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.

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

 * Simulcast on WCVB-TV and WMUR-TV.
 * Note: Game times for Weeks 10, 12–15 and 17 are subject to change as a result of flexible scheduling. (Games not scheduled on Sundays are ineligible for flex scheduling.)

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.