NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS at PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Thursday, August 13, 2009 - Lincoln Financial Field (68,144) - 7:30 p.m. EDT
The Patriots open the preseason against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in the first of four preseason tune-ups in advance of New England's season-opener against Buffalo on September 14 at Gillette Stadium. The game at Philadelphia will mark the third time in four seasons that the Patriots open the preseason on the road.
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 Eastern Canada, Alaska and Hawaii. The network's flagship station is WBZ-TV Channel 4 in Boston. Veteran CBS broadcaster Don Criqui provides play-by-play and is joined by three-time NFL Pro Bowler and CBS analyst Randy Cross. WBZ-TV principal sports anchor Steve Burton offers on-field reports from the sideline.
RADIO:98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 36 stations can be found here. Play-by-play broadcaster Gil Santos is in his 33rd season as the voice of the Patriots and will call the action along with Patriots Hall of Famer Gino Cappelletti. Santos and Cappelletti are celebrating their 26th season as a tandem.
SERIES HISTORY
This week's contest will mark the 19th time the Patriots and Eagles have clashed in the preseason. The series is tied 9-9 with Philadelphia taking a 27-17 victory in last season's game played at Gillette Stadium on August 22, 2008. The Eagles snapped New England's sixgame winning streak in the series. Before Philadelphia's victory last preseason the Patriots put together a string of six-straight preseason wins, with five of them coming by double digits. Last season, Philadelphia qualified for the playoffs as a wild card with a 9-6-1 record and advanced to the NFC Championship game before losing to the Arizona Cardinals.
MOST FREQUENT PRESEASON OPPONENTS
The Patriots and Eagles have met 18 previous times in the preseason. The only team the Patriots have played more often in the preseason is the Washington Redskins (19 times).
CONNECTIONS
- Eagles chairman and CEO Jeffrey Lurie was born in Boston, Mass.
- Eagles linebacker Dan Klecko and Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel were both drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 2004 draft. Klecko played for the Patriots from 2003-05 and Samuel played for New England from 2003-07.
- Eagles assistant secondary coach Otis Smith played in 56 games with 48 starts at cornerback for the Patriots in 1996 and from 2000-02. Smith also served as an coaching intern for New England in 2006.
- Patriots guard Stephen Neal spend three months of the 2001 season on the Eagles' practice squad before being signed to the Patriots' active roster in December, 2001. He was originally signed as a rookie free agent by New England and was waived following the 2001 training camp.
- Patriots linebacker Pierre Woods and Eagles wide receiver Jason Avant were teammates at Michigan.
- Patriots defensive lineman Le Kevin Smith and Eagles linebacker Stewart Bradley were on the same Nebraska defense.
- Patriots tight end Benjamin Watson and Eagles wide receiver Reggie Brown, guard Max Jean-Gillesand defensive end Chris Clemons were teammates at Georgia.
- Patriots defensive lineman Mike Wrightand Eagles tight end Brodrick Bunkley played on the same University of Cincinnati team.
- Patriots wide receiver Wes Welkerand Eagles cornerback Joselio Hanson attended Texas Tech together.
- Patriots center Dan Koppen is from Whitehall, Penn.
- Eagles offensive assistant Mark Whipple was the head coach of the University of Massachusetts from 1998-2003.
- Patriots cornerback Jonathan Wilhite and Eagles tackle King Dunlapare both rookies out of Auburn.
- Patriots offensive tackle Ryan O'Callaghan and Eagles wide receiver DeSean Jackson were teammates at the University of California in 2005.
- Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilfork and Eagles defensive end Jerome McDougle were teammates at the University of Miami.
- Patriots cornerback Mike Richardson and Eagles defensive end Victor Abiamiri and defensive tackle Trevor Lawswere teammates at Notre Dame (2003-05).
- Patriots defensive lineman Jarvis Green was coached by Eagles defensive line coach Pete Jenkins when Jenkins held the same position at LSU from 2000-01.
- Patriots safety Ray Ventrone is a native of Pittsburgh, Pa.
- Patriots wide receivers Sam Aiken and running back Sammy Morris and Eagles long snapper Jon Dorenbos were teammates on the Buffalo Bills in 2003.
- Patriots running back Sammy Morris wide receiver Wes Welker along with Eagles quarterback A.J. Feeley were teammates on the Miami Dolphins in 2005.
ROSTER REDUCTION DATES
The NFL roster limit during training camp is 80 players. The first mandatory preseason roster reduction date is Sept. 1, two days prior to the Patriots' final preseason game. On that date, rosters must be reduced to 75 players. On Saturday, Sept. 5, rosters must be reduced to the regular-season limit of 53 players. On Sept. 6, clubs may establish an eight-man practice squad.
