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Game Notes

Email|Link|Comments (7) Posted by Mike Reiss, Globe Staff November 14, 2008 01:28 AM

FOXBOROUGH -- Game notes from the Patriots 34-31 overtime loss to the Jets, courtesy of the team's media relations department (click 'full entry' for complete notes):

PATRIOTS HAVE MOST TOTAL NET YARDS IN A GAME SINCE 1979
The Patriots gained 511 total net yards against the Jets (386 passing, 125 rushing), marking the franchise’s highest offensive output since gaining a franchise-record 597 total net yards on Sept. 9, 1979 against the Jets. New England’s 511 total net yards stand as the fourth-highest single-game total in team history. Last season, the Patriots’ season high was 510 total net yards at Buffalo on Nov. 18, 2007.

CASSEL IS FIRST PLAYER SINCE 1970 AFL-NFL MERGER TO TOTAL AT LEAST 400 PASSING YARDS AND AT LEAST 60 RUSHING YARDS IN A GAME
Matt Cassel threw for 400 yards and ran for 62 yards, becoming the first player since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger to have 400 or more passing yards and 60 or more rushing yards in a game. Only one other time since 1970 has a player had at least 400 passing yards and at least 50 rushing yards in a game. Steve Young of the San Francisco 49ers had 449 passing yards and 50 rushing yards against Buffalo on Sept. 13, 1992. Young and the 49ers lost that game, 34-31 - the exact same score by which Cassel and the Patriots fell to the Jets. Cassel was also the first player in Patriots history to have 300 or more passing yards and 50 or more rushing yards.

CASSEL HAS MOST RUSHING YARDS FOR A PATRIOTS QUARTERBACK IN 30 YEARS
Matt Cassel had 62 rushing yards on eight carries tonight to lead the Patriots in rushing. His 62 rushing yards are the most by a Patriots quarterback in a game in more than 30 years, dating back to Sept. 24, 1978, when Steve Grogan had 65 rushing yards on six carries in a 21-14 win over the Oakland Raiders. Cassel’s 62 rushing yards are the most in a game by any Patriots quarterback other than Grogan, and the 62-yard performance stands as the sixth-highest single-game total for a quarterback in Patriots history. Grogan holds the franchise record for rushing yards by a quarterback with a 103-yard performance (on seven carries) against the New York Jets on Oct. 18, 1976.

CASSEL PASSES FOR 400 YARDS
Matt Cassel totaled a career-high 400 yards on 30-for-51 passing, recording the ninth 400-yard passing game in Patriots history and the first since Tom Brady had 410 passing yards on Sept. 22, 2002 in an overtime win over Kansas City. Cassel joins Drew Bledsoe (4 times), Tom Brady (1), Tony Eason (1), Steve Grogan (1) and Tom Ramsey (1) as the only quarterbacks in Patriots history to exceed 400 passing yards in a game.

CASSEL SETS CAREER HIGHS
Matt Cassel set single-game career highs for passing yards (400), passing attempts (51), pass completions (30) and rushing yards (62). He also tied his career best with three touchdown passes. Cassel’s 51 attempts were the most for a Patriots player since Tom Brady attempted 54 passes against Philadelphia on Nov. 25, 2007. His 30 completions were the most by a New England player since Brady had 32 completions against the New York Giants on Dec. 29, 2007.

TWO-MINUTE DRILLS
Matt Cassel led clutch two-minute drills at the end of each half, as the Patriots scored key touchdowns with 15 seconds left in the first half and one second left in the second half.

The first-half two-minute drill covered 68 yards in 10 plays over 1:29, ending in a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jabar Gaffney that cut the Jets lead to 24-13 with 15 seconds left in the first half. The Patriots got the ball, down 24-6, on their own 32-yard line with 1:44 left in the first half. Cassel completed 4-of-8 passes for 47 yards on the drive and ran twice for 21 yards (including a career-long 19-yard scamper).

The second-half two-minute drill covered 62 yards in eight plays over 1:03, ending in a 16-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss in the side of the end zone. The extra point following that touchdown tied the score at 31 and sent the game into overtime. Cassel completed 6-of-8 passes on the drive for 67 yards (the two incompletions were spikes to stop the clock).

