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Main page | September 10, 2007 » September 9, 2007
FINAL: Patriots 38, Jets 14
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Patriots did nothing Sunday afternoon to curb the enthusiasm of those who think they're Super Bowl-bound this season. Opening the season on the road against their biggest division rival, the Patriots employed every one of their offensive weapons, new and old, to perfection as they steamrolled the Jets, 38-14. New wide receivers Randy Moss (9 catches, 183 yards, 1 touchdown) and Wes Welker (6 catches, 61 yards, 1 touchdown) accounted for 15 of Tom Brady's 22 completions. Returning running back Laurence Moroney ran for 72 yards and newcomer Sammy Morris added 54. Old hands Benjamin Watson and Heath Evans scored TDs on a short pass reception and run, respectively. And Ellis Hobbs tore the heart out of the Jets and their fans with a 108-yard kickoff return for a touchdown -- the longest return in NFL history -- at the start of the second half, turning a 14-7 lead into a 21-7 advantage and turning the momentum irrevocably into New England's favor. Statistically, the game was just as one-sided as the score. The Pats rolled up 431 total yards to 227 for New York, and had the edge in every category. There'll be more to come from Shalise Manza Young and Jim Donaldson in New Jersey, and it'll be posted to the site as soon as it arrives. Meanwhile, get the game summary from Projo Stats and vote for the player of the game.
Posted by Art Martone Saving Pennington EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With victory apparently out of reach, the Jets have decided to protect QB Chad Pennington, replacing him with second-year man Kellen Clemens. -- Jim Donaldson
Posted by Jim Donaldson Hanson holds E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- With Matt Cassel having fumbled the snap on the Patriots' previous field-goal attempt, in the first half, punter Chris Hanson came on to hold for Stephen Gostkowski's 22-yard field goal that gave New England a seemingly- commanding, 31-14 lead with 6:51 left in the game.
Posted by Jim Donaldson Pennington back -- with a bangEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- His right foot and ankle heavily taped, Jets QB Chad Pennington returned to the lineup the next series after limping off the field following a sack by Jarvis Green and capped a 9-play, 70-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard TD pass to Laveranues Coles. It's things like that earn a QB the respect of his teammates. -- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson Pats first TD driveEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Patriots' crack media relations crew noted in its halftime notes that the Pats' 91-yard, 12-play TD drive on their first possession of the game marked the first time New England had scored a touchdown on its opening drive of the season since 1997, when they drove 73 yards in 7 plays for a TD against the Chargers, Ben Coates hauling in a 4-yard scoring toss from Drew Bledsoe. -- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson Futile PursuitEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Randy Moss's first touchdown for the Patriots was a joy to behold. First, he zoomed past the would-be bump of cornerback Darrelle Revis. He then blew by linebacker Jonathan Vilma and, with safety Erik Coleman and cornerback David Barett in futile pursuit, he hauled in a 51-yard scoring toss from Tom Brady, capping a 5-play, 85 drive that put the Patriots ahead 28-7. -- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson Pennington hurt
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Chad Pennington hopped to the sidelines, where he slammed his helmet to the ground in disgust, with 10:26 remaining in the third quarter, after being sacked by Jarvis Green. Pennington's right foot and ankle were caught and twisted under him when he was hit from behind by Green. It was the fourth time -- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson Record-setterEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Ellis Hobbs' 108-yard touchdown return of the second-half kickoff is the longest in Patriots' history. That said, I've never understood why yardage out of the end zone counts. I mean, if a receiver catches a ball five yards deep in the end zone on a pass from the 30-yard line, then, using the same logic as on kickoffs, shouldn't that be a 35-yard TD catch? -- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson Details of Samuel deal
Hey all -- A league source has confirmed the terms that got Asante Samuel to sign his one-year franchise tender: If Samuel plays at least in 60 percent of the defensive snaps or New England wins 12 games, the cornerback will not be franchised again next year. This also shows that the deal Samuel received was indeed better than the one that Lance Briggs got from Chicago. Briggs, the Bears' franchise linebacker, reported to camp after getting $1 million up front and a promise that if he played in 75 percent of his team's defensive plays, he would not be franchised again in 2008. -- SHALISE MANZA YOUNG
Posted by Shalise Manza Young Watson dilemmaEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- After Chad Pennington went 6-for-6 for 68 in the Jets' second-quarter scoring drive, Tom Brady came right back with a 9-play, 73-yard TD march that featured a couple of fine catches by Randy Moss. The scoring pass, however, was a 5-yarder to tight end Ben Watson that demonstrated the problems defenses will have guarding Watson on the goal line. He was too quick for the Jets' all-pro linebacker Jonathan Vilma. But, if NY tried to cover him with a DB, the 6-3, 255-pound Watson may have been able to jump over him to make a catch, or simply screen a smaller player off the play with his body.
