Friday 23 September 2016 10:46, UK
Rookie quarterback Jacoby Brissett impressed in his first start for the New England Patriots, rushing for a 27-yard touchdown and leading his team to a 27-0 victory over the Houston Texans.
Rob Gronkowski played a minimal part in the game, as running back LeGarrette Blount contributed two touchdowns, including a 41-yard run.
In 140 characters...
Confident debut for Brissett. Blount scores two, Osweiler out of depth against Patriots defence but special teams' fumbles cost Houston.
MVP
Jamie Collins made 14 tackles, seven of them solo, but it was the significance of his plays that made him so important. He intercepted a Brock Osweiler pass before half-time, as the Texans were looking to build themselves back into the game.
He was a constant disruption to the Texans offence, not allowing any momentum to develop.
Game-changer
Thirteen seconds of madness from the Texans special teams. At the end of the first quarter, the Patriots scored a field goal. On the punt return, Charles James fumbled and Duron Harmon recovered for New England at the Houston 27-yard line. Rookie quarterback Brissett found a gap and rushed all the way for the touchdown.
It then happened again in the third quarter, but this time Tyler Ervin provided the fumble and LeGarrette Blount converted the score. Across the two incidents, the Patriots scored 20 points in less than three minutes.
Stat of the night
77-0 - The New England Patriots have never lost at Gillette Stadium when they've led at half-time.
The Game
After a slow start for both sides, Brissett began to move the ball, finding LeGarrette Blount and Julian Edelman, as well as showing his ability to rush for yards. A throw in the direction of Rob Gronkowski was too high, and the Patriots settled for a field goal, but it took 13 seconds for them to get the first touchdown of the night.
Texans defensive back James spilled the following punt return, and it was Harmon who reacted fastest, diving on the loose ball. Back on the field, Brissett sensed opportunity, rushing for 27 yards to extend the Patriots' lead to 10.
The Texans struggled to get any consistent offence going, the Patriots secondary limiting DeAndre Hopkins to just three catches in the first half. Osweiler tried to utilise the running game through Lamar Miller, but all routes were blocked by a stout Patriots defence that only allowed the Texans a total of 109 yards from 27 carries.
Gostkowski made it 13-0 with another field goal at the start of the third quarter, and another special teams fumble on the resulting punt gave the ball back to New England after Jordan Richards pounced on Ervin's error. After two pass interference penalties against Houston, LeGarrette Blount converted the one-yard touchdown to give the Patriots a 20-0 lead.
It was Blount who put the game beyond doubt, five minutes into the fourth quarter, with a 41-yard run to give New England a 27-0 lead, and extend their season to 3-0.
It was a disappointing return to Foxborough for Texans head coach Bill O'Brien, former offensive coordinator of the Patriots. His side now slip to 2-1 and face the Tennessee Titans next week.
