Today In Patriots History Sept 17, 2017: Brady wins battle of 400-TD QBs

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2017: Brady throws three 1st quarter TDs
Pats overcome week one loss, torch Saints, 36-20
1st ever game between two QBs w/400 career TD passes​

Sunday Sept 17, 2017 at 1:03
Week 2, Game 2 at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome
New England Patriots 36, New Orleans Saints 20
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Sean Payton
QBs: Tom Brady, Drew Brees
Odds: New England 5½-point road favorites
74° inside; outside 85°, 75% humidity, 95° heat index; paid attendance 73,168; three hours, six minutes
Patriots improve to 1-1; Saints drop to 0-2


The Patriots were coming off a rough 42-27 home opener loss to the Chiefs, and shut Felger & Mazz and the rest of the doubting media up with a resounding victory. New England dominated with 555 total yards of offense as Tom Brady went a near-perfect 30-39 for 447 yards, three touchdowns and no picks to win decisively, 36-20. The Patriots scored on four of their first five possessions, with Gronk catching six passes for 116 yards - including an incredible 53-yard TD in the second quarter.

Patriots, Brady Answer the Bell, Smother Saints 36-20 Observations | PatsFans.com

Brady entered the game with just three healthy wide receivers and put on an absolute clinic in the first quarter throwing for 177 yards and three TDs.

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Ok, now everyone can back away from the ledge. The Patriots did just what they needed to do after a bad performance in the Week 1 loss to the Chiefs. They dominated the game on offense, and the Saints defense had on answers for the Patriots offense as the team ran out for 30 points in a pivotal first half and cruised to an easy win on the road.​

Vintage Tom Brady helps Patriots rebound in 36-20 rout of Saints

Armour: New England Patriots quarterback turned in vintage performance as champs rebounded for convincing win over New Orleans Saints.

www.usatoday.com

Ten days after being routed by the Kansas City Chiefs — “It felt like a year,” Brady said — the Super Bowl champs needed all of one quarter Sunday against the New Orleans Saints to show everyone how ridiculous the reports of their demise were.​

Brady threw for three touchdowns in the first quarter, the first time he’s done that in his career, and got reacquainted with old buddy Rob Gronkowski on a 53-yard score. By halftime, Brady had already thrown for more yards (302) and had more completions (19) than he did in the entire opener. He finished 30 of 39 for 447 yards and a passer rating of 139.6.​

Don’t let the score fool you. This game was lopsided from the first possession on, and the score could have been even worse had the Patriots not ground out most of the second half to take time off the clock.​

Patriots 36-20 Saints (Sep 17, 2017) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New England Patriots vs. New Orleans Saints NFL game from September 17, 2017 on ESPN.

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In Brady and the Saints' Drew Brees, the game featured the NFL's top two active quarterbacks in terms of career yards and touchdowns. Their 922 TD passes and 128,251 yards passing combined coming in represented the most by starting QBs in the same NFL game.​

But in this matchup, Brees couldn't keep up.​

He was 27 of 45 for 356 yards and two TDs. The Saints' desperation to stay close was encapsulated by a failed attempt to convert a fourth down -- despite being well within field goal range on the Patriots 25-yard line -- with 2:27 left in the first half and New England up by 13.​

Brady responded by marching New England to the Saints 10 to set up Stephen Gostkowski's field goal, making it 30-13 at halftime.​

The Patriots' first three drives ended with a 19-yard TD pass to Rex Burkhead, Gronkowski's long TD and a 13-yard scoring pass to Chris Hogan.​

Tom Brady torches Saints in Patriots' 36-20 victory

Tom Brady has rarely looked better than he did in a 36-20 victory over the Saints

www.boston.com

If Tom Brady and the Patriots were suffering from a Super Bowl hangover, it looks as though a trip to New Orleans pulled the defending champions out of it.​

The 40-year-old Brady hasn’t often looked better in his long, illustrious career, providing an audible contingent of traveling Patriots fans who chanted their star QB’s name ample reason to spend the rest of their Sunday celebrating on Bourdon Street.​

Brady’s maiden Super Bowl triumph in the Superdome back in February 2002 is bound to be one of his fondest memories, but the 18-year veteran looked like a superior QB in his latest visit. He finished 30 of 39 for 447 yards without an interception — at least not one that counted. Saints defenders caught Brady’s passes twice, but both plays were wiped out by New Orleans penalties. Brady joined Warren Moon as the only QBs age 40 or older in NFL history to pass for at least 400 yards and 3 TDs in a game, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.​

Rob Gronkowski had a 53-yard catch and run to highlight his six-catch, 116-yard performance, but left the game in the second half with a groin injury.​

Patriots 36, Saints 20: New England cruises, but injuries mount + photos

NEW ORLEANS – The Patriots came to the “Big Easy” searching for answers. Following a disappointing home-opening loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, Tom Brady & Co. came to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome …

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The early start to this season has already been marred by injuries. With Julian Edelman out for the season, and Danny Amendola not playing Sunday, the offense needed some help.​

They got it from Rob Gronkowski, who was dominant until he suffered a third-quarter groin injury. They got it from Rex Burkhead, who started, before he suffered a rib injury. They got it from Phillip Dorsett before he left the game with a knee injury. Before Sunday’s game was over, even Chris Hogan was limping.​

Brady and his offense got creative on Sunday. It resulted in the Patriots pounding the Saints secondary en route to their 36-20 win to improve to 1-1. They’ll have to continue the offensive creativity going forward due to the number of weapons that have been put on the shelf.​

Along with Edelman (knee), the Patriots also have Malcolm Mitchell (knee) on the injured reserve. With Amendola (knee/concussion) out, the Pats came into this contest with three receivers – Brandin Cooks, Hogan (78 yards, touchdown) and Dorsett (68 yards). That made offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels add a few new wrinkles to the offense.​

The team started in a three tight-end set using Gronkowski (116 yards, touchdown), Dwayne Allen and Jacob Hollister. All three split out wide at different points on Sunday. The Pats also utilized four different running backs and split three – James White, Dion Lewis and Burkhead – out wide at different points.​

“Coach McDaniels does a great job of putting us in positions to be successful,” said White, who led the team with eight receptions to go with 85 receiving yards. “No matter what personnel grouping we put out on the field, guys just want to go out and execute.”​

The mixing and matching had the Saints’ heads spinning from the get-go. Brady threw for 447 yards to go with three touchdowns. He hit nine different targets. The Patriots also saw carries from seven different players.​

Combine the interchanging tight ends and backs with the three receivers they had and the Patriots were quick to move the ball down field. After the loss last week, the goal on the offense was simple – create urgency and play a full 60 minutes.​

Refocused: New England Patriots 36, New Orleans Saints 20

All of the PFF-exclusive takeaways from the Patriots 36-20 victory over the Saints.

