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{{New England Patriots}}
{{New England Patriots seasons}}


[[Category:2006 National Football League season by team|New England Patriots]]
[[Category:2006 National Football League season by team|New England Patriots]]

Revision as of 20:16, 16 April 2007


2006 New England Patriots season
File:NewEnglandPatriots 100.gif
Head coachBill Belichick
Home fieldGillette Stadium
Results
Record12-4
Division place1st AFC East
Playoff finishWon Wild Card (Jets)
Won Divisional Round (Chargers)
Lost AFC Championship (Colts)

The 2006 New England Patriots season began with the team trying to improve on their 10-6 record in 2005. Despite several offseason personnel losses, the team oriented formula of Bill Belichick's 2006 Patriots were still considered a contender for the NFL title.[1][2]

Offseason

Coaching Changes

First-year defensive coordinator Eric Mangini was hired to be head coach of the New York Jets, marking the second year in a row that New England's defensive coordinator was hired as a head coach. He would be replaced as defensive coordinator by Dean Pees, who had been linebackers coach for the club the past 2 years. Assistant offensive line coach Matt Patricia was moved to linebackers coach to replace Pees. Quarterbacks coach Josh McDaniels was promoted to offensive coordinator after New England went one season without replacing Charlie Weis. Former Patriot defensive back Otis Smith and tight end Fred Baxter helped the team in training camp, with Smith staying with the team full-time as a defensive assistant.

Departures

Free agency saw multiple departures for the Patriots, including long-time kicker Adam Vinatieri signing with the Indianapolis Colts, and wide receiver David Givens signing with the Tennessee Titans. Linebacker Willie McGinest, the Patriots' 1st round pick in the 1993 NFL Draft, was released on March 9 and signed with the Cleveland Browns six days later. Other free agency departures were Matt Chatham (New York Jets), André Davis (Buffalo Bills), Tim Dwight (New York Jets), and Christian Fauria (Washington Redskins).

Signings

However, the offseason also brought the arrival of 5th-year wide receiver Reche Caldwell from the San Diego Chargers, who would become the Patriots' leading receiver in 2006. Another impact acquisition came during the preseason, when the Patriots signed veteran linebacker Junior Seau, who had retired just four days earlier. Other arrivals were Barry Gardner (New York Jets), Martin Gramatica (Indianapolis Colts), Mel Mitchell (New Orleans Saints), and Tebucky Jones (Miami Dolphins).

Free agents Don Davis, Hank Poteat, Ross Tucker, Artrell Hawkins, Chad Scott, Troy Brown, Heath Evans, Stephen Neal, and Guss Scott were all re-signed, while Richard Seymour, Dan Koppen, and Russ Hochstein all received long-term contact extensions.

Trades

On June 5, the Patriots traded wide receiver Bethel Johnson to the New Orleans Saints for the sixth overall pick in the 2003 NFL Draft, defensive tackle Johnathan Sullivan. Neither players made their respective rosters to begin the 2006 season.

The preseason also saw the eventual loss of Super Bowl MVP wide receiver Deion Branch. Branch held out all of mini-camp, training camp, the preseason and into the regular season before eventually being traded to the Seattle Seahawks for a 1st round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft on September 11.

2006 NFL Draft

The Patriots didn't fill all of their needs, particularly in regards to an aging secondary that needed new blood. However, with quality talent that had an immediate impact in the 2006 such as Laurence Maroney and Stephen Gostkowski, the experts were validated in the opinion that the Patriots had a good draft.[3][4]

2006 New England Patriots Draft Selections
Round Overall Player Position College
1 21 Laurence Maroney Running Back Minnesota
2[5][6] 36 Chad Jackson Wide Receiver Florida
3 86 David Thomas Tight End Texas
4[7] 106 Garrett Mills Tight End Tulsa
4 118 Stephen Gostkowski Kicker Memphis
5 136 Ryan O'Callaghan Offensive Tackle California
6 191 Jeremy Mincey Defensive End Florida
6 205 Dan Stevenson Offensive Guard Notre Dame
6 206 Le Kevin Smith Defensive Tackle Nebraska
7 229 Willie Andrews Safety Baylor
compensatory selection

Undrafted Free Agents

The Patriots also signed 17 undrafted free agents following the draft. Linebacker Pierre Woods made the Patriots' 53-man roster and was active for 8 games during the 2006 season. Linebacker Corey Mays made the practice squad, was elevated to the 53-man roster during the season, and was also active for 8 games during the season. Center Brian Barthelmes finished the season during his second stint on the Patriots' practice squad. Wide receiver Matt Shelton and defensive back Gemara Williams were placed on injured-reserve, with Shelton reaching an injury settlement on December 5 for his release. Running back Patrick Cobbs was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers for a conditional draft pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, but did not make the Steelers' 53-man roster.

External links

Preseason Schedule

Week Kickoff Date Opponent Result Game site TV Record NFL Recap
1 8:00 PM EST August 11, 2006 Atlanta Falcons L 23-26 Georgia Dome CBS 0-1 Recap
2 8:00 PM EST August 19, 2006 Arizona Cardinals W 30-3 Gillette Stadium NFL Network 1-1 Recap
3 8:00 PM EST August 26, 2006 Washington Redskins W 41-0 Gillette Stadium WCVB 2-1 Recap
4 7:30 PM EST August 31, 2006 New York Giants L 23-31 Giants Stadium WCVB 2-2 Recap

Final Roster

New England Patriots 2006 final roster

Quarterbacks

Halfbacks

Fullbacks

Receivers

Tight Ends

 

Offensive Line

Defensive line

 

Linebackers

Defensive backs

Special Teams

 

Injured Reserve

Practice Squad Injured Reserve

NFL Europe Injured Reserve

Practice Squad

Notations

  • R: 2006 Rookie
  • UDR: 2006 Undrafted Rookie
  • Italicized players are not on the 53-man roster.

