FOXBORO, Mass. -- The New England Patriots rediscovered their rushing game Sunday, but it was the unexpected plays that keyed them to an easy 47-21 triumph over the Baltimore Colts.
The Patriots, playing without quarterback Steve Grogan for the first time in five years, got a couple of scoring runs from Don Calhoun and a 9-yard TD pass from backup Matt Cavanaugh to Carlos Pennywell.
But the team also scored on a pair of fumbled kickoff returns and a 42-yard interception by linebacker Rod Shoate in upping their record to 8-4, remaining one game behind Buffalo in the AFC East.
Rick Sanford and Allan Clark each returned Nesby Glasgow kickoff fumbles for touchdowns as New England turned three Baltimore giveaways into TDs.
'The special teams haven't had a lot of glory this year, but they made the key plays for us today,' said Patriots' Coach Ron Erhardt. 'That's the unsung part of the game, but it's a very vital part of winning.'
Grogan had started 78 straight regular season and playoff games dating back to Nov. 23, 1975, but could not play due to recurrent knee problems which have bothered him since the third game of the year. Cavanaugh played the entire game.
'I played a little sloppy, but our running game was on fire,' said Cavanaugh, who made his first NFL start. 'When I was told I was going to start two days ago ... I was excited about it.'
New England's other points came on two John Smith field goals. The Colts, who lost quarterback Bert Jones to a shoulder injury during the game, fell to 6-6.
Veteran Greg Landry replaced Jones and directed the three Baltimore scoring drives. Landry, who had not attempted a pass all year, threw a 23-yard scoring strike to Joe Washington and rookie Curtis Dickey scored on TD runs of 1 and 28 yards.
'I thought Greg called a great game,' said Baltimore Coach Mike McCormack. 'But we got our butts kicked out there, and our noses rubbed in. They just played well and we didn't.'
Grogan had started 78 straight regular season and playoff games dating back to Nov. 23, 1975, but could not play due to recurrent knee problems which have bothered him since the third game of the year. Cavanaugh played the entire game and completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Carlos Pennywell.
'I played a little sloppy, but our running game was on fire,' said Cavanaugh, who made his first NFL start. 'When I was told I was going to start two days ago ... I was excited about it.' New England's other points came on two John Smith field goals.
The Colts, who lost quarterback Bert Jones to a shoulder injury, fell to 6-6.
Veteran Greg Landry replaced Jones and directed the three Baltimore scoring drives. Landry, who had not attempted a pass all year, threw a 23-yard scoring strike to Joe Washington and rookie Curtis Dickey scored on touchdown runs of 1 and 28 yards.
'I thought Greg called a great game,' said Baltimore coach Mike McCormack. 'But we got our butts kicked out there, and our noses rubbed in. They just played well and we didn't.'
Jones, who has been shelved by shoulder injuries in the past, was hurt with 9:44 left in the second quarter when he was hit by linebacker Mike Hawkins.
He reinjured the shoulder on the interception to Shoate, his first pass of the second half, and did not return. He finished with two completions and two interceptions in six attempts.
Calhoun, who became the first New England player to rush for more than 100 yards in a game this season, opened the scoring on a 1-yard run with 56 seconds left in the first period. He also scored with 1:24 remaining in the game on a 3-yard run, and finished with 106 yards in 19 carries.
Running back Vagas Ferguson added 100 yards in 17 carries as the Patriots rushed for a season-high 245 yards.
Sanford and Clark both scooped up fumbled kickoffs by the Colts' Nesby Glasgow. Sanford's TD came on the opening play of the fourth quarter after Smith's second field goal had given New England a 20-7 lead after three periods.
Clark's touchdown with 1:16 remaining, which capped the Patriots' 27-point fourth quarter, came just eight seconds after Calhoun's second score.
Shoate gave New England a 17-0 lead early in the third quarter when he stepped in front of a pass intended for Dickey and ran untouched down the sidelines for his first career TD.
Cavanaugh, who finished with 10 completions in 21 attempts, threw his scoring pass to Pennywell 8:41 into the fourth quarter to give New England a 33-14 lead.
Smith's two field goals, of 22 and 35 yards, gave him 100 points for the season. The veteran kicker has hit on 21-of-26 attempts.
Dickey, who finished with 102 yards on 16 carries, scored his touchdowns nine minutes apart in the fourth quarter. His first TD capped an 80-yard drive in nine plays and his second run climaxed a 71-yard drive.
Landry hit 14-of-22 passes for 176 yards, including the scoring toss to Washington.