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QB Tom Brady, 86.5 overall grade​

That's how a future Hall of Famer bounces back from an ugly Week 1. Brady was off target on only seven of his 39 targeted pass Sunday. He was lights out down the field, going 4-of-5 for 102 yards and a touchdown on passes 20-plus yards past the line of scrimmage. He made it look easy.​

DE Deatrich Wise, 84.1 overall grade​

The Patriots managed a measley 10 pressures all day long on Drew Brees, but four of those came via the rookie pass-rusher. Wise had a sack, two hits and a hurry on 27 pass-rushing snaps. It was a breakout performance for one of PFF's sleepers heading into the draft.​

Brady torches Saints in 36-20 Patriots victory

If Tom Brady and the Patriots were suffering from a Super Bowl hangover, it looks as though a trip to New Orleans pulled the defending champions out of it.

www.patriots.com

Rex Burkhead's 19 yard reception put the Pats on the board in the first quarter




The Saints were unable to defend against Rob Gronkowski



Chris Hogan had five receptions for 78 yards and a 13-yard TD that put the Pats up 20-3 in the 1st quarter


7:24 NFL Highlight Video
Patriots vs. Saints | NFL Week 2 Game Highlights
​

Patriots Pre-Game Press Release

September 17, 2017 - New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 2017 - New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints boxscore and game statistics.

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Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, and Full Play-by-Play:
National Football League Game Summary

New England Patriots at New Orleans Saints - September 17th, 2017 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 36 at New Orleans Saints 20 on September 17th, 2017 - Full team and player stats and box score

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Patriots Post-Game Notes

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1960: Boston Patriots 28, New York Titans 24
Chuck Shonta with game-winning TD as time expires
First Regular Season Victory in Franchise History​

Saturday Sept 17, 1960 at 8:00
Week 2, Game 2 at the Polo Grounds, Washington Heights, Manhattan
Boston Patriots 28, New York Titans 24
Head Coaches: Lou Saban, Sammy Baugh
QBs: Tom Greene, Butch Songin; Al Dorow, **** Jamieson
Odds: Titans of New York 4-point home favorites
65°, 67% humidity, 13 mph wind; attendance 19,200
Patriots improve to 1-1; Titans drop to 1-1


The Patriots were coming off a home upset loss to Denver, while New York had easily handled Buffalo the previous week by the score of 27-3. This turned out to be an incredibly exciting game that was not determined until after time had expired.

The Titans were coached by the legendary Sammy Baugh, a member of the inaugural class of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The Patriots coach did not quite have the same pedigree. A February 8, 1980 AP press release noted the following:

SABAN NAMED COACH – Lou Saban, 38, was named head coach Feb. 8 of the Boston entry in the new American Football League.
He has been coaching at Western Illinois at Macomb, IL, for the past three seasons. 2-8-60​

New York led 17-7 at halftime, and added another TD to make the score 24-7 in the third quarter. A 15-yard pass from Tom Greene to Oscar Lofton brought the deficit back down to ten with ten minutes still left on the clock. Butch Songin hit Jim Colclough for a six-yard TD to make it 24-21, but with only 1:50 left to play it appeared that the Titans would hold on for a victory.

Up by three, for some inexplicable reason, Baugh decided to have the Titans punt with only three seconds remaining, rather than just snap the ball, take a knee and run out the clock.

Email from the AFL - Chuck Shonta, Boston Patriots

Defensive back, Chuck Shonta, came to the Boston Patriots from Eastern Michigan in the 1960 AFL Draft. Shonta was one of the hundreds to participate in the first Patriots training camp, and earned a spot in the defensive backfield that

talesfromtheamericanfootballleague.com

AFL – What was your single proudest moment in professional football?​

Chuck Shonta – My proudest moment came in 1960 against the N.Y. Titans. On the last play of the game, I picked up a fumble and ran 56 yards for a touchdown. I was on the 20 yard line when the gun went off. It was the Patriots first win in the AFL. I just found out that was a record for 52 years as the longest touchdown as time ran out to win a game. That record was broken last year by punt returner who went 60 yards as time ran out and scored a winning touchdown.​

The Miracle of the Polo Grounds

Dave Steidel shares the Miracle of the Polo Grounds! In only the second week of their first season in 1960 American Football League fans were treated to the Miracle of the Polo Grounds, eighteen years before the Miracle of the Meadowlands. It happened in the Polo Grounds on September 17, as...

talesfromtheamericanfootballleague.com

To get an idea of how much this franchise had changed, consider this 1960 home movie:

2:25 Training Camp Video
Boston Patriots 1960
​

If you told anyone in that film that this team would be worth $6.4 billion today, they'd have 'the men in white suits haul you off to the funny farm', as was the vernacular back then.

Boston Patriots 1960
29:27 Highlight Film
​

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:

September 17, 1960 - Boston Patriots at New York Titans Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 1960 - Boston Patriots at New York Titans boxscore and game statistics.

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Official American Football League Game Summary

Boston Patriots at New York Titans - September 17th, 1960 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Boston Patriots 28 at New York Titans 24 on September 17th, 1960 - Full team and player stats and box score

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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2006: Pats hand Eric Mangini his first loss as a head coach
Patriots jump out to 24-0 lead; hold on to beat Jets, 24-17​

Sunday Sept 17, 2006 at 4:15
Week 2, Game 2 at Giants Stadium
New England Patriots 24, New York Jete 17
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Eric Mangini
QBs: Tom Brady, Chad Pennington
Odds: New England favored by 6 on the road
Clear, 84°, 47% humidity, 6mph wind; paid attendance 77,595; three hours, four minutes
Patriots improve to 2-0; Jets drop to 1-1


The Patriots jumped out to a 24-0 lead, but sloppy play, poor tackling and turnovers made this game close. Tedy Bruschi intercepted a Chad Pennington pass late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.

Pats go up 24-0 but escape by 7

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Bill Belichick's teams are known for playing hard until the end. That philosophy has rubbed off on Eric Mangini. The student gave the teacher a scare, but Belichick's New E…

www.heraldtribune.com

Cotchery quite a catch for Jets

New York — The acrobat in Jerricho Cotchery often came out in practice, impressing his Jets teammates. The rest of the league is finally getting a chance to see what all the jaw dropping was about.

