Game Notes: Patriots Offensive Flurry Crushes Chicago Bears 51-23

In simplistic terms, the New England Patriots were better than the Chicago Bears on this particular Sunday.

Tom Brady threw for 354 yards and Rob Gronkowski caught nine receptions for 149 yards and three touchdown as the Patriots picked up a 51-23 win over the Chicago Bears.

“I thought that was a really solid effort by our team today. Our players did a good job all week in practice. I thought we had good execution, good energy and came out and played with it in all three phases of the game. We had good contributions on our coverage team,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said. “Obviously the punt return at the end of the half was a big play for us. We got some turnovers on defense. We ran the ball, threw the ball, scored in the red area. I thought we had a lot of players play well. It was good to see the whole team ready to go, playing with that kind of energy and execution. It was a pretty good day for us out there today.“

It took until midway though the third quarter for the Bears to force a punt with the Patriots scoring five touchdowns and a field goal just in the first half alone.

With near ease the Patriots went 55 yards on their opening drive over five plays to take a 7-0 lead. After Brandon LaFell, moved New England down the field with a 19-yard catch, it was Jonas Gray taking advantage of an open hole for a 19-yard run to get to the Bears’ 17-yard line.

Two more runs for a combined 11 yards gave the Patriots a first and goal, where Brady found Gronkowski near the back left corner of the end zone.

Gronkowski would pick up two more touchdowns in the game, a two-yard pass from Brady with 1:52 left in the first half and a 46-yard pass that saw the Patriots tight end shake off multiple Bears defenders with 12:42 left in the third quarter.

Though this game, Gronkowski has now caught 48 touchdown passes from Brady, the second most in NFL history for a quaterback-tight end duo, only behind Philip Rivers’ 69 passes to Antonio Gates.

Having his best game of the season, LaFell caught 11 receptions for 124 yards and a touchdown. Both were a career high for the wide receiver.

Lafell’s touchdown came late in the second quarter as the Patriots took advantage of the Bears meltdown on both sides of the ball, scoring 21 points in about a minute of play at the end of the first half.

Attempting to respond to Gonkowski’s second touchdown, the Bears were forced to punt with 1:26 to go in the half. Julian Edelman’s return for 42 yards and a holding penalty on the Bears put the Patriots at the 8-yard line with 1:11 left in the half. On the opening play of the drive, Brady found LaFell for a 9-yard pass on the left to extend the lead to 31-7.

The Bears would turn the ball over as soon as they got it as a Jay Cutler sack and fumble was recovered by Rob Ninkovich at the Bears’ 15-yard line and returned for the Patriots’ fourth trip to the end zone in the second quarter.

With the three scores in 57 seconds, the Patriots become the only team since the 1970 merger to score three touchdowns in less than a minute twice. The last time was in 2012 when the Patriots needed only 52 seconds to score 21 points against the Jets on Thanksgiving.

Matt Forte was one of the few bright spots for the Bears, scoring on a 25 yard pass from Cutler with 5:32 in the second quarter and rushing for 114 yards.

Next week the Patriots remain at home when they host the Denver Broncos in a crucial AFC showdown.

Below are game notes provided by Patriots Media Relations

PATRIOTS EXTEND STREAK TO 13 STRAIGHT OVER THE NFC NORTH; LONGEST WINNING STREAK OF ANY TEAM AGAINST A DIVSISION

The Patriots extended their streak to 13 straight wins against NFC North teams with the win over Chicago. Since realignment in 2002, their only loss against the current NFC North was on Oct. 13, 2002, when they dropped a 28-10 decision at home against the Green Bay Packers in their very first game against the reconfigured division. The Patriots streak is the longest current streak any NFL team has against another division. Kansas City had the second longest streak at 10 straight wins against the NFC West until losing at San Francisco earlier this year.

PATRIOTS IMPROVE ON BEST INTRA CONFERENCE RECORD SINCE 2002

The Patriots are now 41-9 vs. NFC clubs since 2002, the best inter-conference record in the NFL during that time.

