Tom Brady put the Buccaneers on the board Sunday with his first touchdown as Tampa Bay's starting quarterback.
Unfortunately for TB12 and his new team, he provided points for the Bucs' Week 1 opponent as well.
Brady, who rushed for the first touchdown in the Week 1 contest between Tampa Bay and New Orleans, tossed a pick six on the Buccaneers' first drive of the second half at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. A pass intended for Justin Winston was intercepted by Saints cornerback Janoris Jenkins, who bolted 36 yards to paydirt and swelled New Orleans' lead to 24-7.
As you can imagine, Brady's error prompted a slew of reactions on social media.
In typical Brady fashion, he wasted little time making amends for his mistake. Less than four minutes after the pick six, TB12 connected on a 9-yard touchdown pass to tight end O.J. Howard to trim the Saints' lead to 10.
Thumbnail photo via Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports Images
FOXBORO, Mass. -- Sunday's New England Patriots game was David Andrews' first since Super Bowl LIII.
Cam Newton helped make it extra special for the veteran center.
After Newton scored the second of his two rushing touchdowns in New England's 21-11 victory over the Miami Dolphins, he handed the ball to Andrews for the celebratory spike.
Andrews, who missed all of last season with blood clots in his lungs, appreciated the gesture.
"It was awesome," Andrews said during his postgame video conference. "He's been a great teammate, man, and you've got to love watching that guy play the game. The way he plays it and seeing all the work he's put in, I'm super proud of him, and we had some fun out there today."
Newton, who turned in a stellar performance in his Patriots debut, related to the disappointment Andrews felt throughout the 2019 season. The quarterback also spent most of that campaign away from the field, landing on injured reserve with a foot injury after just two games.
"Dave is a person who was kind of in my boat -- a person that’s been out of football," Newton said after Sunday's game. "And for him to enjoy that just as much as I’ve been enjoying just being a witness of how he works, his whole presentation, how he shows up each and every day, how he practices -- he was the first person that I saw, so I knew he would enjoy that."
Andrews' celebration also was a way for Newton to honor his offensive line, which mauled Miami's front in the running game. The Patriots finished with 217 rushing yards on 42 carries, more than they amassed in any game last season.
Newton carried the ball 15 times for 75 yards and two touchdowns, leading the Patriots in all three categories. Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, J.J. Taylor, James White and wide receiver Julian Edelman all registered 20-plus rushing yards, as well.
"A lot of times, having your hand on the ground, you don’t necessarily get the recognition you deserve," Newton said. "But none of what happened to me today would have happened without those big guys up front."
The Patriots employed a rotation at right tackle, with rookie Mike Onwenu spelling starter Jermaine Eluemunor at times, but Andrews and the other four O-line starters played wire to wire. After what he went through a year ago, Andrews said he was "extremely thankful" to have the opportunity to play at all.
“About this time last year, I didn’t know if I would get to step back on a football field," Andrews said. "And then you look what happened this spring and what we’re still dealing with, I didn’t know when or if we were going to step on a football field due to everything that was going on in the world.
"I’m extremely grateful to get to play this game. God’s been good to this kid from Georgia, and this game’s been really good to me."
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
The New England Patriots got off on the right foot in the 2020 NFL season.
The Patriots on Sunday took down the Miami Dolphins 21-11 in a divisional battle at Gillette Stadium. New England's offense was powered by Cam Newton, who racked up two rushing touchdowns in his Patriots debut.
Following New England's Week 1 win, Julian Edelman took to Instagram to commend his teammates for their efforts Sunday while also looking forward to the Patriots' next opponent. The veteran wide receiver's post features a South Beach theme, including a smiling Bill Belichick in a tube.
Edelman collected five catches for a game-high 57 yards against the Dolphins. His first connection with Newton marked the 600th reception of his NFL career.
