2018 New England Patriots season explained

Team:	New England Patriots
Year:	2018
Record:	11–5
Division Place:	1st AFC East
Playoffs:	Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Chargers) 41–28 Won AFC Championship (at Chiefs) 37–31 Won Super Bowl LIII (vs. Rams) 13–3
Pro Bowlers:	QB Tom Brady CB Stephon Gilmore
Ap All-Pros:	CB Stephon Gilmore (1st team) KR Cordarrelle Patterson (2nd team)
Coach:	Bill Belichick
Off Coach:	Josh McDaniels
Owner:	Robert Kraft
General Manager:	Bill Belichick
Stadium:	Gillette Stadium
Shortnavlink:	Patriots seasons

The 2018 season was the New England Patriots' 49th in the National Football League (NFL), their 59th overall and their 19th under head coach Bill Belichick. The Patriots entered the season as two-time defending AFC champions.

The Patriots' losses to the Jacksonville Jaguars and Detroit Lions in Week 2 and 3 marked the franchise's first back-to-back double-digit losses since 2002.^[1] After this slow 1–2 start, the Patriots improved to 7–2 after Week 9. Following a notable Week 14 loss to the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots could not match their 13–3 record from 2017. A defeat to the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15 meant the Patriots had lost five games for the first time since 2009. After a win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, the Patriots clinched the AFC East for the tenth consecutive season, surpassing the Dallas Cowboys (1975–1983) and the Indianapolis Colts (2002–2010) for the most consecutive playoff appearances. New England went undefeated at home with a Week 17 win over the New York Jets in which they clinched a first-round bye, and wrapped up the regular season with an 11–5 record that was good enough to give them the AFC's second seed in the postseason. Despite their five losses, the team achieved the rare distinction of going unbeaten against teams that qualified for the playoffs.^{[2] [3] [4]}

For the first time since 2010, the Patriots did not play the Denver Broncos during the regular season.

The 2018 Patriots became the second team ever in the four major American sports leagues to win at least 10 straight division titles, joining Major League Baseball's Atlanta Braves (1991–2005, excluding the strike-shortened 1994 season). The Patriots also secured their 16th-straight 10-win season, tying the San Francisco 49ers' league record streak, set from 1983–98. Notable records set during the season include QB Tom Brady achieving the record for most career passing touchdowns (including playoffs).^[5]

In the playoffs, the Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in the Divisional round, 41–28, to advance to the AFC Championship game for a record eighth straight season. The Patriots defeated the Chiefs, 37–31 in overtime, to advance to the Super Bowl for a third straight year, becoming only the third team in NFL history to appear in three or more consecutive Super Bowls (joining the 1971–73 Miami Dolphins and 1990–93 Buffalo Bills). In Super Bowl LIII, they faced the Los Angeles Rams in a rematch of Super Bowl XXXVI, in which the Patriots defeated the then-St. Louis Rams 20–17. The Patriots won the rematch as well by a score of 13–3 to win their sixth Super Bowl, tying the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowl championships in NFL history.^[6]

As of the 2023 season, this is the most recent season the Patriots have won a playoff game, with their Super Bowl victory being the most recent playoff win for the team.

Offseason

On February 5, 2018, the Detroit Lions hired Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia to serve as head coach.^[7]

On February 6, the Indianapolis Colts announced hiring Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels as their new head coach.^[8] The next day, McDaniels abruptly rejected the offer citing personal reasons, and decided to stay a part of the Patriots' organization.^[9] The controversy surrounding this decision led McDaniels' then-agent Bob LaMonte to terminate their professional relationship.^[10]

Roster changes

Free agents

Unrestricted

Position	Player	2018 Team	Date signed	Contract
			March 15, 2018^[11]	two years, $12 million^[12]
CB	Johnson Bademosi	Houston Texans	March 16, 2018^[13]	two years, $6.25 million^[14]
RB	Brandon Bolden	New England Patriots	February 24, 2018^[15]	one year, $880,000
RB		New England Patriots	March 15, 2018^[16]	three years, $9.75 million^[17]
CB			March 15, 2018^[18]	five years, $61 million^[19]
SS	Nate Ebner	New England Patriots	March 13, 2018^[20]	two years, $5 million^[21]
		Dallas Cowboys	March 24, 2018^[22]	one year, $3.5 million^[23]
OLB	Marquis Flowers	New England Patriots	March 22, 2018^[24]	one year, $2.55 million
DT		Detroit Lions	July 25, 2018	one year, $1.01 million^[25]
RB		Tennessee Titans	March 15, 2018^[26]	four years, $20 million^[27]
WR		New England Patriots	March 20, 2018^[28]	two years, $5.2 million
OT			March 15, 2018^[29]	four years, $62 million^[30]
OT		New England Patriots	March 22, 2018^[31]	one year, $1.5 million