PATRIOTS ARE WICKED GOOD IN OCTOBER

The Patriots are an NFL-best 41-9 in the month of October since the 2003 season. New England’s last home loss in October was on Oct. 2, 2005 in a 41-17 loss vs. San Diego. The Patriots are 25-1 in October home games since 2003.

THE PATRIOTS GOOD WITH NO INTERCEPTIONS

The Patriots have thrown just two interceptions in the first eight games of the 2014 season. Since 2002, the Patriots are an NFL-best 94-11 (.895) when not throwing an interception.

PATRIOTS PLAY 100th REGULAR-SEASON GAME AT GILLETTE

Today’s game was the Patriots’ 100th regular-season game at Gillette Stadium. New England is now 85-15 at the facility since it opened in 2002, which is the best home record in the NFL over that span. Baltimore has the second best home record over that span (76-24).

PATRIOTS WIN 13th STRAIGHT HOME GAME

The Patriots won their 13th consecutive home game. The Patriots have not lost a regular-season home game since December 16, 2012, when San Francisco left Foxborough with a 41-34 win. The NFL record for most consecutive home victories is 27, achieved by Miami from 1971-74.

MOST CONSECUTIVE HOME VICTORIES (Current Streaks)

New England 13

New Orleans 10

Philadelphia 8

PATRIOTS EXTEND STREAK TO 45 STRAIGHT HOME GAMES WITH AT LEAST 1 TD PASS

The Patriots extended their streak 45 straight home games with at least one touchdown pass, the longest streak in post-merger NFL history, with a 6-yard touchdown pass from Qb Tom Brady to TE Rob Gronkowski in the first quarter. New Orleans has the second longest streak with 40, including today’s games. The last time the Patriots did not have a touchdown pass in a home game was in a 33-10 loss vs. Pittsburgh on Dec. 30, 2008.

MOST CONSECUTIVE HOME GAMES WITH A TOUCHDOWN PASS SINCE 1970

Team Gm Start End Record

New England Patriots 45 12/21/08 Current 42-3

New Orleans Saints 40 10/18/09 Current 31-9

Green Bay Packers 36 10/05/08 12/02/12 29-7

Miami Dolphins 32 09/11/83 12/22/86 26-6

Green Bay Packers 29 11/03/96 09/03/00 24-5

PATS HAVE WON 71 STRAIGHT HOME GAMES WHEN LEADING AT THE HALF

The Patriots have now won 71 straight home games when leading at halftime, adding to their NFL record. The last time the Patriots lost at home after leading at halftime was on Dec. 24, 2000 (vs. Miami) when they Patriots lost 27-24 after leading 21-17 at halftime. Today, the Patriots were leading 38-7 at halftime and won the game 51-23.

PATRIOTS’ 17-PLAY, 7:05 DRIVE THAT LED TO A 23-YARD FIELD GOAL IS NEW ENGLAND’S LONGEST OF THE SEASON

The Patriots’ 17-play, 7:05 drive at the end of the first quarter and the beginning of the second quarter is the longest drive of 2013. The Patriots had a 15-play drive vs. Oakland on Sept. 21 and a 6:49 drive on Sept. 14 at Minnesota. The last time the Patriots had a drive longer than 17 plays was when they had a team-record 20-play, 12:12 drive vs. Jacksonville on Dec. 27, 2009. That drive ended when the team turned the ball over on downs at the five-yard line with 29 seconds to play in a 35-7 win.

PATRIOTS DEFENSE DOES WELL

The Patriots defense is the only one in the NFL that has not allowed a pass play of over 40 yards. The longest pass the Patriots have allowed was when Cincinnati QB Jason Campbell completed a 38-yard pass to WR Jeremy Hill on Oct. 5, 2014.

PATRIOTS IMRPOVE TO FOUR STRAIGHT GAMES WITH NO TURNOVERS

The Patriots did not turn the ball over against Chicago, marking their fourth consecutive game without a turnover. In 2010, the Patriots set an NFL record with seven straight games without committing a turnover.