Regular Season Schedule

Week Kickoff Date Opponent Result Game site TV Record NFL.com Recap
1 1:00 PM EST September 10, 2006 Buffalo Bills W 19-17 Gillette Stadium CBS 1-0 Recap
2 4:15 PM EST September 17, 2006 New York Jets W 24-17 Giants Stadium CBS 2-0 Recap
3 8:15 PM EST September 24, 2006 Denver Broncos L 17-7 Gillette Stadium NBC 2-1 Recap
4 4:15 PM EST October 1, 2006 Cincinnati Bengals W 38-13 Paul Brown Stadium CBS 3-1 Recap
5 1:00 PM EST October 8, 2006 Miami Dolphins W 20-10 Gillette Stadium CBS 4-1 Recap
6 Bye
7 1:00 PM EST October 22, 2006 Buffalo Bills W 28-6 Ralph Wilson Stadium CBS 5-1 Recap
8 8:30 PM EST October 30, 2006 Minnesota Vikings W 31-7 Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome ESPN 6-1 Recap
9 8:15 PM EST November 5, 2006 Indianapolis Colts L 27-20 Gillette Stadium NBC 6-2 Recap
10 1:00 PM EST November 12, 2006 New York Jets L 17-14 Gillette Stadium CBS 6-3 Recap
11 1:00 PM EST November 19, 2006 Green Bay Packers W 35-0 Lambeau Field CBS 7-3 Recap
12 4:15 PM EST November 26, 2006 Chicago Bears W 17-13 Gillette Stadium FOX 8-3 Recap
13 1:00 PM EST December 3, 2006 Detroit Lions W 28-21 Gillette Stadium FOX 9-3 Recap
14 1:00 PM EST December 10, 2006 Miami Dolphins L 21-0 Dolphin Stadium CBS 9-4 Recap
15 1:00 PM EST December 17, 2006 Houston Texans W 40-7 Gillette Stadium CBS 10-4 Recap
16 1:00 PM EST December 24, 2006 Jacksonville Jaguars W 24-21 ALLTEL Stadium CBS 11-4 Recap
17 1:00 PM EST December 31, 2006 Tennessee Titans W 40-23 LP Field CBS 12-4 Recap

Division Standings

Template:2006afceast

Patriots Versus Opponents

W L T Pct. PF PA
Home 5 3 0 .625 165 129
Away 7 1 0 .875 220 108
AFC East Opponents 4 2 0 .667 105 88
AFC Opponents 8 4 0 .636 274 196
NFC Opponents 4 0 0 1.000 111 41
Indoor/Outdoor Breakdown
Indoors 1 0 0 1.000 31 7
Outdoors 11 4 0 .733 354 230
Time of Day Breakdown
1:00 PM EST 9 2 0 .818 265 156
4:15 PM EST 2 0 0 1.000 62 30
8-9:00 PM EST 1 2 0 .333 51 34
Time of Week Breakdown
Monday 1 0 0 1.000 31 7
Thursday/Saturday 0 2 0 .000 27 44
Sunday 11 2 0 .846 327 186
Telecast Breakdown
on CBS 9 2 0 .818 282 152
on NBC 0 2 0 .000 27 44
on ESPN 1 0 0 1.000 31 7
on FOX 2 0 0 1.000 45 34

Regular Season Results

Week 1: vs. Buffalo Bills

1 2 3 4 Total
Bills 10 7 0 0 17
Patriots 7 0 7 5 19

at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

Game Summary

The Pats opened the regular season at home against the Buffalo Bills on September 10. On the very first play of the game, QB Tom Brady was sacked by opposing linebacker Takeo Spikes, causing a fumble, which would end up as a 5-yard TD to put the Bills ahead to an early lead.

New England would tie things up with a 9-yard pass to WR Troy Brown, but the Pats would continue their first half struggles, as the Bills got a 53-yard FG by opposing Kicker Rian Lindell and an 18-yard TD by opposing RB Anthony Thomas. Fortunately, that would be the last scoring strike that Buffalo would be able to muster, as the Patriots would win with a 17-yard pass to RB Kevin Faulk, a 32-yard FG by Rookie Kicker Stephen Gostkowski, and a safety by DE Ty Warren. With their 19-17 victory, not only did the New England Patriots start off the 2006 season on the right foot, but Bill Belichick also got his 100th career victory as an NFL head coach.

External links

Week 2: at New York Jets

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 7 10 7 0 24
Jets 0 0 14 3 17

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game Summary

The Patriots traveled to The Meadowlands for an AFC East fight with the New York Jets, as head coach Bill Belichick would go up against his mentee and Jets Head Coach Eric Mangini. From the get-go, the Patriots dominated, as in the first quarter, RB Corey Dillon got a 1-yard TD run. In the second quarter, the Pats increased their lead with Kicker Stephen Gostkowski booting a 20-yard field goal and QB Tom Brady throwing a 13-yard TD pass to WR Chad Jackson, allowing New England to lead 17-0 at halftime. In the third quarter, the Patriots continued on their lead, with RB Laurence Maroney getting a 1-yard TD run. However, their lead would start to get smaller and smaller, as the Jets started to rebound with opposing QB Chad Pennington throwing an incredible 71-yard TD pass to WR Jerricho Cotchery and a 46-yard TD pass to WR Laveranues Coles. In the fourth quarter, the Jets got within a touchdown with opposing Kicker Mike Nugent kicking a 42-yard field goal. Fortunately, the Patriots defense managed to contain any chance of a Jets comeback to hold on and win.

External links

Week 3: vs. Denver Broncos

1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 0 10 0 7 17
Patriots 0 0 0 7 7

at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

Game Summary

The Patriots returned home for a Week 3 Sunday Night match-up with the Denver Broncos, hoping to get some payback for losing two match-ups and an early playoff exit in 2005. Both sides prevented each other from striking up a single point in the first quarter, but in the second quarter, the Pats fell behind early with kicker Jason Elam completing a 23-yard field goal and WR Javon Walker catching a 32-yard TD pass. In the third quarter, New England prevented Denver from scoring, but the Patriots still couldn't get any points. Early in the fourth quarter, the Pats continued to sink with Walker getting an 83-yard TD pass. New England would get a score of their own, as QB Tom Brady threw an 8-yard TD pass to WR Doug Gabriel. Unfortunately, that touchdown would be the only good highlight, as the Patriots fell at home to Denver.

