PatsFans.com Menu
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans
PatsFans.com - The Hub For New England Patriots Fans

Today In Patriots History Oct 26, 2014: Brady throws 5 TDs; Pats crush Bears, 51-23

Fun historical team facts.
Status
Not open for further replies.

jmt57

Moderator
Staff member
PatsFans.com Supporter
2024 Weekly Picks Winner
2025 Weekly Picks Winner
Joined
Aug 13, 2005
Messages
23,684
Reaction score
19,598
Today in Patriots History
October 26, 2014: Pats pummel Bears, 51-23
Patriots score three times in 57 seconds; Brady throws 5 TDs
NE scores on each of their first six possessions in blowout



Sunday October 26, 2014 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 51, Chicago Bears 23
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Marc Trestman
QBs: Tom Brady, Jay Cutler
Odds: New England favored by 6
TV: Fox; Sam Rosen, John Lynch; Pam Oliver
Patriots improve to 6-2, Bears drop to 3-5



The Patriots scored on each of their first six possessions - actually seven, if you include a defensive score - to demolish the Bears in Foxborough. The final score was not indicative of how bad a drubbing this was, as Chicago scored a pair of garbage time touchdowns.

When the Pats took the second half kickoff and went 80 yards in six plays for their fifth touchdown - Rob Gronkowski's third TD of the game, a 46-yard pass from Tom Brady - the score was 45-7. For Brady - who was a near-perfect 30-35, 354 yards, 148.4 passer rating - that was his fifth touchdown pass on the afternoon. Of the five incomplete passes, four were drops.

The Pats scored three touchdowns in a 57-second span during the final two minutes of the first half to turn a 17-7 game into a 38-7 blowout. It was the fastest three-touchdown flurry since the Patriots performed the same feat in 52 seconds on November 22, 2012 against the Jets - when the Pats scored 35 points in the second quarter of what became Bill Belichick's 200th win.

Only three NFL teams have scored three touchdowns in less than a minute since the 1970 merger, and the Patriots became the only team to achieve that milestone twice.

#1.) Gronk (9 catches on 9 targets, 149 yards, 3 TD) got the ball rolling by hauling in a two-yard touchdown pass from Brady with 1:57 left in the half to make the score 24-7, capping a ten-play, 80-yard drive.

#2.) After a quick three-and-out highlighted by Akeem Ayers' sack at the six yard line, a 43-yard Julian Edelman punt return gave the Patriots possession at the Chicago nine yard line. Brady found Brandon LaFell (11 receptions on 11 targets, 124 yards) for a 9-yard TD on the next play. That gave New England a 31-7 lead with 1:07 to go.

#3.) Following the kickoff that went into the end zone for a touchback, on Chicago's first play Zach Moore forced a Jay Cutler fumble that was recovered by Rob Ninkovich and returned 15 yards for another touchdown. That play gave the Patriots a 38-7 lead with 55 seconds left in the half.


The headlines sum it up:











3. Jonas Gray Might Be The Ideal Replacement For Stevan Ridley Before the game, reports circulated that the Pats might be in the market for a running back. Then they went out and thrashed the Bears with Gray, the rookie not even two weeks off the practice squad rolling up 86 yards on 17 attempts, good for over five yards a pop. How much Gray’s success is a product of the Bears’ run defense and linebacking corps being horrendous is open to interpretation. And the Broncos, next week’s opponent, are very stingy against the run, allowing a league-best 72.4 yards per game. But Gray, who was fast, showed a quick burst and carried some would-be tacklers with him on a few plays, proved that he’s capable of handling the workload of a featured back.​


1:46 Highlight Video
2014 - Week 8: New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady highlights



1:52 Highlight Video
Bears vs Patriots 2014 Week 8



30:15 Extended Highlights
2014-10-26 Chicago Bears vs New England Patriots



2:05:40 Full Game
2014 Week 8 - Bears @ Patriots





Pats Media Dept Week 8 Pre-Game Press Release

Week 8 Patriots Roster

Week 8 Injury Report

Week 8 Pats-Bears Depth Charts and Rosters

NFL Media Game Summary, with halftime/full game stats, drive charts and full play-by-play

