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FOXBORO -- The silver lining to the Patriots recent rash of injuries may be the emergence of -- heretofore -- little-used defensive tackle Riddick Parker.
The 6-foot-3, 295-pound Parker has played in seven games for 4-4 New England, which hosts 1-6 Buffalo at 1 p.m. tomorrow at Foxboro Stadium, recording 10 tackles (seven unassisted) and a quarterback sack.
Parker has gradually been worked more and more into the mix by Patriots coach Bill Belichick and defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel.
With four front-line defenders occupying space on this week's injury report -- Willie McGinest (back, questionable), Anthony Pleasant (influenza, questionable), Richard Seymour (hamstring, questionable), Bobby Hamilton (knee, probable) -- tomorrow's tussle could be an opportunity for Parker to showcase his abilities.
"I think Riddick has been stepping up and has given us good quality snaps in the last couple weeks," Belichick said. "If the situation arises that we have to plug somebody in, those guys need to be ready to go. Riddick...