January 13th: Three Patriots AFCCG Victories

[jmt57]

Today In Patriots History
Pats Advance to AFCCG - x3
2012-13: The Letterman Jacket Game Rematch​

Sunday January 13, 2013 at 4:30
2012 AFC Divisional Round Playoff Game at Gillette
New England Patriots 41, Houston Texans 28
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Gary Kubiak
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Matt Schaub
Odds: Patriots favored by 9½
Pats improve to 14-4; next up is AFCCG vs Baltimore
Texans finish 13-5

This was a rematch of the Letterman Jacket Game from six weeks earlier. The Pats held a slim 17-13 halftime lead, then broke the game open in the third quarter. New England went 69 yards on seven plays on the opening drive of the second half, upping the lead to 24-13 on an 8-yard Stevan Ridley run.

Two possessions later the Texans drove to the Patriot 37, but Schaub was intercepted by Rob Ninkovich at the 31. Less than three minutes later the Patriots scored on Brandon Lloyd's 5-yard touchdown catch, making the score 31-13. This was Brady's 40th career playoff touchdown pass, making him only the third player with that many in the postseason.

On their next drive, very early in the 4th quarter, Houston went for it on 4th-and-1 from their own 33 - but Schaub's long pass fell incomplete. On the very next play Brady hit Shane Vereen on a 33-yard touchdown pass. It was Vereen's third touchdown of the day, putting the game away with a 38-13 lead.

Houston did come back to trim the lead to 38-28 with 5:11 remaining, but Ninkovich recovered the ensuing onside kick after multiple bounces. The Pats held the ball for nearly four minutes before Stephen Gostkowski connected on a 38 yard field goal for the final score.

Ridley finished 82 yards rushing, averaging 5.5 yards per carry with one touchdown. Brady spread the ball effectively between Wes Welker (eight catches for 131 yards), Aaron Hernandez (six for 85 yards) and Vereen (five for 83 yards and two touchdowns).

With the victory Tom Brady became the winningest quarterback in NFL playoff history with his 17th postseason win, breaking a tie with Joe Montana. The game was also the 450th win (regular season and playoffs) in Pats franchise history. The victory put the Patriots into the AFCCG for the ninth time in franchise history, and a rematch of the 2011 title game (as well as a rematch of Week 3) with the Baltimore Ravens.

Patriots 41-28 Texans (Jan 13, 2013) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New England Patriots vs. Houston Texans NFL game from January 13, 2013 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

Patriots 41, Texans 28

The Sports Xchange By Mike Shalin, The Sports Xchange Patriots 41, Texans 28 FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots, bidding to go to their sixth Super Bowl in the last 12 years, advanc…

www.chicagotribune.com

Full Game Video:
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[jmt57]

Today In Patriots History
Pats Advance to AFCCG - x3
2017-18: Pats hold Derrick Henry to 28 yards​

Saturday January 13, 2018 at 8:15
2017 AFC Divisional Round Playoff Game at Gillette
New England Patriots 35, Tennessee Titans 14
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Mike Mularkey
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Marcus Mariota
Odds: Patriots favored by 13½
Pats improve to 14-4; face Jacksonville next in AFCCG
Titans finish 10-8

The Patriot defense led the way, sacking Mariota eight times to set a franchise playoff record. Tennessee RB Derrick Henry had rushed for 156 yards the previous week against KC, but the Pats limited him to just 28 yards on 12 carries.

The defense forced three straight 3-and-outs (all for negative yardage) to open the second half, with the Patriots then going on two long scoring drives that chewed up over 11 minutes off the clock to put the game away.

Tom Brady passed for 337 yards and three touchdowns; it was his 10th career postseason game with at least three TD passes, moving him past Joe Montana for the most in NFL history. Danny Amendola led the Patriots with 11 catches for 112 yards.

15 minute Highlight Video
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Patriots 35-14 Titans (Jan 13, 2018) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New England Patriots vs. Tennessee Titans NFL game from January 13, 2018 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

Patriots Rout the Titans to Reach Their 7th Straight A.F.C. Title Game (Published 2018)

Tom Brady passed a milestone — Joe Montana — by throwing for three touchdowns.

www.nytimes.com

Patriots beat Titans 35-14 to head back to AFC championship game

Tom Brady passed for three touchdowns and 337 yards, and the New England Patriots cruised past the Tennessee Titans 35-14 on Saturday night to advance to their seventh consecutive AFC championship game.

www.latimes.com

Patriots 35, Titans 14: Tom Brady dices Tennessee defense in AFC divisional playoffs

Five quick observations from the Titans' 35-14 divisional playoff loss to the Patriots on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.

www.tennessean.com

 

[jmt57]

Today In Patriots History
Pats Advance to AFCCG - x3
2018-19: Patriots stun Chargers with five 1st half TDs​

Sunday January 13, 2019 at 1:00
2018 AFC Divisional Round Playoff Game at Gillette
New England Patriots 41, Los Angeles Chargers 28
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Anthony Lynn
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Philip Rivers
Odds: Patriots favored by 4½
Pats improve to 12-5; next game at Kansas City
Chargers finish 13-5

Sony Michel ran for 129 yards and three touchdowns as the Pats jumped out to a 35-7 halftime lead, cruising to their eighth straight AFC championship game.

Tom Brady went 34-444 for 343 yards, James White tied an NFL playoff record with 15 receptions, and Julian Edelman had 151 yards on nine catches.

The Patriots scored touchdowns on their first four possessions before the Chargers forced a three-and-out. But the punt was muffed and after a challenge it was New England's ball on the 35. Four plays later the Pats scored again, making the score 35-7.

