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| Back-to-Back-to Back? After successfully defending their title in 2004, the Patriots headed into the 2005 season trying to become the first team in the Superbowl ERA and only the second team in NFL history to three-peat. Not since Vince Lombardi's Packers of 1965 through 1967, was a team able to win three consecutive titles. Winning a title is hardwork, but the Patriots' chances for repeating were dealt a severe blow a week after winning their third title and being annointed a dynasty. Shortly after returning from the ProBowl, Linebacker Tedy Bruschi suffered a stroke. The stroke would eventually cause Tedy to miss the entire 2005 season. He was not the last to go before the opening kickoff. Charlie Weiss, who accepted Notre Dame's job in December, was officially gone and Romeo Crennel finally earned a head coaching job, taking over Bill Belichick's old/new Cleveland Browns. These were not the last of the defections. Scarppy David Patten and Joe Andruzzi sought greener pastures elsewhere by signing with Washington and Cleveland respectively. Ty Law would sign on with division rival Jets shortly after training camp opened and on the dawn of training camp, the other long stalwart of the middle linebackers, Ted Johnson, called it a career due to repetitive concussion syndrome. For better or for worse, the Patriots would head into the 2005 seasons as division favorites and Superbowl favorites of some, as a decidely different team that raised their third trophy in Jacksonville. Would the changes be enough to derail the road to XL. Of course some people speculated the NFL decided to test the NFL champions early, by having them play four of their first six on the road with four of these games against 2004 playoff teams. The Patriots unveiled their third championship banner against the Oakland Raiders. While the game was close well into the second half, the Patriots seized control and opened defense of their title with an easy 30-20 victory. The Patriots schedule gauntlet would start in week two with a Superbowl XXXVIII rematch with the Panthers. The Panthers took advantage of several Patriot mistakes and got just enough offense to exact a small measure of revenge in a 27-17 victory. Week three would see an AFC Championship game rematch with the Steelers. The teams third meeting in tweleve months would be a little bigger with the Patriots opening schedule as the Patriots were in danger of falling two games behind both the Steelers and Colts, their primary rivals by most preseason predictions, for the top spot in the AFC. The Patriots came limping in with a depleted secondary as two regulars were scratches and Rodney Harrison would be lost early to a knee injury. Despite the depleted roster, the Patriots defense managed to contain the Steelers vaunted running game and keep Ben Roethelsberger in check for most of the game. Trailing 13-10 entering the fourth, behind the arm of Tom Brady (372 yards passing), the Patriots rallied to take a 20-13 lead. The Steelers tied the score with 1;21 remaining. In typical Tom Brady fashion, the Patriots' QB pieced together a 5 play-37 yard drive that saw Adam Vinatieri kick the game winning field goal with 1 second left on the clock. The Patriots followed their rousing 23-20 victory with a game at home versus the Chargers. Like in 2002, the Patriots' title defense seemed to expire when they faced the San Diego Chargers. While Ladainian Tomlinson did not run for over 200 yeards this time, only 134, his third quarter TD, broke a 17-17 tie as the Chargers romped to a 41-17 victory in Foxboro. The Patriots continued their win one/lose one trend for the remainder of their first half schedule by sandwiching victories over Atlanta (31-28) and Buffalo (21-16), with a "not as close as the score appears" loss to Denver (28-20). The Patriots ended their daunting first half schedule by hosting the undefeated Indianapolis Colts. Unlike years past, the Colts were winning games more because of their defense then Peyton Mannings' arm. The underlying questions surrounding the games would Peyton's Foxboro curse (0-7 entering the game) end or would the miraculous return of Tedy Bruschi the week before boost the sagging Patriots' defense which had looked inept for the better part of the season. The answer would come during a fifteen minute span in the second and third quarters. After exchanging TDs in the first, the Colts started the ensuing drive on the Colts' 32 yard line and with 6 mintes left in the first quarter. 