2011 New England Patriots season
Encyclopedia
The 2011
New England Patriots
season is the 42nd season for the team in the National Football League
and 52nd season overall.
The Patriots dedicated their 2011 season to the memory of Myra Kraft
, the wife of owner Robert Kraft
, who died on July 20, 2011 after a long fight against cancer . At both home and away games, the Patriots are wearing patches bearing Kraft's initials, MHK, on their uniforms.
for offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka
in August 2010. The Patriots also acquired the Denver Broncos
' fourth-round selection in exchange for a sixth-round selection and running back
Laurence Maroney
. The Patriots acquired the sixth-round selection from the New Orleans Saints
in a September 2009 trade for tight end
David Thomas
. The team later agreed to trade the higher of its two fourth-round selections – the pick acquired from the Broncos – to the Seattle Seahawks
in exchange for wide receiver
Deion Branch
.
duel with the Miami Dolphins
in the first game of Monday Night Football
's doubleheader. New England trailed early in the first quarter as Dolphins' quarterback Chad Henne
scrambled for 9-yard touchdown. The Patriots answered, with a 4-yard touchdown run from running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
. New England took the lead in the second quarter, with quarterback Tom Brady
finding tight end Rob Gronkowski
on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Miami tied the game in third quarter, as Henne completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brian Hartline
, yet the Patriots regained the lead, with Brady hooking up with wide receiver Wes Welker
on a 2-yard touchdown pass. The Dolphins would reply, with a 20-yard field goal by placekicker Dan Carpenter
. Afterwards, New England closed out the third quarter, with Brady connecting with tight end Aaron Hernandez
on a 1-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots added onto their lead in the fourth quarter, with a 20-yard field goal from placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
, followed by Brady finding Welker on a 99-yard touchdown pass.
Miami would close out the game with Henne completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to running back Reggie Bush
.
With the win, New England began their season at 1–0.
. In the first quarter, Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady
threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez
, but the Chargers responded, with a 10-yard touchdown run by running back Ryan Mathews
. The Patriots scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
, a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski
, followed by a 47-yard field goal by Gostkowski just before halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, the Chargers cut into the Patriots lead, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Philip Rivers
to wide receiver Vincent Jackson
. The Patriots responded, with Brady throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski (and a two-point conversion run by running back Danny Woodhead
). The Chargers tried to rally, with Rivers throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass to Jackson, but a 16-yard touchdown run by Patriots' running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
just after the two-minute warning sealed the win for New England.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 2–0.
duel with the Buffalo Bills
. The Patriots grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with quarterback Tom Brady
throwing two touchdown passes – a 14-yarder to wide receiver Wes Welker
and a 1-yarder to tight end Rob Gronkowski
. The Patriots added to their lead in the second quarter, with Brady connecting with Rob Gronkowski on a 26-yard touchdown pass. The Bills responded, with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick
throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Steve Johnson
, followed by a 42-yard field goal by placekicker Ryan Lindell. The Bills narrowed the Patriots' lead in the third quarter, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick to tight end Scott Chandler. The Patriots increased their lead, with a 23-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
. The Bills tied the game in the fourth quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Fred Jackson, then grabbed a 31–24 lead when cornerback Drayton Florence
returned a Brady interception 27 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots tied the game, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Welker. However, the Bills got the last possession, as Lindell nailed a 28-yard field goal as time expired, snapping the Patriots' 15-game winning streak against the Bills.
With the loss, the Patriots dropped to 2–1.
. The Raiders grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with a 28-yard field goal by placekicker Sebastian Janikowski
. The Patriots responded, with quarterback Tom Brady
throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wes Welker
. The Raiders re-claimed the lead in the second quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Michael Bush
. The Patriots answered, with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
, followed by a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
just before halftime. The Patriots added to their lead in the third quarter, with a 33-yard field goal by running back Stevan Ridley
. The Raiders narrowed the lead, with a 26-yard field goal by Janikowski, but the Patriots increased it in the fourth quarter, with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brady to wide receiver Deion Branch
. The Raiders scored a late touchdown, with quarterback Jason Campbell
throwing a 6-yard pass to wide receiver Denarius Moore
(with a failed two-point conversion attempt), but the Patriots ran out the clock, sealing the win.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 3–1.
duel with the New York Jets
. The Patriots grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with a 3-yard touchdown run by running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
, followed in the second quarter by a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
. The Jets got on the board, with a 3-yard touchdown run by running back Shonn Greene
. The Patriots extended their lead in the third quarter, with quarterback Tom Brady
throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deion Branch
. The Jets responded, with quarterback Mark Sanchez
throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jeremy Kerley
. The Patriots added to their lead, with a 3-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis, followed in the fourth quarter with a 24-yard field goal by Gostkowski. The Jets tried to rally, with wide receiver Santonio Holmes
receiving a 21-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez, but a late 28-yard field goal by Gostkowski sealed the win for the Patriots.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 4–1.
. The Patriots, wearing their white jerseys as to force the Cowboys to don their "unlucky" blue jerseys, took the early lead in the first quarter, with a 31-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
. The Cowboys countered, with a 48-yard field goal by placekicker Dan Bailey
. The Patriots responded in the second quarter, with a 26-yard field goal by Gostkowski, followed by a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady
to wide receiver Wes Welker
. The Cowboys narrowed the Patriots' lead just before halftime, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tony Romo
to tight end Jason Witten
. The Cowboys tied the game at 13–13 in the third quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by Bailey, then grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter with another field goal by Bailey, this time from 26 yards. With 2:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, Brady engineered a comeback, culminating with an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez
with 27 seconds remaining. The Cowboys tried to rally, but Romo's last-second desperation hail-mary pass toward the end zone was unsuccessful, sealing the win for the Patriots.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 5–1, entering their bye week.
for a Week 8 duel with the Pittsburgh Steelers
. New England trailed early in the first quarter, as Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to running back Mewelde Moore
. Pittsburgh would add to their lead in the second quarter, as placekicker Shaun Suisham
nailed a 33-yard field goal. The Patriots answered, with quarterback Tom Brady
finding wide receiver Deion Branch
on a 2-yard touchdown pass, but the Steelers came right back, with Roethlisberger completing a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Brown. New England would close out the half with a 46-yard field goal from placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
.
