TEAM NOTES
- Patriots tied the 49ers for most regular season wins over two consecutive decades.
- Brady tied Adam Vinatieri for the most career wins all-time
- Brady became third player in NFL history to pass for 500 TDs (regular season)
- Brady now has the most TDs at a single stadium in NFL history
PATRIOTS TIE THE 49ERS FOR MOST REGULAR SEASON WINS IN CONSECUTIVE DECADES
The Patriots victory over Indianapolis is their 217th win since 2000. The Patriots are now tied with the San Francisco 49ers (1970s/1980s) for the most regular seasons wins over two consecutive decades (with 27 regular season games remaining in this decade).
WICKED GOOD IN OCTOBER
The Patriots are an NFL-best 58-18 (.763) in the month of October since the 2000 season. The Patriots are 33-6 (.846) at home during that time and 25-12 on the road.
PATRIOTS HAVE BACK-TO-BACK GAMES WITH 24-POINTS IN THE FIRST HALF
The Patriots were in front 24-3 at halftime against the Colts, a week after taking a 24-0 lead in the first half against Miami. It is the first time with back-to-back games with 24+ points in the first half since 2014 when the Patriots led 38-7 in the first half in a 51-23 win vs. Chicago on Oct. 26, 2014 followed by a 27-7 first half lead in a 43-21 win vs. Denver November 2, 2014.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
BRADY TIES VINATIERI FOR THE MOST WINS ALL-TIME
QB Tom Brady won his 226th career game to tie Adam Vinatieri for the most career wins ever by an NFL player. Brady has 199 regular season wins and 27 postseason wins. His 199 regular season wins trail George Blanda (209), Adam Vinatieri (206) and Gary Anderson (201).
BRADY REACHES 500 CAREER REGULAR SEASON TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Brady became just the third player in NFL history to reach the milestone of 500 career touchdown passes (regular season). He joins Peyton Manning (539) and Brett Favre (508). Brady entered the game with 497 touchdown completions and reached the milestone on a 34-yard touchdown pass to WR Josh Gordon in the fourth quarter, Brady's third touchdown of the night.
HOME COOKIN' – BRADY SETS MARK FOR MOST TDS IN A SINGLE STADIUM
With three touchdowns against Indianapolis, Brady now has 238 touchdowns in the regular season at Gillette stadium, the most touchdown passes in a stadium in NFL history. His three touchdowns moved him past Drew Brees, who has 236 touchdown passes at the Superdome.
BRADY NOW 8-0 ON THURSDAY NIGHT AFTER THREE DAYS REST
Tom Brady is now 8-0 on Thursday night football games after a Sunday game and three days of rest.
BRADY GOES OVER 300 YARDS
Tom Brady threw for over 300 yards for the first time in 2018 after finishing with 341 yards. He is in third place all-time with 83 career 300-yard games. The Patriots are 69-14 when Brady throws for 300 yards.
Most 300-yard Games in NFL History
Drew Brees 111
Peyton Manning 93
Tom Brady 83
Dan Marino 63
BRADY HAS THROWN TOUCHDOWN PASSES TO 71 DIFFERENT PLAYERS, THE MOST IN NFL HISTORY
Tom Brady connected with WR Josh Gordon on a 34-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. Brady has thrown a touchdown pass to 71 different players in the regular season, the most touchdown targets by a quarterback in NFL history.
BRADY HAS 30 COMPLETIONS
Tom Brady completed 34 passes against Indianapolis. He has completed at least 30 passes in a game 36 times in his career, third all-time. In 2017, he had five games with at least 30 completions.
BRADY OPENED THE GAME WITH 10 STRAIGHT COMPLETIONS
Brady started 10-for-10, tying his best start to a regular-season home game. He also completed his first 10 passes against the Colts on Nov. 7, 2005.
PATRIOTS NOW 13-3 WHEN BRADY RUSHES FOR A TOUCHDOWN
Brady scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, his first rushing touchdown since Dec. 6, 2015 vs. Philadelphia when he scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. The Patriots are 13-3 when he rushes for a touchdown in the regular season.
BRADY THROWS AND RUNS FOR A TD IN THE FIRST HALF
Brady threw for a 1-yard touchdown in the first quarter and then scored on a 1-yard run in the second quarter. It is only the third time in the regular season that Brady has had a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown in the first half – the others were vs. Washington on Oct. 28, 2007 and at Denver on Dec. 18, 2011.
GRONKOWSKI MOVES PAST WELKER INTO SECOND ON THE PATRIOTS RECEIVING LIST
Gronkowski moved past Wes Welker into second place on the Patriots all-time receiving list after finishing with 75 yards against Indianapolis to push his career numbers to 7,487 yards. He accomplished the feat on a 15-yard pass from QB Tom Brady in the third quarter. He entered the game needing 48 yards to move past Welker.