Pats Media Dept Week 8 Post-Game Notes

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, Drive Charts, Full Play-by-Play:
 
Today in Patriots History
October 26, 2008: Pats rally in 4th quarter, beat Rams 23-16
Kevin Faulk with awesome endzone catch for game-winning score
Deltha O'Neal's interception with 1:08 left seals win



Sunday October 26, 2008 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 7 at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 23, St. Louis Rams 16
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Jim Haslett
QBs: Matt Cassel, Marc Bulger
Odds: New England favored by 9
TV: Fox; Chris Rose, JC Pearson; Nischelle Turner
Patriots improve to 5-2, Rams drop to 2-5



In a back-and-forth game the Patriots came from behind to win in the fourth quarter. Kevin Faulk scored on a 15-yard pass from Matt Cassel with 3:13 left to play to give the Pats the lead, then Deltha O'Neal picked off a Marc Bulger pass with 1:08 remaining clinched the comeback victory.

Faulk, split wide, had linebacker coverage from Pisa Tinoisamoa and made a nice grab on a ball lobbed to the end zone after a pump-and-go from Cassel.


Let’s coin a phrase. This was a “but” game. As in ...​
- The Patriots were gouged for passing plays of 69, 44, 35 and 27 yards by Rams quarterback Marc Bulger ... but they allowed only one touchdown and 16 points.​
- Deltha O’Neal left early with what we assume was a concussion ... but he came back to make the saving interception.​
- Matt Cassel threw a pair of picks ... but he directed a fourth-quarter rally.​
- The kickoff coverage team nodded off on an onsides attempt ... but they also pinned the Rams deep several times.​
- Randy Moss dropped an easy TD ... but had a 100-yard game.​
- Wes Welker butchered one pass ... but he caught seven others.​
- The third quarter was a miserable mess ... but the fourth quarter was rock solid.​
- The Patriots coughed and sputtered at times ... but they hung on for a 23-16 win.​
- And the best “but” of all – the Patriots have looked painfully mortal and eminently beatable ... but somehow they’re 5-2 without Tom Brady and are tied for first in the AFC East after Buffalo stubbed its toe (hoof?) in Miami on Sunday.​


Short-handed but sure-handed, the Patriots got by the St. Louis Rams on a fingertip touchdown catch by Kevin Faulk.​
The Patriots’ best pass-catching running back hung onto Matt Cassel’s 15-yard pass on the left edge of the end zone with 3:19 remaining as the Patriots rallied for a 23-16 win Sunday.​
Another timely grab – a juggling interception by Deltha O’Neal with 1:08 left – ended the Rams’ last threat.​


Faulk had shouldered a bigger running load than usual with Laurence Maroney sidelined for the season and the top two backups in the ground game, Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan, out with injuries. But Faulk did what he does best – catching the ball– just in time as the Patriots (5-2) won their second straight game.​
Until then, St. Louis’ Josh Brown and New England’s Stephen Gostkowski each kicked three field goals. BenJarvus Green-Ellis’ 2-yard run on the Patriots first possession had given them a 7-3 lead. Then the Rams went ahead 10-7 on a 69-yard pass play from Marc Bulger to Donnie Avery.​


Faulk led the Patriots with 60 yards on 13 carries and added four receptions for 47 yards. Cassel was 21-for-33 for a career-high 267 yards as the replacement for Tom Brady.​
The winning drive began at the Patriots 47 after a punt. Cassel was sacked for an 8-yard loss by rookie Chris Long on the first play. But then he connected with Randy Moss for gains of 23 and 3 yards before a 7-yard run by Faulk gave the Patriots a first down at the Rams 28.​
Cassel threw an 8-yard completion to Moss and Faulk ran 5 yards before Cassel lofted the winning throw into Faulk’s hands.​


