The Patriots pushed the Broncos around all night. Patriots.com photo.

The Result

On the 600th game of Monday Night Football, the New England Patriots came out and really played well, something they haven’t always done on Monday nights.  If you take away the sacks of Matt Cassel it was a 180 degree turnaround from last Sundays loss in San Diego as they pasted the AFC West leading Denver Broncos 41-7 Monday Night at Gillette Stadium in front of the 154th consecutive sell out crowd in Foxboro MA.

I figured this game had the potential to be another ugly loss for the New England Patriots.  But I underestimated one thing…the heart of a champion.  We saw it late last week with the Boston Red Sox and their improbable Game 5 comeback from the dead and now we saw an old fashioned New England Patriots ass kicking of a team in the Denver Broncos that has always given them fits whether its at home or on the road.  Maybe Hall of Famer Andre Tippett inspired them on his night at the Razor whatever it was it was a pleasure to watch.

The team was clicking in just about every phase tonight and looked good on both sides of the ball as the forced five turnovers while not having one of their own.  They had Jay Cutler and Patrick Ramsey constantly under pressure, the pass coverage was much better than last week and run defense looked good.  Offensively, Matt Cassel threw three TD passes, two went to Randy Moss, one to Wes Welker, Sammy Morris ran for a TD, undrafted rookie BenJarvus Green-Ellis ran for his first NFL TD and Stephen Gostkowski kicked two field goals.

It was a great rebound win after a subpar effort last week and it keeps them one game behind the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East race.

Scoring Plays

BRONCOS 0 0 0 7 7
PATRIOTS 6 14 14 7 41

1st Quarter

  • NE – Gostkowski 31 yard FG
  • NE – Gostkowski 40 yard FG

2nd Quarter

  • NE – Morris 4 yard run – Gostkowski PAT
  • NE – Cassel 14 yard pass to Moss – Gostkowski PAT

3rd Quarter

  • NE – Cassel 27 yard pass to Moss – Gostkowski PAT
  • NE – Cassel 6 yard pass to Welker – Gostkowski PAT

4th Quarter

  • DEN – Cutler 11 yard pass to Graham – Prater PAT
  • NE – Green-Ellis 1 yard TD run – Gostkowski PAT

Offensive Player of the Game

New England running back Sammy Morris had 138 yards on 16 carries and 1 touchdown all in the first half before leaving the game with a knee injury late in the first half.

Defensive Player of the Game

New England rookie linebacker Jerod Mayo had 8 tackles all of them solo and recovered a fumble.

Turning Point(s) of the Game

The early Denver turnovers gave New England 6 first quarter points and some poor penalties by the Broncos extended a drive that led to a touchdown.

Offensive Leaders/Notes

In addition to Morris, QB Matt Cassel was 18 of 24 for 185 yards and 3 TDs with no INTs and WR Randy Moss had 5 catches, two for TDs, for 69 yards.