Posted by Jim Donaldson So far, so very, very, goodEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Randy Moss has made a very good first impression in his first game wearing a New England uniform. On the Pats' scoring drive just before halftime, he blew past cornerback Justin Miller to make one catch, then came back and leaped over Jets corner David Barrett to haul in a 22-yard reception. At halftime, Moss has 4 catches for 87 yards. -- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson Good hands, peopleEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - How'd you like Matt Cassel's impersonation of Tony Romo? The importance of the holder, and the snapper, seldom are appreciated until they mess up. And now the Jets, instead of trailing, 10-0, are in Patriots territory midway through the second quarter, looking for a game-tying touchdown. -- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson Sublime to ridiculousEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. _ Yesterday morning at 10:30, I was watching the Corps of Cadets parade crisply across The Plain at West Point to the strains of stirring marches played by the U.S. Army Band. This morning at 10:30, I was inching through the parking lots outside Giants Stadium, inhaling the fumes of alcohol stoves and alcohol-fueled Jets fans chanting ``J-E-T-S, Jets! Jets! Jets!" The ambience of college football is just SO much better than pro football. The caliber of play in the NFL makes up for that, though -- especially when the Patriots put together an opening drive like the textbook (or, perhaps, playbook) 91-yarder they just strung together in grabbing a 7-0 lead 10 minutes into the game. There's all sorts of construction going on as the early stages of building the new Jets-Giants Stadium is underway. That led to a great line this morning by Journal photographer Mary Murphy, who wondered: "Do you suppose they'll dig up Jimmy Hoffa?" -- JIM DONALDSON
Posted by Jim Donaldson Samuel not startingAsante Samuel did not start the game, as New England went with Ellis Hobbs and Randall Gay at corner instead. Samuel did come on the field on third down, as did Junior Seau, spelling Tedy Bruschi.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young No one else was available??Hey all -- We are having quite the chuckle up here over Danny Aiello's rendition of the National Anthem. We love him as an actor, but as colleague Mark Farinella points out, Aiello looked like he should have had a martini in one hand and a cigar in the other as he did his Tony Bennett-styled version. He punctuated his song with "Go Jets!!"
Posted by Shalise Manza Young Warming upHey all -- The Patriots and Jets have taken the field in uniform for warmups, and the seats are starting to fill up here at the Meadowlands. Randy Moss is in uniform for his first time as a Patriot, and Asante Samuel has donned the blue-and-silver as well. The weather here is currently 84 degrees with 47 percent humidity and winds blowing from the southwest at 10 mph.
Posted by Shalise Manza Young Game inactivesFor the Patriots 3QB Matt Gutierrez For the Jets: 3QB Marques Tuiasosopo
Posted by Shalise Manza Young Welcome to lovely New JerseyHey all -- Good morning and Happy Opening Day, since I know many of you consider this day to be akin to Christmas (or Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, depending on where your faiths lie). We have had quite the adventure since arriving here yesterday, but we have finally gotten to our seats in the Meadowlands press box. On our way into the building, we saw N.J. State trooper escorting a limo to the stadium, and who stepped out of the black stretch? Bob Kraft. On the field here, there's a few players getting warmed up, including defensive backs Asante Samuel, James Sanders, Willie Andrew, Eugene Wilson and Ellis Hobbs. That group is stretching in one of the end zones. Kelley Washington, Donte Stallworth and Jabar Gaffney are catching short passes from an assistant, and Le Kevin Smith is being stretched by former teammate and rookie strength coach Don Davis near the Pats' bench. We'll check in with more soon. shalise
Posted by Shalise Manza Young |
Journal photo / Mary Murphy
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