List of American films of 2008 and 2008 New England Patriots season: Difference between pages

2008 New England Patriots season
2008 New England Patriots season
Head coach	Bill Belichick
Home field	Gillette Stadium
Results
Record	3-1
Division place	2nd AFC East
Playoff finish	TBD
Pro Bowlers	TBD
Uniform
	File:AFCE-Uniform-NE.PNG
	← 2007; New England Patriots seasons; 2009 →;

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Revision as of 18:43, 10 October 2008

The 2008 New England Patriots season is the 39th season for the team in the National Football League and 49th season overall. The Patriots entered the season with an NFL-record 19-game regular season winning streak after a 16-0 regular season in 2007, and will try to reach Super Bowl XLIII after losing 17-14 to the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII.

Offseason

Incidents off the field

Two days after Super Bowl XLII, defensive back Willie Andrews was arrested in Lowell, Massachusetts on February 5 for possession of a half pound of marijuana and driving an unregistered car.^[1] On May 9, Andrews' case was continued without finding for one year, during which time Andrews was ordered to pay a fine, speak to student athletes about the dangers of narcotics, and complete an NFL substance abuse program.^[2] On June 30, Andrews was arrested again and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm in Mansfield, Massachusetts, after his fiancée accused him of pointing a gun at her head.^[3] Andrews' fiancée called police, who searched Andrews' vehicle but did not find a gun; she later took her child to a hotel for the night, where Andrews then met her again before being arrested.^[4] The weapon, a Glock pistol, was later recovered in a dumpster near Andrews' apartment.^[3] Andrews was released on July 1.^[5]

On February 22, running back Kevin Faulk was issued a misdemeanor summons after he was found with four marijuana cigarettes at a Lil Wayne concert in Lafayette, Louisiana.^[6] Upon returning to New England, Faulk passed a drug test and did not have to enter the NFL's substance abuse program.^[7] Faulk pleaded no contest to the charge on July 8 and was sentenced to a five-month suspended jail term, given one year of probation, fined, and ordered to complete community service and substance abuse treatment programs.^[8] Faulk was later suspended for the first game of the 2008 regular season for a violation of the NFL's substance abuse policy.^[9]

On April 27, according to The Boston Globe, offensive lineman Nick Kaczur was arrested in Whitestown, New York, when police discovered Kaczur had a "small amount of controlled substance for which he did not have a prescription," which was later identified as oxycodone.^[10] Kaczur was charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance in the seventh degree, a misdemeanor. In May, the article states Kaczur participated in a Drug Enforcement Administration sting operation, wearing a hidden recording device while purchasing $3,900 worth (100 pills) of OxyContin.^[10] The three transactions, on May 1, May 6, and May 13 in the area near Foxborough, Massachusetts, led to the arrest of Kaczur's dealer Daniel Ekasala, who was indicted by a federal grand jury on June 3 for three counts of possession of oxycodone with intent to distribute.^[10] When The Globe asked for comment, however, Kaczur denied any involvement in the case.^[10]

Staff changes

Following the regular season, the Atlanta Falcons hired Patriots Director of College Scouting Thomas Dimitroff to be their new general manager.^[11] Former Pro Personnel Director Nick Caserio, who had spent the 2007 season as wide receivers coach, returned to the personnel department as the director of player personnel, a position that partly replaced both Dimitroff's and Caserio's former responsibilities under Vice President of Player Personnel Scott Pioli.^[12] Regional scout Jon Robinson was also promoted to assistant director of college scouting.^[13] The Patriots then promoted offensive assistant Bill O'Brien to wide receivers coach to replace Caserio.^[14] Additionally, the Patriots announced secondary coach Joel Collier would not return to the team in 2008, and hired former Carolina Panthers and Houston Texans head coach Dom Capers as a special assistant/secondary coach.^[14] Don Davis, who joined the coaching staff as an assistant strength and conditioning coach and team chaplain after retiring in 2007,^[15] left the organization to pursue Christian ministry.^[13] Finally, coaching assistant Kevin Bickers was made a special assignment scout, and replaced by Brian Flores, formerly a pro scout, and Shane Waldron.^[13]

Departures

Prior to the start of free agency, the Patriots released linebackers Oscar Lua and Rosevelt Colvin,^[16] who had started 39 games in his five seasons with the team. Both ended the 2007 season on injured reserve and failed post-season team physicals.^[17] Tight end Kyle Brady was released at the start of free agency,^[18] also after having failed a physical.^[17] The Patriots declined multi-year contract options on wide receivers Kelley Washington^[19] and Donté Stallworth,^[20] making them both free agents; Stallworth signed with the Cleveland Browns,^[21] while Washington re-signed with the Patriots.^[22] Also departing via free agency were defensive backs Asante Samuel (Philadelphia Eagles),^[23] Randall Gay (New Orleans Saints),^[24] and Eugene Wilson (Tampa Bay Buccaneers).^[25] Restricted free agent defensive lineman Rashad Moore was not tendered a qualifying offer, making him an unrestricted free agent.^[26]

Signings

After losing a combined 122 games of starting experience for the team in Samuel, Gay, and Wilson, the Patriots added back to their secondary by signing cornerbacks Lewis Sanders^[27] and Fernando Bryant,^[28] who were both released by their former teams, as well as two unrestricted free agents - cornerback Jason Webster^[29] and safety Tank Williams.^[30] Also signed via unrestricted free agency were wide receiver Sam Aiken,^[31] linebacker Victor Hobson.^[32] and tight end Marcus Pollard.^[33] Free agents or potential free agents Tedy Bruschi,^[18] Lonie Paxton,^[18] Kelley Washington,^[22] Randy Moss,^[34] Jabar Gaffney,^[35] Ray Ventrone,^[36] Mike Wright,^[37] Wesley Britt, and Pierre Woods^[38] were all re-signed.