Restricted

Signings

Position	Player	Previous Team	Date signed	Contract
DE	Adrian Clayborn	Atlanta Falcons	March 17, 2018^[33]	two years, $12 million^[34]
RB	Jeremy Hill	Cincinnati Bengals	March 17, 2018^[35]	one year, $1.5 million^[36]
OT	Matt Tobin	Seattle Seahawks	March 17, 2018^[37]	one year, $815,000^[38]
TE	Troy Niklas	Arizona Cardinals	April 4, 2018^[39]	one year, $940,000^[40]
OG	Luke Bowanko	Baltimore Ravens	April 4, 2018^[41]	one year, $835,000
WR	Jordan Matthews	Buffalo Bills	April 6, 2018^[42]	one year, $1 million^[43]
OT	Ulrick John	Green Bay Packers	April 24, 2018^[44]	one year, $745,000^[45]
OG	Jason King	Baltimore Ravens	May 18, 2018^[46]	one year, $481,000^[47]
WR	Devin Lucien	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	July 23, 2018^[48]	one year, $480,000^[49]
SS	Eddie Pleasant	Houston Texans	July 24, 2018^[50]	one year, $875,000^[51]
OG	Nate Theaker	New Orleans Saints	July 24, 2018	one year, $480,000^[52]
WR	Paul Turner	New Orleans Saints	July 27, 2018^[53]	one year, $555,000^[54]
C	Brian Schwenke	Tennessee Titans	July 31, 2018^[55]	one year, $790,000^[56]
FB	Henry Poggi	Oakland Raiders	August 1, 2018^[57]	one year, $480,000^[58]
WR	Eric Decker	Tennessee Titans	August 3, 2018^[59]	one year, $1.9 million^[60]
WR	K.J. Maye	Tennessee Titans	August 27, 2018^[61]	one year, $480,000^[62]
RB	Kenneth Farrow	Los Angeles Chargers	August 27, 2018	one year, $480,000^[63]
RB	Khalfani Muhammad	Tennessee Titans	August 27, 2018	one year, $480,000^[64]
WR	Amara Darboh	Seattle Seahawks	September 2, 2018^[65]
WR	Chad Hansen	New York Jets	September 2, 2018
C	Brian Schwenke	New England Patriots	September 4, 2018^[66]	one year, $790,000^[67]
WR	Corey Coleman	Buffalo Bills	September 11, 2018^[68]	one year, $630,000^[69]
WR	Bennie Fowler III	Chicago Bears	September 11, 2018^[70]	one year, $705,000^[71]
RB	Kenjon Barner	Carolina Panthers	September 11, 2018^[72]	one year, $790,000^[73]
CB	Cyrus Jones	Baltimore Ravens	September 17, 2018	two years, $1,810,000^[74]
RB	Kenjon Barner	New England Patriots	September 26, 2018^[75]
DE	John Simon	Indianapolis Colts	September 26, 2018
RB	Kenjon Barner	New England Patriots	October 8, 2018^[76]
LB	Albert McClellan	Baltimore Ravens	November 6, 2018
S	Obi Melifonwu	Oakland Raiders	November 6, 2018
OT	Matt Tobin	New England Patriots	November 7, 2018
LB	Ramon Humber	Buffalo Bills	November 14, 2018

Indicates that the player was a free agent at the end of his respective team's season.

Released/Waived

Position	Player	2018 Team	Date released
DE	Caleb Kidder		March 6, 2018
WR	Bernard Reedy	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	March 7, 2018^[77]
LB	Shea McClellin		March 19, 2018^[78]
G	Jason King	New England Patriots	May 10, 2018^[79]
OT	Antonio Garcia	New York Jets	May 11, 2018
WR	Darren Andrews	New England Patriots	May 14, 2018^[80]
WR	Chris Lacy	Detroit Lions	May 18, 2018
WR	Cody Hollister	New England Patriots	July 24, 2018
S	David Jones	Detroit Lions	July 27, 2018^[81]
TE	Troy Niklas		July 27, 2018
TE	Shane Wimann		July 31, 2018
G	Nate Theaker		August 2, 2018^[82]
WR	Malcolm Mitchell		August 6, 2018^[83]
WR	Jordan Matthews	Philadelphia Eagles	August 8, 2018^[84]
WR	Kenny Britt		August 22, 2018^[85]
S	Eddie Pleasant	Arizona Cardinals	August 27, 2018^[86]
WR	Paul Turner		August 31, 2018^[87]
WR	Devin Lucien
RB	Khalfani Muhammad	Denver Broncos
DT	Frank Herron	New England Patriots
CB	Ryan Lewis	Buffalo Bills
DT	John Atkins	Detroit Lions	September 1, 2018^[88]
P	Corey Bojorquez	Buffalo Bills
RB	Brandon Bolden	Miami Dolphins
G	Luke Bowanko	Washington Redskins
OT	Cole Croston	New England Patriots
QB	Danny Etling	New England Patriots
RB	Kenneth Farrow
C	James Ferentz	New England Patriots
LB	Marquis Flowers	Detroit Lions
RB	Mike Gillislee	New Orleans Saints
DE	Trent Harris	New England Patriots
CB	Cyrus Jones	Baltimore Ravens
G	Jason King
LB	Harvey Langi	New York Jets
DE	Eric Lee	Detroit Lions
WR	K.J. Maye
WR	Riley McCarron	New England Patriots
CB	A.J. Moore	Houston Texans
FB	Henry Poggi
G	Brian Schwenke	New England Patriots
OT		San Francisco 49ers
S	Damarius Travis
TE	Will Tye	Philadelphia Eagles
DT	Vincent Valentine	New England Patriots
RB	Ralph Webb	New England Patriots
CB	Jomal Wiltz	New England Patriots
WR	Amara Darboh	Seattle Seahawks	September 4, 2018
WR	Chad Hansen	Tennessee Titans	September 10, 2018^[89]
WR	Riley McCarron	New England Patriots
WR	Bennie Fowler III	New York Giants	September 15, 2018^[90]
WR	Corey Coleman	New York Giants	September 17, 2018^[91]
RB	Kenjon Barner	New England Patriots	September 19, 2018^[92]
RB	Kenjon Barner	New England Patriots	October 4, 2018
CB	Cyrus Jones	Baltimore Ravens	October 6, 2018
OT	Cole Croston	New England Patriots	November 6, 2018
DE	Geneo Grissom	Indianapolis Colts	November 7, 2018
RB	Kenjon Barner	Carolina Panthers	November 13, 2018
LB	Nicholas Grigsby	Detroit Lions	November 13, 2018
OT	Matt Tobin		November 26, 2018

Retirements

Position	Player	Date retired
LB	David Harris	February 23, 2018^[93]
TE	Martellus Bennett	March 7, 2018^[94]
LB	James Harrison	April 16, 2018^[95]
OT	Andrew Jelks	July 19, 2018^[96]
WR	Eric Decker	August 26, 2018^[97]