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Patriots fend off Jets in 24-17 victory

Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini met near midfield, exchanged a fleeting, business-like handshake and again went their separate ways. No warm embrace, and barely a word spoken.

www.patriots.com

Bill Belichick and Eric Mangini met near midfield, exchanged a fleeting, business-like handshake and again went their separate ways.​

No warm embrace, and barely a word spoken. That's the way it's been since the student left the teacher's New England Patriots to become the head coach of the New York Jets, adding to an already spicy rivalry.​

Belichick's Patriots held off a late rally by Mangini's Jets for a 24-17 victory, sending the rookie head coach to his first loss.​

In this case, the best Mangini and Jets had to offer wound up just short.​

New England (2-0) took a 24-0 lead on touchdown runs by Corey Dillon and Laurence Maroney, and a TD catch by rookie Chad Jackson.​

But the Jets stormed back in the second half. Jerricho Cotchery and Laveranues Coles each made brilliant touchdown receptions, Mike Nugent kicked a 42-yard field goal and Jonathan Vilma blocked a late field-goal attempt to give the Jets (1-1) one last chance in their home opener.​

After getting the ball at his 9 with 1:05 left and the crowd at Giants Stadium on its feet, Chad Pennington led New York to its 45. But a long pass down the right sideline to Justin McCareins was intercepted by Tedy Bruschi, ending the comeback hopes.​

Mangini, who said he hadn't spoken to Belichick in some time, talked about how much he learned while helping lead the Patriots to three Super Bowl titles. It showed on Sunday as the Jets, looking flat after an opening-week victory at Tennessee, made a game of it in the second half.​

Cotchery's 71-yard reception made it 24-7 in the third quarter. Pennington scrambled and his long pass down the right sideline went to Cotchery, who turned, backpedaled and leaped for the ball near the Patriots 30. He was hit hard by Chad Scott and fell on top of Eugene Wilson's back, but hearing no whistle, Cotchery popped up and ran into the end zone.​

Belichick challenged the play, but the referees ruled only Cotchery's hand touched the ground.​

"Once I caught the ball, I knew I landed on top of the defender," Cotchery said. "So I knew my knee didn't hit the ground and I was just going to get up and run."​

On New England's next drive, Tom Brady's deep pass down the middle for Doug Gabriel was intercepted by David Barrett.​

From New England's 46, Pennington threw a short pass across the middle to Coles. The veteran made a cut outside, causing Wilson to fall, and then cut inside, eluding a sliding tackle attempt by Ellis Hobbs and leaving a trail of Patriots behind to make it 24-14 with 50 seconds left in the third quarter.​

Brady finished 15-of-29 for 220 yards with one TD and an interception, while Pennington was 22-of-37 for 306 yards, two TDs and one interception.​

The Jets recovered a fumble by Brady when safety Kerry Rhodes blitzed and hit the quarterback's right arm. Bryan Thomas recovered the ball and Nugent, who missed two field goals and an extra-point in the opener, kicked a 42-yarder to make it 24-17.​

New England got the ball back with 9:20 left, and took just over 8 minutes off the clock with a typically efficient Brady-led drive. Despite rookie Stephen Gostkowski's 29-yard attempt being blocked, the Patriots got the job done.​

Notes: Bruschi was in the Patriots' starting lineup after missing the season opener last weekend with a broken right wrist. ... Jets guard Pete Kendall was inactive after injuring a hamstring in the season opener. ... Cotchery had six catches for 121 yards. ... Dillon led the Patriots with 80 yards rushing on 20 carries, while Maroney had 65 yards on 16 rushes.​

Live Game Day Stream/Blog:

FINAL: Patriots 24 at Jets 17

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2:54 Highlight Video
Patriots vs Jets 2006 Week 2
​

Patriots Pre-Game Press Release

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, and Full Play-by-Play:
National Football League Game Summary

New England Patriots at New York Jets - September 17th, 2006 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 24 at New York Jets 17 on September 17th, 2006 - Full team and player stats and box score

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September 17, 2006 - New England Patriots at New York Jets Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 2006 - New England Patriots at New York Jets boxscore and game statistics.

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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1990: Lisa Olson's locker room interview​

Monday, Sept 17, 1990:
Lisa Olson interviews Maurice Hurst, and suddenly Zeke Mowatt is ahousehold name.

By the time the dust cleared the Patriots finished with the worst record in their franchise history, one of the worst off the field seasons in NFL history, and were an easy punchline for any and every standup comedian.

Men’s problem with women in sport just won’t go away

On September 17, 1990, Lisa Olson entered the locker room at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts. A 26-year-old sportswriter with the Boston Herald, Olson was rela

www.thetimes.com

On September 17, 1990, Lisa Olson entered the locker room at Foxboro Stadium in Massachusetts. A 26-year-old sportswriter with the Boston Herald, Olson was relatively new to the New England Patriots beat. An interview with the cornerback Maurice Hurst had been arranged and with the Patriots on a tight schedule that day, it was decided to do it in the locker room.​

Olson found Hurst and positioned herself so that she had her back to the entrance to the shower room. Soon after starting, she could sense some of the players turning their attention towards her. It wasn’t like she was trespassing; 12 years earlier a US federal court had established the right of female journalists to work in locker rooms.​

It was the tight end Zeke Mowatt who approached her first. He was naked. “Here’s what you want. Do you want to take a bite out of this?” he said, angling his genitals close to her. She deliberately kept her gaze on Hurst while another player shouted: “Make her look, make her look.”​

Others, who had come from the showers, crudely paraded themselves in front of Olson, making it impossible for her to ignore them. Voices in the background egged on those who were taunting Olson. Deeply upset, the journalist got up and left. Back at the office, she spoke to Bob Sales, the sports editor, about her experience.​

Reluctant to make public what had happened, Olson still wanted the Patriots’ bosses to be informed and the players made aware that such behaviour was unacceptable. Sales made the call. Patrick Sullivan, the Patriots general manager, didn’t see the need for further action. Days later rivals at The Boston Globe ran a short story about Olson’s experience. After that, all hell broke loose.​

Fast forward three weeks to October 8:

SCORECARD

PATHETIC PAT Last week NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced that the league will investigate the sexual harassment of a female Boston Herald reporter in