Pittsburgh began the third quarter with Suisham making a 21-yard field goal, followed by a 23-yard field goal in the fourth. The Patriots tried to rally, as Brady connected with tight end Aaron Hernandez
on a 1-yard touchdown pass, but the Steelers' defense would prevail, with safety Troy Polamalu
forcing a New England fumble out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
With the loss, the Patriots fell to 5–2.
, the first meeting since Super Bowl XLII
where the Giants
stopped their chances at going 19-0. After a scoreless first half, The Giants grabbed the lead in the third quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by placekicker Lawrence Tynes
, followed by a 10-yard touchdown run by running back Brandon Jacobs
. The Patriots got on the board, with a 32-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
. In the fourth quarter, the Patriots tied the game, with a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady
to tight end Aaron Hernandez
, then took the lead with a 45-yard field goal by Gostkowski. The Giants re-claimed the lead, with a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning
to wide receiver Mario Manningham
with three minutes remaining. The Patriots responded, with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski
. However, with a minute and a half remaining in a similar repeat of Super Bowl XLII
, Manning led the Giants on a game-winning drive, culminating with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ballard.
With the loss, the Patriots dropped to 5–3, and QB Tom Brady's streak of 32 consecutive home wins was snapped.
rematch with the New York Jets
. The Patriots grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with field goals of 50 and 36 yards by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
. The Jets got on the board in the second quarter, when Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady
was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety, followed by Jets' quarterback Mark Sanchez
scrambling for a 2-yard touchdown. The Patriots re-claimed the lead just before halftime, with Brady connecting with tight end Rob Gronkowski
on an 18-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots added to their lead in the third quarter, with a 27-yard field goal by Gostkowski, followed by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Gronkowski. In the fourth quarter, the Jets cut into the Patriots' lead, with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to wide receiver Plaxico Burress
. The Patriots responded, with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Brady to wide receiver Deion Branch
, then pulled away when linebacker Rob Ninkovich
returned a Sanchez interception 12 yards for a touchdown.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 6–3.
on Monday Night Football
. Kansas City took the lead in the first quarter, with a 26-yard field goal by placekicker Ryan Succop
, in what would be the Chiefs' only score of the game. The Patriots grabbed the lead in the second quarter, with a 52-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady
to tight end Rob Gronkowski
, followed by a 21-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
just before halftime. The Patriots added to their lead in the third quarter, with Brady throwing another touchdown pass to Gronkowski – this time from 19 yards, followed by Julian Edelman
returning a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, and a 19-yard field goal by Gostkowski at the end of the third quarter. The Patriots added another score near the end of the game, with a 4-yard touchdown run by running back Shane Vereen
.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 7–3.
for an interconference duel with the Philadelphia Eagles
. The Eagles grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back LeSean McCoy
, followed by a 43-yard field goal by placekicker Alex Henery
. The Patriots then reeled off 21 unanswered points, with two touchdown runs by running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
– a 4-yarder followed in the second quarter by a 1-yarder, and a 41-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady
to wide receiver Wes Welker
. Each team exchanged field goals – a 22-yarder by Henery, and a 45-yarder by Patriots' placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
, giving the Patriots a 24–13 halftime lead. The Patriots added to their lead, with Brady throwing a pair of touchdown passes – a 9-yarder to Welker in the third quarter, followed in the fourth quarter by a 24-yarder to tight end Rob Gronkowski
. The Eagles scored late, with quarterback Vince Young
throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jason Avant
, but the Patriots' lead was too much for the Eagles to overcome.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 8–3.
2011 NFL season
The 2011 NFL season, the 92nd regular season of the National Football League, began on Thursday, September 8, 2011 with the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers defeating the New Orleans Saints 42–34 at Lambeau Field and will end with Super Bowl XLVI, the league's championship game, on...
New England Patriots
New England Patriots
The New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
season is the 42nd season for the team in the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
and 52nd season overall.
The Patriots dedicated their 2011 season to the memory of Myra Kraft
Myra Kraft
Myra Nathalie Kraft, née Hiatt was an American philanthropist. She was the daughter of the late Worcester philanthropist Jacob Hiatt and wife of New England Patriots and New England Revolution owner Robert Kraft....
, the wife of owner Robert Kraft
Robert Kraft
Robert K. Kraft is an American business magnate. He is the Chairman and was the Chief Executive Officer of The Kraft Group, a diversified holding company with assets in paper and packaging, sports and entertainment, real estate development and a private equity portfolio...
, who died on July 20, 2011 after a long fight against cancer . At both home and away games, the Patriots are wearing patches bearing Kraft's initials, MHK, on their uniforms.
2011 NFL Draft
The Patriots traded their original seventh-round pick to the Atlanta FalconsAtlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
for offensive lineman Quinn Ojinnaka
Quinn Ojinnaka
Quinn Ojinnaka is an American football offensive lineman for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Syracuse....
in August 2010. The Patriots also acquired the Denver Broncos
Denver Broncos
The Denver Broncos are a professional American football team based in Denver, Colorado. They are currently members of the West Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' fourth-round selection in exchange for a sixth-round selection and running back
Running back
A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running...
Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney
Laurence Maroney is an American football running back who is currently a free agent in the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots 21st overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Minnesota.-Early years:Maroney attended Normandy Senior High School in St...
. The Patriots acquired the sixth-round selection from the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in a September 2009 trade for tight end
Tight end
The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be...