GRONKOWSKI AND EDELMAN IN THE LINEUP TOGETHER FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2016
The Patriots had TE Rob Gronkowski and WR Julian Edelman in the lineup together for the first time since Nov. 27, 2016 at the New York Jets.
EDELMAN MOVES PAST GINO CAPPELLETTI FOR NINTH PLACE ON THE PATRIOTS ALL-TIME LIST
WR Julian Edelman caught 7 passes for 57 yards and moved past Gino Cappelletti into 9th place on the Patriots all-time receptions list.
EDELMAN MOVES PAST FAULK ON THE PATRIOTS ALL-TIME RECEPTION LIST
Edelman caught seven passes and moved past Kevin Faulk into 6th place on the Patriots all-time reception list.
DEVIN MCCOURTY FORCES AND RECOVERS A FUMBLE
S Devin McCourty forced and recovered a fumble on the same play in the third quarter when he tackled Indianapolis RB Jordan Wilkins. It is the first time that he has forced and recovered a fumble in the same game.
RB JAMES WHITE TIES CAREER HIGH IN RECEPTIONS
RB James White tied a career high with 10 receptions against the Colts. He also had 10 receptions vs. Carolina on Oct. 1, 2017 and 10 vs. Philadelphia on Dec. 6, 2015. He set a Super Bowl record with 14 receptions in Super Bowl LI.
WHITE ON RECORD-SETTING PACE
RB James White's 32 receptions through the first five games are the most by a New England running back through the first five games of the season. White broke his old mark set in 2017 when he had 29 receptions through the first five games. White is on pace to finish the season with 102 receptions. That would tie the NFL mark for a running back in a season. Chicago's Matt Forte had 102 receptions in 2014. Tony Collins owns the Patriots record with 77 receptions in 1986.
WHITE SCORES FOURTH TOUCHDOWN CATCH IN FIRST FIVE GAMES
White has caught a touchdown pass in four of the first five games. White is the first running back to catch a touchdown in four of his team's first five games since Detroit's Mel Farr in 1968. White had a career-best five touchdown receptions in 2016. The Patriots record for most receiving touchdowns by a running back is Larry Garron, who had seven receiving touchdowns in 1964.
RB JAMES WHITE LEADS ALL RUNNING BACK IN TD RECEPTIONS SINCE 2015;
MOVES INTO SECOND FOR MOST RECEIVING TDS BY A PATS RUNNING BACK
RB James White scored on a 6-yard touchdown pass from QB Tom Brady in the second quarter. It marked his 16th receiving touchdown since 2015, the most by a running back in the NFL during that time. He moved out of a tie and into sole possession of second place for most touchdown receptions by a Patriots running back, behind Larry Garron (26).
WHITE PRODUCES IN THE PASSING GAME
RB James White finished with a team-leading 10 receptions for 77 yards. It was his sixth game in the regular season with 8 or more receptions.
CHUNG JOINS IN ON A SACK
S Patrick Chung combined with DL Trey Flowers for a sack in the first quarter. It is his first sack since he had a 12-yard sack at San Francisco on Nov. 20, 2016.
CHUNG PICKS OFF LUCK – IMPROVE TO 10-0 IN GAMES WHEN HE HAS A PICK
S Patrick Chung had his first interception of the 2018 season when he picked off Indianapolis QB Andrew Luck late in the first half. The Patriots are 10-0 in games when Chung has a pick.
WR CORDARRELLE PATTERSON SCORES FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK
WR Cordarrelle Patterson scored on a 1-yard touchdown reception to cap New England's first drive of the game. He scored on a 55-yard touchdown the previous week vs. Miami. He had two touchdown receptions in his previous 60 games.
SONY MICHEL RUNS LONG
Rookie RB Sony Michel scored on a 34-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. It was the longest run from scrimmage for the Patriots this season and the longest rushing touchdown by a Patriots player since LeGarrette Blount's 43-yarder on vs. the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 4, 2016. Michel followed his 112 yard performance against Miami with 98 yards on 18 carries for a 5.4-yard average.
LINEUP NOTES
WR JULIAN EDELMAN RETURNS TO ACTION
WR Julian Edelman returned to action after missing the entire 2017 season due to injury and the first four games of the 2018 season. He was in the starting lineup and caught a 9-yard pass from QB Tom Brady on the first offensive play of the game. The Patriots are 49-11 when Edelman is in the starting lineup.
TE JACOB HOLLISTER RETURNS TO ACTION
TE Jacob Hollister returned to action after missing two games due to injury.