The Rams took a 3-0 lead on Brown’s 20-yard field goal on their first series before Green-Ellis’ touchdown. Gostkowski kicked field goals of 30 and 27 yards in the last 1:49 of the half to give the Patriots a 13-10 lead.​
Brown tied the game with a 44-yard field goal then put the Rams ahead with a 25-yard kick early in the fourth quarter. Gostkowski answered with a 41-yard field goal, tying the game at 16 with 8:22 left.​
But the Rams (2-5) couldn’t overcome the absence of Steven Jackson, their leading rusher and receiver who missed the game with a strained right thigh muscle. And defensive end Leonard Little left in the first half with a hamstring injury.​
They lost for the first time since Jim Haslett replaced Scott Linehan, who was fired with an 0-4 record.​





Kevin Faulk rushed for 60 yards on 13 carries with Sammy Morris and LaMont Jordan out with injuries


Faulk also had four receptions for 47 yards


Deltha O'Neal celebrates after his game-clinching interception


3:07 Highlight Video
Rams vs Patriots 2008 Week 8



1:41:43 Full Game
2008 Rams @ Patriots





Pats Media Dept Pre-Game Press Release

NFL Media Game Summary, with halftime/full game stats, drive charts and full play-by-play

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, Drive Charts, Full Play-by-Play:
 
Today in Patriots History
October 26, 2003: Pats 9, Browns 3 in the rain
Romeo Crennel's defense leaves Cleveland dazed and confused
Adam Vinatieri's three field goals prove to be just enough



Sunday October 26, 2003 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 9, Cleveland Browns 3
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Butch Davis
QBs: Tom Brady; Tim Couch, Kelly Holcomb
Odds: New England favored by 4½
TV: CBS; **** Enberg and Dan Dierdorf; Bonnie Bernstein
Patriots improve to 6-2, Browns drop to 3-5



Yesterday, the Patriots held the Browns to 203 total yards (84 rushing, 119 passing) and only 3-of-14 third-down conversions. Another important aspect of the contest was field position, as Cleveland's average drive started at its own 19, while in contrast, New England's average drive began at its own 30.​
In all, the Browns advanced into Patriots' territory just once.​
"Sometimes you have to play tight, play clean, and trust your special teams to punt the ball and your punt return to get you some better field position," said Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi. "You have to play the field-position battle sometime. If we got backed up a bit on offense, we'd make a few first downs, a nice punt, and all of a sudden, the field position is back switched the other way. Then we'd hold them and the offense receives the punt at midfield. Offense, defense, special teams, it's one cohesive unit."​


Mike Vrabel and the New England defense baffled Cleveland’s quarterbacks, then knocked them to the ground.​
Vrabel’s three sacks helped Adam Vinatieri’s three field goals stand up in the Patriots’ 9-3 win over the Browns on Sunday, stretching New England’s winning streak to four games.​
New England (6-2) leads the AFC East and stopped a Cleveland offense with Tim Couch and Kelly Holcomb playing behind a makeshift line. For the second time in three games, the Patriots didn’t give up a touchdown.​
“One week it’s the line, one week it’s the secondary,” Vrabel said. “It just happened to be a day for me to take advantage.”​
The game didn’t provide much excitement, but Vrabel was energized. He sat out three games because of a broken right arm before playing sparingly a week earlier in a 19-13 victory over Miami.​
The Browns (3-5) are playing with a offensive line that’s missing three starters who are injured. And Holcomb didn’t start because he wasn’t healthy enough to practice fully. Holcomb had sat out three games because of a broken right leg before taking over for an ineffective Couch a week earlier.​
But when Couch left with a sprained thumb in the second quarter, Holcomb had to play.​
And Vrabel took advantage.​
“We worked all week on just trying to confuse whatever quarterback was in the game,” he said.​