External links

Week 4: at Cincinnati Bengals

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 0 14 7 17 38
Bengals 6 0 7 0 13

at Paul Brown Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Game Summary

Hoping to preserve their division lead, the Patriots flew to Paul Brown Stadium for a Week 4 showdown with the Cincinnati Bengals. In the first quarter, New England fell early as kicker Shayne Graham kicked two field goals (a 40-yarder and a 45-yarder). Fortunately, the Patriots would rebound in the second quarter, as rookie RB Laurence Maroney got an 11-yard TD run and QB Tom Brady completed a 25-yard TD pass to WR Doug Gabriel. In the third quarter, the Bengals tried to catch up, as RB Rudi Johnson ran 2 yards for a TD, but fortunately, that would be as far as Cincinnati would be able to get, as Maroney ran 25 yards for another touchdown. In the fourth quarter, it was all New England as rookie kicker Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 24-yard field goal, RB Corey Dillon (a former Bengal) got a 1-yard TD run, and Brady completed a 3-yard TD pass to TE Daniel Graham. With their victory, the Patriots advanced to 3-1 and maintained their lead in the AFC East.

External links

Week 5: vs. Miami Dolphins

1 2 3 4 Total
Dolphins 0 10 0 0 10
Patriots 3 10 0 7 20

at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

Game Summary

Following a road victory over Cincinnati, the Patriots went back home for Week 5, as they played an AFC East match-up with the Miami Dolphins. In the first quarter, kicker Stephen Gostkowski kicked a 35-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, New England continued to pile up their lead, as Gostkowski kicked a 31-yard field goal, while QB Tom Brady managed to complete a 10-yard TD pass to WR Troy Brown. The Pats would get a bit of a scare afterwards, as the Dolphins got a 2-yard TD run by RB Ronnie Brown and a 40-yard field goal by Olindo Mare as the first half came to a close. After a scoreless third quarter, the Patriots managed to put the game away for good, as Brady completed a 1-yard TD pass to RB Kevin Faulk. With their win, New England continued its strong lead in the division.

External links

Week 7: at Buffalo Bills

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 14 0 7 7 28
Bills 3 0 0 3 6

at Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, New York

Game Summary

Coming off their Bye Week, the Patriots flew to Ralph Wilson Stadium for a rematch with their AFC East rival, the Buffalo Bills. Last time, the Pats trailed early, yet managed to comeback and win. This time, it was all New England. RB Corey Dillon help the Pats get off to an early start with an 8-yard TD run. Even though Bills Rian Lindell helped Buffalo get on the board with a 40-yard field goal, Dillon helped the Patriots increase their lead, as he got a 12-yard TD run. After a scoreless second quarter, QB Tom Brady hooked up with rookie WR Chad Jackson on a 35-yard TD pass for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, Lindell would help the Bills get a 46-yard field goal, but fortunately, Brady helped put the game away with a 5-yard TD pass to WR Doug Gabriel, giving New England the sweep over Buffalo.

External links

Week 8: at Minnesota Vikings

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 7 10 14 0 31
Vikings 0 0 7 0 7

at the Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Game Summary

The Patriots travelled to the Metrodome for a Monday Night showdown with the Minnesota Vikings. With both teams being revered for their rushing defenses, the Patriots took to the air with a spread offense throughout the entire game making the Viking defenders looking bewildered. The Patriots opened with an 7 play, 86 yard strike which ended with a touchdown pass from QB Tom Brady to receiver Reche Caldwell. Their next drive was for 93 yards which resulted in a 23 yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal. And just before halftime they moved 74 yards in 11 plays to take a 17-0 lead on a 9-yard scoring toss to tight end Benjamin Watson. The only Vikings score came on a 71 yard punt return by Mewelde Moore in the third quarter. The score was 24-7 after a 7 yard touchdown reception by Troy Brown with 9:03 in the 3rd quarter and then became 31-7 with a touchdown by rookie receiver Chad Jackson. The Patriots defense also intercepted 4 passes from quarterbacks Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger. On Bollinger's first drive after relieving Brad Johnson he was sacked 3 times in a row for a net loss of 23 yards. Brad Johnson called the game "probably one of the most embarrassing games I've been a part of."

External links

Week 9: vs. Indianapolis Colts

1 2 3 4 Total
Colts 7 10 7 3 27
Patriots 0 14 3 3 20

at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

Game Summary

Riding high from their Monday Night win over the Vikings, the Patriots returned home for a highly-anticipated Sunday Night matchup with the Indianapolis Colts, in order to avenge last year's loss. In the first quarter, the Colts drew first blood as QB Peyton Manning completed a 5-yard TD pass to WR Marvin Harrison for the only score of the first quarter. In the second quarter, RB Corey Dillon helped the Pats respond with a 1-yard TD run. Indianapolis would respond with rookie RB Joseph Addai getting a 1-yard TD run. Dillon would respond with a 4-yard TD run. Afterwards, Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri (who was booed throughout the night) nailed a 23-yard field goal. In the third quarter, the duo of Manning and Harrison struck again with a 4-yard TD strike. Meanwhile, Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski got a 49-yard field goal, who became his career long. In the fourth quarter, Vinatieri kicked a 31-yard field goal to make the score 27-17. On the Patriots next possession they drove down the field but ended up going 3 and out in the Red Zone and settled for a 26-yard Gostkowski field goal. On the Colts drive following the kickoff, they drove down the field again to score and set up for another Vinatieri field goal but missed this to go 2/4 for the night and give his former team a chance to tie it up and send the game into overtime. However it was not meant to be as Tom Brady passed the ball to Kevin Faulk and the ball glanced off of Faulk's fingertips and was intercepted by Cato June. The Colts then knelt 3 times to end the game.

QB Tom Brady had a less-than-stellar performance, as he was 20/35 for 201 yards with no Touchdowns and 4 Interceptions. (this was one of the worst games he played in his career.) In all, the Pats committed five turnovers on the night. Fortunately, not all news was bad, as WR Troy Brown surpassed WR Stanley Morgan for the most receptions in franchise history, becoming the Patriots all-time leading receiver with 538 receptions.