The 1-0 Patriots will be in Seattle next Sunday for a primetime matchup with Russell Wilson and the Seahawks.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
Robert Lewis Jr. sat down with NESN's Tom Caron on this week's "Ultimate Red Sox Show."
Lewis Jr. is the founder and president of "The BASE." The organization attempts to help children by providing pathways and access to athletics.
Caron and Lewis spoke digitally on Sunday's edition of the "Ultimate Red Sox Show" about the program and all of the ways people can help out.
For more, check out the video above presented by Awaken180 Weightloss.
One Christian gave the Red Sox an early lead Sunday, while another helped the team secure the team's 6-3 win over the Rays at Tropicana Field.
Boston managed to split its four-game series with Tampa Bay thanks to the win, beginning with a first-inning home run from Christian Vazquez that gave the Red Sox a 2-0 advantage. Christian Arroyo crushed another two-run shot in the sixth to set up the final score.
It was Arroyo's second time going deep for the Red Sox, with his first coming Saturday night in their loss to the Rays. And the second baseman is satisfied with the progress he's made as of late.
"I think that a lot of it has to do with, it sounds cliche sometimes, but I really believe in trusting the whole process of getting to a spot where you'll see results," Arroyo said of his journey in his postgame video conference.
As for Vazquez, he had a breakthrough of his own, hitting his first home run since July 30. It was just his second hit of the four-game series.
"I think even though you tell guys not to try and hit homers, we still like them to hit homers," manager Ron Roenicke said in his postgame video conference. "But (Vazquez has) been swinging the bat really well too so I think that has to do with it. He's been getting a lot of hits, his swings are good, his at-bats are tough at-bats. And I think once you do that, you gain confidence that once you get that pitch in the zone you like, you're able to turn on it like he did today. He's doing a lot. He's still really good behind the plate. If he just stays with what he's doing his average is going to keep climbing and he'll hit some homers."
As for the rest of the offense, Roenicke was pleased that all but one Boston batter recorded a hit in Sunday's contest.
"I really enjoy the way we're playing right now," Roenicke said. "I enjoy watching when they're getting after it. Really good at-bats from people so it's pretty cool to see."
Here are some other notes from Boston's win over Tampa Bay:
-- Speaking of good at-bats, Devers' three-hit performance (3-for-5 with an RBI-double) raised his batting average to .289, and the third baseman continues his tear thus far in September.
In his last 14 games, he's recorded 16 home runs and 16 RBIs with a .455 average and a .500 on-base percentage.
Keep it up, Raffy.
-- Martin Perez recorded the win in a solid start for the Red Sox, going five innings and giving up two earned runs with six strikeouts.
Some defensive errors took a little away from his outing, but he finished things off strong to keep Boston in the game.
"Martin, I thought, was outstanding," Roenicke said of his starter. "We played poorly behind him and he bounced back and made some really good pitches to get out of stuff. It cost him going probably to the sixth inning, too, but I thought he did a great job."
The performance added to Perez's success against Tampa Bay this season.
Perez now is 2-1 with a 2.37 ERA and 15 strikeouts in 15.2 innings against the Rays this season.
"There's a lot or responsibility that I have right now, and I just have to go out there and give a chance to my team to win," Perez said in his postgame Zoom conference. "That's all we can do and control the things that we can control. And today I was able to go out there and perform and try to keep the game close. And it was a great game today."
That responsibility to carry the rotation fell on his shoulders at points this year with Eduardo Rodriguez and Chris Sale out for the year and Nathan Eovaldi dealing with a calf cramp.
But Perez has risen to the challenge, and Roenicke says he'd love to have him around next year, as the pitcher has a club-option for 2021.
"We love what he's doing and unfortunately, we've talked about this, when Nate went down we put it all on Martin's shoulders to try and get us deep into games and you know, when we signed him he wasn't thinking that way and we weren't thinking that way," Roenicke said. "So yeah, I love what he's doing and if we can work that out (picking up his option), great. But he's also become a good leader. Especially with the Latin players."
