his former team, which he started 32 games for, when asked.

The new Miami Dolphins linebacker, who contributed 47 tackles and an interception last season, wanted to put his former life behind him, starting fresh with Miami, the New England’s AFC East rival.

Guyton hasn’t learned his role with the Dolphins, which were paper thin at outside linebacker before his signing last week. But he’s excited about the opportunity to compete for playing time, and possibly a starting role.

“I’m just ready to focus on getting in, learning what I got to learn, get around the guys,” Guyton said. “Everything else will play out as it comes into the season and everything starts rolling.”

Here is what else the former Georgia Tech standout had to say on Tuesday.

(On what was the selling point to sign with the Dolphins) – “Really, I just wanted to come in and contribute. Come in and be a Dolphin. Come in here with the help of the coaches. That was a good selling point for me. Talking to the coaches and now I’m here.”

(On do you know why you’re role with the Patriots decreased towards the end of the season) – “No, not really too much. Whatever happened there, just happened. So I just moved on.”

(On did you feel like your time with the Patriots towards the end of the season was over) – “As the season came down things change every year so I had a possibility going into free agency and which I did now. Now, I’m a Dolphin.”

(On what did you learn from your tenure with New England) – “Really, just how to be professional and how to play the game so I learned a lot when I was there. I had a good time there. Bill (Belichick) is a great coach. He did a good job bringing me up. So just being able to learn the game and learn everything I can do from the game of football.”

(On New England not re-signing you, did it bother you) – “At the end of the day, it is going to be what it’s going to be, so things happen. I’m not a Patriot no more. Now, I’m a Dolphin.”

(On your first meeting with the Dolphins and what he liked about the defense that will be installed in Miami) – “Basically, just being here and telling the coaches what they see in me so I’m here. Talked to the coaches to see how things were and it was a good feeling to come out here and talk to Coach (Joe) Philbin, other coaches, Coach Kevin (Coyle) and Coach (George) Edwards. Come in here and talk to these guys it was a good feeling.”

(On what position do you feel the most comfortable playing) – “I’m just here to play the game of football so whatever team it is or what’s going on. Hopefully, I’ll be in it and I’ll be able to contribute.”

(On if you’re going playing the middle linebacker position this season) – “I have no idea. It’s still a long ways out from the season so I guess we’ll see how things pan out as the season goes along.”

(You were one of the fastest linebackers in the 2008 draft class. How big of an asset is you speed) – “The game of football is very fast. I’m not the slowest turtle in the bunch if you would so that’s always been a good thing for me was my speed. So I love my speed and my speed loves me (laughing).”

(On how many teams did you visit before signing with Miami) – “I can’t recall right now. I had some teams lined up. But we’re excited though.”

(On what made you choose Miami) – “Being here, it felt good. It felt good to be here because I talked to the coaches and they’re good coaches and I seen what they’ve done. And it’s where I want to be.”

(On what were your impressions playing the Dolphins) – “They’re always a good ball club, very competitive, and they play very hard ball. So it wasn’t an easy win by no shape, form, or fashion. Good ball club and just guys that want to come out and compete.”

G.G.G.

The New England Patriots won eight of the last nine AFC East championships, missing only when Tom Brady was lost for the 2008 season. That should tell you something.

If Brady plays, everyone else plays for second place.

That’s comforting news for a club that just won the AFC, but the Patriots have holes that must be plugged. That’s the bad news. The good: They’ll have the opportunity. They have four of the first 62 picks in this year’s draft.

QB: There’s nothing wrong with Brady other than advancing age. The guy turns 35 this season, is still at the top of his game and is the reason the Patriots always are a threat to win the Super Bowl. Brady has been the starter for 10 seasons (he was hurt after one game in 2008), and the Patriots went to the Super Bowl in five of those years. Follow the bread crumbs, people. The guy is one of the game’s best quarterbacks ever, and as long as he’s upright the Patriots have nothing to worry about.

RB: With the departure of Ben Jarvus Green-Ellis, the Patriots have … what? Danny Woodhead? Stevan Ridley? Ridley, who averaged over 5 yards a carry last season, looks like the starter here, with Woodhead in a familiar role as relief pitcher. But I wouldn’t forget about Shane Vereen, the second-round draft pick who was bothered by a hamstring injury most of 2011. The Patriots are thin here, but they have been in recent years. These guys throw the ball and run it effectively when they have to — which isn’t often. Nevertheless, they’re looking for help at this position.

