Wednesday, December 31, 2008

2008: Year in Review

By: Frank Carpano

You’d be hard pressed to find another area of the country that has had the sports success New England teams have had in the past 5 years.
In 2008, the news was mixed, we had our share of ups and downs.

Patriots-Giants

2008 began with the Patriots speeding towards an undefeated season…trying to become the first NFL team since the 1972 Miami Dolphins to finish a season undefeated.
The Pats were 18-0 when they faced the Giants in the Super Bowl..
This spectacular catch by David Tyree a part of a 4th quarter comeback that helped seal the win for the Giants one of the greatest upsets in Super Bowl history…The Pats finish the season 18-1.

PC Basketball

2008 brought the Tim Welsh era to an end at Providence college. The Friars men’s basketball coach ended a 10 year run at the school. His undoing was a 1-9 record in the Big East tournament and only 2 NCAA tournament appearances, both losses.

Approximately 1 month later, PC introduced Keno Davis as the Friars new head coach. Davis led Drake to a 28-5 record in 2008 and was named National coach of the year

Celtics win Championship

It had been 20 years since the Celtics made a serious run at a championship. In 2008 with the addition of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, the Celtics were once again among the NBA’s elite.
They helped guide the Celtics to their 17th NBA Championship…The final game, fittingly against the Lakers at Boston’s TD Banknorth Garden.

Lester

Bigger than any championship was what happened on May 19th…..
Red Sox pitcher Jon Lester who, the year before, had battled back from life threatening cancer stepped to the mound against the Kansas City Royals.
Lester was near perfect that night…allowing only 2 base runners while throwing a no-hitter.

Red Sox/Baldelli ALCS

The Red Sox, the 2007 World Series champs battled through injuries and the departure of Manny Ramirez in 2008. They advanced to the American League Championship series against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Clearly the best local story involved Rhode Island’s Rocco Baldelli. The tampa Bay Ray outfielder battled back from a serious disease to contribute with this homerun in game 1.
In the end, the Rays and Sox went the distance before Tampa Bay elminated Boston to advance to their first ever world series eventually losing to the Phillies.

Olympics

The story I enjoyed covering the most this past year was an event I didn’t even attend.
The Summer Olympics. Specifically, the swimming competition. Before you jump to the conclusion that I will state the obvious and gush about Michael Phelps performance. I’m actually talking about Rhode Island grown Elizabeth Beisel. The 15 year old from North Kingstown proved that she is one of the athletes who has a very bright future on the US Olympic Swim team. In Beijing,  She narrowly missed medaling by finishing 4th in the 400 IM and 5th in the 200 backstroke. I watched her races with family and friends in South County. It was the next best thing to being there.

Brady

Which brings us back to the Patriots….They began the season as Super Bowl favorites….but in the first quarter of the season opener against the Chiefs….Tom Brady injured his left knee…It required surgery and ended Brady’s season.
Many felt that the Patriots season was lost even before it began. But with the constantly improving backup quarterback Matt Cassel, the Patriots were able to realize more success than failure….

And that brings us to 2009, and one of the great things about being a sports fan….wondering what a new season will bring for your favorite team.
We look forward to bringing it all to you here on NBC 10. Happy New Year!

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Pats-Cardinals Post Game notes

Courtesy of: The New England Patriots

GAME NOTES
Patriots vs. Cardinals - December 21, 2008

PATRIOTS TIE TEAM RECORD FOR MOST 40-POINT GAMES IN A SEASON
The Patriots scored 47 points today, marking their fourth game this season scoring 40 or more points. New England also broke the 40-point mark against Denver on Oct. 20 (41-7), at Miami on Nov. 23 (48-28) and at Oakland on Dec. 14. New England has equaled the team record for most games scoring 40 or more points, also achieved in 2007. The Patriots have broken the 40-point mark three times in a season on three occasions (1996, 1963, 1961).

PATRIOTS RECORD BOOK /

MOST GAMES SCORING 40 OR MORE POINTS IN A SEASON

Season Games
2008 4
2007 4
1996 3
1963 3
1961 3

PATRIOTS SET THIRD HIGHEST TWO-GAME POINT TOTAL

The Patriots scored 47 points today and coupled with their 49-point output last week in Oakland have scored 96 points in the last two weeks. The 96 points over a two-game span mark the third-most prolific two-game span in team history, trailing only two overlapping two-game spans from the Patriots’ record-setting 2007 season. New England’s 96 points are the most for any NFL team in any two-game span this season, and the Patriots are the only NFL team this year to have back-to-back 40-point games.

PATRIOTS RECORD BOOK /

MOST POINTS SCORED IN A TWO-GAME SPAN

Season Date, Opp., Score Date, Opp., Score Total Pts
2007 10/21/07, at MIA, 49-28 10/28/07, vs WAS, 52-7 101
2007 10/14/07, at DAL, 48-27 10/21/07, at MIA, 49-28 97
2008 12/14/08, at OAK, 49-26 12/21/08, vs ARZ, 47-7 96
1984 11/11/84, vs BUF, 38-10 11/18/84, at IND, 50-17 88
1978 10/22/78, vs MIA, 33-24 10/29/78, vs NYJ, 55-21 88

PATRIOTS POST YET ANOTHER 500-YARD GAME

The Patriots had 514 total net yards against the Cardinals, achieving the fifth-highest output of total net yards in team history. The Patriots have broken the 500-yard mark three times so far this season, achieving three of the top six single-game net yardage outputs in the franchise’s 49-year history.

