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The 2010 season was the
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
' 41st in the
National Football League The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the majo ...
(NFL) and their 51st overall. The Patriots improved on their 10–6 record from
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...
by finishing with a league-best 14–2 record and clinching the top seed in the AFC, before losing to the
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The ...
in the
playoffs The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eit ...
. After losing to the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
at home in the first round of the 2009 playoffs, the Patriots went into the 2010 season without either an offensive or defensive coordinator following the departure of defensive coordinator
Dean Pees Russell Dean Pees (born September 4, 1949) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the New England Patr ...
. An October 6 trade sent All-Pro wide receiver
Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennesse ...
to the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
, and eventually led to the return of wide receiver
Deion Branch Anthony Deion Branch Jr. (born July 18, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL), who currently serves as director of player development and alumni relations at the University of Louisville. He was ...
from the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...
in a separate deal. After acquiring Branch, the Patriots won 11 of their last 12 games of the season to finish with a 14–2 record and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Quarterback
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
finished the regular season with an NFL-record 335 consecutive pass attempts without an interception, and broke his own 2007 TD to INT ratio record with 9:1 and was named
NFL MVP The National Football League Most Valuable Player Award (NFL MVP) is an award given by various entities to the American football player who is considered the most valuable in the National Football League (NFL) during the regular season. Organizati ...
. The Patriots committed an NFL-record low 10 turnovers on the season, setting an NFL record with seven consecutive games without a turnover. In their Divisional playoff game against the Jets, the Patriots could not recover from a 14–3 halftime deficit, and were held to their lowest scoring total in their last 11 weeks, dropping the contest 28–21 to the underdog Jets. Statistics site
Football Outsiders Football Outsiders (FO) is a website started in July 2003 which focuses on advanced statistical analysis of the NFL. The site is run by a staff of regular writers, who produce a series of weekly columns using both the site's in-house statistics ...
calculated that the Patriots 2010 offense was not only more efficient, play-for-play, than their record-setting 2007 offense, but was actually the best offense they calculated in their history. This was the last time the Patriots failed to make the AFC championship game until 2019.


Offseason


Staff changes

Four days after the Patriots' playoff loss against the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
,
defensive coordinator A defensive coordinator is a coach responsible for a gridiron football (American football) team's defense. Generally, the defensive coordinator, the offensive coordinator and the special teams coordinator represent the second level of a team's c ...
Dean Pees Russell Dean Pees (born September 4, 1949) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as the defensive coordinator for the New England Patr ...
announced that he would not seek to renew his contract, which expired at the end of the 2009 season. He was named the Ravens'
linebacker Linebacker (LB) is a playing position in gridiron football. Linebackers are members of the defensive team, and line up three to five yards behind the line of scrimmage and the defensive linemen. They are the "middle ground" of defenders, ...
s coach on January 26. The Patriots did not name a formal replacement for defensive coordinator. The team did, however, add former
defensive back In gridiron football, defensive backs (DBs), also called the secondary, are the players on the defensive side of the ball who play farthest back from the line of scrimmage. They are distinguished from the other two sets of defensive players, the ...
and Notre Dame defensive coordinator Corwin Brown as a defensive backs coach, which was later clarified to mean Brown would coach the team's
safeties Safety is the condition of being protected against harmful conditions or events, or the control of hazards to reduce risk. Safety may also refer to: Places * Safety Island, Antarctica Government * The Internet Stopping Adults Facilitating t ...
, alongside existing defensive backs coach
Josh Boyer Josh Boyer (born January 21, 1977) is an American football coach who is the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). Boyer previously coached with the New England Patriots and multiple college footba ...
. Additionally,
tight end The tight end (TE) is a position in American football, arena football, and Canadian football, on the offense. The tight end is often a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Lik ...
s coach
Shane Waldron Shane Waldron (born August 17, 1979) is an American football coach who is the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Rams, Washington C ...
left the team following the season and later joined the coaching staff of the Hartford Colonials of the United Football League. No formal replacement was named. In the personnel department, pro scout Brian Smith was named assistant director of college scouting.


Departures

On the eve of the start of the free agent signing period, the Patriots released tight end Chris Baker, who had signed a five-year deal the year before. The team also lost two unrestricted free agents:
defensive end Defensive end (DE) is a defensive position in the sport of gridiron football. This position has designated the players at each end of the defensive line, but changes in formations over the years have substantially changed how the position is p ...
Jarvis Green Jarvis Pernell Green (born January 12, 1979) is a former American football defensive end who played in the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2002 NFL draft. He played college f ...
signed with the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
, while tight end Benjamin Watson joined the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...
. On April 26, the team released veteran linebacker Adalius Thomas after three seasons with the team. Weeks later, the Patriots released veteran
cornerback A cornerback (CB) is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in gridiron football. Cornerbacks cover receivers most of the time, but also blitz and defend against such offensive running plays as sweeps and reverses. They create tur ...
Shawn Springs Shawn Springs (born March 11, 1975) is a former American college and professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons. He played college football for Ohio State University, and earned All- ...
after one year with the team. On September 14, after the Patriots' first game of the season, running back Laurence Maroney was traded to the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
along with a sixth-round selection in the
2011 NFL Draft The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York ...
in exchange for the Broncos' fourth-round pick in 2011. In the week leading up to the Patriots' 2010 season opener against the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The club's home ...
,
Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennesse ...
, who was entering the final year of his contract told
CBS Sports CBS Sports is the sports division of the American television network CBS. Its headquarters are in the CBS Building on W 52nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, with programs produced out of Studio 43 at the CBS Broadcast Center on W ...
that he "did not feel wanted" in New England absent a contract extension offer. After the game, Moss told reporters that it would be his final season with the Patriots. The ''
Boston Herald The ''Boston Herald'' is an American daily newspaper whose primary market is Boston, Massachusetts, and its surrounding area. It was founded in 1846 and is one of the oldest daily newspapers in the United States. It has been awarded eight Puli ...
'' reported weeks later that Moss requested a trade following the game. Two days after the Patriots' Week 4 game against the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
, Moss was traded to the
Minnesota Vikings The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. Founded in 1960 as an expansi ...
in exchange for the Vikings' third-round selection in the
2011 NFL Draft The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York ...
. The Patriots also sent a
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
seventh-round selection to the Vikings as part of the trade.


Arrivals

Three days before the deadline for doing so, the Patriots assigned the non-exclusive franchise tag to unrestricted free agent
nose tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the l ...
Vince Wilfork Vincent Lamar Wilfork (born November 4, 1981) is a former American football nose tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the University of Mi ...
, while expressing their desire to reach a long-term contract with Wilfork. On March 5, the first day of free agency, the Patriots re-signed Wilfork to a five-year, $40 million contract with $25 million in guaranteed money. Before the start of free agency, the Patriots signed wide receiver
David Patten David Patten (August 19, 1974 – September 2, 2021) was an American professional football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League as a street fr ...
, who was with the team from
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight ...
but had spent the
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; Protests ...
season out of football. They also signed unrestricted free agents linebacker
Marques Murrell Marques Allen Murrell (born March 20, 1985) is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He played college football at Appalachian State. Murrell also played for the Ne ...
and tight end
Alge Crumpler Algernon Darius Crumpler (; born December 23, 1977) is a former American football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He pla ...
, as well as
defensive linemen In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A num ...
Damione Lewis Damione Ramon Lewis (born March 1, 1978 in Sulphur Springs, Texas) is a former American football defensive end and current coach in the National Football League. Lewis is currently a defensive assistant for the Seattle Seahawks. He was drafted by ...
and
Gerard Warren Gerard Thurston Warren (born July 25, 1978) is an American former college and professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He played college football for the University of F ...
, and wide receiver
Torry Holt Torry Jabar Holt (born June 5, 1976) is a former professional American football player who was a wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for eleven seasons. He was named to the Pro Bowl seven times and retired with the 10th most rec ...
, who were all released by their former teams (though Holt would never play for the team as he was sent to IR in August and retired shortly after). The Patriots also signed former
Australian Rules Footballer Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...
David King as a punter. The Patriots also re-signed a number of their own unrestricted free agents. Linebacker
Tully Banta-Cain Tully Cameron Banta-Cain (born August 28, 1980) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at California. Banta-Cain earned two Su ...
was re-signed to a three-year contract, while
guard Guard or guards may refer to: Professional occupations * Bodyguard, who protects an individual from personal assault * Crossing guard, who stops traffic so pedestrians can cross the street * Lifeguard, who rescues people from drowning * Prison gu ...
Stephen Neal Stephen Matthew Neal (born October 9, 1976) is a former American football guard who played his entire career for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He is a former world champion in freestyle wrestling and two-time NCAA n ...
signed a two-year contract. Cornerback
Leigh Bodden Leigh Edmond Bodden (born September 24, 1981) is a former American football cornerback. He was originally signed by the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Duquesne. Bodden has also played for the D ...
,
running back A running back (RB) is a member of the offensive backfield in gridiron football. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback to rush the ball, to line up as a receiver to catch the ball, and block. Th ...
Kevin Faulk Kevin () is the anglicized form of the Irish masculine given name (; mga, Caoimhghín ; sga, Cóemgein ; Latinized as ). It is composed of "dear; noble"; Old Irish and ("birth"; Old Irish ). The variant '' Kevan'' is anglicized from , a ...
, and linebacker Derrick Burgess were also re-signed. Restricted free agents
Stephen Gostkowski Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
and
Pierre Woods Pierre Woods (born January 6, 1982) is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2006. He played college football at Michigan. Early years Woods was a two-year letterman at Gle ...
were re-signed; Gostkowski was later re-signed to a four-year extension before the season. Restricted free agent running back Chris Taylor was not offered a tender, making him an unrestricted free agent, but he was later re-signed. Exclusive rights free agent linebacker Gary Guyton signed a two-year contract through 2011; while fellow exclusive-rights free agent safety Bret Lockett also re-signed. Guard
Logan Mankins Logan Lee Mankins (born March 10, 1982) is a former American football guard who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. After playing college football at Fresno State, he was drafted ...
became a
restricted free agent A restricted free agent (RFA) is a type of free agent in the National Football League (NFL), National Hockey League (NHL), or National Basketball Association (NBA). Such players have special restrictions on the terms under which they can retain ...
under the terms of the NFL-
NFLPA The National Football League Players Association, or NFLPA, is a labor union representing National Football League (NFL) players. The NFLPA, which has headquarters in Washington, D.C., is led by president J. C. Tretter and executive director DeM ...
collective bargaining agreement A collective agreement, collective labour agreement (CLA) or collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a written contract negotiated through collective bargaining for employees by one or more trade unions with the management of a company (or with an ...
, which entered its final, uncapped year; Mankins otherwise would have been an
unrestricted free agent In professional sports, a free agent is a player who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under contract at present but who is ...
in a normal season. The Patriots tendered at the highest possible level for a restricted free agent, $3.26 million, which have required any team signing Mankins in the restricted free agent signing period, which ended on April 15, 2010, to surrender first- and third-round draft selections to the Patriots. On June 15, with Mankins yet to sign his tender, the Patriots were able to lower Mankins' tender amount to 110% of his prior year salary, or $1.54 million. The Patriots did so, and Mankins, who was looking for a long-term contract, reacted by publicly asking for a trade. He did not attend the Patriots' mandatory June minicamp, which he was not required to attend as he was not under contract at the time. Mankins remained unsigned through the team's training camp, preseason, and the start of the regular season. Mankins reported to the Patriots and signed his tender on November 2, in advance of the team's Week 9 game against the
Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns are a professional American football team based in Cleveland. Named after original coach and co-founder Paul Brown, they compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conferenc ...
. He did not have to report until Week 12 in order to be on the roster for the necessary six games to earn his sixth accrued season of free agency credit. The NFL granted the Patriots a two-game roster exemption for Mankins upon his reporting. However, the Patriots activated Mankins on November 6, before using either game of the exemption. On August 23, the Patriots acquired offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka from the
Atlanta Falcons The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta. The Falcons compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) NFC South, South division. The Falcon ...
in exchange for a seventh-round selection in the
2011 NFL Draft The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players. Like the 2010 draft, the 2011 draft was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York ...
. On September 4, the day the team was required to cut down to 53 players, they acquired linebacker
Tracy White Tracy Donnel White (born April 14, 1981) is a former American football linebacker. He was signed by the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent in 2003. He played college football at Howard Bison football, Howard. White has also been a memb ...
and a
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gat ...
seventh-round selection from the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
for a 2012 sixth-round selection, as well as safety Jarrad Page from the
Kansas City Chiefs The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The t ...
for an unannounced draft selection. Nearly a week after a trade sent wide receiver
Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennesse ...
out of New England, the Patriots traded a 2011 fourth-round selection to the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...
for receiver
Deion Branch Anthony Deion Branch Jr. (born July 18, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL), who currently serves as director of player development and alumni relations at the University of Louisville. He was ...
. Branch played for the Patriots from
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...
and was the
MVP In team sports, a most valuable player award, abbreviated 'MVP award', is an honor typically bestowed upon an individual (or individuals, in the instance of a tie) whose individual performance is the greatest in an entire league, for a particu ...
of the team's
Super Bowl XXXIX Super Bowl XXXIX was an American football game played between the American Football Conference (AFC) champion New England Patriots and the National Football Conference (NFC) champion Philadelphia Eagles to decide the National Football League ...
win.