WR: For the second straight season, the Patriots tried to operate without someone who could stretch the field, and for the second straight season it hurt them in the playoffs. Now they’ve added Brandon Lloyd, and maybe he’s the solution. He’s not a burner but can get behind the secondary. Anthony Gonzalez and Donte Stallworth are additions, too, with Gonzalez the more significant — provided, of course, he can stay healthy — and Stallworth another possibility as a deep threat. With the re-signing of Deion Branch, the restructuring of Chad Ochocinco’s contract and the retention of Wes Welker, the Patriots have options — lots of options — where they did not a year ago.

TE: Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez combined for 169 catches, 2237 yards and 24 touchdowns. Any questions? Well, yes, one: How does free-agent Daniel Fells fit in. Answer: He could serve as the second tight end if Hernandez is moved to wide receiver. I’m not saying it happens; I’m just saying it’s a possibility.

OL: Veteran guard Brian Waters played better than anyone expected, but he might retire. So where does that leave the Patriots? In better shape than you think. First of all, they’re set at tackle, with Sebastian Vollmer, Matt Light and Nate Solder. There is no guarantee Light returns, either, but let’s say he doesn’t. The Pats are set with Vollmer, who can start on the right side, and Solder, last year’s first-round draft pick. Logan Mankins is a franchise left guard, but he’s coming off a torn ACL that may affect his availability for the coming season. Maybe that’s why the Patriots signed Robert Gallery, better suited as a guard than tackle. The bigger question is: What happens at center? Dan Connolly looks like the starter there, but he could move to right guard if Dan Koppen is OK. If not, there could be a vacancy on the right side New England has to fill.

DL: The Patriots’ top two pass rushers last year were Mark Anderson and Andre Carter, and they may lose both. Anderson already is gone to Buffalo, and Carter is a free agent coming off a season-ending injury. Subtract them, and you subtract half of the team’s 40 sacks. Vince Wilfork and Kyle Love are solid inside, but the Patriots could be vulnerable on the outside. But that’s where free-agent acquisition Jonathan Fanene comes in. He can play inside or out and can rush the passer. He can also defend the run … provided he’s healthy. When he was OK the past two of the past three years he had 12.5 sacks, but he played more than 60 percent of the snaps only once (2009) in his career. Former Raider Trevor Scott could be in the mix, too, but he could translate as an outside linebacker, too.

LB: With the potential departures of the Patriots’ top two pass rushers, there’s a feeling that New England could go back to a 3-4 setup — which would move Scott to outside linebacker. No matter who plays there New England must be able to pressure the pocket from the outside, and maybe Scott is that guy; maybe not. My guess: Not. Rob Ninkovich and Jerod Mayo are the outside backers in New England’s 4-3 scheme, with Mayo the better of the two. Ninkovich had a solid season, but he’s more of an overachiever than a rising star. Brandon Spikes anchors the middle, and while he wasn’t spectacular, he did excel late in the season, particularly in the playoffs.

DB: There were holes galore here, and opponents took advantage — one reason New England ranked 31st vs. the pass. Cornerback Devin McCourty took such a giant step backward that by the end of the season he was taking turns at safety in certain packages. But, then again, everyone seemed to be, including wide receiver Julian Edelman. I mention Edelman because some think he might have a future as a defensive back. Nobody knows where McCourty’s next stop is — cornerback or safety –and Ras-I-Dowling’s return might factor into the decision. He was lost for last season but could be the second or third cornerback here. Kyle Arrington made a lot of interceptions, but he also made a lot of big mistakes — and it’s a tossup which need is bigger, cornerback or safety. All I know is that Patrick Chung is the only reliable safety and could use help — thought Sterling Moore was a pleasant surprise, especially in the playoffs. Newcomer Steve Gregory adds depth but little more.

Brandon Lloyd is not a superstar wide receiver, but he may be just what the New England Patriots need to get back to the Super Bowl next season … and win.

The Patriots have a dynamic offense loaded with star players. Tom Brady sits near the top of the football universe and is one of the top three quarterbacks in the game. He’s in a group with Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers and Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints.

Brady has three offensive receiving stars in Wes Welker and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. The Patriots needed a complementary wideout to work with Welker. Chad Ochocinco did not bring much to the equation last year and will likely be cut. Veteran Deion Branch caught 51 passes but h is not a deep threat.