-- You don't see many celebrations for an infield single like the one where J.D. Martinez got on in the fourth inning, but it broke slump that saw the designated hitter 0-for-22 at bat. On Sunday, Martinez was 1-for-5 with an RBI.
-- After splitting the series with the Rays, Boston now looks south to Miami to begin a three-game series with the Marlins on Tuesday. Recent call-up Tanner Houck will make his Major League Baseball debut on the mound for the Red Sox.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.
Thumbail photo via Mary Holt/USA TODAY Sports Images
FOXBORO, Mass. -- New England Patriots cornerback JC Jackson started his season with a hiccup, but he more than made amends by the end of the Patriots' 21-11 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Head coach Bill Belichick seemingly forgave Jackson for a mental error committed on the punt return team by going out of his way to praise the young Patriots cornerback for a game-clinching interception late in the fourth quarter.
Jackson bumped Patriots wide receiver Damiere Byrd, causing a muffed punt early in the first quarter. Jackson immediately atoned for the sin by recovering the fumble then went on to put together a stellar defensive performance.
Jackson let up just two catches on four targets with a pass breakup and the interception while rotating with Jason McCourty and Jonathan Jones in the Patriots' secondary.
“I really take my hat off to JC," Belichick said. "I thought JC really competed well today. He showed a lot of mental toughness and a real competitiveness in the game for him to make that play at the end to seal the win. ... So I just wanted to personally congratulate him for that. It was good."
Belichick was asked about the Patriots' secondary but pulled an uncommon move by voluntarily shifting the focus of his answer to a specific player.
Jackson has been one of the NFL's best defensive backs over his first two seasons, leading qualified cornerbacks in passer rating allowed in 2018 and 2019. He's already off to a hot start in 2020, letting up a 22.9 passer rating in Week 1.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
FOXBORO, Mass. -- Television cameras caught a heated Cam Newton after the quarterback led his New England Patriots to a 21-11 Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins.
Newton said Dolphins players were trying to grab at his chain after the game but that he should have known better than to get into it with Dolphins defensive tackle Christian Wilkins.
"It was a competitive game -- on both sides," Newton said. "You just have to realize who you're talking to, and just keep everything in the game. I realized I was talking to a person that's known for doing splits. So, it wasn't characteristic of myself to keep going back and forth."
Wilkins is known for doing celebratory splits.
Newton did note that the Patriots "got the thing that was most valuable today, and that's the win."
A video showed one of Newton's chains falling out of his hand as the game clock ticked down. Newton proved that he was still wearing both of his chains over a video conference call after the game, however.
"They were reaching for my chain," Newton said. "I think that kind of got up under my skin, but throughout it all, man, listen, I don’t want nothing taken away from a great team game that we did have. And I don't want to be selfish and kind of focus or dwell on that."
It's never too late for a good ol' no-hitter, eh?
Alec Mills was the lucky pitcher this time around, earning just the second no-no of Major League Baseball's 2020 season Sunday afternoon.
The Cubs right-hander struck out five and walked three in nine hitless innings as Chicago cruised to a 12-0 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.
Brewers pinch-hitter Jace Peterson grounded into the final out of the game, and an epic celebration ensued.
Check it out, via MLB:
Awesome stuff, especially for a former college walk-on.
Chicago White Sox starter Lucas Giolito claimed the first no-hitter of the abbreviated season Aug. 25.
Thumbnail photo via Michael McLoone/USA TODAY Sports Images
FOXBORO, Mass. -- New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton insisted he was not injured during Sunday's 21-11 victory over the Miami Dolphins at Gillette Stadium.
Following a postgame scuffle with several Dolphins players, CBS cameras showed Newton reaching toward his left hamstring and walking with a slight limp as he exited the field.
The quarterback was asked about his health status during his postgame video conference.
"I'm great," Newton said. "Everything's good. Trust."