PATRIOTS START 6-2 OR BETTER FOR 13th TIME IN TEAM HISTORY

The Patriots are off to a 6-2 record. It is the 13th time in team history that they have started the season with at least six wins in their first eight games of the season.

PATRIOTS SCORE 38 POINTS IN THE FIRST HALF

The Patriots scored 38 points in the first half, as they took a 38-7 halftime lead. The 38 first-half points rank third in team history, trailing only the team-record 45 points in the first half of a 59-0 victory over Tennessee on Oct. 18, 2009, and the 42 first-half points in a 49-28 win at Miami on Oct. 21, 2007.

PATRIOTS TOP 50 POINTS FOR 13th TIME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY; EIGHTH TIME SINCE 2007

The Patriots scored 51 points against the Bears, marking the 13th time in franchise history that they have broken the 50-point barrier. New England has topped 50 points eight times since 2007. Prior to today, the last time the Patriots broke the 50-point mark was on Nov. 3, 2013, in a 55-31 win over Pittsburgh. The Patriots’ franchise record for most points in a game is 59, achieved twice – on Nov, 18, 2012 against Indianapolis (59-24) and on Oct. 16, 2009 vs. Tennessee (59-0).

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

BRADY HAS SECOND HIGHEST COMPLETION PERCENTAGE IN TEAM HISTORY

Tom Brady completed 30-of-35 passes (85.7%) for 354 yards and five touchdowns. Brady’s 85.7 percent completion rate is the second highest single-game completion percentage in Patriots history (minimum 20 attempts), trailing only Brady’s 88.5 percent completion rate against Jacksonville on Dec. 27, 2009 (23-for-26). Brady’s performance marks the highest completion percentage in franchise history for a passer who attempted at least 30 passes in a game. He is the only quarterback in NFL history to have a game with a completion percentage of 85 percent or better, 350 or more passing yards, five or more touchdown passes and no interceptions. He also achieved the feat on Oct. 16, 2009 vs. Tennessee when he completed 85.3 percent of his passes (29of-34) for 380 yards and six touchdowns and no interceptions.

BRADY THROWS FIVE TD PASSES (HIS MOST IN 5 YEARS)

Tom Brady had a season-high five touchdown passes, marking his highest single-game touchdown pass total since October 19, 2009 against Tennessee, when Brady had six scoring passes. Brady has now thrown for five or more touchdown passes in a game six times in his career. He has thrown a career-high six touchdown passes on two occasions.

BRADY THROWNS FOUR FIRST HALF TOUCHDOWNS

Tom Brady threw four first half touchdowns. He now has 21 games with four or more touchdowns and is tied with Dan Marino for fourth all-time for most games with four or more touchdowns. Brady’s 17 games with four or more touchdowns and no interceptions are tied with Drew Brees and Peyton Manning for the most in NFL history.

BRADY IMPROVES TO 4-0 AGAINST THE BEARS

Tom Brady improved to a 4-0 record against the Chicago. Brady is undefeated against eight NFL teams: Chicago (4-0). Minnesota (4-0), Atlanta (4-0), Jacksonville (4-0), Dallas (3-0), Detroit (3-0), Philadelphia (3-0) and Tampa Bay (3-0).

BRADY MAKES 100th START AT HOME

Tom Brady made his 100th home start against Chicago and now has a record of 87-13 in those starts. His overall home starting record of 99-16 (.861) is the best in NFL history since the merger among quarterbacks with at least 50 starts. Terry Bradshaw is second (75-14 (.843).

