Game Notes: TDs from Mallett and Tebow Lead Patriots Past Giants 28-20

Despite the Giants’ tendencies to put together last minute drives against the Patriots, a winning drive late fourth quarter was denied in the final preseason game of the year.

With a pair of touchdowns from Tim Tebow and a solid first half from Ryan Mallett the Patriots beat the Giants 28-20 to finish the preseason with a 3-1 record.

Mallett started the game and played the first half, finishing 10-of-16 for 117 yards with one touchdown and one interception while Tebow played the entire second half and finished 6-of-11 for 91 yards and two touchdowns, and one interception.

The Giants grabbed the lead late in the first quarter off a three-yard Eli Manning pass to Hakeem Nicks but running back George Winn helped lead the Pats on an 86-yard drive down the field that resulted in a one-yard touchdown run from Winn to tie the game at 7-7

The rookie Winn lead the team with 54 yards rushing on 14 carries.

Capitalizing on a 43-yard punt return from Leon Washington, the Patriots only needed one play to take a 14-7 lead. Josh Boyce was able to beat out Terrell Thomas for a 40-yard touchdown reception with 7:19 left in the half.

“Josh ran a great route. I wasn’t event looking to his side at first. the coverage took me over there and he went and made a great play,” Mallet said.

With the Patriots down 20-14 in the fourth quarter, Tim Tebow found Quetin Sims for a 52-yard touchdown after finding Simms across the middle at the 39 yard line. Simms was able to sprint down the field for the score.

“I knew I had a chance to get open - it was man coverage - i notices the man guarding me fell on the pass and I saw a single-high safety and I just tried to out run him,” Simms said. 

As soon as things started to turn around for the Patriots’ offense, things took a turn when an under-thrown pass by Tebow intended fro Aaron Dobson was intercepted by Trumaine McBride at the Giants’ 24-yard line with about eight minutes to play.

The Giants had two final drives to attempt to win the game but both chances were ended by sacks. Marcus Benard picked up the first sack on quarterback Curtis Painter after the Giants tried to convert on a 4th and 5 at the Patriots 38-yard line and Michael Buchanan sacked Painter on 4th and 8 at the Giants’ nine-yard line.

Despite having the lead with 10 seconds to play, Tebow linked-up with Simms again in the upper left corner of the end zone from nine-yards out to give the Patriots a final touchdown. 

The Pats are off until Sept. 8 when they travel to Buffalo for the season opener. 

The following game notes are courtesy of the Patriots Media Relations Department:

• The Patriots finished above .500 in the preseason for the sixth time (2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2009) under Bill Belichick and for the first time since finishing  3-1 in 2009 after finishing the 2013 preseason with a 3-1 record.

• Both Patriots quarterbacks completed long touchdown passes of 40 yards or more. Mallett had a 40-yard touchdown pass to WR Josh Boyce in the second quarter and Tebow connected on a 52-yard touchdown pass to WR Quentin Sims in the fourth quarter. The Patriots’ previous long pass in the 2013 preseason was  a 37-yard pass from Tom Brady to WR Kenbrell Thompkins at Detroit.

• The Patriots snapped a three-game preseason losing streak against the Giants, winning a preseason contest against New York for the first time since 2009.  The  Patriots and Giants have met in the preseason finale in each of the last nine years (2005-13), and the Patriots are now 3-6 in those games, with all three wins coming at Gillette Stadium.