2010 NFL Draft

The Patriots traded their original fifth-round pick (#153 overall) to the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) South division. The cl ...
in April 2009 in exchange for tight end
Alex Smith Alexander Douglas Smith (born May 7, 1984) is an American former quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 16 seasons. He played college football at Utah, where he received first-team All-American honors and won the ...
. In August 2009, the Patriots traded their original third- and fourth-round selections (#85 and No. 119 overall) to the
Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders were a professional American football team that played in Oakland from its founding in 1960 to 1981 and again from 1995 to 2019 before relocating to the Las Vegas metropolitan area where they now play as the Las Vegas Ra ...
in exchange for defensive end Derrick Burgess. The trade was made on the condition that, because the Patriots had already traded their fifth-round selection, the fourth-round selection sent to Oakland would become a fifth-round selection once the Patriots re-acquired one. Later that month, the Patriots traded defensive lineman
Le Kevin Smith Le Kevin Smith (born July 21, 1982) is a former American football defensive tackle of the National Football League (NFL), who played five seasons from 2006-2010. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2006 NFL Dr ...
to the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
along with a seventh-round pick (#231) they acquired from the
Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia. The Eagles compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team play ...
to the
Denver Broncos The Denver Broncos are a professional American football franchise based in Denver. The Broncos compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division. The team is headquar ...
in exchange for the Broncos' fifth-round pick (#158 overall), which was sent to Oakland for the Patriots' original fourth-round pick (#119 overall). The Patriots then re-acquired the seventh-round pick that had been sent to Denver in the Le Kevin Smith trade in exchange for
offensive lineman In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numb ...
Russ Hochstein Russ Hochstein (born October 7, 1977) is a former American football Center. After playing college football for Nebraska, he was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played for the Buccaneers for two s ...
. The Patriots traded a conditional seventh-round pick to the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
for linebacker
Prescott Burgess Prescott Ennis Burgess (born March 6, 1984) is a former American football linebacker and special teamer. He was drafted by the Ravens in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has had three stints with the team. He played college football at ...
in September 2009. He was waived by the Patriots six days later. Since the trade was conditioned on Burgess being active for a certain number of games, and since Burgess was inactive in the only game for which he was with the Patriots, the Patriots kept the pick.


Staff


Opening training camp roster

As of the Patriots' first training camp practice at
Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is southwest of downtown Boston. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for both the New England Patriots of the National Foo ...
on July 29, they had one fewer than the NFL maximum of 79 players signed to their roster. Restricted free agent
Logan Mankins Logan Lee Mankins (born March 10, 1982) is a former American football guard who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. After playing college football at Fresno State, he was drafted ...
did not count against that limit, as he had yet to sign his tender. Derrick Burgess was placed on the Reserve/Did Not Report list and did not count against the limit.


Schedule


Preseason


Regular season

: Simulcast on
WCVB-TV WCVB-TV (channel 5) is a television station in Boston, Massachusetts, United States, affiliated with ABC and owned by Hearst Television. The station's studios are located on TV Place (off Gould Street near the I-95/ MA 128/Highland Avenue ...
and
WMUR-TV WMUR-TV (channel 9) is a television station licensed to Manchester, New Hampshire, United States, broadcasting ABC programming to most of New Hampshire. Owned by Hearst Television, the station maintains studios on South Commercial Street in do ...
.


Week 1 roster


Regular season results


Week 1: vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The Patriots began their season at home with an AFC duel against the
Cincinnati Bengals The Cincinnati Bengals are a professional American football team based in Cincinnati. The Bengals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The club's home ...
. After a Bengals punt, the Patriots scored the first points of the game, racing 72 yards in 5 plays, scoring on a 9-yard touchdown pass from
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
to
Wes Welker Wesley Carter Welker (born May 1, 1981) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the San ...
. Following a Bengals punt, the Patriots marched all the way to the Bengals 14, but had to settle for a 32-yard field goal by
Stephen Gostkowski Stephen Carroll Gostkowski ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American football former placekicker who played for 15 years in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. He was selected in the fourth round of th ...
, extending the lead to 10–0. On the third play of the Bengals next drive, Cedric Benson fumbled with
Rob Ninkovich Robert Michael Ninkovich (born February 1, 1984) is a former American football outside linebacker who played eleven seasons in National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Purdue as a defensive end and was drafted by the New Orl ...
recovering at the Bengals 34. The Patriots only gained 4 yards and Gostkowski missed a 47-yard field goal, keeping the score 10–0. After another Bengals punt, the Patriots engineered a 10 play, 80-yard drive, scoring on another touchdown pass from Brady to Welker, widening the lead to 17–0. The Bengals reached Patriots territory for the first time on their next drive, but Gary Guyton intercepted
Carson Palmer Carson Hilton Palmer (born December 27, 1979) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the Cincinnati Bengals and Arizona Cardinals. He played college football at ...
at the 41 and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown, giving the Patriots a big 24–0 lead. The Bengals finally struck on their next drive, driving to the Patriots 35, and Mike Nugent hitting a 53-yard field goal, making the score 24–3. After
Ben Tate Benjamin Franklin Tate (born August 21, 1988) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn. Tate also played for the Cleveland ...
returned the ensuing kick 38 yards to the Patriots 32, the Patriots reached the Bengals 37, but Gostkowski missed the 55-yard field goal attempt wide right. Palmer connected with
Jordan Shipley Jordan Shipley (born December 23, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. Shipley played college football for the University of Texas, and received consensus All-American recognition. He was picked by the Cincinnati Bengals in the t ...
for a 51-yard gain on the last play of the first half, but they couldn't reach the end zone and the Patriots led 24–3 at halftime. Tate returned the opening kickoff of the second half 97 yards for a touchdown, blowing the game open 31–3. The Bengals countered with a 12 play, 85-yard drive, in just under seven minutes, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Palmer to
Jermaine Gresham Jermaine Gresham (born June 16, 1988) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he received All-American honors. ...
, trimming the deficit to 31–10. After a Patriots three-and-out, the Bengals continued their comeback, marching 74 yards in 12 plays, scoring on a 28-yard touchdown pass from Palmer to Chad Ochocinco, trimming the deficit to a manageable 31–17. The Patriots ended any hope of a Bengals comeback on their next drive, engineering a 14 play, 81-yard drive, in nearly eight minutes, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Brady to rookie
Rob Gronkowski Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played h ...
, increasing the lead to 38-17 midway through the fourth quarter. The Bengals answered, racing 76 yards in under four minutes, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Benson, bringing the score to 38–24 with just under four minutes to play and giving the Bengals some hope, but the Patriots got the ball after Malik Johnson was flagged for illegal touch on the onside kick. The Patriots drove all the way to the Bengals 7 and turned the ball over on downs, draining over two minutes off the clock. The Bengals ran out the rest of the clock and the Patriots won the game.