David Thomas
David Thomas (American football)
John David Thomas is an American football tight end for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
. The team later agreed to trade the higher of its two fourth-round selections – the pick acquired from the Broncos – to the Seattle Seahawks
Seattle Seahawks
The Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
in exchange for wide receiver
Wide receiver
A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible...
Deion Branch
Deion Branch
Anthony Deion Branch, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville.He has also played for the Seattle Seahawks...
.
| Round | Overall | Player | Position | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17 | Nate Solder Nate Solder Nate Solder is an American football offensive tackle with the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After a college career with Colorado, he was picked 17th overall in the first round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Patriots.-Personal:Hobbies include kayaking, rafting, fishing,... |
T | Colorado University of Colorado at Boulder The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado... |
| 2 | 33 | Ras-I Dowling Ras-I Dowling Ras-I Luis Dowling is an American football cornerback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He played college football at Virginia.-Early years:... |
CB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
Virginia Virginia Cavaliers The Virginia Cavaliers, also known as Wahoos or Hoos, are the athletic teams officially representing the University of Virginia in college sports. The Cavaliers compete in 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports and are members of the Atlantic Coast Conference... |
| 2 | 56 | Shane Vereen Shane Vereen Shane Patrick-Henry Vereen is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted 56th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at California.-Early years:... |
RB Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
California California Golden Bears The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley... |
| 3 | 73 | Stevan Ridley Stevan Ridley Stevan Todd Ridley is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He played college football at LSU... |
RB Running back A running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... |
LSU |
| 3 | 74 | Ryan Mallett Ryan Mallett Ryan Mallett , nicknamed "Big Tex", is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League , taken in the third round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for the Arkansas Razorbacks... |
QB Quarterback Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line... |
Arkansas 2010 Arkansas Razorbacks football team The 2010 Arkansas Razorbacks football team represented the University of Arkansas in the 2010 football season. The team played five home games at Razorback Stadium and two home games at War Memorial Stadium. Coach Bobby Petrino was in his third year with the Razorbacks. They were members of the... |
| 5 | 138 | Marcus Cannon Marcus Cannon Marcus Darell Cannon is an American football offensive guard with the New England Patriots of the National Football League. Prior to the 2011 NFL Draft, Cannon was considered one of the top offensive guard prospects; the Patriots selected Cannon in the fifth round with the 138th pick... |
G | TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... |
| 5 | 159 | Lee Smith Lee Smith (American football) -New England Patriots:Smith was drafted by the New England Patriots in the 28th pick of 5th round, 159 overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He was released by the Patriots on September 3, 2011 and claimed by the Buffalo Bills on September 4, 2011.-Buffalo Bills:... |
TE Tight end The tight end is a position in American football on the offense. The tight end is often seen as a hybrid position with the characteristics and roles of both an offensive lineman and a wide receiver. Like offensive linemen, they are usually lined up on the offensive line and are large enough to be... |
Marshall Marshall Thundering Herd football The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision... |
| 6 | 194 | Markell Carter Markell Carter Markell Carter is an American football outside linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Patriots with the 194th overall pick in the 6th round of the 2011 NFL Draft.-Early life:... |
OLB | Central Arkansas |
| 7 | 219 | Malcolm Williams Malcolm Williams Malcolm Williams is an American football defensive back who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New England Patriots with the 219th overall pick in the 7th round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at Texas Christian University.... |
CB Cornerback A cornerback is a member of the defensive backfield or secondary in American and Canadian football. Cornerbacks cover receivers, to defend against pass offenses and make tackles. Other members of the defensive backfield include the safeties and occasionally linebackers. The cornerback position... |
TCU Texas Christian University Texas Christian University is a private, coeducational university located in Fort Worth, Texas, United States and founded in 1873. TCU is affiliated with, but not governed by, the Disciples of Christ... |
| Round | Overall | Team | Received |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | to New Orleans Saints New Orleans Saints The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League .... |
Received New Orleans' second-round pick (56 overall) in 2011 and first-round pick in 2012 |
| 2 | 60 | to Houston Texans Houston Texans The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Received Houston's third-round and fifth-round picks (73 and 138 overall) |
| 3 | 92 | to Oakland Raiders Oakland Raiders The Oakland Raiders are a professional American football team based in Oakland, California. They currently play in the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Received Oakland's seventh-round pick in 2011 (219 overall) and second-round pick in 2012 |
| 4 | 125 | ||
| 6 | 193 | to Philadelphia Eagles Philadelphia Eagles The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... |
Received Philadelphia's sixth-round pick (194 overall) |
Preseason
| Week | Kickoff | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site | TV | NFL.com Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:30 PM EDT North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... |
August 11, 2011 | Jacksonville Jaguars 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars season The 2011 Jacksonville Jaguars season is the franchise's 17th season in the National Football League and the 9th under head coach Jack Del Rio, who was fired on November 29 and replaced on an interim basis by defensive coordinator Mel Tucker. The team had hoped to improve on their 8–8 record from... |
W 47–12 | 1–0 | Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution... |
WBZ WBZ-TV WBZ-TV, virtual channel 4, is a CBS owned-and-operated television station, located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. WBZ-TV's studios and office facilities, shared with sister station WSBK-TV , are located in the Allston-Brighton section of Boston, and its transmitter is located in Needham,... |
Recap |
| 2 | 7:30 PM EDT | August 18, 2011 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season The 2011 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season will be the club's 36th season as a franchise in the NFL. The team will compete in the NFC South. Both of their preseason home games, and seven of their regular season home games will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida... |
W 31–14 | 2–0 | Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium Raymond James Stadium, also known as the "Ray Jay", is a multi-purpose football stadium located in Tampa, Florida. It is home to the NFL's Tampa Bay Buccaneers as well as the NCAA's South Florida Bulls football team. The stadium seats 65,857 , and it is expandable to 75,000 for special events... |
WBZ | Recap |
| 3 | 8:00 PM EDT | August 27, 2011 | Detroit Lions 2011 Detroit Lions season The 2011 Detroit Lions season is the franchise's 82nd season in the National Football League, the 10th playing its home games at Ford Field and the third year under head coach Jim Schwartz. Currently 7–4, the team has improved on its 6–10 record from 2010, which is its third consecutive improved... |