OVERTIME STREAK SNAPPED
Prior to tonight, the Patriots had won an NFL-record eight straight overtime games (including playoffs). The streak dated back to 2000. The last time the Patriots lost an overtime game was on Nov. 5, 2000, when the Buffalo Bills won 16-13 at Foxboro Stadium. Before falling to the Jets tonight, the Patriots’ last overtime game was on Nov. 23, 2003 at Houston, and New England claimed a 23-20 win. The overtime game against the Jets was the third in Gillette Stadium history, with the others being a 41-38 win over Kansas City on Sept. 22, 2002 and a 27-24 win over Miami on Dec. 29, 2002.

MAYO TOTALS 20 TACKLES, MOST FOR A PATRIOT SINCE 1994
Jerod Mayo was credited with 20 tackles (16 solo) against the Jets by press box statisticians. According to Stats LLC, it was the highest tackle total credited to a Patriot by press box statisticians since STATS LLC’s records begin in 1994. Mayo’s total of 20 tackles tops Roman Phifer’s 19 tackles (13 solo) on Oct. 12, 2003 against the New York Giants as the most by a Patriot over that span. Tackles are an unofficial NFL statistic.

WELKER EXTENDS NFL RECORD
Wes Welker had seven receptions for 108 yards, extending his NFL record for most consecutive games with six or more receptions to begin a season. Welker has had at least six catches in each of New England’s 10 games this year, topping the previous mark of eight straight games with six or more catches to begin the season (Jimmy Smith, 2001). Dating back to last season, Welker has had six or more receptions in 11 straight regular-season games and 14 straight games including playoffs. Welker’s 108 receiving yards against the Jets marked his second consecutive 100-yard receiving game and was the sixth 100-yard receiving game of his career.

MOSS SCORES
Randy Moss caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel with one second left in the fourth quarter. The ensuing extra point tied the game at 31 and sent the contest into overtime. The touchdown catch was Moss’s team-high fifth of the season. Since joining the Patriots prior to the 2007 season, Moss has made 28 touchdown receptions - the most in the NFL over that span (Terrell Owens, 21). The touchdown was the 129th of Moss’s career, a total that ranks fourth on the NFL’s all-time list and is just one shy of third place (Cris Carter, 130).

GAFFNEY SCORES
Jabar Gaffney caught a 19-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel with 15 seconds left in the first half to cut the Jets’ lead to 24-13. The touchdown was Gaffney’s second of the season and his first since Sept. 21 against Miami. The touchdown catch was the 15th of Gaffney’s seven-year career and it was his eighth scoring grab since being signed by the Patriots as a free agent on Oct. 9, 2006. Gaffney also grabbed a key 2-point conversion pass from Cassel on the final play of the third quarter to cut the Jets’ lead to 24-21.

WATSON SCORES
Benjamin Watson caught a 10-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel and the subsequent 2-point conversion cut the Jets’ lead to 24-21. The scoring catch was Watson’s first of the year and was the 14th of his career. It was the first touchdown grab by a Patriots tight end in the regular season since Nov. 18, 2007, when Watson scored in a 56-10 win at Buffalo.

TURNING OVER POINTS
Jason Webster forced Jerricho Cotchery to fumble at the Patriots’ 48-yard line in the fourth quarter and Gary Guyton recovered the loose ball at the Patriots’ 40-yard line to give possession back to New England. The takeaway set up a 6-play, 31-yard drive that ended in a 47-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski that tied the game at 24-24 after New England trailed 24-6 late in the second quarter. For Webster, who was signed by the Patriots as a free agent on Nov. 5, the forced fumble was eighth of his career. For Guyton, who was signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent this past offseason, the fumble recovery was his team-leading second of the season.

MOSS MOVES UP LISTS
On an 8-yard reception in the third quarter, Randy Moss moved into 11th place on the NFL’s all-time receiving yardage list, passing Irving Fryar’s career total of 12,785 yards. Following his third-quarter grab, Moss had 12,792 career receiving yards. That same 8-yard catch was the 819th of Moss’s career, tying Steve Largent for 16th place on the NFL’s all-time receptions list.

EVEN STEPHEN
Stephen Gostkowski was a perfect three-for-three on field goals and hit a clutch 47-yard kick with 10:16 remaining in the game that tied the score at 24-24. He also hit a 42-yard field goal in the first quarter and a 31-yard field goal in the second quarter. Gostkowski improved to 24-for-26 (92.3 percent) for the season. His 24 field goals are the highest single-season total of Gostkowski’s three-year career, topping his 21 successful field goals in 2007 (21-for-24, 87.5 percent). His 24 field goals this season are the most for a Patriots kicker since Adam Vinatieri made 31 field goals in 2004. Gostkowski was named the AFC Special Teams Player of the Month for October, 2008. He is the Patriots’ all-time leader in field goal percentage, having converted 85.5 percent of his kicks (65-for-76) since being selected in the fourth round of the 2006 NFL Draft.

