WITH THE PATRIOTS' WIN TONIGHT…
They have now won 23 of their last 25 games, including preseason, regular-season and postseason games.
They own an eight-game preseason winning streak, tying the longest preseason winning streak in team history (08/28/77 to 08/04/79).
They have won 14 consecutive games at home, including preseason, regular-season and postseason games (last loss 12/22/02 vs. N.Y. Jets).
They improve their home preseason record to 17-4 (.810) since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994.
They improve their overall home record in the Kraft Era to 74-33 (.692) including preseason, regular-season and postseason games.
They are now 20-3 (.870) all-time at Gillette Stadium including preseason, regular-season and postseason games.
BIG D
The Patriots allowed just six points tonight, continuing their defensive dominance at Gillette Stadium. Last season, the Patriots set an NFL record by allowing just 68 points at home in the regular season, an average of just 8.5 points per game. Those 68 points were the fewest allowed by any team since the eight-game home schedule began in 1978.
TROY DOES IT ALL
TROY BROWN pulled off a unique triple feat by seeing action on the Patriots' first possessions on offense and defense and on the first punt return of the game. New England opened the game on defense, and Brown saw time as a nickel back when the Eagles went with a three-wide receiver formation. When the Patriots defense forced the Eagles to punt, Brown returned the kick, then he saw action in his most familiar position at wide receiver on the Patriots' first offensive possession. Brown made his first defensive tackle as a Patriot when he teamed with Roman Phifer to drag down Freddie Mitchell with 2:47 left in the first quarter.
DILLON DEBUTS
COREY DILLON showed signs of the new dimension that he hopes to bring to the Patriots offense this season with a strong preseason debut, rushing five times for 23 yards (4.6 avg). On the Patriots' first scoring drive of the night, Dillon gained a total of 22 yards while carrying on three consecutive plays. His longest jaunt of the evening was a 13-yard rush off left tackle that brought the Patriots to the Eagles' 14-yard line and set up New England's first touchdown three plays later.
MILLER TIME
JOSH MILLER made his preseason debut in a Patriots uniform and quickly made an impression on the Patriots faithful with a 50-yard punt with no return in his first boot as a Patriot. In his second kick, he exceeded the half-century mark yet again, with a 54-yard bomb. Despite rainy conditions throughout the game, Miller averaged 48.3 yards on six punts.
FLY PATTEN
Patriots wide receiver DAVID PATTEN announced his return from a knee injury that sidelined him for much of last season by grabbing the Patriots' first touchdown of the preseason, a nine-yard grab from Tom Brady with 4:12 left in the first quarter. In 2003, Patten led the Patriots in the preseason with 10 receptions for 196 yards and a team-high three touchdowns, but was slowed by injuries in the regular-season and was placed on injured reserve after seeing action in just six games. Patten also returned a kickoff 34 yards in the second quarter. His last kickoff return in the regular season was in on Nov. 25, 2001 at Foxboro Stadium when he scampered for a 24-yard return against New Orleans
TOMMY GUN
TOM BRADY directed the Patriots' first two offensive possessions of the evening and completed three of his four passes for 31 yards and a touchdown, earning a 136.5 passer rating for the game. The two-time Super Bowl MVP has a history of starting strong in the preseason, as last year he led the NFL with a 116.7 preseason rating while throwing for six touchdowns and no interceptions.
SPECIAL TEAMS ACE
Special teams captain LARRY IZZO showed why he is one of the best special teams specialists in the business, as the two-time Pro Bowler broke through the Philadelphia punt protection to block Dirk Johnson's kick in the second quarter. Izzo has paced the Patriots' special teams units since arriving in New England in 2001, and has led his team in special teams tackles in each of his last five seasons.
QUICK HITS
Tom Brady showed some impressive improvising skills tonight with 8:03 left in the first quarter. He was being hauled down by N.D. Kalu, who nearly pulled his jersey off, when he flung a pass to David Patten, who hauled it in for a 19-yard gain and the first New England first down of the preseason.
Rookie cornerback Guss Scott made an impact by breaking up a Donovan McNabb pass intended for Freddie Mitchell on third-and-two in the first minute of the second quarter.
Dan Klecko started at fullback tonight, while also seeing action on special teams and at inside linebacker. Last season, Klecko lined up at fullback on five of New England's nine touchdown runs.
Rookie outside linebacker Quinn Dorsey pressured Jeff Blake, forcing him to throw an incomplete pass on third-and-goal from the two-yard line with 6:30 left in the third quarter. The play forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal and kept the Patriots ahead, 10-6.
Justin Kurpeikis saw extensive action at outside linebacker for the Patriots beginning in the second quarter. The third-year Penn State produce led the Patriots with nine tackles (6 solo).
DYNAMITE DAVEY
Quarterback ROHAN DAVEY earned a solid 105.6 passer rating in more than two quarters of work. NFL Europe's 2004 offensive MVP completed eight of 15 passes for 70 yards and two touchdowns after taking the reins in the final minute of the first quarter. On his first touchdown drive of the night, he took the Patriots 75 yards on 12 plays, ending in a 5-yard touchdown pass to Michael Jennings and giving New England a 17-6 lead with 29 seconds left in the third quarter. Davey then showed his ability to run with the ball, scampering for a 23-yard gain while engineering his second touchdown drive of the night. That scoring excursion ended in a 23-yard strike to Ricky Bryant, putting the Patriots in command, 24-6, with 10:52 left in the game.
ROOKIE IMPACT, PART I
Rookie wide receiver MICHAEL JENNINGS made an impressive touchdown grab with 21 seconds left in the third quarter. The Florida State speedster held onto a 5-yard reception from Rohan Davey despite taking a big hit from Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter as he was hauling in the ball in the end zone. Jennings was a track star and did not play football in college.
ROOKIE IMPACT, PART II
Rookie wideout RICKY BRYANT joined fellow undrafted free agent Jennings by grabbing a second-half score, after being on the receiving end of a 23-yard strike from Davey with 10:52 left in the game. Bryant led the Patriots with 34 receiving yards and tied for the team lead with three receptions.