Early Mike Reiss column:
"You know what this was like?" running back James Jackson said of the Patriots' 9-3 victory. "It's like the University of Miami. When you think of the University of Miami and our name (Hurricanes) and our aggressive attitude, it's like 'Shoot, we have to play them.​
"With Mr. Belichick here, you have to prepare for so many defensive schemes and I think that can take away from you a bit. It seems every week he's coming up with something different. When you're preparing for any other team, maybe they have one defensive scheme or two defensive schemes that you can just key on. But with him, sometimes he can throw five linebackers in there, six (defensive backs) in there. You have to prepare for so much.​
"If you're not smart, you can get lost."​
Jackson, the former Miami Hurricane, realized his Browns ran into a different type of hurricane yesterday - a Patriots defense that is gaining confidence by the week. The 'D' has allowed six, 13 and three points in its last three games, all wins.​
Against the Giants three weeks ago, the Patriots primarily played a 3-4 defense. Last week in Miami, it was eight men in the box. Yesterday against a Cleveland offense that entered the game missing four projected opening-day starters on its offensive line and ranked No. 28 out of 32 NFL teams, it was mostly 4-3, but ...​
"They still do different things within that," said second-year Browns center Melvin Fowler. "Sometimes they run up with five linebackers. Maybe it's four linebackers. One down linemen. No down linemen. Six defensive backs. It gets pretty challenging."​
Confused?​
Browns quarterback Kelly Holcomb acknowledged he was just that "a couple of times," while fellow Cleveland QB Tim Couch added, "They played with a lot of different looks ... They do things to challenge you mentally."​
So when considering how the Patriots' defense is experiencing its recent success, you can look at an improved performance against the run and stellar production on third down, but any analysis should truly start with the unit's make-up. The Patriots, with unsung coordinator Romeo Crennel calling the shots, are F-L-E-X-I-B-L-E.​



Mike Vrabel had three sacks, including this one on Kelly Holcomb


2:18 Primetime Highlights
2003 Browns at Patriots Week 8



2:21 Highlight Video
Browns vs Patriots 2003 Week 8



1:58:15 Full Game
2003 Week 8 - Cleveland at New England





Pats Media Dept Pre-Game Press Release

NFL Media Game Summary, with halftime/full game stats, drive charts and full play-by-play

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, Drive Charts, Full Play-by-Play:
 
Today in Patriots History
October 26, 1986: Pats 23, Bills 3
Tippett (3½ sacks) & Lippett (2 picks) lead NE defense
Eason wins in return from injury



Sunday October 26, 1986 at 1:00
Week 8, Game 8 at Rich Stadium
New England Patriots 23, Buffalo Bills 3
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Hank Bullough
QBs: Tony Eason, Jim Kelly
Odds: New England favored by 7
TV: NBC; Len Berman and Sam Rutigliano
Patriots improve to 5-3, Bills drop to 2-6



Tony Eason returned to the starting lineup after having been knocked out two weeks prior against Miami. The game pitted two quarterbacks drafted in the first round of the 1983 draft: #14 Eason vs #15 Jim Kelly. In this game, and throughout the 1986 season, it appeared that Eason was the better pick; that choice obviously did not hold up.

The story of the game was the Patriots defense, which came away with five sacks and four interceptions - which were returned for a total of 139 yards. Andre Tippett had 3½ sacks and Ronnie Lippett had a pair of picks. Craig James and Robert Weathers both rushed for a touchdown, and Tony Franklin kicked three field goals.

New England sports fans were a bit distracted on this day. The previous night the Red Sox had blown Game 6 of the World Series to the Mets, the game ending with the infamous Bill Buckner error. The Sox were off on this Sunday, and would lose Game 7 the next day.