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PATHETIC PAT​

Last week NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue announced that the league will investigate the sexual harassment of a female Boston Herald reporter in the New England Patriots locker room (SI, Oct. 1). Pats owner Victor Kiam announced that the team will cooperate fully with investigator Philip Heymann, a Harvard law professor. Given Kiam's actions throughout this episode, the NFL has reason to look closely at the owner.​

After a New England practice on Sept. 17, Herald beat reporter Lisa Olson was allegedly approached in the Patriots locker room by five naked players who directed lewd gestures and comments at her. Two male reporters—Tom Archdeacon of the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News and Glenn Farley of the Brockton, Mass., Enterprise—say that after New England's game in Cincinnati on Sept. 23, they overheard Kiam say of Olson, "What a classic *****. No wonder none of the players like her."​

Kiam denies having made the comment, but last week he conceded that he did say something about Olson. "What I said was, 'She sure is aggressive,' " said Kiam.​

Early last week Kiam sent Olson an apology for the players' actions and later said, "I repeat my apology...and regret any remarks which I made which may have been misconstrued as having condoned the locker room actions." The "misconstrued" remarks, which Kiam made to the Herald on Sept. 22, were, "I can't disagree with the players' actions. Your paper is asking for trouble by sending a female reporter to cover the team."​

The NFL announced its own investigation after New England's pitiful probe resulted in one player, tight end Zeke Mowatt, being fined a reported $2,000 of his $650,000 salary. An outcry ensued from the Sept. 17 incident and from the Pats' self-serving reaction to it. The clamor included a call by the Herald for Kiam's suspension from the league and threats from women's groups to boycott shaving products made by the Kiam-owned Remington Products Inc. Kiam's response to all of this was to hire the high-powered New York public relations firm of Howard Rubenstein Associates to improve his image.​

Kiam's media blitz was immediate. In a full-page ad in Sunday's editions of The New York Times and Boston Globe, and in Monday's Herald, he offered testimonials from three people "who were by my side the entire time I was in the locker room." All three denied that Kiam said anything unkind about Olson. On Sunday, Kiam met with Olson, and then appeared on the NFL pregame shows of both CBS and NBC to finger unnamed Patriots front-office types for not having filled him in on how his players had behaved toward Olson in the locker room. "I apologize to Lisa," Kiam said. "I apologize for the misinformation I have been given by the Patriots' management." Kiam also said "there will be changes" in his front office, but Tagliabue then told him not to dismiss anyone until the league finishes its investigation. Nonetheless, Kiam immediately announced that he was bringing in an executive from Remington to oversee the Patriots, an action that apparently left general manager Pat Sullivan with a job in name only.​

Earlier in the week, before their meeting, Olson said of Kiam, "He's a joke, obviously." And while the joke isn't funny, Olson is right.​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2023: Brenden Schooler's Perfectly
Timed Field Goal Block Not Enough;
Dolphins Stop Patriots, 24-17 on SNF
​

Sunday Sept 17, 2023 at 8:22
Week 2, Game 2 at Gillette Stadium
Miami Dolphins 24, New England Patriots 17
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Mike McDaniel
QBs: Mac Jones, Tua Tagovailoa
Odds: Dolphins favored by 2 on the road
Clear, 63°, 77% humidity, 3mph wind; paid attendance 64,628; three hours even
Patriots drop to 0-2; Dolphins improve to 2-0

​

The Patriots fell behind 17-3 at the half and fell short on their comeback, losing their second straight home game to begin the 2023 season. The Dolphins sacked Mac Jones (31-42-231-1-1) four times while Raheem Mostert rushed for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

This was the first time since 2001 that the Patriots began the season 0-2.

Game Day Thread - 2023 Week 2 OFFICIAL Game Thread: Patriots vs Dolphins

Just a couple of hours away from kickoff, so we'll get this opened up:

www.patsfans.com

PostGame Thread - 2023 Week 2: Patriots Lose to Dolphins 24-17

Tough finish. Discuss it here.

www.patsfans.com

Once Again, Patriots Fall Just Short in Loss to Dolphins | PatsFans.com

Look at the bright side. The last time the New England Patriots started 0-2, they won the whole thing.

www.patsfans.com

MORSE: Quick Thoughts After the Patriots' 24-17 Loss to the Dolphins | PatsFans.com

Speed Kills – Miami has 4 players on Offense that run in the 4.3’s 40- yard dash. Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert, Devon Achane and Jaylen Waddle are also quick. Waddle didn’t run a 3-cone drill and Achane was just over the 7.00 mark at 7.05. Hill ran a lightning quick 6.56 and Mostert was 6.90.

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Patriots Week 2 Report Card In The 24-17 Loss To Miami | PatsFans.com

"Judge, Houston, and Cam dialed up a really good scheme for that block and saw a weak point on their field goal operation, Schooler said.

www.patsfans.com

Patriots drop to 0-2 on season with 24-17 loss to Dolphins

The Patriots are 0-2 to start a season for the first time since 2001.

www.cbsnews.com

Dolphins 24-17 Patriots (Sep 17, 2023) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the Miami Dolphins vs. New England Patriots NFL game from September 17, 2023 on ESPN.

www.espn.com

FINAL: Patriots Fall Inches Short of Defeating Dolphins 24-17

The New England Patriots will have to find a new answer to slow down Miami Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, as Jonathan Jones is out with an injury.

www.si.com

Patriots fall to Dolphins, 24-17: Quick observations from Week 2 loss

The Patriots will look to get into the win column on Sunday night when they host the Dolphins at Gillette Stadium.

www.boston.com

Sunday Night Football highlights: Dolphins send Patriots to first 0-2 start since 2001

While the Miami Dolphins held on to open the season 2-0, the New England Patriots started 0-2 for the first time since 2001.

www.usatoday.com

Dolphins hang on to defeat Patriots 24-17 on 'Sunday Night Football'

The Miami Dolphins got out to a large lead and held on for a 24-17 at the New England Patriots on NBC's "Sunday Night Football."

www.wptv.com

Sunday Night Football: Dolphins beat Patriots 24-17, improve to 2-0

Tua Tagovailoa is 5-0 vs. Bill Belichick and New England is 0-2 for the first time since 2001.

www.nbcsports.com

Sunday Night Football had a unique finish in Week 2, but the Dolphins were able to hold off the division-rival Patriots for a 24-17 victory.​

After Miami went up 24-10 with 8:45 left in the fourth quarter, New England again narrowed the lead to seven points with Rhamondre Stevenson’s 2-yard touchdown run.​

