Today In Patriots History September 27, 2015: Tom Brady throws 400th TD; Pats shred Jaguars, 51-17

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2015: Tom Brady throws 400th touchdown pass
LeGarrette Blount runs for three touchdowns
Jacksonville allows franchise-worst 51 points​

Sunday Sept 27, 2015 at 1:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 51, Jacksonville Jaguars 17
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Gus Bradley
QBs: Tom Brady, Blake Bortles
Odds: Patriots favored by 13½
Patriots improve to 3-0, Jaguars drop to 1-2


The Patriots scored on all nine of their possessions and handed Jacksonville their worst loss in franchise history. Tom Brady hit another milestone with his 400th touchdown pass, and LeGarrette Blount ran for three touchdowns in a 51-17 blowout.


1st Possessions:
After a Jacksonville 3-and-out, Pats score on a 5-play, 64-yard drive.
Dion Lewis scored on an 8-yard run.
Key Play: 43-yard reception by Gronk up the middle sets up 1st down on the 8.
Pats 7, Jaguars 0


2nd Possessions:
Jacksonville drive stalls at midfield after an offensive holding penalty and Jabal Sheard third down sack on Black Bortles.
Brady goes 5-6; Pats settle for 46-yard after an OPI penalty on Gronk.
Pats 10, Jaguars 0


3rd Possessions:
Jacksonville moves ball to NE 17, but goes no further; kick 40-yard FG.
Pats had 2nd & goal on the 2, but two incomplete passes result in a 20-yard FG.
Key plays: Completions of 13 yards to Keshawn Martin and 14 yards to LeGarrette Blount.
Pats 13, Jaguars 3


4th Possessions:
Devin McCourty intercepts a pass intended for Marcedes Lewis and returns it 27 yards to the NE 43.
Brady gets his 400th career TD on a 1-yard pass to Danny Amendola.
Drive begins with three plays for Dion Lewis (8 yard catch, 5 yard run, 9 yard catch) before Gronk's 27-yard catch down to the 3-yard line.
Halftime: Pats 20, Jaguars 3


5th Possessions:
Drive stalls at the 18, Stephen Gostkowski kicks his third field goal (46 yards).
Key plays: 16 yards to Edelman, 21 to Gronk, 9 to Edelman; sack on 3rd-and-13 from the 21.
Jacksonville goes three-and-out.
Pats 23, Jaguars 3


6th Possessions:
Patriots go 67 yards on four plays, scoring on Blount 1-yard run, making it 30-3.
Key play: 52-yard pass interference penalty on deep pass intended for Aaron Dobson.
Jaguars score on 59-yard pass from Blake Bortles to Allen Hurns.
Pats 30, Jaguars 10


7th Possessions:
Pats score on 7-play, 65-yard drive, with Keshawn Martin getting the TD on a 13-yard reception.
Key plays: receptions of 11 yards each by James White and Julian Edelman; a 17-yard run by Blount, with an extra 15 yards for a horse collar tackle.
Jaguars fake punt unsuccessful on 4th-and-8 from their own 22.
Pats 37, Jaguars 10


8th Possessions:
Pats move 24 yards in five plays, Blount scoring on a 1-yard run on the last play of the third quarter.
Key plays: the turnover on downs, and a 17-yard pass to Scott Chandler down to the one yard line.
Jaguars go three-and out.
Pats 44, Jaguars 10


9th Possessions:
Patriots take 9:47 off the clock on a 17-play drive, scoring on another Blount 1-yard TD. Now 51-10.
Key plays: 7 yards to Amendola on 3rd&4; 12 yards to Amendola on 3rd&10; 8 yards to Chandler on 3rd&8.
Bortles to Clay Harbor for 6-yard TD with 1:27 to go. Allen Robinson with receptions of 37 and 20 yards.
Pats 51, Jaguars 17

Brady Further Cements His Legacy Among the Greats in Patriots Win Over Jags | PatsFans.com

Tom Brady passed for his 400th career TD pass on Sunday in the Pats 51-17 win over the Jaguars. The Patriots offense is rolling as the team improved to 3-0.

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Patriots overpower Jaguars, 51-17

The Patriots defeated the Jaguars, 51-17, on Sunday at Gillette Stadium to improve to 3-0.

www.boston.com

Patriots running backs contributed four touchdowns and 115 rushing yards. Dion Lewis scored the Patriots’ opening touchdown with an eight-yard run in the first quarter. LeGarrette Blount racked up three of those rushing touchdowns in the second half as the Patriots built on a 20-3 halftime lead.​

The 51 points scored by the Patriots was the highest total every allowed by the Jaguars.​

Patriots 51-17 Jaguars (Sep 27, 2015) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New England Patriots vs. Jacksonville Jaguars NFL game from September 27, 2015 on ESPN.

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Blake Bortles finished 17 for 33 for 242 yards, with two touchdowns and an interception. Allen Robinson had nine catches for 68 yards, but the Jaguars gained just 57 yards on 20 running plays.​

Jacksonville was also flagged seven times for 114 yards, including back-to-back pass interference penalties in the third quarter. The first cost the Jaguars 52 yards; the second negated an interception and 82-yard return, instead putting the Patriots on the Jacksonville 1.​

Blount punched it in from there to make it 30-3.​

Brady Notches 400th TD Pass In Patriots' 51-17 Win Over Jags

Brady threw for two touchdowns, including the 400th of his career, to help the defending Super Bowl champions run away from the Jacksonville Jaguars for a 51-17 victory on Sunday.

www.wbur.org

After a summer dominated by deflated football talk, the Patriots (3-0) opened with victories over Pittsburgh and Buffalo and then proved they weren't looking past the overmatched Jaguars (1-2). Brady became the fourth quarterback in NFL history to throw for 400 touchdowns, and he added his 401st, a 13-yard pass to Keshawn Martin late in the third quarter.​

By that time, it was 37-10, fans were trying to beat traffic on Route 1, and the Patriots were heading into their bye week with a perfect record.​

In all, Brady completed 33 of 42 passes for 358 yards while leading New England to scores on all nine of his drives. (Backup Jimmy Garoppolo came in to kneel down and run out the clock on the final possession.)​

Patriots 51, Jaguars 17: Brady, Blount dominate Jacksonville

FOXBORO – This team was hungry. They were young. They were athletic. They were a big, strong and fast. Bill Belichick and the Patriots did their best to talk up their opponents leading up to this d…

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The Patriots gained 35 first downs, which tied the franchise record from 2012. Among the players who didn’t impact this game for the Pats was punter Ryan Allen as the offense scored on every drive except for when Jimmy Garoppolo was taking a knee.​

The Patriots have now scored 119 points through three games, which sets a franchise record. The scary thing about this 60-minute performance and start to the season is several players were optimistic that the best is yet to come.​

Patriots 51, Jaguars 17: Tom Brady surgical, offense cannot be slowed...at all

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots absolutely rolled the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday, hanging 51 points on the visitors.