Week 2: at New York Jets

New England went on the road to face division rival New York in the latest meeting between the two teams at the
New Meadowlands Stadium MetLife Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, 5 mi (8 km) west of New York City. Opened in 2010 to replace Giants Stadium, it serves as the home for the New York Giants and ...
. The Jets had lost their opener to the
Baltimore Ravens The Baltimore Ravens are a professional American football team based in Baltimore, Maryland. The Ravens compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. The team plays its ...
the previous week. The Patriots droved 51 yards in seven-and-a-half minutes to the Jets 14, but after a false-start penalty, Gostkowski missed a 37-yard field goal. After a Jets three-and-out, the Patriots went on a 15 play, 75-yard marathon, taking over eight minutes off the clock, scoring on a 6-yard touchdown pass to Welker early in the second quarter. After accruing no passing yards during the first quarter, the Jets marched 73 yards in 12 plays, taking just under 7 minutes off the clock, scoring on a 10-yard touchdown pass from
Mark Sanchez Mark Travis John Sanchez (born November 11, 1986) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football at the University of Southern California (USC) and was draft ...
to
Braylon Edwards Braylon Jamel Edwards (born February 21, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Michigan, earned unanimous All-American honors, and was recognize ...
. Two possessions later, after two incomplete passes, Brady hit Hernandez for a 46-yard catch-and-run, then hit Moss for a 34-yard touchdown pass on an incredible one-handed catch, beating the vaunted
Darrelle Revis Darrelle Shavar Revis (born July 14, 1985) is an American former football cornerback who played in National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons, primarily with the New York Jets. He played college football at Pittsburgh and was selected in th ...
, re-taking a 14–7 lead. The Jets answered, marching to the Patriots 31, and
Nick Folk Nicholas Alexander Folk (born Niklaus Aleksandre Faulke, November 5, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona, where he received first-tea ...
was good on a 49-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to 14–10 at halftime. After a Jets punt, the Patriots drove to the Jets 47, but
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Dieg ...
intercepted his pass attempt for Moss at the 3. The Jets raced to the Patriots 17, and Folk was good on a 36-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to just 14–13. The Jets cashed in after a Patriots three-and-out, racing 70 yards in 6 plays, scoring on a 2-yard touchdown pass to
Jerricho Cotchery Jerricho Cotchery (born June 16, 1982) is a coach and former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) with the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers from 2004 to 2015. He played colleg ...
(with a successful 2-point conversion), taking a 21–14 lead. On the second play of the Patriots next drive, Cromartie intercepted another pass attempt for Moss at the Jets 41, but couldn't move the ball. After forcing the Patriots to punt, the Jets marched 63 yards in 8 plays, aided by a 23-yard pass interference penalty on
Darius Butler Darius Jermaine Butler (born March 18, 1986) is a former American football free safety. He played college football at Connecticut. Butler was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He has also played for t ...
, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown toss to
Dustin Keller Dustin Kendall Keller (born September 25, 1984) is a former American football tight end. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue. Keller has also been a member of the Mi ...
, widening the lead to 28-14 midway through the fourth quarter. The Patriots drove to the Jets 16, but Brady was strip-sacked by Jason Taylor with David Harris returning it 16 yards to the Jets 41. A 3-yard run by
LaDainian Tomlinson LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers se ...
on 4th-and-1 allowed the Jets ran out the rest of the clock to win the game. With the loss, the Patriots fell to 1–1.


Week 3: vs. Buffalo Bills

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Jets, the Patriots returned to home ground for an AFC East match against the Bills. The Bills marched right down the field on the opening drive, 59 yards, scoring on a 39-yard field goal by kicker Rian Lindell. The Patriots countered, storming 74 yards in 8 plays, scoring on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Brady to
Randy Moss Randy Gene Moss (born February 13, 1977) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 14 seasons with the Minnesota Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennesse ...
. Two possessions later, with great field position, the Bills drove to the Patriots 15, but after a 7-yard sack by
Jerod Mayo Jerod Mayo Sr. (born February 23, 1986) is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the inside linebackers coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Mayo played college football for the University ...
the Bills settled with Lindell connecting on another 39-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to 7–6. On the fourth play of the Patriots next drive, Tate fumbled after a 14-yard catch being tackled by
Drayton Florence Drayton Florence, Jr. (born December 19, 1980) is a former American football cornerback who played eleven seasons in the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played colle ...
with
Jairus Byrd Jairus Keelon Byrd (born October 7, 1986) is a former American football free safety. He played college football for the University of Oregon. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He is a three-time Pro Bo ...
recovering at the Patriots 37. 7 plays later,
Ryan Fitzpatrick Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick (born November 24, 1982) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons. During his career, Fitzpatrick started at quarterback for nine different teams, the most ...
threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to C. J. Spiller, giving the Bills a 13–7 lead. The Patriots countered, marching 76 yard in 6 plays, scoring when
Danny Woodhead Daniel Jacob Henry Woodhead (born January 25, 1985) is an amateur golfer who has qualified for the United States Golf Association championship tournaments, and was a former professional American football running back. He played college football a ...
blazed away a 22-yard touchdown run late in the 2nd quarter. The Bills countered, reaching the Patriots 17, settling for a 35-yard field goal, after Fitzpatrick was ruled 1-yard short of a first down. After Tate returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to the Bills 33, Brady hit Tate and Hernandez for gains of 29 and 13 yards, respectively, setting up Gostkowski's successful 43-yard field goal attempt, bringing the first half shootout to an end with the Patriots leading 17–16. Aided by another good return by Tate, the Patriots raced 74 yards in under two minutes on the opening drive of the second half, scoring on a 35-yard touchdown bomb from Brady to Moss, increasing the lead to 24–16. With the touchdown, Moss moved to 5th on the all-time receiving list with 14,064 yards. This was Moss' 36th career game with 2 or more receiving touchdown, 2nd only to
Jerry Rice Jerry Lee Rice (born October 13, 1962) is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons. Known primarily as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, winning three champion ...
(44). Brady tied
Steve Young Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccane ...
with 232 career touchdowns, tying
Steve Young Jon Steven Young (born October 11, 1961) is an American former professional football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 15 seasons, primarily with the San Francisco 49ers. He also played for the Tampa Bay Buccane ...
for 19th all-time. Spiller returned the ensuing kick 95-yards for a touchdown, trimming the deficit to 24–23. After a Bills three-and-out, the Bills drove to the Patriots 33, but Lindell missed a 51-yard field goal. With good field position at their own 41, the Patriots marched 59 yards in over 7 minutes, scoring on Brady's 5-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski, giving him sole possession of 19th on the all-time touchdown passes list. The Bills drove to the Patriots 20 on their next drive, but
Patrick Chung Patrick Christopher Chung (born August 19, 1987) is a Jamaican-American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Oregon and wa ...
intercepted Fitzpatrick at the 1 and returned it to the Patriots 26. The Patriots marched 75 yards in over 6 minutes, scoring on a 7-yard touchdown run by
BenJarvus Green-Ellis BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis (born July 2, 1985) is a former American football running back who played for the New England Patriots and Cincinnati Bengals. Green-Ellis was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played col ...
, increasing the lead to 38–23. The Bills moved 80 yards on their next drive, scoring on a 37-yard touchdown pass to Stevie Johnson, trimming the deficit to 38–30. After a Patriots three-and-out, Fitzpatrick was intercepted at the Patriots 43 by Brandon Meriweather. The Bills had a chance with over three minutes remaining, but 6-yard run by Green-Ellis enabled the Patriots to run out the rest of the clock and win the game. With the win, the Patriots improved to 2–1.


Week 4: at Miami Dolphins

Coming off their divisional home win over the Bills, the Patriots flew to
Sun Life Stadium Hard Rock Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Miami Gardens, Florida. The stadium is the home field for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL) and the Miami Hurricanes, the University of Miami's NCAA Division I colle ...
for a Week 4 AFC East duel with the
Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team p ...
on
Monday Night Football ''ESPN Monday Night Football'' (abbreviated as ''MNF'' and also known as ''ESPN Monday Night Football on ABC'' for simulcasts) is an American live television broadcast of weekly National Football League (NFL) games currently airing on ESPN, ...
. The Dolphins marched to the Patriots 38 on the opening drive, but punted. After a Patriots three-and-out, the Dolphins marched 64 yards in 7 plays, scoring on a 19-yard touchdown pass from
Chad Henne Chad Steven Henne (; born July 2, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Michigan. While there, Henne became only the second true freshman st ...
to
Davone Bess Davone Atrayo Bess (born September 13, 1985) is a former American football wide receiver. He was signed by the Miami Dolphins as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Hawaii. Early years Bess attended Skyline High Scho ...
for a 7–0 lead. Four plays after the Patriots punted again, Ninkovich intercepted Henne at the Patriots 40. The Patriots drove all the way to the Dolphins 5, but settled for a 23-yard field goal by Gostkowski. The Dolphins drove to the Patriots 27 on their next drive, but Henne was intercepted again by Ninkovich at the 25. The Patriots drove all the way to the Dolphins 12, but again settled for a field goal, making the score 7-6 Dolphins at halftime. Tate returned the opening kickoff of the second half 103 yards for a touchdown, giving the Patriots the lead, 13-7 that they wouldn't relinquish. Chung blocked Brandon Fields' punt, with
Brandon Spikes Brandon Spikes (born September 3, 1987) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for the University of Florida, was recognized as an All-American twice and was a member of two BCS National Championship teams. He was ...
recovering at the Dolphins 15. Two plays later, the Patriots scored on a 12-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis, increasing the lead to 20–7. The Dolphins answered on their next drive, marching 80 yards in 8 plays, scoring on a 28-yard screen pass to
Ricky Williams Errick Miron (born Errick Lynne Williams Jr.; May 21, 1977) is an American former football running back who played 11 seasons in the National Football League (NFL) and one season in the Canadian Football League (CFL). After playing baseball ...
, bringing the score to 20–14. The Patriots countered, driving 78 yards in 12 plays, scoring on an 11-yard screen pass to Woodhead, increasing the lead to 27–14. The Dolphins drove to the Patriots 29 on their next drive, but after a 7-yard sack by Ninkovich, attempted a 54-yard field goal, but the kick was blocked Chung with
Kyle Arrington Kyle Chandler Arrington Sr. (born August 12, 1986) is a former American football cornerback. He was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Hofstra. Arrington has also played for the Ta ...
returning it 35 yards for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 34–14. The Dolphins reached their own 45 on their next drive, but
Ronnie Brown Ronnie G. Brown Jr. (born December 12, 1981) is a former American football running back. After graduating from Cartersville High School in Georgia, Brown attended Auburn University to play college football for the Auburn Tigers. He and Cadill ...
was stuffed for no gain on 4th-and-2. After a Patriots three-and-out, the Dolphins drove to their own 47, but Chung intercepted Henne at the Patriots 49 and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 41–14. The Dolphins drove to the Patriots 40 again on their next drive, but rookie Jarrad Page intercepted Henne at the Patriots 23. The Patriot ran out the rest of the clock to win the game. With the win, not only did the Patriots head into their bye week at 3–1, but Brady picked up his 100th win in the fewest career starts (131) in NFL history. New England became the first team in NFL history to have a rushing, passing, interception return, kickoff return, and blocked field goal return for a touchdown in the same game.


