TEAM NOTES
- Patriots clinch playoff spot for 21st time in Kraft's 26 years of ownership
- Patriots extend NFL record to 11 straight playoff seasons
- Patriots win 11 games for 21st time overall and 10th straight season
- Patriots have two players with two picks in a game for sixth time in history
- Bill Belichick reaches the postseason for 18th time; 17th time with the Patriots
- Belichick sets NFL mark for a head coach with 11th straight postseason berth
- Belichick leads Patriots to 17th straight 11-win season
- Tom Brady now has the most seasons with 20 TDS with 17
- Julian Edelman ties Wes Welker for most receptions from Brady
- Stephon Gilmore sets single-season career–high with six interceptions
- Gilmore third career two-pick game and first since a 2016 game at Cincinnati
- Gilmore returns second interception of the year for a touchdown
- J.C. Jackson has second two-pick game of 2019
PATRIOTS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT FOR THE 21st TIME IN KRAFT'S 26 YEARS;
New England has now qualified for the playoffs 27 times in its 60-year history after clinching a postseason berth with the win over Cincinnati. The Patriots have earned 21 of those playoff berths in the 26 seasons since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994.
PATRIOTS EXTEND NFL RECORD WITH 11th STRAIGHT PLAYOFF SEASON
The Patriots have now made the playoffs for 11 straight seasons (2009-19), extending an NFL record for most consecutive seasons reaching the postseason. The Kansas City Chiefs have the second-longest mark with five straight playoff berths (2015-19).
MOST CONSECUTIVE PLAYOFF SEASONS/NFL HISTORY
11 New England Patriots (2009-19)
9 Dallas Cowboys (1975-83)
Indianapolis Colts (2002-10)
8 Green Bay Packers (2009-16)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1972-79)
Los Angeles Rams (1973-80)
Dallas (1966-73)
San Francisco (1983-90)
7 Houston Oilers (1987-93)
San Francisco 49ers (1992-98)
PATRIOTS WIN 11 GAMES FOR 21st TIME; EXTEND RECORD TO 10-STRAIGHT 11-WIN SEASONS
The Patriots have won 11 games 21 times in team history, including a current streak and NFL-record 10 consecutive years dating back to 2010. The Patriots have 11 or more wins 17 times in Robert Kraft's 26 seasons of ownership after having only four 11-win seasons prior to Kraft purchasing the team (1976, 78, 85-86).
MOST 11-WIN SEASONS since 1970 merger
Team 11+ Win Seasons
New England.................................. 21
Dallas.............................................. 17
Pittsburgh...................................... 17
San Francisco................................. 16
Denver............................................ 15
MOST CONSECUTIVE 11-WIN SEASONS
Team Years Consec. Seasons w/11+ Wins
New England 2010-19 10
Indianapolis 2003-09 7
Dallas 1976-81 6
San Francisco 1994-98 5
PATRIOTS FINSIH WITH A 6-2 ROAD RECORD
The Patriots played their final regular-season road game of the season and finished the season with a 6-2 record a year after finishing 3-5 on the road in 2018.
PATRIOTS HAVE TWO PLAYERS FINISH WITH TWO PICKS FOR SIXTH TIME IN TEAM HISTORY;
FIRST TIME SINCE 1986
CB Stephon Gilmore and DB J.C. Jackson each had two interceptions. It is the sixth time in team history that the Patriots had a game with two players with two picks and the first since Ronnie Lippett and Steve Nelson each had two picks at Indianapolis on Nov. 9, 1986.
PATRIOTS HAVE FOURTH GAME WITH FOUR INTERCEPTIONS
The Patriots finished the game with four interceptions. It is the fourth time in 2019 that the Patriots have had four interceptions in a game. They had four picks at Miami on Sept. 15, at Buffalo on Sept. 29 and at the N.Y. Jets on Oct 21.
PATRIOTS NOW HAVE SEVEN NON-OFFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS
The Patriots now have seven non-offensive touchdowns after CB Stephon Gilmore returned a third-quarter interception for a touchdown. They returned two fumbles for touchdown, two blocked punts for a touchdown and three interceptions for touchdowns. The Patriots record for most non-offensive touchdowns in a season is nine in 2010 and 1961.
PATRIOTS DEFENSE HAS SCORED FIVE TOUCHDOWNS IN 2019
With one defensive score, the Patriots are tied for third most defensive scores in a season (5) in franchise history.
most defensive scores in a season
(Patriots history)
Year Def. TDs
2007........................ 6
2003........................ 6
2019........................ 5
2012........................ 5
2010........................ 5
2001........................ 5
1992........................ 5
1961........................ 5
PATRIOTS HAVE HELD OPPONENTS SCORELESS IN 29 QUARTERS
The Patriots have held teams scoreless in 29-of-56 quarters. The most scoreless quarters by a defense since 1970 is 40 by the Baltimore Ravens in 2000.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
BELICHICK HAS 18th POSTSEASON BERTH AS A HEAD COACH
Bill Belichick has led his teams to 18 postseason berths, which is tied with Tom Landry for second all-time among NFL head coaches. He has led his team to 17 berths with New England and one with Cleveland.
