The 2011 season was the New England Patriots' 42nd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 52nd overall. The Patriots finished the regular season at 13–3, and represented the AFC in Super Bowl XLVI. It was the seventh Super Bowl trip in franchise history, and the fifth for head coach Bill Belichick and quarterback Tom Brady.
The Patriots dedicated their 2011 season to the memory of Myra Kraft, the wife of owner Robert Kraft, who died on July 20, 2011, after a long fight against cancer. At both home and away games, the Patriots wore patches bearing Kraft's initials, MHK, on their uniforms.Patriots Dedicate Season To Myra Kraft, Will Wear Jersey Patch The Patriots elected to wear their Super Bowl patches on the right side of their uniforms, so that they could keep the MHK patch on the left as it had been all season.Patriots Will Keep ‘MHK’ Patch on Left Side of Jerseys, Super Bowl Patch Will Be Displayed on Right Side | New England Patriots | NESN.com The Patriots were the only 2011 division winner that won their division the previous season.Patriots face long odds with Super Bowl loser's curse - NFL.com
The Patriots lost in the Super Bowl to the New York Giants by a score of 21–17. With the loss, along with losses in 1985, 1996, and 2007, the Patriots tied with the Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings for most Super Bowl losses at four. The Broncos would lose their fifth Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks two years later; whereas the Patriots would lose their fifth six years later and their record-breaking sixth 14 years later.
Offseason
2011 NFL draft
The Patriots traded their original seventh-round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for guard Quinn Ojinnaka in August 2010. The Patriots also acquired the Denver Broncos' fourth-round selection in exchange for a sixth-round selection and running back Laurence Maroney. The Patriots acquired the sixth-round selection from the New Orleans Saints in a September 2009 trade for tight end David Thomas. The team later agreed to trade the higher of its two fourth-round selections – the pick acquired from the Broncos – to the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for wide receiver Deion Branch.
+ 2011 New England Patriots Draft Day Trades Round Overall Team Received 1 28 to New Orleans Saints Received New Orleans' second-round pick (56 overall) in 2011 and first-round pick in 2012 2 60 to Houston Texans Received Houston's third-round and fifth-round picks (73 and 138 overall) 3 92 to Oakland Raiders Received Oakland's seventh-round pick in 2011 (219 overall) and second-round pick in 2012 4 125 6 193 to Philadelphia Eagles Received Philadelphia's sixth-round pick (194 overall)
Staff 2011 New England Patriots staff Front office Chairman/CEO – Robert Kraft President – Jonathan Kraft Senior football advisor – Floyd Reese Director of player personnel – Nick Caserio Director of college scouting – Jon Robinson Director of pro personnel – Jason Licht Assistant director of pro personnel – Bob Quinn Assistant director of college scouting – Brian Smith Football research director – Ernie Adams
Head coaches Head coach – Bill Belichick Assistant head coach/offensive line – Dante Scarnecchia
Offensive coaches Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks – Bill O'Brien Running backs – Ivan Fears Wide receivers – Chad O'Shea Tight ends – Brian Ferentz Offensive assistant – George Godsey Offensive assistant – Josh McDaniels (hired during 2011 playoff run) Defensive coaches Defensive line – Pepper Johnson Linebackers – Patrick Graham Defensive backs – Josh Boyer Safeties – Matt Patricia Defensive assistant – Brian Flores
Special teams coaches Special teams – Scott O'Brien
Strength and conditioning Head strength and conditioning – Harold Nash Assistant strength and conditioning – Moses Cabrera
Final roster
Schedule
Preseason
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 August 11 Jacksonville Jaguars W 47–12 1–0 Gillette Stadium Recap 2 August 18 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers W 31–14 2–0 Raymond James Stadium Recap 3 August 27 at Detroit Lions L 10–34 2–1 Ford Field Recap 4 September 1 New York Giants L 17–18 2–2 Gillette Stadium Recap
Regular season
Week Date Opponent Result Record Game site NFL.comrecap 1 at Miami Dolphins W 38–24 1–0 Sun Life Stadium Recap 2 September 18 San Diego Chargers W 35–21 2–0 Gillette Stadium Recap 3 September 25 at Buffalo Bills L 31–34 2–1 Ralph Wilson Stadium Recap 4 October 2 at Oakland Raiders W 31–19 3–1 O.co Coliseum Recap 5 October 9 New York Jets W 30–21 4–1 Gillette Stadium Recap 6 October 16 Dallas Cowboys W 20–16 5–1 Gillette Stadium Recap 7 Bye 8 October 30 at Pittsburgh Steelers L 17–25 5–2 Heinz Field Recap 9 November 6 New York GiantsL 20–24 5–3 Gillette Stadium Recap 10 November 13 at New York Jets W 37–16 6–3 MetLife Stadium Recap 11 Kansas City Chiefs W 34–3 7–3 Gillette Stadium Recap 12 November 27 at Philadelphia Eagles W 38–20 8–3 Lincoln Financial Field Recap 13 December 4 Indianapolis Colts W 31–24 9–3 Gillette Stadium Recap 14 December 11 at Washington Redskins W 34–27 10–3 FedExField Recap 15 December 18 at Denver Broncos W 41–23 11–3 Sports Authority Field at Mile High Recap 16 Miami Dolphins W 27–24 12–3 Gillette Stadium Recap 17 January 1 Buffalo Bills W 49–21 13–3 Gillette Stadium Recap
Standings
Regular season results
Week 1: at Miami Dolphins
The Patriots began their 2011 campaign at Sun Life Stadium, for a Week 1 AFC East duel with the Miami Dolphins in the first game of Monday Night Football's doubleheader. New England trailed early in the first quarter as Dolphins' quarterback Chad Henne scrambled for 9-yard touchdown. The Patriots answered, with a 4-yard touchdown run from running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis. New England took the lead in the second quarter, with quarterback Tom Brady finding tight end Rob Gronkowski on a 10-yard touchdown pass. Miami tied the game in third quarter, as Henne completed a 10-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brian Hartline, yet the Patriots regained the lead, with Brady hooking up with wide receiver Wes Welker on a 2-yard touchdown pass. The Dolphins would reply, with a 20-yard field goal by placekicker Dan Carpenter. Afterwards, New England closed out the third quarter, with Brady connecting with tight end Aaron Hernandez on a 1-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots added onto their lead in the fourth quarter, with a 20-yard field goal from placekicker Stephen Gostkowski, followed by Brady finding Welker on a 99-yard touchdown pass. Miami would close out the game with Henne completing a 2-yard touchdown pass to running back Reggie Bush.