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**Dion Lewis dominated the backfield snaps before garbage time arrived (and it did rather quickly). Lewis had a spectacular 8-yard touchdown run to start things off for New England. LeGarrette Blount ran well, punching in three goal line touchdowns but also ripping off a few long gains.​

**The Pats rotated in some new faces defensively. Justin Coleman, the undrafted rookie out of Tennessee who took a circuitous route to New England, saw extended snaps as the team's No. 2 corner. Bradley Fletcher was inactive, and Tarell Brown did not play. Rookie safety Jordan Richards also played his first defensive snaps of the season. Richards made a nice tackle on a screen pass and also hit TJ Yeldon in the backfield for a loss in the first half.​

Photo Gallery:

PHOTOS: Pats beat Jags 51-17, Brady throws 400th TD

The Patriots beat the Jaguars 51-17 on Sunday in a game that saw Tom Brady pass his 400th touchdown. He is the fourth quarterback in NFL history to accomplish that feat

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Game notes, records and milestones:

Patriots 51, Jaguars 17 -- game notes

Postgame notes from Sunday's romp over the Jacksonville Jaguars by the New England Patriots.

www.patriotledger.com

- PATRIOTS OFF TO 3-0 FOR NINTH TIME IN TEAM HISTORY
- PATRIOTS TIE TEAM RECORD WITH 35 FIRST DOWNS
- PATRIOTS SET FRANCHISE MARK FOR MOST POINTS IN FIRST THREE GAMES
- PATRIOTS IMPROVE UPON NFL BEST HOME RECORD SINCE 2002
- PATRIOTS EXTEND WIN STREAK TO 76 WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF
- PATRIOTS SET NFL RECORD FOR MOST FIRST DOWNS THROUGH THREE GAMES

Jaguars Insider: Jags out of their league in humiliating loss to Patriots

FOXBOROUGH, MASS. | Losing to New England was supposed to happen for the Jaguars on Sunday. They were 13 1/2-point underdogs against a team with the NFL's best quarterback, tight end and slot receive…

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Jaguars shredded by Patriots, give up team-worst 51 points in rout

FOXBOROUGH, MA. - Tom was terrific. Blake was blah. The Jaguars had to find a way to slow down New England quarterback Tom Brady, but had little success in a 51-17 loss Sunday at Gillette Stadium…

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Brady Notches 400th TD Pass In Patriots’ 51-17 Win Over Jags

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady and Stephen Gostkowksi picked up some more milestones. The New England Patriots picked up another lopsided win. Brady threw for two touchdowns, including the 400th of his career, to help the…

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1:09 TB12 Highlights
Tom Brady Highlights (Week 3) | Jaguars vs. Patriots | NFL



26:57 Extended Highlights Video
2015-09-27 Jacksonville Jaguars vs New England Patriots



2:09:32 Full Game
2015 Jaguars @ Patriots

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Jacksonville Jaguars 17 at New England Patriots 51 on September 27th, 2015 - Full team and player stats and box score

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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2020: Rex Burkhead scores three touchdowns
Sony Michel gains 140 yards
Patriots 36, Raiders 20​

Sunday Sept 27, 2020 at 1:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 36, Las Vegas Raiders 20
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Jon Gruden
QBs: Cam Newton, Derek Carr
Odds: Patriots favored by 7
Patriots improve to 2-1, Raiders drop to 2-1


After a slow start - two punts and an interception - the Patriots scored on each of their next six possessions. New England rushed for 250 yards and kept the Raider offense on the bench, controlling the football for nine-plus minutes, 34:39 to 25:21. Rex Burkhead had a career-best three touchdown day (an 11 yard catch and two runs), and Sony Michel gained 140 yards from scrimmage, the second highest total of his NFL career.

For Bill Belichick it was his 275th win as a head coach.

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TURNING POINT​

The Patriots were locked into a battle with the Raiders and had just benefited from a missed game-tying field goal. On the second play from scrimmage of the second half, Sony Michel busted loose for 38 yards thanks to key blocks from Jakob Johnson and Jermaine Eluemunor. This seemed to be a body blow to the Raiders and started a process of tiring them out. Patriots scored five plays later to go up 20-10 and a two-score lead is a very good thing for this Patriots team.​

Patriots 36-20 Raiders (Sep 27, 2020) Game Recap - ESPN

Expert recap and game analysis of the New England Patriots vs. Las Vegas Raiders NFL game from September 27, 2020 on ESPN.

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Rex Burkhead can't remember the last time he scored three touchdowns in a game. But he said every time he reached the end zone Sunday was for James White.​

Burkhead had two rushing touchdowns and a receiving TD, and Bill Belichick joined George Halas (318) and Don Shula (328) as the only coaches in NFL history to reach 275 regular-season victories in the New England Patriots' 36-20 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.​

"We tried to go out there and play for him," Burkhead said of White, who missed his second straight game after his father, Tyrone, was killed in a car accident. "He's a brother to me. I really feel his pain."​

With White out, the Patriots' running backs picked up the slack for an offense that struggled early. Sony Michel finished with nine carries for 117 yards. As a team, New England (2-1) rushed for a season-high 250 yards.​

The Patriots have won the last six meetings with the Raiders and improved to 47-9 in regular-season games following a loss. Raiders coach Jon Gruden dropped to 0-3 against Belichick.​

5 takeaways from the Patriots' 36-20 win over the Raiders

COMMENTARY Five takeaways from the Patriots’ 36-20 stomping of the Raiders, a run-heavy rout that carries forward the team’s momentum and could have consequences in the months to come … Running back by committee gets it done In each of the first two weeks, the big statements made by the Patriots...

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Highlighted by Rex Burkhead’s three touchdowns, Sony Michel’s two long jaunts on the way to a 117-yard day, and J.J. Taylor’s impactful surge in the middle of an important stretch of the second quarter, the Patriots’ running backs answered the critics who had cast doubts on that group after a rough night in Seattle.​

The trio did it in the traditional way — combining for 209 yards on 26 carries — and they also added 72 receiving yards, accounting for 281 of the 407 yards the Pats racked up on the afternoon. To further illustrate their impact, consider this: At the half, New England’s lead was just 13-10. From there, the Patriots scored 26 of the next 29 points, and the running backs tallied 156 of the home team’s 209 yards from scrimmage over that span.​

4 takeaways from Patriots' 36-20 momentum-gaining win vs. Raiders

Tough defense, hard-nose running kept the Patriots ahead against the Raiders.

patriotswire.usatoday.com

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Patriots 36, Raiders 20: New England runs over Vegas

Cam Newton won’t always look like Superman. That was clear on Sunday inside Gillette Stadium. Through the first...

