TEAM NOTES
- Mac Jones moves into Top 10 on Patriots all-time passing list.
- Jones completes 70 percent of his passes.
- Ty Montgomery II has first TD reception since 2017.
- Kendrick Bourne has a 40-yard reception.
PATRIOTS PLAY IN 92 DEGREE WEATHER
The game time temperature was 92 degrees. The last time the Patriots played in temperatures of at least 92 degrees was at Jacksonville on Sept. 16, 2018 when it was 97 degrees at kickoff. The Jacksonville game was the hottest game in team history.
PATRIOTS DEFENSE HOLDS MIAMI TO 2.8-YARD RUSHING AVERAGE
The Patriots defense held the Dolphins to a 2.8-yard rushing average (23 attempts for 65 yards). In 2021, the Patriots held two teams under 3 yards per carry in a game – 2.8 at Houston (10/10) and 2.5 at Atlanta (11/18).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
BILL BELICHICK ENTERS 23RD SEASON AS HEAD COACH OF THE PATRIOTS
Bill Belichick enters his 23rd season as head coach of the New England Patriots in 2022 to tie Chuck Noll (23 with Pittsburgh) and Steve Owen (23 with the N.Y. Giants) for the fourth-longest tenure with one team as a head coach.
HEAD COACHES WITH AT LEAST 20 YEARS WITH ONE TEAM
Head Coach Years Team
George Halas 40 Chicago
Curly Lambeau 29 Green Bay
Tom Landry 29 Dallas
Don Shula 26 Miami
Bill Belichick 23 New England
Chuck Noll 23 Pittsburgh
Steve Owen 23 N.Y. Giants
COLE STRANGE STARTS, BECOMING THE 25TH ROOKIE UNDER BELICHICK TO START ON OPENING DAY.
This year's first-round draft pick, OL Cole Strange, started at left guard and became the 25th Patriots rookie under Bill Belichick to start on opening day. Strange joins five other current Patriots to start as a rookie on opening day, joining Mac Jones (2021), Mike Onwenu (2020), Ja'Whaun Bentley (2018), David Andrews (2015) and Devin McCourty (2010).
ROOKIES IN THE STARTING LINEUP UNDER BILL BELICHICK WITH THE PATRIOTS
2022 – OL Cole Strange (first-round)
2021 – QB Mac Jones (first-round)
2020 – OL Mike Onwenu (sixth-round)
2018 - LB Ja'Whaun Bentley (fifth-round)
2016- OL Joe Thuney (third-round), WR Malcolm Mitchell (fourth-round) and OL Ted Karras (sixth-round)
2015 – DL Malcom Brown (first-round), OL Tre Jackson (fourth-round) and OL David Andrews (rookie free agent)
2013 – WR Kenbrell Thompkins (rookie free agent)
2012 – DL Chandler Jones (first-round) and LB Dont'a Hightower (first-round)
2011 – OL Nate Solder (first-round) and DB Ras-I Dowling (second-round)
2010- DB Devin McCourty (first-round), TE Rob Gronkowski (second-round) and TE Aaron Hernandez (fourth-round)
2008- LB Jerod Mayo (first-round)
2006 – OL Ryan O'Callaghan (fifth-round)
2005 -OL Logan Mankins (first-round)
2004 – DL Vince Wilfork (first-round) and TE Ben Watson (first-round)
2002- TE Daniel Graham (first-round)
2001 DL Jace Salyer (rookie free agent)
DB MYLES BRYANT RECORDS FIRST TWO REGULAR SEASON PUNT RETURNS
DB Myles Bryant lined up for his first regular season punt return in the second quarter. Prior to this year's preseason games, he had not returned punts since high school. He finished with two punt returns for 12 yards.
SLATER MOVES INTO THIRD ALL-TIME FOR GAMES PLAYED
Matthew Slater played in his 207th game and moved out of a tie with Julius Adams into sole possession of third for most games played as a Patriot, behind the 285 by Tom Brady and 212 by Bruce Armstrong.
