TEAM NOTES

PATRIOTS TO FINISH 500 OR BETTER FOR 15th STRAIGHT SEASON
After improving to 8-0 on the 2015 season, the Patriots are guaranteed to finish the season with a record of .500 or better for the 15th consecutive year. At the conclusion of the 2015 season, the Patriots will be the only NFL team to finish with a record of .500 or better in each of the last 15 years (2001-2015). Each of the other 31 NFL teams had at least one losing season between 2001 and 2013.

PATRIOTS ARE FOURTH DEFENDING SUPER BOWL CHAMPION TO START 8-0
The Patriots are the fourth defending Super Bowl champion to start a season with a record of 8-0 or better, joining Green Bay (2011-13-0), Denver (1998 – 13-0) and San Francisco (1990 – 10-0). 

PATRIOTS TIE NFL RECORD BY SCORING IN 31 STRAIGHT QUARTERS;HAVE SCORED IN EVER QUARTER BUT THE FIRST OF THE 2015 SEASON
The Patriots have scored in 31 straight quarters, tying the NFL record for most consecutive quarters scoring points. The Indianapolis Colts also scored in 31 straight quarters in the 2005 season and the St. Louis Rams also scored in 31 consecutive quarters in a streak that spanned the 1999 and 2000 seasons. The only quarter in which the Patriots failed to score a point in 2015 was the first quarter of the 2015 season opener vs. Pittsburgh on Sept. 10.

PATRIOTS HAVE THE BEST RECORD AGAINST THE NFC SINCE REALIGNMENT
The Patriots improved to 44-10 against NFC teams since 2002, improving on the best inter-conference record in the NFL since realignment in 2002. 

PATRIOTS WIN 11th STRAIGHT GAME (INCLUDING PLAYOFFS)
The Patriots have now won 11 consecutive games, dating back to the 2014 playoffs. The Patriots won three straight playoff games to end the 2014 season and have won their first eight games of the 2015 regular season. The overall win streak is the fourth longest in team history.

LONGEST PATRIOTS WINNING STREAKS (INCLUDING PLAYOFFS)Wins    Dates    
21    Oct. 5, 2003 to Oct. 24, 2004
18    Sept. 9, 2007 to Jan. 20, 2008
12    Nov. 25, 2001 to Sept. 22, 2002
11    Jan. 10, 2015 to Present

PATRIOTS HIGH SCORING
The Patriots have averaged 34.5 points per game through the first eight games of the season, a total that would rank 10th in NFL history for most points per game in a season. 

HOME SWEET HOME
The Patriots have won 21 of their last 22 regular-season home games, a run that began following a 41-34 loss to San Francisco on December 16, 2012. Since then, the only time the Patriots lost a regular-season game in Foxborough was on Dec. 28, 2014, when Buffalo tallied a 17-9 victory after the Patriots had already clinched the top seed in the 2014 AFC playoffs. 

PATRIOTS DEFENSE HOLDS WASHING TO 37 YARDS ON THE GROUND
A week after holding Miami to 15 yards rushing, the Patriots defense held Washignton to 37 yards rushing on 15 carries for a 2.5-yard average. 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

GOSTKOWSKI EXECUTES SUCCESSFUL ONSIDE KICK
K Stephen Gostkowski executed his second career successful onside kick in the first quarter. He also had a successful onside kick vs. Cleveland on Dec. 8, 2013. The kick was recovered by LB Jonathan Freeny.

GOSTKOWSKI REMAINS PERFECT
Stephen Gostkowski hit both of his field goal attempts against the Redskins, upping his season total to 19-for-19 on field goals.
Highest Field Goal Pct. Season
100.0    Tony Zendejas, LA Rams, 1991 (17-17)
100.0    Gary Anderson, Minneosta, 1998 (35-35)
100.0    Jeff Wilkins, St. Louis, 2000 (17-17)
100.0    Mike Vanderjagt, Indianapolis, 2003 (37-37)

GOSTKOWSKI ON PACE TO SET NFL RECORD FOR POINTS
Stephen Gostkowski has 88 points through eight games in 2015, putting him on pace to finish the 2015 season with a league record 176 points. Gostkowski finished first in the NFL in 2014 with 156 points, second only to his team record of 158 points in 2013. Gostkowski led the NFL in scoring in 2014 for the third straight season. He is the first NFL player with three seasons of 150 or more points.  

