Final
Patriots must pass road tests to stay in contention
Dec 2, 2008 - 9:18 PM NEW ENGLAND (7-5) AT SEATTLE (2-10), 4:05 pm ESTSEATTLE (Ticker) -- The New England Patriots are in an unfamiliar position at this point in the season - on the outside looking in at the playoff race.
With three of their final four games away from home, the Patriots will have a more difficult road to the postseason starting with Sunday's game at the Seattle Seahawks.
New England trails the New York Jets (8-4) by one game for the AFC East lead and also lags one game behind Indianapolis and Baltimore for the two wild-card berths.
The one thing in the Patriots' favor is the caliber of upcoming opponents; their next two foes are a combined 5-19.
"We are not worried about anybody else but Seattle," New England head coach Bill Belichick said. "I know there are other games on our schedule but there is nothing we can do about any of those games.
"We are not going to concern ourselves with them just like we normally wouldn't. We will focus on this game, one game at a time and get ready for Seattle."
A flurry of mistakes led to the Patriots' demise in last weekend's 33-10 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Five second-half turnovers and a couple of key dropped passes by star wide receiver Randy Moss conspired to drop New England to its third home defeat of the season.
"I am very disappointed in my play," Moss said. "I always say as a wide receiver your job is to get open, catch the ball and score touchdowns. ... I didn't really have a good game."
Neither did Matt Cassel, who had thrown for 400 yards in his previous two games but was throttled by Pittsburgh's defense, finishing 19-of-39 for 169 yards and two interceptions.
Cassel also lost two fumbles and was sacked five times.
Seattle could provide a welcome respite for New England. Mired in a five-game losing streak, the Seahawks were crushed, 34-9, by Dallas on Thanksgiving Day.
Despite failing to get his team in the end zone, Matt Hasselbeck had his best outing of an injury-wracked season, going 22-for-38 for 287 yards. He also was sacked seven times.
Rookie tight end John Carlson had six receptions for a season-high 105 yards.
"I think (Carlson) is going to develop and give us a lot to look forward to. He has a pretty good future," Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren said.
- NFL
FINAL 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NEW ENGLAND 3 7 3 11 24
SEATTLE 7 7 7 0 21 FINAL
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SEA - TD, DEION BRANCH 14 YD PASS FROM SENECA
WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK), 9:35.
Drive: 13 plays, 87 yards in 6:35.
Key plays: Weaver 15-yard run on
3rd-and-2 to Seattle 36; Morris
14-yard ru
Dec 7 7:02 PM
TD NWE SAMMY MORRIS 1 YD RUN (MATT CASSEL PASS TO WES WELKER FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
Patriots 24, Seahawks 21 4th - 2:44Dec 7 6:55 PM
TD NWE SAMMY MORRIS 1 YD RUN (MATT CASSEL PASS TO WES WELKER FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
Patriots 24, Seahawks 21 4th - 2:44Dec 7 6:55 PM
TD NWE SAMMY MORRIS 1 YD RUN (MATT CASSEL PASS TO WES WELKER FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
Patriots 24, Seahawks 21 4th - 2:44Dec 7 6:55 PM- NFL
TD NWE
SAMMY MORRIS 1 YD RUN
(MATT CASSEL PASS TO WES WELKER FOR TWO-POINT CONVERSION)
NEW ENGLAND 24
SEATTLE 21 2:44 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Patriots 24, Seahawks 21 4th - 2:44Dec 7 6:55 PM - NFL
FG NWE
STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI 27 YD
NEW ENGLAND 16
SEATTLE 21 12:19 LEFT, 4TH QTR
Patriots 16, Seahawks 21 4th - 12:19Dec 7 6:31 PM - NFL
END, 3RD QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NEW ENGLAND 3 7 3 13
SEATTLE 7 7 7 21 END, 3RD QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SEA - TD, DEION BRANCH 14 YD PASS FROM SENECA
WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK), 9:35.
Drive: 13 plays, 87 yards in 6:35.
