INDIVIDUAL NOTES Â
PATRIOTS START 2-0 FOR THE 7th TIME UNDER BELICHICK
The New England Patriots are off to a 2-0 start in the preseason for the seventh time under Bill Belichick (2000, 2001, 2003, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2016).
JIMMY GAROPPOLO MAKES HIS SEOCND START OF THE PRESEASON
QB Jimmy Garoppolo made his second straight start and played through the entire first half and the first series of the third quarter. He finished 16-of-21 for 181 yards, including a 16-yard touchdown pass to TE AJ Derby in the second quarter.Â
JOE THUNEY STARTS AGAIN
2016 third-round pick OL Joe Thuney was in the starting lineup at left guard for the second straight week.Â
NEWLY ACQUIRED WR CHRIS HOGAN MAKES HIS PATRIOTS DEBUT
Veteran WR Chris Hogan, who was signed by the Patriots as an unrestricted free agent from Buffalo on March 11, 2016, made his debut in a Patriots uniform. He caught four passes for 53 yards and also converted a 2-point play in the second quarter. Â
FB JAMES DEVELIN LINED UP AS A KICKOFF RETURNER
FB James Develin lined up as a kick returner and returned a first quarter kick 10 yards. He has returned one kick in his career, a 5-yard return in Super Bowl XLIX vs. Seattle on Feb. 1, 2015.Â
RB LEGARRETTE BLOUNT HAD A 21-YARD GAIN IN THE SECOND QUARTER
RB LeGarrette Blount broke free for a 21-yard gain in the second quarter. It marked the Patriots third run of over 20 yards in the preseason with Tyler Gaffney (44-yard TD) and Brandon Bolden (24-yard run) in the first preseason game against New Orleans. In 2015, the Patriots had four runs of 20 or more yards, all by Blount. Blount finished the game with 69 yards on 11 carries for a 6.3-yard average.Â
2016 SECOND-ROUND PICK CB CYRUS JONES RECORDS FIRST INTERCEPTION;RECORDS SECOND TAKEAWAY OF THE 2016 PRESEASON
2016 second-round pick CB Cyrus Jones picked off a Brian Hoyer pass in the second quarter and returned it 14 yards to the Chicago 15-yard line. That play helped set up a 1-yard touchdown run by RB LeGarrette Blount. It was Jones' second takeaway of the preseason. He recovered a fumble in the preseason-opener vs. New Orleans. Â
AJ DERBY SCORES FIRST NFL POIINTS
2015 sixth-round draft pick TE AJ Derby caught his first NFL points on a 16-yard touchdown pass from QB Jimmy Garoppolo in the second quarter. Derby missed the entire 2015 season after suffering an injury during training camp. Derby led the team with six receptions for 71 yards and one touchdown.Â
DL ANTHONY JOHNSON MAKES A GOOD DEBUT
After missing the 2016 preseason-opener, DL Anthony Johnson made his Patriots debut. He registered a pass defense on his first play and also combined with Trey Flowers on a sack of QB Jay Cutler in the second quarter.Â
ROOKIE QB JACOBY BRISSETT ENTERED THE GAME IN THE THIRD QUARTER
QB Jacoby Brissett entered the game after the first series in the third quarter and played the rest of the game. He finished 9-of-13 for 87 yards.Â