With the score at 24-17, the Dolphins had a chance to close the game out on their ensuing drive but couldn’t do it. On third-and-1 at New England’s 35 with 2:22 left, quarterback Tua Tagovailoa mishandled the snap. While he recovered it himself, Tagovailoa was pushed back and didn’t pick up the first down.​

Kicker Jason Sanders tried to hit a field goal from 55 yards out but missed it wide left, giving the Patriots an opportunity starting from their own 45.​

After a sack and an incomplete pass left New England with third-and-18, quarterback Mac Jones connected with Mike Gesicki for a 14-yard gain, setting up fourth-and-4.​

Jones then went to Gesicki again on fourth down but the tight end was about to be stopped short and he lateraled to offensive lineman Cole Strange. The guard tried to bulldoze his way past the sticks, but after review was stopped just short of the first-down marker.​

With the turnover on downs, Miami was able to kneel out the clock and move to 2-0.​

Tagovailoa also improved to 5-0 as a starter against the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick. The quarterback finished the game 21-of-30 passing for 249 yards with a touchdown — a 2-yard pass to Tyreek Hill late in the first half — and an interception.​

Raheem Mostert paced Miami’s offense with the run game, amassing 121 yards on 18 carries with a pair of TDs. Jaylen Waddle led the club with 86 yards on four receptions. Hill had a touchdown reception but was kept in check with five catches for 40 yards.​

On defense, the Dolphins recorded four sacks and allowed just 4.1 yards per play.​

Jones ended the game 31-of-42 for 231 yards with a touchdown and a pick. DeVante Parker caught six passes for 57 yards to lead the team. Hunter Henry had six receptions for 52 yards with a TD.​

​

While New England didn’t win, the club did have one of the early contenders for special teams play of the year. In the third quarter, Sanders had a 49-yard field goal attempt blocked by defensive back Brenden Schooler when he burst in on the run to get in the Dolphins’ backfield. The kick didn’t have much of a chance, as Schooler was barely touched before getting to the ball.​

Schooler tried a similar move later in the game on Sanders’ 55-yard attempt and it may have affected the kicker since Sanders missed it.​

The Patriots are now 0-2 for the first time since 2001. They will be on the road to play the 1-1 Jets next week.​

0:57 Blocked Field Goal
Brenden Schooler - Blocked Field Goal - New England Patriots vs Miami Dolphins - NFL Week 2 2023



10:54 NFL Highlight Video
New England Patriots vs. Miami Dolphins | 2023 Week 8 Game Highlights
​

Patriots Pre-Game Press Release

September 17, 2023 - Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 2023 - Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots boxscore and game statistics.

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Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, and Full Play-by-Play:
National Football League Game Summary

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots - September 17th, 2023 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Miami Dolphins 24 at New England Patriots 17 on September 17th, 2023 - Full team and player stats and box score

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Patriots Post-Game Notes

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2000: Pats, Belichick drop to 0-3
Vikings control clock with long drives, win 21-13​

Sunday Sept 17, 2000 at 4:15
Week 3, Game 3 at Foxboro Stadium
Minnesota Vikings 21, New England Patriots 13
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Dennis Green
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Daunte Culpepper
Odds: Patriots favored by 1½ at home
Partly cloudy, 70°, 45% humidity, 13 mph wind; paid attendance 60,292, actual 59,835; time 3:00
Patriots drop to 0-3; Vikings improve to 3-0


The Bill Belichick era began with an inauspicious start, with the Patriots losing their third straight game. Minnesota nearly doubled the time of possession, controlling the ball for 39:08, compared to 20:52 for the Patriots. Kevin Faulk was a bright spot for the Pats with 80 yards rushing and one touchdown on 13 carries, plus three receptions for 31 yards.

The Patriots were in a position to tie the game late in the fourth quarter, but the drive ended in the Minnesota red zone on two incomplete passes and a sack with sixty seconds left to play.

Robert Smith rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown, Cris Carter caught seven passes for 67 yards, and Daunte Culpepper threw two touchdown passes for the Vikings.

I can recall the doubting voices in regards to Bill Belichick as the Pats head coach - myself included - were already becoming louder, before the first month of the season had concluded. The Patriots had not had a losing season in five years, and had surrendered a first round draft pick to sign Belichick. Impatient fans were anticipating improvement rather than regression after Pete Carroll was fired, and were in no mood to go back to the days of Rod Rust and **** MacPherson.

Vikings Flashback: Minnesota’s last win in New England

Beating the New England Patriots on the road can be a real challenge, it's something the Minnesota Vikings haven't done since 2000.

thevikingage.com

Minnesota ended up beating New England by a final score of 21-13 and the victory improved the Vikings’ record to 3-0 on the season. Minnesota started that year 7-0 before finishing 11-5 and advancing to the NFC Championship for the second time in three years.​

For the Patriots, quarterback Drew Bledsoe completed 21 of his 35 passing attempt for 190 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. New England running back Kevin Faulk rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries and Patriots receiver Terry Glenn ended his afternoon with eight catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. New England defensive end Greg Spires also chipped in with 1.5 of the team’s four sacks on the day.​

- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was a rookie (appeared in one game).​

- Bill Belichick was in his first season as New England’s head coach.​

- Dennis Green was in his ninth season as the Vikings’ coach (he coached team for 10 years).​

- Daunte Culpepper was a first-year starter (second season).​

- Minnesota wide receiver Randy Moss was in his third season.​

- Vikings wide receiver Cris Carter was in his 14th season (played 16).​

- Minnesota defensive tackle John Randle was in his last year with the team.​

- Vikings running back Robert Smith was playing in his final NFL season.​

- Former Minnesota defensive tackle Henry Thomas was on that 2000 Patriots team​

This headline for this article from five years ago is in need of an update:

The Last Sub-.500 Season | The Patriots Hall of Fame

www.patriotshalloffame.com

Of the team’s 11 losses in 2000, nine were decided by one score. While we often enjoy looking back on successful seasons, we thought it might be interesting to recall that 2000 campaign. After all, one must remember the painful seasons to appreciate success.​

It was Bill Belichick’s first season as the Patriots head coach. The criticism surrounding Robert Kraft’s decision to surrender a first round draft pick for Belichick’s services hung like a cloud above Foxboro Stadium. Nevertheless, Kraft believed in Belichick’s plan to build a winner. Tom Brady, it should be noted, was an unknown rookie fourth-string quarterback. So let’s go back to 2000. Perhaps if you are following the new Patriots Time Machine social accounts on Twitter and Instagram, this recap will provide some perspective as to what Belichick and the Patriots faced as they moved through the offseason heading into Kickoff Weekend in 2001.​