2008 NFL Draft

As a penalty for violating the "league policy on the use of equipment to videotape an opposing team’s offensive or defensive signals" during a September 9, 2007 game against the New York Jets, the Patriots forfeited their original first round pick, which would have been the 31st overall pick due to their loss in Super Bowl XLII.^[39]

2008 New England Patriots Draft Selections
Round	Overall	Player	Position	College
1^[40]	10	Jerod Mayo	Linebacker	Tennessee
1	(31)^[41]	Selection forfeited
2	62	Terrence Wheatley	Cornerback	Colorado
3^[40]	78	Shawn Crable	Linebacker	Michigan
3	94	Kevin O'Connell	Quarterback	San Diego State
4	129	Jonathan Wilhite	Cornerback	Auburn
5^[42]	153	Matthew Slater	Safety	UCLA
6	197	Bo Ruud	Linebacker	Nebraska

2008 New England Patriots Draft Day Trades
Round	Overall	Team	Received
1	7	to New Orleans Saints	Received New Orleans' first-round pick and third-round pick (10 and 78 overall)
5	164	to New Orleans Saints
3	69	to San Diego Chargers	Received San Diego's fifth-round pick (160 overall) in 2008 and second-round pick in 2009
5	160	to Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Received Tampa Bay's fifth-round pick (153 overall) in 2008
7	238	to Tampa Bay Buccaneers	Received Tampa Bay's fifth-round pick (153 overall) in 2008

Staff

New England Patriots 2008 staff

Front Office

Owner/Chairman/CEO – Robert Kraft
President – Jonathan Kraft
Vice President of Player Personnel – Scott Pioli
Director of Player Personnel – Nick Caserio
Assistant Director of College Scouting - Jon Robinson
Football Research Director – Ernie Adams

Head Coaches

Head Coach – Bill Belichick
Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line – Dante Scarnecchia

Offensive Coaches

Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks – Josh McDaniels
Running Backs – Ivan Fears
Wide Receivers – Bill O'Brien
Tight Ends – Pete Mangurian

Defensive Coaches

Defensive Coordinator – Dean Pees
Defensive Line – Pepper Johnson
Linebackers – Matt Patricia
Special Assistant/Secondary – Dom Capers

Special Teams Coaches

Special Teams – Brad Seely

Strength and Conditioning

Strength and Conditioning – Mike Woicik
Assistant Strength and Conditioning – Harold Nash

Coaching Assistants

Josh Boyer, Brian Flores, Shane Waldron

Opening training camp roster

As of the Patriots' first training camp practice at Gillette Stadium on July 24, they had the NFL maximum of 80 players signed to their roster (first-round pick Jerod Mayo, who was not signed until after training camp began, did not count against that limit until his signing).

New England Patriots 2008 opening training camp roster

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

62 Titus Adams DE
69 Steve Fifita NT
76 Chris Norwell DE ^UR
93 Richard Seymour DE
95 Kenny Smith DE
90 Le Kevin Smith NT/DE
92 Santonio Thomas DE
94 Ty Warren DE
75 Vince Wilfork NT

Linebackers

52 Eric Alexander ILB
54 Tedy Bruschi ILB
98 Shawn Crable OLB ^R
48 Gary Guyton ILB ^UR
59 Victor Hobson ILB/OLB
53 Larry Izzo ILB
51 Jerod Mayo ILB ^R
47 Vince Redd OLB ^UR
96 Adalius Thomas OLB/ILB
58 Pierre Woods OLB

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

Reserve Lists

97 Jarvis Green DE (Active/PUP)
42 BenJarvus Green-Ellis RB (Active/PUP) ^UR
37 Rodney Harrison SS (Active/PUP)
27 Ellis Hobbs CB/KR (Active/PUP)
77 Nick Kaczur OT (Active/PUP)
61 Stephen Neal G (Active/PUP)
76 Oliver Ross OT/G (Active/PUP)
91 Bo Ruud ILB (Active/PUP) ^R
50 Mike Vrabel OLB/ILB (Active/PUP)
83 Wes Welker WR/PR (Active/PUP)
62 Ryan Wendell C (Active/PUP) ^UR
99 Mike Wright DE/NT (Active/PUP)

Notations

R: 2008 Rookie
UR: 2008 Undrafted Rookie
Italicized players are not on the 80-man roster.