PATRIOTS RECORDS / TOTAL NET YARDS IN GAME

Date Opp. Total Net Yards Passing Rushing
09/09/79 N.Y. Jets 597 365 232
11/23/08 Miami 530 408 122
10/29/78 N.Y. Jets 529 289 240
12/18/65 Houston Oilers 526 336 190
12/21/08 Arizona 514 331 183
11/13/08 N.Y. Jets 511 386 125
11/18/07 Buffalo 510 383 127

PATRIOTS POST SIXTH 40-POINT WIN IN TEAM HISTORY

The Patriots’ 40-point victory over the Cardinals is the sixth win in team history by 40 points or more and is the fourth-biggest home victory in franchise annals. New England’s 47 points scored are the team’s second highest home point output in the last 25 years, trailing only last year’s 52-point output against Washington on Oct. 28, 2007.

PATRIOTS RECORD BOOK / LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY

Date Opponent Margin Score
09/09/79 New York Jets +53 56-3
11/18/07 at Buffalo +46 56-10
10/28/07 Washington +45 52-7
11/01/63 Houston Oilers +42 45-3
12/17/61 at San Diego +41 41-0
12/21/08 Arizona +40 47-7
10/06/74 Baltimore Colts +39 42-3

MOST POINTS SCORED / SINGLE-GAME TEAM HISTORY

Date Opponent Points Score
11/18/07 at Buffalo 56 56-10
09/09/79 New York Jets 56 56-3
10/29/78 New York Jets 55 55-21
10/28/07 Washington 52 52-7
10/22/61 Buffalo 52 52-21
11/18/84 at Indianapolis 50 50-17
11/18/79 at Baltimore Colts 50 50-21
12/14/08 at Oakland 49 49-26
10/21/07 at Miami 49 49-28
11/23/08 at Miami 48 48-28
10/14/07 at Dallas 48 48-27
10/03/76 Oakland 48 48-17
12/21/08 Arizona 47 47-7
11/23/80 Baltimore Colts 47 47-21

GOSTKOWSKI SETS FRANCHISE RECORD FOR MOST FIELD GOALS IN A SEASON

Stephen Gostkowski was a perfect four-for-four on field goals despite inclement conditions, and with his third boot of the day set a new Patriots single-season franchise record for most field goals in a season. Gostkowski’s third kick of the day was his 33rd field goal of the season, eclipsing Tony Franklin’s old team mark of 32, achieved in 1986. Following his four field goals today, Gostkowski is 34-for-37 (91.9 percent) this season. His 91.9 percent accuracy rate is the second best single-season mark in franchise history, trailing only Adam Vinatieri’s 93.9 percent performance (31-for-33) in 2004. For his career, Gostkowski is 75-for-87 (86.2 percent), giving him the best career field goal percentage in Patriots history. Gostkowski was named to the 2009 AFC Pro Bowl squad last week, earning his first career Pro Bowl nod.

PATRIOTS SINGLE-SEASON LEADERS / FGs MADE

Player Year FGM FGA Pct.
Stephen Gostkowski 2008 34 37 .919
Tony Franklin 1986 32 41 .780
Adam Vinatieri 2004 31 33 .939
Adam Vinatieri 1998 31 39 795

CASSEL THROWS FOR 345 YARDS, THREE TOUCHDOWNS

Despite inclement conditions, Matt Cassel completed 20-of-36 passes (55.6 percent) for 345 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, good for a 116.1 passer rating. The 300-yard passing game was Cassel’s third of the year and the third of his career - he previously had 400 yards on Nov. 13 against the N.Y. Jets and had 415 yards at Miami on Nov. 23. Today’s game was Cassel’s fifth of the season with three or more touchdown passes and came on the heels of a career-high four touchdown game at Oakland on Dec. 14. Today’s game was Cassel’s sixth of the season with a passer rating of 100.0 or better and was his fourth such performance in the last six weeks.

CASSEL THROWS 19th, 20th and 21st TOUCHDOWN PASSES OF SEASON

Matt Cassel threw three touchdown passes - a 15-yard toss to Kevin Faulk in the second quarter, an 11-yard scoring strike to Wes Welker in the second quarter and a 76-yard screen pass to Randy Moss in the third quarter - bringing his season total to 21 touchdown passes. Cassel’s 21 touchdown passes are the most for a Patriots quarterback in his first year as a starter since Tony Eason had 23 scoring passes while starting 13 games in 1984. Cassel is the seventh quarterback in Patriots history to have 20 or more touchdown passes in a season, joining Tom Brady (6), Drew Bledsoe (4), Babe Parilli (2), Steve Grogan (1), Tony Eason (1) and Butch Songin (1) as the only Patriots passers to achieve the feat.