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At 3:20 of the first, Shilique Calhoun forced a fumble on Josh Jacobs and J.C. Jackson recovered the ball. This happened with the Raiders 12 yards away from the end zone. However, Cam Newton gave the ball right back to the Raiders when he forced a throw to Devin Asiasi, but didn’t see Raiders safety Jonathan Abrams. At 2:08 of the first, Abrams came away with the interception. That set up a Daniel Carlson 29-yard field goal and Las Vegas led, 3-0, at the end of the first quarter.​

The Patriots offense showed some life on the next drive to tie the game, 3-3, at 12:32 of the second quarter. Taylor jump started the drive with three carries for 17 yards. A facemask penalty on the Raiders also pushed the Pats up 15 yards. Add on a 13-yard run by undrafted receiver Isaiah Zuber and that was enough to set up a 33-yard Nick Folk field goal.​

The Patriots defense stepped up again on the next drive. At 12:40 of the second quarter, Chase Winovich strip-sacked Derek Carr. Lawrence Guy recovered the ball and the Patriots soon took a 6-3 lead.​

The offense leaned heavily on their run game as Taylor and Burkhead brought the unit to the 5-yard line. After five-straight runs and two first downs, the Pats tried to get the ball in the end zone via the air, but had no luck. That set up a Folk 23-yard field goal at 7:56 of the second quarter.​

Newton threw his first touchdown pass of the game with 34 seconds left in the half to give the Patriots a 13-3 lead over the Raiders. The quarterback hit Damiere Byrd for a gain of 23 to push the Pats within striking distance. On third down, Newton hit Burkhead with a screen pass. The back made a nice jump cut to get near the goal line where he promptly jumped over several Raiders to score the 11-yard touchdown.​

The momentum didn’t last long. The Raiders traveled 75 yards in 28 seconds to score a touchdown with six seconds left in the half. Even after Hunter Renfrow was ruled down on a 27-yard touchdown catch, Carr came back on the next play and hit Foster Moreau for the 1-yard touchdown and the Pats went into halftime with a 13-10 lead.​

The Raiders failed to score to open the half when Carlson missed a 41-yard field goal at 10:48 of the third. The Patriots took the ball back and ended their lead to 20-10 on the ensuring series. Michel jump started the drive with a 38-yard run. Burkhead finished it with a 5-yard touchdown run, his second of the game, at 6:41 of the third quarter.​

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The Patriots ground game continued to give the Raiders fits to extend their lead to 23-10. Michel got the next drive moving with a career-long 48-yard rush to the 13-yard line. The Pats wouldn’t get much farther and Folk hit the 32-yard field goal at 1:28 of the third quarter.​

The Pats defense bent but didn’t break on the next drive as the Raiders closed the gap to 23-13 after a 25-yard field goal from Carlson with 11:22 left in the game.​

Burkhead wasn’t done torturing the Las Vegas defense. With 5:17 left in the game, the running back scored his third touchdown of the afternoon. Burkhead moved the chains twice on this drive with an 11-yard reception and then a 14-yard run. He capped it off with a 2-yard rushing touchdown to give the Patriots a 29-13 after Folk missed the extra point.​

The Patriots defense extended the lead to 36-13 when Calhoun stripped Carr in the end zone. Deatrich Wise jumped on the football for a defensive touchdown with 5:10 left in the game. The Raiders scored one last touchdown with Hunter Renfrow hauling in a 13-yard touchdown with 1:54 remaining.​

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NFL Week 3 PFF ReFocused: New England Patriots 36, Las Vegas Raiders 20

In a game where neither quarterback could establish any sort of rhythm, the New England Patriots' offense retooled its approach and mashed the Las Vegas Raiders' defense on the ground en route to a 36-20 win.

www.pff.com

After watching Cam Newton struggle in the first half, the Patriots' coaching staff made a concerted effort the rest of the way to get their running backs out in space and on the edge of the defense. Rex Burkhead led his team in targets (9), catches (7), receiving yards (49) and touchdowns (3), while 65% of New England's rushing output came on runs that went for 10 yards or more.​

The Patriots' ability to run the ball effectively made rushing the passer almost impossible for Las Vegas. Visibly gassed, the defensive line pressured Newton on only 6.5% of his dropbacks.​

Five observations from the Raiders’ loss to the Patriots - The Athletic

The Patriots had their way on the ground to the tune of 250 total rushing yards and 6.6 yards per carry. The Raiders struggled against inside and outside runs and appeared to wear down as the game progressed. New England won the time-of-possession battle 34:39 to 25:21 and ran 12 more plays than Vegas.​

Instant Takeaways From Patriots' 36-20 Win Over Raiders

New England's run game dominated Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.

www.si.com

Joe Thuney Starts at Center, Michael Onwenu at Left Guard​

With starting center David Andrews placed on injured reserve Saturday, it remained to be seen how New England would replace him in the lineup in Week 3. That question was answered seconds into the game, with left guard Joe Thuney sliding to the center spot, and rookie Michael Onwenu getting the start at left guard.​

Overall, the new starting offensive line did an excellent job considering the circumstances. They helped the run game get going and have one of their best performances thus far this season.​

Chase Winovich Continues To Stand Out​

Much like Trey Flowers did a couple years ago while in a Patriots uniform, Chase Winovich continues to stand out among New England's average front seven.​

Winovich's most notable play in Week 3 was a strip sack in the first half which lead to New England's second field goal of the day.​

Luckily, unlike Flowers, the Patriots have a couple years before Winovich is up for a payday. But based on how New England's defense has looked over the past two weeks, they are once again wasting a talented edge defender by not performing well around him.​

Rex Burkhead Was Patriots' Offensive MVP​

On a day in which Cam Newton struggled throwing the football, veteran running back Rex Burkhead was effective in both facets of the offense.​

Burkhead had 49 rushing yards and 49 receiving yards, to go along with two rushing scores and another through the air. Overall, New England running backs found plenty of running room (251 total rushing yards), but Burkhead's production put points on the board for an offense that struggled through the air in Week 3.​

Sony Michel Silences the Haters​

On a day that felt like a do-or-die situation for former first-round pick Sony Michel, the third-year running back shined. He had 117 yards on nine carries, which is his first 100-yard game during the regular season since Week 16 of 2018.​

With Damien Harris eligible to return in Week 4 and J.J. Taylor also having a decent showing against the Raiders (11 carries for 43 yards), New England's backfield distribution continues to be a mystery on a week-to-week basis.​

Live coverage: Raiders defense falters in 36-20 loss at New England

Is it possible for an NFL game to have playoff implications in Week 3? Don’t scoff at the idea so quickly.