Week 3 – Sept. 17, 2000 – Foxboro Stadium​

Minnesota Vikings 21​

New England Patriots 13​

The Patriots offensive struggles continued in Week 3, but the defense also had trouble getting off the field. Minnesota opened the scoring on its first possession with a time-consuming 17-play touchdown drive to make it 7-0. A pass interference at the Vikings 2-yard line helped the Patriots answer in just five plays when Kevin Faulk scored one play after the penalty to tie the game. The Vikings then mounted a 16-play drive to take a 14-7 lead. After a quick New England punt, Minnesota needed only five plays to score again when Daunte Culpepper connected with Matthew Hatchette for a 39-yard touchdown and a 21-7 lead. The Patriots scored to make it 21-13 with about 11 minutes left and drove to the Vikings 14 with one minute to go before Bledsoe was sacked on fourth-and-seven to end the game.​

2:11 Highlight Video
2000 Vikings at Patriots Week 3

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, and Full Play-by-Play:

Minnesota Vikings at New England Patriots - September 17th, 2000 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Minnesota Vikings 21 at New England Patriots 13 on September 17th, 2000 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

National Football League Game Summary

September 17, 2000 - Minnesota Vikings at New England Patriots Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 2000 - Minnesota Vikings at New England Patriots boxscore and game statistics.

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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1995: Pats on the wrong end of a 28-3 game
Steve Young, Jerry Rice and the 49ers thump Patriots​

Sunday Sept 17, 1995 at 4:05
Week 3, Game 3 at 3Com Park
San Francisco 49ers 28, New England Patriots 3
Head Coaches: Bill Parcells, George Seifert
QBs: Drew Bledsoe, Steve Young
Odds: 49ers favored by 11½ at home
Clear, 67°, 57% humidity, 6 mph wind; paid attendance 69,951, actual 66,179; time 2:54
Patriots drop to 1-2; 49ers improve to 3-0


It was difficult to find any information on this game in part because googling anything that includes the words '28-3' yields a certain other game. Although I did end up going down an internet rabbit hole about 3Com, a tech company that once upon a time was the major player in networking products, way back in a time when I made some good money from selling their products.


The 49ers were the defending super bowl champions, having easily disposed of Stan Humphries and the Chargers 49-26 eight months earlier. The Patriots were a team on the rise, improving from 5-11 in 1993 to 10-6 and a playoff berth in '94. They would slide back to 6-10 in the 1995 season.


A Vincent Brown interception on the 49ers' first play from scrimmage gave Pats fans brief hope for an upset, and at half time the Patriots were only down 7-3. The 49ers took control in the second half, creating four consecutive turnovers to put the game away.


Steve Young threw three touchdown passes, two to Jerry Rice, and ran for another for San Francisco. The 49ers pressured Drew Bledsoe all day, sacking the Pats QB four times. Bledsoe was an abysmal 21-51 for 241 yards with no touchdowns, three interceptions, and one lost fumble to go along with the sacks. Drew finished the game with a 31.6 passer rating; the Pats offensive line was completely outclassed by a superior 49er defense. If you like aerial attacks then this game was right up your alley, as the two offenses combined to drop back to pass 101 times, plus scrambles and penalties on passing plays.


Troy Brown and Ben Coates had identical stat lines, with five receptions for 72 yards receiving each for the Patriots.

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats, and Full Play-by-Play:

New England Patriots at San Francisco 49ers - September 17th, 1995 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 3 at San Francisco 49ers 28 on September 17th, 1995 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

National Football League Game Summary

September 17, 1995 - New England Patriots at San Francisco 49ers Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 1995 - New England Patriots at San Francisco 49ers boxscore and game statistics.

www.profootballarchives.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1989: Special Teams doom New England
Dolphins end 7-game losing streak vs Pats​

Sunday Sept 17, 1989 at 1:00
Week 2, Game 2 at Foxboro Stadium
Miami Dolphins 24, New England Patriots 10
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Don Shula
QBs: Tony Eason, Dan Marino
Odds: Patriots favored by 6½ at home
Foggy, 62°, 96% relative humidity; paid attendance 58,089, actual 57,043; time 2:55
Patriots drop to 1-1, Dolphins improve to 1-1


The Patriot defense picked off Dan Marino three times, and it still wasn't close to being good enough to defeating Miami. The Dolphins jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead, resulting in predictable play calling. The Dolphins dominated the line of scrimmage, sacking Tony Eason even times while also limiting John Stephens, Bob Perryman and Reggie Dupard to 43 yards rushing.

The game was actually worse than the final score would indicate, as the Patriots scored their only touchdown on the last play of the game.

Patriots Can't Kick in 24-10 Loss to Miami

Things have never been easy against the New England Patriots for Dan Marino, until Sunday.

www.latimes.com

Things have never been easy against the New England Patriots for Dan Marino, until Sunday.​

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Marino threw three touchdown passes in the first half and the Miami Dolphins capitalized on botched punt plays on the Patriots’ first two possessions for a 24-10 victory.​

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“We got field position early and kept moving the ball well,” Marino said. “When we got ahead, they had to throw on nearly every down.”​

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The Dolphins (1-1) ended a 10-game losing streak against AFC East rivals and a seven-game string of setbacks against the Patriots (1-1), who last lost to Miami on Dec. 16, 1985.​

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Marino is 4-8 against the Patriots in his career.​

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New England mistakes gave Miami the ball inside New England’s 30-yard line twice, leading to 10 early points and a 24-0 halftime lead.​

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“The first half was a thing of beauty,” Miami Coach Don Shula said.​

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Patriot quarterback Tony Eason was sacked seven times, the most by the Dolphins since Sept. 14, 1986. Miami extended its NFL record to 14 straight games without allowing a sack.​

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New England tried to surprise Miami with a fake punt from its own 20 after the Dolphins stopped the Patriots on their first series. However, punter Jeff Feagles overthrew Sammy Martin.​

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Marino capitalized with a 16-yard scoring pass, the first of his two touchdown passes to utilityman Jim Jensen, giving the Dolphins a 14-0 lead.​

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Incredibly, the Patriots botched another punt minutes later. A poor snap to Feagles led to another incomplete pass by the punter and gave Miami the ball at the Patriot 29. This time, the Dolphins settled for a 31-yard field goal by Pete Stoyanovich, making the score 17-0 with 4:04 left in the first quarter.​