Key plays: Weaver 15-yard run on
3rd-and-2 to Seattle 36; Morris
14-
Dec 7 6:22 PM
TD SEA DEION BRANCH 4 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 13, Seahawks 21 3rd - 0:41Dec 7 6:17 PM
TD SEA DEION BRANCH 4 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 13, Seahawks 21 3rd - 0:41Dec 7 6:17 PM
TD SEA DEION BRANCH 4 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 13, Seahawks 21 3rd - 0:41Dec 7 6:17 PM- NFL
TD SEA
DEION BRANCH 4 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE
(OLINDO MARE KICK)
NEW ENGLAND 13
SEATTLE 21 0:41 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Patriots 13, Seahawks 21 3rd - 0:41Dec 7 6:17 PM - NFL
FG NWE
STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI 42 YD
NEW ENGLAND 13
SEATTLE 14 2:40 LEFT, 3RD QTR
Patriots 13, Seahawks 14 3rd - 2:40Dec 7 6:06 PM - NFL
HALFTIME 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NEW ENGLAND 3 7 10
SEATTLE 7 7 14 HALFTIME
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SEA - TD, DEION BRANCH 14 YD PASS FROM SENECA
WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK), 9:35.
Drive: 13 plays, 87 yards in 6:35.
Key plays: Weaver 15-yard run on
3rd-and-2 to Seattle 36; Morris
14-yard
Dec 7 5:24 PM
TD NWE BENJAMIN WATSON 2 YD PASS FROM MATT CASSEL (STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI KICK)
Patriots 10, Seahawks 14 2nd - 9:09Dec 7 4:55 PM
TD NWE BENJAMIN WATSON 2 YD PASS FROM MATT CASSEL (STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI KICK)
Patriots 10, Seahawks 14 2nd - 9:09Dec 7 4:55 PM
TD NWE BENJAMIN WATSON 2 YD PASS FROM MATT CASSEL (STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI KICK)
Patriots 10, Seahawks 14 2nd - 9:09Dec 7 4:55 PM- NFL
TD NWE
BENJAMIN WATSON 2 YD PASS FROM MATT CASSEL
(STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI KICK)
NEW ENGLAND 10
SEATTLE 14 9:09 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Patriots 10, Seahawks 14 2nd - 9:09Dec 7 4:55 PM
TD SEA JOHN CARLSON 10 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 3, Seahawks 14 2nd - 12:30Dec 7 4:47 PM
TD SEA JOHN CARLSON 10 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 3, Seahawks 14 2nd - 12:30Dec 7 4:47 PM
TD SEA JOHN CARLSON 10 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 3, Seahawks 14 2nd - 12:30Dec 7 4:47 PM- NFL
TD SEA
JOHN CARLSON 10 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE
(OLINDO MARE KICK)
NEW ENGLAND 3
SEATTLE 14 12:30 LEFT, 2ND QTR
Patriots 3, Seahawks 14 2nd - 12:30Dec 7 4:47 PM - NFL
END, 1ST QTR 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH TOTAL
--- --- --- --- -----
NEW ENGLAND 3 3
SEATTLE 7 7 END, 1ST QTR
SCORING SUMMARY
1ST QUARTER: SEA - TD, DEION BRANCH 14 YD PASS FROM SENECA
WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK), 9:35.
Drive: 13 plays, 87 yards in 6:35.
Key plays: Weaver 15-yard run on
3rd-and-2 to Seattle 36; Morris
14-
Dec 7 4:39 PM - NFL
FG NWE
STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI 50 YD
NEW ENGLAND 3
SEATTLE 7 0:48 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Patriots 3, Seahawks 7 1st - 0:48Dec 7 4:32 PM
TD SEA DEION BRANCH 14 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 0, Seahawks 7 1st - 5:25Dec 7 4:20 PM
TD SEA DEION BRANCH 14 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 0, Seahawks 7 1st - 5:25Dec 7 4:20 PM
TD SEA DEION BRANCH 14 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE (OLINDO MARE KICK)
Patriots 0, Seahawks 7 1st - 5:25Dec 7 4:20 PM- NFL
TD SEA
DEION BRANCH 14 YD PASS FROM SENECA WALLACE
(OLINDO MARE KICK)
NEW ENGLAND 0
SEATTLE 7 5:25 LEFT, 1ST QTR
Patriots 0, Seahawks 7 1st - 5:25Dec 7 4:20 PM - Sweetness34 My fantasy team needs Matt Cassel to have a big game...
Patriots vs. SeahawksDec 6 11:04 PM
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