TEAM NOTES
- Patriots score on defense for third straight week.
- Tie team mark with sixth defensive touchdown of the season.
- Third coldest game in Gillette Stadium history
- DB Marcus Jones has now scored on defense, offense and special teams.
- LB Ja'Whaun Bentley has third straight game with 10-plus tackles.
- Bentley reaches 100 tackles for second straight season.
- Kendrick Bourne has first NFL 100-yard game.
PATRIOTS SCORE ON DEFENSE FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK
The Patriots scored on defense for the third straight week after DB Marcus Jones returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. The last time the Patriots had a defensive touchdown in three straight games was in 2004 - Nov. 28, 2004 vs. Baltimore when DE Jarvis Green recovered a fumble in the end zone, Dec. 5 at Cleveland when CB Randall Gay returned a fumble 41 yards for a touchdown and on Dec. 12 vs. Cincinnati when CB Asante Samuel returned an interception 34 yards for a touchdown.
PATRIOTS SCORE ON DEFENSE FOR SIXTH TIME IN 2022 TO TIE A TEAM RECORD
The Patriots scored on defense for the sixth time in 2022 to tie a team record. The Patriots also scored on defense six times in 2003 and 2007.
PATRIOTS DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS IN 2022
- DB Jack Jones returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown at Green Bay on Oct. 2
- S Kyle Dugger returned a fumble 59 yards for a touchdown vs. Detroit on Oct. 9.
- CB Jonathan Jones returned an interception 17 yards for a touchdown vs. Indianapolis on Nov. 6.
- LB Raekwon McMillan returned a fumble 23 yards for a touchdown at Arizona (12/12).
- S Kyle Dugger returned an interception 13 yards for a touchdown at Las Vegas on Dec. 18.
- DB Marcus Jones returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown vs. Cincinnati on Dec. 24.
PATRIOTS RETURNED AN INTERCEPTION FOR A TOUCHDOWN FOR FOURTH TIME IN 2022
The Patriots have returned four interceptions for touchdowns so far in 2022. The Patriots also had four interceptions returned for a touchdown in a season in 1997 and 2010. The team record for most interceptions returned for a touchdown in a season is five in 2001 and 2003.
THIRD COLDEST REGULAR SEASON GAME IN GILLETTE STADIUM HISTORY
Today's temperature was 17 degrees at kickoff, marking the third-coldest regular season game at Gillette Stadium and the coldest game since Dec. 31, 2017 when it was 13 degrees vs. the New York Jets. The coldest game ever in Patriots history was four degrees with a wind chill of -10 vs. Tennessee in a playoff game on Jan. 10, 2004, a 17-14 New England win at Gillette Stadium. Since 1970, the Patriots have played 10 games when the temperature has been below 20 degrees. The Patriots are 8-2 in those games.
PATRIOTS HAVE MOST SACKS IN A SEASON UNDER BELICHICK
The Patriots had two sacks against Cincinnati and now have 50 sacks for the season. It is the most sacks by the Patriots under Bill Belichick, surpassing the 49 sacks by the 2015 team. The record for the most sacks in franchise history is 66 in 1963. The three highest sack totals in franchise history are listed below.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
JONES SCORES ON DEFENSE – HAS NOW SCORED ON OFFENSE, DEFENSE AND SPECIAL TEAMS
Rookie DB Marcus Jones returned a third quarter interception 69 yards for a touchdown. He has now scored a touchdown in three different phases, the first New England player to do so and the first NFL player to do so in at least the last 45 years (since 1978) per the Elias Sports Bureau. Jones returned a punt 84 yards for a touchdown vs. the New York Jets on Nov. 20 and scored on a 48-yard touchdown pass vs. Buffalo on Dec 1. The only other player in the Super Bowl era to score a 40-plus touchdown in each of those ways in their entire career is Deion Sanders.
