Patriots-Packers preseason game suspended in fourth quarter after Isaiah Bolden carted off field
GREEN BAY, Wisconsin -- Saturday night's preseason game between the Patriots and the Packers ended early after a scary moment on the field that saw New England rookie cornerback Isaiah Bolden carted off after colliding with a teammate.
Bolden, a seventh-round pick by New England out of Jackson State, was motionless on the field after colliding with teammate Calvin Munson while trying to tackle Green Bay's Malik Heath early in the fourth quarter. Everyone on the Patriots bench gathered on the field and were led by Matthew Slater in a team prayer as Bolden was stabilized. He was eventually carted off the field, and both the Patriots and the Packers agreed to suspend play.
Referee John Hussey announced that the game was over with 10:29 left in the fourth quarter and New England leading 21-17. It was the right decision after such a scary sight on the field. It's not about the outcome of the game -- but the safety of the players involved.
All attention will now be on Bolden and his condition in the coming days. The Patriots announced shortly after the game was suspended that he had feeling in all his extremities, but was being taken to a hospital for further tests.
"The situation is a bigger picture than the game. I'll say a prayer for Isaiah," Belichick said at the podium in Green Bay. "I appreciate the way the league handled it. I think that was the right thing to do."
Patriots captain Matthew Slater praised Belichick for pushing to call the game after Bolden was hurt.
"I really appreciate what coach Belichick did tonight. He took the initiative on that," said Slater. "This is not the AFC Championship, we're not playing for a record. This is preseason game No. 2, and to have an injury like that, it affects a lot of guys in a lot of different ways. Clearly, our team was shaken by what happened and our coach made the right decision. That was tremendous leadership by him.
"Honestly, that was one of the proudest moments I've had for a guy who has played for him for 16 years," added Slater. "There was no hesitation and I appreciate coach for standing with our man. It was the right call in the situation."
As for everything else that took place, Mac Jones played three series for the Patriots, with New England scoring a touchdown to cap off his first drive. Granted, Jones and company got a short field after the Packers fumbled away their first possession on a bad snap to Jordan Love, with Josh Uche's recovery setting New England up at the Green Bay 18-yard line.
Jones hit Kendrick Bourne on back-to-back plays -- a four-yard connection and a 13-yard hookup on a slant over the middle -- to quickly set up a first-and-goal for the Patriots. Jones overthrew DeVante Parker in the end zone on third-and-goal, but Packers corner Carrington Valentine was flagged for defensive holding, which gave the Patriots a fresh set of downs.
Stevenson ran it in from a yard out on the next play to give the Patriots a 7-0 lead.
After the two teams traded punts, the Packers evened things up when Love hit Jayden Reed for a 19-yard score, capping off a five-play, 93-yard drive for Green Bay.
Jones' third and final possession of the game ended when he was strip-sacked by Kingsley Enagbare, who recovered for the Packers at their own 38-yard line. It was the second sack of the night for Enagbare, who manhandled rookie offensive lineman Sidy Sow and second-year lineman Anthony Stueber on those two plays.
Overall, Jones finished the night 6-for-9 for 54 yards.
The Packers turned that fumble by Jones into a touchdown, with Patrick Taylor running it in from eight yards out to finish off an eight-play, 62-yard drive by Green Bay to take a 14-7 lead.
The Patriots got those points back a few drives later when Bailey Zappe hit rookie Kayshon Boutte for a lovely 42-yard touchdown. Boutte's excellent catch-and-run tied the game at 14.
The Packers added a field goal just ahead of halftime though and went to the locker room with a 17-14 lead.
It stayed that way until the very end of the third quarter, when Zappe orchestrated a 17-play, 88-yard scoring drive for New England. Zappe hit J.J. Taylor for a nice 14-yard pickup on a second-and-9, and kept the drive going when he connected with Raleigh Webb for a six-yard reception on a third-and-3.
Facing a fourth-and-2 at the Green Bay 6-yard line, Zappe ran away from the Packers pressure and took it in himself to put the Patriots on top 21-17 heading into the fourth quarter.
The game then ended on Green Bay's next possession when Bolden was carted off the field.
The Patriots will now head to Tennessee for a week of joint practices with the Titans before the two teams close out their preseason slate next Friday night.
