FOXBOROUGH -- The Patriots spotted the Chargers an early lead, but put 15 second-quarter points on the board on the way to a 21-13 win over Los Angeles Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium
New England heads into the bye week with a 6-2 record and a four-game winning streak.
The Patriots were led by Tom Brady, who went 32-for-47 for 333 yards and a touchdown. Dion Lewis had 16 carries for 44 yards, James White came away with five catches for 85 yards, and Stephen Gostkowski had four field-goals on the afternoon, connecting from 25, 36, 43 and 26 yards. (However, Gostkowski did miss a pair on the day, the first time he missed two field-goal attempts in one game since 2012.)
On the other side of the ball, Philip Rivers was 17-for-30 for 212 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. And Melvin Gordon was tremendous, finishing with 14 carries for 132 yards and a touchdown.
Sixteen years to the month Brady completed his first comeback as a professional quarterback — that one was also against the Chargers at home — there was no need for such heroics this time around. The Patriots were in control for a sizable portion of the afternoon, as New England took a second-quarter lead and held that edge the rest of the way.
After a terrific 87-yard touchdown run from Gordon to open the scoring, the Patriots responded with a 14-play drive (tied for their longest of the year) that culminated with a 2-yard pass from Brady to Rob Gronkowski to tie the game. They tacked on their first safety of the year when Travis Benjamin was tackled in the end zone roughly midway through the second to make it 9-7, and three field goals from Gostkowski made it 18-7 after three quarters.
After the Chargers cut it to 18-13 early in the fourth(the two-point attempt was off the mark), the Patriots finished off the game with a fourth-quarter drive that ended with a 26-yarder from Gostkowski to make it 21-13. A final fling for the end zone from Rivers was off the mark, picked off by Jonathan Jones to end things.
Pregame and in-game updates from Price ...
4:00 p.m.: Jonathan Jones with the pick on the goal line, and that'll end it. Patriots win, 21-13.
3:59 p.m.: One second left. Chargers have the ball on the New England 23.
3:56 p.m.: Chargers approaching midfield. This has a chance to be another crazy finish.
3:54 p.m.: Hogan (shoulder) is questionable to return.
3:52 p.m.: 26-yard field goal from Gostkowski. It's 21-13 with 1:08 left. Is it possible to put him in three up and three down, Greg?
3:47 p.m.: Two-minute warning. Hogan leaves for the locker room with what looks like some sort of right arm or wrist injury.
3:46 p.m.: Meanwhile, Brady gets the first down for the Patriots and the clock keeps running.
3:44 p.m.: He's up and walking to the sideline. Sitting on the bench.
3:43 p.m.: Hogan is still down after that hit.
3:41 p.m.: That's one way to erase an ugly call. Brady to Gronkowski gets the Patriots deep into Los Angeles territory.
3:37 p.m.: Patriots need to put together a nice, steady .... oh, you guys know what I'm going to say. Seriously, they get a field goal here and get out of it with a 21-13 win, they should consider themselves fortunate.
3:31 p.m.: For all of the special teams woes the Patriots have had today, the Chargers have been worse. Two penalties there on that punt. LA has the ball with 7:05 to go on its 9-yard line.
3:25 p.m.: If you're the Patriots, this has developed into one of those games where you just want to get out of it with a win and no more injuries. Petition for a running clock the rest of the way.
3:23 p.m.: Chargers take advantage of the letdown there with a 24-yarder from Rivers to Benjamin, and they're right back in it. The two-pointer was off the mark, and it's 18-13 with 8:30 left in regulation. What a weird game.
3:21 p.m.: During a stoppage in play, ref Pete Morelli was caught with his mic on. Funny stuff. "Bosa is complaining about that guy hitting him in the face!"
3:20 p.m.: This game feels like it's a three-score differential. Patriots have left a TON of scoring opportunities on the field this afternoon.
3:18 p.m.: Field goal is no good. Still 18-7 with 9:36 left in the second quarter.
3:16 p.m.: The Patriots are suffocating the Chargers on this drive. If they punch it in for seven, this one will pretty much be over.
3:10 p.m.: That's the end of the third quarter. 18-7, Patriots.
3:08 p.m.: Patriots approaching midfield after that 14-yard pickup by Hogan.
3:04 p.m.: Stop me if you've heard this before -- the Patriots can really gain some separation here with a touchdown. Gut feeling? Run the ball against one of the worst run defenses in the league, drain some clock and extend the lead with a nice steady drive.
3:03 p.m.: Lots of good talent on both sides of the ball for the Chargers. They're just young and prone to some mistakes.
2:55 p.m.: 43-yard field goal is good. Another drive that ends with three instead of seven. Good, but not ideal. It's 18-7 with 5:25 left in the third quarter.
2:52 p.m.: Another slow and steady drive here for the Patriots. They've been successful at this -- just have rarely put TDs on the board at the end.
2:50 p.m.: Waddle remains at tackle in place of Cannon here at the start of the second half.
2:46 p.m.: Rivers attempt as many passes on that last LA drive (five) as he did in the entire first half.
2:45 p.m.: Third and 31 for Los Angeles.
2:43 p.m.: Chargers suddenly throwing the ball here to start the second half after only five pass attempts in the first half.
2:41 p.m.: Rivers to Allen is a play that gets LA out to midfield.
2:36 p.m.: Like loading the bases with nobody out and not getting any runs. Bad execution there by the offense and special teams. Stays 15-7 with 14:28 left in the third.
2:34 p.m.: One defender shy of a New England special teams touchdown. Gives Pats excellent field position to start the second half.
Hello, @DionLewisRB. ???? #GoPats pic.twitter.com/W0ppvxOsEF
— NFL (@NFL) October 29, 2017
The #Patriots safety is the 1st safety on a punt return since the Saints recorded a safety on a punt @ Tennessee on Sept. 21, 2003. #LACvsNE
— New England Patriots (@Patriots) October 29, 2017