THREE-PHASE THREAT
Jones continued as a three-phase threat, playing on defense, offense and special teams. He started at cornerback and recorded a team-high 14 total tackles, returned an interception 69 yards for a touchdown, recovered a fumble at the Cincinnati 44-yard line in the fourth quarter, had one reception for 15 yards, returned two punts for 11 yards and returned 3 kicks for 65 yards.
JA'WHAUN BENTLEY HAS THIRD STRAIGHT GAME WITH 10 TACKLES
LB Ja'Whaun Bentley finished with 11 total tackles for his third consecutive 10-plus tackle game after he had 10 tackles at Arizona on Dec. 12 and 10 tackles at Las Vegas on Dec. 18. He became the first Patriots player since LB Jamie Collins in 2014 to register 10 tackles in three straight games. Collins had 13 tackles vs. N.Y. Jets on Oct. 16, 11 tackles vs. Chicago on Oct. 26 and 11 tackles vs. Denver on Nov. 2.
BENTLEY GOES OVER 100 TACKLES FOR THE SEASON
Ja'Whaun Bentley has a team-leading 106 total tackles, reaching 100 total tackles for the second straight season. He had a career-high 108 total tackles in 2021.
UCHE ADDS TO HIS SACK TOTAL
LB Josh Uche registered a 3-yard sack in the second quarter to push his 2022 totals to 11½ sacks, all in the last eight games. He leads the NFL in sacks since Week 8 with his 11½ sacks.
MCCOURTY TIED FOR FIRST AMONG ALL ACTIVE PLAYERS IN INTERCEPTIONS
DB Devin McCourty picked off a Joe Burrow pass in the second quarter and is now tied with Harrison Smith for the most interceptions among all active players with 34. McCourty's 34 interceptions are third in team history to the 36 by Ty Law and Raymond Clayborn.
MCCOURTY BECOMES FOURTH PATRIOT WITH AT LEAST 40 TAKEAWAYS
McCourty has 40 career takeaways, tying Ty Law for third most in franchise history.
KENDRICK BOUNRE HAD FIRST 100-YARD GAME
WR Kendrick Bourne finished with 6 receptions for 100 yards, the first 100-yard game of his career. His previous high was 98 yards vs. Cleveland on Nov. 14, 2021.
BOURNE SCORES FIRST TD OF THE SEASON
Bourne scored on a 5-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter for his first touchdown of the season.
BOURNE HAS LONGEST RUN OF HIS CAREER
Bourne had a 29-yard run in the second quarter, his longest run of his career. His previous long was an 18-yard run at Indianapolis on Dec. 18, 2021. It is the 16th time in team history that the Patriots have had a 20-yard run by a wide receiver in a game.
JUDON INCREASES SACK TOTAL
LB Matthew Judon registered a 2-yard sack in the second quarter to increase his 2022 total 15½ sacks. Andree Tippett is the only New England player to have more sacks in a season than Judon. Tippett had 18½ in 1984 and 16½ in 1985.
MAC JONES HAS FIFTH 40-YARD TOUCHDOWN
QB Mac Jones completed a 48-yard touchdown pass to WR Jakobi Meyers in the fourth quarter for his fifth 40-yard touchdown pass of his career and his second 48-yard touchdown pass of the season. He had a 48-yard touchdown pass to DB Marcus Jones vs. Buffalo on Dec. 1.
MEYERS HAS LONGEST RECEPTION OF HIS CAREER
WR Jakobi Meyers caught a 48-yard touchdown pass from QB Mac Jones in the fourth quarter for his longest reception of his career. His previous long was a 39-yard reception vs. Las Vegas on Dec. 18, 2022 and a at Miami on Jan. 9, 2022.
LINEUP NOTES
- LS Tucker Addington made his NFL debut after being signed to the 53-man roster from the practice squad.
- TE Scotty Washington made his NFL debut after being elevated to the active roster.
- K Tristan Vizcaino handled kickoff responsibilities after being elevated to the active roster. He also handled kickoff duties vs. Buffalo on Dec. 1.