Schedule

Preseason

Week	Kickoff	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game Site	TV	NFL.com Recap
1	7:30 PM EDT	August 7, 2008	Baltimore Ravens	L 15-16	0-1	Gillette Stadium	WCVB	Recap
2	8:00 PM EDT	August 17, 2008	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	L 10-27	0-2	Raymond James Stadium	NFLN^[a]	Recap
3	7:30 PM EDT	August 22, 2008	Philadelphia Eagles	L 17-27	0-3	Gillette Stadium	WCVB	Recap
4	7:00 PM EDT	August 28, 2008	New York Giants	L 14-19	0-4	Giants Stadium	WCVB	Recap

Regular season

Week	Kickoff	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game Site	TV	NFL.com Recap
1	1:00 PM EDT	September 7, 2008	Kansas City Chiefs	W 17-10	1-0	Gillette Stadium	CBS	Recap
2	4:15 PM EDT	September 14, 2008	New York Jets	W 19-10	2-0	Giants Stadium	CBS	Recap
3	1:00 PM EDT	September 21, 2008	Miami Dolphins	L 13-38	2-1	Gillette Stadium	CBS	Recap
4	Bye
5	4:15 PM EDT	October 5, 2008	San Francisco 49ers	W 30-21	3-1	Candlestick Park	CBS	Recap
6	8:15 PM EDT	October 12, 2008	San Diego Chargers			Qualcomm Stadium	NBC
7	8:30 PM EDT	October 20, 2008	Denver Broncos			Gillette Stadium	ESPN^[b]
8	1:00 PM EDT	October 26, 2008	St. Louis Rams			Gillette Stadium	FOX
9	8:15 PM EST	November 2, 2008	Indianapolis Colts			Lucas Oil Stadium	NBC
10	1:00 PM EST	November 9, 2008	Buffalo Bills			Gillette Stadium	CBS
11	8:15 PM EST	November 13, 2008	New York Jets			Gillette Stadium	NFLN^[b]
12	1:00 PM EST	November 23, 2008	Miami Dolphins			Dolphin Stadium	CBS
13	4:15 PM EST	November 30, 2008	Pittsburgh Steelers			Gillette Stadium	CBS
14	8:15 PM EST	December 7, 2008	Seattle Seahawks			Qwest Field	NBC
15	4:15 PM EST	December 14, 2008	Oakland Raiders			Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum	CBS
16	1:00 PM EST	December 21, 2008	Arizona Cardinals			Gillette Stadium	FOX
17	1:00 PM EST	December 28, 2008	Buffalo Bills			Ralph Wilson Stadium	CBS

^a Simulcast on WBZ-TV.

^b Simulcast on WCVB-TV and WMUR-TV.

Note: Game times in weeks 12-17 are subject to change pursuant to the NFL's flex scheduling policy. The Week 11 game against the Jets, on the NFL Network, is exempted from possible rescheduling. Since teams are limited to six primetime games, no more than two Patriots games between weeks 12 and 17 may be in primetime.

Week 1 roster

New England Patriots 2008 week 1 roster

Quarterbacks

Running Backs

Wide Receivers

Tight Ends

Offensive Linemen

Defensive Linemen

Linebackers

52 Eric Alexander ILB
54 Tedy Bruschi ILB
98 Shawn Crable OLB ^R
59 Gary Guyton ILB ^UR
53 Larry Izzo ILB
51 Jerod Mayo ILB ^R
96 Adalius Thomas OLB
50 Mike Vrabel OLB
58 Pierre Woods OLB

Defensive Backs

Special Teams

Reserve Lists

69 Anthony Clement OT (IR)
33 Kevin Faulk RB (Susp.)
61 Stephen Neal G (PUP)
68 Ryan O'Callaghan OT (IR)
76 Oliver Ross OT/G (NF-Inj.)
91 Bo Ruud ILB (IR) ^R
95 Kenny Smith DE (IR)
75 Barry Stokes OT/G (IR)
26 Tank Williams S/ILB (IR)

Practice Squad

62 Titus Adams DE
60 Jacob Bender G/T
30 Mark Dillard S ^UR
42 BenJarvus Green-Ellis RB ^UR
49 Vince Redd OLB ^UR
35 Mike Richardson CB
28 Antwain Spann S/CB

Notations

R: 2008 Rookie
UR: 2008 Undrafted Rookie
Italicized players are not on the 53-man roster.

Regular season results

Week 1: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

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

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
Game weather: 75 °F (24 °C), sunny and warm
TV announcers (CBS): Greg Gumbel (play-by-play) and Dan Dierdorf (color commentator)
Referee: Carl Cheffers
Game attendance: 68,756

The Patriots began their regular season at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. On the first drive of the game, a running-into-the-kicker penalty committed by the Chiefs on a fourth-down punt gave the Patriots a fresh set of downs, but three plays later, wide receiver Wes Welker fumbled after catching a pass from quarterback Tom Brady; the Chiefs recovered and started their next drive at their own 48 yard line but failed to convert on third down and punted. On their next drive, the Chiefs again recovered a fumble by a Patriots receiver after a catch; this time wide receiver Randy Moss lost the ball after a 28-yard completion from Brady. After the throw, Brady was hit in his lower left leg by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard, left the game, did not return, and was later placed on injured reserve with a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn medial collateral ligament.^[43] Quarterback Matt Cassel replaced Brady for the Patriots' next drive, which began from the Patriots' 2-yard line. Seven plays after a 51-yard completion to Moss from inside the Patriots' 1, Cassel hit Moss in the end zone from 10 yards out for a touchdown, giving the Patriots a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter. The teams then exchanged three-and-outs twice, before the Chiefs ended a 13-play, 51-yard drive with a 40-yard Nick Novak field goal to cut the Patriots' lead to 7-3 at the end of the first half.