Trades

• On March 10, the Patriots traded their 2019 third-round selection to the Cleveland Browns for defensive tackle Danny Shelton and Cleveland's 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 159 overall).
• On March 15, the Patriots traded their 2018 sixth-round selection (No. 205) to the Cleveland Browns for cornerback Jason McCourty and Cleveland's 2018 seventh-round selection (No. 219 overall).
• On March 18, the Patriots traded their 2018 fifth-round selection (No. 159) to the Oakland Raiders for wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson and a 2018 sixth-round selection (No. 210 overall).
• On April 3, the Patriots traded wide receiver Brandin Cooks and their 2018 fourth-round selection (No. 136) to the Los Angeles Rams for their first-round (No. 23) and sixth-round (No. 198) selections.
• On April 28, the Patriots traded their third-round selection (95th overall) to San Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's fifth-round selection (143rd overall) and offensive tackle Trent Brown.
• On August 31, the Patriots traded safety Jordan Richards to the Atlanta Falcons for a 2020 conditional seventh-round pick.^[98]
• On September 17, the Patriots traded a conditional fifth-round selection to the Cleveland Browns for wide receiver Josh Gordon.^[91]

Draft

See main article: 2018 NFL draft.

2018 New England Patriots Draft

Round	Selection	Player	Position	College	Notes
	23
	31			Georgia
2	56				from Tampa Bay
5	143	Ja'Whaun Bentley	LB	Purdue	from San Francisco
6	178	Christian Sam	LB	Arizona State	from Cleveland
	210	Braxton Berrios	WR	Miami (FL)	from Oakland
7	219	Danny Etling	QB	LSU	from Cleveland
	243	Keion Crossen	CB	Western Carolina	from Kansas City
	250	Ryan Izzo	TE	Florida State	from Philadelphia

Draft trades

• The Patriots traded Brandin Cooks and their fourth-round selection (136th overall) to Los Angeles in exchange for their 23rd and sixth-round (No. 198) selections.
• The Patriots traded quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo to San Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's second-round selection (43rd overall).
• The Patriots traded their second-round selection (43rd overall) to Detroit in exchange for Detroit's second and fourth-round selections (51st and 117th overall).
• The Patriots traded their second-round selection (51st overall) to Chicago in exchange for Chicago's fourth-round selection (105th overall) and their 2019 second-round selection.
• The Patriots traded their second and fourth-round selections (63rd and 117th overall) to Tampa Bay in exchange for Tampa Bay's second-round selection (56th overall).
• The Patriots traded their third-round selection (95th overall) to San Francisco in exchange for San Francisco's fifth-round selection (143rd overall) and offensive tackle Trent Brown.
• The Patriots traded their fourth-round selection (105th overall) to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's fourth and sixth-round selections (114th and 178th overall).
• The Patriots traded their fourth-round selection (114th overall) to Detroit in exchange for Detroit's 2019 third-round selection.
• The Patriots traded their fourth-round selection (131st overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for cornerback Eric Rowe.
• The Patriots traded the fifth-round selection they acquired from Cleveland (131st overall) to Oakland in exchange for Oakland's sixth-round selection (210th overall) and wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson.
• The Patriots traded their third-round selection in 2019 to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's fifth-round selection (159th overall) and defensive tackle Danny Shelton.
• The Patriots traded their fifth- and seventh-round selections (168th and 270th overall) to Seattle in exchange for defensive end Cassius Marsh.
• The Patriots traded their sixth-round selection (198th overall) to Kansas City in exchange for Kansas City's seventh-round selections (233rd and 243rd overall).
• The Patriots traded their sixth-round selection (205th overall) to Cleveland in exchange for Cleveland's seventh-round selection (219th overall) and cornerback Jason McCourty.
• The Patriots traded their seventh-round selection (233rd overall) to Philadelphia in exchange for Philadelphia's seventh-round selection (250th overall) and their 2019 seventh-round selection.
• The Patriots traded their seventh-round selection (249th overall) to Cincinnati in exchange for linebacker Marquis Flowers.
• The Patriots traded cornerback Justin Coleman to Seattle in exchange for Seattle's seventh-round selection they acquired from Philadelphia (250th overall).

Undrafted Free Agents

Player! style=""

Position	College	Date Signed
Darren Andrews	WR	UCLA	May 11, 2018
John Atkins	DT	Georgia
Trent Harris	DE	Miami (FL)
Frank Herron	DT	LSU
	CB	Maryland
Chris Lacy	WR	Oklahoma State
A.J. Moore	CB	Ole Miss
Ralph Webb	RB	Vanderbilt
Shane Wimann	TE	Northern Illinois
Corey Bojorquez	P	New Mexico	May 14, 2018
Source:^[99]

Made regular season roster

Suspensions

Wide receiver Julian Edelman was suspended for the first four games of the season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Edelman, who missed the entire 2017 season due to a torn ACL suffered during the preseason, unsuccessfully appealed the suspension, and returned to the Patriots' roster for the team's Week 5 Thursday Night game vs. the Indianapolis Colts on October 4.^[100]

On December 20, 2018, Wide receiver Josh Gordon was suspended indefinitely for violating the terms of his reinstatement under the league's substance abuse policy. This is the second time Gordon was suspended indefinitely by the league.^[101]

Preseason

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game site	NFL.com recap
1			W 26–17	1–0	Gillette Stadium	Recap
2		Philadelphia Eagles	W 37–20	2–0	Gillette Stadium	Recap
3		at Carolina Panthers	L 14–25	2–1	Bank of America Stadium	Recap
4		at New York Giants	W 17–12	3–1	MetLife Stadium	Recap

Regular season

Schedule

The Patriots' schedule was announced on April 19.^[102]