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12:12 Highlight Video
Raiders vs. Patriots Week 3 Highlights | NFL 2020
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Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots - September 27th, 2020 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Las Vegas Raiders 20 at New England Patriots 36 on September 27th, 2020 - Full team and player stats and box score

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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
2009: Fred Taylor rushes for 105 yards, TD
Stephen Gostkowski kicks four field goals
Brady throws 200th career TD; Patriots 26, Falcons 10​

Sunday Sept 27, 2009 at 1:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Gillette Stadium
New England Patriots 26, Atlanta Falcons 10
Head Coaches: Bill Belichick, Mike Smith
QBs: Tom Brady, Matt Ryan
Odds: Patriots favored by 4½
Patriots improve to 2-1, Falcons drop to 2-1

Patriots soar over Falcons on the ground

Effectively mixing the run with the pass, the Pats pull away for a 26-10 romp at Gillette Stadium.

www.patriotledger.com

You want balance?​

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How’s this: On the same day that wide receiver Randy Moss enjoyed the 61st 100-yard receiving game of his NFL career (with 10 receptions for 116 yards) and quarterback Tom Brady became the 27th player in league history to throw 200 touchdown passes, running back Fred Taylor enjoyed the 49th 100-yard rushing game of his career (with 21 carries for 105 yards and one TD).​

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For two games, the attack had hinged on Brady’s right arm, too often putting him on his back.​

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The pass-run imbalance (100 passes; 43 rushing attempts) was clearly a burden on the franchise quarterback, who, while sacked onlyonce, was often under siege, particularly the previous week in the face of an assortment of blitzes from Rex Ryan’s New York Jets.​

The Patriots rushed for 168 yards​

On this Sunday, the Patriots’ ability to run the ball not only helped the Patriots put a season-high 26 points on the board and their second victory in the books, at the same time it helped keep Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan off the field as well.​

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The butt-kicking on this day was done by the Patriots’ offensive line as the team effectively balanced the run (39 carries) with the pass (a season-low 42 attempts).​

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A week after they came out flinging in the Meadowlands, there was no need for Brady to be slinging in the rain.​

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Playing with the luxury of the lead for a good portion of the game also helped the Patriots dictate the more conservative tempo.​

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Clinging to a six-point lead (16-10) in the third quarter, the Patriots went at Atlanta in a way no one could have expected, opting to go for a fourth-and-one from their own 24, converting when Sammy Morris drove up the middle for a couple of yards.​

Live in-game stream/blog:

Patriots 26, Falcons 10

Randy Moss and Fred Taylor eclipse the century mark while leading the Patriots past the Falcons.

www.boston.com

Tom Brady Reaches Milestone With 200th Touchdown - NESN.com

Tom Brady wasn't flawless on Sunday against the Falcons. Though when it came time to record his 200th career touchdown, the quarterback was perfect. Twice. With Randy Moss darting to the right corner of the end zone, Brady lofted a pass that hit Moss in the hands, but his top target was unable...

nesn.com

Tom Brady wasn't flawless on Sunday against the Falcons. Though when it came time to record his 200th career touchdown, the quarterback was perfect. Twice.​

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With Randy Moss darting to the right corner of the end zone, Brady lofted a pass that hit Moss in the hands, but his top target was unable to haul it in. Brady then called a timeout before launching an equally perfect pass to tight end Chris Baker, who was streaking down the right sideline.​

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Baker caught the pass, tiptoed down the sideline and scampered into the end zone, putting the game out of reach for the Falcons and putting Brady into the record books.​

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In completing his 200th touchdown in his 116th career game, Brady became the fourth-fastest player to do so — and he's in some pretty good company. Dan Marino threw his in just his 89th game, trailed by Peyton Manning (106) and Brett Favre (107). Johnny Unitas, who threw his 200th touchdown in his 121st game, now sits in fifth place behind Brady.​

Offense Clicks as Patriots Trump Matt Ryan, Falcons - NESN.com

Well, that was a relief. The Patriots headed into Sunday's Week 3 matchup with Atlanta with a 1-1 record and a desperate need to prove that their offense and defense weren't as incompetent as they seemed. It took a while — about two and a half quarters, to be exact — but they finally got […]

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After going five quarters without a touchdown, the Patriots finally got one in the second quarter — courtesy of an impressive rushing performance by Fred Taylor — and they got another one in the fourth quarter, when Tom Brady hooked up with Chris Baker for a 36-yard bomb to put the Patriots up 26-10.​

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The New England defense, despite losing anchor Vince Wilfork late in the first half, held Atlanta scoreless in the second half and rendered heralded tight end Tony Gonzalez completely ineffective. Gonzalez finished with a single reception for 16 yards. Running back Michael Turner was held to 56 yards on 15 rushes.​

Headliner: Without a rejuvenated rushing attack, the Patriots would have been done for on Sunday. True, the Brady-to-Moss connection seemed to heat up in crunch time at the end of the third quarter. But for the other 55 minutes of the game, when the Patriots were moving the ball, it was because of Fred Taylor. The 33-year-old Jacksonville import gained 105 yards and rushed for New England's first touchdown in its past five quarters to put the Patriots up 10-3 in the second quarter. It was one of the only times all day New England was able to establish some kind of rhythm on offense, and it got the bad taste of last week's touchdownless affair against the Jets out of the Patriots' mouths.​

Game Ball: When you have an offense that goes 1-for-5 in the red zone — and 1-for-8 in its past two games — and you're still putting points on the board, some credit is due to the kicker. Stephen Gostkowski is now New England's leading scorer on the season with 30 points through three weeks, and he knocked four field goals plus two extra points through the uprights on Sunday for 14 points.​

Better Luck Next Week: Let's start with Joey Galloway. The receiver has yet to find his bearings in New England and has yet to establish any kind of connection with Brady, and Brady let it show on Sunday in a way he never has before.​

With about one minute left in the first half, the Patriots drove all the way to the Falcons 15-yard line but came away with a measly three points after Brady failed to connect with a receiver on three straight plays. Galloway flubbed a would-be touchdown and provoked the best imitation of Peyton Manning-on-Mike Vanderjagt that will ever come out of him. After the end of the drive, Brady sat on the bench barking obscenities as Bill Belichick tried to calm him while Galloway stood about three feet in front of him, pouting with his arms crossed. He finished the day with two receptions for 14 yards.​