Week 6: vs. Baltimore Ravens

Coming off their bye week the Patriots played on home ground for an AFC duel with the Ravens. Earlier that week, the Patriots acquired former receiver
Deion Branch Anthony Deion Branch Jr. (born July 18, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL), who currently serves as director of player development and alumni relations at the University of Louisville. He was ...
in a trade with the
Seattle Seahawks The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle. The Seahawks compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's National Football Conference (NFC) West, which they rejoined in 2002 a ...
. The Ravens went on a 15 play, 86-yard marathon drive, taking over 8 minutes and converting two third-and-longs, reaching the Patriots 8, but were forced to settle for a 26-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff. After both teams went three-and-out, the Patriots raced 66 yards in 6 plays, scoring on a two-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis. The Ravens responded, marching 73 yards in 9 plays, scoring on a 16-yard touchdown pass from
Joe Flacco Joseph Vincent Flacco (born January 16, 1985) is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Delaware Fightin' Blue Hens football, Delaware after transferring from Pi ...
to
Todd Heap Todd Benjamin Heap (born March 16, 1980) is a former American football tight end who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Arizona State University, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in ...
. Both teams punted for the remainder of the half and the Ravens held a 10–7 lead at halftime. Chris Carr intercepted Brad at the Patriots 48 on their next drive and returned it 12 yards. The Ravens needed just three plays to score on Flacco's 25-yard touchdown pass to
Anquan Boldin Anquan Kenmile Boldin Sr. (; born October 3, 1980) is a former American football wide receiver who played 14 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida State University and was drafted by the Arizona Ca ...
, increasing the Ravens lead to 17–7. The Patriots responded by driving to the Ravens 20 and Gostkowski was good on a 38-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to 17–10. The Ravens countered on a 13 play, 84-yard drive to the Patriots 7, but were to settle for a 25-yard field goal, increasing the Ravens lead to 20-10 early in the fourth quarter. Cundiff made a huge mistake by kicking the ensuing kickoff out of bounds, giving the Patriots the ball at the Patriots 40. The Patriots didn't waste their chance, marching 60 yards in 8 plays, scoring on a 5-yard touchdown pass to Branch, trimming the deficit to 20–17. After forcing a punt, the Patriots drove all the way to the Ravens 6, but the Ravens held them to a field goal, tying the game 20-20. This was followed by Gostkowski making a 24-yard field goal. After a Ravens punt, Welker returned it 22 yards to the Patriots 44. After a 10-yard sack by
Haloti Ngata Etuini Haloti Ngata (; born January 21, 1984) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football for the University of Oregon and earned consensus All-American honors. Ngata was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the firs ...
, Brady completed a 10-yard screen to Woodhead back to the drive's starting place. instead of trying a 61-yard field goal, Tom Brady tried a Hail Mary which was intercepted by
Ken Hamlin Ken Hamlin (born January 20, 1981) is a former American football safety in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft and also played for the Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens and ...
at the Ravens 4 with no time left on the clock. Both teams punted on their initial overtime possession. The Ravens marched to the Patriots 48 on their next possession, but punted again. Two possessions later, the Patriots marched to the Ravens 17 and Gostkowski was good on a 35-yard field goal, winning the game 23-20 for the Patriots. Following the game Brandon Meriweather was heavily fined by the league for a helmet-to-helmet hit on
Todd Heap Todd Benjamin Heap (born March 16, 1980) is a former American football tight end who played 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). After playing college football for Arizona State University, he was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in ...
. With the win, New England improved to 4–1.


Week 7: at San Diego Chargers

Hoping to extend their winning streak the Patriots flew to
Qualcomm Stadium San Diego Stadium was a multi-purpose stadium on the west coast of the United States, in San Diego, California. The stadium opened in 1967 as San Diego Stadium and was known as Jack Murphy Stadium from 1981 to 1997. From 1997 to 2017, the st ...
for an AFC duel with the Chargers. After the first two drive of the game ended in punts, the Chargers marched from midfield all the way to the 14, but settled for a 32-yard field goal by
Kris Brown Kristopher Clayton Brown (born December 23, 1976) is a former American football placekicker who played in the National Football League (NFL) for twelve seasons in the late 1990s and 2000s. He played college football for the University of Nebr ...
. Three plays after a Patriots punt, Kris Wilson fumbled after an 11-yard catch after being tackled by Spikes with Mayo recovering at the Chargers 22. Five plays later, Brady hit Gronkowski for a 1-yard touchdown. Four plays into the Chargers next drive, Richard Goodman caught a 25-yard pass, but fumbled with James Sanders recovering at the Patriots 41. After the Patriots offense sluggishness continued from last week and they punted. The Chargers responded by driving to the Patriots 32, but Ninkovich continued to wreak havoc for the 2nd straight game, strip-sacking
Philip Rivers Philip Michael Rivers (born December 8, 1981) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Chargers franchise. He played college football at NC State and was se ...
and returning it and returning it 62 yards to the Patriots 8. At the Patriots 6, back-to-back sacks by
Shaun Phillips Shaun Jamal Phillips (born May 13, 1981) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football for Purdue and was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft. Phillips has also been a member of the ...
and
Antwan Barnes Antwan Edward Barnes (born October 19, 1984) is a former American football outside linebacker. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida International. Barnes also p ...
forced the Patriots to settle for a 40-yard field goal by Gostkowski, increasing the lead to 10–3. On the third play of the Chargers next drive, Rivers was intercepted by rookie
Devin McCourty Devin McCourty (born August 13, 1987) is an American football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers and was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2010 NFL Dra ...
at the Patriots 42. Two possessions later, aided by a 48-yard punt return by
Julian Edelman Julian Francis Edelman (born May 22, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Kent State as a Quarterback and ...
, the Patriots drove to the Chargers 9, but another sack by
Antwan Barnes Antwan Edward Barnes (born October 19, 1984) is a former American football outside linebacker. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida International. Barnes also p ...
forced the Patriots to settle for a 34-yard field goal by Gostkowski, increasing the lead to 13–3 at halftime. The Patriots took a 20–3 lead on the first drive of the second half, marching 76 yards in 17 plays, taking over eight minutes off the clock, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis, running up the lead to 20–3. The Chargers responded by driving to the Patriots 10, but settled for a 28-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to 20–6. The Patriots countered by driving all the way to the Chargers 16, but the Chargers defense kept the Patriots of the endzone again, and Gostkowski kicked a 34-yard field goal, giving the Patriots a 23–6 lead early in the fourth quarter. The Chargers countered on their next drive, racing 67 yards in 11 plays, scoring on a 4-yard touchdown pass to
Antonio Gates Antonio Ethan Gates Sr. (born June 18, 1980) is an American former professional football player who was a tight end for the San Diego / Los Angeles Chargers during his entire career in the National Football League (NFL). He was named to the P ...
, trimming the deficit to 23-13 midway through the fourth quarter. The Chargers recovered the onside kick at the Patriots 40 and raced 60 yards in just 5 plays, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Mike Tolbert trimming the deficit to just 23–20 with just over four minutes remaining in the game. On their next drive, the Patriots went for on 4th-and-1 at their own 49, attempting to end the game, but Green-Ellis was tackled for a 1-yard loss. The Chargers then stormed to their own 27, setting up a game-tying 45-yard field goal attempt by Brown, but guard
Louis Vasquez Pierre Louis Vasquez also known as Luis Vázquez (October 3, 1798 – September 5, 1868) was a mountain man and trader. He was a contemporary of many famous European-American explorers of the early west and would come to know many of them, in ...
was flagged for a false-start, moving the ball back 5 yards. Brown missed the 50-yard field goal with just :30 seconds left, sealing the win for the Patriots. With the win, the Patriots improved to 5–1.


Week 8: vs. Minnesota Vikings

Hoping to extend their winning streak, the Patriots played on home ground for a game with the Vikings, who came to Foxboro with former Patriot Randy Moss. On the third possession of the game, the Vikings marched 76 yards in over 6 minutes, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by
Adrian Peterson Adrian Lewis Peterson (born March 21, 1985) is an American football running back who is a free agent. He is widely considered to be one of the greatest running backs in football history. He played college football at Oklahoma, where he set the ...
, taking a 7–0 lead. The Patriots countered, going on an 8 play, 75-yard drive, scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run by Woodhead, tying the game 7-7. Two possessions later, the Vikings drove to the Patriots 1, facing a 4th-and-Goal, but Peterson was tackled for a 2-yard loss. Brady took two knees and the game went to halftime tied 7-7. The Vikings marched 68 yards to the Patriots 5 on the opening possession of the 2nd half, but settled for a 23-yard field goal by Ryan Longwell, taking a 10–7 lead. The Patriots countered on their next drive, storming 80 yards in 4 plays, scoring on a 65-yard touchdown bomb from Brady to Tate, taking a 14–10. Two possessions later, McCourty intercepted Favre at the Patriots 26 and returned it 37 yards to the Vikings 37. Four plays later, Green-Ellis scored on a 13-yard touchdown run, increasing the lead to 21–10. On the Vikings next drive,
Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 2010 ...
was knocked out of the game and
Tarvaris Jackson Tarvaris D'Andre Jackson (April 21, 1983 – April 12, 2020) was an American football quarterback in the National Football League (NFL). Jackson played college football for both Alabama State and Arkansas. He played professionally for the ...
took over Early in the fourth quarter, the Vikings marched 80 yards in 9 plays, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass to Naufahu Tahi, with a successful two-point conversion, trimming the deficit to just 21–18. The Patriots countered, marching 84 yards in 13 plays, scoring on a 2-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis, his first career multi-touchdown game, increasing the lead to 28-18 and pretty much putting the game out of reach with just 1:56 remaining. The Vikings drove to the Vikings 27 after a 23-yard run by
Toby Gerhart Tobin Bo Gunnar Gerhart (born March 28, 1987) is a former American football running back. He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football for Stanford University, and was a unanimous ...
, but time ran out and the Patriots won the game. With the win, the Patriots improved to 6–1.