After a Chiefs punt on a drive in which Chiefs quarterback Brodie Croyle was injured on a sack by Adalius Thomas, the Patriots drove 80 yards on 11 plays, capping off the series with a 5-yard touchdown run by running back Sammy Morris to extend the Patriots' lead to 14-3. The next Chiefs drive began with backup quarterback Damon Huard replacing Croyle. The Chiefs drove 63 yards and trimmed the Patriots' lead to 14-10 on a 13-yard touchdown reception by wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. After three punts, Huard and the Chiefs began a fourth-quarter drive by throwing an interception to Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs; a 15-yard unnecessary roughness penalty on the Patriots caused their ensuing series to begin at their own 47-yard line. A handful of Morris runs and Cassel passes, including an 11-yard reception by Morris, brought the Patriots into the Chiefs' red zone, but the Patriots failed to convert on third down and settled for a 37-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal to make their lead 17-10. Starting from his own 22-yard line with 2:20 remaining, Huard was strip-sacked on the third play of the series, but recovered his own fumble at the Chiefs' 27-yard line. On the next play, Huard hit wide receiver Devard Darling for a 68-yard completion, giving the Chiefs first-and-goal from the Patriots' 5-yard line with 53 seconds left. However, the Patriots' defense prevented the Chiefs from advancing another yard, as an incomplete pass, a Larry Johnson run for no gain, and two more incomplete passes gave the Patriots the ball back to seal their first victory of the season, and their 20th consecutive regular-season win.

Week 2: at New York Jets

	1	2	3	4	Total
Patriots	3	3	10	3	19
Jets	0	3	0	7	10

at Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey

Game time: 4:15 p.m. EDT
Game weather: 90 °F (32 °C), partly cloudy
TV announcers (CBS): Jim Nantz (play-by-play) and Phil Simms (color commentator)
Referee: John Parry
Game attendance: 78,554

In their first divisional game of the season, the Patriots traveled to Giants Stadium, where they had not lost since 2000. On the first series of the game, the Jets drove to the Patriots' 13-yard line but the game remained scoreless after kicker Jay Feely missed a 31-yard field goal. Eleven plays later, the Patriots faced 3rd-and-goal from the Jets' 2-yard line, but a run for a loss by running back Laurence Maroney set up a 21-yard Gostkowski field goal to give the Patriots a 3-0 lead. After a Jets punt, the Patriots extended their lead to 6-0 on a 37-yard Gostkowski field goal early in the second quarter. The Jets responded with a 77-yard drive, highlighted by a 54-yard Laveranues Coles completion from quarterback Brett Favre, which brought them as close to the end zone as the Patriots' 1-yard line, but they again had to settle for a field goal; this time Feely completed the 21-yard attempt to cut the Patriots' lead to 6-3. The Patriots and Jets exchanged punts to end the first half.

After a Patriots punt began the second half, the Jets started their next possession from their own 23-yard line. Three offensive penalties later, with the Jets at 2nd-and-25, defensive back Brandon Meriweather earned his first career interception on an errant Favre pass, giving the Patriots the ball at the Jets' 31-yard line. Despite a Kris Jenkins sack of Cassel to begin the drive, the Patriots moved into the red zone on a 22-yard completion to running back Kevin Faulk on a 3rd-and-9 play. Three plays later, Morris ran it in from the Jets' 1-yard-line for a touchdown, extending the Patriots' lead to 13-3. On an ensuing Jets punt, a 24-yard Faulk return set-up the Patriots' next drive at the Jets' 39-yard line; nine plays later, a 28-yard Gostkowski field goal gave the Patriots a 16-3 lead and ended the third quarter scoring. Beginning from their own 20-yard line for the sixth time in the game, the Jets drove into the Patriots' red zone and then cut the Patriots' lead to 16-10 on a 2-yard touchdown catch by wide receiver Chansi Stuckey. The Patriots next drive went for 71 yards and ended on a 27-yard Gostkowski field goal to build the Patriots' lead to 19-10. This would be the final score, as the Jets' next drive, which included a 20-yard sack of Favre by Adalius Thomas, went three-and-out and the Patriots held the ball for the final 3:45 in the game. The win brought the Patriots' record to 2-0 and kept the team tied for first place in the AFC East. Gostkowski finished the day 4-for-4 on field goals and earning five touchbacks on six kickoffs.

Week 3: vs. Miami Dolphins

	1	2	3	4	Total
Dolphins	7	14	7	10	38
Patriots	0	6	7	0	13

at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts

Game time: 1:00 p.m. EDT
Game weather: 72 °F (22 °C), sunny
TV announcers (CBS): Ian Eagle (play-by-play) and Solomon Wilcots (color commentator)
Referee: Bill Carollo
Game attendance: 68,756