Newton was New England's top ball-carrier in his Patriots debut, rushing 15 times for 75 yards and two touchdowns. He also completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for 155 yards with no turnovers.
The Patriots will release their next injury report Wednesday afternoon. We'll find out then whether Newton emerged from Sunday's game unscathed.
Thumbnail photo via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
Bobby Dalbec has shined early in his Major League Baseball career.
The slugging first baseman has smashed six home runs through his first 12 big league games and extended his hitting streak to seven as the Boston Red Sox took down the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.
Dalbec went 1-for-4 with a single in the series finale at Tropicana Field.
For more on his recent play, check out the video above from "Red Sox Final," presented by Rodenhiser Home Services.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
Cam Newton used his legs to score his first touchdown in a Patriots uniform.
As fate would have it, Newton's predecessor in New England also took to the ground for his first score with his new team.
Tom Brady dialed up a quarterback sneak, a tried-and-true play over the course of the future Hall of Famer's NFL career, to give the Tampa Bay Buccaneers an early lead over the New Orleans Saints. Brady's two-yard TD rush capped off the signal-caller's first drive with Tampa Bay, which also saw TB12 complete two passes for 37 yards at Mercedes-Benz Superdome.
Brady channeled his inner Rob Gronkowski after crossing the goal line by unleashing an enthusiastic spike.
Even at 43 years old, Brady has no qualms with driving through the trenches.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
**WARNING** This one might sting for some Patriots fans.
It's been five months since Tom Brady left New England after 20 seasons and joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It's been a tough pill for Pats fans to swallow, but not as tough as Sunday's Bucs game will be.
Like it or not, we're finally getting our first look at Tom Brady in his official new digs as Tampa takes on the New Orleans Saints at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. He looked pretty fired up as he took the field for the first time, too, much to Pats fans' dismay.
Here are some of the highlights:
Ouch.
Thumbnail photo via Derick E. Hingle/USA TODAY Sports Images
The Boston Red Sox evened things up in the four-game set with the Tampa Bay Rays, taking Wednesday's series finale 6-3.
Rafael Devers dazzled with a three-hit game, driving in a game-tying double and leading the offense on a night where all but one of his teammates recorded a hit.
Red Sox starter Martin Perez got the win after throwing five solid innings, while Matt Barnes earned the save.
Boston improves to 17-31 on the season as the Rays fall to 30-17.
Here's how it all went down:
GAME IN A WORD
Satisfying.
Boston stepped up to split the series, with all but one member of its lineup recording a hit and no major pitching implosions.
ON THE BUMP
-- Boston got a solid start out of Perez, who went five innings and gave up three runs (two earned) off five hits and two walks.
Tampa's first run of the game came in the first off a Mike Brosseau double.
The Rays tacked on two more runs in the fourth when Kevan Smith drove one to deep left center field to put Tampa back on top.
-- Phillips Valdez was the first reliever to come in for Boston, pitching the sixth inning and giving up one hit.
-- Ryan Weber came in for 2/3 innings, striking out his first batter and making a play on a ground ball to get the second out. But after giving up a single and walk consecutively, Weber was pulled.
-- Ryan Brasier finished out the seventh inning, recording the third out with a five-pitch strikeout.
He came back in to throw the eighth for a quick 1-2-3 inning to set up closer Matt Barnes. Brasier gave up no hits or walks and had three strikeouts.
-- Matt Barnes got the save for Boston with a 1-2-3 final inning.
IN THE BATTER'S BOX
-- The Red Sox got on the board right away.
Christian Vazquez gave Boston an early 2-0 lead with his fifth home run of the season, driving home Yairo Muñoz from second.
-- Devers tied the game at three runs apiece in the fifth with an RBI double, sending Muñoz home and sending Vazquez to third.
J.D. Martinez brought in Vazquez with a sacrifice groundout for the 4-3 advantage.
-- -- Boston took a 6-3 lead in the sixth on a two-run homer by Christian Arroyo. The blast traveled 402 feet to right field.