With the win, New England began their season at 1–0. Tom Brady also became the 11th quarterback in NFL history to pass for over 500 yards in a game with 517 yards.
Week 2: vs. San Diego Chargers
Following their Monday Night at Miami, the Patriots returned to Foxborough for their home opener against the San Diego Chargers. In the first quarter, Patriots' quarterback Tom Brady threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Hernandez, but the Chargers responded, with a 10-yard touchdown run by running back Ryan Mathews. The Patriots scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter, with a 22-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski, a 10-yard touchdown pass from Brady to tight end Rob Gronkowski, followed by a 47-yard field goal by Gostkowski just before halftime. After a scoreless third quarter, the Chargers cut into the Patriots lead, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Philip Rivers to wide receiver Vincent Jackson. The Patriots responded, with Brady throwing a 17-yard touchdown pass to Rob Gronkowski (and a two-point conversion run by running back Danny Woodhead). The Chargers tried to rally, with Rivers throwing a 26-yard touchdown pass to Jackson, but a 16-yard touchdown run by Patriots' running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis just after the two-minute warning sealed the win for New England.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 2–0.
Week 3: at Buffalo Bills
Following their win over the Chargers, the Patriots flew to Orchard Park, New York, for an AFC East duel with the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with quarterback Tom Brady throwing two touchdown passes – a 14-yarder to wide receiver Wes Welker and a 1-yarder to tight end Rob Gronkowski. The Patriots added to their lead in the second quarter, with Brady connecting with Rob Gronkowski on a 26-yard touchdown pass. The Patriots lead was now 21-0 halfway through the second quarter. The Bills responded, with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing an 11-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Stevie Johnson, followed by a 42-yard field goal by placekicker Rian Lindell. The Bills narrowed the Patriots' lead in the third quarter, with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Fitzpatrick to tight end Scott Chandler. The Patriots increased their lead, with a 23-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski. The Bills tied the game in the fourth quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run by running back Fred Jackson, then grabbed a 31–24 lead when cornerback Drayton Florence returned a Brady interception 27 yards for a touchdown. The Patriots tied the game, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Brady to Welker. However, the Bills got the last possession, and after a touchdown that was ruled that Fred Jackson's knee hit the ground before he was in the endzone, the Bills killed clock by draining time and making the Patriots use timeouts. The Bills then won as Lindell nailed a 28-yard field goal as time expired, snapping the Patriots' 15-game winning streak against the Bills.
With the loss, the Patriots dropped to 2–1.
Week 4: at Oakland Raiders
Hoping to avenge their Week 3 loss at Buffalo, the Patriots flew across the country to face the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders grabbed the lead in the first quarter, with a 28-yard field goal by placekicker Sebastian Janikowski. The Patriots responded, with quarterback Tom Brady throwing a 15-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Wes Welker. The Raiders re-claimed the lead in the second quarter, with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back Michael Bush. The Patriots answered, with a 1-yard touchdown run from running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis, followed by a 44-yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski just before halftime. The Patriots added to their lead in the third quarter, with a 33-yard TD-run by running back Stevan Ridley. The Raiders narrowed the lead, with a 26-yard field goal by Janikowski, but the Patriots increased it in the fourth quarter, with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Brady to wide receiver Deion Branch. The Raiders scored a late touchdown, with quarterback Jason Campbell throwing a 6-yard pass to wide receiver Denarius Moore (with a failed two-point conversion attempt), but the Patriots ran out the clock, sealing the win.
With the win, the Patriots improved to 3–1; it was also the franchise's 200th win (regular season and playoff) under Robert Kraft's ownership.
Week 5: vs. New York Jets