NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS(2-1) at SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS(2-2)
*Sunday, October 5, 2008 - 4:15 p.m. EDT
Candlestick Park (69,732)
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The Patriots return to action following their bye week with an Oct. 5 matchup against the 49ers in San Francisco. New England will play the 49ers on the road for the first time since 1995 and for just the fourth time overall.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION:This week's game will be broadcast to a regional audience by CBS. Dick Enberg and Randy Cross will call the game, which can be seen in the Boston area on WBZ-TV Channel 4.
RADIO: WBCN 104.1 FM is the flagship station for the Patriots Rock Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 36 stations can be found here. Play-by-play broadcaster Gil Santos is in his 32nd 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 25th anniversary season.
NATIONAL RADIO: This week's game will be broadcast to a national audience by Sports USA Radio. Howard David and Gary Barnettwill call the game and Troy Westwill provide updates from the sideline.
PATRIOTS IN OCTOBER
The Patriots enter the month of October having won 10 consecutive games during the month, a streak that dates back to 2005. Since 2003, the Patriots are 19-3 in October games, having swept the month in 2003, 2006 and 2007. This season, the Patriots open the month of October with road games at San Francisco and San Diego and then have back-to-back home games against Denver and St. Louis.
PATRIOTS ON THE WEST COAST
This season, the Patriots play all four of the NFL's West Coast teams - San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Oakland - marking the first time in team history that New England will play four times on the West Coast. The Patriots and the New York Jets both play all four West Coast teams this season, becoming the first NFL teams from the eastern time zone to play four times on the West Coast since the 2005 New York Giants (who went 2-2 in their West Coast games en route to an 11-5 season and a wild card berth). The Patriots' 2008 western slate of games begins this week against San Francisco, immediately followed by a trip to San Diego (Oct. 12). The Patriots also have back-to-back West Coast games to open the month of December, traveling to Seattle (Dec. 7) and Oakland (Dec. 14).
SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots and 49ers will meet for 11th time in their history and for the first time since 2004. The Niners hold a 7-3 lead in the series' previous 10 games. The Patriots have won the past two meetings ('98,'04) but the Niners won six straight contests prior to 1998. The Patriots have never won in San Francisco. New England's last trip to San Francisco was in 1995, when the 49ers claimed a 28-3 victory at 3Com Park. The last time the cross-country rivals tangled was when the Patriots closed out the 2004 regular season with a 21-7 victory at Gillette Stadium.
TOUGH TRAVELSThe 49ers are one of two NFL teams the Patriots have never defeated on the road. The Patriots are 0-4 all-time against San Francisco on the road, with three of those four games being played in San Francisco and one game (1989) played in Palo Alto at Stanford Stadium, after Candlestick Park was damaged in an earthquake. Along with the 49ers, the Patriots have not defeated the Washington Redskins on the road.
CONNECTIONS
- 49ers linebacker Tully Banta-Cain was drafted by the New England Patriots in the seventh round (239th pick) of the 2003 draft. He played for the Patriots from 2003-2006 and was part of the 2003 and '04 Super Bowl teams.
- Patriots tight ends coach Pete Mangurian served as Louisiana State University's offensive line coach in 1986 when 49ers head coach Mike Nolan and wide receivers coach/senior assistant Jerry Sullivan were the linebackers coach and wide receivers coach, respectfully.
- Patriots wide receiver Sam Aiken was teammates with 49ers cornerback Nate Clementson the Buffalo Bills from 2003- 06. Patriots running back Sammy Morris was on the Bills in 2003.
- Patriots linebacker Adalius Thomas and 49ers defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklinplayed on the Baltimore Ravens when 49ers head coach Mike Nolan was the defensive coordinator (2002-04) and when 49ers assistant head coach/defense Mike Singletary was the inside linebackers coach (2003-04).
- 49ers wide receivers coach/senior assistant Jerry Sullivan was the wide receivers coach for the Miami Dolphins when Patriots wide receiver Wes Welker was a rookie for the Dolphins.
- Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymourand 49ers offensive tackle Jonas Jenningswere teammates at the University of Georgia from 1997-2000. Jennings served as Seymour's host during his official recruiting visit to UGA.
- Patriots running back Kevin Faulkand 49ers safety Mark Roman were teammates at Louisiana State University from 1996-98.
- Patriots running backs LaMont Jordanand cornerback Lewis Sanderswere teammates with 49ers quarterback Shaun Hillat the University of Maryland in 2000.
- Patriots nose tackle Vince Wilforkand 49ers running back Frank Gore were teammates at the University of Miami from 2001-03 and were part of the 2001 BCS National Championship team.
- Patriots linebackers Shawn Crable and Pierre Woods were teammates with 49ers guard David Baas at the University of Michigan.
- Patriots wide receiver Kelley Washington and 49ers defensive tackle Aubrayo Franklin were teammates at the University of Tennessee.
- Patriots tight end David Thomas and 49ers cornerback Tarell Brown were teammates at the University of Texas.
- Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was born in San Mateo, Calif., and attended Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, where he is a member of the school's hall of fame.
- Patriots linebacker Larry Izzoand 49ers kickers Joe Nedney were teammates on the Miami Dolphins from 1996-97.
- Patriots cornerback Deltha O'Neal and wide receiver Kelley Washingtonwere teammates with 49ers defensive end Justin Smithon the Cincinnati Bengals from 2004-06.