Playing their second divisional opponent in as many weeks, the Patriots returned home looking for their 22nd straight regular season victory, a streak extending back to December 2006 when the Dolphins shut out the Patriots in Miami. Despite a 50-yard Hobbs return on the opening kickoff, the Patriots and Dolphins exchanged three-and-out punts to begin the game. On their second drive, the Patriots got as far as the Dolphins' 7-yard line, but back-to-back sacks of Cassel set-up 3rd-and-goal, where Cassel threw his first interception of the season, to Dolphins defensive lineman Randy Starks. Starting from their own 26-yard line, the Dolphins drove into the Patriots' red zone in part from two catches by tight end Anthony Fasano from Chad Pennington for 47 yards. On 2nd-and-goal from the Patriots' 2-yard line, the Dolphins lined up Pennington as a wide receiver and had running back Ronnie Brown take a direct snap from a shotgun formation; Brown proceeded to fake an end-around to running back Ricky Williams before running for the touchdown to give the Dolphins a 7-0 lead. This formation, known as the "Wildcat," was developed by Dolphins head coach Tony Sparano and quarterbacks coach David Lee following the Dolphins' loss to the Arizona Cardinals the week prior.^[44] The Patriots' ensuing possession reached the Dolphins' red zone again on 13 plays, but ended with the Patriots settling for a 37-yard Gostkowski field goal, trimming to the Dolphins' lead to 7-3 early in the second quarter.

The Dolphins' next drive began with a 33-yard reception by wide receiver Greg Camarillo; five plays later, Brown scored his second touchdown of the day with a 15-yard third down run, extending the Dolphins' lead to 14-3. On their next drive, the Patriots reached the Dolphins' 28-yard line on a 21-yard completion by Welker on a Cassel pass that was tipped by Dolphins safety Renaldo Hill. However, the Patriots gained only two more yards before Gostkowski hit his second field goal of the day, this one from 44 yards out, to cut the Dolphins' lead to 14-6. On the first play of the ensuing drive, the Dolphins again employed a direct snap to Brown, who this time proceeded to hand-off to Williams, gaining three yards on the play. With two minutes remaining in the first half, the Dolphins faced a 1st-and-10 from the Patriots' 45-yard line; Williams again took the hand-off on the direct snap to Brown, but this time went for 28 yards to put the Dolphins in the Patriots' red zone. Three plays later, the Dolphins again used the "Wildcat" formation, and Brown took the direct snap and ran five yards for his third touchdown of the day, giving the Dolphins a 21-6 lead at the half.

After an exchange of punts began the second half, the Dolphins drove from their own 21-yard line to a 3rd-and-3 from the Patriots' 19-yard line. The Dolphins again used the "Wildcat;" this time Brown threw a halfback pass to Fasano for a 19-yard touchdown that extended the Dolphins' lead to 28-6. Hobbs returned the ensuing kickoff 81 yards to have the next Patriots' possession begin from the Dolphins' 23-yard line. On 4th-and-3, Cassel hit wide receiver Jabar Gaffney for a 5-yard touchdown that cut the Dolphins' lead to 28-13. The Dolphins' ensuing possession featured Brown touching the ball on every play; after a first-down reception, Brown ran four times in a row to give the Dolphins a 1st-and-10 from their own 38-yard line. The Dolphins again lined up Brown to receive the direct snap; this time he ran 62 yards for his fourth rushing touchdown of the day, a Dolphins record.

Early in the fourth quarter, Hobbs returned the Patriots' next kickoff 31 yards, setting his own team record with 237 kickoff return yards in the game. Three plays later, Cassel fumbled on a third down scramble that was forced by Dolphins linebacker Joey Porter and recovered by Dolphins defensive lineman Phillip Merling at the Patriots' 49-yard line. After a Dolphins' three-and-out, the Patriots began their next drive with a Cassel interception thrown to Hill that was negated on a roughing the passer penalty on defensive lineman Vonnie Holliday; the Patriots punted four plays later. The Dolphins' next drive ended in a 39-yard Dan Carpenter field goal that gave the Dolphins a 38-13 lead. After an unsuccessful fourth-down conversion attempt on a pass by backup Patriots quarterback Kevin O'Connell and a Dolphins punt, that score became the final. The loss dropped the Patriots to 2-1 and to second place in the AFC East.

Week 5: at San Francisco 49ers

	1	2	3	4	Total
Patriots	7	10	7	6	30
49ers	14	0	0	7	21

at Candlestick Park, San Francisco, California

Game time: 4:15 p.m. EDT
Game weather: 67 °F (19 °C), sunny
TV announcers (CBS): Dick Enberg (play-by-play), Randy Cross and Dan Fouts (color commentators)
Referee: Mike Carey
Game attendance: 67,650

Coming off their bye week, the Patriots traveled to Candlestick Park to face the 49ers in the first of two straight west coast games for the Patriots. After a 49ers punt on their first series started the game, Cassel's second pass of the game was intercepted by linebacker Takeo Spikes to give the 49ers the ball at the Patriots' 45-yard line. On the next play, 49ers quarterback J. T. O'Sullivan threw an interception of his own, this one to Meriweather at the Patriots' 4-yard line. A three-and-out for the Patriots on their ensuing drive ended in a 35-yard Chris Hanson punt that gave the 49ers the ball at the Patriots' 30-yard line to begin their next drive. A defensive holding penalty on Patriots cornerback Deltha O'Neal on third down extended the drive, leading to a 16-yard touchdown catch by running back Frank Gore that gave the 49ers a 7-0 lead. On the Patriots' next drive, a fumbled snap by Cassel set-up 3rd and 8 from the Patriots' own 34-yard line; Cassel then threw a deep pass to Moss, which was caught at the 49ers' 21-yard line and run in for a 66-yard touchdown that tied the game at 7-7. A 38-yard Isaac Bruce reception from O'Sullivan on the 49ers' ensuing possession backed the Patriots' defense up to their own 22-yard line, and two plays later, O'Sullivan and Bruce again connected on a pass, this one a touchdown from 6-yards out to give the 49ers a 14-7 lead. An exchange of punts brought the teams into the second quarter, where on the third play of a Patriots drive Cassel threw his second interception of the day, this one to Nate Clements on the 49ers' 6-yard line on a deep pass intended to Moss. The 49ers went three-and-out, leading to a 13-play, 40-yard Patriots drive where a third down sack of Cassel in the red zone set-up a 35-yard Gostkowski field goal that trimmed the 49ers' lead to 14-10. The 49ers punted again on their next possession, giving the Patriots the ball on their own 20-yard line with just over three minutes remaining in the first half. 11 plays later, the Patriots faced a 2nd and goal from the 49ers' 2-yard line, where a Faulk touchdown run gave the Patriots a 17-14 lead at halftime.

