TEAM NOTESÂ
PATRIOTS IN AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES
The Patriots are 8-4 in AFC Championship Games, including a 5-1 record at home and a 4-1 record at Gillette Stadium.Â
MOST APPEARANCES IN CONF. CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Pittsburgh   15
San Francisco   15
Dallas   14
New England   12
Oakland   11
Denver   10
St. Louis Rams   9
INDIVIDUAL NOTES Â
BELICHICK TIES LANDRY WITH 10 CONFERENCE TITLE GAME
*(since 1970 merger)Â *
Bill Belichick coached in his 10th conference championship game as head coach, tied with Tom Landry for the most conference championships by a head coach.Â
Head Coach   Conference Championships
Bill Belichick   10
Tom Landry   10
Don Shula   7
Chuck Noll   7
John Madden   6
Bill Cowher   6
BRADY PLAYED IN RECORD-TYING 10th CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
Tom Brady played in his 10th AFC Championship Game, tying Gene Upshaw and George Blanda for the most appearances in a conference title game by any player in NFL history. In 14 full seasons as the Patriots' primary starting quarterback (omitting the 2008 season in which Brady started only one game due to injury), Brady has led the Patriots to 10 AFC Championship Games in 14 seasons as the Patriots' primary starting quarterback.Â
BRADY SETS MARK FOR MOST POSTSEASON GAMES
Tom Brady played in his 31ST career postseason game, to move past Adam Vinatieri (30) for the most postseason games played in NFL history.Â
BRADY ADDS TO NFL RECORD WITH ONE TD PASS;LEADS THE NFL WITH 56 TOTAL POSTSEASON TOUCHDOWNS
Tom Brady threw for one touchdown against the Broncos, adding to his NFL record for most playoff touchdown passes.
BRADY MOVES UP ON ALLTIME POSTSEASON LISTS
Tom Brady improved upon his standing on the NFL's all-time postseason passing lists. With 28 completions against Kansas City and 27 against Denver, he is the first player in NFL history to complete at least 700 passes in the playoffs.
BRADY HAS 10TH CAREER 300-YARD PASSING GAME IN THE PLAYOFFS
Tom Brady threw for 310 passing yards, marking his 10th career playoff game with 300 or more passing yards. That total moves him past Peyton Manning (9) for the most in NFL history.
GRONKOWSKI ADDS TO NFL RECORD FOR POSTSEASON TDS BY A TIGHT END; EXTENDS TEAM RECORD FOR MOST POSTSEASON TOUCHDOWNS
TE Rob Gronkowski scored a touchdown to raise his career playoff total to 9 touchdowns, adding to his Patriots' playoff record for most touchdowns and adding to his NFL playoff record for most touchdowns by a tight end. Against Denver, Gronkowski scored on a 4-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter for his ninth postseason touchdown.
Most Postseason Touchdowns by a Tight End
Player         TDS
Rob Gronkowski   9
Dave Casper      7
Vernon Davis      7
Jay Novacek      6
Keith Jackson      6
Most Postseason Touchdowns in Patriots History
9 Rob GronkowskiÂ
7 LeGarrette BlountÂ
7 David Givens
6 Tom BradyÂ
5 Deion Branch
5 Curtis Martin
GRONKOWSKI HIGH ON TOUCHDOWNS AND YARDS IN THE POSTSEASON
TE Rob Gronkowski caught eight passes for 144 yards and one touchdown to move up on all-time postseason touchdowns, receiving yards and receptions lists.Â
Most Postseason Touchdowns in NFL History
Player         TDS
Jerry Rice      22
John Stallworth   12
Fred Biletnikoff   10
Larry Fitzgerald   10
Antonio Freeman   10
Randy Moss      10
Hines Ward      10
Andre Reed      9
Steve Smith, Jr. Â Â Â 9
Lynn Swann      9
Reggie Wayne      9
Rob Gronkowski   9
Anquan Bolden   8
Cris Carter      8
Ernest Givens      8
Michael Irvin      8
James Lofton      8
Drew Pearson      8
Most Receiving Yards by a Tight End in NFL Postseason History
Player         Yards
Dallas Clark      847
Keith Jackson      843
Shannon Sharpe   814
Rob Gronkowski   754
Brent Jones      740
Jay Novacek      645
Vernon Davis      600
Most Receptions by a Tight End in NFL Postseason History
Player         Receptions
Dallas Clark      64
Jay Novacel      62
Shannon Sharpe   62
Brent Jones      60
Rob Gronkowski   52
Keith Jackson      51
Heath Miller      49
Antonioe Gates   42
GRONKOWSKI HAS SCORED IN FIVE STRAIGHT POSTSEASON GAMES
TE Rob Gronkowski has scored in five straight postseason games after scoring in all three in 2014 and against Kansas City and Denver in 2015.Â
GRONKOWSKI RECORDS THIRD 100-YARD RECEIVING GAME IN POSTSEASON
TE Rob Gronkowski's 144 receiving yards Sunday vs. Denver was the third 100-yard receiving game of his career.
GRONKOWSKI RECORDS THIRD-HIGHEST RECEIVING YARD TOTAL IN PATRIOTS POSTSEASON HISTORY
TE Rob Gronkowski caught eight passes for 144 yards against Denver. That is the third-highest single game receiving total in Patriots postseason history, behind Gronkowski's 145 receiving yards vs. Denver on Jan. 12, 2012 and Deion Branch's 153 receiving yards vs. Denver on Jan. 14, 2006. Â
STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI HAS MOST POSTSEASON POINTS IN TEAM HISTORY
After moving past Adam Vinatieri for the most postseason points in team history last week vs. Kansas City, K Stephen Gostkowski added to his total vs. Denver, finishing the game with 132 career points, extending his Patriots record. The 132 career postseason points ties Jerry Rice for fourth all-time in NFL history.
Patriots with 100 or More Points in the Postseason
Stephen Gostkowski (132 – 24 FGs, 60 PATs)
Adam Vinatieri (117 points – 26 FGs, 39 PATs)
Most Kicking Points in the Postseason / NFL History
1.Adam Vinatieri      234
2.David Akers         175
3.Gary Anderson      153
4.Stephen Gostkowski   132
5.George Blanda      115
6.Matt Stover         106
7.Matt Bahr         103
Most Points in the Postseason / NFL History
1.Adam Vinatieri      234
2.David Akers         175
3.Gary Anderson      153
4.Jerry Rice         132
4.Stephen Gostkowski   132
5.Emmitt Smith         126
5.Thurman Thomas      126
8.George Blanda      115
9.Matt Stover         106
10.Matt Bahr         103
Most Field Goals in Patriots Postseason History
26 Adam Vinatieri (17 games)
24 Stephen Gostkowski (19 games)Â
RB STEVEN JACKSON SCORES FIRST POSTSEASON TOUCHDOWN
RB Steven Jackson scored his first postseason touchdown on a 1-yard run in the first quarter.Â
STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI MISSED FIRST EXTRA POINT SINCE ROOKIE YEAR
K Stephen Gostkowski missed his first extra point since missing one in the 2006 regular season finale at Tennessee on Dec. 31, 2006. He has an NFL record of 463 successful extra points in the regular season. Overall, including postseason games, he ended a streak of 523 consecutive successful extra points.Â
LB JAMIE COLLINS HAD TWO SACKS
LB Jamie Collins had his first postseason 2-sack game. He has two 2-sack games in the regular season, with a team high of 2 ½ sacks at Buffalo on Sept. 20, 2015. Â