HAPPY RETURNS
Big returns by C.J. Jones set up short fields that led to two touchdowns for the Patriots as they rattled off 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Following a New York field goal that made the score 19-0 in the fourth quarter, Jones recorded a 44-yard kickoff return, giving the Patriots possession at the Giants' 47-yard line. The Patriots then drove 47 yards on seven plays to cut the deficit to 19-7 on a 16-yard touchdown catch by Chad Jackson. After a New York three-and-out, Jones returned the punt 42 yards to the Giants' 18-yard line, setting up a five-play, 18-yard drive ending in Kevin O'Connell's 5-yard touchdown run that made the score 19-14.
JACKSON SCORES
Chad Jackson caught a 16-yard touchdown pass from rookie Kevin O'Connell with 9:26 remaining in the game to cut the Giants' lead to 19-7. The scoring catch was the second in as many weeks for Jackson, having hauled in a 1-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter of last week's preseason game against Philadelphia. Jackson, selected by the Patriots in the second round (36th overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft, has totaled three career touchdown receptions, all in the 2006 season. For his career, Jackson has 13 receptions for 152 yards and three touchdowns.
O'CONNELL SCORESRookie quarterback Kevin O'Connell scored on a 5-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to cut the Patriots' deficit to 19-14. O'Connell, selected in the third round (94th overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft out of San Diego State, led the Patriots on back-to-back fourth-quarter touchdown drives of 47 yards and 18-yards. He threw his first scoring pass of the preseason on the drive preceding his touchdown run, tossing a 16-yard touchdown to Chad Jackson in the corner of the end zone.
GOAL-LINE STAND
The Patriots defense came up with a goal-line stand in the third quarter, forcing the Giants to settle for a field goal after having first-and-goal from the 1-yard line. On first down from the 1-yard line, Kenny Smith and Vince Redd combined to stop New York's Danny Ware for no gain. After an incompletion, Smith and John Lynch combined to stop Ware for a loss of one yard on third down, forcing the Giants to settle for a 20-yard field goal.
QUICK HITS
- Patriots outscored their opponents 44-3 in the fourth quarter this preseason.
- Jarvis Green sacked David Carr for a 9-yard loss on third down in the second quarter, forcing a punt on the next play.
- Matthew Slater forced the Giants' Ahmad Bradshaw to fumble the ball out of bounds on third down in the second quarter, forcing a New York punt on the next play.
- Kenny Smith dropped Ahmad Bradshaw in the backfield for a 2-yard loss in the second quarter.
- Shawn Crable pushed Giants quarterback David Carr out of bounds for a 3-yard sack in the fourth quarter.
RARE MISSGiants kicker Josh Huston missed an extra point in the second quarter. The last time a Patriots opponent missed an extra point (not blocked) in the regular season was on Sept. 18, 1994, when Kansas City's Doug Pelfry missed a PAT wide right in a 31-28 Patriots win at Riverfront Stadium. The last time a Patriots kicker missed an extra point (not blocked) was on Oct. 27, 1996, when Adam Vinatieri pushed a PAT wide left in a 28-25 win over Buffalo at Foxboro Stadium.