18 plays and nine minutes later, Edgerin James punched the ball in from the two, to give the Colts a 14-7 lead. The score remains the same with the Patriots' driving late in the 2nd. While inside the Colts' 20, Corey Dillon fumbles the ball on a 1st and 10 at the 17. The Colts' quickly and effortlessly drive down the field to take a 21-7 lead at halftime. With pressure mounting on the Patriots' against the undefeated Colts, the Patriots had a chance to get back in the game with the second half kickoff. However, the Colts rose to the ocassion and forced the Patriots' to go three and out. The Colts would effectively end the game by scoring a TD on their first drive of the second half, which gave them a 28-7 lead enroute to their 40-21 victory. The Patriots' 4-4 first half was tough to gauge. Was the loss of players (Bruschi, Johnson and Law), coach Crennel or the daunting first half schedule the reason behind the defense's subpar play. The second half schedule was easier as few contenders appeared on the schedule. The Patriots opened the second half with close victories over Miami (23-16) and New Orleans (24-17), but a sign of things had not changed from the first half happened when the Patriots visited Kansas City. Behind Trent Green's passing and Larry Johnson's running the Chiefs rolled up over 400 yards of offense on the day, in an easy 26-16 victory. While the defense did little to stop the Chiefs, holding them to 4 field goals in the second quarter kept the game close, but Tom Brady's four picks would seasl the Chiefs' victory. The Patriots followed their latest abomination with their best play of the year. Granted, except for the Tampa game, it came at the easiest part of their schedule. The Patriots would seize control of the AFC East and dominate the Jets 16-3, Bills 35-7, Tampa Bay 28-0 and wrap up their third successive AFC East title with a 31-21 Monday Night victory over the Jets. With the division title in hand, the Patriots used the last week of the season versus the Dolphins as their "bye" week and rested many starters in a 28-26 loss at home. The game had little signifigance, as former Belichick prodigy Nick Saban, had his Dolphins steam rolling at the end of their respective season in typical Parcells/belichick fashion, but their was a beginning and ending for two New England quarterbacks. Matthew Cassel, a seventh round draft pick from USC, saw his first action as a Patriot. A seventh round pick seeing action in a meaningless game is hardly note worthy, but Cassel is different. While at USC, he found himself second on the USC depth chart behind two Heisman Trophy Winners (Carlson Plamer and Matt Lienart) and his USC career consisted of 35 passes spread over 4 years. Against the Dolphins improving defense and after some early jitters, he rallied the Patriots from 25-13 defeicit with 10 minutes remaining. He hit Benjamin Watson on the last play of the game and only an errant 2 point conversion kept the game from going to OT. The ending came as New England legend Doug Flutie saw the field for the last time in his professional career. The former Heisman Trophy winning quarterback from Boston College appeared on the field with 6:10 left on the clock. It was not a courtesy appearance for Doug to get a standing ovation or even under center where you might expeect to find a QB. With the score 25-20, Flutie came on to what appeared to be a 2 point attempt to close the gap to 3, but what happened was a rare occurence. For the first time in 65 years, Doug Flutie converted a successful drop kick for an extra point. By virtue