Cooks, Brady hook up for winning touchdown

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Brandin Cooks started his day by being booed. He ended it with one of the biggest moments of his short New England Patriots tenure.

Cooks was one of a group of Patriots players jeered as they stood locked arm in arm next to a group of players that knelt during the national anthem Sunday. The display was in response to criticism President Donald Trump levied against Colin Kaepernick and other NFL players and teams over the weekend.

All was forgotten by the home crowd about three hours later when Cooks was on the receiving end of a 25-yard, toe-tapping touchdown pass from Tom Brady with 23 seconds left in the game as the Patriots rallied to beat the Houston Texans 36-33.

Brady finished with five TD throws. Cooks caught five passes for 131 yards and pair of scores.

Cooks, in his first season with the Patriots, made clear his pregame demonstration wasn’t meant to disrespect the military. Cooks’ father, Worth Cooks, served in the Marines and died of a heart attack when his son was 6.

“It’s one of those things where you want to stand with your brothers, kneel with your brothers and be by their side,” Cooks said.

Brady finished 25 of 35 for 378 yards as New England (2-1) won its fifth straight regular-season meeting with Houston (1-2) and seventh of eight overall.

“I think no matter how you get it, you’ve got to figure out how to win the game,” Brady said.

Brady stood next to Cooks pregame.

“I speak for myself. I believe what I believe,” Brady said.