*WR Wes Welker made his preseason debut and caught two passes on his first two plays with a 6-yard pass and then a 14-yard pass from QB Tom Brady. He played during the first series of the game and finished with two receptions for 20 yards.
*RB Fred Taylor scored on a 28-yard touchdown run to culminate a 12-play, 80-yard drive on the Patriots first possession. He finished the game with 11 carries for 54 yards for a 4.9-yard average.
*The Patriots had two 20-yard touchdown runs in the game after RB Sammy Morris scored on a 20-yard run in the third quarter to finish a 9-play, 63-yard drive.
*During that first scoring drive, the Patriots converted three third-down plays. On third-and-seven from the New England 33-yard line, Brady completed an 11-yard pass to RB Kevin Faulk. On third-and-seven from the 47-yard line Faulk ran for eight yards and a first down. Then on third-and-two from the Atlanta 37-yard line, RB Sammy Morris gained nine yards for a first down.
*QB Tom Brady started the game and played until the last 41 seconds of the second quarter, finishing 10-of-12 for 85 yards with a 4-yard touchdown pass to TE Aaron Hernandez. He led the Patriots on two scoring drives, a 12-play, 80-yard touchdown drive in the first quarter and an 11-play, 63-yard touchdown drive in the second quarter.
*For the second straight week four rookies were in the starting lineup. First-round pick CB Devin McCourty and second-round pick LB Brandon Spikes started on defense, and second-round pick TE Rob Gronkowski and fourth-round pick TE Aaron Hernandez started on offense.
*Hernandez scored his first NFL touchdown on a 4-yard touchdown from Brady to culminate an 11-play, 63-yard drive in the second quarter. He also added a 21-yard reception in the third quarter during the team's 9-play, 63-yard touchdown drive in the third quarter.
*Both of the Patriots rookie tight ends scored touchdowns. Aaron Hernandez scored on the 4-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the second quarter, and Rob Gronkowski scored on a 24-yard pass from Brian Hoyer in the fourth quarter.
*Newly re-instated LB Derrick Burgess started at outside linebacker.
*In the first half, the Patriots ran 29 offensive plays: 13 rushes for 71 yards and 14 passes for 79 yards. The team finished the game with 61 offensive plays: 30 rushing attempts and 29 pass attempts.
*Backup QB Brian Hoyer entered the game with 41 seconds to go in the first half and finished the game 8-of 15 for 94 yards with one touchdown, a 24-yarder to TE Rob Gronkowski.
*DL Ron Brace forced a fumble that was recovered by LB Tyrone McKenzie at the Atlanta 42-yard line with under a minute left in the third quarter. The Patriots converted the turnover into 24-yard touchdown to rookie TE Rob Gronkowski.
