TEAM NOTES 

PATRIOTS OFF TO 7-0 START
The New England Patriots improved to 7-0 for second time in team history and for the first time since 2007. 

PATRIOTS DIVISIONAL DOMINANCE
New England has now won 19 of its last 20 games against AFC East opponents at Gillette Stadium, a streak that dates back to the beginning of the 2009 season. Over that span, the Patriots' only home loss to a divisional opponent was in the 2014 regular-season finale against Buffalo. 

PATRIOTS HIGH SCORING – PART 1
The Patriots have scored 249 points so far in 2015, putting them on pace to finish the season with 569 total points, which would be the second most in New England history and the third-most in NFL history to the 606 total points by Denver in 2013 and the 598 points scored by the Patriots in 2007.

MOST POINTS IN A SEASON IN NFL HISTORYTeam    Points
Denver (2013)    606
Patriots (2007)    589
Green Bay (2011)    560
Patriots (2012)    557

PATRIOTS HIGH SCORING – PART 2
The Patriots have 28 touchdowns so far in 2015, putting them on pace to finish the season with 64, which would be the fourth most in Patriots history. 

THE PATRIOTS ON PACE TO SET TEAM RECORD FOR SACKS
The Patriots defense has recorded 26 sacks through seven games, putting them on pace to finish the season with a team-record 59 sacks. The Patriots' record for most sacks in a season is 58 in 1977. The NFL record for sacks in a season is 72 by the 1984 Chicago Bears. New England tallied five sacks today against the Dolphins, the team's second highest total of the season (8 at Buffalo).

PARIOTS SCORE 30+ POINTS FOR SIXTH STRAIGHT GAME
The Patriots scored 36 points against the Dolphins, marking their sixth consecutive game with 30 or more points. The streak is New England's longest streak of games with 30 or more points since 2011, when they also had six straight games with 30 or more points from 11/13/11 to 12/18/11. The Patriots' team record for consecutive games with 30 or more points is 13 games, set from 2010-2011.

PATRIOTS ON THURSDAY
The Patriots played on a Thursday for the 15th time in team history and for the second time in 2015 and won their sixth straight game played on a Thursday. Tom Brady improved to 9-0 as a starting quarterback on Thursdays.

PATRIOTS RECORD FIRST SAFETY SINCE 2012
The Patriots scored a safety when the Dolphins snapped the ball out of end zone early in the second quarter for the team's first safety since Mark Sanchez fumbled the ball out of the end zone vs. the New York Jets on Oct. 21, 2012.

PATRIOTS ALLOW JUST 15 RUSHING YARDS
The Patriots allowed the Dolphins to gain just 15 yards rushing, the fourth-lowest opponent rushing total in Patriots history and the fewest rushing yards allowed by the team since allowing 14 to Buffalo on December 11, 2005.  It is the second-fewest rushing yards allowed by an NFL team in 2015, trailing only the 7 yards that the Dallas Cowboys allowed on the ground against Philadelphia on September 20, 2015.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES  

BILL BELICHICK ON THURSDAY
Bill Belichick improved his record to 10-2 in as a head coach in Thursday games, including 9-2 as head coach of the Patriots in Thursday games. 

BRADY IMPROVES TO 13-1 AT HOME AGAINST MIAMI
Tom Brady improved to a 13-1 home record against Miami. His only loss at home against Miami was in the final game of the 2005 season when Brady left the game after the first quarter. The Patriots lost that game, 28-26, on Jan. 1, 2006. 

BRADY HAS 24th CAREER GAME WITH 4+ TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Tom Brady threw for four touchdowns against the Dolphins, marking his 24th career game with four or more scoring passes, a total that moved past Brett Favre's total (23) for third place all-time. Brady now has 19 career games with four or more touchdowns and no interceptions, passing Peyton Manning and Drew Brees for the NFL record for the most such games. 

MOST GAMES WITH 4-PLUS TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Peyton Manning        35
Drew Brees        26
Tom Brady        24
Brett Favre        23
Dan Marino        21
Johnny Unitas        17

MOST GAMES WITH 4-PLUS TOUCHDOWNS AND NO INTERCEPTIONS
Tom Brady        19
Peyton Manning        18
Drew Brees        18
Brett Favre        12

BRADY ON THURSDAY
Tom Brady improved to 9-0 as a starter in Thursday games and has passed for 2,605 yards with 24 TDs and 2 interceptions.

BRADY ON RECORD PACE FOR PASSING YARDS
Tom Brady passed for 356 yards against the Dolphins and has 2,410 passing yards through seven games this season. Brady is on pace to finish the season with 5,509 passing yards, which would eclipse Peyton Manning's NFL-record 5,477 passing yards in 2013. 

BRADY ON PACE FOR 43 TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Tom Brady has 20 touchdown passes through the first seven games of the season, putting him on pace to finish with 46 scoring passes in 2015. If Brady reaches at least 40 touchdown passes in 2015, he will join Peyton Manning (55 in 2013 and 49 in 2004), Dan Marino (48 in 1984 and 44 in 1986) and Drew Brees (46 in 2011 and 43 in 2012) as the only players in NFL history to have multiple seasons of 40+ touchdown passes. Brady threw for 50 touchdown passes in 2007. 