NFL head Coaches with the Most Postseason Seasons
Coach Playoff Berths
Don Shula 19
Bill Belichick 18
Tom Landry 18
BELICHICK REACHES THE POSTSEASON FOR THE 11th STRAIGHT SEASON;
LONGEST STREAK FOR AN NFL COACH
Belichick has now led the Patriots to the postseason for 11 straight seasons, setting an NFL record for the most consecutive playoff berths by a head coach. Belichick had been tied with Tony Dungy (1999-2008) with 10 consecutive postseason berths.
BELICHICK HAS 17th 11-WIN SEASON
Bill Belichick now has 17 11-win seasons as a head coach to extend his record for most 11-win seasons. Belichick has 16 11-win seasons with New England and one with Cleveland.
NFL HEAD COACHES WITH THE MOST 11-WIN SEASONS
Bill Belichick 17
Don Shula 13
Tom Landry 10
BRADY IS ONE TOUCHDOWN PASS AWAY FROM TYING FOR THE RECORD
Tom Brady, who is already the all-time leader in total (regular season and postseason) touchdowns with 611, added two against the Bengals and is now in second place all-time with 538 touchdowns one behind the 539 by Peyton Manning. (536). Drew Brees, who is in second place, plays on Monday Night Football.
Most Career Touchdown Passes
(Regular Season)
Player Touchdowns
Peyton Manning 539
Tom Brady 538
Drew Brees 537
Brett Favre 508
Dan Marino 420
BRADY HAS MOST SEASONS WITH AT LEAST 20 TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Brady threw his 20th touchdown pass of the 2019 season in the first quarter on a 23-yard touchdown pass to WR James White. Brady surpassed Peyton Manning (16) for the most seasons with at least 20 touchdown passes in NFL history with 17 seasons.
MOST SEASONS WITH AT LEAST 20 TOUCHDOWN PASSES IN NFL HISTORY
Player Seasons with 20 Touchdown Passes
Tom Brady 17
Peyton Manning 16
Drew Brees 15
Brett Favre 15
EDELMAN TIES WES WELKER FOR MOST RECEPTIONS FROM TOM BRADY
WR Julian Edelman now has 563 receptions from Tom Brady, tied with Wes Welker for the most receptions from Tom Brady
TOP TARGETS FROM TOM BRADY
PLAYER RECEPTIONS
Julian Edelman 563
Wes Welker 563
Rob Gronkowski 516
STEPHON GILMORE SETS SINGLE SEASON HIGH AFTER TWO PICKS INCREASE HIS TOTAL TO 6
CB Stephon Gilmore had third-quarter interceptions on back-to-back drives, including one that he returned 64 yards for a touchdown. He now has six picks in 2019, a single-season career high. He had five interception in 2016 with Buffalo. Gilmore had his first pick of the day off QB Andy Dalton in the third quarter at the Cincinnati 43-yard line to help set up a touchdown.
GILMORE HAS SECOND PICK SIX OF THE SEASON
Gilmore had his second touchdown of the season. He returned a pick 54 yards for a touchdown in the win at Miami on Sept. 15. He is the first Patriot to have multiple interceptions returned for touchdowns in a season since Tedy Bruschi in 2003. A Patriots player has returned two picks for touchdowns in a season nine times in team history.
GILMORE HAS THIRD TWO-INTERCEPTION GAME OF HIS CAREER;
FIRST TWO INTERCEPTION GAME SINCE A 2016 GAME AT CINCINNATI
Gilmore had his third NFL two-interception game and his first as a member of the Patriots. He had two interceptions vs. Arizona on Sept. 25, 2016 and two interceptions at Cincinnati on Nov. 20, 2016.
J.C. JACKSON HAS SECOND TWO-PICK GAME OF THE 2019 SEASON
DB J.C. Jackson had had his second two-interception game of the season. He also had two picks at Buffalo on Sept. 29, 2019.
RB REX BURKHEAD SCORES 33-YARD TD ON LONGEST RUN OF HIS CAREER
RB Rex Burkhead scored on a 33-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. It is the longest run of his career. His previous best was a 31-yard run at Buffalo on Dec. 3, 2017.
WHITE IS NOW ONE OF THREE RUNNING BACKS WITH 23 RECEIVING TDS IN FIRST SIX SEASONS.
RB James White is the third NFL running back to reach 23 touchdown receptions in their first six seasons, joining Chuck Foreman of Minnesota and Brian Westbrook of Philadelphia. He caught his 23rd touchdown on a 23-yard reception from Tom Brady in the first quarter.
NFL Running Backs with 20 Receiving TDS in First Six Seasons
Player Team Receiving TDs
James White Patriots 23
Chuck Foreman Minnesota 23
Brain Westbrook Philadelphia 23
Most Receiving Touchdowns by a Patriots Running Back/Career
Larry Garron 26
James White 23
Kevin Faulk 15
Tony Collins 12
WR N'KEAL HARRY HAS HIS FIRST RUSHING ATTEMPTS IN THE NFL
Rookie WR N'Keal Harry had a 10-yard run and a 12 yard run for his first NFL rushing attempts.
LINEUP NOTES
TED KARRAS RETURNS TO THE STARTING LINEUP
Ted Karras returned to the starting lineup after missing one game due to injury.
J.C. JACKSON MAKES FOURTH STRAIGHT START
J.C. Jackson made his fourth straight start in place of Jason McCourty. McCourty was inactive against Cincinnati due to injury.
