FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — It was a little more than 10 minutes into the game and the score was already lopsided.
New England touchdowns: 2. Washington total plays from scrimmage: 1.
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WHO: Patriots (8-0) at N.Y. Giants (5-4)
WHEN: 4:25 p.m. Sunday
TV: CBS
Julian Edelman and LeGarrette Blount had already scored by the time Washington snapped the ball a second time, and the Patriots remained unbeaten on Sunday with a 27-10 victory.
Despite being held to a season-low in points, New England’s chance at another 16-0 regular season was never threatened. The Patriots took advantage of an onside kick and an interception to open a 14-0 lead before the Washington defense could catch its breath.
“I just felt like we never had the ball in the first quarter,” Washington Coach Jay Gruden said. “I just never felt like we got in a rhythm.”
Tom Brady completed 26 of 39 passes for 299 yards and two touchdowns, including an 8-yard TD to Edelman on the opening drive. New England (8-0) then pulled off a surprise onside kick, but that drive stalled when Edelman fumbled.
Washington could manage only a single play: Kirk Cousins’ pass that bounced off Pierre Garcon and was intercepted by Logan Ryan. New England then marched down the field to make it 14-0 on Blount’s 5-yard run.
“We had a good drive early, had an opportunity to get on top and play from ahead,” Patriots Coach Bill Belichick said. “That was definitely helpful.”
Washington (3-5) managed just 15 yards in the first quarter.
Cousins was 22 of 40 for 217 yards, but he was hurt early by seven dropped passes. Washington was held to a second-quarter field goal before Cousins hit Jordan Reed for a 3-yard touchdown with 25 seconds left.
“Our guys are better than that,” said Cousins, who fell to 5-12 as the starting quarterback. “It’s encouraging to know that today was more of a fluke than a norm.”
At least it wasn’t as bad as Washington’s last visit to Foxborough: New England won 52-7 in 2007, the last time the Patriots started 8-0. They won all 16 regular-season games and then two more in the playoffs that year before losing to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
But while Washington held the Patriots to a season-low 27 points, defensive back Will Blackmon said that was little consolation.
“Nope. Not at all,” he said.
Blount carried 29 times for 129 yards, and New England won easily even though Brady threw his second interception of the season. The Patriots also lost a fumble at home for the first time since 2013 – and lost the coin toss, too, for just the seventh time in their last 26 games.
Washington had two weeks to celebrate its comeback from a 24-point deficit against Tampa Bay on Oct. 25. But even the bye week didn’t give Gruden enough time to prepare for the defending Super Bowl champions.
With 37 rushing plays and 39 passes, the Patriots had their most balanced offense of the season.
“We were clicking there in the run game,” said tight end Rob Gronkowski, who had four catches for a season-low 47 yards.
After the Patriots’ first touchdown, they lined up for what seemed like a routine kickoff, but Stephen Gostkowski pulled back and dribbled it to the right, where it bounced off Washington’s Ryan Grant and was recovered by Johnathan Freeny.
The Patriots were moving again when Edelman fumbled. But on Washington’s first play from scrimmage – already more than 8 minutes into the game – Ryan intercepted the deflected pass at the Washington 28.
The Patriots needed just six plays to make it 14-0.
NOTES: Patriots defensive end Chandler Jones had a sack, giving him 9.5 for the season. … Washington has not allowed a 300-yard passer this season.
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