Quarterbacks with 40 or more touchdown passes in a seasonPlayer             TD Passes
Peyton Manning (2013)    55
Tom Brady (2007)    50
Peyton Manning (2004)    49
Dan Marino (1984)    48
Drew Brees (2011)    46
Aaron Rodgers (2011)    45
Dan Marino (1986)    44
Drew Brees (2012)    43
Matthew Stafford (2011) 41
Kurt Warner (1999)    41
Andrew Luck (2014)    40 

BRADY HAS 69th CAREER 300-YARD GAME AND FOURTH OF 2015
Tom Brady finished the game with 356 passing yards for his 69th career 300-yard game and the fifth 300-yard game of the 2015 season. Only Peyton Manning (92) and Drew Brees (90) have more 300-yard games than Brady. The Patriots are 58-11 in Brady's 69 career 300-yard games. Brady had five 300-yard games in 2014 and his personal single-season record is 11 300-yard games in 2011. Drew Brees has the league record with 13 300-yard games in 2011. Brady now has seven 300-yard games against Miami, the most 300-yard games against the Dolphins. The only team that Brady has more 300 yard games against is Buffalo with nine. 

BRADY HAS 18th GAME WITH AT LEAST 350 YARDS 2 TDS AND 0 INTS
Tom Brady had at least 350 yards, at least two touchdown passes and no interceptions for the 18th time in his career, improving on his NFL record total. Drew Brees is second with 16 such games.

BRADY HAS SEVENTH STRAIGHT GAME WITH AT LEAST 2 TDS
Tom Brady has opened the 2015 season with seven straight games with at least two touchdown passes after throwing for four against Miami. In 2007, Brady started the season by throwing two or more touchdowns in the first ten games of the season. He had a nine-game streak in 2010 and 2011 and a 10-game streak in 2014 with two or more touchdowns. 

GRONKOWSKI ON PACE TO BREAK HIS OWN RECORD
Rob Gronkowski had 113 receiving yards on 6 catches, finishing the game with a team-high 646 receiving yards through seven games in 2015. Gronkowski is on pace to finish the 2015 season with 1,477 receiving yards, which would be the most in NFL history for a tight end and would break his own NFL record of 1,327 receiving yards in 2011. He had 495 yards after seven games in 2011. 

GRONKOWSKI HAD HIS 19TH 100-YARD DAY;TIES SHANNON SHARP FOR SIXTH AMONG ALL NFL TIGHT ENDS
Ron Gronkowski finished with his 19th 100-yard game and his fourth 100-yard game of the 2015 season. It is the second time in 2015 that he has had back-to-back games with 100 yards after producing 108 yards vs. the Jets and 113 yards today. He also had back-to-back 100 yard games in 2015 at Buffalo and vs. Jacksonville. Gronkowski's 19 career 100-yard games are tied with Shannon Sharpe for sixth among all NFL tight ends. Jason Witten is fifth with 20 100-yard games. 

GRONKOWSKI SCORERS ON A 47-YARD RECEPTION; SECOND 40-PLUS RECEPTION OF THE 2015 SEASON
TE Rob Gronkowski scored on a 47-yard reception in the first quarter. It was the second longest reception and second longest touchdown reception of his career. He had a 52-yard touchdown catch vs. Kansas City on Nov. 21, 2011. He also had a 52-yard reception vs. Pittsburgh in the 2015 season opener on Sept. 10. Gronkowski now has 33 touchdown catches in 37 career home games, and the Patriots are 35-2 in the 37 games Gronkowski has played at Gillette Stadium.

GRONKOWSKI ON PACE FOR 10+ TOUCHDOWNS
Rob Gronkowski has 7 touchdown receptions through 7 games this season and is on pace for 16 touchdowns. Gronkowski and Antonio Gates are the only tight ends in NFL history with four 10-plus touchdown seasons. 

TIGHT ENDS WITH 10-PLUS TOUCHDOWN SEASONS
Rob Gronkowski (10-2010, 18-2011, 11- 2012 and 12 -2014
Antonio Gates (13- 2004, 10-2005, 10-2010 and 12 -2014)

GRONKOWSKI REACHES 5,000 RECEIVING YARDS
Rob Gronkowski became the seventh Patriots player to reach 5,000 receiving yards with the team. Gronkowski finished the game with a career total of 5,025 receiving yards, which is sixth in team history. 

EDELMAN HAS FOURTH TWO-TOUCHDOWN RECEIVING GAME; SECOND TWO-TD GAME OF 2015
Julian Edelman scored two touchdowns, marking his fourth career game with two touchdown receptions and his second such game of the 2015 season. He also had a pair of touchdown catches at Buffalo on Sept. 20, 2015. Edelman now has six touchdown passes on the year, tying his personal best of six set in 2013. 