External links

Week 10: vs. New York Jets

1 2 3 4 Total
Jets 0 7 3 7 17
Patriots 0 6 0 8 14

at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

Game Summary

Trying to rebound from their home loss to the Colts, the Patriots stayed at home for a rainy AFC East rematch with the New York Jets. After a scoreless first quarter, the Pats struck first with kicker Stephen Gostkowski nailing a 31-yard field goal. However, the Jets would fire back with RB Kevan Barlow getting a 2-yard TD run. Gostkowski would get one more field goal for New England, in the form of a 21-yarder. In the third quarter, New York kicker Mike Nugent would get a 34-yard field goal for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, the Jets continued their pursuit, as QB Chad Pennington completed a 22-yard TD pass to WR Jerricho Cotchery. The Patriots valiently tried to fight back, as QB Tom Brady completed a 15-yard TD pass to WR Reche Caldwell, following it up with a successful 2-point conversion pass to Caldwell. However, New York's defense managed to bottle up any chance of a New England comeback. With the loss, the Patriots would lead the Jets by one game in the AFC East at 6-3.

The Field

Due to the poor field conditions that caused the low score and turnovers, the Patriots management used the two week interval before the next home game to install a new "Field Turf" surface.

External links

Week 11: at Green Bay Packers

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 7 14 7 7 35
Packers 0 0 0 0 0

at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin

Game Summary

Trying to rebound from back-to-back home losses, the Patriots traveled to Lambeau Field for a Week 11 showdown with the Green Bay Packers. From start to finish, the Patriots were in control of the game. In the first quarter, QB Tom Brady hooked up with TE Daniel Graham on a 2-yard TD pass for the only score of the period. In the second quarter, RB Corey Dillon got a 1-yard TD run, while Brady hooked up with WR Reche Caldwell on a 54-yard TD pass. In the third quarter, Brady threw an 8-yard TD pass to TE Benjamin Watson for the only score of the period. In the fourth quarter, New England put the game away with Brady throwing his fourth TD pass of the day to RB Laurence Maroney on a 19-yard strike. With the win, the Patriots improved to 7-3.

External links

Week 12: vs. Chicago Bears

1 2 3 4 Total
Bears 0 3 0 10 13
Patriots 0 10 0 7 17

at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

Game Summary

After blanking the Green Bay Packers in the previous week, the Patriots prepared to take on the team with the number one overall defense in the National Football League: the Chicago Bears. This game marked the first game the Patriots played on the new Field Turf on Gillette Stadium. Turnovers dominated the entire game as both teams turned the ball over a total of 9 times. The Patriots scored first with a 1-yard Laurence Maroney run in the 2nd quarter. The Bears responded with a field goal with 4:04 remaining. The half ended with Stephen Gostkowski making his longest field goal of the season and his career with a 52-yarder in the closing seconds of the 2nd quarter to make the score 10-3. In the second half, RB Cedric Benson scored the Bears next touchdown with a 2-yard run with 14:53 remaining in the game. The touchdown came after a close Pass Interference call that resulted in a 45-yard gain for the Bears. The Patriots responded by marching down field and scoring on a Tom Brady touchdown pass to TE Benjamin Watson to make the score 17-10. After another Pass Interference call that gave the Bears 1st and 10 at the 18, the Patriots second-ranked defense was able to hold the Bears to just 3 points, resulting in a 17-13 score with 3:31 left. The game ended on a Corey Dillon fumble which gave the Bears one final chance to drive down field which ended with QB Rex Grossman throwing his 3rd interception of the night to CB Asante Samuel. The Patriots then knelt down to end the game and give the team high hopes for the remainder of the season, having taken down one of the elites of the NFL in 2006. With the win, the Patriots improved to 8-3.

External links

Week 13: vs. Detroit Lions

1 2 3 4 Total
Lions 0 10 8 3 21
Patriots 3 10 0 15 28

at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

Game Summary

Corey Dillon turned out to be the savior of a turnover-filled game as the Patriots were able to rally from an 8-point deficit to defeat the visiting Detroit Lions 28-21. The Patriots committed a season high 10 penalties throughout the game and turned the ball over four times as they struggled to defeat a team which was able to move the ball at will and were also able to convert a safety on what is considered one of the best offensive lines in the NFL. The first quarter was a back and forth fight with the Patriots gaining the only edge on a Stephen Gostkowski field goal. The second quarter saw both offensives gaining momentum with the Lions scoring the first touchdown in the game with a 5-yard Jon Kitna pass to Mike Furrey with 13:44 remaining. The Lions then expanded their lead with a field goal by Jason Hanson to lead 10-3. The Patriots responded by driving down the field and scoring on a 6-yard Corey Dillon run to tie the game 10-10. On the Lions' ensuing possession Jon Kitna threw the first of his three interceptions for the afternoon to Asante Samuel. The Patriots then marched down the field and the first half ended on a 27-yard Gostkowski kick. The second half started with the Lions slowly moving the ball down the field for a field goal to even up the score again 13-13. Tom Brady then threw an interception to Dre Bly, which gave the ball back to the Lions. The Lions again were unable to get into the endzone and settled on another field goal for a 16-13 lead. On the following possession, Brady had the ball stripped from him and it rolled into the endzone where it was recovered by the Patriots and called as a safety giving the Lions an 18-13 lead and possession. The Lions once more could not score a touchdown and took another field goal to take a 21-13 lead. The Patriots were not deterred, though, as on the next drive they were able to get Dillon into the endzone again and complete the two-point conversion with a pass from Brady to Troy Brown. With this touchdown, Corey Dillon became only the 15th NFL player with 11,000+ career rushing yards. Following the kickoff came an onslaught of turnovers. First Kitna threw an interception to Mike Vrabel to give the Patriots the ball and a chance for the lead, but tight end Benjamin Watson fumbled the ball after a reception which gave the ball back to the Lions. Kitna then was sacked and fumbled the ball which gave the ball once again back to the Patriots. This turned out to be the definitive scoring drive as Dillon again did the honors and scored his third touchdown of the night, putting the Patriots ahead 28-21. On the final drive for the Lions, Kitna again threw an interception to Vrabel, who was injured on the play. The Patriots then ended with three kneel downs and came out victorious 28-21 and improving to 9-3 for the season. With this victory the Patriots also swept the entire NFC North Division.