PATRIOTS RECORD BOOK / MOST TD PASES BY A QB IN FIRST YEAR AS STARTER

Player Year TD GS
Tony Eason 1984 23 13
Butch Songin 1960 22 12
Matt Cassel 2008 21 14
Jim Plunkett 1971 19 14
Mike Taliaferro 1969 19 14
Tom Brady 2001 18 14
Steve Grogan 1976 18 14
Drew Bledsoe 1993 15 12
NOTE: Ranks the most touchdown passes by Patriots quarterbacks when making 10 or more starts for the first time in their career.

MOSS HAS 76-YARD TOUCHDOWN CATCH; LONGEST CATCH BY A PATRIOT SINCE 2003

Randy Moss gave the Patriots a 38-0 lead on a 76-yard touchdown reception on a screen pass in the third quarter. The 76-yard score was Moss’s longest reception as a Patriot and was his longest catch since hauling in a 79-yard (non-scoring) pass while playing for the Oakland Raiders on Oct. 2, 2005 against the Dallas Cowboys. Moss’s 76-yard scoring catch was the longest reception (and the longest play from scrimmage) by the Patriots since Oct. 19, 2003, when Troy Brown hauled in an 82-yard touchdown from Tom Brady in overtime to defeat the Miami Dolphins 19-13. Moss’s touchdown was his 11th scoring reception of the season, a total that stands as the third highest single-season total in team history.

PATRIOTS SINGLE-SEASON RECEIVING TD LEADERS

Player Year Games Rec. TD
Randy Moss 2007 16 23
Stanley Morgan 1979 16 12
Randy Moss 2008 15 11
Stanley Morgan 1986 16 10
Jim Colclough 1962 14 10

MOSS TIES SIXTH-BEST CAREER TOUCHDOWN TOTAL IN NFL HISTORY

Randy Moss’s 76-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter was the 136th touchdown of his career (135 receiving, 1 via punt return), tying him with Marshall Faulk for the sixth-highest career touchdown total in NFL history. Faulk also had 136 career touchdowns (100 rushing, 35 receiving) from 1994-2005. Jerry Rice is the NFL’s all-time leader with 208 career touchdowns (197 receiving, 10 rushing, 1 via return).

STREAKS EXTENDED

· The Patriots won their 11th straight game in the month of December, improving to 23-2 in December since the beginning of the 2003 season.
· The Patriots won their 15th consecutive regular-season game against NFC opposition, finishing their third straight regular-season with a perfect 4-0 record against the NFC. The Patriots have not lost a regular-season game to an NFC team since Sept. 18, 2005 at Carolina.
· The Patriots won their 10th straight game against an NFC West team. The last time the Patriots lost to an NFC West club was on Nov. 18, 2001, when St. Louis claimed a 24-17 win at Foxboro Stadium.
· Today’s game was the 159th consecutive home sellout for the Patriots, a streak that includes every regular-season game, playoff game and preseason game since the beginning of the 1994 regular season.

JORDAN SCORES TWICE IN FIRST QUARTER

LaMont Jordan scored two rushing touchdowns in the first quarter, powering the Patriots to a 14-0 lead and recording his fourth career game with two or more touchdowns on the ground. Jordan’s three previous games with two or more rushing scores all came in 2005 while a member of the Oakland Raiders. He had a career-high three rushing touchdowns on Oct. 23, 2005 for Oakland in a game against Buffalo. Jordan’s two touchdowns today came on back-to-back drives, the Patriots’ first two offensive possessions of the game. He scored on a 1-yard plunge with 8:57 left in the first quarter and a 3-yard score with 3:46 left in the first quarter. Jordan also reached the end zone last week at Oakland on a 49-yard run - his first touchdown of the season and the longest rush by a Patriots player this season. His touchdowns against the Cardinals bring his season total to three and his career total to 27. Jordan joined the Patriots as a free agent on July 26.

HOBBS RECORDS THIRD INTERCEPTION OF SEASON, NINTH OF REGULAR-SEASON CAREER

Ellis Hobbs picked off a Matt Leinart pass at the Patriots’ 30-yard line in the fourth quarter, thwarting what looked to be a possible Arizona scoring bid. The interception was Hobbs’s third of the season, tying his single-season career high also set as a rookie in 2005. Hobbs’s interception was the ninth of his regular-season career - he also has two career playoff picks.

MERIWEATHER STRIP-SACK IS HIS SECOND IN THREE WEEKS

Safety Brandon Meriweather had his second strip-sack in three weeks, coming in on a blitz late in the third quarter, sacking Matt Leinart for a 12-yard loss and forcing him to fumble on the play. Jarvis Green recovered the ball for the Patriots at the Cardinals’ 15-yard line, setting up a 30-yard field goal by Stephen Gostkowski that gave the Patriots a 47-0 lead. Meriweather also had a strip-sack in the final minutes of the Patriots’ 24-21 victory over Seattle on Dec. 7, coming in on a blitz and sacking Seattle’s Seneca Wallace to force a turnover that allowed the Patriots to run out the clock on a tight win. Meriweather, who leads the team with four interceptions this season, now has two career sacks and two career forced fumbles.

