On Saturday, Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski started together in a preseason game for the first time since 2012, but it was the Patriots' running backs who made the biggest impact in the 27-23 preseason loss to the Texans.
Rex Burkhead had 70 yards from scrimmage (20 yards rushing, 50 yards receiving) and a touchdown in the first half, while D.J. Foster had 75 yards (23 yards rushing, 52 yards receiving) and a score of his own in the second half. Meanwhile, Dion Lewis added seven carries for 34 yards and one catch for nine yards. Brady ended up going 6-for-9 for 67 yards and a touchdown pass and Stephen Gostkowski had three field goals in the defeat.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Garoppolo turned in another (mostly) positive performance in relief, finishing 15-for-23 for 145 yards, with one touchdown and an interception. The pick was a bad decision coming midway through the fourth quarter, and was one that ended up providing Houston with excellent field position for what turned out to be the game-winning score. The Texans went ahead for good when D'Onta Foreman punched it in from four yards out a play later. A late drive from the Patriots fell just short.
Chris Price and Greg Bedard will be keeping you updated.
11:17: Huh. An odd play. The ball was knocked away from Brissett, and it was initially thought to be an incomplete pass. But the officials have ruled it a fumble, and given the ball to Houston at the 20 -- a touchback. That should do it. 27-23 Houston.
11:15: Foster with a nice grab gets New England to the 10 with less a minute to go.
11:12: Foster with a big pickup on the ground gets the Patriots to the 20.
11:11: Back-to-back completions to start the drive for the Patriots before a timeout.
11:07: Good stand by the New England backups again, and Houston will punt it away with two minutes left. Good situational opportunity here for the Patriots second- and third-team offense with the game in the balance.
11:02: Tough back-to-back plays for the Patriots with a sack of Brissett and a near-catch by Lucien. New England struggling to keep the drive alive. New England punts it away.
10:58: Things getting a little ragged for Houston offense here with just over six minutes left. Good work by Bates, Jones and Adam Butler on that series. Pats force a punt. Nice return there by Cyrus Jones against some backup coverage units.
10:54: Pats punt it away from midfield into the end zone. 7:39 left and Houston still holds a 27-23 lead.
10:49: Brissett and the rest of the New England third-string offense are starting to grind out a drive here with roughly eight minutes left in regulation. The Patriots dodged a bullet when O'Shaughnessy fumbled a ball out of bounds.
10:46: That's it for Jimmy. Brissett will enter with just under 11 minutes to go in regulation. Garoppolo's final line is 15-for-23 for 145 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
10:43: Garoppolo's goof is compounded one play later on a touchdown from the Texans. 27-23 with 11 minutes remaining in regulation.
10:42: Garoppolo is picked on a bad decision. Not good by the young quarterback, who had been having a good evening to that point. It's his first preseason interception since 2015.
10:38: Good job tackling in space there on that third down play by Bates, who has played a lot tonight. He's on a nice arc the last week or so. Houston punts it away.
10:37: Garoppolo is 15-for-22 for 145 yards and a touchdown tonight. (He was 6-for-6 for 70 yards and a TD on that drive.) Good couple of games for Jimmy.
10:33: 25-yarder from Garoppolo to D.J. Foster, and the Patriots retake the lead. Great catch and run by the young back on a play that looks an awful lot like the Burkhead touchdown. 23-20, New England, with just over 13 minutes left.
TB12 can't hide his resentment toward Garoppolo. Just look at that contempt pic.twitter.com/8E4cPlskZV
— Jerry Thornton (@jerrythornton1) August 20, 2017
.@deshaunwatson keeps it and SCORES! #NEvsHOU pic.twitter.com/YZylMOYo3D
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2017
The @houstontexans rookies!!@deshaunwatson finds @D33_foreman for a 63-yard gain! #NEvsHOU pic.twitter.com/V5fdflV6dA
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2017
There goes @BruceElling10!@deshaunwatson finds him for a gain of 33! #NEvsHOU pic.twitter.com/CtAAoC2GpK
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2017
Welcome to the @Patriots, Rex Burkhead!
TB12 finds @RBrex2022 for a TOUCHDOWN! #NEvsHOU pic.twitter.com/6paQrAoCwk
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2017
.@TomSavage03
To @JaelenStrong...
That's a @HoustonTexans TD! #NEvsHOU pic.twitter.com/5UXudSxpO2
— NFL (@NFL) August 20, 2017
Back at the scene of the celebration and...there's still confetti in the phone bank. pic.twitter.com/wclp6MRmJC
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) August 19, 2017
