GAME NOTES: Pats Clinch Playoff Spot in Houston

The following game notes were provided by Patriots Media Relations.

PATS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT FOR 17th TIME IN KRAFT’S 22 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP

New England has now qualified for the playoffs 23 times in its 56-year history. The Patriots have earned 17 playoff berths in the 22 seasons since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994, a dramatic contrast to the six total playoff berths that the team earned in its first 34 years of existence.

PLAYOFF SEASONS SINCE 1994

1. New England Patriots 17
2. Indianapolis Colts 16
3. Green Bay Packers 16
4. Pittsburgh Steelers 13
5. Philadelphia Eagles 12

PATRIOTS IN THE PLAYOFFS

New England has qualified for the playoffs 23 times in its 56-year history. Seventeen of those playoff berths have come in the 22 seasons since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994

PATRIOTS WIN AT LEAST 11 GAMES FOR THE 17th TIME IN TEAM HISTORY

The Patriots have won 11 games so far in 2015. It is the 17th time in team history that the team has won at least 11 games in a season and the sixth straight season with at least 11 wins. The Patriots have had 11 or more wins 13 times in Robert Kraft’s 22 seasons of ownership after having only four 11-win seasons prior to Kraft purchasing the team (1976, 1978, 1985, 1986).

PATRIOTS DECEMBER REIGN

Since 2001, the Patriots own the NFL’s best December record, with a 53-9 since 2001.

HIGHEST DECEMBER WIN PCT (2001-15)

Team W L T PCT.

1. New England 53 9 0 .855
2. Pittsburgh 45 18 0 .714
3. Green Bay 43 19 0 .694
4. Philadelphia 43 20 0 .683
5. Indianapolis 42 22 0 .656

PATRIOTS HAVE A SACK IN EVERY GAME SO FAR IN 2015

The Patriots have recorded at least one sack in every game so far in 2015. The Patriots finished with a sack in every game in 1979, 1977, 1973 and 1963. They had six against Houston.

PATRIOTS BEST ON THE ROAD SINCE 2000

The Patriots have the best road record since 2000 with an 83-43 record.

TEAM RECORD PCT.

1. New England 83-43 .659
2. Philadelphia 77-49-1 .610
3. Indianapolis 76-51 .598
4. Pittsburgh 72-54 .571

NEW ENGLAND HAS THE BEST RECORD SINCE 2010 IN FINAL FOUR GAMES

New England has posted an NFL-best 18-3 (.857) record in the final four games of the regular season since 2010, including a 3-1 record down the stretch last season en route to a Super Bowl XLIX title.

Best records in the final four games of the regular season since 2010:

Team W-L Record Win PCT.

1. New England Patriots 18-3 .857
2. Indianapolis Colts 15-6 .714
3. Carolina Panthers 15-6 .714
4. Green Bay Packers 15-6 .714
5. Pittsburgh Steelers 15-6 .714
6. San Diego Chargers 14-7 .667

THE PATRIOTS DEFENSE HOLDS THE TEXANS TO JUST 7 FIRST DOWNS

The Patriots held the Houston Texans to just seven first downs, the lowest total since holding the Green Bay Packers to five first downs on Nov. 19, 2006.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

BELICHICK LEADS PATRIOTS TO 11 WINS

The victory over Houston is the Patriots’ 11th win of the 2015 season. Bill Belichick now has thirteen 11 wins seasons, including 12 with the Patriots to tie Don Shula for the most 11-win season by a head coach.

NFL HEAD COACHES WITH THE MOST 11 WIN SEASONS

1. Bill Belichick 13
2. Don Shula 13
3. Tom Landry 10

BELICHICK IS IMPRESSIVE IN DECEMBER

Bill Belichick is 55-11 (.833) in December with New England, the best record in December among head coaches with one team in NFL history (min. 25 games). George Seifert is second (27-6, .818).

BRADY REACHES 4,000 YARDS FOR EIGHTH TIME IN HIS CAREER

Tom Brady (4,138) reached 4,000 yards passing in 2015 for the eighth time in his career and for the fifth straight season. He is just the third player in NFL history with at least eight 4,000-yard passing seasons. Brady entered the game needing 88 yards to reach 4,000.