FAULK SCORES SIXTH TOUCHDOWN OF SEASON

Kevin Faulk scored on a 15-yard pass play in the second quarter to give the Patriots a 21-0 lead. The touchdown was Faulk’s sixth of the season and his third receiving touchdown (he also has scored three times rushing). Faulk’s six touchdowns from scrimmage are a new single-season career high. In terms of total touchdowns, Faulk’s six scores are the second highest of his career, trailing only his seven touchdowns in 2002 (two rushing, three receiving and two via kickoff returns).

FAULK SETS CAREER HIGH FOR RECEIVING YARDS

Kevin Faulk has set a new single-season career high for receiving yards, passing his old career best of 465 receiving yards in 2000. Following his 15-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter, Faulk had 471 receiving yards this season. His 478 receiving yards this season are the fourth-most by a running back in Patriots history and are the most by a New England running back since Tony Collins set a Patriots running back record with 684 receiving yards in 1986
.

WELKER SCORES THIRD TOUCHDOWN OF SEASON

Wes Welker caught his third touchdown pass of the season, an 11-yard strike from Matt Cassel in the second quarter that gave the Patriots a 28-0 lead. Welker, who was been named to his first career Pro Bowl last week, is the first player in Patriots history with back-to-back 100-catch seasons and is also the first player in Patriots history with back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons.

WELKER’S LONG RETURN SETS UP PATRIOTS’ FIRST TOUCHDOWN

Wes Welker returned an Arizona punt 28 yards to the Cardinals’ 33-yard line, allowing the Patriots to begin their first offensive possession in Arizona territory and set up a 33-yard drive that ended in a LaMont Jordan touchdown and a 7-0 Patriots lead. Welker’s 28-yard punt return was the second longest of the season by the Patriots, trailing only Welker’s 44-yard punt return against Denver on Oct. 20 - a return that was the longest by a Patriot since 2000.

VRABEL TACKLE FOR LOSS FINISHES THREE-AND-OUT

Mike Vrabel stopped Arizona running back Tim Hightower behind the line of scrimmage for a three-yard loss on third down on the Cardinals’ first possession of the game, finishing off a game-opening three-and-out for the Patriots defense. Wes Welker brought back the ensuing punt 28 yards to the Arizona 33-yard line, setting up a Patriots touchdown drive and a 7-0 New England lead

HOT WHEN IT’S COLD

The Patriots have enjoyed tremendous recent success in cold weather and improved to 17-1 since 1993 when the kickoff temperature is 30 degrees or colder. Additionally, the Patriots improved to 10-0 all-time in snowy games in Foxborough since moving from Boston in 1971. New England is now 9-0 in snowy games since Bill Belichick became head coach in 2000, including a 7-0 home record and a 2-0 road mark.

GAMES 30 DEGREES OR COLDER SINCE 1993 (17-1)

Date Opp. Temp Notes W/L Score
01/10/04 TEN* 4 Wind Chill -10 W 17-14
01/23/05 at PIT* 11 Wind Chill -1 W 41-27
12/26/93 IND 19 Wind Chill -1 W 38-0
01/20/08 SD* 23 Wind Chill 9 W 21-12
01/07/06 JAX* 24 Clear and Calm W 28-3
12/21/96 at NYG 24 Wind Chill 17 W 23-22
01/01/06 MIA 25 Wind Chill 20 L 26-28
01/16/05 IND* 25 Snow W 20-3
12/14/03 JAX 25 Wind Chill 16 W 27-13
01/19/02 OAK* 25 Snow W ot 16-13
12/05/05 NYJ 26 Light Snow W 16-3
12/10/95 NYJ 26 Wind Chill 12 W 31-28
01/12/97 JAX* 27 Wind Chill 11 W 20-6
12/07/03 MIA 28 Wind Chill 17 W 12-0
12/21/08 ARZ 30 Snow W 47-7
12/11/05 at BUF 30 Light Snow W 35-7
12/26/04 at NYJ 30 Wind Chill 21 W 23-7
12/20/03 at NYJ 30 Wind Chill 20 W 21-16
*-playoffs

SNOW GAMES IN FOXBOROUGH (10-0)

Date Opp. Temp Weather W/L Score
12/21/08 ARZ 30 Snow W 47-7
12/04/05 NYJ 26 Light Snow W 16-3
01/16/05 IND* 25 Snow W 20-3
01/18/04 IND* 32 Light Snow W 24-14
12/14/03 JAX 25 Snow in 2nd Half W 27-13
12/07/03 MIA 28 Cold, Snow, Wind W 12-0
01/19/02 OAK* 25 Snow, 3-5 inches W 16-13 ot
12/04/83 NO 35 Cold, Snowing W 7-0
12/12/82 MIA 22 Wind, Snow W 3-0
12/10/78 BUF 28 Snow, Some Sun W 26-24
*-Playoffs

BILL BELICHICK ERA SNOW GAMES (9-0)