Week	Date	Opponent	Result	Record	Game site	NFL.com recap
1	September 9	Houston Texans	W 27–20	1–0	Gillette Stadium	Recap
2	September 16	at Jacksonville Jaguars	L 20–31	1–1	TIAA Bank Field	Recap
3	September 23	at Detroit Lions	L 10–26	1–2	Ford Field	Recap
4	September 30	Miami Dolphins	W 38–7	2–2	Gillette Stadium	Recap
5		Indianapolis Colts	W 38–24	3–2	Gillette Stadium	Recap
6	October 14	Kansas City Chiefs	W 43–40	4–2	Gillette Stadium	Recap
7	October 21	at Chicago Bears	W 38–31	5–2	Soldier Field	Recap
8		at Buffalo Bills	W 25–6	6–2	New Era Field	Recap
9	November 4	Green Bay Packers	W 31–17	7–2	Gillette Stadium	Recap
10	November 11	at Tennessee Titans	L 10–34	7–3	Nissan Stadium	Recap
11	Bye
12	November 25	at New York Jets	W 27–13	8–3	MetLife Stadium	Recap
13	December 2	Minnesota Vikings	W 24–10	9–3	Gillette Stadium	Recap
14	December 9	at Miami Dolphins	L 33–34	9–4	Hard Rock Stadium	Recap
15	December 16	at Pittsburgh Steelers	L 10–17	9–5	Heinz Field	Recap
16	December 23	Buffalo Bills	W 24–12	10–5	Gillette Stadium	Recap
17	December 30	New York Jets	W 38–3	11–5	Gillette Stadium	Recap

Note: Intra-division opponents are in bold text.

Game summaries

Week 1: vs. Houston Texans

With the win, the Patriots started 1–0.

Week 2: at Jacksonville Jaguars

The Patriots faced the Jaguars in a rematch of the previous season's AFC Championship game. The Patriots started off well, reaching Jaguars territory in just four plays, but the drive stalled, and Stephen Gostkowski missed a 54-yard field goal attempt. With great field position, the Jaguars raced 56 yards in 9 plays, scoring on a 4-yard touchdown pass from Blake Bortles to Donte Moncrief for the early lead. After a three-and-out, Patriots' punter Ryan Allen pinned the Jaguars back at their own 16-yard line. The Jaguars took the ball and cashed in, marching 84 yards on just 7 plays, with Bortles hitting Keelan Cole on a 24-yard touchdown pass, extending the Jags lead to 14–0. After stopping the Jaguars early in the second quarter, the Patriots drove 83 yards in over 8 minutes, but were forced to settle for a 29-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to 14–3. However, the Patriots defense was gashed again, with the Jags racing 75 yards, concluding with Bortles 4-yard touchdown pass to Austin Seferian-Jenkins and a 21–3 Jaguars lead with 0:09 seconds remaining in the half. The Jags started right where they left off, taking the opening drive of the second half all the way to the Patriots 10, but were held to a 28-yard field goal by Josh Lambo. After another Patriots punt, Bottles hit D. J. Chark for a 13-yard gain to the Jaguars 49, but Stephon Gilmore forced him to fumble with Duron Harmon recovering at the Jags 46. With the excellent field position, the Patriots finally reached the endzone with Brady finding Chris Hogan for a 7-yard touchdown pass to cap off the 46-yard drive, trimming the deficit to 24–10. After a Jaguars three-and-out, the Patriots drove all the way to the Jags 28, but settled for a 46-yard field goal, making the score just 24–13. Bortles made his only real mistake on the next drive, throwing an interception to Kyle Van Noy at the Jags 25 early in the fourth quarter. The Patriots were set up perfectly, it appeared to be a vintage Brady comeback, but on 3rd down, Dante Fowler stripped Brady and recovered the resultant fumble at the Jags 32. The Patriots forced a Jaguars punt and had another shot, but went three-and-out. On the next play from scrimmage for Jacksonville, Bottles hit Dede Westbrook for a 61-yard touchdown pass, extending the lead to 31–13. The Patriots marched 75 yards in 8 plays on their next drive with Brady connecting with Hogan again for a 29-yard touchdown pass, making the score 31–20; however, by now less than 4 minutes remained in the game. The Jags ran out the rest of the clock to win the game, their first ever regular season victory over the Pats, while the Patriots fell to 1–1.

Week 3: at Detroit Lions

After a Patriots three-and-out opened the game, the Lions marched 65 yards in 12 plays, taking over 7 minutes off the clock and facing only one 3rd down before settling for a 38-yard field goal by Matt Prater. After another Patriots three-and-out and set up with good field position, the Lions marched 60 yards in over 5 minutes to score on a 4-yard pass from Matthew Stafford to Kenny Golladay. Stafford completed all 5 pass attempts on the drive for 44 yards and the Lions didn't even face a 3rd down. The Patriots offense continued to appear lifeless with another three-and-out. Meanwhile, the Lions' efficiency shined again by slowly moving 71 yards, converting three 3rd downs and eating over seven more minutes off the clock, before settling for a 25-yard field goal, upping the Lions lead to 13–0. After 9 plays for 13 yards on their first three drives combined, the Patriots marched 57 yards to the Lions' 18, settling for a 36-yard field goal and trailed 13–3 at halftime. On 3rd down, just over a minute into the third quarter, Stafford was intercepted by linebacker Ja'Whaun Bentley at the Patriots 48. The Patriots look excellent on their next drive, racing 52 yards in just 7 plays with Brady hitting James White for a 10-yard touchdown, trimming the deficit to 13–10. The Lions continued their clock-draining game plan on their next drive, tracking 75 yards in over six minutes and converting three 3rd downs before Stafford bombed Marvin Jones Jr. for a 33-yard touchdown, pushing the score to 20–10 late in the 3rd quarter. After a Patriots' punt, the Lions drove all the way to the Patriots' 14, but settled for a 32-yard field goal, increasing their lead to 23–10 a few minutes into the fourth quarter. Two possessions later, from the Patriots' 43, Brady heaved a desperation pass that was intercepted by Darius Slay, who returned it 34 yards to the Lions' 49, but an illegal block penalty sent the ball back to the 19. After a Lions' punt, the Patriots turned the ball over on downs. The Lions closed out the scoring with a 30-yard field goal, making the final score 26–10. The Patriots drove to the Lions' 40, but the clock expired.