EDELMAN ON HIGH PACE
Julian Edelman has a team-high 52 receptions through the first seven games of 2015 and is on pace to finish the season with 119 catches. The Patriots record for most receptions in a season is 123 by Wes Welker in 2009.  

GOSTKOWSKI DRILLS 52-YARD FIELD GOAL;INCREASES RECORD TO 16 50-YARD FIELD GOALS
Gostkowski drilled a 52-yard field goal in the second quarter. He is now 3-for-3 on 50-yard field goal in 2015, including a career long of 57 yards at Dallas on Oct. 11, 2015. His 16 career 50-yard field goals are the most in Patriots history. Adam Vinatieri had eight 50-yard field goals. 

GOSTKOWSKI SETS TEAM RECORD FOR MOST CONSECUTIVE FIELD GOALS;HAS CONNECTED ON 49 STRAIGHT AT HOME
Stephen Gostkowski has now connected on 26 consecutive field goals dating back to last season, setting a franchise record for most consecutive field goals. Gostkowski is a perfect 17-for-17 on field goals in 2015. The NFL record for most consecutive field goals is 42 by Mike Vanderjagt (2002-04). Gostkowski's current streak of 439 consecutive extra points is an NFL record, and he has not missed an extra point since Dec. 31, 2006 at Tennessee. Gostkowski has also connected on 49 straight field goals in home games. His last miss at home was on Sept. 12, 2013 vs. the New York Jets when he missed on a 43-yard field goal.

Most Consecutive Field Goals/Patriots History
26 Stephen Gostkowski (12/07/14- present)
25 Adam Vinatieri (11/24/96-11/09/97)
23 Adam Vinatieri  (10/17/04-12/26/04)
21 Stephen Gostkowski (9/22/13-11/24/13)
20 Stephen Gostkowski  (12/15/13-10/05/14)

DL CHANDLER JONES HAS TEAM-LEADING 8.5 SACKS;HAS THIRD TWO-SACK GAME OF THE SEASON
Chandler Jones had a pair of sacks – a 6-yard sack in the first quarter and an 8-yard sack in the second quarter – marking his third game of the season with at least two sacks. Had career-high 3 sacks at Buffalo (9/20) and had 2.5 sacks at Indianapolis (10/18). Tonight's game was the 8th two-sack game of Jones's career. Jones has 8.5 sacks in 2015 and is looking for his second career 10-plus sack season. He had 11.5 sacks in 2013. Tony McGee (3), Andre Tippett (3) and Garin Veris (2) are the only Patriots players with at least two 10-plus sack seasons. Entering this week's games, Jones led the NFL in sacks.

QUICK HITS
-    Dont'a Hightower tipped a Ryan Tannehill pass, forcing a second-quarter incompletion on first down that started off a strong Patriots defensive stand that ended in a Miami safety and a 9-0 Patriots lead.
-    Jaime Collins and Patrick Chung teamed up to stop Miami WR Jarvis Landry for no gain on a second-quarter completion deep in Miami territory, setting the stage for a Miami safety on the next play that gave the Patriots a 9-0 lead.
-    The Patriots scored twice off of turnovers against Miami.  A Logan Ryan interception set up a second-quarter field goal that gave the Patriots a 12-0 lead and a Duron Harmon pick set up a fourth-quarter touchdown that gave New England a 29-7 advantage.
-    Rob Ninkovich and Dont'a Hightower sacked Miami QB Ryan Tannehill on back-to-back plays in the fourth quarter, forcing Miami into a third-and-28 that it did not convert.
-    Chandler Jones stopped Miami RB Lamar Miller for no gain in the first quarter and added another stop of Miller for no gain in the second quarter.
-    Malcom Brown stopped Miami QB Ryan Tannehill for a 1-yard loss on a first-quarter running play and added a tackle of Miami RB Jonas Gray for no gain in the second quarter.
-    Dominique Easley stopped Miami RB Lamar Miller for a 1-yard loss in the second quarter, helping set up a Miami punt two plays later.
-    Patrick Chung batted away a Ryan Tannehill pass intended for Miami TE Jordan Cameron on third-and-long in the second quarter, setting up a Miami punt on the next play, with the ensuing Patriots touchdown drive giving New England a 19-0 lead.
-    Justin Coleman broke up a deep pass from Ryan Tannehill intended for Kenny Stills in the third quarter.
-    Sealver Siliga dropped Miami RB Lamar Miller for a 2-yard loss on third-and-1 at the Miami 44-yard line in the third quarter, forcing a Dolphins punt on the next play.

LINEUP NOTES

DION LEWIS RETURNED TO THE STARTING LINEUP
RB Dion Lewis returned to action after missing the game last week due to an injury. 

ROOKIE DB JUSTIN COLEMAN MAKES FIRST NFL START
Rookie DB Justin Coleman made his first NFL start when the Patriots opened in a nickel defense. 

RYAN WENDELL SEES FIRST SNAPS OF THE YEAR ON THE OFFENSIVE LINE
Ryan Wendell entered the game in the fourth quarter at right guard after Tre' Jackson left the game with an injury.