Date Opp. Tmp Weather W/L Score
12/21/08 ARZ 30 Snow W 47-7
12/10/05 at BUF 30 Light Snow W 35-7
12/04/05 NYJ 26 Light Snow W 16-3
01/16/05 IND* 25 Snow W 20-3
01/18/04 IND* 32 Light Snow W 24-14
12/14/03 JAX 25 Snow in 2nd Half W 27-13
12/07/03 MIA 28 Cold, Snow, Wind W 12-0
01/19/02 OAK* 25 Snow, 3-5 inches W 16-13 ot
12/17/00 at BUF 35 Snow Showers W 13-10 ot
*-Playoffs

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

2 basketball games

by: Frank Carpano

I just got through watching a couple of basketball games.
First, the Celtics. They beat the hawks for their 16th straight win. They are simply amazing. In case you’re wondering where this leaves them, win streak wise…here’s the scoop…The best start in NBA history with two losses is 26-2, set by the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers and matched by the ‘69-70 Knicks. ... The longest winning streak in Celtics history is 18, set during the 1981-82 season. ... The Celtics are 9-1 on the road. They lost 95-79 at Indiana on Nov. 1. Their only loss at home was against Denver on Nov. 14. ...

I also got to see the Providence College Friars play Jackson State at the Dunkin Donuts Center. PC was playing it’s first game in about 10 days. They are coming off of their Fall exam period. and it showed. The first half of this game was ugly from the Providence perspective. They watched as Jackson State shot 62 percent in the first half. The Friars shooters appeared reluctant to launch long range shots. Only Jeff Xavier kept trying with no luck. Needless to say, the Friars trailed at the half.

But the second half was a totally different story. The Friars tightened down their defense and started to see their shots fall. The Friars won 85-71 and had 6 players scored in double figures. The PC team looked much better in the second half, but we are left to wonder what to expect when the cream of the Big East come calling on the Friars.

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Pats-Raider Post game notes

Courtesy of: The New England Patriots

GAME NOTES
Patriots at Raiders- December 14, 2008

WELKER CATCHES 100th PASS OF THE SEASON, BECOMES EIGHTH PLAYER IN NFL HISTORY WITH BACK-TO-BACK 100-CATCH SEASONS
Wes Welker caught his 100th pass of the season, a 13-yard touchdown reception from Matt Cassel in the second quarter. Welker, who had a franchise-record 112 catches in 2007, became the first player to have back-to-back 100-catch seasons with the Patriots and became the eighth player in NFL history to achieve the feat. Welker joins Marvin Harrison (1999-2002), Jerry Rice (1994-96), Herman Moore (1995-97), Sterling Sharpe (1992-93), Cris Carter (1994-95), Rod Smith (2000-01) and Randy Moss (2002-03) as the only players in league history to achieve the feat. Welker’s 100-catch performance is the third in Patriots history, joining his franchise-record 112 catches last season and Troy Brown’s total of 101 catches in 2001.

MOSS’S 10 TOUCHDOWN CATCHES TIED FOR 3RD IN PATRIOTS SINGLE-SEASON HISTORY

Randy Moss scored two touchdowns against Oakland, giving the Patriots a 14-0 lead with a 20-yard touchdown reception from Matt Cassel in the first quarter and scored on a 9-yard catch in the third quarter, extending New England’s lead to 42-14. The touchdowns raised Moss’s 2008 total to 10 touchdown receptions and brought his career total to 134 touchdown catches. Moss’s 10 touchdown catches tie the third-highest single-season total in Patriots history, trailing only his NFL-record 23 scoring catches last season and Stanley Morgan’s 12 touchdown catches in 1979. Besides Moss, two other Patriots have totaled 10 touchdown catches in a season - Morgan in 1986 and Jim Colclough in 1962. Moss’s 134 career touchdown catches rank third in NFL history behind Jerry Rice (197) and Terrell Owens (138). Since joining the Patriots prior to the 2007 season, Moss has now caught a league-high 33 touchdown passes. Moss entered today’s game as the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions per touchdown, averaging a touchdown catch for every 6.33 receptions. Entering today’s action, Moss’s eight touchdown receptions this season were tied for the AFC lead.

MOSS RECORDS 32nd CAREER GAME WITH TWO OR MORE TOUCHDOWN CATCHES

Randy Moss had two touchdown receptions against Oakland today, recording his 32nd career game with two or more touchdown catches. Moss’s total number of games with two or more touchdown catches ranks second in NFL history to Jerry Rice’s all-time record of 43 games with at least two touchdown receptions. Moss has had three games with two or more scoring grabs this season and has achieved the feat 11 times in 30 games with New England since joining the Patriots prior to the 2007 season.

MOSS MOVES INTO TOP 10 ON NFL’S ALL-TIME RECEIVING YARDAGE LIST

On a 14-yard reception from Matt Cassel in the third quarter, Randy Moss moved into the top 10 on the NFL’s all-time receiving yardage list. Moss passed Steve Largent’s total of 13,089 career receiving yards to claim 10th place on the league’s all-time list. Following his 14-yard catch in the third quarter, Moss had a total of 13,092 career receiving yards.

