NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-0) at NEW YORK GIANTS (1-2)
Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016 at 7:00 p.m. ET. MetLife Stadium (82,500)
PATRIOTS: Download Game Release | **Roster** | Depth Chart| **Watch Games**
GIANTS: Roster| **Depth Chart**
The New England patriots will close out the 2016 preseason against the New York Giants for the 12th consecutive season when they square off on Thursday from MetLife Stadium. The clubs have been frequent preseason opponents recently, squaring off in the preseason openers for three straight years from 2001-03 and resuming the series in 2005 when they started to meet in the preseason finale.
The Patriots have faced the Giants more than any other team in the preseason with 25 matchups. Philadelphia is second with 22 preseason games.
The Patriots are off to a 3-0 preseason start and will be looking to finish the preseason with a perfect record for the fourth time in team history. The Patriots finished the preseason with a 4-0 record in 2003, 1981 and 1978.
SERIES HISTORY
The New England Patriots and the New York Giants will meet for the 26th time in the preseason and for the 12th straight year in the preseason-finale. The clubs have been frequent preseason opponents recently, squaring off in the preseason openers for three straight years from 2001-03 and resuming the series in 2005 when they started to meet in the preseason finale.
The Patriots have faced the Giants more than any other team in the preseason with 25 matchups. Philadelphia is second with 22 preseason games.
The teams played three times during the 2007 and 2011 seasons with meetings in the preseason, the regular season and in the Super Bowl. The Patriots and Giants faced each other twice in 2015 with a preseason meeting in Foxborugh and a regular season meeting at the Giants. The Patriots lost the preseason finale, 12-9, and then won the regular season game, 27-26.
Overall, the Giants hold a 16-9 advantage in the preseason series. The Patriots claim a 6-4 edge in the regular-season play.
NEW ENGLAND TIES
In the decades leading up to the founding of the American Football League in 1960, many football fans in New England followed the Giants, a franchise founded in 1925. New England-based NFL outfits such as the Providence Steam Roller (1925-31), the Boston Redskins (1932-36) and the Boston Yanks (1944-48) folded or moved away, leaving the Giants as the closest NFL team to New England until the Patriots franchise began play in the 1960 season.
TALE OF THE TAPE
| **2015 Regular Season** | **New England** | **N.Y. Giants** |
| Record | 12-4 | 6-10 |
| Divisional Standings | 1st | 3rd |
| Total Yards Gained | 5,991 | 5,956 |
| Total Offense (Rank) | 374.4 (6) | 372.3 (8) |
| Rush Offense | 87.8 (30) | 100.6 (19) |
| Pass Offense | 286.7 (5) | 271.7 (7) |
| Points Per Game | 29.0 (3) | 26.3 (6) |
| Touchdowns Scored | 52 | 47 |
| Third Down Conversion Pct. | 40.9 | 37.8 |
| Team Passer Rating | 101.9 | 94.5 |
| Total Yards Allowed | 5,431 | 6,725 |
| Total Defense (Rank) | 339.4 (9) | 420.3 (32) |
| Rush Defense | 98.8 (9) | 121.4 (24) |
| Pass Defense | 240.7 (17) | 298.9 (32) |
| Points Allowed/Game | 19.7 (10) | 27.6 (30) |
| Touchdowns Allowed | 36 | 50 |
| Third Down Defense (Pct.) | 37.3 | 47.0 |
| Field Goals Made/Attempted | 33/36 | 30/32 |
| Possession Avg. | 30:08 | 28:14 |
| Sacks Allowed/Yards Lost | 38/225 | 27/157 |
| Sacks Made/Yards | 49/358 | 23/137 |
| Passing TD/Int. (Off.) | 36/7 | 26/14 |
| Passing TD/Int. (Def.) | 24/12 | 31/15 |
| Penalties Against/Yards | 96/859 | 102/779 |
| Punts/Avg. | 74/45.4 | 76/44.5 |
| Takeaway/Giveaway Ratio | +7 (5t) | +7 (5t) |
MEMORABLE MATCHUPS
Aug. 15, 1971 - The Patriots defeated the Giants 20-14 in the opening preseason game at the old Foxboro Stadium.
Dec. 21, 1996 - The Patriots rallied from a 22-3 fourth-quarter deficit to clinch a first-round playoff bye with a 23-22 win at Giants Stadium.
Aug. 10, 2001 - New England began its first Super Bowl championship season with a 14-0 preseason shutout of the defending NFC champion Giants.
Dec. 29, 2007 - The Patriots defeat the Giants by a thrilling 38-35 score to cap off the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history.
February 3, 2008 - The Patriots faced the Giants in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz. The Giants 17-14 win snapped the Patriots perfect season.
February 5, 2012 - The Patriots faced the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis, Ind. The Giants took a 21-17 lead when they scored with 57 seconds left in the game and held the Patriots on a final drive to secure the win.
November 15, 2015 - K Stephen Gostkowski drilled 54-yard field goal with one second to play to lift the Patriots to a 27-26 come-from-behind victory. The Giants took a 26-24 lead with 1:47 to play before QB Tom Brady drove the Patriots 44 yards and converted a fourth-and-10 on the series to set up the game-winning field goal.
FREQUENT OPPONENT
New England closes out the preseason against their most frequent preseason opponent for the 26th time, the New York Giants. The top three most frequent preseason opponents for the Patriots are all NFC East teams.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: This week's game will be broadcast by the Patriots Preseason Television Network and can be seen in every New England state, as well as Alaska and Hawaii. The preseason network's flagship station is WBZ-TV CBS in Boston. WBZ-TV's Dan Roche provides play-by-play and is joined by former Patriots tight end Christian Fauria in the broadcast booth. Former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham will provide sideline analysis along with WBZ-TV's Steve Burton. Patriots Football Weekly's beatwriters Paul Perillo and Andy Hart will also provide insight and analysis. The game will also be broadcast live on the NFL Network.
PATRIOTS PRESEASON TELEVISION NETWORK
Massachusetts
Boston, Mass. WBZ-TV Ch. 4
Springfield, Mass. WWLP-TV Ch. 22
Connecticut
Hartford, Conn. WTNH-TV Ch. 8
Maine
Portland, Maine WMTW-TV Ch. 8
Bangor, Maine WVII-TV Ch. 7
New Hampshire
Manchester, N.H. WMUR-TV Ch. 9
Rhode Island
Providence, R.I. WPRI-TV Ch. 12
Vermont
Burlington, Vt. WCAX-TV Ch. 3
Alaska
Anchorage, Alaska KYUR-TV Ch. 13
Fairbanks, Alaska KATN-TV Ch. 2
Juneau, Alaska KJUD-TV Ch. 8
Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii KFVE-TV Ch. 5
RADIO: 98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 40 stations can be found here. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis. The games are produced by Marc Cappello.