12 minute Highlight Video:
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5 takeaways from the Patriots' eye-opening obliteration of the Chargers

COMMENTARY Five takeaways from the Patriots’ eye-opening obliteration of the Chargers, a 41-28 win that gives Tom Brady his 28th career playoff win and punches New England’s ticket to an […]

www.boston.com

Patriots Make a Statement With a Furious Rout of the Chargers (Published 2019)

New England scored on its first four possessions and Los Angeles was never close in an A.F.C. divisional-round matchup.

www.nytimes.com

The biggest takeaways from the Patriots’ 41-28 win over Chargers | Washington Post

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Trivia question: who replaced Leon Gray?
And other January 13 birthdays and events​

January 13, 2009:
Pats Vice President of Player Personnel Scott Pioli is hired as General Manager of the Kansas City Chiefs.

January 13, 2010:
Junior Seau retires - without a Super Bowl ring, unfortunately. The Hall of Fame linebacker recorded 1,847 tackles, 56.5 sacks, 18 fumble recoveries and 18 interceptions over a 17 season, 268 game career. Seau was a six-time First Team All-Pro and was named to twelve Pro Bowls, all while with the San Diego Chargers.



Happy 67th birthday to Dwight Wheeler
Born January 13, 1955 in Memphis, Tennessee
Patriot OT, 1978-1983; uniform #62
Pats 4th round (102nd overall) selection of the 1978 draft, from Tennessee State

Dwight 'Wimpy" Wheeler had the unenviable task of replacing the great Leon Gray in 1979. Billy Sullivan held a grudge against Gray for a prior contract holdout, and in the 1979 offseason traded the 27 year old All Pro to Houston for a bag of money and a couple of draft picks. Gray continued to perform at an elite level with the Oilers, while the Patriot run blocking and pass protection regressed without him on the line.

Wheeler spent three seasons as the Patriot starting left tackle (1979-81), and three more as a backup lineman. He played in 72 games for New England with 40 starts. Dwight later played in another 19 games as a reserve for the Raiders and Chargers.




Happy 59th birthday to Rico Corsetti
Born January 13, 1963 in Newton, Massachusetts
Patriot LB, 1987; uniform #93

Enrico Corsetti was on the Miami roster for the '87 offseason before being cut at the end of training camp. He is a local guy who was able to play for the team he grew up rooting for. Corsetti went to Belmont Hill High School and Bates College in Maine, then was able to play two of the three replacement player games for the Pats during the player strike in 1987.




Happy 60th birthday to Eric Stokes
Born January 13, 1962 in Derby, Connecticut
Patriot center, 1987; uniform #78

Like Corsetti, Stokes was another local who had an opportunity to join the Patriots as a replacement player; he is credited with one start. Stokes was originally a sixth round draft pick by the Bengals in 1985, out of Northeastern.




There are also two Patriot draft picks born on this date, who chose the NFL over the AFL:

Jim Bradshaw, 83 (1939)
Pats 20th round (158th overall) selection of the 1963 draft, from Tennessee-Chattanooga
Bradshaw played in 62 games over five seasons at safety and punt returner for Pittsburgh.

Clarence Childs, 84 (1938)
Pats 20th round (155th overall) selection of the 1961 draft, from Florida A&M
The CB/HB/KR played in 59 games over five seasons in the sixties, mostly with the Giants.




One draft-trade birthday triviality today:
Doug Martin, 33 (1989)
In 2012 the Patriots traded their first round pick (31st overall) and a fourth to move up to #25, where they selected Dont'a Hightower. Denver then traded the 1.31 pick to Tampa, who chose the running back from Boise State. As a rookie Martin scored 12 touchdowns and had 1,926 yards from scrimmage, but being overused limited him to just two good seasons in the NFL.


And one other New England football player:
Isaiah Wright, 25 (1997); from West Hartford, CT.
Signed by Washington as an undrafted rookie from Temple, he had 27 receptions as a rookie in 2020. He was waived at the end of training camp this past season, and has been out of football since.

 

[captain stone]

Today In Patriots History
Pats Advance to AFCCG - x3
2018-19: Patriots stun Chargers with five 1st half TDs​

Sunday January 13, 2019 at 1:00
2018 AFC Divisional Round Playoff Game at Gillette
New England Patriots 41, Los Angeles Chargers 28
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Anthony Lynn
Quarterbacks: Tom Brady, Philip Rivers
Odds: Patriots favored by 4½
Pats improve to 12-5; next game at Kansas City
Chargers finish 13-5

Sony Michel ran for 129 yards and three touchdowns as the Pats jumped out to a 35-7 halftime lead, cruising to their eighth straight AFC championship game.

Tom Brady went 34-444 for 343 yards, James White tied an NFL playoff record with 15 receptions, and Julian Edelman had 151 yards on nine catches.

The Patriots scored touchdowns on their first four possessions before the Chargers forced a three-and-out. But the punt was muffed and after a challenge it was New England's ball on the 35. Four plays later the Pats scored again, making the score 35-7.

12 minute Highlight Video:
​

5 takeaways from the Patriots' eye-opening obliteration of the Chargers

COMMENTARY Five takeaways from the Patriots’ eye-opening obliteration of the Chargers, a 41-28 win that gives Tom Brady his 28th career playoff win and punches New England’s ticket to an […]

www.boston.com

Patriots Make a Statement With a Furious Rout of the Chargers (Published 2019)

New England scored on its first four possessions and Los Angeles was never close in an A.F.C. divisional-round matchup.

www.nytimes.com

The biggest takeaways from the Patriots’ 41-28 win over Chargers | Washington Post

Ahhh, the Good Old Days...