When Gronkowski injured his ankle in the AFC Championship Game against the Baltimore Ravens, the Patriots lost their most credible deep threat. For most teams, having a tight end who can stretch the field is a luxury. For the Patriots, it was a necessity because they didn’t have wideouts who could do that consistently. As good as Welker is, running the deep post is not his greatest strength. When the Patriots did not have a player who could do that against the Giants in the Super Bowl, it hurt them badly and it may have been the reason they lost Super Bowl XLVI.

Lloyd is not a Pro Bowl receiver and he has played for five teams since being drafted out of Illinois in 2003. He had a spectacular season in 2010 with the Denver Broncos when he caught 77 passes for a league-leading 1,448 yards with 11 touchdowns. He was solid with the Broncos and St. Louis Rams in 2011, catching 70-966-5. Lloyd signed a 3-year, $12 million deal with the Patriots March 17.

As free agency beckoned, he made it known that he wanted to play for the Patriots. Former Denver head coach Josh McDaniels has returned to New England as the team’s offensive coordinator and Lloyd enjoyed working with him in Denver and then in St. Louis when McDaniels was the Rams’ offensive coordinator.

Lloyd can stretch the field. He has the speed to go deep and he has the ability to make the spectacular, highlight-film catch. He will also drop some relatively easy passes.

When Brady can throw deep to Lloyd and Gronkowski, it will open up the rest of the offense. The Patriots were close to unstoppable at many moments during the year in 2011, but they could not keep it going in the Super Bowl. They may have found a way to do that with Lloyd.

Reference:

Boston.com – New England, Lloyd agree to terms

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/extra_points/

The incompletion that could have helped the New England Patriots put away Super Bowl XLVI — and kept Tom Brady’s wife, Gisele, from infamously bashing the quarterback’s wide receivers — “wasn’t a drop,” former Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien said.

O’Brien, now the Penn State head coach, told reporters at the Big New England Coaching Clinic that the notorious pass not handled by receiver Wes Welker was no gimme.

“That would have been a tremendous catch, and he should never think twice about that,” O’Brien said. “And it had nothing to do with us losing the game. There were many, many plays before that, where we could have made better coaching decisions, and better plays. That’s just one play of many.”

Evidence from the game supports O’Brien’s notion that the play wasn’t a simple drop, but the idea that “it had nothing to do with us losing the game” is less realistic.

While there were many plays that contributed to the New York Giants’ 21-17 win over the Patriots, the missed opportunity by New England with 4:06 certainly had much to do with the Giants getting a chance to put together their game-winning drive.

New England led 17-15 at the time and faced a second-and-11 from the Giants’ 44. Welker was open downfield and would have put the Patriots in the red zone if he came down with the catch, which would have allowed New England, at the very least, to eat up more of the clock.

Replays have shown, though, the pass was a touch high.

A distraught Welker did not look at the play that way after the game.

“That’s a play I make a thousand times,” Welker said then. “I just didn’t make it.”

The play likely helped spark an infamous post-game scene with Brady’s wife, Gisele, caught on camera responding to hecklers as she made her way through Lucas Oil Stadium.

“My husband cannot (expletive) throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time,” she said on a video captured by gossip site theinsider.com. “I can’t believe they dropped the ball so many times.”

O’Brien focused on the overall accomplishments for Welker, who has made four straight Pro Bowls, and led the NFL with 122 receptions last season.

“I would tell (New England fans) they should be very grateful … to have a player like Wes Welker as a Patriot,” O’Brien said this weekend of Welker, who is expected to get the team’s franchise tag by Monday’s deadline. “He is what Boston is all about, in my opinion. He’s a hard-working guy, he’s a tough guy, he’s an honest guy; nothing was ever given to him.”

FOXBORO — 

The AFC Championship will be played 28 days from today. The Patriots nearly lost it yesterday before rallying for a 27-24 win over the Dolphins.

The Patriots had worked so hard over the last six weeks to go from a three-way tie with the likeable Bills and hated Jets in the AFC East to first place in the whole AFC, one game up on the Ravens, Steelers and Texans with two to play.

All they needed to do was to win out — on home turf, no less — and they’d be seeded first in the conference playoffs. That would mean a first-round bye and home-field advantage, the latter a particularly valuable chip since it eliminates the possibility of playing in Baltimore or Pittsburgh in January.

The Ravens went 8-0 at home this season. The Steelers were 7-1, including a win over the Patriots in Week 8.