NFL Record for Most Points by a Kicker
166    David Akers (SF) in 2011
164    Gary Anderson (MIN) in 1998
163    Jeff Wilkins (STL in 2003
161    Mark Moseley (WAS) in 1983
158    Stephen Gostkowski (NE) in 2013
157    Mike Vanderjagt (Indianapolis) in 2003
156    Stephen Gostkowski (NE) in 2014 
153 Stephen Gostkowski (NE) in 2012

Patriots Record for Most Points in a Season
158    Stephen Gostkowski, 2013
156    Stephen Gostkowski, 2014
155    Gino Cappelletti, 1964 (includes 7 TDs)
153    Stephen Gostkowski, 2012
148    Stephen Gostkowski, 2008
147    Gino Cappelletti, 1961
143    Stephen Gostkowski, 2011

GOSTKOWSKI EXTENDS TEAM RECORD FOR MOST CONSECUTIVE FIELD GOALS;HAS CONNECTED ON 51 STRAIGHT AT HOME
Stephen Gostkowski has now connected on 28 consecutive field goals dating back to last season, improving on his franchise record for most consecutive field goals. Gostkowski is a perfect 19-for-19 on field goals in 2015. The NFL record for most consecutive field goals is 42 by Mike Vanderjagt (2002-04). Gostkowski's current streak of 442 consecutive extra points is an NFL record, and he has not missed an extra point since Dec. 31, 2006 at Tennessee. Gostkowski has also connected on 51 straight field goals in home games. His last miss at home was on Sept. 12, 2013 vs. the New York Jets when he missed on a 43-yard field goal.

Most Consecutive Field Goals/Patriots History
28 Stephen Gostkowski (12/07/14- present)
25 Adam Vinatieri (11/24/96-11/09/97)
23 Adam Vinatieri  (10/17/04-12/26/04)
21 Stephen Gostkowski (9/22/13-11/24/13)
20 Stephen Gostkowski  (12/15/13-10/05/14)

EDELMAN SETS CAREER HIGH IN TOUCHDOWNS
Julian Edelman scored on an 8-yard touchdown in the first quarter for his seventh touchdown of the season, a personal season best. He had six touchdown receptions in 2013. 

LOGAN RYAN HAS FOURTH INTERCEPTION OF THE YEAR
Logan Ryan intercepted his fourth pass of the season in the first quarter. He is tied for the second most interceptions by a cornerback since the 2013 season. 

Most Interceptions by a Cornerback since 2013Player            Interceptions
Richard Sherman    12
Logan Ryan        11
Brent Grimes        11
*Aqib Talib        11
*Not including today's games

RB LEGARRETTE BLOUNT HAS 10th CAREER 100-YARD GAME
RB LeGarrette Blount had his 10th career 100-yard rushing game and his first since he gained 118 yards at Carolina on Sept. 11, 2014 while with Pittsburgh after finishing with 129 yards. It is the first 100-yard game for the Patriots since Jonas Gray had 201 at Indianapolis on Nov. 23, 2014. Since 2000, the Patriots are now 41-1 in the regular season when a Patriots player eclipses 100 yards rushing. The only loss in the Bill Belichick era came at Miami on Dec. 20, 2004 when Corey Dillon rushed for 121 yards in a 29-28 loss. Since that time the Patriots are 28-0 when one of their players breaks the 100-yard rushing mark. 

BLOUNT SETS CAREER HIGH IN RUSHING ATTEMPTS
Blount finished with a career-high 29 rushing attempts. His previous best was 26 rushing attempts at San Francisco on Nov. 21, 2010 while with Tampa Bay. 

RB BRANDON BOLDEN SCORES ON FIRST TD RECEPTION
RB Brandon Bolden caught an 18-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the fourth quarter for his first touchdown reception. He is the 59th player to catch at least one touchdown pass from Tom Brady. 

BRADY IS GOOD AGAINST THE NFC EAST – IMPROVES TO 12-2 RECORD
Tom Brady improved his career record as a starter against NFC East opposition to 12-2. It is the best mark of any quarterback in the past 15 seasons with at least 10 starts against the division.

BRADY ON RECORD PACE FOR PASSING YARDS
Tom Brady passed for 299 yards against the Redskins and has 2,709 passing yards through eight games this season. Brady is on pace to finish the season with 5,418 passing yards, which would challenge Peyton Manning's NFL-record 5,477 passing yards in 2013.