External links

Week 14: at Miami Dolphins

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 0 0 0 0 0
Dolphins 3 3 7 8 21

at Dolphin Stadium, Miami, Florida

Game Summary

On a day when a victory would give the Patriots their 3rd consecutive AFC East title, nothing seemed to go right as the Miami Dolphins outplayed the Pats to split the season series and give New England their first shutout in 3 years, defeating the Pats 21-0. The first half was a defensive struggle with the only points coming from Dolphins kicker Olindo Mare, in the form of a 35-yard and a 33-yard field goal. Even the punter, Donnie Jones, gave the Pats issues as multiple punts resulted in the offensive unit starting within the 5-yard line. The furthest the Pats drove into Dolphin territory was in the 3rd quarter with the Dolphins leading 13-0. The Patriots had to pull off some trickery and the resulting play looked as if the Pats would've pulled within a touchdown. The play consisted of quarterback Tom Brady handing the ball off to running back Kevin Faulk, who lateraled the ball back across the field to Brady, who dodged two tacklers before passing the ball to tight end Benjamin Watson who ran for the touchdown. Unfortunately, the lateral from Faulk to Brady was an obvious forward pass and the ball is not allowed to be passed forward twice. Had Faulk thrown the ball backwards to Brady, who then would have passed to Watson, it would've been the Patriots version of the Music City Miracle. But it was not to be. The call came back for a 3rd and long which resulted in Brady getting sacked and losing the ball again, which the Dolphins capitalized on to march down the field and score along with a two-point conversion to be up three touchdowns on the Pats. On the following possession, Matt Cassel took over the offense, but he too succumbed to the overwhelming Dolphin defense and was sacked, fumbling the ball. The Dolphins marched within the 10 again but knelt to burn out the clock. The loss gives the Pats a 4-2 division record and 9-4 overall. Fortunately, the New York Jets also lost but to division rival Buffalo.

External links

Week 15: vs. Houston Texans

1 2 3 4 Total
Texans 0 0 7 0 7
Patriots 17 10 7 6 40

at Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, Massachusetts

Game Summary

After a humiliating road loss to the Dolphins, the Patriots returned home for a Week 15 fight with the Houston Texans. Even without the prior week's loss to the Dolphins, the Patriots would have been favored, but with emotions running high from the bitter loss and the last home game of the year, the Texans truly had their backs against the wall against the renewed sense of urgency from the Patriots juggernaut.

In the first quarter, New England started off strong with RB Kevin Faulk getting an 11-yard TD run. Afterwards, kicker Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 36-yard field goal, while QB Tom Brady completed a 43-yard TD pass to Faulk. In the second quarter, the Pats' domination continued with Gostkowski kicking a 32-yard field goal, while Brady completed a 6-yard TD pass to WR Jabar Gaffney. In the third quarter, the Texans finally managed to get a touchdown with RB Ron Dayne getting a 1-yard run. Fortunately, the Patriots continued their rule over Houston as CB Ellis Hobbs returned a kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, New England wrapped up the game with Gostkowski kicking a 31-yard and a 21-yard field goal. With the win, the Patriots improved to 10-4.

External links

Week 16: at Jacksonville Jaguars

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 0 10 7 7 24
Jaguars 0 7 7 7 21

at Alltel Stadium, Jacksonville, Florida

Game Summary

The Patriots clinched their fourth straight AFC East Championship and more than likely ended the playoff hopes of the Jacksonville Jaguars with a close road win.

The Patriots drew first blood on the opening drive, but the Jaguars came back when Maurice Jones-Drew scored after appearing to fall down, making most of the New England defense think that the play was over, a play that withstood a challenge by the Patriots.

New England came back before the half to retake the lead at 10-7 on a Corey Dillon one yard touchdown scamper.

The Patriots kept their lead as the teams traded touchdowns in the second half, including another touchdown by Jones-Drew until the Jaguars were put away after a forced David Garrard fumble with 1:55 left in the fourth quarter, recovered by recently reactivated cornerback Rodney Harrison.

External links

Week 17: at Tennessee Titans

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 9 10 7 14 40
Titans 3 7 13 0 23

at LP Field, Nashville, Tennessee

Game Summary

The Titans had a slim shot of making the playoffs if the Cincinnati Bengals and Denver Broncos lost and they could beat the Pats in Tennessee, making the Pats little more than a spoiler since they had already clinched the division title a week earlier and were unlikely to earn a first week bye with the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens having clearer shots at the prize.

However, despite the near irrelevance of the game to the Patriots and the great importance to the Titans, Belichick's boys continued to show their typically yeoman work ethic, trudging along to a convincing win while keeping most of their starters in the game. Also it should be noted that all three Patriots quarterbacks (Tom Brady, Matt Cassel, and Vinny Testaverde) all threw touchdown passes in this game. And with his touchdown pass, Testaverde extended his steak of seasons with a touchdown pass to 20.

External links

Postseason Schedule

Week Date Opponent (seed) Result Record Host Stadium NFL.com Recap
Wild Card January 7, 2007 New York Jets (5) W 37-16 1-0 Gillette Stadium Recap
Divisional January 14, 2007 San Diego Chargers (1) W 24-21 2-0 Qualcomm Stadium Recap
AFC Championship January 21, 2007 Indianapolis Colts (3) L 34-38 2-1 RCA Dome

Recap

Postseason Results

Main article: NFL playoffs, 2006-07

Wild Card Round vs. New York Jets

1 2 3 4 Total
Jets 3 7 3 3 16
Patriots 7 10 6 14 37

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Game Summary

Tom Brady led the Patriots to victory, completing 22 out of 34 passes for 212 yards and two touchdowns, while New England running backs Corey Dillon, Lawrence Maroney, and Kevin Faulk combined for 145 rushing yards. Receiver Jabar Gaffney, who caught only 11 passes during the season, finished his first career playoff game with 8 catches for 104 yards.

