SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots and Jets will meet for the 89th time since the series between the AFC East rivals began in 1960. The Patriots have won four of the last five games between the teams, including a sweep of the two games last season. The Jets hold an overall edge in the series, but the Patriots lead the series 11-9 since Robert Kraft purchased the Patriots in 1994. New England defeated the Jets 23-16 at Gillette Stadium last season, breaking a five-game home losing streak to the Jets. The teams split the season series in 2001 and 2002, with all games being won by the visiting team in those years. With their 89th meeting this week, the Jets tie the Buffalo Bills as the most frequent opponent in Patriots history. New England's 40 victories over the Jets (including one playoff win) are the third most over any single opponent, trailing only Buffalo (48 all-time wins) and Indianapolis (42).

PATRIOTS-JETS QUICK HITS

• Five Patriots coaches have also served coaching tenures with the Jets (Bill Belichick, Romeo Crennel, Charlie Weis, Brad Seely and Eric Mangini).

• Last season, five Patriots players were also former Jets. In 2004, only one former Jet remains on the Patriots' roster: LB Roman Phifer.
  CONNECTIONS

• Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was the Jets' assistant head coach/secondary for three seasons (1997-99).

• As head coach of the Cleveland Browns, Belichick hired Mike Tannenbaum as a personnel intern. He is now the Jets' assistant G.M./director of player personnel.

• Defensive coordinator Romeo Crennel was the defensive line coach for the Jets from 1997-99.

• Defensive line coach Pepper Johnson played for two seasons with the Jets, before retiring in 1999. In his first season with the Jets, he was voted captain before the start of the regular season.

• Defensive backs coach Eric Mangini served as the Jets defensive assistant/quality control coach from 1997-99.

• Special teams coach Brad Seely held the same position with the Jets in 1994.

• Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis coached for three seasons with the Jets (1997 - WRs, 1998 - Offensive Coordinator/WRs, 1999 - Offensive Coordinator/FBs).

• Patriots Vice President of Player Personnel Scott Pioli was the director of pro personnel for the Jets from 1997-1999.

• Patriots guard Joe Andruzzi is from Staten Island, N.Y., where he was an offensive and defensive tackle at Tottenville High School.

• Patriots linebacker Don Davis originally signed with the Jets as a rookie free agent in the spring of 1995.

• Patriots running back Kevin Faulk set a career-high with a 95-yard kickoff return vs. the Jets (11/15/99). It was the eighth longest return - and the longest non-scoring return - in franchise history.

• Patriots cornerback Ty Law scored his first touchdown, a 38-yard interception return against the Jets (12/08/96). He also recorded his first career fumble recovery (09/14/97) against the Jets.

• Patriots linebacker Roman Phifer signed with the Jets as an unrestricted free agent on March 5, 1999, and stayed with the organization for two seasons.

• While playing for the Carolina Panthers, Patriots cornerback Tyrone Poole snagged his first career interception in the franchise's first win, 26-15 over the Jets (10/15/95).

• Jets running back Curtis Martin was originally drafted by the Patriots in the third round (74th overall) of the 1995 NFL Draft. In his three seasons with New England, Martin appeared in 45 games with 43 starts.

• Jets defensive back Jamie Henderson was drafted in the fourth round (101st overall) of the 2001 draft in a selection from the Patriots as part of the compensation package for head coach Bill Belichick.

• Jets quarterback Quincy Carter and Patriots defensive lineman Richard Seymour and Patriots rookie tight end Benjamin Watson played their collegiate football together at the University of Georgia.

• Jets assistant special teams and assistant defensive backs coach Corwin Brown played safety for the Patriots from 1993-96 and was a member of the Patriots Super Bowl XXXI team.

• Patriots rookie defensive end Vince Wilfork and Jets rookie linebackers Darrell McClover and Jonathan Vilma played their collegiate football together on the University of Miami defensive unit.

• Patriots defender Dan Klecko and Jets guard Dave Yovanavits both played at Temple before entering the NFL in 2003.

• Patriots second-year cornerback Asante Samuel recorded his first career interception when he picked off Vinny Testaverde and returned it 55 yards for the game-winning touchdown on Sept. 21, 2003.
  REGULAR-SEASON RECORD
  New England has tied the NFL's all-time regular-season record of 17 consecutive victories, set 70 years ago by the 1933-34 Chicago Bears. The Patriots have also established the post-merger regular-season record for consecutive wins. The only other team in NFL history to have won as many consecutive regular-season games as the Patriots was the 1933-34 Bears, coached by the legendary George S. Halas, one of the NFL's founding fathers.

HOME SWEET HOME
The Patriots enter this week's game sporting an 18-3 (.857) all-time record at Gillette Stadium, including regular-season and postseason games. New England has won an NFL-best 14 consecutive regular-season and postseason contests at home, with its last defeat coming in a 30-17 regular-season loss to the New York Jets on Dec. 22, 2002. Last season, the Patriots were undefeated at home for the first time in team history, winning all eight regular-season games and two postseason games in Foxborough. The Patriots' .857 home winning percentage is the highest of any NFL team at its current home stadium.