BELICHICK WINS 100th REGULAR-SEASON GAME AS PATRIOTS HEAD COACH

The Patriots’ victory over Oakland was Bill Belichick’s 100th regular-season victory as Patriots head coach. Following the game, his regular-season mark with New England was 100-41 (.709). Belichick’s 100 regular-season wins are the most in Patriots history. Mike Holovak ranks second in franchise annals with 52 regular-season wins from 1961-68. Including playoffs, Belichick’s record with the Patriots now stands at 114-45 (.765).

QUICK HITS

· The Patriots improved to 22-2 in the month of December since 2003. New England has won 10 straight December games.

· The Patriots defeated the Raiders in Oakland for the first time since Sept. 24, 1978.

· The Patriots won their 12th straight game when having a 100-yard rusher.

· The Patriots improved to 9-5 on the season and have won at least nine games for the eighth straight season. New England has won at least nine
contests in each season since 2001 and is the only team to achieve that feat. Indianapolis ranks second over that span with seven seasons of nine or more wins since 2001.

· The Patriots won their 40th straight game in which they led at halftime and their 39th straight game when leading after three quarters. Both marks are post-merger NFL records (1970-present).

PATRIOTS RUSHING TOTAL IS MOST IN A SINGLE GAME SINCE 1985

As a team, the Patriots ran for 277 yards on 39 carries, recording the team’s highest single-game rushing total since Dec. 22, 1985, when the Patriots posted 281 yards on 46 carries (6.1 avg.) against the Cincinnati Bengals. New England’s rushing total against Oakland was the eighth-highest single-game total in franchise history. The Patriots team record for rushing yards in a game is 332, achieved on Nov. 28, 1976 against Denver. In the Patriots’ win over Oakland, Sammy Morris led the way with 14 carries for 117 yards and a touchdown, LaMont Jordan had 12 carries for 97 yards and a touchdown, Kevin Faulk had six rushes for 45 yards, and Matt Cassel added seven rushes for 18 yards, including three game-ending kneeldowns.

MORRIS BREAKS 100-YARD MARK

Sammy Morris ran for 117 yards on 14 carries, recording his second 100-yard rushing game of the season. The 100-yard game was his fourth in 16 games since joining the Patriots prior to the 2007 season, and was his fifth career 100-yard rushing game. Morris’s other 100-yard game this season came on Oct. 20 against Denver, when he totaled a career-high 138 rushing yards. The 100-yard rushing game was the third by a Patriots player this season, with Morris’s two 100-yard performances joining a 105-yard day by BenJarvus Green-Ellis on Nov. 9 against Buffalo.

CASSEL BREAKS 300-COMPLETION MARK FOR THE SEASON

Matt Cassel’s 16-yard completion to Sam Aiken on the final play of the third quarter brought his season total to 300 completions. Cassel’s 300-completion performance is the 12th in Patriots history. Cassel joins Drew Bledsoe (6 times) and Tom Brady (5 times) as the only players in Patriots history to break the 300-completion mark in a season.

CASSEL THROWS CAREER-HIGH FOUR TOUCHDOWN PASSES

Matt Cassel threw four touchdown passes, setting a new single-game career high and tying the sixth-best single-game touchdown performance in team history. Cassel has thrown for three scores on three occasions this season - against Denver on Oct. 20, against the New York Jets on Nov. 13 and at Miami on Nov. 23. Patriots passers have thrown for five touchdowns on four occasions and Tom Brady set a team record with six touchdown tosses on Oct. 21, 2007. Including his four touchdown passes against Oakland, Cassel has totaled 18 touchdown throws this season.

JORDAN HAS 97 RUSHING YARDS AND A TOUCHDOWN

LaMont Jordan had 97 rushing yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, recording his highest rushing output of the season and his highest total since recording 121 rushing yards on 29 carries on Sept. 23, 2007 while playing for the Oakland Raiders against Cleveland. Jordan’s rushing performance included a 49-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter that was his longest rush since Oct. 1, 2006, when he had a 59-yard scoring run for the Raiders in a game against Cleveland. Jordan’s 49-yard touchdown run was the longest rush by a Patriots player this season and the longest by a New England player since Dec. 23, 2007, when Laurence Maroney ran for a 59-yard touchdown in the second quarter of a game against the Miami Dolphins.

SAMMY MORRIS SETS CAREER HIGH WITH SEVENTH TOUCHDOWN OF 2008

Sammy Morris gave the Patriots a 21-0 first-quarter lead on a 29-yard touchdown run. The touchdown was Morris’s team-high seventh rushing score of the season. His seven overall touchdowns are a career high, topping his six touchdowns as a rookie with Buffalo in 2000 (five rushing, one receiving) and his six scores (all rushing) with Miami in 2004. Morris’s seven overall touchdowns this season rank second on the team to Randy Moss, and his seven rushing touchdowns are the most by a Patriot since Corey Dillon had 13 rushing touchdowns in 2006.