On the Patriots' opening possession of the second half, Cassel was sacked to begin the drive, and then again was sacked nine plays later on third down to force the Patriots to punt. Two plays later, O'Sullivan was intercepted by safety Rodney Harrison to give the Patriots the ball at the 49ers' 24-yard line. The Patriots reached the 49ers' 1-yard line, but were denied the end zone twice by the 49ers, setting up fourth down from the 2-yard line. Faulk took the direct snap on the play and ran in for his second touchdown of the game, giving the Patriots a 24-14 lead. Following a 49ers punt, an 8-play Patriots drive resulted in a 40-yard Gostkowski field goal that extended the Patriots lead to 27-14 early in the fourth quarter. Starting from their own 20-yard line, the 49ers began an 11-play drive that ended on a 5-yard touchdown catch by Bruce from O'Sullivan that cut the Patriots' lead to 27-21. The Patriots responded with a 10-play series of their own; six plays into the drive, Faulk caught a second down pass and was originally deemed to be down short of the first down, but the Patriots challenged the play and Faulk was found to have gained the necessary first down yardage. An offensive pass interference penalty on Moss set-up a 3rd and 20 that the Patriots did not convert; Gostkowski then hit a 49-yard line field goal to extend the Patriots' lead to 30-21. A third down sack of O'Sullivan led to a fourth down interception by O'Neal that gave the Patriots the ball with 2:45 remaining in the game. The 49ers used all of their timeouts during the Patriots' next possession, and after a Patriots punt, the 49ers failed to convert on fourth down to give the Patriots the ball to end the game.

Week 6: at San Diego Chargers

	1	2	3	4	Total
Patriots	0	0	0	0	0
Chargers	0	0	0	0	0

at Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California

Game time: 8:15 p.m. EST/5:15 p.m. PST
Game weather:
TV announcers (CBS): Al Michaels (play-by-play), John Madden (color commentator),

& Andrea Kremer (sideline reporter)

Referee:
Game attendance:

Divisional standings

AFC East
view talk edit	W	L	T	PCT	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	STK
⁽³⁾ Miami Dolphins	11	5	0	.688	4–2	8–4	345	317	W5
New England Patriots	11	5	0	.688	4–2	7–5	410	309	W4
New York Jets	9	7	0	.563	4–2	7–5	405	356	L2
Buffalo Bills	7	9	0	.438	0–6	5–7	336	342	L1

Current roster

**New England Patriots roster**
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Quarterbacks 14 Jacoby Brissett 10 Drake Maye 19 Joe Milton 4 Bailey Zappe Running backs 35 Deshaun Fenwick 21 Antonio Gibson 36 Kevin Harris 39 JaMycal Hasty 29 Terrell Jennings 38 Rhamondre Stevenson Wide receivers 6 Javon Baker 86 Kawaan Baker 84 Kendrick Bourne 80 Kayshon Boutte 3 Demario Douglas 82 T. J. Luther 2 K. J. Osborn 1 Ja'Lynn Polk 83 Jalen Reagor 7 JuJu Smith-Schuster 11 Tyquan Thornton Tight ends 88 Jaheim Bell 85 Hunter Henry 81 Austin Hooper 46 La'Michael Pettway 45 Jacob Warren 87 Mitchell Wilcox		Offensive linemen 76 Calvin Anderson T 60 David Andrews C 67 Jake Andrews C 65 Zuri Henry T 75 Ryan Johnson G 74 Michael Jordan G 51 Nick Leverett G 59 Vederian Lowe T 68 Atonio Mafi G 77 Chukwuma Okorafor T 71 Michael Onwenu T 63 Layden Robinson G 62 Sidy Sow G 69 Cole Strange G 64 Andrew Stueber T 61 Charles Turner III C 70 Caedan Wallace T 72 Tyrone Wheatley Jr. T Defensive linemen 90 Christian Barmore DT 52 William Bradley-King DE 95 Daniel Ekuale NT 92 Davon Godchaux NT 97 Trysten Hill DT 54 John Morgan III DE 98 Jeremiah Pharms Jr. NT 96 Sam Roberts DT 66 Jotham Russell DE (Int.) 94 Armon Watts DT 99 Keion White DE 91 Deatrich Wise Jr. DE		Linebackers 8 Ja'Whaun Bentley ILB 53 Christian Elliss ILB 44 Joe Giles-Harris ILB 58 Jontrey Hunter ILB 33 Anfernee Jennings OLB 9 Matthew Judon OLB 15 Marte Mapu ILB 50 Raekwon McMillan ILB 43 Jay Person OLB 16 Sione Takitaki ILB 48 Jahlani Tavai ILB 55 Joshua Uche OLB 93 Oshane Ximines OLB Defensive backs 28 Alex Austin CB 24 Joshuah Bledsoe FS 29 Isaiah Bolden CB 27 Marcellas Dial CB 23 Kyle Dugger SS 30 Kaleb Ford-Dement CB 0 Christian Gonzalez CB 32 Jaylinn Hawkins FS 42 Azizi Hearn CB 31 Jonathan Jones CB 25 Marcus Jones CB 5 Jabrill Peppers FS 34 Dell Pettus FS 41 Brenden Schooler SS 47 Mikey Victor CB 26 Shaun Wade CB 22 Marco Wilson CB Special teams 17 Bryce Baringer P 49 Joe Cardona LS 37 Chad Ryland K 13 Joey Slye K				Rookies in italics Roster updated May 13, 2024 Depth chart Transactions 85 active (+1 exempt), 5 unsigned → AFC rosters → NFC rosters

