First looks, final touches: Giants beat Pats

FOXBORO -- BenJarvus Green-Ellis scored on a pair of short touchdown runs while Tom Brady and the starting offensive unit played the entire first quarter before the Giants rallied in the second half for an 18-17 win at Gillette Stadium Thursday night in the preseason finale for both teams. 

Brady and the starters got a quick opportunity when Domenik Hixon was stripped by Rob Ninkovich, losing a catch from David Carr on the game's first play from scrimmage. Patrick Chung returned it to the 1-yard line, where Brady handed off to Green-Ellis for the easy TD. Devin McCourty intercepted Carr on the Giants' next drive, setting up a 31-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal. 

Brady played the next three full series, completing 5-of-9 passes for 116 yards, including a 64-yard catch-and-run by Matthew Slater in the first quarter. The catch set up Green-Ellis' second 1-yard TD plunge, putting the Patriots up 17-3.

In his final preseason tune-up before the season opener in Miami on Sept. 12, Brady finished with a 100.5 rating. On the long play to Slater, Brady looked initially at Chad Ochocinco, who carried the cornerback and safety deep, opening the middle route for Slater. Ochocinco was targeted twice in 11 snaps with Brady, catching one pass for nine yards. Ochocinco finished the preseason with three catches for 23 yards, including an 8-yard TD grab on Aug. 18. 

On the defensive side, defensive linemen Albert Haynesworth and Shaun Ellis made their Patriots debuts, with Haynesworth recording two solo tackles and an assist, and Ellis registering a sack late in the first half to force the Giants into a missed field goal. Mike Wright was the third Patriots defensive linemen to make his preseason debut Thursday. Rookie cornerback Ras-I Dowling also saw his first action. Kyle Arrington was injured on the opening kickoff and did not return. 

The Giants' first touchdown came on a 65-yard fake punt run by Da'Rel Scott on the first play of the fourth quarter. The Giants then got the game-winner when Patriots running back Richard Medlin fumbled at the New England 11. Derrick Martin scooped it up and ran it in for a touchdown. The two-point conversion was good.

The Patriots dropped their final two preseason games and finished 2-2.

For complete coverage, visit the Patriots team page at weei.com/patriots and the football blog It Is What It Is.