BEST HOME REGULAR SEASON STARTING RECORDS (MINIMUM 40 STARTS)

Player Record

Tom Brady 87-13 (.870)

Terry Bradhsaw 67-12 (.848)

Roger Staubach 49-10 (.831)

Joe Flacco 42-10 (.808)

John Elway 92-23 (.805

BEST HOME REGULAR SEASON STARTING RECORD IN FIRST 100 STARTS

Player Record

Tom Brady 87-13 (.870) in his first 100 stats at home

Brett Favre 82-18 (.820) in his first 100 starts at home

John Elway 77-23 (.770) in his first 100 starts at home

Peyton Manning 74-26 (.740) in his first 100 starts at home

BRADY GOES OVER 300 YARDS FOR THE 61ST TIME IN HIS CAREER

Brady had his 61ST career 300-yard game and the second of the season after finishing with 354 passing yards. He ranks third among active NFL quarterbacks, behind NFL-leader Peyton Manning (87) and Drew Brees (82).

BRADY GOOD AGAINST THE NFC

Tom Brady improved to 40-10 overall against the NFC in the regular season as a starter, including 20-5 in home games and 19-4 at Gillette Stadium.

BRADY, PATRIOTS HAVE STRONG OCTOBER

Tom Brady finished the month of October with 4-game totals of 14 touchdowns, no interceptions, 1268 passing yards (317 yards per game), and a completion percentage of 69.4 (100 completions in 144 attempts). The Patriots had a 4-0 record in their four October games.

BRADY ON HIGH PACE

Tom Brady has 2,059 yards, 18 touchdown passes and just two interceptions through the first half of the 2014 season and is on pace to finish with 4,118 yards, 36 touchdown passes and just four interceptions this season.

GRONKOWSKI TIED FOR SECOND MOST TDS IN PATRIOTS HISTORY

Rob Gronkowski had three touchdown receptions today against the Bears, raising his total number of touchdowns with the Patriots to 50 touchdowns (49 receiving, 1 rushing). Gronkowski joins Stanley Morgan (68), Ben Coates (50) and Randy Moss (50) as the only players in Patriots history to score 50 or more touchdowns. Gronkowski’s 50 touchdowns are tied with Coates and Moss for the second highest career total in Patriots history.

GRONKOWSKI EXTENDS HIS STREAK TO 58 STRAIGHT GAMES WITH A RECEPTION

Rob Gronkowski caught a 6-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter and has caught at least one pass in all 58 regular season games that he has played.

LONGEST CURRENT STREAKS OF CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION BY TIGHT ENDS

*95 Owen Daniels (Houston/Baltimore)

*94 Jason Witten (Dallas)

*87 Heath Miller (Pittsburgh) (need to update)

58 Rob Gronkowski

*not including today’s games

GRONKOWSKI EXTENDS RECORD WITH 14TH 100-YARD GAME

TE Rob Gronkowski had his second 100-yard game of the 2014 season and the 14th of his career after finishing with nine receptions for 149 yards. Gronkowski also broke the 100-yard mark when he had six catches for 100 yards in the win vs. Cincinnati on Oct. 5. Gronkowski’s 14 100-yard games extended his team record for most 100-yard receiving games by a tight end. Ben Coates has the second-most with nine 100-yard games

GRONKOWSKI’S NINE RECEPTIONS TIE CAREER HIGH

Gronkowski finished the game with nine catches for 149 yards. His nine receptions tied his career-high (vs. Pittsburgh, 11/3/13).

GRONKOWSKI SCORES THREE TOUCHDOWNS TO TIE CAREER HIGH

TE Rob Gronkowski scored three touchdowns with a 6-yard score in the first quarter, a 2-yard score in the second quarter and a 46-yard score in the third quarter. It is the 13th time in his career that he has scored two or more touchdowns in a game. He tied a career-high with his three touchdowns. He also had three touchdowns at Pittsburgh on Nov. 14, 2010. It is his first two-plus touchdown game since he caught two touchdowns vs. Indianapolis on Nov. 18, 2012. Gronkowski has the most games with two or more touchdowns in a game since 2010. Calvin Johnson from Detroit has 12 games with two or more touchdowns.