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Mark Clayton, who began practicing with the Dolphins Tuesday after missing training camp and the first game of the regular season because he held out in a contract dispute, caught a 15-yard touchdown pass from Marino on the first series of the game.​

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“We played together for six years,” Clayton said. “(Marino) knows what I think and I know what he thinks.”​

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Miami’s final score of the first half came on a nine-play, 65-yard drive capped by Marino’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Jensen 7:45 before halftime.​

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New England scored on Greg Davis’ 28-yard field goal in the third quarter and Eason’s 10-yard touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Hart Lee Dykes on the last play of the game.​

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Marino completed 17 of 28 passes for 226 yards but had three interceptions to go with his three touchdowns.​

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The three touchdown passes gave Marino 200 for his career in only 89 games, establishing an NFL record for reaching that plateau in the fewest games. Johnny Unitas of the Baltimore Colts set the record of 200 in his first 121 games.​

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“He’s tough,” Patriot cornerback Raymond Clayborn said of Marino. “That’s how he set the record. He can throw it over anyone when he’s hot.”​

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Forced to throw most of the second half, Eason completed 25 of 49 passes for 341 yards and one interception.​

Stanley Morgan caught six of those passes for 88 yards, giving him 10,028 career receiving yards and making him the seventh NFL player to reach 10,000 receiving yards.​

2:14:52 Full Game
1989 week 2 Dolphins at Patriots
​

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:
National Football League Game Summary

Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots - September 17th, 1989 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Miami Dolphins 24 at New England Patriots 10 on September 17th, 1989 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

September 17, 1989 - Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 1989 - Miami Dolphins at New England Patriots boxscore and game statistics.

www.profootballarchives.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1972: Bengals 31, Patriots 7​

Sunday Sept 17, 1972 at 1:00
Week 1, Game 1 at Schaefer Stadium
Cincinnati Bengals 31, New England Patriots 7
Head Coaches: Paul Brown, John Mazur
QBs: Jim Plunkett, Ken Anderson
Odds: Bengals favored by 4 on the road
Mostly cloudy, 83°, 51% relative humidity, 28 mph wind; attendance 60,999
Patriots start 0-1, Bengals start 1-0


Paul Brown or John Mazur - who do you think won?


Larry Carwell's 45-yard blocked field goal return made the score Cincy 10-7 at the half, then the Bengals outscored the Patriots 21-0 in the second half. The Pats were only able to gain nine first downs - and the Bengals held a whopping 246 to 54 yard rushing yardage margin, and 357 to 137 advantage in total yards.

3:06 Highlight Video
1972 Bengals at Patriots week 1
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September 17, 1972 - Cincinnati Bengals at New England Patriots Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 1972 - Cincinnati Bengals at New England Patriots boxscore and game statistics.

www.profootballarchives.com

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:
National Football league Game Summary

Cincinnati Bengals at New England Patriots - September 17th, 1972 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Cincinnati Bengals 31 at New England Patriots 7 on September 17th, 1972 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1967: Raiders sack Pats QBs eight times
Oakland cruises to 35-7 win​

Sunday Sept 17, 1967 at 4:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Oakland Raiders 35, Boston Patriots 7
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, John Rauch
QBs: Babe Parilli, Daryle Lamonica
Odds: Raiders favored by 10½ at home
Overcast, 71°, 79% humidity 9 mph wind; attendance 26,289
Patriots drop to 0-3, Raiderss improve to 2-0


Daryle Lamonica threw for three touchdowns and ran for another, as the Raiders had no problem with the Patriots. Oakland was a far superior team: they finished 13-1, winning the AFL title before losing to Green Bay in what would later become known as Super Bowl II.

The Pats on the other hand were a team on decline. They peaked in 1964 but plummeted after coming close to playing in the first super bowl, as the roster aged and slowed simultaneously with nowhere near enough quality younger players filling in. The 1966 draft was a complete zero, a catastrophic failure that would haunt the team for several years.


The lone Pats score came in the second quarter on a 19-yard pass from Babe Parilli to Art Graham to tie the score at 7.


Oakland's defense dominated with eight sacks and five turnovers.

That is not a typo.

Although sacks were not an official statistic at that point in time, that was the most sacks allowed in franchise hitory.


Jim Nance averaged 4.0 yards per carry, rushing for 68 yards. Graham had six receptions for 90 yards and Jim Colclough caught five passes for 70 yards in the loss. The offensive line was unable to protect Parilli, who took a beating while going 19-33 for 254 yards.

26:57 Highlight Video
1967 Oakland Raiders Yearbook
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September 17, 1967 - Boston Patriots at Oakland Raiders Box Score and Game Statistics

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for September 17, 1967 - Boston Patriots at Oakland Raiders boxscore and game statistics.

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Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:
American Football League Game Summary

Boston Patriots at Oakland Raiders - September 17th, 1967 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Boston Patriots 7 at Oakland Raiders 35 on September 17th, 1967 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
Maurice Hurst​

Happy 58th birthday to Maurice Hurst
Born September 17, 1967 in New Orleans
Patriot cornerback, 1989-1995; uniform #37
Pats 4th round (96th overall) selection of the 1989 NFL Draft, from Southern University
Pats résumé: seven seasons, 105 games (102 starts), plus one postseason game; Pats All-1990s Team


On April 24, 1988 the Patriots opted out from making a draft pick, sending their fifth round pick to Washington in exchange for a 1989 fourth. It turned out to be a one-sided transaction. Washington selected Chris Mims of Sam Houston State, one of seven players from that fifth round to never play a snap in the NFL. A year later the Pats chose Maurice Hurst, who would be a steady performer at right cornerback, missing just one game over his first six seasons in the league.


In 1994 Hurst led the Patriots with seven interceptions, and was a second team All-Pro. He had been incredibly durable, missing just one game and starting in 68 consecutive games at one point. That all ended when a neck injury sidelined Hurst late in the 1995 season, forcing him to retire at the age of 28. At the time he ranked sixth all-time in franchise history with 27 career interceptions (eighth now).

Maurice Hurst is a member of the NewEngland Patriots All-Decade Team of the 1990s at cornerback, alongside Ty Law.


Trivia: Maurice Hurst is related to Kevin Faulk; both players are cousins of running back Marshall Faulk. In addition his son, Maurice Hurst Jr., is a defensive tackle who was drafted in 2018 - despite being diagnosed with a heart condition at the combine - and has played for the Raiders, 49ers and Browns.