With the loss (their first to Detroit since the 2000 season), the Patriots fell to 1–2 for the first time since the 2012 season. The Lions were able to blanket the Patriots' receivers, stifling the Patriots' offense. The Lions had an excellent balanced attack with 159 yards rushing to go along with 255 yards passing from Stafford. The Patriots newest acquisition, superstar wide receiver Josh Gordon, was inactive for the game. Ironically, the Patriots' last loss to the Lions in 2000 was also Tom Brady's first ever NFL game, where he only appeared in the final seconds and completed one-of-three passes for 6 yards in a 34–9 loss.

Week 4: vs. Miami Dolphins

After taking the opening kickoff, a 22-yard pass from Ryan Tannehill to Kenny Stills helped the Dolphins reach midfield. On 2nd-and-7 from midfield, Dolphins offensive lineman Daniel Kilgore was flagged for holding, killing the drive, and the Dolphins punted. Starting at their own 24, the Patriots reached as far as the Dolphins 1-yard line, but were forced to settle for a 20-yard field goal and a 3–0 lead. After a Dolphins punt, the Patriots gave it right back when Brady was intercepted at the Dolphins 36 by Bobby McCain. The Dolphins went three-and-out, but the Patriots drove 67 yards to score on Brady's 55-yard touchdown pass to Cordarrelle Patterson, extending the Patriots lead to 10–0. Both teams punted on their next drive, but midway through the 2nd quarter, Tannehill fumbled the snap with Kyle Van Noy recovering for the Patriots at the Dolphins 22. On the very next play, James White scampered to the end zone on a 22-yard run, giving the Patriots a 17–0 lead which was their largest of the season to this point. The Dolphins offense continued to go in reverse on another three-and-out. The Patriots responded by converting four 3rd downs on a 15-play, 85-yard drive, scoring with Brady's 9-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Phillip Dorsett to go up 24–0 with 0:17 seconds remaining in the first half. After both teams punted on their initial second-half possession, the Patriots marched 59 yards in just over five minutes, with Brady capping off another touchdown drive with his 14-yard touchdown pass to White, blowing the game open with a 31–0 lead. The Dolphins reached the Patriots 45 on their next possession, but Tannehill's desperation pass was intercepted at the 10-yard line by J. C. Jackson. The Patriots hot streak continued with a 12 play, 90-yard drive, scoring on a 12-yard touchdown run from rookie running back Sony Michel, his first career rushing touchdown. After yet another three-and-out from the Dolphins, the Patriots drove to the Dolphins 32, but Brady was intercepted at the Dolphins 14 by Minkah Fitzpatrick who returned it 11 yards to the Dolphins 25. With Tannehill pulled from the game, old Patriots' nemesis Brock Osweiler led the Dolphins 75 yards in 7:30, scoring on his 6-yard touchdown pass to Frank Gore, making the score 38–7 with less than three minutes remaining in the game. The Patriots ran the rest of the clock out to end the game. With the exception of the two turnovers, the Patriots dominated the Dolphins in every aspect of the game, outgaining them 446–172 and holding the ball for 14 minutes longer. Tom Brady threw for 274 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Michel had his best game of the season to date with 25 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown. White had the best day overall with 16 touches for 112 total yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. The Patriots avoided a 3-game losing streak for the first time since 2002 or a 1–3 start for the first time since their 2001 Super Bowl-winning season.

Week 5: vs. Indianapolis Colts

The Patriots faced the Colts on Thursday Night Football, with Brady hoping to remain undefeated against Andrew Luck.

The Patriots took the opening kickoff and marched 75 yards in over 6 minutes, scoring on a 1-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady to Cordarrelle Patterson for the early lead. The next possession ended in a punt for both teams, but on the Colts' second possession, they drove from their own 6 to the Patriots 20, but ageless wonder Adam Vinatieri missed a 38-yard field goal attempt off the left upright. The Patriots took advantage off the missed opportunity and raced 72 yards to score on Brady's 1-yard touchdown run, extending the Patriots' lead to 14–0 early in the second quarter. The Colts drove to the Patriots 36 on their next drive and Vinatieri redeemed himself with a 54-yard field goal. After both teams punted on their resultant drive, the Patriots raced 68 yards to score on a 6-yard touchdown pass from Brady to James White for a 21–3 lead. Following this, Luck was intercepted at the Patriots 49 by Patrick Chung who returned it 2 yards to the 49 of the Colts with less than a minute remaining in the first half. With the excellent field position, the Patriots reached the Colts' 27 and took a commanding 24–3 lead into halftime after a 45-yard field goal from placekicker Stephen Gostkowski. Early in the third quarter, Chester Rogers returned a punt from Ryan Allen 33 yards to Patriots 35. It took the Colts just 4 plays to score on a 14-yard pass from Luck to Eric Ebron, trimming the deficit to 24–10. The Patriots drove to the Colts 30 on their next drive, but Matthias Farley intercepted Brady's pass at the 23 and returned it 7 yards to the Colts' 30. But four plays later, Jordan Wilkins fumbled after a 9-yard catch with Devin McCourty recovering for the Patriots at midfield. The Patriots drove to the Colts' 25, but the turnover streak continued when Brady was intercepted at the Colts' 4 by Najee Goode who returned it 16 yards to the Colts' 20. The Colts proceeded to drive 80 yards in 10 plays with Luck finding Erik Swoope for a 13-yard touchdown pass, trimming the Patriots' lead to a thin 24–17 early in the fourth quarter. However, any hope for a Colts comeback died when the Patriots marched 75 yards to score on a 34-yard touchdown bomb from Brady to Josh Gordon, widening the Patriots lead to 31–17. Any chance of a miraculous comeback died on the Colts' next drive when Luck was intercepted at the Patriots 38 by Jonathan Jones who returned it 28 yards to the Colts' 34. On the very next play, Sony Michel scored on a 34-yard touchdown burst, putting the game out of reach with a 38–17 Patriots lead. The Colts turned the ball over on downs on their next drive, but after forcing the Patriots to punt, marched 60 yards to score on Luck's 1-yard touchdown pass to Ebron. The Patriots ran out the rest of the clock to win the game 38–24.