Awards and honors

Recipient	Award(s)
Larry Izzo	2008 New England Patriots Ron Burton Community Service Award^[45]

Notes and references

^ "Patriots defensive back charged with marijuana possession in Lowell". The Boston Globe. 2008-02-05. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
^ "Patriots defensive back Andrews pleads to drug offense". Associated Press. The Boston Globe. 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
^ ^a ^b Underwood, Mike (2008-06-30). "Pats' defensive back arrested in gun assault". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
^ "Patriots Player Faces Gun Assault Charge". WCVB-TV. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
^ Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-07-02). "Patriots release Andrews". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-07-02.
^ Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-02-27). "Faulk cited for marijuana in La". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
^ Foote, Kevin (2008-02-29). "Patriots' Faulk says he passed drug test". The Daily Advertiser. USA Today. Retrieved 2008-05-31.
^ "Kevin Faulk, pleads no contest". KATC (TV). 2008-07-08. Retrieved 2008-07-08.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-08-30). "Faulk suspended 1 game". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-09-09.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Ellement, John R. and Murphy, Shelley (2008-06-04). "Patriot arrested, then aids drug sting". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-06-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "Falcons name Thomas Dimitroff to GM post". AtlantaFalcons.com. 2008-01-13. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-23). "Merger of field and screen". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-03-30.
^ ^a ^b ^c Reiss, Mike (2008-08-11). "Media guide nuggets". The Boston Globe. {{cite web}}: Text "2008-08-11" ignored (help); Text "accessdate" ignored (help)
^ ^a ^b Reiss, Mike (2008-02-22). "Capers joins Patriots' coaching staff". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
^ Young, Shalise Manza (2008-02-01). "Don Davis offers strength in both of his Pats roles". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-02-26). "Lua released too". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ ^a ^b "New England Patriots February, 2008 Transactions". Pro Football Weekly. 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-02-29). "Patriots release TE Kyle Brady". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-02-22). "K. Washington update". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-02-29). "Report: Stallworth to visit Browns". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-03-01). "Report: Stallworth to join Browns". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ ^a ^b Reiss, Mike (2008-02-28). "Washington agrees with Pats". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-02-29). "So long Asante". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-03-02). "Gay marches to the Saints". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-14). "Wilson to Bucs & CB". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-02-29). "No offer to Rashad Moore". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-06). "CB Lewis Sanders signed". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-03-20). "Bryant signing official". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-4). "Webster deal official". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-05). "Report: Pats sign Tank Williams". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-03). "Aiken signs on for 2 years". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-04-07). "Belichick on Hobson". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-04-22). "TE Pollard to join Pats". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-22.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-03). "Moss' agent details deal". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-04). "Report: Gaffney back to Pats". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-11). "Ventrone officially re-signs". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-19). "Mike Wright follow-up". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-03-25). "Britt & Woods re-sign". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.
^ Reiss, Mike (2007-09-13). "Final ruling". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2007-09-13.
^ ^a ^b The Patriots traded their first- and fifth-round selections (#7 and #164 overall) to the New Orleans Saints for the Saints' first- and third-round draft picks (#10 and #78 overall). The #7 pick was received with a 2007 fourth-round pick in a trade from the San Francisco 49ers for the Patriots' first-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Boston.com summary
^ As the team that lost Super Bowl XLII, the Patriots' original first-round selection would have been #31.
^ The Patriots traded their fifth- and seventh-round selections (#160 and #238 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Buccaneers' fifth-round selection (#160 overall). The fifth-round pick was received in a trade with the San Diego Chargers in which the Patriots traded a third-round selection (#69 overall) to the Chargers for the Chargers' fifth-round pick in 2008 and second-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. (The Patriots received the #69 pick in a trade with the Oakland Raiders in which the Raiders traded their 2008 third-round pick and 2007 seventh-round pick for the Patriots' third-round pick in 2007.) Boston.com summary
^ "Sources: Brady tore ACL and MCL". The Boston Globe. 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2008-09-10.
^ Reiss, Mike (2008-09-22). "Patriots had no answers for Miami's scheme". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
^ Guregian, Karen (2008-08-26). "Tom Brady MIA at Kickoff Gala". Boston Herald The Point After. Retrieved 2008-08-26.