of their 10-6 record, the Patriots' first playoff game was in the wildcard round of the playoffs. The uber experienced Patriots' would face the young and upcoming Jacksonville Jaguars. The Patriots and Jaguars played their roles to a tee. While the Jaguars hung tough and trailed only 7-3 at the half, the Patriots eventually exploited the young team and took advantage of a few Jaguar mistakes and won easily 28-3. The victory set-up a division round match-up with the Denver Broncos in Denver. The Broncos had easily handled the Patriots in their first game. However, this was expected to be a much better match-up as the Patriots' had improved during their second half run to the division titlee. As expected, the two teams came out fighting and working for everything they earned. The Patriots were the first time to cross the 50 yard line, but came up short on a 4th and 1 at the Denver 36. The Broncos responded to the Patriots' drive by drving inside the Patriots' 5, but on a gutsy call, the Broncos came up short on a 4th and 1 at the the Patriots' three. The drive did pin the Patriots inside their 10 and were forced to punt after a three and out and set-up the Broncos for a nice short scoring drive. Assante Samuel ahd something to say about that as he stepped in front of a pass for Ashlie Lelie and stopped the Broncos drive at the Patriots' 11. Given a respite, the Patriots' attacked the Broncos quickly as Tom Brady hit Andre Davis for a 51 yard strike on the drive's first play. The Patriots' drive would eventually stall, but Adam Vinatieri would provide the game's first points. The Patriots' D would force a three and out and an excellent punt would pin the Patriots inside their 10, again. Like their previous drive, the Patriots struck quickly as Tom Brady hit David Givens for 21 yards to get the Patriots out of their endzone and to their 28 yard line. Corey Dillon picked up 8 yards as the Patriots found themselves at their own 36 yard line at the two minute warning. With a 3-0 lead and the ball, the Patriots' seamed to be seizing control of the game. As football often prooves, ones grasp of things can quickly change. On the first play after the two minute warning, Kevin Faulk took the handoff and gained the first down, but Ian Gold of the Broncos stripped the ball from him and the Broncos took possession at the Patriots' 40. Taking a play from the Patriots' playbook, Mike Shanahan quickly attacked the Patriots. Jake Plummer looked for Ashlie Lelie deep and Assante Samuel defended the play perfectly. Despite video replays showing Lelie pushed off of Assante, the Patriots' corner was called for pass inteference adn the Broncos exploited their gift for a 7-3 lead after Mike Anderson scored. The Patriots' unraveling would continue on the ensuing kickoff. Rookie Ellis Hobbs who supplanted Bethel Johnson as primary kicoff returner, took the kickoff to the Patriots' 36. At that point, Broncos' punter and kickoff specialist, Todd Sauerbraun, hit Hobbs and caused a fumble that the Broncos' recovered. The Broncos ran three plays to get a little closer and kicked a field goal for a 10-3 lead. In the space of a minute and thirty seconds game time, the Patriots went from taking a good lead to trailing 10-3. The Patriots would force a three and out by the Broncos and would drive deep into Broncos' territory before settling for a field goal to close the gap to 10-6. On the Patriots' next drive, they attacked early like they did in the first half. On the first play, Tom Brady hit Troy Brown for a 33 yard play and then Deoin Branch for 19 yards to quickly get inside the Broncos 20. A 5 yard run by Corey Dillon gave the Patriots a 1st down at the Broncos 5 yard line. After a penalty, one of many that plagued the Patriots during the game pushed them back to the 10, the Patriots managed to get back to the 5 and set-up a third down attempt. On a play intended for Troy Brown, Broncos' corner Champ Bailey stepped in front of the Brady pass and raced towards the Patriots' endzone over a 100 yards away. Only a miraculous play by