Tom Brady completed 34/44 passes for 341 yards and 3 TDs but threw 2 interceptions while Michel ran the ball 18 times for 98 yards and a touchdown. Andrew Luck threw for 365 yards and 3 TDs but threw 2 costly interceptions.

Week 6: vs. Kansas City Chiefs

With the win, the Patriots improved to 4–2.

Week 7: at Chicago Bears

With the win, the Patriots improved to 5–2.

Week 8: at Buffalo Bills

With the win, the Patriots improved to 6–2. Devin McCourty's interception return marked the first defensive touchdown for the Patriots since the 2015 season, breaking a league-leading 40-game drought.

Week 9: vs. Green Bay Packers

Rematch between Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. With the win, the Patriots improved to 7–2. This was the first game of the season where the Patriots defense did not record an interception, after recording at least one in each of their first eight games.

Week 10: at Tennessee Titans

This was the Pats' first loss to Tennessee in 16 years; coincidentally, it was also at Nissan Stadium (then known as Adelphia Coliseum). The blowout loss ended the Pats' six-game winning streak as they fell to 7–3. It was also the Pats’ first time meeting with former players Malcolm Butler and Dion Lewis since leaving the Pats to join the Titans in free agency.

Week 12: at New York Jets

With the win, the Patriots improved to 8–3.

Week 13: vs. Minnesota Vikings

With the win, the Patriots improved to 9–3.

Week 14: at Miami Dolphins

See also: Miracle in Miami.

The Patriots lost to the Dolphins on a last second lateral at the end of regulation. With the heartbreaking loss, the Patriots fell to 9–4 for the first time since 2006.

Week 15: at Pittsburgh Steelers

This was the Pats' first loss to Pittsburgh since 2011 with a final score of 10–17. With the loss, the Patriots fell to 9–5 for the first time since 2008.

Week 16: vs. Buffalo Bills

After receiver Josh Gordon left the team and was later suspended, the Patriots relied on their run game and defense against Buffalo. The Pats clinched their 10th straight AFC East title with the win (though in the event of a loss to Buffalo, Miami's loss to Jacksonville also would've clinched the division for New England), improving their record to 10–5, and for the second time this season, denied a 3-game losing streak for the first time since 2002. With the Houston Texans' loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, the Patriots moved to the #2 seed in the AFC, and would have the chance to secure a playoff bye with a win in the following week's game. Tom Brady eclipsed 4,000 yards at the same time as Philip Rivers, becoming the third and fourth quarterback in NFL history to reach 4,000 yards in 10 seasons or more, joining Peyton Manning & Drew Brees.^[103]

Week 17: vs. New York Jets

The Pats finish the 2018 season undefeated at home, and an 11–5 record overall, their first in 10 years and with the win, the Patriots clinched a 1st round bye for the 9th straight year.

Standings

Conference

Postseason

See also: 2018–19 NFL playoffs.

Schedule

Playoff round	Date	Opponent (seed)	Result	Record	Venue	NFL.com recap
Wild Card	First-round bye
Divisional	January 13, 2019	Los Angeles Chargers (5)	W 41–28	1–0	Gillette Stadium	Recap
AFC Championship	January 20, 2019	at Kansas City Chiefs (1)	W 37–31	2–0	Arrowhead Stadium	Recap
Super Bowl LIII	February 3, 2019	vs. Los Angeles Rams (N2)	W 13–3	3–0	Mercedes-Benz Stadium	Recap

Game summaries

Super Bowl LIII: vs. (N2) Los Angeles Rams

See main article: Super Bowl LIII.

