What You Need to Know About the New England Patriots in the 2014 NFL Playoffs

Editor’s Note: Information in this article was provided by Patriots Media Relations.

The New England Patriots finished the 2014 regular season with a 12-4 record and the top seed in the conference, securing home-field advantage throughout the AFC Playoffs. The Patri- ots have now earned the number one seed five times (2014, 2011, 2010, 2007 and 2003). New England’s 12 wins mark the ninth time in franchise history the Patriots have recorded 12 or more victories in the regular season, and it is the ninth time in the last 12 years the Patriots have had at least 12 regular-season wins. The Patriots have won at least 12 games in five straight seasons dating back to 2010 and finished with a 12-4 regular season record for the third straight year.

The Patriots earned a first-round bye in 2014 and lead the NFL with 10 first-round byes since the current NFL playoff format was instituted in 1990. New England has earned a first- round bye for the fifth consecutive season, becoming the first team to accomplish that feat. Dallas and San Francisco earned four straight byes from 1992 through 1995.

Who Will The Patriots Play?

New England will host a Divisional Playoff game on Sat., Jan. 10 at 4:35 p.m. The game will be broadcast by NBC. The Patriots will face either the Colts, Bengals or Ravens -- the Bengals play at the Colts and the Ravens are at the Steelers in the Wild Card round.

If the Patriots advance to the AFC Championship Game, it will be played on Sun., Jan. 18 at 6:40 p.m. ET at Gillette Stadium.

What to Watch For

Robert Kraft

• Robert Kraft (21) needs one more postseason win to tie Eddie DeBartolo, Jr. for the fourth-most postseason wins by an ownership group, behind 33 by the Rooney family, 30 by Green Bay and 24 by the Mara family.

Bill Belichick

• Bill Belichick (19) needs one more postseason victory to move into a first place tie with Tom Landry (20) for most postseason victories.
• Belichick needs to earn one more Super Bowl berth to match Don Shula with six.

Tom Brady

• Tom Brady is tied for first in NFL history with eight starts in a Conference Championship game. With one more Conference Championship Game start, he will move past Charlie Waters and Jack Reynolds for sole possession of first place all-time.
• Brady (5) needs to play in one more Super Bowl to match DL Mike Lodish, who played in six (four with Buffalo, two with Denver) for most in NFL history.
• Brady needs to start in one more Super Bowl to set the NFL record with six starting as- signments. He is tied with Matt Light, Cornelius Bennett, John Elway and Charles Haley with five starts in the Super Bowl.
• Brady and John Elway are currently tied with five conference titles, and a win in the Con- ference Championship Game will give Brady the most conference championships by a starting quarterback in NFL history.
• Brady (43) needs three more postseason touchdown passes to move past Joe Montana (45) and Brett Favre (44) for the all-time lead.

Stephen Gostkowski

• Stephen Gostkowski (19) needs one more postseason field goal to become just the 11th player to reach 20 field goals in the postseason. He is currently 11th in the NFL with his 19 postseason field goals.
• Gostkowski is tied for ninth in NFL history with 99 postseason kicking points and needs one point to become just the seventh NFL player with 100 postseason points.

Most Seasons Earning a Bye Since Playoff Format Change in 1990

• New England - 10
• Pittsburgh - 8
• San Francisco - 8

Photo Credit: New England Patriots