Benjamin Watson who raced from the other side of the field to strip the ball from Champ Bailey at the 1, prevented a touchdown. A replay allowed the Broncos to keep the ball and Mike Anderson scored his second TD of the evening. Trailing 17-6, the Patriots had been known to responsing after adversity strikes them. This Patriots' drive began no different. The Patriots drove into Bronco territory before the drive stalled in Adam Vinatiri's field goal range. The normally reliable Adam Vinatieri missed the field goal the Patriots still trailed 17-6. On the next Broncos drive, the Patriots' defense finally forced a punt after the Broncos had driven to the Patriots' 42. Troy Brown went back to field the punt, but muffed the catch and the Brocnos recovered the ball at the Patriots' 15. Three plays later, the Broncos had a 24-6 lead. The Patriots would quickly close the gap to 24-13 on a David Givens TD, but it was too little too late. The Broncos would seal the Patriots' fate with a little more then 3 mintues to go as a Jason Elam field goal made the score 27-13. Any chance the Patriots' had at victory ended when John Lynch intercepted Tom Brady's desperate pass in Bronco territory. After the clock expired, the Patriots run at a three-peat was over. As was, Tom Brady's unblemished playoff record. The game left a taste that the Patriots had left in many opponents mouths over the previous four years. A bitter taste of what might have been if not for dumb penalties, turnovers or a little blind ref intervention. In the end, the Patriots were what they were. A good team that could play anybody, but not a championship team because championship teams do not make stupid mistakes. Oakland 30-20 1-0 @Miami 23-16 5-4 @Carolina 17-27 1-1 New Orleans 24-17 6-4 @Pittsburgh 23-20 2-1 @Kansas City 16-26 6-5 San Diego 17-41 2-2 N.Y. Jets 16-3 7-5 @Atlanta 31-28 3-2 @Buffalo 35-7 8-5 @Denver 20-28 3-3 Tampa Bay 28-0 9-5 Buffalo 21-16 4-3 @N.Y. Jets 31-21 10-5 Indianapolis 21-40 4-4 Miami 26-28 10-6 Wildcard Playoffs Jacksonville 0 3 0 0 - 3 Recap/Boxscore New England 0 7 14 7 - 28 Conference Playoffs New England 0 3 3 7 - 13 Recap/Boxscore Denver 0 10 7 10 - 27 |
| 2005 AFC East W L T Pct. PF PA Patriots 10 6 0 .625 379 338 Dolphins 9 7 0 .563 318 317 Bills 5 11 0 .317 271 367 Jets 4 12 0 .250 240 355 |
| Passing Att Cmp Pct. Yards TDs INTs QBRtg Tom Brady 530 334 63 4110 26 14 92.3 M.Cassel 24 13 54 183 2 1 89.4 D.Flutie 10 5 50 29 0 0. 56.3 |
| Rushing Att. Yards AVG TDs Corey Dillon 209 733 3.5 12 Patrick Pass 54 245 4.5 3 Heath Evans 51 192 3.8 0 Kevin Faulk 51 145 2.8 0 Tom Brady 27 89 3.3 1 Mike Cloud 23 59 2.6 0 Amos Zereoue 7 14 2.0 0 David Givens 2 13 6.5 0 Matt Cassel 6 12 2.0 0 Tim Dwight 4 11 2.8 0 Doug Flutie 5 -1 -0.2 0 |
| Receving Rec. Yards AVG TDs Deion Branch 78 998 12.8 5 David Givens 59 738 12.5 2 Troy Brown 39 466 11.9 2 Ben Watson 29 441 15.2 4 Kevin Faulk 29 260 9.0 0 Patrick Pass 22 227 10.3 0 Corey Dillon 22 181 8.2 1 Tim Dwight 19 332 17.5 3 Daniel Graham 16 235 14.7 3 Heath Evans 10 88 8.8 0 Andre Davis 9 190 21.1 1 Christian Fauria 8 57 7.1 2 Bethel Johnson 4 67 16.8 1 Bam Childress 3 32 10.7 0 Mike Vrabel 3 4 1.3 3 Amos Zereoue 1 5 5.0 0 Tom Ashworth 1 1 1.0 1 |
| Sacks: Rosevelt Colvin 7, Willie McGinest 6, Mike Vrabel 4.5, Richard Seymour 4, Jarvis Green 2.5, Tedy Bruschi 2, Ty Warren 1.5, Monty Beisel 1, Matt Chatham 1, Hank Poteat 1, Artrell Hawkins 1, Dan Klecko .5, Vince Wilfork .5, Tully Banta-Cain .5 Interceptions: Assante Samuel 3-15; Ellis Hobbs 3-8; Mike Vrabel 2-23-1; James Sanders 1-39-1; Eugene Wilson 1-0 |
| Kicking XP XPA FG FGA PTS Adam Vinatieri 40 41 20 25 100 |
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| 2005 |
| Coach: Bill Belichick |
| Pro-Bowlers QB - Tom Brady DL - Richard Seymour |
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| Statistics Offense Rushing: 439-1512-16 (24 of 32) Passing: 4322 (3 of 32) Total: 5834 (9 of 32) Points: 379 (10 of 32) Defense Rushing: 437-1580-11 (8 of 32) Passing: 3703 (31 of 32) Total: 5283 (26 of 32) Points: 338 (17 of 32) |