  • Morris runs for a TD. Getty Photo.1st drive 1st/10 at NE 32 Sammy Morris runs for 8 yards
  • Morris 2nd/2 runs 10 yards to 50
  • 2nd/6 Matt Cassel passes to Ben Watson for 30 yards 1st/10 at DEN16
  • 2nd/8 at DEN 14 Cassel sacked by Ebenezer Ekuban for 8 yard loss
  • 3rd/16 Cassel to Wes Welker for 9 yards
  • 4th/7 Gostkowski 31 yard FGA is good
  • 2nd drive 1st/10 at DEN 22 Morris no gain
  • 2nd/10 Cassel incomplete to Watson
  • 3rd/10 Cassel nearly picked Champ Bailey
  • 4th/10 Gostkowski 40 yard FGA is good
  • 3rd drive 1st/10 at NE 17 Morris runs for 14 yards
  • 1st/10 at NE 31 Cassel to Welker for 8 yards
  • 2nd/2 Morris runs 30 yards to DEN 41
  • 1st/10 Cassel sacked by Nate Webster for 1 yard lossto DEN 42
  • 2nd/11 Morris 6 yard run
  • 3rd/5 Cassel sacked by DJ Williams NE punts
  • 4th drive at NE 44 1st/10 Cassel to Randy Moss for 9 yards
  • 2nd/1 Morris runs for 33 yards to DEN 14 (Morris over 100 yards)
  • 2nd/8 Cassel incomplete to Moss in endzone
  • 3rd/8 Cassel 7 yard to Watson to DEN 4
  • 4th/inches Morris 4 yard run for TD
  • 5th series at NE 15 1st/10 Morris drpped for 1 yard loss
  • Cassel gets sacked. AP Photo.2nd/11 Cassel sacked by Elvis Dummerville for 6 yard loss at NE 8
  • 3rd/17 Cassel nearly sacked for safety throws incomplete, DEN facemask penalty gives NE automatic 1st down at NE 23
  • 2nd/6 Cassel throws to Sam Aiken for 7 yards add 15 for personal foul on DEN ball at NE 49
  • 1st/10 Cassel to Moss for 9 yards
  • 3rd/1 Morris stopped for no gain
  • 4th/1 at DEN 42 Morris runs for 28 yards to DEN 14
  • 1st/10 Cassel to Moss 14 yards for TD
  • 6ht series at midfield Cassel sacked for 10 yard loss
  • 7th series at NE 18 BenJarvus Green-Ellis runs for 3 yards
  • 2nd/7 Cassel to Welker for 8 yards
  • 2nd/8 Cassel screen to Welker for 7 yards
  • 3rd/1 Green-Ellis gets 4 yards to NE 43
  • Randy Moss runs for some yardage after a catch. Moss had two TD catches. Patriots.com photo. 3rd/7 Cassel sacked by Dumerville and Jamie Winborn NE punts
  • 8th series at DEN 28
  • 3rd/9 Cassel to Moss 27 yards for TD
  • 9th series at NE 20 1st/10 Cassel to Moss for 11 yards
  • 2nd/6 Cassel throws 27 yards to Welker to DEN 37
  • 1st/10 Green-Ellis ran for 8 yards
  • 2nd/2 Green-Ellis runs for 14 yards to DEN 14
  • 1st/10 Cassel intercepted by Calvin Lowry at DEN 1 overturned by review
  • 2nd/10 Cassel throws to Kevin Faulk for 8 yards
  • 3rd/2 Cassel to Welker 6 yards for a TD
  • 10th series at NE 34
  • 3rd/4 Cassell runs for 5 yards
  • 1st/10 Faulk runs for 16 yards to DEN 39
  • 3rd/5 Faulk dropped for 4 yard loss NE Punts
  • 11th series at NE 49
  • 1st/10 at DEN 41 Green-Ellis runs 10 yards for 1st down
  • 3rd/10 at DEN 32 Faulk runs for 15 yards to DEN 17
  • 1st/10 Faulk runs 16 yards to DEN 1
  • 1st/goal Green-Ellis 1 yard TD run

Defensive Leaders/Notes

In addition to Mayo, DE Richard Seymour had 3 tackles and 1.5 sacks and pressured the QB all night and S James Sanders had 5 tackles and 1 INT.