SWAT TEAM

Jerod Mayo batted away a Brett Favre pass intended for tight end Chris Baker in the first quarter.

Pierre Woods batted away a Favre pass intended for tight end Dustin Keller on the goal line on third down in the second quarter, keeping New York out of the end zone and forcing a field goal on the next play.

Gary Guyton batted away a Favre pass intended for Leon Washington on second-and-15 in overtime, setting up a third-and-15 for the Jets.

QUICK HITS

Sam Aiken had a 43-yard reception in the second quarter, marking the second longest reception of his career. His longest catch was a 54-yarder while playing for Buffalo on Nov. 21, 2004 against St. Louis.

Matt Cassel’s 19-yard run in the second quarter was the longest rush of his career, topping his previous best, a 15-yard touchdown run against Miami in the 2005 season finale on Jan. 1, 2006.

SACK ATTACK
Richard Seymour and Vince Wilfork each came up with key sacks as the Patriots forced a three-and-out by the Jets immediately following a lost fumble by New England on the opening possession of the second half.

Vince Wilfork sacked Brett Favre for a 9-yard loss in the third quarter, recording his first sack of the season and raising his career sack total to 6.5. The sack came on first down for the Jets following a lost fumble by the Patriots and set the tone for a key three-and-out by the New England defense.

Richard Seymour sacked Brett Favre for a 9-yard loss on third down in the third quarter. The sack was his team-leading sixth of the season, and raised his career sack total to 37, a tally that ranks 11th on the Patriots’ all-time list. The sack came on third down following a lost fumble by the Patriots and finished a key three-and-out by the New England defense.

SELLOUT STREAK EXTENDED
Tonight’s game was the 157th consecutive home sellout for the Patriots. The streak, now in its 15th season, includes every preseason, regular-season and playoff game since the 1994 regular-season opener (Robert Kraft’s first regular-season game as Patriots owner).

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7 comments so far...

Tough and frustrating loss. But I don't know why so many fans are limiting us to a wild card spot now. Next week Jets play at Titans- there is a good chance we'll win in Miami and Jets will lose, putting us back in a tie for first. Granted, Jets would have to lose another division game for us to win the tie-breaker at year-end.

Posted by Tyrone Biggums November 14, 08 04:19 AM

Jets still have away games at Tennessee, at SF, and at Seattle (who should be improved with Hasslebeck returning.) Their home games are Denver, Miami, and Buffalo. I think they could lose 2 or 3 more, especially after the Pats showed how you can chew up their D by spreading the field. Pats would have to get on a serious roll -- maybe 5-1 the rest of the way to win the division. Next week's game at Miami is a must win.

Posted by Mike M November 14, 08 05:41 AM

So now we have the Brady-Cassel Montana-Young comparisons ready to take shape.

Posted by ricomandog November 14, 08 07:12 AM

we can still do this thing! cassel has a very bright future. ex-patriots often get paid very very well.

Posted by Alex November 14, 08 03:59 PM

I was yelling after Moss's awesome catch for the Pats to go for two points instead of one point! Hindsight is great, but I think they had everything going for them at that point i.e. momentum, great drive, the adrenalin was flowing on offense - why not try a two point conversion?
Any thoughts on this?

Posted by dman November 14, 08 08:55 PM

dmn, going for two in that situation is better for the visiting
team. Generally the rule of thought is that in overtime, the home team has the advantage, and even with the Pats kickinbg off, the theory was right as they had the Jets in a 3rd and 15 on the Jets 15 yard line, but Dean Pees coast them the game by playing a soft defense with no pass rush and allowed an aexperienced quarterback to find an open receiver with no pressure on him. Pees, IMO, has been pitiful all season long.

Posted by Mike Allen November 15, 08 05:43 PM

Mike Allen, Pees had nothing to do with that 3rd and 15 being converted. Two Patriots defenders were caught in the same zone. It was a blown coverage and that's why Keller was left open. The defense could've been better in the first half, but it was money in the second half. Patriots got hosed on that phantom holding call on Mike Vrabel.

Posted by Len November 16, 08 05:48 PM

DO NOT HIT THE SUBMIT BUTTON MORE THAN ONCE!

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Mike Reiss, Christopher L. Gasper and the rest of the Globe team provide regular updates –and a behind-the-scenes look– on the daily happenings of the Patriots.

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