If the Patriots’ offense was phased by the onside kick, they’re not showing it. Tom Brady connected on key passes to Rob Gronkowski and Deion Branch before BenJarvus Green-Ellis broke free and capped the drive with a long touchdown run.
After Rob Gronkowski’s grab got the Patriots out to midfield, the Patriots ended up in trouble when B.J. Raji sacked Tom Brady. After lucking out on a near-pick by Charles Woodson, Brady stepped up in the pocket and found Deion Branch on 3rd-and-long to keep the drive alive.
One play later, and BenJarvus Green Ellis was in the endzone thanks to some great blocking by the offensive line, Wes Welker, and a big hit from Deion Branch at the end.
Meanwhile, in the trenches, Sebastian Vollmer is doing a fantastic job on Clay Matthews, keeping him out of most plays. It’s Dan Koppen and Matt Light who are having troubles early on, with Logan Mankins making his case for a big contract every week.