What You Need to Know About Sunday's New England Patriots Game Against the Detroit Lions at Gillette Stadium

The New England Patriots returned from their bye week last Sunday night at Indianapolis and relied on a ground game that produced 244 yards, including 199 from RB Jonas Gray to beat the Colts, 42-20. The win was the Patriots sixth straight and guaranteed that the team will finish with a record of .500 or better for the 14th consecutive season. Since 2001, the Patriots are the only team to finish with a record above .500 every year. Every other NFL team has had at least one losing season between 2001 and 2013. The Patriots have scored an average of 40.5 points per game during the six-game winning streak.

This week, the Patriots will host the Detroit Lions and the NFL’s top-ranked defense. The Patriots have won 13 straight games against NFC North teams, including a 2-0 record in 2014, following a 30-7 win at Minnesota on Sept. 14 and a 51-23 win vs. Chicago on Oct. 26. Since realignment in 2002, the Patriots only loss against a current NFC North team was on Oct. 13, 2002, when they dropped a 28-10 decision at home against Green Bay in their very first game against the reconfigured division. The Patriots streak is the longest current streak any NFL team has against another division.

To help you get ready for the game, here is what you need to know!

Broadcast Information

TELEVISION: This week’s game will be broadcast by FOX and can be seen locally on WFXT Channel 25 in Boston. Joe Buck will handle play-by-play duties with Troy Aikman as the col- or analyst. Erin Andrews will work from the sidelines. The game will be produced by Richie Zyonts and directed by Rich Russo.

LOCAL RADIO: 98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis.

Parking Lot Information

The Gillette Stadium parking lots will open four hours before kickoff. Parking at the stadium is $40 for cars and motorcycles and $150 for buses, RVs, and limos.

In addition, the following vehicles will not be allowed in the lots:

• Any vehicle towing a trailer (this includes fifth-wheel RV units).
• Professional catering trucks and or services without prior written approval from Stadium Management.
• Excessive tailgate setups that impede on customers parked around your vehicles, emergency access or deemed to be unsafe or inappropriate by Stadium Management.
• Any type of swimming pool, portable pool, hot tubs, water filled pickup trucks, or the like.

Allow Plenty of Time for Traffic Around the Stadium

With a capacity crowd of over 68,000 fans expected, drivers are advised to allow themselves plenty of time when traveling near the stadium on game day. Traffic restrictions will be in place on local roads before and after the game. Fans must use I-95, I-495 or Route 140 to access Gillette Stadium. ‘

Those not going to the game should seek alternate routes to their destination.

The Dos and Do Nots of the Parking Lot

No one wants to be that person that gets in trouble for something that could have been avoided by knowing the the rules of the parking lot. Here are the regulations for parking at the stadium.

To provide all visitors with a safe and enjoyable visit to Gillette Stadium, the following parking lot restrictions apply on game days:

• Visitors must be in possession of a valid ticket to that day’s game to gain access to parking lots.
• Parking license is limited solely to the purpose of parking your vehicle on our property to gain entry to Gillette Stadium. Each paid license entitles the licensee to occupy one parking space.
• Solicitation, commercial or otherwise, by anyone for any purpose is expressly prohibited.
• Sale of any food, beverage or other items in Gillette Stadium parking lots, either prepaid or walk-up, without obtaining prior written approval of stadium management is expressly prohibited.
• Visitors must follow the directions given by the parking attendants and park within the space they designate for your use.
• Spaces cannot be held for vehicles arriving at a later time.
• Vehicles cannot be pulled into drive aisles after they are parked.

Failure to abide by these rules and restrictions will result in the immediate revocation of the individual’s parking license, the individual will be escorted from the property, the vehicle will be towed at the owner’s expense, and such conduct may result in the loss of Season Ticket Holder privileges.

Watch for the Flyover

Two F-15C fighter jets will fly over Gillette Stadium this Sunday prior the start of the New England Patriots’ game against the Detroit Lions game. The flyover will take place at the end of the national anthem at approximately 1:00 p.m.

The Patriots elected to utilize their annual flyover for their 2014 Salute to Service game as part of a number of game day activities the team and Kraft family have planned to honor veterans and active duty members of the military.

The fighter jets, from the 104th Fighter Wing, 131st Fighter Squadron, will take off from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield and fly over Gillette Stadium moments before kickoff.

As part of the NFL’s Salute to Service campaign, the league will donate $100 for every point scored during its 32 designated Salute to Service games to its non-profit military partners – the Pat Tillman Foundation, USO and Wounded Warrior Project.

Series History

The New England Patriots will host the Detroit Lions at Gillette Stadium for just the second time. Detroit’s only other visit to Gillette came on Dec. 3, 2006, with the Patriots taking a 28-21 victory.

The last time the two teams squared off was on Thanksgiving Day in 2010 when the Patriots beat the Lions, 45-24, at Ford Field on Nov. 25 after over- coming a 17-10 halftime deficit.
Since the game in 2010, the Patriots twice traveled to Detroit to face the Lions in the third preseason game, losing 34-10 on Aug. 27, 2011 and 40-9 on Aug. 22, 2013.

The Patriots lead the regular-season series, 6-4. The Patriots are 3-2 in home games and 3-2 against Detroit on the road.

The Patriots have won 13 straight games against NFC North teams, includ- ing two straight in 2014 following a 30-7 win at Minnesota on Sept. 14 and a 51-23 win vs. Chicago on Oct. 26. It is the longest current streak any NFL team has against another division. Since realignment in 2002, the Patriots only loss against the current NFC North was on Oct. 13, 2002, when they dropped a 28-10 decision at home against Green Bay in their very first game against the reconfigured division.

In 2000, Patriots quarterback Tom Brady made his NFL debut against the Lions in a 34-9 Detroit win at the Pontiac Silverdome on Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 23, 2000. Brady entered the game late in the fourth quarter and completed one of three passes for six yards.

Better Than Average

After improving to 8-2 on the season, the Patriots are guaranteed to finish the season with a record of .500 or better for the 14th consecutive year. At the conclusion of the 2014 season, the Patriots will be the only NFL team to finish with a record of .500 or better in each of the last 14 years (2001-2014). Each of the other 31 NFL teams had at least one losing season between 2001 and 2013.

Second Half Surge

Since 2010, the Patriots are 31-3 in the second half of the regular season. In both 2010 and 2011, the Patriots were 8-0 in the second half of the year. New England was 7-1 in 2012 and 6-2 in 2013. The Patriots are off to a 2-0 start in the second half in 2014. Since Bill Belichick became the Patriots coach in 2000, New England is 91-23 in the second half of the season, and has gone 8-0 in the second half four times (2003, 2007, 2010 and 2011) and 7-1 three times (2001, 2004 and 2012).

Photo Credit: New England Patriots