-- Devers led the offense going 3-for-5 with an RBI.
TWEET OF THE GAME
Devers continues his tear.
UP NEXT
After splitting the series with the Rays, Boston will move further south to Miami to begin a three-game series with the Marlins. Recent call-up Tanner Houck will make his Major League Baseball debut.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Mary Holt/USA TODAY Sports Images
The Week 1 contest between the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins didn't conclude without tempers flaring.
Cam Newton, who rushed for a pair of touchdowns Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium, put the finishing touches on the Patriots' 21-11 win over the Dolphins with an 11-yard rush that allowed New England to run out the clock. Shortly after the game-sealing run, Newton and Dolphins linebacker Elandon Roberts, a former Patriot, began to jaw at each other to the point they needed to be separated.
Newton was visibly irritated as he was shuffled to the Patriots sideline by his teammates.
You can watch the sequence unfold in the video here.
While his afternoon might have ended in frustration, Newton surely must be happy about his first outing with New England. The veteran signal-caller completed 15 of 19 passes for 155 yards in addition to 75 yards on the ground.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
FOXBORO, Mass. -- Tom Brady who?
OK, we won't go that far, but quarterback Cam Newton put together an impressive performance in his New England Patriots debut.
Newton, who rushed 15 times for 75 yards with two touchdowns and completed 15-of-19 passes for 155 yards, was clearly the star of the Patriots' 21-11 Week 1 win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.
Newton proved he could still pick up key yards with his legs and showed impressive accuracy, poise and chemistry with key Patriots pass-catchers in the pocket.
Here's who else stood out:
WR JULIAN EDELMAN
Edelman dropped the first target thrown his way. Then, well, he looked like Julian Edelman.
The veteran wide receiver caught five passes for 57 yards and carried the ball once for 23 yards.
S ADRIAN PHILLIPS
Phillips won the Patriots' starting strong safety job left vacant by Patrick Chung's opt-out.
He led the team with eight tackles in Week 1, including one tackle for loss, and intercepted Dolphins quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Phillips let up three catches on three targets (cornerback Jonathan Jones was the target on Phillips' interception) for 24 yards.
LB CHASE WINOVICH
Winovich proved he can be a three-down player by bringing pressure as a pass rusher and make run stuffs on early downs.
The second-year pro had five tackles, including a tackle for loss, and a quarterback hit.
Linebackers John Simon and Brandon Copeland also registered tackles for loss. Defensive linemen Deatrich Wise and Byron Cowart made stout plays in run defense as well.
CB JC JACKSON
The Patriots were stingy in pass defense all day. Jackson only let up two catches on four targets with a pass breakup and a fourth quarter interception.
Safety Joejuan Williams allowed just one catch on three targets for 9 yards with a pass breakup while focusing his attention on tight end Mike Gesicki. He was covering Gesicki on Jackson's interception.
Jones let up just one catch on four targets for 8 yards. He was in coverage on the intended receiver, Isaiah Ford, on Phillips' interception.
Cornerback Stephon Gilmore was flagged for pass interference twice. He let up five catches on eight targets for 63 yards but also intercepted Fitzpatrick.
PATRIOTS RUSHING ATTACK
The Patriots grounded and pounded for 208 rushing yards on 39 carries for 5.3 yards per attempt.
Tight end Ryan Izzo had key blocks on both rushing touchdowns by Newton.
Sony Michel carried the ball 10 times for 37 yards with a touchdown. Rex Burkhead carried the ball seven times for 37 yards, and rookie J.J. Taylor showed some power by picking up 28 yards on four rushes.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
Final, Patriots 21-11: A J.C. Jackson interception in the end zone in the final minutes sealed the New England Patriots' first victory of the post-Tom Brady era.
Brady's successor, Cam Newton, was the star of the show Sunday, completing 15 of 19 passes for 155 yards and carrying the ball 15 times for 75 yards and two touchdowns in his first game in a Patriots uniform.
