Matthew Slater Blocks Cowboys Punt, Setting Up N'Keal Harry's First Career Touchdown
FOXBORO (CBS) -- Under heavy rain, and with some strong wind, and with an undermanned receiving corps, the Patriots' offense got off to a bit of a sluggish start on Sunday afternoon against the Cowboys. After punts to end their first two drives, Tom Brady and Co. needed a little bit of a boost.
That's where Matthew Slater, one of the longest-tenured and most reliable Patriots, entered the picture.
After the Patriots' defense came up with a third-down stop to force a third Dallas punt, Slater slipped through a hole in Dallas' line before extending an arm across his body to get his hand on Chris Jones' punt.
That ball was snapped at the Dallas 30-yard line, and the Patriots recovered the ball at Dallas' 12-yard line.
It didn't take long for the New England offense to capitalize, either. After a short run on first down, Brady locked in on rookie first-round pick N'Keal Harry. Brady threw a back-shoulder pass in the left side of the end zone, and Harry spun around while hauling in the pass, before hitting the turf.
Nick Folk successfully kicked the PAT in the rain, and the Patriots had themselves a 7-0 lead. Harry also became the 75th different player to catch a touchdown pass from Brady, which extends a record that Brady already owned.
The punt block by Slater was the Patriots' third of the season. Slater scored after J.C. Jackson blocked a punt in Buffalo, and Chase Winovich scored after Brandon Bolden blocked a punt against the Giants.
On Dallas' next possession, Dak Prescott was intercepted by Stephon Gilmore, setting up a Patriots field goal to give New England a 10-0 lead. The Patriots went on to win, 13-9.