TEAM NOTES
PATRIOTS WIN 13 GAMES FOR SIXTH TIME IN TEAM HISTORY
The win over the Jets was the Patriots 13th win of the season. The Patriots have now won 13 or games in a season six times, tied with Denver for the second most in NFL history.
Patriots 13-Win Seasons
2003-14-2
2004-14-2
2007-16-0
2010-14-2
2011-13-3
2014- 13-2
Most Seasons with 13 or More Wins
Team 13 or more win seasons
San Francisco 9
New England 6
Denver 6
Chicago 5
Green Bay 5
Indianapolis 5
DIVISIONAL DOMINANCE
The New England Patriots own a 75-22 (.773) record in regular season AFC East games since the beginning of the 2001 season, compiling the best intra-division record of any team in the NFL.
PATRIOTS CAN CLINCH THE TOP SEED IN AFC PLAYOFF FIELD
The Patriots can clinch the top see in the AFC if Indianapolis beats Oakland. The Patriots have earned five number one seeds (2014, 2011, 2010, 2007 and 2003) in the postseason since 1990, the most in the NFL under that system. The NFL began playoff seeding in 1975 and the current playoff format was instituted in 1990.
MOST NO. 1 SEEDS IN THE PLAYOFF FIELD
(Since 1990)
New England 5
Denver 5
Dallas 4
Pittsburgh 4
San Francisco 4
MOST NO. 1 SEEDS OVERALL
(Since 1975)
San Francisco 8
Denver 8
Pittsburgh 6
Dallas 6
New England 5
Oakland 5
PATRIOTS DEFENSE HOLDS JETS TO JUST EIGHT COMPLETIONS
The Patriots defense held the New York Jets to just eight completions. It is the 26th time the Patriots defense has held its opponent under 10 completions in a game and the first since holding Tennessee to two completions on Oct. 18, 2009.
PATRIOTS HAVE THROWN JUST TWO INTERCEPTIONS IN 2016; LOWEST MARK EVER THROUGH THE FIRST 15 GAMES A SEASON
The 2016 Patriots have thrown just two interceptions in 2016 through the first 16 weeks of the season with 516 pass attempts, the fewest interceptions thrown by any team though the first 16 weeks of the season since the 1970 merger. Prior to the Patriots, the fewest interceptions through the first 16 weeks of the season were five interceptions. The 2016 Dallas Cowboys and the 2016 Minnesota Vikings have thrown just four interceptions.
PATRIOTS NEARING RECORD FOR LEAST AMOUNT OF INTERCEPTIONS
The Patriots have thrown just two interceptions in 2016. The NFL record for fewest interceptions thrown in a season by an NFL team since the 1970 merger is five. The Patriots had just five passes intercepted in 2010, tying the NFL mark for fewest interceptions in a single season. New England attempted 507 passes in 2010, with just five resulting in interceptions. The Patriots are the only team of that group to have only five interceptions with over 500 pass attempts. The 2016 Patriots have 516 pass attempts and just two interceptions.
PATRIOTS HAVE SECOND UNDEFEATED MONTH OF 2016
The Patriots finished the month of December with a 4-0 record for the second undefeated month of the 2016 season. The Patriots finished the month of September with a 3-0 record. The Patriots have 23 undefeated months since the 2000 season, the most in the NFL during that time period. Indianapolis is second with 15 undefeated months during that time.
PATRIOTS UNDEFEATED MONTHS SINCE THE 2000 SEASON(NOT INCLUDING JANUARY)
2001 – December
2003 – October, November, December
2004 – September, November
2005 – December
2006 – October
2007 – September, October, November, December
2008 – December
2010 – October, December
2011 – December
2012 – November
2013 – September
2014 – October
2015 – September, October
2016 – September, December
STINGY DEFENSE
The Patriots defense has 10 seasons holding opponents under 20 points per game since 2001, including in each of the last two seasons. The 2016 Patriots have allowed just 15.7 points per game, the best in the NFL in 2016. The Patriots defense has held it opponent under 20 points in ten games in 2016. The Patriots held their opponents under 20 points 11 times in 2001 and 2006, the most under Bill Belichick. The only other time the Patriots have led the NFL in this category was in 2003 when they finished by allowing just 14.9 points per game.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
BELICHICK FIRST IN NFL HISTORY WITH 13-PLUS WINS IN SIX DIFFERENT SEASONS
Bill Belichick is the first head coach in NFL history with 13 or more wins in six different seasons.