The 1-0 Patriots will travel to Seattle for a primetime matchup with the Seahawks next Sunday night.
Fourth quarter, 5:23, Patriots 21-11: A 1-yard touchdown plunge by Sony Michel padded the Patriots' cushion.
Michel's score came after another clutch carry by Cam Newton, who, after being ruled down just short of the line to gain on third-and-6, picked up the necessary yardage on fourth-and-1.
The Patriots also got a big play earlier in the drive from Julian Edelman, who picked up 23 yards on a jet sweep -- and another 15 when Jerome Baker drilled him with a late hit out of bounds.
Fourth quarter, 10:31, Patriots 14-11:The Dolphins are very much alive.
After N'Keal Harry's fumble, Miami marched 80 yards for a touchdown, benefiting from two defensive pass interference penalties along the way (including one by Stephon Gilmore on fourth down).
Jordan Howard scored from 1 yard out, and Ryan Fitzpatrick's two-point conversion cut the Patriots' lead to three.
Fourth quarter, 15:00, Patriots 14-3: That's a costly error by N'Keal Harry.
With the Patriots on the precipice of what might have been a game-sealing touchdown, Harry fumbled inside the 5-yard line. The ball rolled into the end zone and out of bounds, resulting in a touchback and handing possession over to the Dolphins.
Third quarter, 10:14, Patriots 14-3: Excellent start to the second half for the Patriots' offense.
Unlike their opening possession of the first quarter, New England went pass-heavy to begin the third, with Cam Newton firing three completions to Julian Edelman and one to James White to march the Patriots down the field.
Newton capped the drive with his second rushing touchdown of the afternoon, faking a handoff to Rex Burkhead before bootlegging around the right end for an 11-yard score. Tight end Ryan Izzo again provided a solid block to clear a path for his QB.
Halftime, Patriots 7-3: Adrian Phillips' first interception in a Patriots uniform -- which came with less than a minute remaining in the half --gave the Patriots one more scoring opportunity.
New England drove into Dolphins territory, but Nick Folk missed wide left on a 45-yard field-goal try.
On the interception, Ryan Fitzpatrick tried to fit a pass in to Isaiah Ford but never saw Phillips, who drifted back from his hybrid linebacker spot.
The Patriots leaned heavily on the ground game in this low-scoring first half, with Cam Newton completing 6 passes on just 9 attempts for 72 yards.
Second quarter, 3:53, Patriots 7-3: A strong defensive sequence by the Patriots forced the Dolphins to settle for a field goal -- their first points of the afternoon.
Deatrich Wise and Byron Cowart registered back-to-back run stuffs, and Stephon Gilmore, who was in coverage on a 20-yard completion to Preston Williams earlier in the drive, blanketed Williams on third down to force an incompletion.
The Patriots are really getting creative with their secondary in this first half:
Second quarter, 9:09, Patriots 7-0: Stephon Gilmore's still got it.
The Patriots took over at Miami's 35 but couldn't capitalize on the reigning Defensive Player of the Year's first interception of the season. Cam Newton slid to the turf for a sack on third-and-6, and Bill Belichick opted to punt rather than attempt a 55-yard field goal.
Second quarter, 13:12, Patriots 7-0: The Patriots have their first touchdown of the season, and it came courtesy of their new quarterback.
After rushing up the middle for 7 yards on third-and-5 to extend the drive, Cam Newton trotted 4 yards untouched into the end zone to open the scoring.
Sound blocking by right guard Shaq Mason, tight end Ryan Izzo and right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor cleared a wide hole for Newton, who's averaging 6.5 yards per carry on four attempts thus far.
End first quarter, 0-0: End of one here in Foxboro.
The Patriots are putting together a nice drive highlighted by a 25-yard catch-and-run by Ryan Izzo and a 15-yard dash by Rex Burkhead. Now looking at third-and-5 from Miami's 24.
