TEAM NOTES
- Patriots earn 35th Kickoff Weekend victory
- Patriots become first original AFL team to reach 550 victories
- Patriots gain 271 yards rushing
- Bill Belichick began his 46th consecutive NFL season, passing Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau (45) for the most consecutive seasons as an NFL coach
- Julian Edelman becomes second Patriot to reach 600 career receptions
- Cam Newton gains 75 yards rushing and rushes for two touchdowns. The 75 yards are the most by a Patriots QB under Belichick
- Netwon becomes first QB to make a start for the Patriots that was not drafted by the team since 1993
- Newton becomes fifth QB to start during Bill Belichick's tenure as Patriots coach
PATRIOTS HAVE NOW WON 35 KICKOFF WEEKEND GAMES; THIRD AMONG AFC TEAMS
The New England Patriots have won 10 of their past 11 home openers on Kickoff Weekend. The Patriots have the third-most kickoff wins.
AFC Teams with the Most Kickoff Weekend Wins
Pittsburgh 43
Denver 39
New England 35
Kansas City 34
Indianapolis 33
LA Chargers 33
PATRIOTS BECOME FIRST ORIGINAL AFL TEAM TO REACH 550 VICTORIES
The Patriots became the first original AFL Team to reach 550 victories with the win over Miami. Denver has the second-most wins among the original eight AFL teams with 506.
PATRIOTS RUSH FOR 217 YARDS
The Patriots rushed for 217 yards with a 5.20 yard average. It is the 15th time under Bill Belichick that the team has rushed for 200 or more yards and the first time since gaining 273 yards on Dec, 23, 2018, vs. Buffalo. The most yards the Patriots had in 2019 was 175 yards rushing at Cincinnati on Dec. 15.
PATRIOTS FINSIHED WITH THREE INTERCEPTIONS
The Patriots had three interceptions against the Dolphins with Stephon Gilmore, Adrian Phillips and J.C. Jackson each getting a pick. The Patriots had five games with three or more picks in 2019 en route to an NFL-leading 25 interceptions.
PATRIOTS IMPROVE TO 100-1 AT GILLETTE STADIUM WHEN LEADING AT HALFTIME
The Patriots improved to a 100-1 record at Gillette Stadium in the regular season when leading at halftime. The Patriots were in front 7-3 at halftime in their 21-11 win over Miami. The Patriots only home loss when leading at halftime was the 2017 season-opener vs. Kansas City on Sept. 7, 2017 when the Patriots squandered a 17-14 halftime lead in a 42-27 loss.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
BILL BELICHICK KICKED OFF HIS 46TH CONSECUTIVE SEASON AS AN NFL COACH
Bill Belichick kicked off his 46th consecutive season as an NFL coach, passing Pro Football Hall of Famer Dick LeBeau (45) for the most consecutive seasons as an NFL coach The only other NFL coach with at least 40 consecutive NFL coaching seasons is Tom Moore, who had 41 consecutive seasons.
BELICHICK ON KICKOFF WEEKEND
Bill Belichick is 18-8 (.692) on Kickoff Weekend and his 18 wins are the most among active head coaches. Belichick and Kansas City's Andy Reid (14-8; .636) are the only active head coaches who have won at least 10 Kickoff Weekend games.
BELICHICK HAS NOW COACHED FOUR QUARTERBACKS THAT WERE DRAFTED WITH THE TOP PICK
Bill Belichick, as a head coach, has now coached four quarterbacks drafted with the No. 1 overall pick after Cam Newton made his Patriots debut.
2011 Cam Newton
1993 Drew Bledsoe
1987 Vinny Testaverde
1985 Bernie Kosar*
*Supplemental Draft
EDELMAN BECOMES SECOND PATRIOT TO REACH 600 RECEPTIONS
Julian Edelman (604) became the second player in team history to reach 600 career receptions, joining Patriots all-time leader Wes Welker, who had 672 receptions. Edelman reached 600 receptions on a 6-yard pass from QB Cam Newton.