  • LeKevin Smith and Tedy Bruschi celebrate Smith's fumble recovery. AP Photo.1st series Jay Cutler tries to go deep on first play and gets pasted by Richard Seymour and Tedy Bruschi and hurts hand on Vince Wilfork’s helmet
  • 3rd/4 Michael Pittman runs for 6 yards
  • 1st/10 Pittman runs for 6 yards
  • 3rd/4 at NE 49 Cutler throws to Eddie Royal for 10 10 yards for 1st down at NE 49
  • 3rd/1 Pittman runs for 3 yards to NE 37 and is injured
  • 3rd/5 at NE 32 Andre Hall fumbles, stripped by Lewis Sanders, recovered by LeKevin Smith at DEN 35
  • 2nd series 2nd/4 Cutler to Brandon Marshall 11 yards for 1st down at 50
  • 1st/10 Pittman runs 13 yards to NE 37
  • Hall fumbles at NE 37, stripped by Ty Warren, Jerod Mayo recovers at DEN 37.  Denver adds personal foul and 15 yards.
  • 3rd series 1st/10 at DEN 34 Cutler throws 13 yards to Royal to DEN 47
  • 1st/10 at DEN 47 Pittman no gain stopped by Mike Vrabel
  • 3rd/4 at NE 47 pass incomplete DEN punts
  • 4th series at DEN 10 2nd/4 Cutler throws 20 yards to Marshall over Ellis Hobbs, called back on offensive pass interference
  • 2nd/12 at DEN 8 Pittman stopped by Mayo after two yards
  • 3rd/10 Cutler scrambles for 7 yards gets crushed by James Sanders DEN punts
  • 5th series at DEN 20 false start makes it 1st/15 at DEN 15
  • 2nd/10 Cutler incomplete to Marshall pass knocked down by Hobbs
  • 3rd/10 Cutler throws 13 yards to Royal at DEN 33
  • 2nd/3 Pittman stopped no gain by Bruschi and WIlfork
  • Meriweather's 2nd career INT. Getty Photo.3rd/3 Cutler intercepted by Brandon Meriweather at NE 15
  • 6th series with Patrick Ramsey at QB from DEN 28 throws to Marshall to 7 yards, Harrison gets personal foul for blow to the head 1st/10 at NE 48
  • 1st/10 Hobbs drops a surefire TAINT (touchdown after INT)
  • 2nd/10 Ramsey throws 10 yards to Nate Jackson to NE 38
  • 1st/10 Ramsey fumbles on hit by Mike Wright ball intercepted by Gary Guyton at NE43 returns to 50
  • 7th series at DEN 12 Cutler returns
  • 2nd/7 at DEN 15 Cutler sacked by Seymour for 7 yard loss
  • 3rd/14 Pittman runs for 8 yards DEN punts
  • 8th series from DEN 13 Cutler 12 yards to Royal
  • 1st/10 at DEN 25 Cutler to Marshall for 14 yards
  • 1st/10 Cutlet to Marshall for 9 yards addition 15 for personal foul
  • 1st/10 at NE 37 Cutler intercepted by J Sanders at NE 30 returned to NE 35 15yard unsportsmanlike penalty on Wilfork ballplaced at NE 20
  • 9th series at DEN 28
  • 1st/10 Cutler to Marshall for 14 yards addition 15 for unneccessary roughness ball on the NE 26
  • 1st/10 Pittman stopped by Mayo and Adalius Thomas for 1 yard
  • 2nd/9 Cutler slides down for 7 yards
  • 3rd/2 Pittman runs for 4 yards for 1st down at NE 13
  • Mike Wright forces a Patrick Ramsey fumble. AP Photo.2nd/6 Thomas drops Pittman for 2 yard loss at NE 11
  • 3rd/8 Cutler throws 11 yards to Daniel Graham for TD
  • 10th series from DEN 15
  • 3rd/9 chop block penalty on DEN makes it 3rd/24 at DEN 14
  • Cutler throws to Graham for 16 yards holding penalty pushes back ten yards
  • 3rd/17 from DEN 21 Cutler sacked by Seymour for 6 yard loss DEN punts
  • 11th series from DEN 20
  • Cutler tries to go deep on 4th down and ball is knocked down NE takesover on downs.