First quarter, 4:23, 0-0: Back-to-back plays by Chase Winovich in run defense helped the Patriots force another Dolphins punt.
Winovich teamed up with Ja'Whaun Bentley to bring down Jordan Howard for a 1-yard gain on first-and-10, then blew up Howard for a 3-yard loss one play later. Strong start for the second-year pro.
The lack of crowd reaction to Winovich's TFL really drove home how strange this season will be.
Also of note: Damiere Byrd has been replaced as the Patriots' punt returner. After Byrd muffed Miami's first punt, Julian Edelman was back deep for the second one.
First quarter, 8:20, 0-0: We just got our first look at a Cam Newton-led Patriots offense.
New England kept the ball on the ground to start, opening the game with five consecutive running plays. These included two keepers by Newton -- the first up which resulted in a 10-yard gain up the middle -- and two plays out of jumbo personnel with offensive lineman Mike Onwenu in as a tackle-eligible.
The Patriots gained 7, 10, 5, 4 and 2 yards on their five runs, the last of which gave them a first down on third-and-1. When they went to the air, their momentum halted.
Newton had Julian Edelman open over the middle on first down, but Edelman couldn't hang onto the ball as he absorbed contact from safety Bobby McCain.
Linebacker Jerome Baker beat center David Andrews for a sack one play later, and a short pass to James White on third-and-19 picked up just 10 yards.
How this offense develops with Newton at the helm will be a major storyline today. The 31-year-old already has proven he still has wheels.
First quarter, 15:00, 0-0:Matthew Slater won the opening coin toss for the Patriots and elected to defer. New England will begin the 2020 NFL season on defense.
Every Patriots player stood on the sideline during the national anthem.
12:45 p.m.: Some observations before we get started here in Foxboro:
-- As we mentioned earlier, no fans will be allowed inside Gillette Stadium for this game. The first seven rows of seats have been covered with large tarps -- featuring Patriots logos and sponsored branding -- as have the red club-level sections.
A dozen or so photographers and stadium staffers are scattered throughout the lower level.
-- The Patriots' End Zone Militia is now the Concourse Militia.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the minutemen now are situated on the bridge overlook the north end zone, as are the Patriots' cheerleaders and Pat Patriot.
-- Here's a look at the mask Bill Belichick will be sporting today:
-- Overall, it's a surreal scene here at Gillette Stadium. For a closer look, check out today's Pregame Chat:
12:39 p.m.: Two anthems will play before all NFL games this weekend: "The Star-Spangled Banner" and "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the unofficial Black national anthem.
The Dolphins left the field before the anthems, as they announced they would this week.
The Patriots lined up along the goal line in the north end zone for "Lift Every Voice and Sing," the headed to the locker room.
12:21 p.m.: The move to New England has not cramped Cam Newton's style. Here's how the QB arrived at Gillette this morning:
12:20 p.m.:
11:47 a.m.:
11:30 a.m.: Here are today's Patriots inactives:
Josh Uche is the biggest surprise on that list. The second-round draft pick was highly active in training camp and was projected as a potential starting linebacker.
Jarrett Stidham's deactivation indicates Brian Hoyer is New England's top backup quarterback behind Cam Newton.
Rookie tackle/guard Justin Herron got the nod over Korey Cunningham.
Dalton Keene (neck) and Cassh Maluia (knee) both were listed as questionable with injuries. The other three are healthy scratches.
Wide receiver N'Keal Harry and outside linebacker Chase Winovich are active after being listed as questionable.
Here are Miami's inactives:
9 a.m. ET: Good morning from an empty Gillette Stadium, where the New England Patriots are preparing to host the Miami Dolphins in Week 1 of the 2020 NFL season.
If this were a typical NFL season, thousands of Patriots fans would begin filtering in from their tailgates in about 2 1/2 hours. But this, of course, is not a typical season.