THIS WEEK IN PATRIOTS HISTORY
OCTOBER 18 - OCTOBER 24
Oct. 19, 1986- The Patriots shut out the Pittsburgh Steelers, 34-0, at Three Rivers Stadium. New England's defense recorded five sacks and held Bubby Brister to 9-of-27 passing for just 100 yards and two interceptions. The win was the first of seven victories in a row, propelling the Patriots to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth. It was the seventh road shutout in team history and is the last time the Patriots blanked a team on the road.
Oct. 19, 1980- The Patriots matched their best start to a season, improving to 6-1 with a 37-21 win over the Colts in Baltimore. Horace Ivory returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in the game and Steve Grogan was 15-of-24 for 264 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions.
Oct. 20, 1996- The Patriots beat Indianapolis, 27-9, at the RCA Dome. It started a string of eight wins in their final 10 games as the Patriots advanced to Super Bowl XXXI.
Oct. 21, 2001- David Patten scored three touchdowns - one rushing, one passing and one receiving - to lead the Patriots to a 38-17 win at Indianapolis. He became the first player since Walter Payton in 1979 to accomplish the touchdown trifecta. Patten's 91-yard touchdown reception from Tom Brady is the longest pass play in franchise history.
Oct. 22, 1961- Larry Garron tore off the longest run from scrimmage in team history, scampering 85 yards for a touchdown as the Boston Patriots won at Buffalo, 52-21. The Patriots' 52 points that day stand as the third highest total in team history.

THE KRAFT ERA
109
The number of consecutive Patriots preseason, regular-season and postseason home games that have been sold out since Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994.
225
The number of consecutive Patriots games that have been televised locally.
77-34
The Patriots record at home since 1994, including preseason, regular-season and postseason games.
18-3
The Patriots' record at Gillette Stadium, including regular-season and postseason games (.857 win pct).
14
The number of consecutive regular-season and postseason games the Patriots have won at Gillette Stadium, dating back to the 2002 season finale.
NOT HALF BAD
27
The number of consecutive regular-season and postseason games the Patriots have won when leading at halftime.
32-1
Their record in their last 33 games when leading at halftime.
31
The number of consecutive regular-season games the Patriots have won when leading after three quarters, leading the NFL.

SEVEN-PLUS SOLID SEASONS
113-65
The Patriots' record in preseason, regular-season and postseason games since 1996 (.635 win pct.).
82-51
The Patriots' regular-season record since 1996 (.617 win pct).
9-3
The Patriots' postseason record since 1996 (.750 win pct).
22-12
The Patriots' preseason record since 1996 (.647 win pct).

THE BELICHICK ERA
50-25
Bill Belichick's overall record as head coach of the Patriots, including the regular season and the playoffs.
.667
Belichick's overall winning percentage as Patriots head coach, establishing the highest winning percentage of any coach in franchise history, including postseason games.
35-2
Belichick's record in New England when his team scores 21 points or more.

TOMMY GUN
39-12
Tom Brady's record as a starting quarterback in the NFL in the regular season.
.765
Brady's winning percentage as a starter.
1
Brady's rank on the NFL's all-time winningest quarterbacks list during the Super Bowl Era (since 1966).
4
The number of quarterbacks in the Super Bowl Era who own a career regular-season winning percentage above .700 (Brady, Roger Staubach, Joe Montana, Kurt Warner).
10
The number of touchdowns Brady has thrown for this season, tied for second in the AFC.

SACK ATTACK
19.0
The number of sacks the Patriots have recorded this season through five games.
61.0
The number of sacks the Patriots are projected to record this season if they keep up their current pace, which would set a franchise record.
41.0
The number of sacks the Patriots recorded in each of their Super Bowl seasons, 2001 and 2003.
10
The number of different players who have recorded at least one sack for the Patriots this season.
3.0
The number of sacks Rodney Harrison, Mike Vrabel and Willie McGinest have each tallied this season, tying them for the team lead.
1
The Patriots' rank among all NFL teams in sacks per opponent pass play.
13
The sack advantage the Patriots hold over their opponents, recording 19 sacks this season while allowing just six. It's the highest sack differential in the NFL.

GOLDEN GRAHAM
5
The number of touchdowns Graham has grabbed this season, leading the AFC and tying for third in the NFL behind Randy Moss (8) and Terrell Owens (6).
5
The total number of touchdowns Graham had caught in his first two NFL seasons combined.
5
The number of consecutive regular-season games in which Graham scored a touchdown, spanning from the final game of the 2003 regular season through the first four weeks of 2004.

DILLON DOMINATES
522
The total number of yards Corey Dillon has run for through the first five games of the season.
642
The number of yards Antowain Smith gained in the 2003 regular season, leading the team.
1,670
The projected number of yards Dillon could total in the 2004 season if he can keep up his current pace of 104.4 yards per game.
1,435
Dillon's career high single-season yardage total, accomplished in 2000 with the Cincinnati Bengals.
1,487
The Patriots' single-season rushing yardage record, set by Curtis Martin in 1995.

LAW AND ORDER
36
The number of career interceptions recorded by Ty Law, tying him with Raymond Clayborn for the all-time franchise record.
4
The number of additional interceptions Law has recorded in postseason play, establishing the all-time franchise postseason mark.
6
The number of interceptions Law has returned for a touchdown in the regular season, setting a team record.