Special shout-out to the Falcons' Michael Turner, whose fumble with four minutes left in the second led to a 13-10 Patriots halftime lead and marked the beginning of a massive momentum swing that would never quite return for Atlanta.​

Key Moment: With about seven minutes remaining in the third quarter, the Patriots faced fourth-and-1 at their own 24. They went for it, and Sammy Morris' 2-yard rush got them a first down. The offense then marched all the way down to the Atlanta 37 and once again faced fourth-and-3. Brady connected with Moss on a deep pass down the right sideline for a 21-yard pickup. On the very next play, Morris ran the ball and lost it as he was taken down. He was ruled down before the ball popped out, but in one last-ditch effort to catch some momentum, Atlanta head coach Mike Smith challenged the ruling.​

He lost, the Patriots got another field goal to go up 19-10, and the Falcons were officially deflated.​

Brady throws TD pass as Pats top Falcons 26-10

Tom Brady found a running mate and the Patriots finally got some balance in their inconsistent offense.

www.enterprisenews.com

The Falcons totaled just 257 yards. That lowered the Patriots average yield to 262.3 yards per game. Not bad for a defense that lost six of last year’s starters through trades or retirements and played without nose tackle Vince Wilfork after he hurt his left ankle in the first half.​

The Patriots offense had plenty of trouble in the red zone where they settled for four field goals by Stephen Gostkowski. Brady completed just 3 of 10 passes inside the Atlanta 20, but Gostkowski connected from 21, 33, 22 and 33 yards.​

Brady throws TD pass as Pats top Falcons 26-10

Atlanta scored on two of its first three possessions with a 26-yard field goal by Jason Elam and a 2-yard run by Turner, who averaged 106 yards rushing last year and 85 in two games this year.​

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Brady completed 25 of 42 passes for 277 yards and no interceptions and faced much less pressure than he did in his first two games.​

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The Patriots took advantage of a shanked 29-yard punt by Michael Koenen that gave them the ball at their 49 and led to a 10-3 lead. The drive ended with an 8-yard touchdown run by Taylor, who carried the ball for 41 yards on the last four plays.​

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The Falcons tied it 10-10 on Turner’s 2-yard run on the next series midway through the second quarter. Atlanta kept the ball after an on-field ruling that the Patriots had recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown was overturned. Replays showed clearly that Ryan’s arm was going forward and the play was ruled an incomplete pass.​

Brady throws TD pass as Pats top Falcons 26-10

Fred Taylor ran for 105 yards and one touchdown as the New England beat the Atlanta Falcons 26-10 on Sunday.

www.patriotledger.com

The Falcons did lose a fumble on their next possession. James Sanders picked up the loose ball after a 4-yard run by Turner, giving New England the ball at the Atlanta 27. But after Brady threw three straight incompletions, the Patriots managed just a go-ahead 33-yard field goal by Gostkowski 20 seconds before halftime.​

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Each team gained 179 yards in the first half, but the Patriots held a 266-78 advantage after that.​

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Notes: Randy Moss caught 10 passes for 116 yards. His 61 games with at least 100 yards receiving are second most in NFL history to Jerry Rice’s 76. ... The Falcons converted just 2 of 9 third-down plays. The Patriots went 8-for-18 on third downs and 3-for-3 on fourth downs. ... Michael Jenkins led Atlanta with 8 catches for 78 yards.​

Transcripts: Patriots vs. Falcons

Check out all of the postgame reaction from the Patriots' 26-10 triumph over the Falcons.

www.boston.com

7:11 Highlight Video
Falcons vs Patriots 2009 Week 3



2:09:28 Full Game
2009 Falcons @ Patriots
​

NFL Media Game Summary

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

Atlanta Falcons at New England Patriots - September 27th, 2009 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Atlanta Falcons 10 at New England Patriots 26 on September 27th, 2009 - Full team and player stats and box score

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[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1964: Defense intercept Jets six times
Babe Parilli throws a pair of 59-yard touchdowns
Patriots 26, Jets 10​

Sunday Sept 27, 1964 at 2:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Boston College Stadium (now known as Alumni Stadium)
Boston Patriots 26, New York Jets 10
Head Coaches: Mike Holovak, Weeb Ewbank
QBs: Babe Parilli, **** Wood
Odds: Patriots favored by 6
Patriots improve to 3-0, Jete drop to 1-1


A beautiful day in Boston was made even better as the Patriots improved to 3-0 as Ron Burton and Jim Colclough each caught 59-yard scoring aerials from quarterback Babe Parilli, and Gino Cappelletti added four field goals. New York's **** Wood threw five interceptions and backup Mike Taliaferro added another. **** Felt and Ron Hall each had two pickoffs for Boston and Nick Buoniconti and Mike Dukes the others.

The Patriots were unable to get the ground game going (34 rushes for 59 yards), but thanks to the defense it did not matter. Babe Parilli may have thrown a lot of incomplete passes (13-34, 223 yards, 2 TD, 2 Int, 1 sack) but he made up for that with several big chunk plays. Besides the 59-yard TDs to Burton and Colclough, Art Graham had four receptions for 39 yards, Gino Cappelletti had three catches for 36 yards, and Tony Romeo had a pair of 16-yard receptions.

5:19 Highlight Video
9/27/1964 New York Jets at Boston Patriots highlights, American Football League Week 3
​

Ancient Media Game Summary Artifact

Box Score, Team & Individual Statistics:

New York Jets at Boston Patriots - September 27th, 1964 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New York Jets 10 at Boston Patriots 26 on September 27th, 1964 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1992: Buffalo turns close game into 2nd half rout
Jim Kelly throws for 308 yards, 3 touchdowns
Bills 41, Patriots 7​

Sunday Sept 27, 1992 at 1:00
Week 4, Game 3 at Foxboro Stadium
Buffalo Bills 41, New England Patriots 7
Head Coaches: **** MacPherson, Marv Levy
QBs: Hugh Millen, Jim Kelly
Odds: Bills favored by 14
Patriots drop to 0-3, Bills improve to 4-0

1992 New England Patriots: The Last Dark Year – OUAT Sports

ouatsports.com

The offense made it three straight weeks without a first-half point at home against Buffalo. Hugh Millen played to form—24/33 for 202 yards being pretty high-percentage without generating big plays. The defense hung in for a half against a Bills team that was the two-time defending AFC champ and would make it three in a row this year. It was only 6-0 in the third quarter, but then Buffalo rapidly reeled off five straight touchdowns before the Patriots found the end zone for a meaningless score. The final was 41-7.​

Bills 41, Patriots 7 - UPI Archives

Jim Kelly completed 15 of 20 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns Sunday, sending the unbeaten Buffalo Bills rolling past the winless New England...