2003-14-2
2004-14-2
2007-16-0
2010-14-2
2011-13-3
2016-13-2
BELICHICK REACHES 200 REGULAR-SEASON WINS WITH THE PATRIOTS
Bill Belichick now has 200 career regular-season wins with the Patriots, and is the fifth head coach to reach 200 regular-season wins with one team.
NFL Head Coaches with the Most wins with one team
George Halas (Chicago) – 318-148
Don Shula (Miami) – 257-133-2
Tom Landry (Dallas)- 250-162
Curly Lambeau (Green Bay) – 209-104-21
Bill Belichick (Patriots) – 200-71
Chuck Noll (Pittsburgh) – 193-148-1
BRADY IS BIG IN DECEMBER
Tom Brady is 54-10 (.844) in December, the second-best winning percentage in December among quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era. Roger Staubach is first (17-3, .850). Brady has 54 wins in December, which is two more than the 52 by Brett Favre for the most among all NFL quarterbacks. Peyton Manning is next with 49 wins.
TOM BRADY IS GODD AGAINST THE JETS
Tom Brady has 23 regular-season wins against the New York Jets as a starter and joins Brett Favre as the only quarterbacks with at least 23 wins against two opponents.
GOSTKOWSKI DRILLS 300TH CAREER FIELD GOAL
K Stephen Gostkowski's 29-yard field goal in the first quarter was his 300th career field goal. He is the 30th NFL player to reach 300 career field goals. His 300 field goals are fifth among active NFL players.
Most Field Goals Among Active NFL kickers
Adam Vinatieri 538
Sebastian Janikowski 414
Phil Dawson 478
Matt Bryant 329
Stephen Gostkowski 301
CB MACLOM BUTLER HAS FIRST TWO-INTERCEPTION GAME
CB Malcolm Butler had his first career two-interception game. It is the first time a Patriots player has had two picks in a game since CB Logan Ryan had two interceptions at Baltimore on Dec. 22, 2013.
BUTLER HAS THREE TAKEAWAYS
Butler had three total takeaways with two interceptions and a fumble recovery in the second quarter. It is the first time that a Patriots player has had three takeaways in the same game since Leigh Bodden had three interceptions vs. New York Jets on Nov. 22, 2009.
BRADY HAS THROWN JUST TWO INTERCEPTIONS
Tom Brady has thrown just two interceptions in 399 pass attempts in 2016. Brady's lowest interception total during his career was in 2010 when he threw just four interceptions.
BLOUNT SCORES 16TH AND 17TH TOUDHDOWNS OF THE SEASON
RB LeGarrette Blount scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and a 1-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter for his 16th and 17th touchdowns of the season. His 17 rushing touchdowns lead the NFL. He can become the third Patriots player to lead the league in rushing touchdowns. Jim Nance led the AFL in rushing touchdowns in 1966 with 11 and 1967 with 7. Blount's 17 rushing touchdowns are the most since LeSean McCoy had 17 for Philadelphia in 2011.
MOST RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS/SEASON IN PATRIOTS HISTORY
17 LeGarrette Blount, 2016
14 Curtis Martin, 1996
14 Curtis Martin, 1995
13 BenJarvus Green-Ellis, 2010
13 Corey Dillon, 2006
12 Stevan Ridley, 2012
12 Corey Dillon, 2005
12 Corey Dillon, 2004
12 Antowain Smith, 2001
12 Steve Grogan, 1976
11 BenJarvis Green-Ellis, 2011
11 Horace Ivory,1978
11 Jim Nance, 1966
10 Tony Collins, 1983
BLOUNT TIES MARTIN FOR THIRD-MOST TDS IN A SEASON
Blount now had 17 touchdowns in 2016, tied with Curtis Martin (17 in 1996) for the third-most touchdowns in a single season for the Patriots
Patriots record for most overall touchdowns in a season
23 Randy Moss, 2007 (23 receiving)
18 Rob Gronkowksi, 2011 (17 receiving and 1 rushing)
17 LeGarrette Blount, 2016 (17 rushing)
17 Curtis Martin, 1996 (14 rushing and 3 receiving)
15 Curtis Martin, 1995 (14 rushing and 1 receiving)
BLOUNT NEARING 20 TDS
Blount has 17 rushing touchdowns and needs three in the final to become the 11th running back to reach 20 rushing touchdowns in a single season.
BLOUNT HAS HIS 10TH MULITPLE-TD GAME OF HIS CAREER;FOURTH MULTIPLE-TD GAME OF 2016
Blount had his fourth multiple touchdown game of the 2016 season. He had three vs. Seattle on Nov. 13, two at Pittsburgh on Oct 23 and two vs. Houston Sept. 22.