Week 9: at Cleveland Browns

Hoping to increase their winning streak the Patriots flew to
Cleveland Browns Stadium FirstEnergy Stadium is a stadium in Cleveland, Ohio, United States, primarily for American football. It is the home field of the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL), and serves as a venue for other events such as college a ...
for an AFC duel with the Browns. The Browns took the opening kickoff 42 yards, scoring on a 38-yard field goal by
Phil Dawson Philip Drury Dawson (born January 23, 1975) is a former American football placekicker. He played for the Cleveland Browns from 1999 to 2012 and holds their franchise record for most field goals made, passing Hall of Famer Lou Groza in 2010. He pl ...
.
Sammy Morris Samuel Morris III (born March 23, 1977) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fif ...
fumbled the ensuing kickoff and ex-Patriot
Ray Ventrone Raymond "Bubba" Ventrone (; born October 21, 1982) is a former American football Safety (American football position), safety and coach who is the assistant head coach and special teams coordinator for the Cleveland Browns of the National Footba ...
recovered at the Patriots 19. Two plays later,
Peyton Hillis Peyton Derek Hillis (born January 21, 1986) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL). Hillis attended Conway High School in Conway, Arkansas and was a highly touted recruit. Hillis attended the ...
scored on a 2-yard
Peyton Hillis Peyton Derek Hillis (born January 21, 1986) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL). Hillis attended Conway High School in Conway, Arkansas and was a highly touted recruit. Hillis attended the ...
touchdown run. After a Patriots three-and-out, the drove to the Patriots 49, but Hillis was stripped by Mayo and Meriweather recovered at the Patriots 36. The Patriots couldn't move the ball though and punted. Early in the second quarter, the Patriots marched 79-yards in 11 plays, scoring on Brady's two-yard touchdown pass to Hernandez off of a deflection, trimming the deficit to 10–7. However, Cleveland countered with a 9 play, 60-yard drive, scoring on an 11-yard touchdown run by
Chansi Stuckey Chansi V. Stuckey (born October 4, 1983) is an American football coach and former wide receiver. He is currently the Wide Receivers Coach at Notre Dame. He was drafted by the New York Jets in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played ...
on an end-around, extending the lead to 17–7. The Patriots drove to the Browns 9, but after catching a 6-yard pass, Gronkowski was stripped at the 3-yard line with
Abram Elam Abram Elam (born October 15, 1981) is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, New York Jets, Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs. He played college football at the University of Notre Dame an ...
recovering at the 2. The Browns took a knee and led 17–7 at halftime. Following a Patriots punt, the Browns marched 72 yards in 10 plays, scoring on a 16-yard touchdown run by
Colt McCoy Daniel "Colt" McCoy (born September 5, 1986) is an American football quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Texas, where he won several awards and honors as a senior in 2009. McC ...
, increasing the Browns lead to a stunning 24–7. The Patriots reached the Browns 49 on their next drive, but a holding penalty on Gronkowski killed the drive as their offensive struggles continued. The Browns marched all the way to the Patriots 20 on their next drive, and Dawson was good on a 38-yard field goal, putting the Browns up 27–7 early in the fourth quarter. The Patriots raced 69 yards in 14 plays on their next drive, scoring when Brady found Hernandez on another 1-yard touchdown pass, trimming the deficit to a manageable 27–14. The Browns reached the 39 in five plays, then Hillis burst through and took off for a 33-yard touchdown run, giving the Browns a 34–14 lead and sealing their shocking win. Hoyer stepped in for Brady on their next drive and was intercepted by Eric Wright on the second play at the Browns 40. After the Browns punted, Hoyer took a knee to end the game. With the loss, the Patriots fell to 6–2.


Week 10: at Pittsburgh Steelers

Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Browns, the Patriots flew to Heinz Field to face the Steelers. After forcing the Steelers to punt on the opening drive, the Patriots marched 70 yards in just 8 plays, scoring on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Gronkowski. After the Steelers punted, the Patriots drove to the 12, but the Steelers #1 ranked defense tightened down, and forced the Patriots to a 30-yard field goal by
Shayne Graham Michael Shayne Graham (born December 9, 1977) is an American football coach and former placekicker. Graham played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech. He made his professional debut in Ma ...
, increasing their lead to 10–0. Two possessions later, the Steelers drove to the Patriots 4, but settled for a 22-yard field goal by Jeff Reed, making the score 10–3. Both teams punted for the rest of the half and the Patriot led 10–3 at halftime. The Patriots opened up a scoring barrage in the 2nd half. On the opening possession of the 3rd quarter, the Patriots marched 78 yards in a perfectly balanced 10 play (5 passes, 5 rushes) drive, scoring on a 9-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Gronkowski, increasing their lead to 17–3. After both teams punted, the Steelers drove 59 (aided by a 38-yard pass interference call on Brandon Meriweather) yards to the Patriots 8-yard line, but Reed missed a 26-yard field goal. The Patriots took advantage, marching 80 yards in 7 plays, scoring on Brady's 3-yard touchdown run, with a missed extra point, increasing the Patriots lead to 23–3. The Steelers countered on their next drive, racing 71 yards in 7 plays, scoring on a 6-yard touchdown pass from
Ben Roethlisberger Benjamin Todd Roethlisberger Sr. (; born March 2, 1982), nicknamed "Big Ben", is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He played college football ...
to Emmanuel Sanders, trimming the deficit to 23–10. After the Patriots punted, Roethlisberger was intercepted by James Sanders who returned the interception 32 yards for a touchdown, increasing the lead to 29-10 after the missed two point conversion. Sanders returned the ensuing kick 26 yards to the Patriots 47 and the Steelers raced 53 yards in just 5 plays, scoring on a 15-yard touchdown pass to
Mike Wallace Myron Leon Wallace (May 9, 1918 – April 7, 2012) was an American journalist, game show host, actor, and media personality. He interviewed a wide range of prominent newsmakers during his seven-decade career. He was one of the original correspo ...
, with a successful two-point conversion, trimming the deficit to 29–18. After recovering the onside kick, the Patriots put the game away, marching effortlessly, 41 yards in only 5 plays, scoring on a 25-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski, his third touchdown reception of the game, giving the Patriots an insurmountable 36–18 lead with 4:23 remaining. Ben Roethlisberger completed four passes, all to Mike Wallace on the next drive, including a 33-yard touchdown pass, with another successful 2 point conversion, trimming the deficit to 36–26, but the Patriots'
Alge Crumpler Algernon Darius Crumpler (; born December 23, 1977) is a former American football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He pla ...
recovered the onside kick. Graham added the final points of the game with a 36-yard field goal, bringing the score to 39–26. Pittsburgh drove to New England's 15 with a few seconds left, but couldn't score. Tom Brady finished 30/43 for 350 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions against the top-ranked defense in the NFL. Rob Gronkowski caught all three touchdowns en route to a 5 catch, 72 yard night. Ben Roethlisberger threw for 387 yards in defeat. With the win, New England improved to 7–2.


Week 11: vs. Indianapolis Colts

Coming off their win over the Steelers the Patriots played on home ground against the Colts for the first time in four seasons. The Colts took the opening kick and drove to the Patriots 46-yard line, but on 3rd-and-6
Peyton Manning Peyton Williams Manning (born March 24, 1976) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 18 seasons. Nicknamed "the Sheriff", he spent 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts and four with ...
was intercepted by Brandon Meriweather who returned it 39 yards to the Colts 32. Four plays later, Brady threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Welker for an early 7–0 lead. After a Colts punt, the Patriots put together a 15 play, 87-yard drive, culminating with Brady throwing an 8-yard touchdown pass to Hernandez, increasing their lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter. The Colts responded on their next drive, with Manning passing for 62 yards on a 69-yard drive, and scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Gijon Robinson.
Ben Tate Benjamin Franklin Tate (born August 21, 1988) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Auburn. Tate also played for the Cleveland ...
returned the ensuing kickoff 32 yards to the Patriots 35, and the Patriots offense continued to stay relentless, marching 65 yards in 8 plays, scoring on a 5-yard run by Green-Ellis, increasing their lead to 21–7. The Colts answered right back, engineering a 12 play, 73-yard drive, scoring on an 11-yard touchdown pass from Manning to
Reggie Wayne Reginald Wayne (born November 17, 1978) is a former American football wide receiver who played 14 seasons with the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of Miami, and was drafted ...
(who made a fantastic catch) 0:08 left in the first half, trimming the deficit to 21–14. After both teams punted on their first drive of the second half, the Patriots raced 79 yards in just 9 plays, scoring on a 36-yard touchdown burst by Woodhead, extending the lead 28–14 on the only score of the third quarter. On the second play of the Colts next drive, Manning was intercepted by McCourty at the Patriots 39. The Patriots drove to the Colts 7, but the Colts defense held, forcing the Patriots to settle for a 25-yard field goal, widening the lead to 31–14 with 10:27 left in the game. Peyton threw for 66 yards on the ensuing 73-yard drive, including a 5-yard touchdown pass to Blair White, trimming the deficit to 31–21. After forcing a quick three-and-out, with help from an unnecessary roughness penalty on
Tully Banta-Cain Tully Cameron Banta-Cain (born August 28, 1980) is a former American football linebacker. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round of the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at California. Banta-Cain earned two Su ...
, the Colts raced 58 yards, with Manning throwing his 4th touchdown of the night, again to White, trimming the deficit to just 31–28 with 4:46 remaining in the game. The Colts forced another quick punt and got the ball at their own 26-yard line with 2:25 remaining, giving Manning a chance to pull off a miracle comeback against the Patriots for a second year in a row. Manning drove the Colts all the way to the Patriots 24-yard line, but was intercepted at by James Sanders at the 6-yard line with 0:37 remaining, giving the Patriots the win. Manning shredded the Patriots 32nd ranked pass defense, going 38/52 for a fantastic 396 yards and 4 touchdowns, but also threw 3 interceptions (2 in Patriots territory) . Brady was 19/25 for just 186 yards, but didn't turn the ball over. Green-Ellis and Woodhead were huge in the run game as the Patriots ran for 134 yards as a team. With the win, the Patriots improved to 8–2.


