GAME SUMMARY: NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (0-0) VS. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (0-0)
Sunday, September 10, 2023 • Gillette Stadium (64,628) • 4:25 p.m. ET
The New England Patriots will open the 2023 season at home and against the defending NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Patriots have opened the season against the defending conference champions four times: Miami Dolphins (1974), Pittsburgh Steelers (1979), Buffalo Bills (1993) and Denver Broncos (1998). All four were AFC Champions. The Dolphins, Steelers and Broncos were each Super Bowl Champions. The Patriots are 1-3 in those games. Philadelphia will be the first defending NFC Champion they have faced on opening day.
In addition, the Patriots will open the year against an NFC opponent for the sixth time in team history and for the first time since the 2016 season when they opened with a 23-21 win at Arizona on Sept. 11. The Patriots are 2-3 in those games.
SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots and Eagles will meet in the regular season for the first time since 2019, when New England traveled to Philadelphia on Nov. 17 and pulled out a 17-10 victory at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles will make their first visit to Gillette Stadium since a 35-28 win against the Patriots on Dec. 6, 2015.
Philadelphia leads the all-time series, 7-6, in the regular season. The two teams played against each other in two Super Bowls, with each team earning a win. The Patriots are 3-2 in home games against the Eagles, including 1-1 at Gillette Stadium.
REGULAR SEASON • PHILADELPHIA 7, NEW ENGLAND 6
DATE RESULT SCORE H/A STADIUM
11/04/73 L 23-24 A Veterans Stadium
11/27/77 W 14-6 H Schaefer Stadium
10/08/78 W 24-14 H Schaefer Stadium
09/13/81 L 3-13 A Veterans Stadium
12/09/84 L 17-27 A Veterans Stadium
11/29/87 L(OT) 31-34 H Sullivan Stadium
11/04/90 L 20-48 A Veterans Stadium
12/19/99 L 9-24 A Veterans Stadium
09/14/03 W 31-10 A Lincoln Financial Field
11/25/07 W 31-28 H Gillette Stadium
11/27/11 W 38-20 A Lincoln Financial Field
12/06/15 L 28-35 H Gillette Stadium
11/17/19 W 17-10 A Lincoln Financial Field
PATRIOTS VS. NFC IN SEASON OPENERS
The Patriots will be opening the season against an NFC team for the sixth time in team history and for the first time since Sept. 11, 2016, when they won on the road at Arizona, 23-21. Bill Belichick’s first ever regular season game as head coach of New England was against an NFC team, when the Patriots hosted Tampa Bay on Sept. 3, 2000.
PATRIOTS VS. NFC IN SEASON OPENERS (2-3)
Year Date Opponent Score
1978 09/03 vs. Washington 14-16 (L)
1985 09/08 vs. Green Bay 26-20 (W)
1992 09/13 at LA Rams 0-14 (L)
2000 09/03 vs. Tampa Bay 16-21 (L)
2016 09/11 at Arizona 23-21 (W)
Patriots defense on opening day
- The Patriots have had three players with two interceptions on opening day with the last being CB Terrell Buckley with two picks on Sept. 9, 2002 vs. Pittsburgh. The others were DB Ronnie Lippett on Sept. 9, 1990 vs. Miami and DB Dick Felt on Sept. 8, 1963 vs. the New York Jets.
- The Patriots have had a player register 3 sacks in an opening day game three times, including one game with two players reaching 3 sacks. LB Don Blackmon recorded 3 sacks vs. Indianapolis on Sept. 7, 1986. Blackmon and LB Andre Tippett both recorded 3 sacks on opening day in 1985 vs. Green Bay on Sept. 8.
- Since 1998, the Patriots’ defense has collected 3 interceptions three times on opening day. The last time they were able to achieve this was in 2020 vs. Miami on Sept. 13 when Adrian Phillips, Stephon Gilmore and J.C. Jackson all had an interception in a 21-11 Patriots win.
Opening day Notes by position:
QB: The Patriots, who have had a 300-yard passer on opening day nine times, will be looking to have a 300-yard passer on opening day for the first time since 2019 (Tom Brady, 24-of-36 for 341 yards vs. Pitt.)
RB: The Patriots, who have had a player reach 100-yards rushing on opening day seven times, will be looking to have a 100-yard rusher on opening day for the first time since 2021 when RB Damien Harris finished with 100 yards on 23 carries vs. Miami on Sept. 12, 2021.
WR: The Patriots have had a 100-yard receiver on opening day 21 times, including two games with two 100-yard receivers (2011 and 1986). The last time the Patriots had a 100-yard receiver on opening day was TE Rob Gronkowski when he caught 7 passes for 123 yards vs. Houston on Sept. 9, 2018.
DEF: Since 1998, the Patriots have had one defensive touchdown on opening day. The one time they accomplished this feat came in 2010 when LB Gary Guyton intercepted Carson Palmer and returned it 59 yards for a touchdown and paved the way to a 38-24 Patriots win vs. Cincinnati on Sept. 12.
