2011 New England Patriots season The 2011 New England Patriots season is the 42nd season for the team in the National Football League and 52nd season overall . The Patriots dedicated their 2011 season to the memory of Myra Kraft , the wife of owner Robert Kraft , who passed away in July 2011 . At both home and away games , the Patriots are wearing patches bearing Kraft ' s initials , MHK , on their uniforms . Offseason . 2011 NFL Draft . The Patriots traded their original seventh - round pick to the Atlanta Falcons for offensive lineman 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 . 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 . Week 2 : vs . San Diego Chargers . Following their Monday Night win 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 Bills responded , with quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing an 11 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Steve Johnson , followed by a 42 - yard field goal by placekicker Ryan 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 , 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 field goal 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 . Week 5 : vs . New York Jets . Coming off their win at Oakland , the Patriots returned home for an AFC East duel with the New York Jets . The Patriots grabbed the early lead in the first quarter , with a 3 - yard touchdown run by running back BenJarvus Green - Ellis , followed in the second quarter by a 44 - yard field goal by placekicker Stephen Gostkowski . The Jets got on the board , with a 3 - yard touchdown run by running back Shonn Greene . The Patriots extended their lead in the third quarter , with quarterback Tom Brady throwing a 2 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Deion Branch . The Jets responded , with quarterback Mark Sanchez throwing a 9 - yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Jeremy Kerley . The Patriots added to their lead , with a 3 - yard touchdown run by Green - Ellis , followed in the fourth quarter with a 24 - yard field goal by Gostkowski . The Jets tried to rally , with wide receiver Santonio Holmes receiving a 21 - yard touchdown pass from Sanchez , but a late 28 - yard field goal by Gostkowski sealed the win for the Patriots . With the win , the Patriots improved to 4 – 1 .