www.upi.com

Jim Kelly completed 15 of 20 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns Sunday, sending the unbeaten Buffalo Bills rolling past the winless New England Patriots, 41-7.​

The Bills managed only two field goals in the first half, but broke the game open with three third-quarter touchdowns.​

​

Thurman Thomas had 18 carries for 120 yards and one touchdown. Andre Reed made nine catches for 168 yards and a touchdown while James Lofton had four catches for 113 yards and two scores.​

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Hugh Millen's 4-yard touchdown pass to Marv Cook midway through the fourth quarter snapped the streak of seven consecutive scoreless periods by Buffalo's defense.​

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Kelly hit Lofton with a 29-yard touchdown pass four minutes deep in the third quarter, ending an 84-yard drive in eight plays and giving Lofton the 70th touchdown of his career.​

​

Thomas then scored on a 1-yard run and Kelly hit Reed with a 45-yard scoring pass to end a 75-yard drive and give the Bills a 27-0 lead after three periods.​

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Buffalo added fourth-quarter touchdowns on a 22-yard pass from Kelly to Lofton and Mike Lodish returned a Millen fumble 18 yards for a touchdown with less than two minutes to play in the game.​

​

Steve Christie kicked field goals of 42 and 30 yards in the first half. The second field goal came on a drive that included a 31-yard run by Thomas, his longest of the season.​

New England wasted two scoring opportunities in the first half. The Patriots took the opening kickoff and in nine plays drove from their 10 to the Buffalo 41 before being stopped. In the second quarter, New England drove from its 10 to the Bills' 25 before the march stalled.​

​

That drive started when Kelly connected with Reed for 51 yards, but Reed fumbled at the completion of the play and the Patriots Randy Robbins recovered. It was the first time this season the New England defense had created a turnover.​

​

New England was the only AFC East team to defeat the Bills during Buffalo's march to its second straight Super Bowl appearance last year.​

Patriots Can't Win Game of Keep-Away, Either : AFC: They try to deny Buffalo Bills the ball, but it works for only a half and they lose, 41-7.

One way to keep Jim Kelly and Buffalo's potent offense from scoring is to keep the ball away from them.

www.latimes.com

One way to keep Jim Kelly and Buffalo’s potent offense from scoring is to keep the ball away from them. That worked for the New England Patriots in the first half Sunday, but the Bills had the ball often in the second half.​

The Patriots held the ball for 20 minutes 3 seconds in the first half and trailed only 6-0. But the Bills (4-0) had it for 20:04 in the second half, when they scored on their first four possessions and won, 41-7.​

​

“All teams get slowed down, but the great teams make adjustments,” said Kelly, who threw three touchdown passes in the second half. “We had to come in here and play Buffalo Bills football.​

​

The Patriots (0-3) did “exactly what they had to do to stay in the ball game, and that was to control the ball,” Bills’ center Kent Hull said. “The biggest drive of the game was when we came out in the second half and we took the opening kickoff and scored.”​

​

That opened the dike. Kelly found holes in the Patriots’ secondary, and Thurman Thomas raced through gaps in their defensive line.​

“I said before that their defense hadn’t been tested,” New England nose tackle Tim Goad said. “We were tested, and we didn’t pass the test all that well.”​

​

New England’s offense flunked for the third consecutive game.​

​

The Patriots, who have been outscored, 65-13, have only two touchdowns. Buffalo had three in a span of 8:18 of the third quarter on Sunday.​

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“I didn’t think you ever get used to losing. It’s a discouraging time for us,” Patriot quarterback Hugh Millen said. “I don’t have a lot of answers in terms of what we need to do.”​

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The Bills, who crushed Indianapolis, 38-0, a week earlier, have outscored their opponents, 153-45, and lead the NFL in points behind the league’s top passer.​

​

On the first three series of the third quarter, the Bills scored on Kelly’s scoring pass plays of 29 yards to James Lofton and 45 yards to Andre Reed and on Thomas’ seventh touchdown of the year, a one-yard run.​

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Buffalo led, 41-0, after Kelly’s 22-yard pass to Lofton with 13:47 to play and Mike Lodish’s 18-yard fumble return 44 seconds later.​

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Thomas finished with 120 yards in 18 carries, and Kelly completed 15 of 20 passes for 308 yards. Reed had nine catches for 168 yards and Lofton four for 113.​

56:19 NFL Week 4 in Review
Inside the NFL 1992 Week 4 (September 27, 1992)



2:53:02 Full Game
1992 - Week 4 - Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots






9/27/92 Game Images:


Andre Tippett and the defense kept it close for thirty minutes




Ray Agnew and Brent Williams with a sack on Jim Kelly



Marv Cook had 7 receptions for 60 yards and a touchdown​

NFL Media Game Summary

Box Score, Team & Individual Stats:

Buffalo Bills at New England Patriots - September 27th, 1992 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Buffalo Bills 41 at New England Patriots 7 on September 27th, 1992 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1987: Game Canceled
NFLPA goes on strike
​

Sunday Sept 27, 1987 at 1:00
Week 3, Game 3 at Robert F Kennedy Memorial Stadium
New England Patriots at Washington Redskins
Head Coaches: Raymond Berry, Joe Gibbs
QBs: Tony Eason, Doug Williams
Odds: none
Patriots remain 1-1, Washington remains 1-1


1987 Week Three Games Canceled

Day Visiting Team Home Team Sunday Atlanta Falcons New Orleans Saints Sunday Buffalo Bills Dallas Cowboys Sunday Chicago Bears Detroit Lions Sunday Cincinnati Bengals L.A. Rams Sunday Green Bay Packers Tampa Bay Bucs Sunday Indianapolis Colts St. Louis Cardinals Sunday Minnesota Vikings Kansas City Chiefs Sunday L.A. Raiders Houston Oilers Sunday New England Patriots Washington Redskins Sunday N.Y. Giants Miami Dolphins Sunday N.Y. Jets Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers Sunday Seattle Seahawks San Diego Chargers Monday Denver Broncos Cleveland Browns

Deadspin | The 1987 NFL Players Strike Created The Modern NFL

Deadspin | The 1987 NFL Players Strike Created The Modern NFL

deadspin.com

Tight end John Spagnola was the Eagles’ player rep at the time. He felt that the NFLPA’s strategy of playing two games and going on strike—a repeat of their tactic in 1982, which wiped out seven games that year and achieved little beyond some modest increases in severance, back pay, and pension benefits—did too much to show their hand.​

​

“This time the owners were loaded for bear,” Spagnola told me over the phone.​

​

Management’s plan was to recruit strike-breakers, to leverage the notion that even the highly skilled labor of NFL players could be replaced. The league had its PR apparatus on its side, to say nothing of the public’s reluctance to sympathize with professionals making an average of six figures per year to play a game.​