For at least the month of September, the Patriots will play their home games with no fans in attendance, creating an atmosphere that will be unlike any in franchise history.
On the field, New England will debut a new quarterback (Cam Newton) and a field new-look defense that lost six starters from last season. The Dolphins, whose stunning upset here last December robbed the Patriots of a first-round playoff bye, also revamped their roster this offseason, signing a squadron of free agents that featured ex-Patriots Kyle Van Noy, Ted Karras and Elandon Roberts.
On the injury front, the Patriots ruled wide receiver/punt returner Gunner Olszewski (foot) out for this game and subsequently placed him on injured reserve, sidelining him for at least the next three weeks. Defensive tackle Beau Allen, running back Damien Harris and offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste also will begin the season on IR.
Four Patriots players are listed as questionable: wide receiver N'Keal Harry, tight end Dalton Keene, outside linebacker Chase Winovich and inside linebacker Cassh Maluia.
New England elevated kicker Nick Folk and defensive tackle Xavier Williams from its practice squad Saturday
Click the link below for our full game preview, and follow along right here throughout the day for full Patriots-Dolphins coverage.
Thumbnail photo via Brian Fluharty/USA TODAY Sports Images
When: Thursday, Dec. 1 at 2 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Live Stream: FuboTV — free trial | FOX
The San Francisco 49ers ended their 2019 season with the ultimate heartbreak, losing the Super Bowl to the Kansas City Chiefs.
And Sunday, they get to turn a new page, officially starting their 2020 season with a Game 1 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals and their newest addition of DeAndre Hopkins.
Here’s how to watch:
When: Sunday, Sept. 13 at 4:25 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Online: fuboTV (free trial)
Thumbnail photo via Stan Szeto/USA TODAY Sports Images
The first touchdown of the Patriots' Week 1 tilt with the Dolphins was powered by the legs of Cam Newton.
New England's second score of the season-opening contest told a similar story.
Newton helped the Patriots grab a two-score lead over their AFC East division rival minutes into the third quarter at Gillette Stadium. With New England sitting on Miami's 11-yard line, Newton took a first-down snap under center, faked a handoff to Rex Burkhead and sprinted to the corner of the end zone. The initial ruling of a touchdown was upheld after official review.
Check it out:
For those who over the past few months wondered if Newton still was capable of getting it done on the ground, it looks like they have their answer.
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For the first time in six years, the winner of the men's tennis U.S. Open will be earning their first Grand Slam.
Dominic Thiem and Alexander Zverev will take the court Sunday for the men's singles final at Arthur Ashe Stadium, breaking a trend that has gone back 13 majors that were all won by either Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic.
This is Thiem's fourth whack at a major title, and Zverev's debut in a match of this importance.
Here's how to tune in:
When: Sunday, Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Online: FuboTV (free trial) | WatchESPN
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Adrian Phillips' first interception in a New England Patriots uniform came at a critical time.
Phillips picked off Miami quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick with less than a minute to go in the first half of the Dolphins-Patriots Week 1 clash at Gillette Stadium. The Fins, trailing their AFC East rival 7-3, sat at the Pats' 47-yard line with two timeouts in their pocket when Phillips read Fitzpatrick's eyes and prevented the visitors from logging points before the break.
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Phillips' interception was the Patriots' second of the season-opening matchup. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore picked off Fitzpatrick in the first quarter. Cam Newton, meanwhile, was interception free through the first two quarters of his New England debut and rushed for a touchdown.
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Tom Brady had reported for duty.
The new starting quarterback Tampa Bay Buccaneers arrived to Mercedes-Benz Superdome hours before his team's first game of the 2020 season against the New Orleans Saints.
Brady embraced Tampa's color scheme, rocking a Bay orange T-shirt to the arena.
The Buccaneers shared a slow-motion video of the quarterback's arrival ahead of the game.
The Buccaneers and Saints are set to kick off at 4:25 p.m. ET.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports Images