Patriots Beat Eagles 37-20 In Brady's Preseason Debut
By JIMMY GOLEN, AP Sports Writer
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Tom Brady moved the New England Patriots with ease in their Super Bowl rematch against the penalty-prone Eagles, with a little help from running back James White and fifth-round draft choice Ja'Whaun Bentley.
In his first action since losing in the NFL title game to Philadelphia, Brady completed 19 of 26 passes for 172 yards and two touchdowns on Thursday night to help stake New England to a 27-7 halftime lead.
Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles left in the second quarter with a shoulder injury after a strip sack that Bentley recovered and ran 54 yards for a touchdown.
White caught six passes for 61 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown, and also ran for 31 yards in the first half of the Patriots' 37-20 victory. The Eagles had five penalties for 50 yards in the first quarter — including two for lowering the head to initiate contact and one for hitting a defenseless receiver — and 97 penalty yards in all.
After sitting out last week's exhibition season opener, Brady led New England to scores on four of the six series he played. Foles, who outplayed Brady in a 41-33 Super Bowl victory, managed one first down in his first three possessions and then coughed the ball up on a hit from defensive lineman Adrian Clayborn.
Bentley scooped the ball up and ran unpursued to the end zone to make it 17-0.
The Eagles announced that Foles had a strained shoulder and was questionable to return; he did not, finishing 3 for 9 for 44 yards. Third-stringer Nate Sudfeld played most of the next three quarters, completing 22 of 39 passes for 312 yards, three touchdowns and an interception.
Erstwhile Eagles starter Carson Wentz is on the verge of returning to 11-on-11 practice, but the team is not sure if he will be ready for the Sept. 6 opener against Atlanta.
Philadelphia's Shelton Gibson had five catches for 90 yards and a 4-yard TD reception in the second quarter that made it 17-7.
Patriots backup Brian Hoyer completed 5 of 13 passes for 32 yards and an 11-yard touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson.
OTHER INJURIES
Eagles: In addition to Foles, the Eagles also lost receiver Bryce Treggs (hamstring), tight end Richard Rodgers (knee), tight end Joshua Perkins (head), tackle Taylor Hart (cramps), receiver Kamar Aiken (hamstring) and defensive back Stephen Roberts (ankle). Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid was on the field before the game and somehow managed to avoid joining the list of injured.
Patriots: First-round draft choice Isaiah Wynn was taken away from the medical tent on a cart with a left ankle injury. Wynn, who was taken No. 23 overall, did not play the previous week against Washington. New England's other first-round pick, No. 31 overall selection running back Sony Michel, has not played because of a procedure on his knee.
ANTHEMS
Philadelphia defensive backs Malcolm Jenkins and De'Vante Bausby remained in the tunnel during the national anthem before the game, a week after raising their fists in protest in the exhibition opener. Defensive lineman Michael Bennett remained in the locker room Thursday night, NBC Philadelphia reported on Twitter.
A picture tweeted by the station showed Jenkins and Bausby bowing their heads as they looked out toward the field.
Jenkins and Bennett have been among the most vocal NFL players protesting racial inequality during the pregame playing of the "Star-Spangled Banner." The NFL Network tweeted a video of Jenkins coming out for warmups wearing a shirt that said, "YOU AREN'T LISTENING."
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