NEW: Patriots Hold Off Houston 27-20 in Season Opener
Sunday, September 09, 2018
The New England Patriots edged the Houston Texans 27-20 on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriot start the season 1-0.
Patriots Hold Off Texans
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTLeading 7-3 after the first quarter, the Patriots scored three times in the second to take a commanding 21-6 lead.
In the opening minutes, Brady found running back James White for a 12-yard touchdown pass to give New England a 14-3 lead following an extra point from Stephen Gostkowski.
After the Texans got a 36-yard field goal to cut New England’s lead to 14-6, the Patriots would respond with a score in the final minute of the half.
With 1:15 to go, Brady led the Patriots on an eight play, 78-yard drive resulting in a four-yard touchdown pass to Philip Dorsett, giving New England the 21-6 lead following a Gostkowski extra point.
The touchdown pass was Brady’s third of the game.
Brady completed 26 fo 39 passes for 277 yards, three touchdowns, and an interception.
After a Gostkowski field goal midway through the third quarter, Houston would score their first touchdown of the game on a one-yard run by Alfred Blue to cut the Patriots lead to 24-13 heading into the final frame.
Gostkowski would add a field goal in the fourth quarter to put the Patriots up 27-13.
After the Patriots defense forced the Texans to punt, returner Riley McCarron fumbled the punt and Houston recovered on the Patriots 16-yard line.
Six plays later, Houston quarterback DeShaun Watson connected with Bruce Ellington for a five-yard touchdown to cut the Patriots lead to 27-20 after an extra point.
Houston would get the ball back on their own one-yard line with 50 seconds to play, but were unable to tie the game.
Next Up
The Patriots return to action on Sunday, September 16 when they visit the Jacksonville Jaguars in a rematch of last year's AFC Championship.
Game time is set for 4:25 p.m.
Related Slideshow: New England Sports Survey - August 2018
Channel Media Market & Research polled over 16,000 New England residents, ten percent of whom live in Rhode Island and 43% in Massachusetts.
Of the respondents, 75% were male, and 91 percent of respondents were between the ages of 18 and 54.
The polling took place between August 9 and August 20.
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