TEAM NOTES
A GAME OF FIRSTS
Besides Thanksgiving when the Patriots traveled to play on the road in 2000, 2002, 2010 and 2012, the game at Tampa Bay was the Patriots first road game on Thursday since Oct. 18, 1990. The game also was the first-ever visit for the Patriots to Raymond James Stadium for a regular season game and also the first time Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have played a regular season game at Tampa.
BOUNCING BACK
Since the beginning of 2003, the Patriots are 44-6 (.880) in regular season games following a loss. They have dropped back-to-back regular season games in 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015 (twice). As a starter in his career, Tom Brady is 44-10 in games following a loss.
PATRIOTS HAVE BEST INTER-CONFERENCE RECORD SINCE 2002
The New England Patriots own a 50-13 (.794) record vs. NFC teams since realignment in 2002, the best inter-conference record in the NFL during that time.
PATRIOTS EXTEND STREAK TO 10 STRAIGHT ROAD WINS
Last season, the Patriots finished the season with a perfect 8-0 road record. The Patriots victory over Tampa Bay extended their road streak to 10 straight road wins, which is second to the 12 straight road games the team won from Dec. 24, 2006 through Oct. 5, 2008. The Patriots 12-game road win streak is second in NFL history to the 18 road game win streak by the San Francisco 49ers (1988-90).
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
BRADY TIES FAVRE AND MANNING FOR MOST REGULAR SEASON WINS
While Brady is the all-time overall NFL leader with 211 career wins as a starting quarterback, Brady has now won 186 regular season games and is tied with Brett Favre and Peyton Manning for the most regular season wins. Brady won his 186th regular season game in his 242nd game and 240th start. Favre won his 186th game in his 297th start and his 301st game, while Manning won his 186th win in his 263rd start and game.
Brady has 186 career regular season wins with the Patriots, the most wins by a starting quarterback with one team. Brett Favre is second with 160 with Green Bay.
BRADY TIES DAN MARINO WITH HIS 240TH CAREER START;TIED FOR FOURTH AMONG NFL QUARTERBACKS
Tom Brady tied Dan Marino with his 240th career start. He is one of ten NFL quarterbacks with at least 200 career starts in the regular season.
BRADY TIES JERRY RICE FOR THE THIRD MOST WINS OVERALL NEARING THE TOP FOR WINS OVERALL
Tom Brady has the most wins by an NFL quarterback with 211 overall career wins. His 211 wins are tied with Jerry Rice for the third-most wins overall among all NFL players.
BRADY REMAINS UNDEFEATED AGAINST TAMPA BAY;BUCS ARE ONE OF SEVEN THAT BRADY IS UNDEFEATED AGAINST
QB Tom Brady remains undefeated against Tampa Bay and is now 4-0 against the Buccaneers. Brady is undefeated against seven teams – Atlanta (4-0), Chicago (4-0), Dallas (4-0), Detroit (4-0), Jacksonville (5-0), Minnesota (4-0) and Tampa Bay (4-0).
BRADY GOES OVER 300 YARDS FOR FOURTH STRAIGHT GAME
Tom Brady threw for over 300 yards for the fourth straight game after throwing for 303 yards against the Buccaneers (447, 378, 307 and 303) and for the 80th time in his career. Brady's has thrown for 300 or more yards in four consecutive games two other times in his career. His best was a five-game streak in 2009. Brady had five games of 300 or more yards in 2016. His record is 11 games of 300 or more yards in 2011.The Patriots are 66-14 when Brady throws for 300 yards.
BRADY ON PACE FOR SECOND 5,000-YARD SEASON
Tom Brady has 1,702 yards passing through the first five games of the 2017 season and is on pace to finish the season with 5,446 yards. Brady owns one of the nine 5,000-yard passing seasons in NFL history and can join Drew Brees (5) as the only player with more than one 5,000-yard season.
BRADY HAS 30 COMPLETIONS IN THREE GAMES IN 2017
Tom Brady completed 30 passes against Tampa Bay. It is the third time in 2017 that he has had 30 completions in a game. He had 32 completions vs. Carolina and 30 completions at New Orleans. Brady has 33 games with at least 30 completions, third in NFL history.
BRADY ENDS STREAK AT 264 STRAIGHT PASSES WITHOUT AN INTERCEPTION;HIS SECOND LONGEST STREAK OF HIS CAREER
Tom Brady threw his first interception of the 2017 season on his fifth attempt of the game, ending a streak of 264 regular season passes dating back to last season without a pick. That streak was the second longest of his career. Brady has an NFL record of 358 passes without an interception that was set from 2010-2011.It was his first interception since Dec. 12, 2016 vs. Baltimore. Brady had gone seven straight regular season games without an interception dating back to last season, his second-best streak of his career. He hwent an NFL record of 11 straight games without an interception (10/24/10-01/02/11). It was Brady's first interception in a road game since Dec. 27, 105 at the New York Jets.
DION LEWIS HAS CAREER-LONG WITH A 31-YARD RUN
RB Dion Lewis had a career-best 31-yard run in the first quarter. His previous best was a 20-yard run vs. Washington on Jan. 1, 2012 when he was with Philadelphia. It is also the longest run of the season for the Patriots. The previous long in 2017 was a 16-yard run by RB Mike Gillislee vs. Kansas City on Sept. 7.
HOGAN SETS SEASON HIGH WITH HIS FIFTH TD OF THE SEASON
WR Chris Hogan caught a five-yard touchdown pass from QB Tom Brady in the second quarter. He how has a career-high five touchdown receptions for the season. His previous season high was four touchdown receptions in 2016 and in 2014 with Buffalo.
HOGAN SCORES IN FOURTH STRAIGHT GAME
WR Chris Hogan scored in his fourth straight game, the longest streak of his career.
HOGAN SETS SINGLE-GAME CAREER-HIGH WITH EIGHT RECEPTIONS
WR Chris Hogan set a single-game high with eight receptions. His previous best was seven receptions on Nov. 13, 2014 at Miami and Dec. 7, 2014 at Denver.
AMENDOLA HAS A 40-YARD PUNT RETURN IN SECOND QUARTERSECOND 30-YARD RETURN OF 2017
WR Danny Amendola had a 40-yard punt return in the second quarter. It is his second 30-yard punt return of the 2017 season. He had a 33-yard return vs. Houston on Sept. 24, 2017.
GOSTKOWSKI WAS 4-FOR-4 ON FIELD GOALS TO IMPROVE TO 12-ON-12
K Stephen Gostkowski was a perfect four-for-four on field goals with kicks of 27, 23, 45 and 48. He is now 12-of-12 for the season. His career best is five field goals vs. Cincinnati on Oct. 5, 2014.
LINEUP NOTES
MATTHEW SLATER MAKES 2017 DEBUT
Special teams captain Matthew Slater made his 2017 debut after missing the first four games due to injury.
