TEAM NOTES 

 
• Patriots earn top seed in the AFC playoff field for seventh time. 
• Patriots win 13 games for seventh time in team history. 
• Patriots hold opponents under 20 points for 12th time since 2001.
 
PATRIOTS EARN TOP SEED IN AFC PLAYOFF FIELD
The Patriots have now earned seven No. 1 seeds (2017, 2016, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2007 and 2003) in the postseason since 1990, the most in the NFL under that system. The NFL began playoff seeding in 1975 and the current playoff format was instituted in 1990.
 
MOST NO. 1 SEEDS IN THE PLAYOFF FIELD
(Since 1990)
New England 7
Denver 5
Dallas 4
Philadelphia 4
Pittsburgh 4
San Francisco 4
 
MOST NO. 1 SEEDS OVERALL
(Since 1975)
San Francisco 8
Denver 8
New England 7
Pittsburgh 6
Dallas 6
Oakland 5
 
PATRIOTS WIN 13 GAMES FOR SEVENTH TIME IN TEAM HISTORY
The win over the Jets was the Patriots 13th win of the season. The Patriots have now won 13 or games in a season seven times, second most in NFL history. 
Patriots 13-Win Seasons 
2003-14-2
2004-14-2
2007-16-0
2010-14-2
2011-13-3
2016- 14-2 
2017 -13-3 
 
Most Seasons with 13 or More Wins
Team 13 or more win seasons
San Francisco 9
New England 7
Denver 6
Chicago 5
Green Bay 5
Indianapolis 5
 
DEFENSE HOLDS UNDER 20 FOR 12TH TIME SINCE 2001
The Patriots defense allowed  just 18.5 points per game in 2017, marking the 12th season since 2001 that the team kept opponents under 20 points per game, the most in the NFL over that span. 
 
PATRIOTS DEFENSE HOLDS JETS TO 0-12 ON THIRD DOWN
The Patriots defense held the Jets to 0-for-12 on third down. The Jets did convert on a fourth down attempt in the fourth quarter. The last time the Patriots held a team without a third-down conversion was on Oct. 5, 2014, vs. Cincinnati, when the Bengals were 0-for-7 on third down and 0-for-1 on fourth down. 
 
PATRIOTS DEFENSE HOLDS THE RUSHERS
The 2017 Patriots allowed just six rushing touchdowns, tied for the second fewest in team history. The 2016 Patriots also allowed just six rushing touchdowns. The Tennessee Titans entered this week by allowing just five rushing touchdowns. 
Fewest Rushing Touchdowns Allowed by the Patriots in a Season
5 - 1991
6 – 2017, 2016, 2014, 2009 and 1999
7 - 2007, 2001, 1966
8 - 2015, 2008, 1998, 1977
 
PATRIOTS WITH BALL SECURITY
The 2017 Patriots had just 12 turnovers (eight interceptions and four fumbles). It is the third fewest turnovers in a season by the Patriots behind the 10 in 2010 and the 11 in 2016. Kansas City entered the final week with just seven turnovers. 
 
FEWEST GIVEAWAYS IN 16-GAME SEASON
2011 San Francisco 10
2010 New England 10
2016 New England 11
2016 Atlanta 11
2017 New England 12
2016 Buffalo 12
2014 Green Bay 13
2014 New England 13
2008 Miami 13
2008 New York Giants 13
 
COLDEST REGULAR SEASON GAME IN PATRIOTS HISTORY
Today's temperature was 13 degrees at kickoff, marking the coldest regular-season game at Gillette Stadium. The previous coldest regular-season game was Dec. 11, 1977, when it was 14 degrees in a 14-10 win vs. Miami. The coldest game ever in Patriots history was four degrees with a wind chill of -10 vs. Tennessee in a playoff game on Jan. 10, 2004, a 17-14 New England win. Since 1970, the Patriots have played eight games when the temperature has been below 20 degrees. The Patriots are 7-1 in those games. 
 