MOST RECEPTIONS IN PATRIOTS HISTORY (REGULAR SEASON)
Wes Welker 672
Julian Edelman 604
Troy Brown 557
EDELMAN HAD A 23-YARD RUN IN THE THIRD QUARTER; HIS THIRD RUN OF 20 OR MORE YARDS
Edelman had a 23-yard run in the third quarter. It was his third run of 20 or more yards. In addition to the 23-yard run against Miami, he had a 25-yard run at Indianapolis on Nov. 16, 2014, and a 47-yard run vs. Indianapolis on Nov. 18, 2012, which was the longest run ever by a Patriots wide receiver.
GILMORE GETS FIRST PICK OF THE 2020 SEASON
Stephon Gilmore picked off Miami QB Ryan Fitzpatrick early in the second quarter. Gilmore tied for the NFL lead in 2019 with a career-high six interceptions.
SONY MICHEL SCORED ON A 1-YARD TOUCHDOWN IN THE FOURTH QUARTER; PATRIOTS IMPORVE TO 10-1 WHEN MICHEL RUSHES FOR A TD
Sony Michel scored on a 1-yard run in the fourth quarter. The Patriots improved to 10-1 when Michel rushes for a touchdown.
CAM NEWTON RUSHED FOR 75 YARDS, THE MOST BY A PATRIOTS QB UNDER BELICHICK; MOST RUSHING YARDS BY A PATRIOTS QB SINCE 1976
Cam Newton rushed for 75 yards on 15 carries. It is the most rushing yards by a Patriots quarterback under Bill Belichick. The previous best was 62 rushing yards by Matt Cassel vs. the New York Jets on Nov. 13, 2008. It is the highest output by a Patriots quarterback since Steve Grogan gained 76 yards rushing vs. Miami on Sept. 19. 1976. It was the 10th time that Newton has rushed for 75 or more yards.
CAM NEWTON CLOSE TO MOVING TO SECOND ON THE QB RUSHING LIST
With 75 yards rushing against the Dolphins, Cam Newton improved to 4,881 career rushing yards and needs 48 rushing yards to move past Randall Cunningham into second place all-time for most rushing yards by a quarterback.
CAM NEWTON SCORES FIRST TOUCHDOWNS OF THE 2020 SEASON ON A 4-YRD RUN; ADDS SECOND TD RUN ON A 11-YARD SCORE IN THE THIRD QUARTER
Cam Newton capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive with a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter for the first points for the Patriots in 2020. He scored a second rushing touchdown on an 11-yard run in the third quarter. His 60 career touchdowns are the most in NFL history by a quarterback.
Most Rushing Touchdowns by an NFL Quarterback
Cam Newton 60
Steve Young 43
Jack Kemp 40
NEWTON RUSHED FOR AT LEAST TWO TDS IN A GAME FOR THE 7TH TIME IN TEAM HISTORY
Newton scored on a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and an 11-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. It was the seventh time in his career that he has rushed for at least two touchdowns in a single game. Newton has the NFL record for most rushing touchdowns by an NFL quarterback in a single season with 14 in 2011.
PATRIOTS HAVE A QB RUN FOR 2-TDS IN A GAME FOR THE 13TH TIME IN TEAM HISTORY
Cam Newton's two touchdown runs mark the 13th time that a Patriots quarterback as rushed for at least two touchdowns in a single game. Tom Brady had two rushing touchdowns on Oct. 10, 2019, vs. N.Y. Giants.
NEWTON BECOMES SIXTH HEISMAN TROPHY WINNER TO SUIT UP FOR THE PATRIOTS
Cam Newton became the sixth Heisman Trophy winner to suit up for the Patriots after winning the award in 2010 with Auburn.