New England took the opening kickoff and stormed down the field, with Gaffney catching three passes for 34 yards on a 65 yard-drive that ended with with Dillon's 11-yard touchdown run. Later in the quarter, Jets defensive back Hank Poteat recovered a fumble from Dillon on the Patriots 15-yard line, setting up Mike Nugent's 28-yard field goal to cut their deficit to 7-3. On their first possession of the second quarter, the Jets took a 10-7 lead after receiver Jerricho Cotchery (who finished with 100 receiving yards and 19 rushing yards) caught a pass from Chad Pennington and took it 77 yards for a touchdown. However, New England countered with Stephen Gostkowski's 20-yard field goal on their next drive to tie the game. Then, after forcing the Jets to punt, the Patriots marched to New York's 1-yard line. On third down with 11 seconds remaining in the half and no timeouts left, Brady took the snap, faked a handoff to Dillon, and then hit tight end Daniel Graham in the back of the end zone for a touchdown to give them a 17-10 halftime lead.

Nugent kicked a field goal on the Jets opening drive of the second half, but New England responded with another field goal from Gostkowski to retake their 7-point lead. On the Jets' ensuing possession, linebacker Rosevelt Colvin deflected a lateral from Pennington behind the line of scrimmage. Most of the players on both teams (including Colvin) thought the lateral was an incomplete forward pass and the play was over, but New England's Vince Wilfork realized the play was still ongoing and recovered the fumble. After picking up the ball, Wilfork ran 31 yards to the Jets 15-yard line before being tackled by Cotchery, setting up Gostkowski's third field goal to make the score 23-13.

Early in the fourth quarter, Nugent kicked his third field goal to cut New York's deficit back to within a touchdown, 23-16. However, the Patriots responded with a 13-play, 63-yard drive that took 6:23 off the clock and ended with Brady's 7-yard touchdown pass to Faulk. Then on the first play of the Jets' ensuing drive, New England defensive back Asante Samuel put the game away by intercepting Pennington's pass and returning it 36 yards for a touchdown.

Scoring Summary

  • 1st Quarter
    • NE - Corey Dillon 11 yd TD run (Gostkowski kick), 11:53. Patriots 7-0. Drive: 10 plays, 65 yards, 3:07.
    • NYJ - Mike Nugent 28 yd FG, 2:36. Patriots 7-3. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:30.
  • 2nd Quarter
    • NYJ - Jerricho Cotchery 77 yd TD pass from Chad Pennington (Nugent kick), 14:45. Jets 10-7. Drive: 3 plays, 80 yards, :17.
    • NE - Stephen Gostkowski 20 yd FG, 10:57. Tied 10-10. Drive: 10 plays, 56 yards, 3:48.
    • NE - Daniel Graham 1 yd TD pass from Tom Brady (Gostkowski kick), :11. Patriots 17-10. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 6:54.
  • 3rd Quarter
    • NYJ - Mike Nugent 21 yd FG, 8:19. Patriots 17-13. Drive: 13 plays, 73 yards, 6:41.
    • NE - Stephen Gostowski 40 yd FG, 4:22. Patriots 20-13. Drive: 8 plays, 52 yards, 3:57.
    • NE - Stephen Gostowski 28 yd FG, :04. Patriots 23-13. Drive: 4 plays, 5 yards, 1:39.
  • 4th Quarter
    • NYJ - Mike Nugent 37 yd FG, 11:39. Patriots 23-16. Drive: 8 plays, 61 yards, 3:25.
    • NE - Kevin Faulk 7 yd TD pass from Tom Brady (Gostkowski kick), 5:16. Patriots 30-16. Drive: 13 plays, 63 yards, 6:23.
    • NE - Asante Samuel 36 yd interception return TD (Gostkowski kick), 4:54. Patriots 37-16.

External Links

AFC Divisional Round: at San Diego Chargers

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 3 7 3 11 24
Chargers 0 14 0 7 21

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

Game Summary

In arguably the most talked-about matchup of the divisional playoffs, the New England Patriots faced a powerful San Diego Chargers team, who were unbeaten at home in the regular season. The favored Chargers boasted a roster that included league MVP running back LaDainian Tomlinson, who shattered several league records, nine Pro Bowlers, and five All-Pro players. However, questionable coaching decisions and four turnovers, three of which were converted into Patriots scoring drives, eventually led to the demise of the Chargers and kept their playoff curse alive for another year. San Diego ended up losing despite outgaining the Patriots in in rushing yards, 148-51 and total yards, 352-327, while also intercepting three passes from Tom Brady.

In the first quarter, after San Diego coach Marty Schottenheimer opted to go for it on 4th-and-11 instead of attempting a 47-yard field goal, quarterback Phillip Rivers lost a fumble while being sacked by Mike Vrabel, setting up Stephen Gostkowski's 51-yard field goal with 40 seconds left in the period. In the second quarter, Chargers receiver Eric Parker's 13-yard punt return set up a 48-yard scoring drive that ended with LaDainian Tomlinson's 2-yard touchdown run, giving his team a 7-3 lead. Then, on the Patriots' next drive, linebacker Donnie Edwards intercepted a pass from Brady and returned it to the 41-yard line. But the Chargers ended up punting after Rivers was sacked on third down by defensive back Artrell Hawkins. Later in the quarter, Tomlinson rushed twice for 13 yards and took a screen pass 58 yards to the Patriots' 6-yard line, setting up a 6-yard touchdown run by Michael Turner with 2:04 left in the half. New England responded with a 72-yard scoring drive, with receiver Jabar Gaffney catching four passes for 46 yards, including a 7-yard touchdown reception with six seconds left in the half, cutting their deficit to 14-10.

In the second quarter, Brady threw his second interception of the game. But once again, the Chargers were forced to punt after Rivers was sacked on third down. Mike Scifres' 36-yard punt pinned New England back at their own 2-yard line, and San Diego subsequently forced a punt, but Parker muffed the kick and New England's David Thomas recovered the fumble at the Chargers' 31-yard line. New England's drive seemed to stall after Brady fumbled on 3rd and 13. Patriots' tackle Matt Light recovered it and Chargers' defensive back Drayton Florence drew a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taunting Patriots' tight end Daniel Graham. The drive continued and Gostkowski eventually kicked a 34-yard field goal to cut their deficit to 14-13. Then, on San Diego's next drive, linebacker Rosevelt Colvin made an acrobatic interception of a River's pass at the New England 36-yard line. The Patriots then drove to the Chargers 41-yard line, but were halted there and had to punt. After the punt, Rivers completed two passes to tight end Antonio Gates for 31 yards and a 31-yard pass to Vincent Jackson, setting up Tomlinson's second rushing touchdown to give the Chargers an 8-point lead, 21-13.

