Bail for a former NFL lineman and high school football coach charged with raping a 15-year-old female student has been reduced to $7,500. Kevin Bowe, a spokesman for the Norfolk district attorney’s office, said a judge in Norfolk Superior Court on Wednesday reduced Daniel Villa’s bail from $100,000. But Bowe said the 44-year-old Villa will remain in custody pending the installation of a GPS…

The easy choice would be to blame the Patriots’ absence from the playoffs on the absence of league MVP Tom Brady, who tore up his left knee in the season opener and missed the rest of the year.

The right choice would be to look beyond one position.

Matt Cassel did a superb job as Brady’s replacement—better than expected—by throwing for 3,693 yards with 21 touchdown passes and only 11 interceptions. Of the five games the Patriots lost, at least four can be pinned primarily on the defense’s inability to make key stops at opportune times.

The Patriots allowed 38 points in a home loss to Miami, 30 in a loss at San Diego, 34 at home to the Jets and 33 against the Steelers.

The Patriots [ team stats ] really are going to feel the sting of free agency after next year, when Richard Seymour [ stats ] , Vince Wilfork [ stats ] and Mike Vrabel, among others, could hit the market.

Tom Brady is behind schedule in his recovery from knee surgery, NBCSports.com reported.

The fact that the nearly 40-year-old Seau was suiting up alongside the 22-year-old Mayo is more than remarkable; it’s improbable, considering that 18 days earlier Seau awoke in sunny San Diego as a surfing …

The last taste of success for the New England Patriots in this challenging season had its roots with another team’s chief executive - one that has ended the Patriots’ run as five-time AFC East champions.

Coach Bill Belichick plans to take time off after an unusually early end to the New England Patriots’ season.

On third-and-8 from the Patriots [ team stats ] 41 in the fourth quarter, Cassel pulled out the old Randall Cunningham, John Elway maneuver and hit the Bills with a quick kick.

Jarvis Green didn’t deem his best game of the season worth talking about, but Patriots [ team stats ] defensive tackle Vince Wilfork [ stats ] was more than willing to expound upon the performance of his …

Ellis Hobbs [ stats ] said it after Sunday’s victory against the Cardinals: The season can come down to one play, and you never know which one is going to make or break you.