Week 12: at Detroit Lions

Coming off their win over the Colts, the Patriots flew to
Ford Field Ford Field is a domed American football stadium located in Downtown Detroit. It primarily serves as the home of the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL), as well as the annual Quick Lane Bowl college football bowl game, state cha ...
, donned their throwback uniforms, and played a Week 12 Thanksgiving game with the
Detroit Lions The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit. The Lions compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) North Division. The team play their home games at For ...
. After the first three possessions of the game ended in punts, the Patriots struck first blood, driving all the way to the Lions 2-yard line, but could only muster a 19-yard field goal by
Shayne Graham Michael Shayne Graham (born December 9, 1977) is an American football coach and former placekicker. Graham played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech. He made his professional debut in Ma ...
. The Lions countered, driving 71 yards in 11 plays, scoring on a 19-yard touchdown pass from
Shaun Hill Shaun Christopher Hill (born January 9, 1980) is a former American football quarterback who played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was signed by the Minnesota Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2002. He played college ...
to
Calvin Johnson Calvin Johnson Jr., (born September 29, 1985) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons with the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Georgia Tech, where he twice ...
. After a Patriots punt, another long Lions drive, going 63 yards in 13 plays, ended with running back
Maurice Morris Maurice Autora Morris (born December 1, 1979) is a former American football running back. He was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft and also played for the Detroit Lions. He played college football at Orego ...
punching through a 1-yard touchdown run, increasing the Lions lead to 14–3. The Patriots answered their touchdown with one of their own, marching 83 yards in 10 plays, scoring on a 15-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis with 0:45 seconds left in the half. The Lions appeared to have stopped the Patriots after Brady threw an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-6, but DeAndre Levy was called for pass interference, giving the Patriots a 1st down.
Stefan Logan Stefan Logan (born June 2, 1981) is a current podcast host for ProSportsExtra and former American professional gridiron football player who played as a running back and special teamer in the Canadian Football League (CFL) and the National Footbal ...
returned the ensuing kickoff 30 yards to the Lions 33. The return allowed the Lions to drive to the Patriots 26 and Dave Rayner was good on a 44-yard field goal, giving the Patriots a 17-10 halftime lead. After forcing a Patriots punt, McCourty intercepted Hill on an underthrown pass, and returned it 23 yards to the Lions' 26. Five plays later, Brady threw a 5-yard touchdown pass to Welker, tying the game 17-17. However, the Patriots weak defense couldn't catch a break. Aided by Logan's 42-yard return, the Lions countered, marching 58 yards in 9 plays, with Morris scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run, putting the Lions back out in front, 24–17. The Patriots needed just three plays to strike back, with Brady finding Branch deep on a 79-yard touchdown, capping off the 87-yard drive and tying the game 24-24. This was the Patriots' longest play from scrimmage of their 2010 season. After a 30-yard kick return by Logan, the Lions drove all the way to the Patriots 28, but Rayner missed a 46-yard field goal, keeping the game tied. The Patriots regained the lead on their ensuing drive, with Brady completing 3/3 passes for 59 yards on a 64-yard drive, finding Branch again on a 22-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. After a Lions punt, the Patriots marched 84 yards in 7 plays, scoring on a 16-yard touchdown pass to Welker, extending the lead to 38–24. On the third play of the Lions' next drive, Hill was intercepted by McCourty, who returned it 50 yards to the Lions 12. Four plays later, the Patriots put the game out of reach with a 1-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis, making the score 45–24. During the extra point and afterwards, the Lions were called for three personal fouls, including one on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. This allowed the Patriots to kick off from the Lions' 40-yard line, and Graham was able to put the ball through the uprights, to a storm of boos from the Ford Field crowd. The Lions drove to the Patriots 6-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs and the Patriots took a knee to end the game. With the win, New England improved to 9–2. Brady (21/27, 341 yards, 4 touchdowns, perfect 158.3
passer rating Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency in college football) is a measure of the performance of passers, primarily quarterbacks, in gridiron football. There are two formulas currently in use: one used by both the National Football Lea ...
) was named CBS's All-Iron Award winner by
Phil Simms Phillip Martin Simms (born November 3, 1955) is an American former football quarterback who spent his entire 15-year professional career playing for the New York Giants of the National Football League (NFL). He is currently a television sport ...
. Runners up for the award included Suh, Johnson, Branch, and Morris.


Week 13: vs. New York Jets

Coming off their win over the Lions on Thanksgiving, the Patriots returned home for a highly anticipated Monday Night Football game with the 9-2
New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The ...
with the outright lead in the AFC East on the line. In a sign of what was to come, the Patriots took the opening kickoff and marched right down the field, 52 yards in 9 plays, with
Shayne Graham Michael Shayne Graham (born December 9, 1977) is an American football coach and former placekicker. Graham played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech. He made his professional debut in Ma ...
kicking a 41-yard field goal for the early 3–0 lead. The Jets drove to the Patriots 35 on their ensuing possession, but Folk missed a 53-yard field goal. Starting at their own 43, the Patriots raced 57 yards in 6 plays, aided by a pass interference penalty on Eric Smith, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis, increasing the lead to 10–0. After another Jets three-and-out,
Steve Weatherford Steven Thomas "Steve" Weatherford (born December 17, 1982) is a former American football punter. He played college football at Illinois and was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Weatherford has been a member o ...
punted just 12 yards, giving the Patriots fantastic field position at the Jets 32. The Patriots took a commanding 17–0 lead just four plays later, with Brady hooking up with Branch on a 25-yard touchdown pass. The Jets responded on their next drive, driving 46 yards to the Patriots 21 and scoring on a 39-yard field goal in what would be the Jets' only score of the game. Ben Tate returned the kick 21 yards to the Patriots 33, setting up a 7 play, 67 yard drive in just under 4 minutes, with Tate finishing the drive as well, catching a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brady, widening the lead to 24–3 with over 8 minutes left in the first half. Neither team reached opposing territory until the Jets drove all the way to the Patriots 37, but Sanchez was sacked for a 15-yard loss by Banta-Cain, and the Patriots led 24–3 at halftime. The Jets drove all the way to the Patriots 9 on their opening drive of the second half, but Spikes intercepted Sanchez at the 2 and returned it 5 yards to the Patriots 7. The Patriots put together an 8 play, 93-yard drive in only four-and-a-half minutes, scoring on Brady's 18-yard touchdown pass to Welker, increasing the lead to 31–3. A bad kick gave the Jets good field position at their own 47. After an 8-yard run by Greene to the Patriots 45, Sanchez was intercepted by McCourty at the Patriots 6 for no gain. The Patriots just couldn't be stopped, though, engineering a nearly-identical, 8 play, 94-yard drive, scoring on Brady's 1-yard touchdown pass to Hernandez on the first play of the fourth quarter, increasing the blowout to 38–3. Sanchez threw an interception on a third straight drive, this one to James Sanders who returned it 28 yards to the Jets 28. Six plays later, Green-Ellis scored on a 5-yard touchdown run, making the score 45–3 with still 9:20 remaining in the game. The Jets drove to the Patriots 9, but turned the ball over on downs. After the Patriots punted, the Jets drove Patriots 34, but couldn't score before the clock ran out. With the win, the Patriots improved to 10–2, and took sole possession of first place in the
AFC East The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is one of the four divisions of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL). There are currently four teams that reside in the division: the Buf ...
which they would not relinquish. The Patriots out-gained the Jets 405-301 and forced the Jets into three turnovers which the Patriots converted into 21 points. Tom Brady was 21/29, 326 yards, four touchdowns, and a 148.8 passer rating, extending his streak of 228 passes without an interception (7 consecutive games, setting a franchise record of most starts without an interception). Additionally, Brady won his 26th consecutive home game as a starting quarterback, dating back to 2006, breaking
Brett Favre Brett Lorenzo Favre ( ; born October 10, 1969) is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 20 seasons, primarily with the Green Bay Packers. Favre had 321 consecutive starts from 1992 to 2010 ...
's previous record of 25 games (1995–1998).