Winter hasn’t even set in yet, and already Jim Kelly has to wonder what he’s doing in Buffalo.​
The New England Patriots sacked Kelly five times and intercepted four Buffalo passes Sunday while pounding out a 23-3 victory over the Bills.​
“Our bread and butter is our defense,” said New England linebacker Andre Tippett, who helped harass Kelly until the Bills (2-6) replaced him with Frank Reich in the final quarter.​
New England, which entered the game with the third-ranked defense in the NFL, smothered the Bills’ receivers with man-to-man coverage, sometimes sending seven pass rushers at Kelly.​
Two Buffalo scoring drives ended near the New England end zone when Kelly threw interceptions. Reich had two more passes picked off.​
“The Patriots definitely have a very good defense,” Kelly said after completing 13 of 26 passes for 166 yards. “Probably the best one I’ve seen this year. They put a lot of pressure on me. As a quarterback, you try not to look at the guys coming at you. Today, it looked like they were coming all day long.”​
While the Patriots (5-3) were able to keep Kelly in the pocket, New England quarterback Tony Eason found a lot of running room when his receivers were covered. Eason scrambled for a career-high 55 yards, and two of his four runs gave the Patriots first downs during a drive that produced New England’s first touchdown, a two-yard run by Craig James.​
“We kept them away from the big play, but he’d scramble and keep the drive alive,” said Bills’ linebacker Eugene Marve.​
The Patriots built a 17-0 halftime lead as Robert Weathers added a 16-yard scoring run and Tony Franklin kicked a 31-yard field goal.​
Franklin added a 27-yard field goal with six seconds left in the third quarter and a 26-yard field goal as the game ended. The Bills scored on a 26-yard field goal by Scott Norwood in the third quarter.​
Buffalo twice missed legitimate scoring chances in the second quarter. Ronnie Harmon fumbled Kelly’s pass into the New England end zone, but the Bills kept the ball because the Patriots’ Roland James held Harmon as he tried to recover the fumble.​
Two plays later, Kelly threw an interception to Johnny Rembert at the New England four. Rembert returned the ball 37 yards, then lateraled to Andre Tippett, who who ran 32 yards to the Bills’ 27, setting up Weathers’ touchdown.​


23:51 1986 Patriots Yearbook
1986 New England Patriots Team Season Highlights "Fight To The Finish"







NFL Media Game Summary, with halftime/full game stats, drive charts and full play-by-play

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, Drive Charts, Full Play-by-Play:
 
Today in Patriots History
October 26, 1975: Pats 24, 49ers 16
Rookie Steve Grogan takes over at QB for injured Jim Plunkett
Pats win second straight after 0-4 start



Sunday October 26, 1975 at 1:00
Week 6, Game 6 at Schaefer Stadium
New England Patriots 24, San Francisco 49ers 16
Head Coaches: Chuck Fairbanks, **** Nolan
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Steve Grogan; Norm Snead
Odds: New England favored by 2
TV: CBS; Al Michaels and Tim Van Galder
Patriots improve to 2-4, 49ers drop to 2-4



The Patriots dominated the line of scrimmage, outgaining San Fran on the ground by a margin of 155 yards to 31. The Pats defense forced four turnovers, and after jumping out to a 17-0 halftime lead held on to win - despite having to turn the keys over to an unproven fifth round rookie QB named Steve Grogan.

At the end of the first quarter Jim Plunkett took off on a 3rd-and-8 when the offensive line protection broke down. The quarterback gained five yards attempting to make a first down, and when tackled he dislodged a pin holding his previously separated shoulder in place. The subsequent field goal attempt was blocked, keeping the score 3-0. Grogan came in and went 12-20 the rest of the way, with two touchdown passes and no interceptions.

Andy Johnson was the offensive star of the game, with 103 yards rushing (4.9 ypc), and another 27 yards receiving (including an 11-yard TD reception from Grogan). Randy Vataha had seven receptions for 70 yards; his 7-yard TD reception from Grogan put the Patriots up 24-10 in the fourth quarter. Ron Bolton and Bob Howard both had picks off 36-year old Norm Snead, in his next to last season in the NFL.


10/27/75:
Jim Plunkett, the New England Patriot's quarterback, reinjured his separated left shoulder and Steve Bartkowski rookie signal?caller of the Atlanta Falcons, suffered a dislocated left elbow yesterday.​
Steve Grogan, a rookie fifth?round draft choice out of Kansas State, stepped in after Plunket — playing his fourth game since returning to action with a pin in his shoulder — was hurt in the last minute of the first quarter of the game with the San Francisco 49ers at Foxboro, Mass. Grogan threw two touchdown passes and directed 46?yard scoring drive to lead the Patriots to a 24?16 victory.​


10/28/75:
Steve Grogan, a 6?foot?4 inch farm boy from Pomona, Kan. (population 1,000), and Kim McQuilken, Lehigh's leading contribution to pro football, become the No. 1​
About Pro Football quarterbacks for their teams today, Grogan for the New England Patriots is in place of Jim Plunkett and McQuilken for the Atlanta Falcons over Steve Bartkowski. Plunkett Is in California seeing his surgeon and will miss at least two games - or perhaps all the rest of the season - because the pin holding his separated shoulder became dislodged when he was tackled on a quarterback run play by a San Francisco linebacker, Dave Washington.​


