PATRIOTS (2-0) at LIONS (1-1)
Thursday, August 22, 2013 - 7:30 p.m. EDT
* Ford Field (64,500)*
The New England Patriots improved to a 2-0 preseason record by following a 31- 22 victory at Philadelphia on Aug. 9 with a 25-21 win vs. Tampa bay last Friday night in the 20313 home preseason opener.
The Patriots will attempt to get to 3-0 this Thursday when they travel to Detroit to face the Lions at Ford Field.
The last time the Patriots started the preseason with a 3-0 record was in 2003 when the team finished with a 4-0 preseason record.
Detroit is 1-1 so far in the preseason after opening at home with a 26-17 win vs. the New York Jets on Aug. 9 followed by a 24-6 loss at Cleveland on Aug. 15.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
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TELEVISION:This week's game will be broadcast by the Patriots Preseason Television Network and can be seen in every New England state as well as Hawaii. The preseason network's flagship station is WBZ-TV CBS in Boston. WBZ-TV'sDan Rocheprovides play-by-play and is joined by former Patriots tight endChristian Fauriain the broadcast booth. Former Patriots linebackerMatt Chathamwill provide sideline analysis along with WBZ-TV'sSteve Burton. Patriots Football Weekly's beat writersPaul PerilloandAndy Hart** will also provide insight and analysis.
Massachusetts
Boston, Mass. WBZ-TV Ch. 4
Springfield, Mass. WWLP-TV Ch. 22
Rhode Island
Providence, R.I. WPRI-TV Ch. 12
New Hampshire
Manchester, N.H. WMUR-TV Ch. 9
Maine
Portland, Maine WMTW-TV Ch. 8
Bangor, Maine WVII-TV Ch. 7
Connecticut
Hartford, Conn. WCTX-TV Ch. 59
Vermont
Burlington, Vt. WCAX-TV Ch.3
Hawaii
Honolulu, Hawaii KFVE-TV Ch.5
RADIO: 98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 37 stations can be found here. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis.
SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots will face Detroit in the preseason for the eighth time and for the first time since a 34-10 loss in a preseason game on August 27, 2011 at Ford Field. The Patriots are 2-5 all-time against Detroit in the preseason, including 1-3 in games played in Detroit.
The Patriots lead the regular season series, 6-4. The teams met on Thanksgiving Day in 2010 with the Patriots winning 45-24 on Nov. 25, 2010. The
Patriots are 3-2 all-time in games played in Detroit in the regular-season, including 2-0 at Ford Field.
In 2000, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made his NFL debut against the Lions in a 34-9 Detroit win at the Pontiac Silverdome on Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 23, 2000.
SERIES TRENDS
Overall Record ........................................... 6-4
Overall at Home ......................................... 3-2
Schaefer/Sullivan/Foxboro Stadium................ 2-2
Gillette Stadium .......................................... 1-0
Overall on Road .......................................... 3-2
Pontiac Silverdome ...................................... 1-2
Ford Field.................................................... 2-0
CONNECTIONS
New England Ties
Lions owner William Clay Ford attended Yale University in New Haven, Conn, where he lettered in both tennis and soccer. Ford graduated in 1949 with a Bachelor of Science in Economics. * Lions Vice Chairman William Clay Ford, Jr. received a Master of Science degree in Management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass. * Lions Linebackers Coach Matt Burke is a native of Hudson, Mass., and played four years as a safety at Dartmouth College before landing assistant coaching jobs at Bridgton Academy, Boston College, and Harvard University. * Lions Coordinator of Physical Development Jason Arapoff attended Springfield College in Springfield, Mass, where he earned four varsity letters a defensive back on the football team. * Lions Regional Scout Dave Sears was a four-year linebacker at Springfield College, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Sports Management. * Lions S Amari Spievey is a native of Middletown, Conn., where he was named Connecticut Player of the Year as a senior at Xavier High School in 2005. * Lions RB Montell Owens was a four-year letterman at the University of Maine from 2002 to 2005, where he played in 38 career games as a running back. Lions S Trevor Coston also played at Maine for two years from 2009 to 2010.
Former Patriots
Lions National Scout Dave Uyrus spent seven years with the Patriots from 1994-2000, starting as the assistant director of pro scouting (1994-1996) before serving as director of pro scouting from 1996-1999 and National Scout in 2000. Uyrus also attended Middlebury College in Middlebury, Vt., and held assistant jobs at Lee High School (Mass.), Brown University in Providence, R.I., and UMass Amherst. * Lions Regional Scout Darren Anderson was drafted by the Patriots in the fourth round of the 1992 NFL Draft and spent one season with the club as a reserve defensive back.
Former NFL Teammates
- Lions K David Akers was teammates with Patriots WR Danny Amendola (2008) and DB Kyle Arrington (2009) during their brief stints on the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad.
- Lions CB Ron Bartell was teammates with Patriots TE Daniel Fells for three years (2008-2010), WR Danny Amendola for three years (2009-2011), and TE Michael Hoomanawanui for two years (2010-2011) on the St. Louis Rams.
- Patriots LB Niko Koutouvides teamed up with Lions WR Nate Burleson for two seasons (2006-2007) on the Seattle Seahawks.