Week 14: at Chicago Bears

Coming off their 45–3 win over the Jets, the Patriots flew to
Soldier Field Soldier Field is a multi-purpose stadium on the Near South Side of Chicago, Illinois, United States. Opened in 1924 and reconstructed in 2003, the stadium has served as the home of the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL) since ...
for a snowy game with the Bears. After both teams punted on their opening drive, the Patriots marched 85 yards in 12 plays, scoring on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Gronkowski. The Bears reached the Patriots 49 on their next drive, but ended up punting. The Patriots quickly struck again, racing 87 yards in 11 plays, scoring on a 3-yard touchdown run by Woodhead.
Danieal Manning Danieal LaCraig Manning (born August 9, 1982) is a former American football safety. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the second round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Abilene Christian. High school career Before colleg ...
returned the ensuing kickoff 33 yards to the Bears 38. On the very next play,
Jay Cutler Jay Christopher Cutler (born April 29, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the Chicago Bears. He played college football for the Van ...
tossed a 1-yard pass to
Johnny Knox Johnny Otis Knox II (born November 3, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver who played three seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for Abilene Christian University. He was selected by the Chica ...
, but Devin McCourty stripped him, with Guyton recovering and returning the fumble 35 yards for a touchdown, increasing the Patriots lead to 21–0. The Bears punted again on their next drive, with Edelman returning it 42 yards to the Bears 30. The Patriots reached the Bears 12, but were forced to settle for a 30-yard field goal by Shayne Graham and a 24–0 lead. On the Bears next play from scrimmage, Eugene Moore strip-sacked Cutler with Mayo recovering at the Bears 9. Once again the Bears clamped down, and held the Patriots to a field goal, turning the game to a 27-0 blowout. The lifelessness continued on their next drive, with another three-and-out. Edelman returned the punt 71 yards for a touchdown, but the touchdown was nullified on by a holding penalty on
Dane Fletcher Dane Fletcher (born September 14, 1986) is a former American football linebacker. He played college football at Montana State, and was signed by the New England Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2010. Fletcher also played for the Tampa Bay ...
. It didn't matter though, because it took three plays for the Patriots to reach their own 41 and then Brady found Deion Branch for a 59-yard touchdown pass (with a missed extra point), making the score 33–0 at halftime. The Bears punted on their opening possession of the second half. It was almost a disaster,
Brad Maynard Bradley Alan Maynard (born February 9, 1974) is a former American football punter. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft, and has also been a member of the Chicago Bears, Houston Texans, and the Cleveland ...
fumbled the punt, but was able to recover and punt it away. The Patriots drove all the way to the Bears 11, but their red zone defense continued to hold, and they settled for a 29-yard field goal, increasing their lead to 36–0 against one of the best defenses in the NFL. The dangerous
Devin Hester Devin Devorris Hester Sr. (born November 4, 1982) is an American former professional football player who was a wide receiver and return specialist in the National Football League (NFL). He is widely regarded as the greatest return specialist i ...
returned the ensuing kickoff 61 yards to the Patriots 35. Aided by a 30-yard pass from Culter to Matt Forte, it took 6 plays for the Bears to finally score on a 1-yard touchdown run by
Chester Taylor Chester Lamar Taylor (born September 22, 1979) also known as Che Tay is a former American football running back in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in the sixth round of the 2002 NFL Draft. In 2006, he signed ...
, making the score 36–7. The Patriots drove to the Bears 28 on their next drive, but rather than attempt a field goal, decided to go for it, but Aaron Hernandez was tackled short of the first down. The Bears drove to the Patriots 26, but Culter was intercepted by Guyton who returned it 13 yards to the Bears 26. After a Patriots punt, Cutler was intercepted for the 2nd consecutive time in the end zone by Meriweather. The Patriots ran out the final six-and-a-half minutes to end the game. Brady extended his streak of pass attempts without an interception to 268 passes, while marking his sixth straight game with at least two touchdowns without an interception, tying
Don Meredith Joseph "Dandy" Don Meredith (April 10, 1938 – December 5, 2010) was an American football quarterback, sports commentator, and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career (1960–1968) with the Dallas Cowboys of the Nat ...
's record set in
1965 Events January–February * January 14 – The Prime Minister of Northern Ireland and the Taoiseach of the Republic of Ireland meet for the first time in 43 years. * January 20 ** Lyndon B. Johnson is sworn in for a full term ...
1966 Events January * January 1 – In a coup, Colonel Jean-Bédel Bokassa takes over as military ruler of the Central African Republic, ousting President David Dacko. * January 3 – 1966 Upper Voltan coup d'état: President Maurice Yaméogo ...
. The Patriots also became the first team in NFL history to have five consecutive games with zero turnovers and at least 30 points in every game. With the win, the Patriots not only improved to 11–2, but also became the first team in the league to clinch a playoff berth.


Week 15: vs. Green Bay Packers

Coming off their road win over the Bears, the Patriots returned home for a game with the
Green Bay Packers The Green Bay Packers are a professional American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the National Football Conference (NFC) North division. It is the t ...
. After Green Bay recovered their own opening kick-off onside kick, they marched to the Patriots 7, but on 2nd-and-6, Eugene Moore sacked
Matt Flynn Matthew Clayton Flynn (born June 20, 1985) is a former American football quarterback. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He was a member of the Packers when they won Super Bowl XLV over the Pitts ...
was sacked for a 6-yard loss, and after an incomplete pass on 3rd-and-12, settled for a 31-yard field goal by
Mason Crosby Mason Walker Crosby (born September 3, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Colorado, and earned unanimous All-American honors. The Packers chos ...
. The Patriots countered, racing 73 yards in 7 plays, and scoring on a 33-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis. Two possessions later, on the third play of the Packers drive, Flynn hit
James Jones James Jones may refer to: Sports Association football *James Jones (footballer, born 1873) (1873–1955), British Olympic footballer * James Jones (footballer, born 1996), Scottish footballer for Wrexham * James Jones (footballer, born 1997), We ...
for a 66-yard touchdown bomb on the first play of the second quarter, giving the Packers a 10–7 lead. Three possessions later, the Packers marched 82 yards in six-and-a-half minutes, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Flynn to Greg Jennings, giving them a very surprising 17–7 lead late in the first half, but the momentum instantly swung back to New England. Offensive lineman Dan Connolly returned the
squib kick A squib kick is a term used in American football meaning a short, low, line drive kickoff that usually bounces around on the ground before it can be picked up by a member of the receiving team. The ball is kicked so short that it forces the receivi ...
71 yards to 3 yard line. Three plays later, Brady threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Hernandez, trimming the deficit to 17–14 at halftime. The Packers receive the 2nd half kickoff and on the fourth play of their first possession, Arrington intercepted a short pass from Flynn and returned it 36 yards for a touchdown, giving the Patriots a 21–17 lead. After
Sam Shields Samuel George Shields III (born December 8, 1987) is a former American football cornerback. He played college football at the University of Miami. Shields was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2010. He won Super B ...
returned the ensuing kickoff 21 yards to the 31, the Packers countered, engineering a 13-play, 69-yard drive, taking just under six minutes off the clock, and scoring on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Flynn to John Kuhn, re-taking the lead 24–21.
B. J. Raji Busari Alamu Raji Jr. (born July 11, 1986) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at Boston College. Raji was drafted by the Green Bay Packers with the ninth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He won Super ...
ended the Patriots next drive with a 10-yard sack of Brady on 3rd-and-9. Set up with tremendous field position at their own 46, the Packers drove to the Patriots 1-yard line, but couldn't get in on two consecutive plays, and settled for a 19-yard field goal by Crosby, increasing the lead to 27–21, but keeping the Patriots in the game. The Patriots seemed primed to make the Packers regret their red zone mistake, reaching the Packers 20, but could only trim the deficit to 27–24 on a 38-yard field goal by Graham. After a Packers three-and-out, the Patriots raced 63 yards in 6 plays, not facing a single third-down, scoring on 10-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Hernandez, giving them a 31–27 lead. The Packers looked finished after punting with less than five minutes remaining, but after forcing the Patriots to a three-and-out, the Packers took over at their own 43 with 4:22 remaining, and once last chance to pull off the stunning upset. The Packers drove to the Patriots 24, but Fletcher sacked Flynn for a costly 8 yard loss. After back-to-back completions to Jones and
Donald Driver Donald Jerome Driver (born February 2, 1975) is a former American football wide receiver. After playing college football for Alcorn State University, Driver was picked by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 1999 NFL Draft. He ...
for gains of 7 and 10 yards, respectively, the Packers faced a 4th-and-1 at the Patriots 15, but Banta-Cain strip-sacked Flynn and Wilfork recovered and the Patriots escaped with the win. With the win, the Patriots improved to 12–2. It was Brady's seventh consecutive game with at least two touchdowns without an interception, breaking
Don Meredith Joseph "Dandy" Don Meredith (April 10, 1938 – December 5, 2010) was an American football quarterback, sports commentator, and actor. He spent all nine seasons of his professional playing career (1960–1968) with the Dallas Cowboys of the Nat ...
's 1965–1966 record of six such games. Brady attempted 24 passes and his streak of consecutive pass attempts without an interception was extended to 292–3rd longest all-time, behind only
Bernie Kosar Bernard Joseph Kosar Jr. (born November 25, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played collegiately at the University of Miami where he led the team to a national championship in 1983. He subsequently played professionally in ...
's 308 (1990–91), and
Bart Starr Bryan Bartlett Starr (January 9, 1934 – May 26, 2019) was an American professional football quarterback and head coach for the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the University of ...
's 294 (1964–65). Brady did break the single season record also held by Kosar. Upon defeating the Packers on Sunday Night, every NFC team has now accumulated at least one loss at Gillette Stadium during its first nine years of existence. Also, for the fourth time in six games, the Patriots scored at least 31 points against a top-10 defense, winning every game.


Week 16: at Buffalo Bills

The Patriots' fifteenth game was an AFC East rivalry rematch against the Bills. The Bills took the first possession of the game 62 yards to the Patriots 8, but had to settle for a 26-yard field goal. The Patriots drove to the Bills 46, but were forced to punt. After a Bills three-and-out, the Patriots raced 48 yards in 4 plays, taking just 1:47, scoring on a 29-yard touchdown run by Woodhead. The Bills drove to Patriots 17, but Fitzpatrick was strip-sacked by Guyton with Mayo recovering at the Patriots 20. The Patriots marched 78 yards on 9 plays, scoring on an 8-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski, increasing the lead to 14–3. The Bills drove all the way to the Patriots 32 on their next drive, but turned the ball over on downs. The Patriots continued to move the ball easily on their next drive, reaching the 16, and Graham kicked a 34-yard field goal, increasing the lead to 17–3. On the fourth play of the Bills next drive, Fitzpatrick was intercepted at the Bills 46 by Chung who returned it 19 yards to the Bills 27. Seven plays later, Brady hit Alge Crumpler on a 4-yard touchdown pass, widening their lead to 24–3 at halftime. After a Patriots three-and-out, Fitzpatrick was intercepted by Page at the Bills 21. A chop block penalty on Chad Reinhart moved the ball to the Bills 11. Four plays later, Brady hit Gronkowski on an 8-yard touchdown pass, making the score 31–3. The Bills drove to the Patriots 22 on their next drive, but turned the ball over on downs. Early in the fourth, Graham hit a 26-yard field goal, making the score 34–3. The Bills turned it over two more times and punted every other time as the Patriots cruised to a dominating win. With the win, New England improved to 13–2, clinched the AFC East along with the number one seed and homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Brady had his ninth consecutive game without an interception, and in the process broke
Bernie Kosar Bernard Joseph Kosar Jr. (born November 25, 1963) is a former American football quarterback who played collegiately at the University of Miami where he led the team to a national championship in 1983. He subsequently played professionally in ...
's record of pass attempts without an interception (308, from 1991 to 1992). It was also his eighth consecutive game with at least two touchdowns and no interceptions.