BRADY ON PACE FOR 44 TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Tom Brady has 22 touchdown passes through the first eight games of the season, putting him on pace to finish with 44 scoring passes in 2015. If Brady reaches at least 40 touchdown passes in 2015, he will join Peyton Manning (55 in 2013 and 49 in 2004), Dan Marino (48 in 1984 and 44 in 1986) and Drew Brees (46 in 2011 and 43 in 2012) as the only players in NFL history to have multiple seasons of 40+ touchdown passes. Brady threw for 50 touchdown passes in 2007.

Quarterbacks with 40 or more touchdown passes in a seasonPlayer             TD Passes
Peyton Manning (2013)    55
Tom Brady (2007)    50
Peyton Manning (2004)    49
Dan Marino (1984)    48
Drew Brees (2011)    46
Aaron Rodgers (2011)    45
Dan Marino (1986)    44
Drew Brees (2012)    43
Matthew Stafford (2011)41
Kurt Warner (1999)    41
Andrew Luck (2014)    40 

BRADY HAS EIGHTH STRAIGHT GAME WITH AT LEAST 2 TDS
Tom Brady has opened the 2015 season with eight straight games with at least two touchdown passes after throwing for two against Washington. In 2007, Brady started the season by throwing two or more touchdowns in the first ten games of the season. He had a nine-game streak in 2010 and 2011 and a 10-game streak in 2014 with two or more touchdowns. 

LAFELL BREAKS 100-YARD MARK
Brandon LaFell had 102 receiving yards on 5 catches, recording his third 100-yard receiving game as a Patriot and his first since tallying 124 receiving yards on 11 catches against Chicago on Oct. 26, 2014. It was LaFell's fifth career 100-yard receiving game, including two with Carolina from 2010-2013. The Patriots have now had a player gain 100 or more receiving yards in seven consecutive games.

GRONKOWSKI ON PACE TO BREAK HIS OWN RECORD
Rob Gronkowski had 47 receiving yards on 4 catches, finishing the game with a team-high 693 receiving yards through eight games in 2015. Gronkowski is on pace to finish the 2015 season with 1,386 receiving yards, which would be the most in NFL history for a tight end and would break his own NFL record of 1,327 receiving yards in 2011.

DL CHANDLER JONES HAS TEAM-LEADING 9.5 SACKS
Chandler Jones sacked Washington QB Kirk Cousins for a 4-yard loss on third-and-7 in the second quarter, setting up a fourth-and-11 that the Redskins did not convert. Jones has 9.5 sacks in 2015 and is looking for his second career 10-plus sack season. He had 11.5 sacks in 2013. Tony McGee (3), Andre Tippett (3) and Garin Veris (2) are the only Patriots players with at least two 10-plus sack seasons. Entering this week's games, Jones led the NFL in sacks.

QUICK HITS
-    Logan Ryan broke up a Kirk Cousins pass on fourth-and-11 in the second quarter with Washington in New England territory to give the Patriots the ball back at their own 36-yard line holding a 14-0 lead.
-    Justin Coleman broke up a deep Kirk Cousins pass intended for DeSean Jackson late in the first quarter and also tallied a pass defensed on a breakup of a Kirk Cousins pass intended for Jamison Crowder in the fourth quarter.
-    Patrick Chung broke up a Cousins pass intended for WR Derek Carrier on second down in the second quarter.
-    Rob Ninkovich stopped Washington RB Matt Jones for a 4-yard loss on first-and-goal from the Patriots' 9-yard line in the second quarter.
-    Alan Branch forced Redskins RB Matt Jones to fumble on third down on Washington's first possession of the second half and Rob Ninkovich recovered the ball at the Patriots' 43-yard line, setting up a field goal drive that ended in a 20-3 Patriots lead.
-    Malcolm Butler broke up a Kirk Cousins pass intended for TE Jordan Reed in the fourth quarter. 

LINEUP NOTES

BRYAN STORK PLAYS IN FIRST GAME OF 2015
Bryan Stork was activated off the injured reserve with a designation to return list and played in his first game of the 2015 season. He saw action at center, left guard, left tackle and right tackle. 

DEWEY MCDONALD MAKES HIS PATRIOTS DEBUT
Dewey McDonald made his Patriots debut, seeing action on special teams.