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FOXBORO - Kelley Washington takes a lot of pride in his contributions on special teams for the New England Patriots.

It's his job; it's what keeps him employed as a member of the team and it helps to play a role in the team's success.

That's why the veteran wide receiver and special-teamer looked particularly dejected as he sat in a locker adjacent to his own in the Patriots' locker room following Friday night's 27-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Patriots gave up two long returns for touchdowns in the space of just one minute and 48 seconds - a 101-yard kickoff return by Quintin Demps, and following a three-and-out possession, a 76-yard punt return for a score by rookie DeSean Jackson that put Philadelphia up 24-3 at the end of the first half.

"We just haven't really found our groove on the special teams side of the ball," Washington said. "For myself, particularly, I felt rusty because it was my first game. But we just have to do a better job as a team, as a special-teams unit, going down and making plays like we did last year." Although he was signed last year as a potential No. 3 or No. 4 receiver before the additions of Randy Moss and Wes Welker to the roster, Washington emerged as a key special teams player because of his athleticism and his willingness to subject himself to the high-impact, fast-moving world of the so-called "suicide squads" because it was a means to keep himself on the roster.

He's been out of action for much of training camp with an undisclosed injury, and finally made it back to the field Friday night - just in time to be part of the worst special-teams performances in the Belichick Era.

Still, being out on the field as opposed to being on the sidelines is an obvious bonus for Washington.

"I just feel rusty, coming back from a slight injury and getting back on the field," he said. "It was good to get out there, running around offensively and on special teams, just getting back into it. We just have to get back to work, watch some film and see what we need to improve on.

"That's what it's all about," he said. "That's what the preseason's about, getting things ready for the regular season."

Surrendering 236 yards on six returns (four kickoffs and two punts) is, as Bill Belichick might say, "not what we're looking for."

"We have only another week to work on it," Washington said, "but we take a lot of pride in our special teams, especially our kickoff, because the way we cover kicks really sets the tone.

"There's just no way we can have returns going back on us, putting our defense in a tough situation," he said. "We struggled tonight as a unit, but we just have to go back to work and work on the things we struggled with tonight."

Washington warned against putting too much stock in the result of a preseason game - even one as late in the schedule as Friday's.

"I don't think anyone here in this locker room has the attitude where we're just going to come out magically in the regular season and everything's going to click," he said. "In a lot of ways, we are behind because we have first-team players out there just as the other team has first-team players out there. "The only thing we can do is go to work, watch the film and go out on the practice field and get better," he added, "... and then show it on game day."

MARK FARINELLA may be reached at 508-236-0315 or via e-mail at mfarinel@thesunchronicle.com. Read Farinella's blog, "Blogging Fearlessly," at thesunchronicle.com/farinella.