For more on Maurice Hurst, check out this excellent article below:

Where are they now? Former NFL cornerback Maurice Hurst – Crescent City Sports

Hurst was a Louisiana born and bred player who went on to NFL success.

crescentcitysports.com

It did not take long for Hurst to prove New England’s move to be correct. His rookie season was supposed to be a year to sit and learn but fat intervened. Ronnie Lippett blew out his Achilles and second round pick Eric Coleman was also injured. That meant two starting corners were down, paving the way for Maurice.​

“Game two I’m the starting corner facing Dan Marino, Mark Duper, Mark Clayton and the Miami Dolphins,” said Hurst while reflecting on a moment that still amazes him.​

It was a home game at Sullivan Stadium on Sept. 14th. The Dolphins won 24-10, but there was a silver lining despie the trial by fire. Hurst recorded his first NFL interception.​

A little over a month later, Hurst made the biggest play of his young career.​

“We were playing Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills. It was a late game. Andre Reed was in the slot. He ran an out cut. I read it when I saw (Kelly) release the ball. I took it to the House. I couldn’t believe it. When I got in the end zone, I saw a flag, but it was against them,” recalled Hurst. New England won, 33-24.​

Following a 5-11 finish, Berry was fired. Rod Rust, a coach with a deep background on defense, took over. It didn’t work out.​

“I liked Rod Rust,” Maurice said. “We had an older team. He still wanted us to get tougher mentally. He brought back old school tackling drills. It was hard. We were tackling during the season at practice. We only won one game.”​

Rust was replaced by **** MacPherson, who spent 17 seasons as a successful college head coach. “He was a rah-rah type guy,” Hurst explained. “He liked to sing school fight songs.”​

An unsuccessful stretch for the Patriots was well under way but Hurst continued to grow as a player. On that squad in the early 1990’s. he teamed with a pair of Louisiana natives who starred at LSU.​

“Tommy Hodson should have been playing more. He was an NFL starter. He was a smart QB. He and I would compete with each other at practice. We both liked to play golf together after practice. Sammy Martin had a lot of quickness. He was strong. He was awesome.”​

The 1993 campaign marked the arrival of Bill Parcells, who had won two Super Bowls with the Giants. Training camp for the Patriots was located in Smithfield Rhode Island. Rain was a common visitor to training camp in those days, but not this time. That was not a good thing for Hurst and his teammates.​

“We had two a-days and had no rain for 20 days straight. Parcells comes up to me one day and asked ‘You’re not used to this?’ I told him that we had three-a-days at Southern under Marino Casem. I told him how tough Casem was.”​

Parcells ordered Hurst to tell a Patriots secretary to fly Casem into camp. “He wasn’t joking,” Hurst said. Casem, known as the “Godfather,” was brought on board for a week of training camp.​

“(Casem) used to run a zero coverage at Southern, no safety over the top. All one-on-one at the corners. We ran some of that with the Patriots. (Casem) was yelling at me, ‘Don’t let (the receiver) inside.'”​

Casem used to refer to Hurst as Sugar. “He’d tease me but he also told (Patriots owner) Robert Kraft that his players were too soft. He said ‘You need some dogs out here.’ Tough guys.”​

Hurst played well for Parcells and had a breakout year in 1994, recording seven interceptions to earn second team All Pro acclaim. Patriots defensive coordinator Al Groh had made some adjustments.​

“We switched to a Cover 2 zone scheme. We forced the run more. I made a lot of tackles and blitzed off the corner. Parcells told me to toughen up.”​

Out of his seven picks, two came at the expense of Stan Humphries and two more off of Jeff George. The Chargers led by Humphries made it to the Super Bowl that season.​

New England was sitting at 3-6 in 1994 when Parcells challenged his team. “He told us that he can’t make us win, that we’ve got to figure it out. From that point, we rattled off seven straight wins.”​

The first victory of the streak was a 26-20 overtime win over the Vikings. Late in the contest, Minnesota was driving with a chance to take over the game. On a 2nd and two, Warren Moon handed off to Terry Allen. Hurst made the tackle in the open field for no gain. The following play, Hurst swatted away a pass intended for Qadry Ismail on a slant.​

“Bill told me that was two of the greatest plays he had ever seen,” Hurst recalled.​

Maurice reflects back on his days in the NFL with 27 career interceptions, which places him above some of the notable Patriots of the past like Lippett, Nick Buoniconti and Tedy Bruschi.​

“Being a former receiver helped me. I could sense the route. I knew what the receiver was going to do. I could feel when he was going deep. I could jump a curl or slant.”​

1995 Patriots Media Guide

Some articles on Maurice Hurst, Jr - who unfortunately never had much of a relationship with his father:

Rising son

Xaverian lineman Maurice Hurst Jr. has had little contact with his father, former New England Patriot defensive back Maurice Hurst Sr. Despite that he’s developed into one of the top football players in the country and he’ll attend the University of Michigan next fall.

www.boston.com

Maurice Hurst Jr. — and note the important addition — wants you to know it’s no big deal. There’s still frustration, but nothing his teammates or coaches at Xaverian would ever notice. His father, the former Patriots defensive back, is out of the picture, rarely seeing or even talking to his son. In fact, Maurice Sr. has never seen Maurice Jr. play a single football game, from Pop Warner to Xaverian.​

When it comes to his dad, Hurst’s mantra is almost cliché — been there, dealt with that, and moving on.​

“I don’t really care too much as far as what he’s really doing. It’s just me and my mom, so it doesn’t affect me too much. It’s not something I try and think about a lot.’’​

But when he does think about it?​

“There’s anger and frustration, just for not being there for me when I was younger or coming to my games or anything.’’​

'He Grew Up Loving The Patriots': Canton Native Maurice Hurst Suits Up For Raiders At Gillette

The defensive tackle taking on the Patriots just miles from his childhood home.

www.cbsnews.com

Like most Massachusetts natives, Canton's Maurice "Mo" Hurst, Jr. was born a Pats fan. "He grew up loving the Patriots," his mom Nicole Page said. "He grew up watching Tom Brady."​

In fact, his mom was even a cheerleader!​

"They were my team. It's a weird feeling to be cheering against them," Page said.​

Sunday afternoon, you'll find Hurst in #73 for the Raiders; the defensive tackle taking on the Patriots just miles from his childhood home.​

Maurice Hurst Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Maurice Hurst Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

Maurice Hurst Pro Football Stats, Position, College, Draft, Transactions

The most complete, accurate and reliable reference source for Maurice Hurst pro football statistics, stats, draft info, awards, biographical data, transactions and more.

www.profootballarchives.com

Maurice Hurst (cornerback) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org