PATRIOTS HEISMAN TROPHY WINNERS
RB Joe Bellino (1960 –Navy)
QB John Huarte (1964-Notre Dame)
QB Jim Plunkett (1970-Stanford)
QB Doug Flutie (1984-Boston College)
QB Vinny Testaverde (1986-Miami)
QB Cam Newton (2010-Auburn)
NEWTON BECOMES FIRST QB NOT DRAFTED BY THE TEAM TO MAKE A START SINCE 1993
Cam Newton became the first quarterback that was not drafted by the Patriots to make a start since the 1993 season when Scott Secules started at Indianapolis on Oct. 31, 1993. He completed his first pass as a member of the Patriots to RB James White for a 10-yard gain in the first quarter.
NEWTON BECOMES THE FIFTH QB TO START DURING BELICHICK'S TENURE AS PATRIOTS COACH
Newton became the fifth quarterback to start since Bill Belichick became the head coach of the Patriots in 2000, joining Drew Bledsoe, Tom Brady, Matt Cassel, Jimmy Garoppolo and Jacoby Brissett.
PATS HAVE ROOKIE FREE AGENT ON ROSTER FOR 17TH STRAIGHT SEASON
With rookie free agent RB J.J. Taylor making the 53-man roster, the Patriots have now had a rookie free agent make the opening day roster for the 17 straight seasons, the third-longest streak in the NFL. The L.A. Chargers have had a rookie free agent make their opening day roster for 24 straight seasons and Indianapolis has had a rookie free agent make their opening day roster for 22 straight seasons. Taylor lined up to return kicks and saw limited action at running back. His first rushing attempt was a 4-yard gain in the second quarter. He finished with four rushing attempts for 28 yards.
DB ADRIAN PHILLIPS RECORDS FIRST PICK AS A PATRIOT
DB Adrian Phillips picked off Miami QB Ryan Fitzpatrick with at the New England 39-yard line with 37 seconds to play in the first half to end a Miami scoring threat.
DEREK RIVERS RECORDS SECOND CAREER SACK
DL Derek Rivers registered his second career sack when he dropped Miami QB Ryan Fitzpatrick for a 9-yard loss in the fourth quarter. He recorded his first sack vs. the New York Jets on Dec. 30, 2018.
LINEUP NOTES
NEW FACES
The Patriots had 23 new players that were not on the 53-man roster on opening day in 2019. DB Justin Bethel, K Nick Folk, WR N'Keal Harry and FB Jakob Johnson did play with the Patriots in 2019, but they were not on the 2019 opening day roster. C David Andrews, OL Hjalte Froholt and DL Derek Rivers spent the entire season on injured reserve.
- 2020 draft picks – DB Kyle Dugger, LB Josh Uche, LB Anfernee Jennings, TE Devin Asiasi, TE Dalton Keene, OL Mike Onwenu, OL Justin Herron and LB Cassh Maluia
- 2020 rookie free agents – RB J.J. Taylor
- Veteran free agents – C David Andrews, DB Justin Bethel WR Damiere Byrd, LB Brandon Copeland, DB Cody Davis, K Nick Folk, OL Hjalte Froholt, WR N'Keal Harry, QB Brian Hoyer, FB Jakob Johnson, QB Cam Newton, DB Adrian Phillips, DL Derek Rivers and DT Xavier Williams.
JERMAINE ELUEMUNOR MAKES FIRST START AS A PATRIOT
Jermaine Eluemunor made his first start as a member of the Patriots when he started at right tackle. It was his fourth start of his career. He started one game at left tackle in 2018 and made two starts at right guard in 2017 when he played with Baltimore.
BYRON COWART MAKES FIRST CAREER START
Second-year DL Byron Cowart made his first career NFL start.
DAVID ANDREWS, JAKOB JOHNSON AND DEREK RIVERS RETURN TO ACTION
C David Andrews, FB Jakob Johnson and DL Derek Rivers returned to action. Andrews and Rivers spent the entire 2019 season on injured reserve, while Johnson finished the year on injured reserve. Andrews returned to the starting lineup.
HJALTE FROHOLDT PLAYED IN FIRST NFL GAME
Hjalte Froholdt played in his first NFL game. Froholdt spent his rookie campaign on injured reserve.