PATRIOTS SCORE IN FINAL MINUTE OF THE FIRST HALF FOR 11TH TIME IN 2017
The Patriots scored in the final minute of the half for the 11th time in the 2017 season, when QB Tom Brady connected with RB Dion Lewis on a 5-yard touchdown pass with 20 seconds to play in the first half. 
 
FINAL MINUTE SCORING IN THE FIRST HALF
13-yard TD pass with 13 seconds to play at New Orleans (9/17/17)
58-yard field goal with no time remaining vs. Carolina (10/1/17)
23-yard field goal with 40 seconds to play at Tampa Bay (10/5/17)
2-yard TD pass with nine seconds play at NY Jets (10/15/17)
2-yard TD pass with 21 seconds to play vs. Atlanta (10/22/17)
36-yard field goal with 24 seconds to play vs. LA Chargers (10/29/17)
11-yard TD pass with 25 seconds to play at Denver (11/12/17)
62-yard field goal with no time remaining at Oakland (11/19/17)
39-yard field goal with 15 seconds to play at Buffalo (12/3/17) 
46-yard field goal with two seconds to play at Miami (12/11/17) 
5-yard TD with 20 seconds to play vs. NY Jets (12/31/17)
 
2018 OPPONENTS DETERMINED
The Patriots 2018 opponents have been determined. In addition to playing each of the other AFC East opponents twice, the Patriots will play one game against each of the AFC South and NFC North teams. As the first-place team in the AFC East, the Patriots will play the first-place team of the AFC West (Kansas City) and AFC North (Pittsburgh). 
 
Home: Buffalo, Miami., NY Jets, Green Bay, Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minnesota  
Away: Buffalo, Miami., NY Jets, Chicago, Detroit, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Tennessee
 

INDIVIDUAL NOTES  

 
BELICHICK FIRST IN NFL HISTORY WITH 13-PLUS WINS IN SEVEN DIFFERENT SEASONS
Bill Belichick is the first head coach in NFL history with 13 or more wins in seven different seasons. George Seifert is next with four seasons with at least 13 win seasons. 
2003-14-2
2004-14-2
2007-16-0
2010-14-2
2011-13-3
2016-13-2
2017-13-3
 
BELICHICK TIES LANDRY FOR MOST REGULAR SEASON WINS
Bill Belichick now has 250 regular season wins to tie Tom Landry for third all-time, behind Don Shula (328) and George Halas (318).
 
BRADY LEADING THE NFL IN PASSING YARDS
Tom Brady entered the final week of the season leading in passing yards. He added 190 yards against the Jets to finish with 4,577 yards. If that holds it will be his third season leading the league in passing yards. He led with 4,110 yards in 2005 and 4,806 yards in 2007. 
 
BRADY WILL BE THE OLDEST QB TO EVER LEAD THE NFL IN PASSING YARDS
If Brady leads the NFL with 4,577 passing yards at the age of 40 then he will be the oldest quarterback to ever lead the NFL in passing yards. The current record is Fran Tarkenton with 3,468 yards at the age of 38 in 1978 with Minnesota. 
 
BRADY IS GOOD AT 40
Brady already has the most passing yards (4,577) and the most wins in a single season by a quarterback at the age of 40, and his 13 wins overall at the age of 40 are now tied with Brett Favre for the most wins by a quarterback overall at the age of 40. 
 
MOST REGULAR SEASON WINS BY A QUARTERBACK AT THE AGE OF 40
Tom Brady 13
Brett Favre 13
Warren Moon 11
 
BRADY CLIMBS THE PASSING CHART
Brady finished the 2017 season with 4,577 yards, his fifth-best season. 
 