[1] "Patriots defensive back charged with marijuana possession in Lowell". The Boston Globe. 2008-02-05. Retrieved 2008-05-31.

[2] "Patriots defensive back Andrews pleads to drug offense". Associated Press. The Boston Globe. 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-05-31.

[AndrewsGun-3] Underwood, Mike (2008-06-30). "Pats' defensive back arrested in gun assault". Boston Herald. Retrieved 2008-06-30.

[4] "Patriots Player Faces Gun Assault Charge". WCVB-TV. 2008-06-30. Retrieved 2008-06-30.

[5] Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-07-02). "Patriots release Andrews". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-07-02.

[6] Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-02-27). "Faulk cited for marijuana in La". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-05-31.

[7] Foote, Kevin (2008-02-29). "Patriots' Faulk says he passed drug test". The Daily Advertiser. USA Today. Retrieved 2008-05-31.

[8] "Kevin Faulk, pleads no contest". KATC (TV). 2008-07-08. Retrieved 2008-07-08.

[9] Reiss, Mike (2008-08-30). "Faulk suspended 1 game". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-09-09.

[KaczurDEA-10] Ellement, John R. and Murphy, Shelley (2008-06-04). "Patriot arrested, then aids drug sting". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-06-04.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[11] "Falcons name Thomas Dimitroff to GM post". AtlantaFalcons.com. 2008-01-13. Retrieved 2008-03-30.

[12] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-23). "Merger of field and screen". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-03-30.

[2008mg-13] Reiss, Mike (2008-08-11). "Media guide nuggets". The Boston Globe. {{cite web}}: Text "2008-08-11" ignored (help); Text "accessdate" ignored (help)

[CoachChanges-14] Reiss, Mike (2008-02-22). "Capers joins Patriots' coaching staff". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-02-23.

[15] Young, Shalise Manza (2008-02-01). "Don Davis offers strength in both of his Pats roles". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 2008-08-11.

[16] Reiss, Mike (2008-02-26). "Lua released too". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[PFWFeb-17] "New England Patriots February, 2008 Transactions". Pro Football Weekly. 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[KBrady-18] Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-02-29). "Patriots release TE Kyle Brady". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[19] Reiss, Mike (2008-02-22). "K. Washington update". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[20] Reiss, Mike (2008-02-29). "Report: Stallworth to visit Browns". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[21] Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-03-01). "Report: Stallworth to join Browns". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[Washington-22] Reiss, Mike (2008-02-28). "Washington agrees with Pats". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[23] Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-02-29). "So long Asante". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[24] Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-03-02). "Gay marches to the Saints". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[25] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-14). "Wilson to Bucs & CB". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[26] Reiss, Mike (2008-02-29). "No offer to Rashad Moore". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[27] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-06). "CB Lewis Sanders signed". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[28] Gasper, Christopher L. (2008-03-20). "Bryant signing official". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[29] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-4). "Webster deal official". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)

[30] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-05). "Report: Pats sign Tank Williams". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[31] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-03). "Aiken signs on for 2 years". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[32] Reiss, Mike (2008-04-07). "Belichick on Hobson". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[33] Reiss, Mike (2008-04-22). "TE Pollard to join Pats". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-22.

[34] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-03). "Moss' agent details deal". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[35] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-04). "Report: Gaffney back to Pats". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[36] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-11). "Ventrone officially re-signs". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[37] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-19). "Mike Wright follow-up". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[38] Reiss, Mike (2008-03-25). "Britt & Woods re-sign". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2008-04-14.

[39] Reiss, Mike (2007-09-13). "Final ruling". Boston.com Reiss' Pieces. Retrieved 2007-09-13.

[SaintsTrade-40] The Patriots traded their first- and fifth-round selections (#7 and #164 overall) to the New Orleans Saints for the Saints' first- and third-round draft picks (#10 and #78 overall). The #7 pick was received with a 2007 fourth-round pick in a trade from the San Francisco 49ers for the Patriots' first-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. Boston.com summary

[41] As the team that lost Super Bowl XLII, the Patriots' original first-round selection would have been #31.

[TampaTrade-42] The Patriots traded their fifth- and seventh-round selections (#160 and #238 overall) to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for the Buccaneers' fifth-round selection (#160 overall). The fifth-round pick was received in a trade with the San Diego Chargers in which the Patriots traded a third-round selection (#69 overall) to the Chargers for the Chargers' fifth-round pick in 2008 and second-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. (The Patriots received the #69 pick in a trade with the Oakland Raiders in which the Raiders traded their 2008 third-round pick and 2007 seventh-round pick for the Patriots' third-round pick in 2007.) Boston.com summary

[43] "Sources: Brady tore ACL and MCL". The Boston Globe. 2008-09-10. Retrieved 2008-09-10.

[44] Reiss, Mike (2008-09-22). "Patriots had no answers for Miami's scheme". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2008-09-21.

[45] Guregian, Karen (2008-08-26). "Tom Brady MIA at Kickoff Gala". Boston Herald The Point After. Retrieved 2008-08-26.

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v t e New England Patriots seasons
Formerly the Boston Patriots (1960–1970)
1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Bold indicates AFL Championship or Super Bowl victory Italics indicates AFL Championship or Super Bowl appearance