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September 23, 2007

HALFTIME REPORT: Pats lead Bills, 17-7

BY ART MARTONE
Journal Sports Editor

FOXBORO -- It took a while, but the Patriots finally began to play like the 16 1/2-point favorites they were as they scored twice in the second quarter and built a 17-7 halftime lead over the Bills Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.

The rout everyone expected appeared to be underway within the game's first two minutes. Buffalo quarterback J.P. Losman injured his knee when he was hit low by the Patriots' Vince Wilfork -- Wilfork was penalized 15 yards for roughing the quarterback -- and though a clearly hobbled Losman stayed in the game, two plays later he fumbled when hit from the blind side on a cornerback blitz by Ellis Hobbs. Jarvis Green recovered for the Pats on the Buffalo 35.

It took six plays for New England to reach the Bills' 6. But the Buffalo defense stiffened, and the Patriots had to settle for a 24-yard Stephen Gostokowski field goal. It was the first time this season New England didn't score a touchdown on its first offensive possession.

Six minutes later, the Pats recorded another 2007 first: They fell behind. Trent Edwards replaced Losman at quarterback and marched Buffalo 80 yards in 12 plays, capped by an eight-yard TD run by Marshawn Lynch.

The Patriots gained 20 yards on the first two plays of their next possession, moving from their 33 to the Bills 47. Again, however, Buffalo tightened defensively and the Bills eventually took over on downs when the Pats -- passing up a 47-yard field-goal attempt by Gostkowski -- came up a yard short on a fourth-and-seven pass to Kevin Faulk. Buffalo took over on its own 21.

By now it was the second quarter and uneasiness was beginning to settle in over Gillette Stadium; the Patriots, after all, had entered the game as a 16 1/2-point favorite. That uneasiness grew on the Pats' next possession when Tom Brady, after driving the Patriots from the New England 28 to the Buffalo 3, fumbled on a sneak attempt and the Bills recovered, keeping the Pats out of the end zone and protecting their 7-3 lead.

But the uneasiness soon disappeared.

The Bills never escaped the shadow of their goal posts after recovering Brady's fumble, and a 75-yard punt by Brian Moorman was negated somewhat by a 29-yard return from Wes Welker. Starting on his 47, Brady marched the Pats 53 yards in six plays and put the team ahead to stay with an eight-yard TD pass to Ben Watson. It was the third consecutive game Watson had scored.

Welker set New England up in great field position when another long punt return, this one of 26 yards, after the Patriot defense had forced another three-and-out. Starting at the Bills' 48, it took Brady just six plays -- one of them a 20-yard pass to Kyle Brady, which moved the ball to the Buffalo 2 -- to reach paydirt; the drive was capped by a three-yard scoring toss to Randy Moss with 1:20 to play in the half.

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