So the mission was clear as the Patriots took the field yesterday on a frigid Christmas Eve afternoon. But despite there hardly being a cloud in the sky, they spent the first 30 minutes in a fog, falling behind, 17-0.

To make matters worse, the Ravens and Steelers were both rolling and appeared poised to join the Patriots atop the wins chart.

Despite having an offense that couldn’t get started and a defense that couldn’t make a stop, the Patriots retained their poise as they retreated to the locker room.

“There was no one who was going crazy,” said guard Donald Thomas, who was pressed into making his first start in two years — when he played for Miami, ironically enough — as part of a patched-up offensive line that made due without Pro Bowlers Matt Light and Logan Mankins for all or most of the day.

“We all knew what we had to do; we all knew what we were capable of doing. We all know what kind of offense we have and what kind of team we are. So it was basically everybody had to look in the mirror and at each other and pick it up. And that’s what we did.”

The Patriots were as out of synch as a group of 6-year-old dancers. But they remained resilient, a key component of any championship-chasing club.

The comeback started innocently enough, the Patriots taking the opening kickoff of the second half and putting together a modest drive that netted them three points. Then came the play of the game, Vince Wilfork throwing his 335-pound (ha, ha) frame on a Matt Moore fumble at the Miami 38.

The Dolphins, like the Broncos the week before, had jumped out to a big lead on the Patriots. And the Dolphins, like the Broncos, gifted away what appeared to be a surefire win.

The Patriots gladly accepted the pre-holiday present, turning it into a 1-yard touchdown reception by Deion Branch that reduced the deficit to 17-10. The game wasn’t over, but the Dolphins were finished.

“The defense comes up with a huge turnover and for us to execute and put some points on the board was huge,” Thomas said. “It really kills the momentum of the other team and the psyche of them. I think that’s what happened today.”

The Patriots would score 27 straight points before the Dolphins finally answered with a token touchdown that was only meaningful to the wags in Vegas.

So the good news is the Patriots, winners of seven straight, are 12-3 and remain on track to nab the top seed, although as Wilfork noted, “We’ve had byes before and it wasn’t pretty.”

And while hardly unstoppable — not with that defense — they have proven to be unflappable.

The bad news is falling behind by two scores to the Broncos and three scores to the Dolphins is no way to run a company that’s in business to win games. That budding trend wasn’t lost on the Patriots.

“The key is that we keep getting in bad spots,” guard Brian Waters said. “That’s something we have to continue to work on so we’re not getting in those situations. But the fact we have a very calm and focused demeanor says a lot about the individuals we have around here.

“And the fact we have a great coaching staff that is going to put us in the position we need to be in to be successful. If we trust that and trust in one another to do our jobs we have a pretty good chance of doing well.”Whether the Patriots win the AFC Championship remains to be seen, but they certainly enhanced their chances by not losing yesterday.

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady and the New England Patriots looked lost in a terrible first half. Then they rallied to finish as winners, clinching a playoff bye with a 27-24 win over the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

The Patriots trailed, 17-0, at halftime then scored on their first five possessions in the second half. The Dolphins helped when Matt Moore lost a fumble at his 38-yard line, then threw an interception that Devin McCourty picked off at the Patriots’ 2.

New England (12-3) won its seventh straight game. After Houston lost to Indianapolis on Thursday night, the Patriots needed a win or a tie to lock up one of the top two spots in the AFC.

Miami (5-10) lost for the third time in eight games after opening at 0-7 and is 1-1 under Todd Bowles, who took over when Tony Sparano was fired.

But the Dolphins seemed headed for a victory and got a break even before the game started when Patriots left tackle Matt Light hurt his ankle in warm-ups and didn’t play. Left guard Logan Mankins took his spot, but he left with a knee injury suffered on New England’s second series.

Their absence showed as the Dolphins kept pressuring Brady. He completed 7 of 19 passes for 87 yards and was sacked three times in the half. But once the third quarter began, Brady and the Patriots looked completely different starting with the very first play, a 22-yard completion to Rob Gronkowski.

Brady completed 20 of 27 passes for 217 yards in the second half, finishing at 27-for-46 for 304 and leading one scoring drive after another — a 45-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski, a 1-yard pass to Deion Branch, a 1-yard sneak by Brady that tied the game, a go-ahead 42-yard field goal by Gostkowski after McCourty’s first interception of the year and another 1-yard sneak by Brady with 2:56 to go.