L 10–34 | 2–1 | Ford Field Ford Field Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap |
| 4 | 7:30 PM EDT | September 1, 2011 | New York Giants 2011 New York Giants season The 2011 New York Giants season is the 87th season for the team in the National Football League. The Giants finished with a 10–6 record in 2010 however they missed the playoffs... |
L 17–18 | 2–2 | Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution... |
WBZ | Recap |
Regular season
| Week | Kickoff | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Game Site | TV | NFL.com Recap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7:00 PM EDT North American Eastern Time Zone The Eastern Time Zone of the United States and Canada is a time zone that falls mostly along the east coast of North America. Its UTC time offset is −5 hrs during standard time and −4 hrs during daylight saving time... |
Miami Dolphins 2011 Miami Dolphins season The 2011 Miami Dolphins season will be the team's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 46th overall and the fourth under head coach Tony Sparano... |
W 38–24 | 1–0 | Sun Life Stadium | ESPN Monday Night Football Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series... |
Recap | |
| 2 | 4:15 PM EDT | September 18, 2011 | San Diego Chargers 2011 San Diego Chargers season The 2011 San Diego Chargers season will be the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The team hopes to improve on its 9–7 record from 2010, in which the team missed the playoffs. For Norv Turner, this will be his fifth season as the head coach of the... |
W 35–21 | 2–0 | Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium Gillette Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Foxborough, Massachusetts, 21 miles southwest of downtown Boston and from downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It serves as the home stadium and administrative offices for the New England Patriots football team and the New England Revolution... |
CBS NFL on CBS The NFL on CBS is the brand name of the CBS television network's coverage of the National Football League's American Football Conference games, produced by CBS Sports.-Market coverage and television policies:... |
Recap |
| 3 | 1:00 PM EDT | September 25, 2011 | Buffalo Bills 2011 Buffalo Bills season The 2011 Buffalo Bills season is the team's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The Bills hope to improve on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the longest standing playoff drought in the NFL, which is... |
L 31–34 | 2–1 | Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium Ralph Wilson Stadium is a football stadium, located in the town of Orchard Park, a suburb of Buffalo, New York. It is the home for the Buffalo Bills, of the NFL... |
CBS | Recap |
| 4 | 4:15 PM EDT | October 2, 2011 | Oakland Raiders 2011 Oakland Raiders season The 2011 Oakland Raiders season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. 2011 also marks the final season under the ownership of Al Davis, who died on October 8, 2011... |
W 31–19 | 3–1 | O.co Coliseum | CBS | Recap |
| 5 | 4:15 PM EDT | October 9, 2011 | New York Jets 2011 New York Jets season The 2011 New York Jets season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd season overall and the team's second season at MetLife Stadium... |
W 30–21 | 4–1 | Gillette Stadium | CBS | Recap |
| 6 | 4:15 PM EDT | October 16, 2011 | Dallas Cowboys 2011 Dallas Cowboys season The 2011 Dallas Cowboys season will be the Cowboys' 52nd season in the NFL, the third season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium and the first full season under head coach Jason Garrett, who served as the interim head coach for the team's final eight games in 2010... |
W 20–16 | 5–1 | Gillette Stadium | Fox NFL on FOX NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports... |
Recap |
| 7 | Bye Bye (sports) A bye, in sports and other competitive activities, most commonly refers to the practice of allowing a player or team to advance to the next round of a playoff tournament without playing... |
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| 8 | 4:15 PM EDT | October 30, 2011 | Pittsburgh Steelers 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season The 2011 Pittsburgh Steelers season will be the team's 79th season as a professional sports franchise and as a member of the National Football League . It is expected to be the twelfth season under the leadership of general manager Kevin Colbert and the fifth under head coach Mike Tomlin... |
L 17–25 | 5–2 | Heinz Field Heinz Field Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively... |
CBS | Recap |
| 9 | 4:15 PM EST | November 6, 2011 | New York Giants 2011 New York Giants season The 2011 New York Giants season is the 87th season for the team in the National Football League. The Giants finished with a 10–6 record in 2010 however they missed the playoffs... |
L 20–24 | 5–3 | Gillette Stadium | Fox | Recap |
| 10 | 8:20 PM EST | November 13, 2011 | New York Jets 2011 New York Jets season The 2011 New York Jets season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd season overall and the team's second season at MetLife Stadium... |
W 37–16 | 6–3 | MetLife Stadium | NBC NBC Sunday Night Football NBC Sunday Night Football is a weekly television broadcast of Sunday evening National Football League games on NBC that began airing on Sunday, August 6, 2006 with the pre-season opening Hall of Fame Game. Al Michaels serves as the play-by-play announcer, with Cris Collinsworth as the color... |
Recap |
| 11 | 8:30 PM EST | Kansas City Chiefs 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season The 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 52nd overall and the third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The Chiefs are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010, in which the team won its first AFC West... |
W 34–3 | 7–3 | Gillette Stadium | ESPN | Recap | |
| 12 | 4:15 PM EST | November 27, 2011 | Philadelphia Eagles 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League . The Eagles will play all of their home games at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Personnel changes:... |
W 38–20 | 8–3 | Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex... |
CBS | Recap |
| 13 | 1:00 PM EST | December 4, 2011 | Indianapolis Colts 2011 Indianapolis Colts season The 2011 Indianapolis Colts season is the franchise's 59th season in the National Football League, the 28th in Indianapolis and the third under head coach Jim Caldwell. The Colts are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010 and a second consecutive AFC South championship, as well as a ninth consecutive... |
Gillette Stadium | CBS | |||
| 14 | 1:00 PM EST | December 11, 2011 | Washington Redskins 2011 Washington Redskins season The 2011 Washington Redskins season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League and their 74th representing the District of Columbia . Their home games will be played at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland for the 15th consecutive year. Washington will play in the Eastern... |
FedEx Field | CBS | |||
| 15 | 4:15 PM EST | December 18, 2011 | Denver Broncos 2011 Denver Broncos season The Denver Broncos season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. It also marks the first season under new head coach John Fox, as well as the first with John Elway as the team's Executive Vice President of Football Operations... |
Sports Authority Field at Mile High | CBS | |||
| 16 | 1:00 PM EST | Miami Dolphins 2011 Miami Dolphins season The 2011 Miami Dolphins season will be the team's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 46th overall and the fourth under head coach Tony Sparano... |
Gillette Stadium | CBS | ||||
| 17 | 1:00 PM EST | January 1, 2012 | Buffalo Bills 2011 Buffalo Bills season The 2011 Buffalo Bills season is the team's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The Bills hope to improve on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the longest standing playoff drought in the NFL, which is... |
Gillette Stadium | CBS | |||
- Simulcast on WCVB-TVWCVB-TVWCVB-TV, channel 5, is a television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, owned by Hearst Television and affiliated with the ABC Television Network. WCVB-TV's studios and transmitter are co-located in Needham, Massachusetts. WCVB is also one of six Boston television stations seen in Canada by...