HOBBS RECORDS THIRD CAREER KICKOFF RETURN FOR TOUCHDOWN; TYING PATRIOTS FRANCHISE RECORD

Ellis Hobbs returned a kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter to give the Patriots a 35-14 lead with 12:46 left in the first half. The kickoff return for a touchdown was the third of Hobbs’s career, tying Raymond Clayborn for the most in team history. Clayborn returned three kickoffs for touchdowns in his Patriots career with all three returns coming in his rookie season of 1977. Hobbs has also returned kickoffs for touchdowns on Dec. 17, 2006 against Houston (93 yards) and on Sept. 9, 2007 against the New York Jets (an NFL-record 108 yards). entering today’s game, Hobbs’s career average of 27.4 yards per kickoff return was the best in Patriots history and his 1,140 kickoff return yards this season (entering today’s action) was the highest single-season total in team history.

FAULK SCORES FIFTH TOUCHDOWN OF THE SEASON

Kevin Faulk scored a touchdown on a 7-yard reception from Matt Cassel in the first quarter to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead. The touchdown was Faulk’s fifth of the season (three rushing, two receiving). Faulk’s five touchdowns this season tie the second highest total of his career, joining his 2000 total (four rushing, one receiving). Faulk’s five touchdowns are his highest single-season total since 2002, when he had a career-high seven touchdowns (two rushing, three receiving, two via kickoff returns).

PATRIOTS TIE TEAM RECORD FOR MOST POINTS IN FIRST QUARTER

The Patriots scored 21 points in the first quarter today, tying the team record for most points in the second quarter. New England also scored 21 points in the first quarter on Oct. 29, 1978 against the New York Jets (a 55-21 win) and also scored 21 points in the first quarter on Dec. 15, 1974 at Miami (a 34-27 loss). New England had 35 points at halftime, falling a touchdown short of the team-record 42 first-half points scored on Oct. 21, 2007 at Miami.

WILHITE RECORDS FIRST CAREER INTERCEPTION

Rookie cornerback Jonathan Wilhite recorded his first career interception when he picked off a JaMarcus Russell pass inside the Patriots’ 5-yard line in the second quarter. Wilhite, who was selected by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2008 NFL Draft, is making his second career start today. His first career start was last week at Seattle.

VRABEL STRIP-SACK

Mike Vrabel strip-sacked JaMarcus Russell in the first quarter, forcing him to fumble on third down on the Raiders’ second possession of the game. Vrabel’s sack was his fourth of the season, and his forced fumble was his second of the year. Vrabel now has a total of 48 sacks since joining the Patriots in 2001, a total that ranks seventh in team history. Following Vrabel’s sack today, the Raiders recovered the ball at their own 9-yard line and the Patriots took possession at Oakland’s 35-yard line following a Raiders punt, setting up a three-play, 35-yard touchdown drive that ended in a 20-yard touchdown reception by Randy Moss and a 14-0 Patriots lead.

WASHINGTON TACKLE SETS THE TONE

On the game’s opening kickoff, Kelley Washington tackled Oakland punt returner Justin Miller at the Raiders’ 7-yard line, starting the Raiders’ first possession deep in their own territory. After a three-and-out by the Patriots defense, Kevin Faulk returned an Oakland punt to the Oakland 40-yard line, allowing the Patriots’ offense to begin their first possession in Raiders territory and set up a 9-play, 40-yard drive that ended in a 7-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel to Kevin Faulk and a 7-0 Patriots lead.

WILFORK BLOCKS EXTRA POINT

Vince Wilfork blocked an Oakland extra point in the third quarter. The blocked extra point was the first by the Patriots since Oct. 6, 2002, when Tebucky Jones blocked an Olindo Mare extra point in the Patriots’ 26-13 loss at Miami.

PATRIOTS TURN IN EIGHTH-BEST POINT OUTPUT IN TEAM HISTORY

The Patriots scored 49 points against the Raiders today, tying the eighth-best single-game point output in team history. New England’s 49 points tie their total from Oct. 21, 2007 at Miami as the eighth-highest point total in the team’s 49-season history. The single-game team record is 56 points, achieved on two occasions - at Buffalo on Nov. Nov. 18, 2007 (56-10) and against the New York Jets on Sept. 9, 1979 (56-3). New England’s 49 points against the Raiders tie the fourth-highest road output in team annals.

Monday, December 01, 2008

post game notes Pats-Steelers

Courtesy of The New England Patriots

GAME NOTES

Patriots vs. Steelers - November 30, 2008

FAULK MOVES INTO FOURTH ON PATRIOTS ALL-TIME RECEPTIONS LIST
On a 9-yard reception in the third quarter, Kevin Faulk moved past Irving Fryar into sole possession of fourth place on the Patriots’ all-time receptions list. The 9-yard catch was the 364th reception of Faulk’s 10-year career and moved him past Fryar’s total of 363 receptions for the Patriots from 1984-1992. Faulk, who finished the game with 366 career catches, now trails only Troy Brown (557), Stanley Morgan (534) and Ben Coates (490) on the Patriots’ all-time receptions list. Faulk has had at least one reception in each game this season and has caught a pass in 42 straight regular-season games in which he has appeared.

