Game Notes: Patriots Falter Against Packers

In the long term, this game will be a forgotten memory but it the present it will be used to analyze the Patriots’ potential starting quarterback for the regular season.

With no Rob Gronkowski; Julian Edelman; Brandon LaFell; or Danny Amendola, Jimmy Garoppolo went 20-30 and 159 yards in a 22-11 loss over the Green Bay Packers.

“It’s pretty obvious tonight we’ve got a lot of work to do. (We) played a lot of players, certainly (did) some good things, certainly a lot of things we’ve got to correct and work on. We’ll just get back to work tomorrow on some of the things that obviously we need to do a better job of. I don’t think we did anything well enough on offense, defense or special teams really to the level that we need to be. We’ll work on everything and try to keep improving,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said after the game.

Despite early reports that he would not play in the preseason opener, Tom Brady made an appearance in the first two New England offensive series of the game, going an uneventful 1-4 for 10 yards.

Running back Jonas Gray showed shades of his form from last season’s game against the Indianapolis Colts with a 55-yard touchdown run up the right sideline. Gray also scored the two-point conversion to put the Patriots up 8-3 with 13:54 left in the first half.

“(The offensive line) blocked well up front and (Green Bay) had a lot of guys in the box, so I was able to pass by the second level and the rest was just using my speed,” Gray said.

A 55-yard kick from Stephen Gostkowski at the end of the half gave New England an 11-9 lead at the intermission but 13 unanswered points by the Packers on offense and seven sacks on defense.

Alonzo Harris rushed for 41 yards for Green Bay including an untouched 25-yard run up the left sideline early in the second half to give the Packers a 15-11 lead.

Garoppolo showed some signs of life in the third quarter after an interception intended for Josh Boyce resulted in the Harris touchdown on the proceeding drive. Despite connecting on short passes to James Harper and Chris White in the backfield, Garoppolo was unable to find the long ball and the Green Bay blitz kept New England scoreless in the second half.

Brett Hunley’s 10-yard pass to John Crockett all but ended the game with 7:42 remaining in the fourth quarter.

New England returns to action on Aug. 22 when they travel to New Orleans for their second preseason game against the Saints.

Below are game notes from Patriots Media Relations:

TOM BRADY MADE THE START

Tom Brady started the game and played the first two offensive series (seven offensive snaps). Brady finished 1-for-4 for 10 yards.

JIMMY GAROPPOLO ENTERED THE GAME ON THE THIRD OFFENSIVE SERIES

Jimmy Garoppolo entered the game on the third offensive series and played the rest of the game. He finished 20-of-30 for 159 yards with no touchdowns and one interception.

JONAS GRAY SCORES ON A 55-YARD RUN; THEN CONVERTS THE TWO-POINT PLAY

Jonas Gray scored on a 55-yard run in the second quarter and then converted the two-point play. Gray’s longest run from scrimmage in the regular season was a 20-yard run at Indianapolis on Nov. 16, 2014. The longest run from scrimmage for the Patriots in 2014 was a 43-yard run by RB Stevan Ridley vs. Cincinnati on Oct. 5, 2014. The last time the Patriots had a run of 50 yards or more was in 2009 when Sammy Morris had a 55-yard run vs. Jacksonville on Dec. 27, 2009.

GRAY LED THE TEAM IN RUSHING

Gray finished the game with 74 yards on seven rushing attempts, including his 55-yard touchdown run.

STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI DRILLS A 56-YARD FIELD GOAL

Stephen Gostkowski connected on a 56-yard field goal at the end of the first half. His longest field goal in the regular season was a 54-yard field goal vs. New Orleans on Oct. 13, 2013. Gostkowski’s 56-yard field goal is one-yard shy of the team record. The longest field goal in team history was a 57-yarder by Adam Vinatieri at Chicago on Nov. 10, 2002.

FOURTH-ROUND DRAFT PICK TREY FLOWERS WITH A SACK

2015 fourth-round draft pick DL Trey Flowers registered an 8-yard sack of Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers in the first quarter.

LB JONATHAN FREENY LEADS THE TEAM IN TACKLES

LB Jonathan Freeny, who joined the Patriots as a free agent on March 11, 2015, after four seasons in Miami, lead the team with nine tackles against Green Bay.

ROOKIE FREE AGENT CHRIS HARPER LEADS IN RECEPTIONS

Rookie free agent WR Chris Harper led the team with seven receptions for 48 yards. Harper was signed by the Patriots as a rookie free agent out of California.

STARTING BLOCKS

With 2015 first-round draft pick DL Malcom Brown, fourth-round draft picks OL Tre’ Jackson and OL Shaq Mason, seventh-round draft pick DB Darryl Roberts and rookie free agent OL David Andrews in the starting lineup, New England has now had at least one rookie in the starting lineup in the preseason opener for seven straight seasons.

PATRIOTS ROOKIES IN THE STARTING LINEUP FOR THE PRESEASON OPENER

2015 – first-round pick DL Malcom Brown, fourth-round picks OL Tre’ Jackson and OL Shaq Mason, seventh-round pick DB Darryl Roberts and rookie free agent OL David Andrews.

2014 – Rookie free agents TE Asa Watson and CB Malcolm Butler

2013 – second-round WR Aaron Dobson

2012 - first-round picks DE Chandler Jones and LB Dont’a Hightower.

2011 - first-round pick T Nate Solder and fifth-round pick TE Lee Smith

2010 - first-round pick CB Devin McCourty and second-round pick LB Brandon Spikes started against on defense, while second-round pick TE Rob Gronkowski and fourth-round pick TE Aaron Hernandez started on offense.

2009 – sixth-round pick DL Myron Pryor

Photo Credit: New England Patriots