and WMUR-TVWMUR-TVWMUR-TV is the ABC-affiliated television station for the state of New Hampshire that is licensed to Manchester. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 9 from a transmitter on the south peak of Mount Uncanoonuc in Goffstown. Owned by Hearst Television, the station has studios...
.
- Note: Game times for Weeks 15 and 17 are subject to change as a result of flexible schedulingNFL on televisionThe television rights to broadcast National Football League games are the most lucrative and expensive rights of any American sport. It was television that brought professional football into prominence in the modern era after World War II...
(Week 16 is exempt because of scheduling around Christmas Day).
Week 1: at Miami Dolphins
The Patriots began their 2011 campaign at Sun Life Stadium, for a Week 1 AFC EastAFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
duel with the Miami Dolphins
2011 Miami Dolphins season
The 2011 Miami Dolphins season will be the team's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 46th overall and the fourth under head coach Tony Sparano...
in the first game of Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
's doubleheader. New England trailed early in the first quarter as Dolphins' quarterback Chad Henne
Chad Henne
Chad Steven Henne is an American football quarterback for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League.He graduated from Wilson Senior High School and attended the University of Michigan...
scrambled for 9-yard touchdown. The Patriots answered, with a 4-yard touchdown run from running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. After playing college football his freshman and sophomore seasons at Indiana University, Green-Ellis...
. New England took the lead in the second quarter, with quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
finding tight end Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Miami tied the game in third quarter, as Henne completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brian Hartline
Brian Hartline
Brian Hartline is an American Football wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He is the brother of Mike Hartline, a 4th string quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts....
, yet the Patriots regained the lead, with Brady hooking up with wide receiver Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
on a 2-yard touchdown pass. The Dolphins would reply, with a 20-yard field goal by placekicker Dan Carpenter
Dan Carpenter
Daniel Roy Carpenter is an American football placekicker for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League...
. Afterwards, New England closed out the third quarter, with Brady connecting with tight end Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez
-New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop...
on a 1-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots added onto their lead in the fourth quarter, with a 20-yard field goal from placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
, followed by Brady finding Welker on a 99-yard touchdown pass.
Miami would close out the game with Henne completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to running back Reggie Bush
Reggie Bush
Reginald Alfred "Reggie" Bush II is an American football running back for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft...
.
With the win, New England began their season at 1–0.
Week 2: vs. San Diego Chargers
Following their Monday Night win at Miami, the Patriots returned to Foxborough for their home opener against the San Diego Chargers2011 San Diego Chargers season
The 2011 San Diego Chargers season will be the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The team hopes to improve on its 9–7 record from 2010, in which the team missed the playoffs. For Norv Turner, this will be his fifth season as the head coach of the...
. In the first quarter, Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez
-New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop...
, but the Chargers responded, with a 10-yard touchdown run by running back Ryan Mathews
Ryan Mathews (American football)
-San Diego Chargers:On August 1, 2010, Mathews signed a five-year, $26.65 million contract with the Chargers. The deal includes $15 million guaranteed....
. The Patriots scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
, a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
, followed by a 47-yard field goal by Gostkowski just before halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, the Chargers cut into the Patriots lead, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers
Philip Rivers is an American football quarterback for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League . He was one half of the Manning-Rivers draft trade which sent him to San Diego and the 1st overall pick, Ole Miss quarterback Eli Manning, to the New York Giants. Rivers played college...
to wide receiver Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson
Vincent Jackson , nicknamed "Action Jackson", is an American football wide receiver who currently plays in the National Football League for the San Diego Chargers....
. The Patriots responded, with Brady throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski (and a two-point conversion run by running back Danny Woodhead
Danny Woodhead
Danny Woodhead is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the New York Jets as an undrafted free agent in 2008. He played college football at Chadron State....
). The Chargers tried to rally, with Rivers throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass to Jackson, but a 16-yard touchdown run by Patriots' running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. After playing college football his freshman and sophomore seasons at Indiana University, Green-Ellis...
just after the two-minute warning sealed the win for New England.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 2–0.
Week 3: at Buffalo Bills
Following their win over the Chargers, the Patriots flew to Orchard Park, New York for an AFC EastAFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
duel with the Buffalo Bills
2011 Buffalo Bills season
The 2011 Buffalo Bills season is the team's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. The Bills hope to improve on their record from the 2010 season, and attempt to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999, the longest standing playoff drought in the NFL, which is...