10/29/75:
Jim Plunkett, New England Patriots’ quarterback who separated his left shoulder for a second time last Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, will undergo surgery for the second time in seven weeks at the Palo Alto (Calif.) Medical Center tomorrow, the team announced today.​
Plunkett told Chuck Fairbanks, Patriots’ coach, he expected to begin practicing from five to seven days after the operation.​
Fairbanks also announced that Neil Graff had been re-signed to back up Steve Grogan, who directed the Patriots for the final three periods Sunday after Plunkett was injured. Graff had replaced Plunkett for the first two games of the regular season before being put on waivers.​


2:55 Highlight Video
10/26/1975 San Francisco 49ers at New England Patriots highlights, National Football League Week 6





NFL Media Game Summary, with halftime/full game stats, drive charts and full play-by-play

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, Drive Charts, Full Play-by-Play:
 
Today in Patriots History
October 26, 1962: Pats 26, Raiders 16
Boston vaults into first place in AFL East
Gino kicks five field goals as Pats overcome three turnovers



Friday October 26, 1962 at 8:00
Week 8, Game 7 at Boston University Field, later known as Nickerson Field
Boston Patriots 26, Oakland Raiders 16
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Bill Conkright
QBs: Babe Parilli, Cotton Davidson
Odds: Boston favored by 17
TV: Not Televised
Patriots improve to 5-2, Raiders drop to 0-7



The Patriots kept shooting themselves in the foot, fumbling the ball five times in the first half, resulting in three turnovers. Fortunately they were playing the outmatched winless Raiders, and were able to keep the deficit to just 13-6 at halftime. The win, combined with a Houston Oilers 31-7 loss to the Dallas Texans two days later, gave the Patriots a one-game lead in the AFL East.

The Pats received the second half kickoff but went nowhere. Tom Yewcic dropped back to punt, but took off for a 20-yard gain and a first down. Babe Parilli connected with Tony Romeo on passes for 13 and 16 yards, and then threw a 13-yard TD to Gino Cappelletti to tie the score.

The Raiders drove into Pats territory, but a bobbled snap on a field goal attempt led to Gino's fourth field goal. That put the Patriots up by three at the end of the third quarter, but Oakland came back. Cotton Davidson hit former Patriot RB on a 71-yard catch-and-run, and Davidson's 19-yard field goal tied the score.

Larry Garron ran the ensuing kickoff back to the 38 yard line, and on first down blasted through the line for a gain of 15. Then on 3rd-and-five Garron took off for a 41-yard touchdown to give the Patriots the lead.

From there the Boston defense forced a three and out, but the Patriots had to punt the ball right back. The Patriot defense held Oakland again, and did not get fooled when the Raiders attempted to run on a fake punt. The Pats wound down the clock with Ron Burton gaining 42 yards on seven carries. That set up Cappelletti's fifth field goal of the game, sealing a victory for the Patriots.





26:33 1962 Yearbook
1962 Boston Patriots highlight film "Professional Football with the Boston Patriots"





AFL Media Game Summary, with halftime/full game stats and faded full play-by-play

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
TRANSCRIPT: Eliot Wolf Pre-Draft Press Conference 4/13
Patriots News 04-12, What To Watch For In The NFL Draft
MORSE: Pre-Draft Patriots News and Notes
MORSE: Patriots Mock Draft 5
MORSE: Patriots Mock Draft 5
Mark Morse
1 week ago
Patriots Part Ways with Another Linebacker as Offseason Roster Shake-Up Continues
Patriots News 04-05, Mock Draft 2.0, Patriots Look For OL Depth
MORSE: 18 Game Schedule and Other Patriots Notes
TRANSCRIPT: Mike Vrabel Press Conference at the League Meetings 3/31
MORSE: Smokescreens and Misinformation Leading Up to Patriots Draft
Patriots News 03-29, Mock Draft 1.0, Tight End Draft Profiles
Back
Top