MOST GAMES PLAYED IN PATRIOTS HISTORY
Player Games Played
Tom Brady 285
Bruce Armstrong 212
Matthew Slater 207
Julius Adams 206
SLATER ENTERS 15TH SEASON IN THE NFL
Slater is entering his 15th NFL season. He will Join Tom Brady (20), Steve Grogan (16) and Troy Brown (15) and Julius Adams (15) as the only New England players to play in at least 15 seasons with the team.
MOST SEASONS WITH NEW ENGLAND
Player Seasons
Tom Brady 20
Steve Grogan 16
Matthew Slater 15
Troy Brown 15
Julius Adams 15
MAC JONES MOVES PAST THREE PLAYERS INTO 8TH ON PATRIOTS ALL-TIME PASSING LIST
QB Mac Jones finished his rookie season in 2021 with 3,801 passing yards and entered the game needing 105 passing yards to move past Ed "Butch" Songin (3,905) into 10th place New England's all-time passing list, 120 yards to move past Mike Taliaferro (3,920) and 146 yards to move past Matt Cassel (3,946) into 8th place. He moved past Songin in the third quarter on a 12-yard pass to WR Jakobi Meyers. He moved past Taliaferro on a 7-yard pass to Meyers on the same drive and then moved past Cassel on a 6-yard touchdown pass to RB Ty Montgomery II. Jones now has 4,014 career passing yards. Hugh Millen is in 7th place with 4,276 yards.
MAC JONES COMPLETES 70 PERCENT OF HIS PASSES
Mac Jones completed 21-of-30 passes for a .700 pass completion percentage. He had nine games as a rookie in 2021 with a completion percentage of 70 percent or more, including two games with an 80 percent completion percentage.
TY MONTGOMERY II SCORES FIRST TOUCHDOWN WITH THE PATRIOTS;
HAS FIRST TOUCHDOWN RECEPTION SINCE 2017 WHILE WITH GREEN BAY
Ty Montgomery II scored on a 6-yard reception from QB Mac Jones in the third quarter for his first touchdown as a member of the Patriots. It was Montgomery's first touchdown reception since the 2017 season when he caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers while a member of Green Bay in a game at Atlanta on Sept. 17, 2017.
THREE OF THE 2022 DRAFT SELECTIONS MADE THEIR NFL DEBUTS
Three of the 2022 draft picks made their NFL debut with first-round pick OL Cole Strange in the starting lineup at left guard. Third-round pick DB Marcus Jones and fourth-round pick DB Jack Jones also made their debuts in reserve roles.
WR KENDRICK BOURNE HAS A 41-YARD RECEPTION
WR Kendrick Bourne had a 41-yard reception in the fourth quarter. He had five 40-yard receptions in 2021, including a career-long 75-yard touchdown vs. Dallas on Oct. 17, 2021.
PATRIOTS HAVE A ROOKIE FREE AGENT MAKE THE ROSTER FOR THE 19*TH* STRAIGHT SEASON
With rookie free agents DL DaMarcus Mitchell and DB Brenden Schooler making the 53-man roster, the Patriots have had a rookie free agent make the 53-man roster for 19 straight seasons, tied with Denver for the longest streak in the NFL. Mitchell and Schooler made their NFL debuts on special teams.
LINEUP NOTES
- LB Raekwon McMillan made his New England regular season debut after missing the entire 2021 season due to injury and was in the starting lineup.
- DB Jonathan Jones returned to action after being limited to just six games due to injury in 2021.
- OL Mike Onwenu started at right guard. It was his fourth career start at right guard. He started three games at right guard as a rookie in 2020.
- WR Lil'Jordan Humphrey, RB Ty Montgomery, DB Jabrill Peppers, WR DeVante Parker and LB Mack Wilson Sr. made their regular season debut in a New England uniform.
- OL James Ferentz saw action at left guard in relief of rookie Cole Strange.
- OL Yodny Cajuste saw action at right tackle at the end of the third quarter.