ALL-TIME 4,000 YARD PASSING SEASONS

1. 14 Peyton Manning
2. 9 Drew Brees
3. 8 Tom Brady
4. 6 Dan Marino
5. 6 Brett Favre
6. 6 Philip Rivers
7. 5 Aaron Rodgers

BRADY ONE OF THE BEST FINAL FOUR QUARTERBACKS

Tom Brady is one of the best final four quarterbacks in the NFL.

Quarterbacks with the best records in the final four games of the year since 1970

(minimum 20 starts)

Quarterback W-L Record WIN PCT.

1. Tom Brady 44-9 .830
2. Philip Rivers 30-7 .811
3. Roger Staubach 24-6 .800
4. Joe Montana 35-12 .745
5. Steve McNair 28-10 .737

GRONKOWSKI REACHES 10 TOUCHDOWNS….AGAIN

Rob Gronkowski became the first tight end in NFL history with five seasons with 10 or more touchdowns after reaching 10 in 2015 with a 1-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the second quarter.

NFL TIGHT ENDS WITH MOST 10-PLUS TOUCHDOWN SEASONS

1. Rob Gronkowski 5 10 in 2010, 18 in 2011, 11 in 2012, 12 in 2014 and 10 in 2015)
2. Antonio Gates 4 (13 in 2004, 10 in 2005, 10 in 2010 and 12 in 2014)
3. Tony Gonzalez 3
4. Jimmy Grahaam 3
5. Dallas Clark 2
6. Vernon Davis 2
7. Shannon Sharp 2
8. Wesley Walls 2
9. Julius Thomas 2

MOST 10-PLUS TOUCHDOWN SEASONS / PATRIOTS HISTORY

1. 5 Rob Gronkowski – 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2015
2. 3 Randy Moss – 2007, 2008, 2009
3. 3 Corey Dillon – 2004, 2005, 2006
4. 2 BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 2010, 2011
5. 2 Curtis Martin – 1995, 1996
6. 2 Stanley Morgan – 1979, 1986

GRONKOWSKI REACHED 1,000 YARDS FOR THE THIRD TIME

Rob Gronkowski reached 1,000 receiving yards for the third time in his career. He entered the game with 931 receiving yards and reached the feat on in the fourth quarter on a 34-yard reception.

NFL TIGHT ENDS WITH AT LEAST TWO 1,000-YARD SEASONS

1. Tony Gonzalez 4
2. Jason Witten 4
3. Rob Gronkowski 3
4. Kellen Winslow, Sr. 3
5. Shannon Sharpe 3
6. Todd Christensen 3
7. Antonio Gates 2
8. Jimmy Graham 2

GRONK HAS THIRD 1,000-YARD 10-PLUS SEASON

Rob Gronkowski eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving and 10+ touchdowns for the third time in his career in 2015 and is the only tight end in NFL history with three 1,000-yard and double-digit TD seasons.

Tight ends with two 1,000-yard receiving at 10+td seasons

Player, Team Season Rec. Yards Touchdowns

1. Rob Gronkowski, NE 2011 1,327 17
2. Jimmy Graham, NO 2011 1,310 11
3. Jimmy Graham, NO 2013 1,215 16
4. Rob Gronkowski, NE 2014 1,124 12
5. Rob Gronkwski NE 2015 1,018 10

RB JAMES WHITE SETS CAREER-HIGH

RB James White set a career-high with a 27-yard reception in the third quarter. His previous best was a 25-yarder vs. Philadelphia (12/6/15).

DL JABAAL SHEARD HAS SECOND TWO-SACK GAME OF 2015

DL Jabaal Sheard had two sacks against Houston for his second two-sack game of 2015 and the fourth two-sack o game of his career. His other two-sack game with the Patriots was at Dallas on Oct. 11. Sheard forced a fumble on both of his sacks against Houston, including one that was recovered by at the 7-yard line to lead to a Patriots touchdown.

AKIEM HICKS HAS FIRST NFL TWO-SACK GAME

DL Akiem Hicks had his first NFL two-sack game.