---

FOXBORO -- Matt Light was nowhere to be found Tuesday, either on the practice field or in the Patriots' locker room.

If he can't be found there at left tackle Friday night in Green Bay, don't expect Tom Brady to be hanging around on the field for long, either.

Light, the veteran protector of Brady's blind side, suffered a mysterious leg injury some time after the weekend. He was spied wearing an inflatable boot cast on one of his legs and walking on crutches Monday, but he was kept out of the range of reporters' prying eyes Tuesday.

It may not be that big a deal to hold Light out of Friday's game at Lambeau Field against the Packers (8 p.m.; Ch. 5, 64), but a longer-term absence would be of serious concern to an offensive unit that still has shaky depth at the tackle position.

Patriots' coach Bill Belichick shed no light upon Light's injury Tuesday, claiming only that the Purdue product was in the `` day-to-day'' classification with all of the Patriots' other walking wounded.