​

By early September, as Mike Tanier wrote in his book-length feature “Year of the Scab: The True Story of the 1987 Players Strike and Replacement Games,” reports began to circulate that teams had offered some of their final training-camp cuts $1,000 as a contingency in the event of a strike. On Sept. 10, the Chicago Tribune reported, the owners voted unanimously “to play through a player strike by fielding anyone willing to wear a uniform.” By the time of that vote, according to the Associated Press, 19 of the league’s 28 teams had already begun signing players.​

​

And by that morning of Oct. 4, there was about to be a bigger clash outside Veterans Stadium than inside it.​

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Three months ago, at a meeting to discuss whether players protesting racial injustice during the national anthem should be punished, Houston Texans owner Bob McNair really stepped in it.​

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“We can’t have the inmates running the prison,” McNair told a roomful of NFL executives and other owners.​

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It was a gaffe in the classic political sense of “accidentally saying what you really mean.” McNair’s words were not meant for public consumption; the wider world knows about them only because ESPN The Magazine got wind of what he said and published it as part of lengthier tick-tock about what happened at the league meetings. McNair later apologized. When that didn’t fly, he tried to say his words referred not to the players, but to the league office. Pretty much no one believed him.​

Football strike that ripped NFL apart in 1987 still resonates with former players

Three former NFL players share strong memories from 1987 players' strike that brought three weeks of notorious "replacement" games.

www.azcentral.com

Replacement football was an ownership ploy to break the strike, and it worked. But there was a cost. It strained relationships between teammates, and drove a wedge that helped break apart at least one storied franchise.​

​

Friday is the 30th anniversary of the end of the replacement era. Even though the strike crumbled after the second replacement game, owners decided to go through with the third week.​

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The final game was a Monday Night Football broadcast on Oct. 19 and pit the Washington Redskins – the only team in the league not to have any players cross the picket line – against a Dallas Cowboys team with about 20 regular players. Not only did Washington win, going 3-0 in replacement games, those victories by the so-called "Scabskins" helped Washington go on to win Super Bowl XXII.​

​

“I think if we had to do it all over again, and I’ve obviously thought about it for a long time over the years, I think we probably should have let about eight teams go back – en masse – and and play the replacement teams,” Cris Collinsworth said. “People would have understood the difference in what they were watching vs. what they were watching before that.​

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“But the owners had a great strategy. It absolutely worked. It ended up breaking that strike. It was a strange time, though. It was really very strange.”​

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1981: Another close loss
Comeback rally falls short; Pats lose fourth in a row
Steelers 27, Patriots 21 in OT​

Sunday Sept 27, 1981 at 1:00
Week 4, Game 4 at Three Rivers Stadium
Pittsburgh Steelers 27, New England Patriots 21 in overtime
Head Coaches: Ron Erhardt, Chuck Noll
QBs: Matt Cavanaugh, Terry Bradshaw
Odds: Steelers favored by 4
Patriots drop to 0-4, Steelers improve to 2-2


The Patriots again lost a close game, which was their theme in 1981.
Over the course of the season the Pats lost eight games by a touchdown or less.

Lynn Swann was a double hero in the Pittsburgh... - UPI Archives

Lynn Swann was a double hero in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 27-21 overtime victory over the New England Patriots Sunday....

www.upi.com

Lynn Swann was a double hero in the Pittsburgh Steelers' 27-21 overtime victory over the New England Patriots Sunday.​

He not only caught the 24-yard winning touchdown pass from Terry Bradshaw 3:19 into the extra period, he called the play in the huddle - the flag pattern.​

'I suggested the play in the huddle right before we ran that last play,' said an exuberant Swann.​

'(Cornerback Ray) Clayborn was trying to cut off the post and deep hooks all day so the flags were there,' added Swann. 'When I ran the pattern, I planted instead of pivoting and I got one step on him.'​

The winning touchdown, said Steeler Coach Chuck Noll, gave him a 'heart attack.' It also spoiled a brilliant fourth-quarter comeback from a 21-7 deficit by the winless Patriots and marred the homecoming of former University of Pittsburgh quarterback Matt Cavanaugh, who engineered the heroics.​

Cavanaugh brought the Patriots even on a 67-yard drive that ended with a 12-yard touchdown pass to Stanley Morgan with 24 seconds left. New England won the toss in overtime and received, but its drive netted just 1 yard, and Mike Hubach was forced to punt from the Patriots' 21.​

'I think I'm still recovering from my heart attack,' Noll said. 'It was an exciting game and a great effort by our football team. New England put a lot of pressure on us.'​

New England Coach Ron Erhardt was as despondent as Swann was thrilled.​

'I really don't have a heckuva lot ot say. What can you say when you lose a game like that?' Erhardt asked, rhetorically. 'We did everything we had to do to win, but we didn't.'​

On first down, the Steelers pulled a flea-flicker play, with Bradshaw handing off to running back Frank Pollard, who lateraled to Bradshaw, who then hit Swann with a pass at the New England 36. Bradshaw then passed seven yards to Bennie Cunningham and Pollard ran four yards for a first down at the Patriots' 24.​

Bradshaw then connected with Swann for the TD that evened Pittsburgh's record at 2-2 after an 0-2 start and dropped New England to 0-4.​

Steelers Defeat Patriots, 27-21 (Published 1981)

www.nytimes.com

It was the Steelers' fourth victory to go with one tie in five overtime games since the format was adopted. The Patriots are 0-5 in sudden death.​

The loss ruined the Patriots' brilliant fourth-quarter comeback from a 21-7 deficit, engineered by Cavanaugh, who was making his first start in Pittsburgh since he quarterbacked the Pitt Panthers in 1977.​

Late in the third quarter, the Patriots began a drive on their own 12 and moved 88 yards in just five plays, with rookie Tony Collins running 10 yards for the touchdown four seconds into the final period. Cavanaugh passed for most of the drive's yardage, completing throws of 9, 45, 9 and 20 yards to set up the score and narrow the Steelers' margin to a touchdown.​

A few minutes later, Pittsburgh attempted to add to its 21-14 lead, but a 39-yard field goal attempt by rookie Dave Trout flew wide to the left with 8:56 remaining.

With 1:53 left in the game, the Steelers had a 4th-and-2 at the New England 32, but Pollard was held for no gain and the Patriots took over to begin their game-tying TD drive.

The Steelers got possession of the ball with 18 seconds left and moved from their own 31 to the New England 31, but this time Trout was wide right on a 48-yard field goal attempt with two seconds left in regulation.