GRONKOWSKI AND LAFELL EACH BREAK THE 100-YARD RECEIVING MARK

Rob Gronkowski and Brandon LaFell each broke the 100-yard receiving mark in the win vs. Chicago. It was the first time this season that the Patriots have had two 100-yard receivers and the 34th time in team history that the feat has occurred. The last time the Patriots had two 100-yard receivers in a game was on December 15, 2013 at Miami, when Julian Edelman (139) and Danny Amendola (131) each broke the 100-yard mark.

LAFELL SETS CAREER HIGHS IN RECEPTIONS AND YARDS

Brandon LaFell had 11 receptions for 124 yards, setting career highs in each category. LaFell’s 11 topped his previous career high of seven receptions last season for Carolina when they played New England on Nov. 18, 2013. His 124 yards topped his previous career high of 119 yards, set at Kansas City on Sept, 29, 2014.

WR BRANDON LAFELL GOES OVER 100 YARDS FOR SECOND TIME IN 2014

Brandon LaFell had his fourth NFL 100-yard game and the second of the 2014 season after finishing with 11 receptions for 124 yards. It was LaFell’s second 100-yard receiving game of 2014, having had six receptions for 119 yards at Kansas City on Sept. 29.

ROB NINKOVICH SCORES SECOND NFL TOUCHDOWN

Rob Ninkovich scored his second NFL touchdown when he recovered a fumble on a sack and forced fumble by Zach Moore and scored on a 15-yard fumble return in the second quarter. Ninkovich retuned a 12-yard interception return at N.Y. Jets on Nov. 13, 2011. Ninkovich has an NFL-best 12 fumble recoveries since 2010.

GOSTKOWSKI ON A GOOD PACE IN 2014

Stephen Gostkowski has 22 field goals so far in 2014, putting him on pace to finish with 42 field goals, which would be the second highest single-season total in NFL history.

Most Field Goals Made in a Season/NFL

Player Field Goals Year

David Akers (San Francisco) 44 2011

Neil Rackers (Arizona) 40 2005

Olindo Mare (Miami) 39 1999

Jeff Wilkins (St. Louis) 39 2003

Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots) 38 2013

Justin Tucker (Baltimore) 38 2013

GOSTKOWSKI HAS 32 STRAIGHT FOURTH QUARTER FIELD GOALS

Stephen Gostkowski has made 32 consecutive fourth-quarter field goals, including two against Chicago

EDELMAN HAS 43-YARD PUNT RETURN

Julian Edelman had a 43-yard punt return in the second quarter to set up the Patriots’ second touchdown of their three-touchdown spurt late in the second quarter. It was Edelman’s 12th career punt return of 30 yards or more

PATRIOTS MOST PUNT RETURNS OF 30 OR MORE YARDS

Most 30-yard punt returns in Patriots history

Player 30-yard returns

Troy Brown 14

Irving Fryar 13

Mike Haynes 13

Julian Edelman 12

WRIGHT SEES THE END ZONE FOR THE THIRD TIME IN FOUR WEEKS

TE Tim Wright had a 1-yard touchdown reception from Tom Brady in the second quarter, marking Wright’s third scoring catch of the season and his third in the last four weeks.

QUICK HITS

• Brandon Browner broke up a Jay Cutler pass intended for Bears TE Martellus Bennett on third-and-six in the first quarter, forcing a Chicago punt on the next play.

• Tom Brady hit Rob Gronkowski for a 21-yard gain to the Bears’ 1-yard line on third-and-18 in the second quarter, setting up a 1-yard touchdown pass to TE Tim Wright two plays later that gave the Patriots a 17-0 lead.

• Matthew Slater had a key play in the Patriots’ second-quarter touchdown flurry when he tripped up Bears KR Chris Williams at the 9-yard line on a second-quarter kickoff return just after the Patriots took a 24-7 lead, and Don Jones finished off the tackle to start the Bears’ drive at the 11-yard line. After a Chicago three-and-out and a 43-yard Julian Edelman punt return, the Patriots scored again on a 9-yard Brandon LaFell touchdown reception to make the score 31-7.

• Dominique Easley and Vince Wilfork teamed up to sack Jay Cutler for a 4-yard loss in the third quarter.