Week 17: vs. Miami Dolphins

The Patriots' final regular season game was an AFC East rematch against the Dolphins. Four plays into the Dolphins' first possession, McCourty intercepted Henne at the Dolphins 47, his 7th. The Patriots raced 47 yards in 6 plays on their next drive, scoring on Brady's 13-yard touchdown pass to Gronkowski. Gronkowski set a new Patriots' record for touchdown receptions by a rookie, 10 and Brady became the 7th player to throw a touchdown pass in all 16 games. After a Dolphins punt,
Kendall Langford Kendall Arkel Langford (born January 27, 1986) is a former American football defensive end. He played college football at Hampton Pirates football, Hampton, and was drafted by the Dolphins in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft. He has also pl ...
stripped Woodhead with
Paul Soliai Paul Fuapapa Soliai (born December 30, 1983) is a former American football defensive tackle. He played college football at University of Utah. He was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He has also played ...
recovering at the Patriots 34. The Dolphins only reached the Patriots 22 and Carpenter missed a 40-yard field goal. The Patriots made the Dolphins pay, racing 70 yards in a mere 4 plays, in under two minutes, with Green-Ellis scoring on a 1-yard touchdown run, increasing their lead to 14–0. The Dolphins drove to the Patriots 37 on their next drive, but Henne was sacked for a 7-yard loss and the Dolphins punted. Later in the half, the Dolphins drove to the Patriots 41, where Eugene Moore stripped Ricky Williams with Ninkovich recovering at the Patriots 41. The Patriots proceeded to drive to the Dolphins 10, but could only score on a 28-yard field goal, pushing the lead to 17–0. A few plays later, Edelman scored on a 94-yard punt return, increasing the lead to 24–0 at halftime. The Patriots engineered a 7 play, 78-yard drive on the opening possession of the second half, with Brady throwing a 10-yard touchdown pass to Crumpler, turning the game into a 31-0 blowout. After a Dolphins punt, Hoyer stepped in for Brady and led an 8 play, 85-yard drive, giving the Patriots a 38–0 lead. Late in the game, the Dolphins raced 80 yards in just 5 plays, scoring on a 21-yard touchdown pass from
Tyler Thigpen Tyler Beckham Thigpen (born April 14, 1984) is a former American football quarterback. Thigpen was drafted out of Coastal Carolina University in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL Draft (217th overall) by the Minnesota Vikings. He was the firs ...
to Davone Bess, making the final 38–7. It was Brady's tenth consecutive game without an interception and ninth consecutive game with no interceptions and two touchdowns. With the win, the Patriots ended their regular season with a 14–2 record.


Standings


Standings breakdown


Postseason schedule


Postseason results


Divisional Round vs. New York Jets

Mark Sanchez Mark Travis John Sanchez (born November 11, 1986) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 10 seasons. He played college football at the University of Southern California (USC) and was draft ...
completed 16 of 25 passes for 194 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Jets to victory, avenging a 45–3 loss to New England in December. On the Patriots first drive,
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
threw his first interception since week five of the regular season, which linebacker David Harris picked off and returned 58 yards before tight end
Alge Crumpler Algernon Darius Crumpler (; born December 23, 1977) is a former American football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for ten seasons. He was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He pla ...
made a touchdown saving tackle at the 12-yard line. But New York could not get any points off the turnover, as they were unable to get a first down and
Nick Folk Nicholas Alexander Folk (born Niklaus Aleksandre Faulke, November 5, 1984) is an American football placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Arizona, where he received first-tea ...
missed a 30-yard field goal attempt. Several plays into New England's next drive, Brady completed a 28-yard pass to Crumpler at the Jets 12-yard line. But after a 5-yard run by
Danny Woodhead Daniel Jacob Henry Woodhead (born January 25, 1985) is an amateur golfer who has qualified for the United States Golf Association championship tournaments, and was a former professional American football running back. He played college football a ...
, Crumpler dropped a pass in the end zone and then Brady was sacked by
Shaun Ellis MeShaunda "Shaun" Pizarrur Ellis (born June 24, 1977), nicknamed Big Katt, is a former American football defensive end who spent the majority of his career with the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football ...
, forcing them to settle for
Shayne Graham Michael Shayne Graham (born December 9, 1977) is an American football coach and former placekicker. Graham played 15 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Virginia Tech. He made his professional debut in Ma ...
's 34-yard field goal to give them a 3–0 lead. In the second quarter, a third down sack of Brady by
Drew Coleman Drew Antrion Coleman (born April 22, 1983) is a former American football cornerback. After playing college football for Texas Christian, he was selected by the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) in the sixth round of the 2006 ...
forced New England to punt from their own 16, and
Jerricho Cotchery Jerricho Cotchery (born June 16, 1982) is a coach and former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) with the Carolina Panthers, New York Jets, and Pittsburgh Steelers from 2004 to 2015. He played colleg ...
returned the ball 5 yards to the Patriots 49-yard line. A few plays later, Sanchez' 37-yard completion to
Braylon Edwards Braylon Jamel Edwards (born February 21, 1983) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Michigan, earned unanimous All-American honors, and was recognize ...
set up his 7-yard touchdown pass to
LaDainian Tomlinson LaDainian Tarshane Tomlinson (born June 23, 1979) is a former American football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. After a successful college career with the TCU Horned Frogs, the San Diego Chargers se ...
. Later on, New England attempted a fake punt with a direct snap to safety
Patrick Chung Patrick Christopher Chung (born August 19, 1987) is a Jamaican-American former football safety who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Oregon and wa ...
on fourth down and four. But Chung fumbled the snap and was tackled on his own 25-yard line, and the Jets converted the turnover with Sanchez' 15-yard touchdown pass to Edwards with 33 seconds left in the half, making the score 14–3. Late in the third quarter, New England drove 80 yards in 11 plays, with Brady completing a 37-yard pass to
Rob Gronkowski Robert James Gronkowski (born May 14, 1989) is an American former football tight end who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons. Nicknamed "Gronk", Gronkowski played nine seasons for the New England Patriots, then played h ...
and two passes
Deion Branch Anthony Deion Branch Jr. (born July 18, 1979) is a former American football wide receiver of the National Football League (NFL), who currently serves as director of player development and alumni relations at the University of Louisville. He was ...
for 28 yards on the way to a 2-yard touchdown pass to Crumpler. Then
Sammy Morris Samuel Morris III (born March 23, 1977) is a former American football running back in the National Football League (NFL) for the Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys. He was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the fif ...
scored a 2-point conversion run, cutting their deficit to 14–11. But the Jets quickly countered, with Sanchez throwing short pass to Cotchery, who took it 58 yards to the Partriots 13-yard line. Two plays later, Sanchez threw a high pass for Santonio Holmes, who managed to catch the ball and land his in the end zone while falling out of bounds, giving New York a 10-point lead two minutes into the fourth quarter. After the kickoff, New England drove to the Jets 34-yard line with an 8-minute drive, but then faced fourth down and 13. Rather than risk a 52-yard field goal attempt, they attempted to get the first down, but Branch dropped a pass from Brady and the Patriots turned the ball over. New England's defense then made a key defensive stand, forcing a quick three-and-out, and
Julian Edelman Julian Francis Edelman (born May 22, 1986) is a former American football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons with the New England Patriots. He played college football at Kent State as a Quarterback and ...
returned
Steve Weatherford Steven Thomas "Steve" Weatherford (born December 17, 1982) is a former American football punter. He played college football at Illinois and was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2006. Weatherford has been a member o ...
's punt 41 yards to the New York 43-yard line before being tackled by Weatherford himself. Brady then led New England to the 17-yard line where Graham made his second field goal to cut their deficit to 7 points. However, Jets defensive back
Antonio Cromartie Antonio Cromartie (born April 15, 1984) is a former American football cornerback and current cornerback coach for the Texas A&M Aggies football team. He played college football at Florida State and was drafted in the first round by the San Dieg ...
recovered Graham's onside kick attempt and returned it 23 yards to the Patriots 20-yard line. Then
Shonn Greene Shonn Greene (born August 21, 1985) is a former American football running back. He played college football for the University of Iowa, where in 2008, he was recognized as a unanimous All-American and also won the Doak Walker Award and the Jim ...
scored with a 20-yard run on the next play, making the score 28–14 with 1:12 left in the game. Brandon Tate returned the ensuing kickoff 23 yards to the 41-yard line, sparking a 59-yard scoring drive that ended with Brady's 13-yard touchdown pass to Branch with 24 seconds left. But Graham's second attempt at an onside kick also failed, ending any chance of a miracle comeback. Brady finished the game 29 of 45 for 299 yards and two touchdowns, with 1 interception. Cotchery had 5 receptions for 96 yards Harris had 9 tackles, 3 assists, and an interception, while Ellis added 5 tackles and two sacks. With this win, the Jets advanced to their second consecutive AFC championship game in Sanchez' first two years as a starter.


Final roster


Awards and honors


Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections

Six Patriots were elected to the
2011 Pro Bowl The 2011 Pro Bowl was the National Football League's all-star game for the 2010 season. It took place at 7:00 p.m. EST (2:00 p.m. local time) on Sunday, January 30, 2011 at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The NFC won 55–41, despi ...
. Quarterback
Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. (born August 3, 1977) is an American football quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League (NFL). He spent his first 20 seasons with the New England Patriots organization, with which ...
, guard
Logan Mankins Logan Lee Mankins (born March 10, 1982) is a former American football guard who played eleven seasons in the National Football League (NFL), primarily with the New England Patriots. After playing college football at Fresno State, he was drafted ...
, and defensive tackle
Vince Wilfork Vincent Lamar Wilfork (born November 4, 1981) is a former American football nose tackle who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 13 seasons, primarily with the New England Patriots. He played college football for the University of Mi ...
were named as starters, while cornerback
Devin McCourty Devin McCourty (born August 13, 1987) is an American football safety for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Rutgers and was selected by the Patriots in the first round of the 2010 NFL Dra ...
, linebacker
Jerod Mayo Jerod Mayo Sr. (born February 23, 1986) is an American football coach and former linebacker who is the inside linebackers coach for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). Mayo played college football for the University ...
, and safety Brandon Meriweather were named as a reserves. Offensive tackle Matt Light and wide receiver
Wes Welker Wesley Carter Welker (born May 1, 1981) is an American football coach and former wide receiver who is the wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the San ...
were later named to the game as injury replacements. Brady later pulled out of the game due to surgery for a stress fracture in his right foot. Brady, Mankins, and Mayo were also voted to the 2010
All-Pro All-Pro is an honor bestowed upon professional American football players that designates the best player at each position during a given season. All-Pro players are typically selected by press organizations, who select an "All-Pro team," a list t ...
First Team, while McCourty, Wilfork, and offensive tackle Sebastian Vollmer were named to the Second Team.


Notes and references


External links


Season page on Pro Football Reference
{{2010 NFL season by team
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
New England Patriots seasons AFC East championship seasons
New England Patriots The New England Patriots are a professional American football team based in the Greater Boston area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) AFC East, East divisio ...
21st century in Foxborough, Massachusetts