Notes and References

1. Web site: How bad is the Patriots' start? Statistics paint a bleak picture. September 24, 2018. ESPN.com. December 12, 2018.
2. News: Sullivan . Tyler . Patriots went undefeated against playoff teams in 2018 . 19 June 2019 . 247 Sports . 247 Sports . 31 Dec 2018.
3. News: Luciano . Mike . Patriots Being Undefeated Against Teams in the Playoffs This Year is Kind of a Farce . 19 June 2019 . 12 Up . 12 Up . September 11, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200911041701/https://www.12up.com/posts/6267450-patriots-being-undefeated-against-teams-in-the-playoffs-this-year-is-kind-of-a-farce . dead .
4. Web site: Buchmasser . Bernd . 2019 NFL playoffs: Only one team is undefeated against the playoff field this season . Pats Pulpit . January 3, 2019 . Pats Pulpit . 19 June 2019.
5. Web site: Brady, Fitzgerald, Gore and Rodgers set NFL records. SI.com. December 12, 2018.
6. Web site: Super Bowl 2019: New England Patriots beat Los Angeles Rams 13-3 – as it happened. 3 February 2019. Guardian. 5 February 2019.
7. Web site: Lions hire former Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as new coach. Dubin. Jared. CBS Sports. CBS. February 8, 2018.
8. Web site: Brinson. Will. Colts announce Josh McDaniels hired as new coach, Patriots purge underway. CBSSports. CBS. February 7, 2018.
9. Web site: Schefter. Adam. Josh McDaniels changes mind, jilting Colts to stay with Pats. ESPN. February 7, 2018 . ESPN. February 7, 2018.
10. Web site: Josh McDaniels' agent quits after being stunned by decision. ESPN.com. February 7, 2018 . ESPN. February 8, 2018.
11. News: Miami Dolphins Make Roster Moves. March 10, 2018. Miami Dolphins. March 15, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180419140054/http://www.miamidolphins.com/news/press-releases/article-1/Miami-Dolphins-Make-Roster-Moves/25f48cf5-6792-45b4-a464-a201d93fcb56. April 19, 2018. dead. mdy-all.
12. News: Cox. Zack. NFL Rumors: Danny Amendola Expected To Leave Patriots, Sign With Dolphins. March 16, 2018. NESN. March 13, 2018.
13. News: Patriots special teamer Johnson Bademosi signs huge deal with Texans. March 16, 2018. Patriots Wire. March 16, 2018.
14. News: Johnson Bademosi signs two-year, $6.25 million contract with Texans. Pats Pulpit. July 23, 2018.
15. News: Patriots re-sign core special teamer Brandon Bolden to one-year contract. Pats Pulpit. March 16, 2018.
16. News: Patriots Acquire CB Jason McCourty in a Trade with Cleveland;Re-Sign RB Rex Burkhead. March 15, 2018. Patriots.com. March 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180316042432/http://www.patriots.com/news/2018/03/15/patriots-acquire-cb-jason-mccourty-trade-cleveland-re-sign-rb-rex-burkhead. March 16, 2018. dead.
17. News: Phillips. Brian. 2018 NFL free agency:Details released on Rex Burkhead's new deal with the Patriots. March 16, 2018. PatsPulpit. March 15, 2018.
18. News: Wyatt. Jim. Titans Reach Deal with Former Patriots CB Malcolm Butler. March 16, 2018. TitansOnline. March 15, 2018.
19. News: Titans to sign Malcolm Butler to five-year, $61M deal. NFL.com. March 13, 2018. March 16, 2018.
20. News: Patriots re-sign special teams ace Nate Ebner to two-year contract. Pats Pulpit. March 16, 2018.
21. News: Patriots free agency tracker: Rumors, news, signings, instant analysis. Pats Pulpit. March 16, 2018.
22. News: Cowboys expected to sign Cameron Fleming. March 24, 2018. ProFootballTalk. March 24, 2018.
23. News: Dallas Cowboys officially sign former Patriots OT Cameron Fleming. Pats Pulpit. April 4, 2018.
24. News: Patriots reportedly re-sign linebacker Marquis Flowers to a one year deal. Boston.com. March 22, 2018.
25. Web site: Ricky Jean Francois. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. August 9, 2018.
26. News: Titans Reach Deal with Former Patriots RB Dion Lewis. March 15, 2018. TitansOnline. March 16, 2018.
27. News: Wesseling. Chris. Titans expected to sign RB Dion Lewis to 4-year deal. March 16, 2018. NFL.com. March 13, 2018.
28. News: Patriots re-sign special teams ace Matthew Slater to two-year deal. Pats Pulpit. March 21, 2018.
29. News: New York Giants sign OT Nate Solder. March 15, 2018. Giants.com. March 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180316032114/http://www.giants.com/news-and-blogs/article-1/New-York-Giants-sign-OT-Nate-Solder/73419f3e-6356-4654-84c1-4b1e2949e287. March 16, 2018. dead.
30. News: Patra. Kevin. Nate Solder signs four-year, $62M Giants contract. March 16, 2018. NFL.com. March 14, 2018.
31. News: Patriots re-signing left tackle LaAdrian Waddle. NFL.com. March 22, 2018.
32. News: Patriots sign Brandon King to two-year, $2.6 million contract. Pats Pulpit. March 16, 2018.
33. Web site: Patriots reached agreement with former Falcons' DE Adrian Clayborn, per source.. Schefter. Adam. March 16, 2018. @AdamSchefter. March 16, 2018.
34. Web site: The #Patriots are signing #Falcons free agent DE Adrian Clayborn to a 2-year deal worth $12M, source said.. Rapoport. Ian. March 16, 2018. @RapSheet. March 16, 2018.
35. Web site: Source: the Patriots are signing former Bengals RB Jeremy Hill.. Yates. Field. March 16, 2018. @FieldYates. March 16, 2018.
36. News: Jeremy Hill's One-Year Deal With Patriots: Details Released. March 19, 2018. 98.5 The Sports Hub – Boston's Home For Sports – WBZ FM. March 21, 2018.
37. Web site: Patriots are signing OT Matt Tobin to a 1-year deal, per source.. Reiss. Mike. March 16, 2018. @MikeReiss. March 16, 2018.
38. News: Patriots sign former Eagles and Seahawks offensive lineman Matt Tobin to a 1-year deal. Pats Pulpit. March 21, 2018.
39. News: Ian Rapoport on Twitter. Twitter. April 4, 2018.
40. News: Patriots: Contract Details On Most Recent Signings Troy Niklas and Luke Bowanko. April 6, 2018. 98.5 The Sports Hub – Boston's Home For Sports. April 6, 2018.
41. News: Field Yates on Twitter. Twitter. April 4, 2018.
42. News: Sources: Patriots to sign ex-Bills WR Matthews. ESPN.com. April 6, 2018.
43. News: Jordan Matthews' Patriots Contract Is Big-Time Bargain For New England. NESN.com. April 9, 2018. April 9, 2018. Cox. Zack.
44. News: Patriots sign former Packers, Cardinals offensive tackle Ulrick John. Pats Pulpit. April 25, 2018.
45. Web site: Ulrick John. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. July 23, 2018.
46. Web site: Patriots Re-Sign OL Jason King . Patriots.com. June 9, 2018. May 18, 2018.
47. News: Jason King Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money Over The Cap. Overthecap.com. Over the Cap. July 23, 2018.
48. News: Patriots sign receiver Devin Lucien. July 23, 2018. ProFootballTalk. July 23, 2018.
49. Web site: Devin Lucien. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. August 3, 2018.
50. Web site: Patriots Sign DB Eddie Pleasant and G Nate Theaker; Release WR Cody Hollister. patriots.com. July 24, 2018.