The Steelers had taken a 7-0 first-quarter lead on the first of two 1-yard TD bursts by Franco Harris and made it 14-0 in the second period on a 1-yard pass from Bradshaw to Cunningham.

Late in the second quarter, Cavanaugh scored on a 1-yard plunge, and the Steelers immediately began another long but unfruitful drive. It ended on the Patriots' 1-yard line when time ran out in the half.

Harris' second TD provided Pittsburgh with its 21-7 lead in the third quarter.

27:23 Extended Highlights
1981-09-27 New England Patriots vs Pittsburgh Steelers



2:45:29 Full Game
Steelers @ Patriots 1979
​

NFL Media Game Summary, complete with handwritten corrections

Box Score, Team & Individual Statistics:

New England Patriots at Pittsburgh Steelers - September 27th, 1981 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New England Patriots 21 at Pittsburgh Steelers 27 on September 27th, 1981 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Today in Patriots History
1970: Another loss in another two-win season
Second Half Rally Falls Short
Jets 31, Patriots 21​

Sunday Sept 27, 1970 at 1:00
Week 2, Game 2 at Harvard Stadium
New York Jets 31, Boston Patriots 21
Head Coaches: Clive Rush, Weeb Ewbank
QBs: Mike Taliaferro, Joe Namath
Odds: Jets favored by 14
Patriots drop to 1-1, Jets improve to 1-1


The Patriots were coming off an opening week victory over Miami, but that winning streak stooped at one. Instead the Pats embarked on a nine-game losing streak, beginning with this game.

The 1981 and 1970 Patriots both finished their season with a 2-14 record. The difference is that the 1981 Pats were a better team than their record would indicate; they did have some talent. The 1970 Pats on the other hand were simply a bad team, with a bad coach and a bad quarterback.


The Patriots fell behind 28-7 before scoring twice in the third quarter on a 40 yard TD reception by Ron Sellers and a six yard run by Carl Garrett to pull within seven at the end of the third quarter. But with a game plan overly focused on limiting Joe Namath's passing game, the Jets were content to run the ball - and the Patriots could not score on any of their fourth quarter possessions. Mike Taliaferro's three interceptions didn't help matters.

New York was looking for their first win, after losing to the Cleveland Brown in what was the first ever Monday Night Football game in week one.

Jets Beat Patriots, 31?21, on Running of Boozer and Snell (Published 1970)

www.nytimes.com

In a chess game created by Clive Rush's determination to smother the New York Jets’ wide receivers, Joe Namath used his running backs — Emerson Boozer and Matt Snell — as the primary pieces today in a 31?21 victory over the Boston Patriots.​

Statistics of the Game​

With a ratio of 45 running plays to only 20 passes, Boozer whirled 90 yards in the 16 times he carried the ball and Snell slammed for 86 on 26 carries.​

Ignoring, for the most part, the Patriots’ double coverage on George Sauer, Rich Caster and Don Maynard (who appeared for only about a dozen plays), Namath completed nine of 20 passes for 96 yards. Boozer caught four for 28 yards, Snell one for 27 (the long gain).​

Ewbank Lauds Namath​

“I thought Joe called a great game,” Weeb Ewbank, the Jet coach, said later. “He really mixed it up.”​

Rush, the former Jet aide who is in his second season as the Patriot coach, defended his “wide five” alignment, as it is known. With only three line men and four linebackers, it invites a running attack, as Boozer and Snell proved for the 36,040 damp spectators at Harvard Stadium.​

But while squaring their won lost record at 1?1, the Jets had two potentially serious casualties. John Schmitt, the center, incurred a hip injury and Steve Thompson, the left tackle on the defensive unit, departed early with contused ribs. Each will be X?rayed tomorrow.​

Interceptions Help Jets​

Snell and Boozer scored touchdown each, as did Pete Lammons, the tight end, on Namath's 4?yard pass but three interceptions — by Gus Holloman, Ralph Baker and Earlie Thomas — contributed to the Jets’ commanding 28?7 lead moments after the second half began.​

Holloman, replacing Jim Hudson as the strongside safe ty throughout, disrupted the Patriots’ first drive.​

“They were in a slot,” Holloman said in explanation, “and I was to pick up the first back out, and I saw the ball.”​

Starting at the Jets’ 32, Namath interspersed the ground’ attack with his only completions to Sauer and Caster in a 68?yard drive that ended with Snell's 2?yard burst. But a 68?yard punt return by Carl Garrett put the Patriots in position fon the tying touchdown on Jim Nance's 11?yard sweep.​

Baker's interception at the Patriots’ 30?yard line developed when Verlon Biggs, the defensive end, whacked Mike Taliaferro, the Boston quarterback.​

“He was supposed to throw deep. I heard him check off on a go pattern,” Baker, the left linebacker, said, “but Verlon nearly killed him and I guess he tried to get rid of it short.”​

Boozer Adds a Touchdown​

Boozer's 5?yard touchdown, followed. Then Tom Janik's 24 yard punt preceded the Namath to?Lammons touchdown pass.​

On the third play of the second half, Thomas, a rookie cornerback, got in front of Bake Turner, the former Jet, whom he limited to two receptions for 24 yards, and intercepted Taliaferro's sideline pass at the Patriots’ 36. The 11th?round draft choice breezed into the end zone.​

“We were in a zone, and knew I had help deep,” Thomas said, “so I was looking into the backfield.”​

After that, Taliaferro, who completed only two passes in the first half, threw desperately. He collaborated with Ron Sellers, his tall target, on a 40?yard pass for a touch down. Steve Tannen, the Jets'’ rookie cornerback, inadvertently tipped the ball into Sellers’ big hands.​

“I thought. I was going to intercept it,” Tannen said.​

The final Patriot touchdown by Garrett was set up by an unusual fumble. Snell appeared to have been tackled, but after a delay, Ed Philipott, a linebacker, suddenly had the ball.​

DE Ron Berger pushes aside a Jet player to get to RB Lee White at Harvard Stadium on Sept 27, 1970


2:21 Highlight Video
1970 Jets at Patriots week 2
​

Media In-Game Summary

Box Score, Team & Individual Statistics:

New York Jets at Boston Patriots - September 27th, 1970 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

New York Jets 31 at Boston Patriots 21 on September 27th, 1970 - Full team and player stats and box score

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[jmt57]

Happy 34th birthday to Dion Lewis
Born September 27, 1990 in Brooklyn, New York

1:20 Highlight Video
Dion Lewis 98-yard Kick Return for a Touchdown! | Texans vs. Patriots | NFL Divisional Highlights



2:27 Highlight Video
Dion Lewis' Record Breaking 3 TD Game! | Texans vs. Patriots | NFL Divisional Player Highlights
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