- Patriots RB Leon Washington was teammates with Lions WR Kris Durham for one season (2011) on the Seattle Seahawks.
- Lions RB Reggie Bush and Patriots DL Rob Ninkovich were teammates in New Orleans during the 2006 and 2008 seasons, with Patriots CB Marquice Cole joining the pair in 2008. Bush was also teammates with Patriots LB Mike Rivera from 2011-2012 on the Miami Dolphins.
Lions G/C Leroy Harris and Lions LB Stephen Tulloch teammates with Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount (2010), CB Marquice Cole (2007-2008), and LB Mike Rivera (2009-2010) during their brief stints with the Tennessee Titans. Lions DE Jason Jones and G Jake Scott joined the Titans in 2008 and were teammates with this group of Patriots for one season each. * Lions S Chris Hope teamed up with OL Will Svitek for one season (2012) on the Atlanta Falcons. Hope was also teammates with Patriots RB LeGarrette Blount (2010), CB Marquice Cole (2007-2008), and LB Mike Rivera (2009-2010) in Tennessee. * Lions CB Chris Houston was teammates with Patriots WR Michael Jenkins for three seasons (2007-2009) and OL Will Svitek for one season (2012) on the Atlanta Falcons. * Lions DE Israel Idonije was teammates for one season with Patriots LB Mike Rivera (2009), WR Johnathan Haggerty (2011), and LS Kamar Aiken (2012) on the Chicago Bears. * Patriots TE Jake Ballard and Lions CB Domonique Johnson were teammates for one season in 2010 on the New York Giants. * Patriots WR Michael Jenkins teamed up with Lions S Tyrell Johnson for one season on the 2011 Minnesota Vikings. * Lions QB Thaddeus Lewis was teammates with Patriots TE Michael Hoomanawanui for one season (2010) on the St. Louis Rams and DL Marcus Benard for one season (2012) on the Cleveland Browns. * Lions DT Ogemdi Nwagbuo teamed up with S Steve Gregory for two seasons (2009-2010) on the San Diego Chargers. * Lions RB Montell Owens was teammates with Patriots OL Dan Connolly for one season (2006) on the Jacksonville Jaguars. * Patriots LB Niko Koutouvides and Lions TE Tony Scheffler were teammates during the 2008 season on the Denver Broncos. * Patriots DT Tommy Kelly was teammates with Lions WR Chaz Schilens for four seasons (2008-2011) on the Oakland Raiders. Schilens was also teammates with Patriots QB Tim Tebow during his one season with the New York Jets in 2012. * Patriots LB Niko Koutouvides teamed up with Lions G Rob Sims for two seasons (2006-2007) on the Seattle Seahawks. * Lions WR Michael Spurlock was teammates with Patriots CB Aqib Talib for three seasons (2009-2011), LB Niko Koutouvides (2009-2010) and RB LeGarrette Blount (2010-2011) for two seasons, and DB Kyle Arrington (2009) for one season on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Spurlock was also teammates with Patriots S Adrian Wilson during his one season with the Arizona Cardinals in 2006. * Patriots TE Jake Ballard and WR Devin Thomas were teammates for one season (2011) on the New York Giants. * Lions WR Matt Willis was teammates with Patriots QB Tim Tebow for two seasons (2010-2011) and TE Daniel Fells (2011) and LB Niko Koutouvides (2008) for one season with the Denver Broncos.
Former College Teammates
Patriots WR Matthew Slater and Lions WR Terrance Austin spent two seasons together at UCLA from 2006- 2007. * Patriots T Sebastian Vollmer was teammates with Lions WR Patrick Edwards during the 2008 season at the University of Houston. * Patriots RB Leon Washington and Lions DT Andre Fluellen were teammates for two seasons (2004-2005) at Florida State. * Patriots DL Marcus Forston was teammates with Lions T Jason Fox for two seasons (2008-2009) at Miami (FL). * Patriots WR Danny Amendola and Lions C Dylan Gandy were teammates during the 2004 season at Texas Tech. * Lions RB Mikel Leshoure was teammates with Patriots S Tavon Wilson for three seasons (2008-2010) and DE Michael Buchanan (2009-2010), DB Justin Green (2009-2010), and TE Michael Hoomanawanui (2008- 2009) for two seasons at Illinois. * Lions LB Ashlee Palmer teamed up with Patriots RB Brandon Bolden during the 2008 season at Ole Miss. * Lions T Riley Reiff was teammates with Patriots OL Markus Zusevics for three seasons (2009-2011) and LB Jeff Tarpinian for two seasons (2009-2010) at Iowa. * Patriots CB Alfonzo Dennard and Lions DT Ndamokung Suh were teammates for two seasons (2008-2009) at Nebraska. * Patriots TE Rob Gronkowski was teammates for two seasons (2007-2008) with Lions WR Mike Thomas at Arizona. * Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower and Lions TE Michael Williams were teammates for three seasons (2009-2011) at Alabama. * Patriots WR Matthew Slater teamed up with Lions WR Matt Willis for two seasons (2005-2006) at UCLA. * Patriots OL R.J. Mattes was teammates with Lions DE Willie Young during the 2009 season at NC State.Â
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