The Patriots have earned the top seed in the AFC playoffs and will have a bye week prior to hosting a divisional playoff game on Saturday, Jan. 12 at 8:00 p.m. in Foxborough. New England's first playoff contest will be against the winning team with the lowest seed in the AFC wild card games on the weekend of Jan. 5-6. Possible opponents include the fourth-seeded Pittsburgh Steelers (10-6), the fifthseeded Jacksonville Jaguars (11-5) or the sixth-seeded Tennessee Titans (10-6).
The Patriots have won nine consecutive home playoff games and have not lost at home in the playoffs since Dec. 31, 1978. New England's nine consecutive home playoff victories since then are tied for the second longest streak in NFL history. The Patriots will play in their 22nd playoff game since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994, a total that stands as the highest in the league over that period.
The 2007 Patriots became the fourth team in the NFL's 88-season history to complete an undefeated and untied regular season. Along the way, they set records for most points (589) and most touchdowns (75) by any team since the league was founded in 1920. But with the regular season in the rear view mirror, the Patriots will turn all of their focus to their playoff game on Jan. 12, when they will play their most important game of the season.
PERFECT REGULAR SEASON
The 2007 Patriots are the fourth NFL team to win all of their regular season games since the league was founded in 1920. The Patriots are the first team to accomplish the feat since the NFL season expanded from 14 games to 16 games in 1978. New England joins the 1972 Miami Dolphins as the only teams to accomplish the feat since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger.
SEASON'S BEATINGSSince Bill Belichick became head coach in 2000, the Patriots have had consistent lateseason success, winning 20 of their 23 games played between Dec. 25 and the end of the NFL postseason. New England's record includes a 12-2 mark in the playoffs and an 8-1 regular season record over that span.
PLAYOFF POSITIONING*New England Patriots - 2007 AFC East Champions
*The Patriots have clinched the 2007 AFC East division championship, a first-round playoff bye and homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. They have won their division for the fifth straight year and have earned a first-round bye for the fifth time since the current playoff format was adopted in 1990. The Patriots also earned first-round byes in 1996, 2001, 2003 and 2004. The Patriots have earned the AFC's number one playoff seed for the second time in team history, joining the 2003 team.
HISTORIC OUTPUTThe Patriots produced one of the most prolific offensive performances in NFL history in 2007. New England scored an NFL-record 589 points for an average of 36.8 points per game. The Patriots outscored their opponents by an NFL-record total of 315 points - an average of 19.7 points per game.
REGULAR-SEASON WINNING STREAKThe Patriots have won 19 consecutive regular-season games dating back to a 40-7 win over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 17, 2006. New England's 19-game regularseason winning streak is the longest in NFL history, eclipsing the Patriots' 18 consecutive wins from Oct. 5, 2003 to Oct. 24, 2004. New England's 16 straight victories this season represent the longest single-season winning streak in NFL history.
ON POINTThe Patriots scored 48 or more points four times in 2007, recording four of the top 10 single-game point totals in franchise history. The Patriots tied the single-game franchise record with 56 points at Buffalo on Nov. 18.
PATRIOTS SET SINGLE-SEASON FRANCHISE TOUCHDOWN RECORDThe Patriots have 75 touchdowns this season, achieving the highest single-season touchdown total in team history and setting an NFL record. New England passed the old team record of 52 touchdowns at Buffalo on Nov. 18. The Patriots had previously scored 52 touchdowns in 1961 and 1980.
DOMINATING DEFENSESince the beginning of the 2003 season, the Patriots have allowed an average of 17.14 points per game (including playoffs), a mark that leads the NFL over that span. In 2006, the Patriots set a franchise record by allowing just 14.8 points per game, a mark that ranked second in the league. In regularseason play only, the Patriots' 16.84 points per game allowed since 2003 also leads the NFL over that span.
DOMINATING DEFENSESince the beginning of the 2003 season, the Patriots have allowed an average of 17.14 points per game (including playoffs), a mark that leads the NFL over that span. In 2006, the Patriots set a franchise record by allowing just 14.8 points per game, a mark that ranked second in the league. In regularseason play only, the Patriots' 16.84 points per game allowed since 2003 also leads the NFL over that span.
HIGH RANKS ON OFFENSE AND DEFENSEThe Patriots finished with the NFL's top-ranked offense and the league's fourth-ranked defense in terms of yards per game. New England led the NFL in total offense for the first time in team history. Defensively, the Patriots allowed the fewest yards by any New England team since 1979.
ANNUAL ACHIEVEMENTSThe Patriots are the only team in the NFL to have recorded nine or more wins in each of the last seven seasons, including 2007.
HIGH OCTANE MATCHUPSIn the 88-year history of the NFL, there have been six games that have matched up undefeated teams with five or more victories. The Patriots have taken part in three of those games and have won all three, including two this season. On Nov. 4, the 8-0 Patriots defeated the 7-0 Colts, 24-20, in the first game in NFL history featuring two undefeated teams each with seven or more victories.
DIVISIONAL DOMINANCEThe New England Patriots own a 34-9 (.791) record in regular season AFC East games since the beginning of the 2001 season, compiling the best intra-division record of any team in the NFL over the last six-plus seasons. The Patriots have claimed six of the last seven AFC East championships, including the 2007 division crown.
TOP DIVISION MARK IN TEAM HISTORYThe Patriots have finished their slate of divisional games without a loss for the first time in team history. New England compiled a 6-0 record in AFC East games this season, setting a new franchise record for best divisional record. The franchise previously finished the year with one division loss on five occasions: 1986, 1997, 2003, 2004 and 2005.
PATRIOTS TIE EARLIEST DIVISION CLINCH SINCE 1978The Patriots clinched the AFC East during the weekend of their 11th game of the season, tying the earliest division clinch since the NFL established the 16-game schedule in 1978. Three other teams have clinched their division during the weekend of their 11th game since 1978 - the 1985 Chicago Bears, the 1997 San Francisco 49ers and the 2004 Philadelphia Eagles.
TITLE TOWNThe Patriots have won five straight AFC East titles, setting the all-time record for consecutive titles in that division. New England's five straight AFC East crowns tops the four straight division titles by the Buffalo Bills from 1988-91 and by the Miami Dolphins on two occasions. The Patriots have won six of the last seven division crowns. The Patriots have won eight division titles in the 14 seasons since Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994.
PATRIOTS IN THE PLAYOFFSNew England has qualified for the playoffs 16 times in its 48- year history. The Patriots have earned 10 playoff berths in the 14 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. New England has won 11 division crowns and has qualified as a Wild Card team on four occasions (1998, 1994, 1985 and 1976). The Patriots also qualified for the playoffs in 1982 as part of a 16-team tournament following a players' strike.
HOME SWEET HOMEThe Patriots are 9-1 at home in the playoffs in their history and own a 9-game home winning streak in postseason play. The Patriots have earned homefield advantage throughout the 2007 AFC playoffs. New England has not lost at home in the playoffs in 29 years, dating back to Dec. 31, 1978. Nine of the franchise's 10 home playoff games have taken place since Robert Kraft purchased the team 13 years ago.
ALL-TIME PLAYOFF RESULTSThe Patriots have compiled a 19-12 record in their 31 playoff games and their .613 playoff winning percentage is the second best in NFL history among teams that have played at least 10 playoff games. New England has qualified for five Super Bowls (XX, XXXI, XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX) and also played in the 1963 AFL Championship Game.
SUSTAINED PLAYOFF SUCCESSThe Patriots have won 12 playoff games since 2001, tying the NFL's second highest playoff victory total over a six-year span.
