The New England Patriots are back at Gillette Stadium as they look for their first home win under head coach Mike Vrabel. In order to do so and get back to .500 on the year, they will need to take down Bryce Young and a Carolina Panthers team that is coming off its first victory of the season in blowout fashion.
Follow along with us throughout Sunday live from Foxborough.
Live score: Patriots 35 : 6 Panthers
Sunday, Sept. 28, 1 p.m. ET | Gillette Stadium, Foxboro, MA | Broadcast information | Inactives | Game day roster
First Quarter
The Patriots won the toss and deferred, putting Christian Gonzalez and New England’s defense on the field to start Sunday’s contest. Carolina quickly got on the move picking up a handful of first downs — including a 16-yard completion to rookie Tet McMillan against Gonzalez to move inside the 10-yard line. The next play, Bryce Young found Tommy Tremble in the end zone for an opening touchdown. The extra point was no good. [Patriots 0 : 6 Panthers]
New England’s first play of scrimmage went to Rhamondre Stevenson, who drew the start at running back after his two fumbles last weekend. A carry to TreVeyon Henderson then set up a third-and-3, where Drake Maye’s first pass of the day was high off the mark to Kayshon Boutte.
Carolina’s offense got back on the move across midfield before an incompletion and batted pass by Christian Barmore set up a third-and-10. A handoff to Rico Dowdle picked up just two yards and led to a punt.
On the return, Marcus Jones made two defenders miss on his own 13-yard line and the rest was history as he took it 87 yards for a touchdown. [Patriots 7 : 6 Panthers]
Back with the football, a nine-yard completion to McMillan and 10-yard rush by Dowdle got the Carolina offense across midfield. A tackle for loss by Jack Gibbens, who replaced Christian Elliss at the start of the drive, set up another third-and-long where Young’s pass was behind McMillan an incomplete.
Second Quarter
A tight end screen to Austin Hooper went for 24 yards to kickstart the Patriots second offensive possession of the afternoon. Over midfield, a reverse to Antonio Gibson went for 21 yards before Stevenson took the next handoff 22 yards to set up a goal-to-go situation. New England needed just one play to find the end zone, as Maye took it himself off a play-action bootleg for a score. [Patriots 14 : 6 Panthers]
A 14-yard completion to Chuba Hubbard was a chunk gain for Carolina before they slowly worked into New England terrmiorty. A sack by K’Lavon Chaisson as Bryce Young attempted to escape the pocket set up a third-and-16, however, where Young’s pass into traffic fell incomplete. Ryan Fitzgerald’s 55-yard field goal was no good.
Taking over at their own 37-yard line following the miss, two touches to Henderson totaled 12 yards before Maye found Stefon Diggs across the middle of the field for a 33-yard gain. A facemark penalty on Austin Hooper backed the unit up until a defensive trip call reset the downs in New England’s favor. Two plays later, TreVeyon Henderson powered in for a touchdown. [Patriots 21 : 6 Panthers]
Down two scores, a false start penalty and run stuff set Carolina up behind the sticks. That’s where they stayed as a third-and-15 run went for minimal gain with Milton Williams in the backfield.
Marcus Jones was close to breaking his second return of the game as he tipped toed along the sideline before being tripped up for a 61-yard return. Starting their drive inside the red zone, a completion to Hunter Henry moved the offense to the one-yard line where the found the end zone one play later courtesy of Antonio Gibson. [Patriots 28 : 6 Panthers]
The Panthers offense took the field with 1:50 remaining in the first half and made it to midfield before stalling, as Young’s third-down pass fell incomplete. Carolina was forced to punt again.
Backed up at their two-yard line with 27 seconds left, New England kept it on the ground with Gibson as the Panthers used their remaining timeouts. A third-down handoff to Stevenson then resulted in a punt with 12 seconds remaining in the half.
With two seconds left in the half just shy of midfield, a short throw ended the half.
Third Quarter
The first play of the second half saw Maye buy time and hit an open Kayshon Boutte for 18 yards down the field. A holding penalty then forced New England into a third-and-15 situation, where Maye was kept clean and hit Diggs over the middle to move the chains. Shortly after an 11-yard gain by Henderson an end around, Maye hit Hunter Henry on the move who took it 31 yards for a score. [Patriots 35 : 6 Panthers]
A strong 15-yard catch by McMillan — which was challenge by Mike Vrabel and upheld — moved the Panthers offense across midfield. New England’s defense then held on a third-and-3, but Carolina kept the offense on the field which led to a turnover on downs as Young missed McMillan down the right sideline.
New England’s offense went three-and-out behind three straight runs (one Maye scramble) before Bryce Baringer’s punt was caught inside the five-yard line where Brenden Schooler was on scene to bring down the returner at the one-yard line.
Backed up on their own goal line, the Panthers quickly went three-and-out as New England forced another punt.