New England responded by driving to San Diego's 41-yard line. On a fourth-down conversion attempt, Brady's pass was intercepted by Marlon McCree, but Troy Brown stripped the ball, and receiver Reche Caldwell recovered it. Schottenheimer then wasted a timeout challenging a relatively clear-cut play. Four plays later, Brady threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Caldwell. On the next play, running back Kevin Faulk took a direct snap and scored the two-point conversion, tying the game. Then, after forcing a punt, Brady completed a 19-yard pass to Daniel Graham. Two plays later, Caldwell caught a 49-yard strike down the right sideline to set up Gostkowski's third field goal to give them a 24-21 lead with only 1:10 left in the fourth quarter. With no timeouts left, San Diego drove to the Patriots 36-yard line on their final possession, but Nate Kaeding's 54-yard field goal attempt fell short with three seconds remaining in the game.

After the game, the Patriots erupted in a controversal celebration, mocking the "Lights Out" dance of LB Shawne Merriman and stomping on the Chargers mid-field logo which made Chargers' quarterback Philip Rivers and running back LaDainian Tomlinson confront Patriots players which would possibly erupt a new rivalry between the two teams.

Gaffney finished with ten catches for 103 yards and a touchdown. Tomlinson rushed for 123 yards, caught two passes for 64 yards, and scored two touchdowns.

Scoring Summary

  • 1st Quarter
  • 2nd Quarter
    • SD - LaDainian Tomlinson 2 yd TD run (Kaeding kick), 7:19. Chargers 7-3. Drive: 9 plays, 48 yards, 4:31.
    • SD - Michael Turner 6 yd TD run (Kaeding kick), 2:04. Chargers 14-3. Drive: 4 plays, 77 yards, 2:23.
    • NE - Jabar Gaffney 6 yd TD pass from Tom Brady (Gostkowski kick), :08. Chargers 14-10. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 1:56.
  • 3rd Quarter
    • NE - Stephen Gostkowski 34 yd FG, 2:11. Chargers 14-13. Drive: 7 plays, 15 yards, 3:09.
  • 4th Quarter
    • SD - LaDainian Tomlinson 3 yd TD run (Kaeding kick), 8:35. Chargers 21-13. Drive: 9 plays, 83 yards, 4:44.
    • NE - Reche Caldwell 4 yd TD pass from Tom Brady (Kevin Faulk 2 pt conversion run), 4:36. Tied 21-21. Drive: 5 plays, 32 yards, 1:40.
    • NE - Stephen Gostkowski 31 yd FG, 1:10. Patriots 24-21. Drive: 8 plays, 72 yards, 2:16.

External Links

AFC Championship Game: at Indianapolis Colts

1 2 3 4 Total
Patriots 7 14 7 6 34
Colts 3 3 15 17 38

at the RCA Dome, Indianapolis, Indiana

Game Summary

The Colts gained 455 offensive yards, 32 first downs, and managed to overcome a 21-3 deficit to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl since the 1970 season. Their 18-point comeback was the largest ever in an NFL conference championship game, and tied the record for the fourth largest NFL postseason comeback. [8]

Midway through the first quarter, the Patriots drove 71 yards to the Colts' 4-yard line, featuring a 35-yard run by Corey Dillon. On third down, running back Laurence Maroney fumbled a handoff, but the ball rolled into the end zone where offensive lineman Logan Mankins recovered it for a touchdown. The Colts responded by driving 56 yards and scoring with Adam Vinatieri's 42-yard field goal to cut their deficit to 7-3. On their ensuing drive, the Patriots drove to a fourth down on the Colts' 34-yard line. Rather than attempt a 52-yard field goal, New England decided to go for it and Tom Brady completed a 27-yard pass to Troy Brown. On the next play, Dillon scored on a 7-yard touchdown run. Then, two plays after the ensuing kickoff, cornerback Asante Samuel intercepted a pass from Peyton Manning and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown, giving New England a 21-3 lead. Later in the quarter, Indianapolis drove 80 yards in 15 plays, with Vinatieri finishing the drive with a 26-yard field goal, cutting the score to 21-6 with 11 seconds left in the half.

On the opening drive of the second half, the Colts marched down the field and scored with a 1-yard run by Manning. Then, after forcing a punt, a 25-yard reception by Dallas Clark and a 19-yard run by Dominic Rhodes moved the ball to the Patriots' 32-yard line. Following a pass interference penalty on defensive back Ellis Hobbs in the end zone, Manning threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to defensive lineman Dan Klecko, who had lined up at the fullback position on the play. Then, receiver Marvin Harrison caught a 2-point conversion pass to tie the game at 21.

Hobbs returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards to the Colts' 21-yard line. Four plays later, Brady threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to receiver Jabar Gaffney, who made a leaping catch in the back of the end zone. Although he landed out of bounds, officials ruled that he was pushed out while in the air, and the Patriots took a 28-21 lead. Rhodes started out the Colts' next drive with two receptions for 23 yards and a 9-yard run. Then, Clark caught a 23-yard pass at the 9-yard line. Three plays later, Rhodes fumbled the ball at the 1-yard line, but center Jeff Saturday recovered it in the end zone for a touchdown to tie the game.

After an exchange of punts, New England kicker Stephen Gostkowski made a 28-yard field goal to give them a three-point lead. The Colts responded with a 36-yard field goal by Vinatieri, set up by Clark's 52-yard reception, to tie the game at 31. Hobbs returned Vinatieri's kickoff 41 yards to the Patriots' 46-yard line. Then, Brady completed a 25-yard pass to tight end Daniel Graham. Indianapolis managed to halt the drive at their 25-yard line, but Gostkowski kicked a 43-yard field goal to give the Patriots a 34-31 lead with 3:22 left in the game. New England's defense subsequently forced a punt, but the Patriots ended up punting back to the Colts after running only a minute off the clock.