FAULK HAS SECOND STRAIGHT 100-YARD GAME FROM SCRIMMAGE
Kevin Faulk totaled 121 yards from scrimmage, leading the team with 73 rushing yards and also pacing the club with 48 receiving yards on a team-best seven receptions. Today’s game marked the second straight contest in which Faulk has exceeded 100 yards from scrimmage (he had 105 scrimmage yards last week at Miami). Through 12 games this season, Faulk has totaled 808 yards from scrimmage (445 rushing and 363 receiving), a total that ranks second on the team to Wes Welker’s 894 scrimmage yards (26 rushing and 868 receiving). Since 2000, Faulk leads the Patriots in total scrimmage yards and is one of just six NFL players to have totaled more than 2,000 rushing yards and 3,000 receiving yards this decade (2000-08). The others to achieve the feat are Tiki Barber, Marshall Faulk, LaDainian Tomlinson, Brian Westbrook and Michael Pittman.

FAULK GOES LONG
Kevin Faulk had a 41-yard run in the second quarter, recording the third longest rush of his 10-year career and his longest since breaking a career-long 45-yard touchdown run on Nov. 3, 2002. The rush was the longest of the year against the Steelers, topping the previous best of 22 yards by Washington’s Clinton Portis on Nov. 3. Faulk’s 41-yard run was his third rush of 20 yards or longer in the last three games after having just three rushes of 20 yards or more in his previous five seasons (2003-07). Faulk entered the game as the Patriots’ leading rusher with 372 rushing yards, totaling his highest single-season total since compiling a career-best 638 rushing yards in 2003.

FAULK MOVES INTO TOP 25 ON PATRIOTS GAMES PLAYED LIST
Kevin Faulk is playing in his 134th game as a Patriot this afternoon, moving him into the top 25 on the Patriots’ all-time games played list. Faulk’s total of 134 games tie defensive back Don Webb (1961-71) for 25th place. Faulk is in his 10th season with the Patriots since being selected in the second round (46th overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State.

VRABEL INTERCEPTION LEADS TO EARLY TOUCHDOWN
Mike Vrabel leapt into the air and intercepted a Ben Roethlisberger pass near the line of scrimmage in the first quarter, recording his 11th career interception and his first since Dec. 3, 2006. Vrabel returned the interception five yards to the Steelers’ 14-yard line and set up a 3-play, 14-yard drive that ended in a 2-yard touchdown run by Sammy Morris and a 7-0 Patriots lead 2:59 into the game. New England scored off of an opponents turnover for the fourth straight week. Vrabel was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft and played four seasons for Pittsburgh (1997-2000) before joining the Patriots prior to the 2001 season.

MORRIS SCORES
Sammy Morris plunged into the end zone from two yards out to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead with 2:59 elapsed in the game. The touchdown was Morris’s fifth rushing score of the season and was the 22nd rushing touchdown of his career. The touchdown was Morris’s first since Oct. 20.

QUICK HITS

·    Randy Moss hauled in a 27-yard pass from Matt Cassel in the first quarter. Heading into the game, the Steelers had allowed the NFL’s lowest number of plays of 20 yards or more (16), holding a solid lead over the next best team (Washington, 26).

·    Jerod Mayo stopped Willie Parker in the backfield for a 2-yard loss in the first quarter, forcing the Steelers into a second-and-long situation that resulted in Mike Vrabel’s interception.

·    Vince Wilfork and Le Kevin Smith combined to stop Pittsburgh’s Gary Russell for no gain on third-and-one from the Patriots’ 2-yard line in the first quarter, keeping the Steelers out of the end zone and forcing a 20-yard field goal on the next play that preserved the Patriots’ lead, 7-3.

·    Tedy Bruschi provided pressure on Ben Roethlisberger on third-and-three in the second quarter, helping to force an incompletion on the play and a Steelers punt on the following play.

·    Ellis Hobbs and Richard Seymour combined to sack Ben Roethlisberger for a 7-yard loss on first down in the second quarter. The sack raised Seymour’s 2008 sack total to 7.5, and gave him a total of 6.5 sacks in the last 7 games.

SCORING FIRST STREAK SNAPPED
The Patriots scored first today to take a 7-0 lead, but fell to the Steelers 33-10. Today’s result broke a streak of 23 straight regular season victories when scoring first. Prior to today, the last time the Patriots lost a game in which they scored first was on November 12, 2006 against the New York Jets.

WELKER’S STREAK OF GAMES WITH 6+ CATCHES SNAPPED
Wes Welker finished the afternoon with four receptions, snapping his streak of 15 straight games (including playoffs) in which he had six or more catches. Prior to today, the last time Welker did not have at least six catches was on Dec. 23, 2007 against Miami, when he finished with five receptions. Welker had totaled at least six receptions in each of this season’s first 11 games, setting an NFL record for most consecutive games with six or more receptions to begin a season (topping the previous record of eight, set by Jacksonville’s Jimmy Smith in 2001).

SWAT TEAM

·    Ellis Hobbs broke up a Ben Roethlisberger pass intended for Santonio Holmes on third down in the second quarter, forcing a Pittsburgh punt on the next play.

·    Deltha O’Neal broke up a deep Roethlisberger pass in the second quarter intended for Nate Washington.
·    Mike Vrabel tipped away a Roethlisberger pass intended for Holmes on a first down in the first quarter.