FOXBORO -- It was all Brian Hoyer and Shane Vereen in the third quarter.
The Patriots received the ball to begin the second half, and went on a 14-play, 97-yard drive that resulted in a three-yard Hoyer touchdown pass to Britt Davis at the goal line.
Hoyer -- who returned to the game after being replaced by Ryan Mallett in the first half -- finished the drive 3-for-7 for 20 yards, making Vereen the story of the drive. Of the 97 yards the Patriots gained, Vereen accounted for 73 of those yards -- 63 on the ground, and 10 receiving.
It looked as if Julian Edelman was going to be the early goat of the second half, as he decided to run the opening kickoff out of the end zone after hesitating with several dekes. As a result, Edelman was tackled at his own 3-yard line. it wouldn't matter though, because the Patriots ended up scoring a touchdown and taking a 7-3 lead, which lasted into the fourth quarter.
Vereen finished the third quarter with 64 rushing yards on 11 carries, and 17 receiving yards on two receptions.