. The Patriots grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
throwing two touchdown passes – a 14-yarder to wide receiver Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
and a 1-yarder to tight end Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
. The Patriots added to their lead in the second quarter, with Brady connecting with Rob Gronkowski on a 26-yard touchdown pass. The Bills responded, with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Fitzpatrick
Ryan Joseph Fitzpatrick is an American football quarterback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL Draft. He played college football at Harvard....
throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Steve Johnson
Steve Johnson (American football)
-Buffalo Bills:Johnson was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft.His first reception came in Week 5 against the Arizona Cardinals, and went for 8 yards. In Week 15, against the New York Jets, Johnson caught his first touchdown reception, a two-yard pass from J. P....
, followed by a 42-yard field goal by placekicker Ryan Lindell. The Bills narrowed the Patriots' lead in the third quarter, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick to tight end Scott Chandler. The Patriots increased their lead, with a 23-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
. The Bills tied the game in the fourth quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Fred Jackson, then grabbed a 31–24 lead when cornerback Drayton Florence
Drayton Florence
Drayton Florence, Jr. is an American football cornerback for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League. He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in the second round of the 2003 NFL Draft...
returned a Brady interception 27 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots tied the game, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Welker. However, the Bills got the last possession, as Lindell nailed a 28-yard field goal as time expired, snapping the Patriots' 15-game winning streak against the Bills.
With the loss, the Patriots dropped to 2–1.
Week 4: at Oakland Raiders
Hoping to avenge their Week 3 loss at Buffalo, the Patriots flew across the country to face the Oakland Raiders2011 Oakland Raiders season
The 2011 Oakland Raiders season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League and the 52nd overall. 2011 also marks the final season under the ownership of Al Davis, who died on October 8, 2011...
. The Raiders grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with a 28-yard field goal by placekicker Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski
Sebastian Janikowski is a left-footed Polish placekicker who plays for the National Football League's Oakland Raiders. He is nicknamed The Polish Cannon because he is considered to have one of the strongest kicking legs in the league, and leads the NFL in kickoffs for touchbacks. He lives in...
. The Patriots responded, with quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
. The Raiders re-claimed the lead in the second quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Michael Bush
Michael Bush
Michael Bush is an American football running back for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted in the 4th round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
. The Patriots answered, with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. After playing college football his freshman and sophomore seasons at Indiana University, Green-Ellis...
, followed by a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
just before halftime. The Patriots added to their lead in the third quarter, with a 33-yard field goal by running back Stevan Ridley
Stevan Ridley
Stevan Todd Ridley is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He played college football at LSU...
. The Raiders narrowed the lead, with a 26-yard field goal by Janikowski, but the Patriots increased it in the fourth quarter, with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brady to wide receiver Deion Branch
Deion Branch
Anthony Deion Branch, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville.He has also played for the Seattle Seahawks...
. The Raiders scored a late touchdown, with quarterback Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell
Jason Campbell is an American football quarterback for the Oakland Raiders of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the first round of the 2005 NFL Draft...
throwing a 6-yard pass to wide receiver Denarius Moore
Denarius Moore
-Oakland Raiders:Moore was drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the 5th Round of the 2011 NFL Draft. After a strong Training camp and Preseason, Moore made the Oakland Raiders 53-man Roster....
(with a failed two-point conversion attempt), but the Patriots ran out the clock, sealing the win.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 3–1.
Week 5: vs. New York Jets
Coming off their win at Oakland, the Patriots returned home for an AFC EastAFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
duel with the New York Jets
2011 New York Jets season
The 2011 New York Jets season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd season overall and the team's second season at MetLife Stadium...
. The Patriots grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with a 3-yard touchdown run by running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. After playing college football his freshman and sophomore seasons at Indiana University, Green-Ellis...
, followed in the second quarter by a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
. The Jets got on the board, with a 3-yard touchdown run by running back Shonn Greene
Shonn Greene
-New York Jets:On April 26, 2009 the New York Jets traded up 12 spots to select Greene in the third round of the 2009 NFL Draft. On August 30 Greene made an appearance in the Jets preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens. He rushed twice for six yards as well as catching an 85-yard pass...
. The Patriots extended their lead in the third quarter, with quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
throwing a 2-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deion Branch
Deion Branch
Anthony Deion Branch, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville.He has also played for the Seattle Seahawks...
. The Jets responded, with quarterback Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
throwing a 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jeremy Kerley
Jeremy Kerley
Jeremy Kerley is an American football wide receiver and return specialist for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at TCU....
. The Patriots added to their lead, with a 3-yard touchdown run by Green-Ellis, followed in the fourth quarter with a 24-yard field goal by Gostkowski. The Jets tried to rally, with wide receiver Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes
Santonio Holmes Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2006 NFL Draft after playing college football at Ohio State...
receiving a 21-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez, but a late 28-yard field goal by Gostkowski sealed the win for the Patriots.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 4–1.
Week 6: vs. Dallas Cowboys
Coming off their win over the Jets, the Patriots remained on home turf for an interconference duel with the Dallas Cowboys2011 Dallas Cowboys season
The 2011 Dallas Cowboys season will be the Cowboys' 52nd season in the NFL, the third season playing their home games at Cowboys Stadium and the first full season under head coach Jason Garrett, who served as the interim head coach for the team's final eight games in 2010...
. The Patriots, wearing their white jerseys as to force the Cowboys to don their "unlucky" blue jerseys, took the early lead in the first quarter, with a 31-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
. The Cowboys countered, with a 48-yard field goal by placekicker Dan Bailey
Dan Bailey (American football)
Dan "Beetle" Bailey is an American football placekicker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2011...
. The Patriots responded in the second quarter, with a 26-yard field goal by Gostkowski, followed by a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
to wide receiver Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
. The Cowboys narrowed the Patriots' lead just before halftime, with a 1-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
to tight end Jason Witten
Jason Witten
Christopher Jason Witten is an American football tight end who plays for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Tennessee....
. The Cowboys tied the game at 13–13 in the third quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by Bailey, then grabbed the lead in the fourth quarter with another field goal by Bailey, this time from 26 yards. With 2:31 remaining in the fourth quarter, Brady engineered a comeback, culminating with an 8-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez
-New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop...
with 27 seconds remaining. The Cowboys tried to rally, but Romo's last-second desperation hail-mary pass toward the end zone was unsuccessful, sealing the win for the Patriots.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 5–1, entering their bye week.