51. Web site: Eddie Pleasant. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. August 3, 2018.
52. Web site: Nate Theaker. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. August 3, 2018.
53. News: Field Yates on Twitter. Twitter. July 27, 2018.
54. Web site: Paul Turner. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. August 3, 2018.
55. Web site: Patriots sign veteran OL Brian Schwenke; release rookie TE Shane Wimann. patriots.com. July 31, 2018.
56. Web site: Brian Schwenke. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. August 3, 2018.
57. News: Doug Kyed on Twitter. Twitter. August 1, 2018.
58. Web site: Henry Poggi. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. August 3, 2018.
59. News: Pats add Eric Decker on a one-year deal. August 2, 2018. ProFootballTalk. August 2, 2018.
60. News: Here are the reported terms for Eric Decker's contract. August 4, 2018. Patriots Wire. August 4, 2018.
61. Web site: Patriots sign three players. patriots.com. August 27, 2018.
62. News: Kj Maye Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History . Overthecap.com. Over the Cap. September 18, 2018.
63. News: Kenneth Farrow Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History Over The Cap. Overthecap.com. Over the Cap. September 18, 2018.
64. News: Khalfani Muhammad Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History Over The Cap. Overthecap.com. Over the Cap. September 18, 2018.
65. Web site: Patriots claim two players. Patriots.com. September 2, 2018.
66. Web site: Patriots Make Roster Moves. Patriots.com. September 4, 2018.
67. Web site: Brian Schwenke. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. September 11, 2018.
68. Web site: Reiss. Mike. Patriots agree to terms with WRs Corey Coleman, Bennie Fowler. September 11, 2018. ESPN.com. September 11, 2018.
69. Web site: Corey Coleman. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. September 11, 2018.
70. Web site: Slagter. Josh. Bennie Fowler signs with Patriots, who keep going through WRs. September 11, 2018. MLive.com. September 11, 2018.
71. News: Bennie Fowler Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and Contract History Over The Cap. Overthecap.com. Over the Cap. September 18, 2018.
72. News: Guregian. Karen. Patriots fill out roster spots, RB Kenjon Barner joins pair of receivers. September 11, 2018. Boston Herald. September 11, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180912092003/http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/patriots/the_blitz/2018/09/patriots_fill_out_roster_spots_rb_kenjon_barner_joins_pair_of. September 12, 2018. dead.
73. Web site: Kenjon Barner. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. September 11, 2018.
74. Web site: Cyrus Jones. Spotrac.com. Spotrac.com. September 22, 2018.
75. Web site: Patriots Place RB Rex Burkhead and LB Ja'Whaun Bentley on injured reserve; Announce Additional Roster Moves. Patriots.com. October 5, 2018.
76. Web site: New England Patriots Transactions. rostermon.com. December 8, 2018.
77. News: TRANSACTIONS. September 11, 2014. New England Patriots. March 16, 2018.
78. News: Patriots release linebacker Shea McClellin. March 21, 2018.
79. News: Patriots cut Jason King. May 10, 2018. ProFootballTalk. August 3, 2018.
80. News: Patriots Sign P Corey Bojorquez; Release Rookie WR Darren Andrews. May 14, 2018. New England Patriots. May 14, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180515025022/http://www.patriots.com/news/2018/05/14/patriots-sign-p-corey-bojorquez-release-rookie-wr-darren-andrews. May 15, 2018. dead.
81. News: NFL Rumors: Patriots Cut Safety David Jones, Open Second Roster Spot. July 23, 2018. NESN.com. July 23, 2018.
82. Web site: Patriots Release G Nate Theaker. patriots.com. August 3, 2018.
83. News: Patriots release WR Malcolm Mitchell. Patriots.com. August 6, 2018.
84. News: Malcolm Mitchell a free agent after going unclaimed; Patriots release Jordan Matthews off IR. Pats Pulpit. August 9, 2018.
85. News: Patriots release Kenny Britt, depth thinning at wide receiver. August 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180823105633/http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/patriots/the_blitz/2018/08/patriots_release_kenny_britt_depth_thinning_at_wide_receiver. August 23, 2018. dead.
86. Web site: Patriots release WR Eric Decker and DB Eddie Pleasant. patriots.com. August 27, 2018.
87. Web site: Patriots release five players. patriots.com. September 1, 2018.
88. Web site: Patriots Announce Roster Cutdown. patriots.com. September 1, 2018.
89. Web site: Patriots release WRs Chad Hansen and Riley McCarron; place RB Jeremy Hill on injured reserve. patriots.com. September 11, 2018.
90. Web site: Patriots Sign OL Cole Croston to the 53-Man Roster; Release WR Bennie Fowler; Sign WR Riley McCarron to the Practice Squad. Patriots.com. September 15, 2018.
91. Web site: Patriots Acquire WR Josh Gordon in a Trade with Cleveland; Release WR Corey Coleman. patriots.com. September 18, 2018.
92. Web site: Patriots sign former second round pick Cyrus Jones off the Ravens practice squad, release Kenjon Barner. PatsPulpit.com. Hill, Rich. September 19, 2018.
93. Web site: 2018 NFL Transactions February Retired: Free Agency, Trades & more. foxsports.com. March 16, 2018.
94. Web site: Martellus Bennett retiring from NFL after 10 seasons. https://web.archive.org/web/20180324224106/http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000922955/article/martellus-bennett-retiring-from-nfl-after-11-seasons. dead. March 24, 2018. Bergman, Jeremy. March 23, 2018. NFL.com.
95. News: Steelers great James Harrison announces retirement. NFL.com. April 16, 2018.
96. News: Andrew Jelks retires from the NFL. New England Patriots. July 23, 2018.
97. News: Pats' Decker announces retirement from NFL. ESPN.com. August 26, 2018.
98. News: Patriots roster cuts: New England trades Jordan Richards to Falcons. Pats Pulpit. August 31, 2018.
99. News: Patriots sign six of nine 2018 NFL Draft selections; Sign nine rookie free agents; Release OL Tony Garcia. May 11, 2018. New England Patriots. May 12, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180512005119/http://www.patriots.com/news/2018/05/11/patriots-sign-six-nine-2018-nfl-draft-selections-sign-nine-rookie-free-agents. May 12, 2018. dead.
100. Web site: Bergman, Jeremy . Julian Edelman's appeal of 4-game suspension denied . . July 3, 2018 . July 3, 2018.
101. Web site: Patriots' Josh Gordon suspended indefinitely by NFL. NFL.com. February 23, 2019.
102. Web site: New England Patriots 2018 Regular Season Schedule . NFL.com. April 20, 2018.
103. Web site: Single seasons - Passing Yds >= 4000. Pro-Football-Reference.com. en. 2019-12-17.