BLOUNT IN A RUSH A MONG UNDRAFTED PLAYERS
Blount added 50 yards to push his career total to 5,071 yards. He is ranked sixth among all-time rookie free agents since the 1970 merger and needs 53 yards to move past Kevin Mack (5,123) into fifth place.
Most Rushing Yards by an undrafted player (Since the 1970 merger)
Player Yards
Priest Holmes 8,172
Arian Foster 6,527
Fred Jackson 5,746
Willie Parker 5,378
Kevin Mack 5,123
Legarrette Blount 5,071
BRADY NEARING THE TOP FOR WINS OVERALL
Tom Brady has the most wins by an NFL quarterback with 204 career wins. His 204 wins are the fifth most among all players.
Most Wins by an NFL Player
Player Wins
Adam Vinatieri 220
George Blanda 218
Gary Anderson 212
Jerry Rice 210
Tom Brady 203
EDELMAN NEARING 100 RECEPTIONS AND 1,000 YARDS
WR Julian Edelman finished with five receptions for 89 yards to push his 2016 totals to 90 receptions for 955 yards. He needs 10 receptions and 45 yards for his second 100-reception and 1,00-yard season. He can join Wes Welker (5 times) as the only Patriots to have at least two seasons with 100 receptions and 1,000 yards. Nineteen NFL players have at least two seasons of 100 receptions and 1,000 yards.
NATE EBNER SETS CAREER HIGH IN SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES;LEADS THE NFL IN SPECIAL TEAMS TACKLES.
DB Nate Ebner finished with two special teams tackles to give him 18 for the season, a single-season career high. He had 17 special teams tackles as a rookie in 2012. Ebner is now leading the NFL in 2016 with his 18 special teams tackles. Mike Hull and Michael Thomas of Miami entered this week with 16 special teams tackles.
TE MARTELLUS BENNETT TIES CAREER-HIGH WITH SIXTH TOUCHDOWN
TE Martellus Bennett caught a 6-yard touchdown pass from QB Tom Brady in the first quarter for his sixth touchdown of the 2016 season to match his single-season career-high. He had six touchdowns in 2014 with the Chicago Bears.
ROOKIE LB ELANDON RODBERTS FORCES A FUMBLE
Rookie LB Elandon Roberts forced a fumble on a hit to Jets RB Khiry Robinson in the second quarter that was recovered by CB Malcolm Butler. The turnover was converted into a field goal. He also led the defense with 11 tackles.
CB ERIC ROWE HAS FIRST INTERCEPTION AS A PATRIOT
CB Eric Rowe picked off a Ryan Fitzpatrick pass in the second quarter for his first interception as a member of the Patriots.
TE MATT LENGEL HAS FIRST TD ON FIRST NFL RECEPTION
TE Matt Lengel caught an 18-yard touchdown on his very first NFL reception. It is the first time that has occurred for the Patriots since WR Aaron Dobson caught 39-yard touchdown for his first NFL reception vs. the New York Jets on Sept. 12, 2013.
BRADY HAS THROWN TOUCHDOWN PASSES TO 64 DIFFERENT PLAYERS; SECOND PLACE FOR TD TARGETS BY A QB
Tom Brady connected with TE Matt Lengel on an 18-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Brady has now thrown touchdown passes to 64 different players in the regular season, behind Vinny Testaverde who had 70.
Most Touchdown Targets by an NFL Quarterback
QUARTERBACK TD TARGETS
Vinny Testaverde 70
Tom Brady 64
Steve DeBerg 62
Brett Favre 61
RB JAMES WHITE SET A CAREER HIGH WITH HIS 5TH RECEIVING TOUCHDOWN
RB James White's 25-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter was his fifth receiving touchdown of the 2016 season to set a single-season high. He had four receiving touchdowns in 2015. The Patriots record for most receiving touchdowns by a running back is seven by Larry Garron in 1964. Billy Lott had six in 1961.
LINEUP NOTES
NEWLY ACQUIRED WR MICHAEL FLOYD MAKES HIS PATRIOTS DEBUT
Newly acquired WR Michael Floyd played in his first game with the Patriots He caught a 6-yard pass from QB Jimmy Garoppolo in the fourth quarter.
LB KYLE VAN NOY STARTS IN PLACE OF LB DONT'A HIGHTOWER
LB Kyle Van Noy made his second start as a member of the Patriots in place of LB Dont'a Hightower, who was inactive. Van Noy made his first start as a Patriot at San Francisco on Nov. 20.
2016 THIRD-ROUND PICK DL VINCENT VALENTINE MAKES FIRST NFL START
2016 third-round draft pick DL Vincent Valentine made his first NFL start.