Week 8: at Pittsburgh Steelers
Coming off their bye week, the Patriots flew to Heinz FieldHeinz Field
Heinz Field is a stadium located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It primarily serves as the home to the Pittsburgh Steelers and University of Pittsburgh Panthers American football teams, members of the National Football League and National Collegiate Athletic Association respectively...
for a Week 8 duel with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional football team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The team currently belongs to the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Founded in , the Steelers are the oldest franchise in the AFC...
. New England trailed early in the first quarter, as Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger
Ben Roethlisberger
Benjamin Todd "Ben" Roethlisberger , nicknamed Big Ben, is an American football quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Steelers in the first round in the 2004 NFL Draft...
completed a 5-yard touchdown pass to running back Mewelde Moore
Mewelde Moore
Mewelde Jaem Cadere Moore is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was originally drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2004 NFL Draft...
. Pittsburgh would add to their lead in the second quarter, as placekicker Shaun Suisham
Shaun Suisham
Shaun Christopher Suisham is a Canadian placekicker of American football for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League . He was signed by the Cowboys as an undrafted free agent in 2005...
nailed a 33-yard field goal. The Patriots answered, with quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
finding wide receiver Deion Branch
Deion Branch
Anthony Deion Branch, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville.He has also played for the Seattle Seahawks...
on a 2-yard touchdown pass, but the Steelers came right back, with Roethlisberger completing a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Antonio Brown. New England would close out the half with a 46-yard field goal from placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
.
Pittsburgh began the third quarter with Suisham making a 21-yard field goal, followed by a 23-yard field goal in the fourth. The Patriots tried to rally, as Brady connected with tight end Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez
-New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop...
on a 1-yard touchdown pass, but the Steelers' defense would prevail, with safety Troy Polamalu
Troy Polamalu
Troy Aumua Polamalu is an American football strong safety for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the first round of the 2003 NFL Draft by the Steelers. He played college football at the University of Southern California.-High school:Troy Polamalu graduated...
forcing a New England fumble out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
With the loss, the Patriots fell to 5–2.
Week 9: vs. New York Giants
Hoping to rebound from their loss at Pittsburgh, the Patriots returned home for an interconference duel with the New York Giants2011 New York Giants season
The 2011 New York Giants season is the 87th season for the team in the National Football League. The Giants finished with a 10–6 record in 2010 however they missed the playoffs...
, the first meeting since Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
where the Giants
2007 New York Giants season
The 2007 New York Giants season was the 83rd season for the New York Giants in the National Football League. The Giants finished the regular season 10–6 and in second place in the NFC East, improving upon their 8–8 record in 2006 in which they finished third in their division...
stopped their chances at going 19-0. After a scoreless first half, The Giants grabbed the lead in the third quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by placekicker Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence Tynes
Lawrence James Henry Tynes is an American football placekicker for the New York Giants. He was originally signed by the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in 2001.-Early years:...
, followed by a 10-yard touchdown run by running back Brandon Jacobs
Brandon Jacobs
-New York Giants:Going into the 2006 season Jacobs stated that he studied film of famed power running back Eddie George in an effort to refine his running style. George, like Jacobs, was a large, power running back. In the 2006 season, Jacobs carried the ball 96 times for 423 yards and nine...
. The Patriots got on the board, with a 32-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
. In the fourth quarter, the Patriots tied the game, with a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
to tight end Aaron Hernandez
Aaron Hernandez
-New England Patriots:Hernandez was drafted by the New England Patriots in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. Shortly after he was drafted, The Boston Globe reported Hernandez had admitted to marijuana use and had failed multiple drug tests while in college, causing his draft stock to drop...
, then took the lead with a 45-yard field goal by Gostkowski. The Giants re-claimed the lead, with a 10-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Eli Manning
Eli Manning
Eli Nelson Manning is an American football quarterback for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He is the younger brother of NFL quarterback Peyton Manning and the son of former NFL quarterback Archie Manning...
to wide receiver Mario Manningham
Mario Manningham
Mario Cashmere Manningham is an American football wide receiver for the New York Giants of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Giants in the third round of the 2008 NFL Draft...
with three minutes remaining. The Patriots responded, with a 14-yard touchdown pass from Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
. However, with a minute and a half remaining in a similar repeat of Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII
Super Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
, Manning led the Giants on a game-winning drive, culminating with a 1-yard touchdown pass to tight end Jake Ballard.
With the loss, the Patriots dropped to 5–3, and QB Tom Brady's streak of 32 consecutive home wins was snapped.
Week 10: at New York Jets
Hoping to rebound from their loss to the Giants, the Patriots flew to MetLife Stadium for an AFC EastAFC East
The American Football Conference – Eastern Division or AFC East is a division of the National Football League's American Football Conference. There are four members: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots , and New York Jets...
rematch with the New York Jets
2011 New York Jets season
The 2011 New York Jets season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League , the 52nd season overall and the team's second season at MetLife Stadium...
. The Patriots grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with field goals of 50 and 36 yards by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
. The Jets got on the board in the second quarter, when Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
was penalized for intentional grounding in the end zone for a safety, followed by Jets' quarterback Mark Sanchez
Mark Sanchez
Mark Travis John Sanchez is an American football quarterback for the New York Jets of the National Football League . He was drafted in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft as the fifth overall selection by the Jets and the second quarterback taken overall...
scrambling for a 2-yard touchdown. The Patriots re-claimed the lead just before halftime, with Brady connecting with tight end Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
on an 18-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots added to their lead in the third quarter, with a 27-yard field goal by Gostkowski, followed by a 5-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Gronkowski. In the fourth quarter, the Jets cut into the Patriots' lead, with a 7-yard touchdown pass from Sanchez to wide receiver Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Burress
Plaxico Antonio Burress is an American football wide receiver who currently plays for the New York Jets of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers eighth overall in the 2000 NFL Draft...