Special Teams Notes

  • KO aren’t as deep as normal in first quarter as Denver has good field position on first three drives
  • Welker returns punt from NE 34 to NE 44 for 10 yards
  • 4th KO is a touchback by Gostkowski
  • Welker returns punt 44 yards to DEN 26

Coaching Decisions

  • NE – 4th/inches at DEN 4 Sammy Morris runs 4 yards for TD
  • NE – 4th/1 at DEN 42 Sammy Morris runs for 28 yard to DEN 14
  • NE – Challenged the ruling on the field of an interception by Calvin Lowry at the DEN 1 – overturned

Injuries

  • DEN – QB Jay Cutler hits hand on helmet of Vince Wilfork – 1st quarter – stays in game
  • NE – S Rodney Harrison twists ankle – 1st quarter – returned
  • DEN – RB Michael Pittman landed on ball – 1st quarter – returned
  • DEN – LB Boss Bailey knee injury – will not return
  • NE – LB Pierre Woods unknown injury – 2nd quarter – unknown return
  • DEN – Cutler reinjures hand – 2nd quarter – returned in 3rd quarter
  • DEN – CB Champ Bailey groin injury – 2nd quarter – will not return
  • NE – RB Sammy Morris knee injury – 2nd quarter – will not return
  • DEN – CB Dre Bly unknown injury – 3rd quarter- unknown return
  • NE – Harrison knee injury – 3rd quarter – will not return (carted off)

The Officials

  • Alberto Riveron was the referee. He is in his first season as a NFL referee.  He is the first hispanic referee in NFL history.

Game Notes

  • The Patriots wore their traditional blue home jersey for the first time this season.
  • The Patriots made some roster moves before the game:  They released C/G Dan Connolly, RB Laurence Maroney was placed on the IR, G Stephen Neal was atcivated from the PUP list to the 53-man roster and CB Mike Richardson was moved from the practice squad to the 53-man roster.
  • Inactives for the Broncos: WR Brandon Stokley (injured – concussion), RB Selvin Young (injured – groin), RB Ryan Torain (injured – elbow), DE John Engleberger (injured – knee), OT Erik Pears, TE Tony Scheffler (inured – groin), DT Nick Clemons.
  • Inactives for the Patriots: RB LaMont Jordan (injured – calf),  OLB Shawn Crable, DL Jarvis Green (injued – ankle), CB Terrence Wheatley, RT Nick Kaczur (injured – ankle), LB Eric Alexander (injured – hamstring), WR Kelley Washington (injured – ankle) and QB Matt Gutierrez (3rd QB).
  • Note: The third quarterback can still enter the game at any time, but if he does so in the first, second or third quarters, the team can no longer use its top two quarterbacks the rest of the game.
  • Offensive starters for the Patriots:
    QB: Matt Cassel
    RB: Sammy Morris
    FB: Heath Evans
    WR: Randy Moss
    WR: Wes Welker
    TE: David Thomas
    LT: Matt Light
    LG: Logan Mankins
    C: Dan Koppen
    RG: Billy Yates
    RT: Mark LeVoir
  • Defensive starters for the Patriots:
    DE: Ty Warren
    NT: Vince Wilfork
    DE: Richard Seymour
    LB: Tedy Bruschi
    LB: Adalius Thomas
    LB: Jerod Mayo
    CB: Deltha O’Neal
    CB: Ellis Hobbs
    CB: Lewis Sanders
    S: James Sanders
    S: Rodney Harrison
  • The Patriots won the toss and elected to defer.
  • New England’s now 21-4 in the month since 2003.
  • The Patriots are now 10-9 against the AFC West in the Belichick Era (since 2000).
  • The Patriots are now 3-8 against Mike Shanahan coached teams.
  • The Patriots beat the Broncos for the first time since 2003.  That win was also on Monday Night Football.
  • New England is now 17-21 on Monday Night Football.
  • Denver allowed their first points of the season in the first quarter.
  • Mike Shanahan has now gone 235 games without his team suffering a shutout.  It’s the longest streak in NFL history.
  • The Patriots rushed for the most yards as a team (257) in 23 years since they had 281 on December 22, 1985 against Cincinnati.

Post Game Press Conferences

Listen to what Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Matt Cassel had to say about the game.

Post game press conferences via patriots.com

Things To Work On For Next Week

Cutting down on sacks and stupid, unecessary penalties.

Next Week’s Opponent

The Patriots will play the St. Louis Rams Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium at 1 p.m.