Nick Folk's 50-yard field goal as time expired gave the Patriots a 20-17 win over the Cardinals at the buzzer at Gillette Stadium as the team improved to 5-6 on the season.
Cam Newton threw two interceptions in the win, including one on his first drop back of the game, finishing an abysmal 9 for 18 throwing the ball for just 84 yards.
But following a miss by Arizona kicker Zane Gonzalez on a 45-yard field goal attempt with the score tied at 17-all and 1:47 left in the contest gave New England new life -- a chance which the Patriots still almost blew, to be totally fair.
Newton demonstrated once again that his greatest asset is his legs, however, scrambling for 14 yards on a third-and-13 with 0:56 left. For good measure, he drew an extra 15 yards on an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Cardinals on the play, moving New England to the brink of field goal range.
Following a short pass to Damiere Byrd and a short gain by James White -- who scored two touchdowns on the afternoon -- on the ground, Newton spiked the ball, clearing the way for Nick, Folk Hero.
The Cardinals made the Patriots pay immediately for Newton's ill-timed throw, jumping ahead 7-0 on a Kenyan Drake 1-yard touchdown run three plays later. Arizona added three more points on a Zane Gonzalez 47-yard field goal following a New England punt before the first quarter was out.
After a 53-yard kick return by Donte Moncrief gave the Patriots favorable field position, White scored his first touchdown of the afternoon on a fourth-and-goal from the 2-yard line 0:45 into the second quarter.
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The teams exchanged punts before the Cardinals had one last chance to score just shy of halftime. On the 15th play of its drive, however, Drake was stuffed by Ja'Whaun Bentley along the goal line as time expired, denying Arizona the chance to tack on any points prior to the break.
The Cardinals punted on their first possession of the third quarter, which led to a Nick Folk 22-yard field goal to tie the game. The Patriots nearly took the lead prior to that, when Gunner Olszewski appeared to have returned a punt 82 yards for a touchdown, but an illegal blindside block by Anfernee Jennings negated the score.
No matter, as Adrian Phillips picked off Murray on the third play of Arizona's ensuing drive, giving New England the ball at the Cardinals' 31-yard line. This time, the Patriots were able to finish the job, as White extended across the plane on third-and-goal from the 1, giving New England a 17-10 lead with 3:30 left in the third.
Aided by a pair of defensive holding calls against the Patriots, Arizona responded with a 16-play, 80-yard scoring drive which finally came to a close on a 1-yard run from Drake with 8:02 to go in regulation, tying the game at 17-all.
The Patriots are on the road for their next three games, including back-to-back contests in Los Angeles beginning next Sunday at 4:25 p.m. against the Chargers. They then play the Rams on Thursday, Dec. 10 at 8:20 p.m. and at Miami on Sunday, Dec. 20 before returning home for their final two games against the Bills and Jets, respectively.