. The Patriots responded, with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Brady to wide receiver Deion Branch
Deion Branch
Anthony Deion Branch, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2002 NFL Draft. He played college football at Louisville.He has also played for the Seattle Seahawks...
, then pulled away when linebacker Rob Ninkovich
Rob Ninkovich
Robert Michael Ninkovich is an American football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Purdue.Ninkovich has also played for the Miami Dolphins.-Early...
returned a Sanchez interception 12 yards for a touchdown.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 6–3.
Week 11: vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Coming off their win over the Jets, the Patriots returned home for an AFC duel against the Kansas City Chiefs2011 Kansas City Chiefs season
The 2011 Kansas City Chiefs season is the franchise's 42nd season in the National Football League, the 52nd overall and the third under the head coach/general manager tandem of Todd Haley and Scott Pioli. The Chiefs are coming off a 10–6 record in 2010, in which the team won its first AFC West...
on Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football
Monday Night Football is a live broadcast of the National Football League on ESPN. From to it aired on ABC. Monday Night Football was, along with Hallmark Hall of Fame, and the Walt Disney anthology television series, one of the longest running prime time commercial network television series...
. Kansas City took the lead in the first quarter, with a 26-yard field goal by placekicker Ryan Succop
Ryan Succop
Ryan Barrow Succop is an American football placekicker for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League. He is the 2009 Mr. Irrelevant after being selected by the Chiefs with the final pick of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at South Carolina.-Early years:Succop attended...
, in what would be the Chiefs' only score of the game. The Patriots grabbed the lead in the second quarter, with a 52-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
to tight end Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
, followed by a 21-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
just before halftime. The Patriots added to their lead in the third quarter, with Brady throwing another touchdown pass to Gronkowski – this time from 19 yards, followed by Julian Edelman
Julian Edelman
Julian Francis Edelman is a wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Kent State as a quarterback.-Early years:Edelman was born in Redwood City, California...
returning a punt 72 yards for a touchdown, and a 19-yard field goal by Gostkowski at the end of the third quarter. The Patriots added another score near the end of the game, with a 4-yard touchdown run by running back Shane Vereen
Shane Vereen
Shane Patrick-Henry Vereen is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted 56th overall in the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football at California.-Early years:...
.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 7–3.
Week 12: at Philadelphia Eagles
Coming off their win over the Chiefs, the Patriots flew to Lincoln Financial FieldLincoln Financial Field
Lincoln Financial Field is the home stadium of the National Football League's Philadelphia Eagles. It has a seating capacity of 68,532 . It is located in South Philadelphia on Pattison Avenue between 11th and 10th streets, also aside I-95 as part of the South Philadelphia Sports Complex...
for an interconference duel with the Philadelphia Eagles
2011 Philadelphia Eagles season
The 2011 Philadelphia Eagles season will be the 79th season for the team in the National Football League . The Eagles will play all of their home games at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.-Personnel changes:...
. The Eagles grabbed the early lead in the first quarter, with a 2-yard touchdown run by running back LeSean McCoy
LeSean McCoy
-Philadelphia Eagles:McCoy was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He signed a four-year contract with the team on June 29, 2009....
, followed by a 43-yard field goal by placekicker Alex Henery
Alex Henery
Alex Henery is an American football kicker for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He played college football for the Nebraska Cornhuskers, setting an NCAA record for field goal accuracy with a 89.5% success rate...
. The Patriots then reeled off 21 unanswered points, with two touchdown runs by running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Green-Ellis
BenJarvus Jeremy Green-Ellis is an American football running back for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2008. After playing college football his freshman and sophomore seasons at Indiana University, Green-Ellis...
– a 4-yarder followed in the second quarter by a 1-yarder, and a 41-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Tom Brady
Tom Brady
Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,...
to wide receiver Wes Welker
Wes Welker
-San Diego Chargers :Welker, who was not drafted during the 2004 NFL Draft, signed as an undrafted free agent with the San Diego Chargers. Welker made the Chargers out of training camp, but was released after the first game of the season.-2004 season:...
. Each team exchanged field goals – a 22-yarder by Henery, and a 45-yarder by Patriots' placekicker Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Gostkowski
Stephen Carroll Gostkowski is a placekicker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League...
, giving the Patriots a 24–13 halftime lead. The Patriots added to their lead, with Brady throwing a pair of touchdown passes – a 9-yarder to Welker in the third quarter, followed in the fourth quarter by a 24-yarder to tight end Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski
Rob Gronkowski is an American football tight end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the second round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
. The Eagles scored late, with quarterback Vince Young
Vince Young
Vincent Paul Young, Jr. , nicknamed "VY", is an American football quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Tennessee Titans. Young was the third overall draft pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college...
throwing a 1-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jason Avant
Jason Avant
Jason Raye Avant is an American football wide receiver for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan....
, but the Patriots' lead was too much for the Eagles to overcome.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 8–3.
Week 13: vs. Indianapolis Colts
Awards and honors
| Recipient | Award(s) |
|---|---|
| Tom Brady Tom Brady Thomas Edward Patrick "Tom" Brady, Jr. is an American football quarterback for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . After playing college football at Michigan, Brady was drafted by the Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.He has played in four Super Bowls,... |
Week 1: AFC Offensive Player of the Week Week 1: FedEx Express NFL Player of the Week Week 2: AFC Offensive Player of the Week |
| Andre Carter Andre Carter Rubin Andre Carter is an American football defensive end for the New England Patriots of the National Football League... |
Week 10: AFC Defensive Player of the Week |
| Julian Edelman Julian Edelman Julian Francis Edelman is a wide receiver for the New England Patriots of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Patriots in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football for Kent State as a quarterback.-Early years:Edelman was born in Redwood City, California... |
Week 11: AFC Special Teams Player of the Week |
| Team | Week 6: GMC Never Say Never Moment of the Week (game-winning drive) |