Manning started off the drive with three consecutive completions for 58 yards, with a roughing-the-passer penalty on the third play adding another 12, moving the ball 70 yards in a span of 19 seconds and bringing up a first down at the Patriots' 11-yard line. Three plays later, Joseph Addai's 3-yard touchdown run gave the Colts their first lead of the game with only one minute remaining. Brady responded by leading his team to the Colts' 45-yard line, but defensive back Marlin Jackson ended New England's chance of a comeback by intercepting his next pass with 17 seconds left on the clock.

Manning completed 27 of 47 passes for 349 yards and a touchdown, with one interception, and scored a rushing touchdown. Clark caught six passes for 137 yards. Brady completed 21 of 34 passes for 232 yards and a touchdown, with one interception. Hobbs returned six kickoffs for 220 yards.

The Colts were the first #3 seed since the NFL expanded the playoffs in 1990 to host a conference championship game and the first overall since the Washington Redskins did so in 1987. It was also the first time since said season where a team hosted a championship game after playing a road game in the divisional round.

Scoring Summary

  • 1st Quarter
    • NE - Mankins fumble recovery in end zone for touchdown (Gostkowski kick), 7:24. Patriots 7-0.
    • IND - FG Vinatieri 42, :48. Patriots 7-3. Drive: 14 plays, 56 yards, 6:30.
  • 2nd Quarter
    • NE - Dillon 7 run (Gostkowski kick), 10:18. Patriots 14-3. Drive: 11 plays, 72 yards, 5:30.
    • NE - Samuel 39 interception return (Gostkowski kick), 9:25. Patriots 21-3.
    • IND - FG Vinatieri 26, :07. Patriots 21-6. Drive: 15 plays, 80 yards, 2:59.
  • 3rd Quarter
    • IND - Manning 1 run (Vinatieri kick), 8:13. Patriots 21-13. Drive: 14 plays, 76 yards, 6:47.
    • IND - Klecko 1 pass from Manning (Harrison pass from Manning), 4:00. Tied 21-21. Drive: 6 plays, 76 yards, 2:50.
    • NE - Gaffney 6 pass from Brady (Gostkowski kick), 1:25. Patriots 28-21. Drive: 5 plays, 21 yards, 1:25.
  • 4th Quarter
    • IND - Saturday fumble recovery in end zone for touchdown (Vinatieri kick), 13:24. Tied 28-28.
    • NE - FG Gostkowski 28, 7:45. Patriots 31-28. Drive: 6 plays, 33 yards, 2:44.
    • IND - FG Vinateri 36, 5:35. Tied 31-31. Drive: 5 plays, 59 yards, 2:11.
    • NE - FG Gostkowski 43, 3:53. Patriots 34-31. Drive: 5 plays, 29 yards, 1:42.
    • IND - Addai 3 run, 1:00. Colts 38-34. Drive: 7 plays, 80 yards, 1:17.

External Links

Awards

  • Week 4 NFL Defensive Player of the Week Award - Jarvis Green
  • Week 4 FedEx Air and Ground Player of the Week Award - Laurence Maroney
  • Week 4 Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week Award - Laurence Maroney
  • Week 7 NFL Special Teams Player of the Week Award - Laurence Maroney
  • Week 8 FedEx Air and Ground Player of the Week Award - Tom Brady
  • Week 12 NFL Defensive Player of the Week Award - Asante Samuel
  • December NFL Defensive Player of the Month Award - Ty Warren
  • 2006 New England Patriots 12th Man Award - Laurence Maroney
  • 2006 New England Patriots Ed Block Courage Award - Rodney Harrison
  • 2006 New England Patriots Ron Burton Community Service Award - Jarvis Green

Pro Bowl Selections

Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light and defensive end Richard Seymour were both named to the AFC team in the 2007 Pro Bowl. Seymour was an original selection but did not participate in the game due to an injury. Light was named as an injury replacement to Tarik Glenn four days before the game. Quarterback Tom Brady reportedly declined an invitation to the play in the game, favoring the 2007 AT&T National Pro-Am golf tournament instead. [9]

Random Facts

  • The Patriots' Week 1 win over the Buffalo Bills was the 100th win of Bill Belichick's career.
  • With their Week 2 win over the New York Jets, the Patriots' franchise record climbed above .500 for the first time since the 1968 season.
  • With their Week 9 loss to the Indianapolis Colts and their Week 10 loss to the New York Jets, the Patriots' 57-game streak without consecutive losses, which dated back to the 2002, was snapped. The San Francisco 49ers still hold the record of 60-straight games without consecutive losses (1995 - 1999).
  • The 3 interceptions of Asante Samuel in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears were the most interceptions by one player in one game since Roland James in 1983.
  • As part of his 6-catch effort in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears, Kevin Faulk eclipsed the Patriots' franchise running back reception record. (Tony Collins, 261)
  • The Miami Dolphins shut out the New England Patriots on Week 14 marking the second time the Patriots have been shut out under Bill Belichick.
  • The Patriots signed veteran linebacker Junior Seau in the preseason, four days after he announced his retirement. He started 11 games for the Patriots before a broken arm ended his season against the Chicago Bears.
  • The Patriots signed veteran wide receiver Jabar Gaffney on Week 6. He started 6 regular season games and was the Patriots' leading receiver in the playoffs.
  • The Patriots signed veteran quarterback Vinny Testaverde on Week 11 to be a back-up to Tom Brady.
  • The Patriots signed veteran punter Todd Sauerbrun on Week 16.

See Also

References

  1. ^ NFL.com Season Primer
  2. ^ RTSports.com Draft Guide
  3. ^ Fantasyfootballexperts.com 2006 Draft Analysis
  4. ^ Yahoo Sports 2006 Draft Analysis
  5. ^ Draft pick recieved in a trade from the Green Bay Packers for the Patriots' 2nd and 3rd Round picks.
  6. ^ NFL Draft Tracker
  7. ^ Draft pick recieved from Detroit for New England's 5th and 6th Round picks in 2005
  8. ^ 2006 NFL Record and Fact Book. p. 347. ISBN 1-933405-32-5.
  9. ^ 2006 Patriots Award Winners


Preceded by
2005 New England Patriots season 		2006 New England Patriots season Succeeded by
2007 New England Patriots season


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