PATRIOTS TOP PASSING YARDS/SEASON
Yards Player Year
5,235 Tom Brady 2011
4,827 Tom Brady 2012
4,806 Tom Brady 2007
4,770 Tom Brady 2015
4,577 Tom Brady 2017
4,555 Drew Bledsoe 1994
4,398 Tom Brady 2009
4,343 Tom Brady 2013
4,110 Tom Brady 2005
4,109 Tom Brady 2014
4,086 Drew Bledsoe 1996
 
BRADY FINISHED WITH 4TH STRAIGHT SEASON WITH 3,000 PASS YARDS AND FEWER THAN 10 INTS.
Tom Brady finished with his fourth straight season with at least 3,000 passing yards and fewer than 10 interceptions after finishing with 4,577 passing yards and eight interceptions. 
QBS with the most consecutive seasons with 3,000 passing yards and fewer than 10 ints. 
Player Seasons Consec. seasons with 3,000 yards and fewer than 10 ints.
Alex Smith, Kansas City 2013-16 4
Tom Brady, Patriots 2014-17 4
Aaron Rodgers, GB 2014-16 3
Russell Wilson, Seattle 2013-15 3 
*active streak 
 
BRADY NEARING THE TOP FOR MOST WINS AMONG ALL NFL PLAYERS
Tom Brady has the most wins by an NFL quarterback with 221 overall career wins. His 221 wins are the second-most wins all-time by an NFL player, behind the 225 wins by Adam Vinatieri. 
MOST WINS BY AN NFL PLAYER (INCLUDING POSTSEASON GAMES)
(GAMES PLAYED)
Player Wins
Adam Vinatieri 225
Tom Brady 221
George Blanda 218
Jerry Rice 211
Gary Anderson 210
Peyton Manning 201
Brett Favre 201
Morten Andersen 194
 
GRONKOWSKI LEADS ALL TIGHT ENDS IN RECEIVING YARDS FOR FOURTH TIME
Rob Gronkowski finished first among all tight ends with 1,084 receiving yards. It is the fourth time that he has led all tight ends in receiving yards. He led with 1,327 yards in 2011, 1,124 yards in 2014 and 1,176 yards in 2015. Only two tight ends have led in receiving yards at the position more than four times – Ton Gonzalez (7) and Shannon Sharpe (5).
 
GOSTKOWSKI TIES FOR HIS SECOND BEST POINT TOTAL
K Stephen Gostkowski is the first NFL player with five 150 point seasons. His 156 total points in 2017 are tied for the second most in his career to the 158 total points he had in 2013.
 
Patriots Record for Most Points in a Season
158 Stephen Gostkowski, 2013
156 Stephen Gostkowski, 2017 
156 Stephen Gostkowski, 2014
155 Gino Cappelletti, 1964 (includes 7 TDs)
153 Stephen Gostkowski, 2012
151 Stephen Gostkowski, 2015
148 Stephen Gostkowski, 2008
147 Gino Cappelletti, 1961
 
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
158 Matt Bryant (ATL) in 2016 
158 Greg Zuerlein (LAR) in 2017 
157 Mike Vanderjagt (Indianapolis) in 2003
156 Stephen Gostkowski (NE) in 2017
156 Stephen Gostkowski (NE) in 2014 
153 Stephen Gostkowski (NE) in 2012
151 Stephen Gostkowski (NE) in 2015
 
GOSTKOWSKI TIES NFL MARK WITH FIFTH SEASON AT 90 PERCENT IN FIELD GOALS
Gostkowski made 92.5 (37-of-40) percent of his field goals in 2017. He tied Adam Vinatieri (2002, 2004, 2010, 2014 and 2015) for the most seasons at 90 percent on field goals with five. 
 
GOSTKOWSKI HAS SECOND-MOST FIELD GOALS IN A SEASON
Gostkowski finished with 37 field goals in 2017. He set a Patriots franchise record with 38 field goals in 2013 and now owns the top six field goal seasons in team history.
 
LEWIS SCORES TWO TDS FOR SECOND STRAIGHT WEEK
RB Dion Lewis scored on a 3-yard run in the first quarter and a 5-yard pass in the second quarter for his second straight week scoring two touchdowns. He had a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown in the fourth quarter vs. Buffalo the previous week. It is his third game overall with two touchdowns. In addition to the Buffalo game and the Jets game, he scored a rushing touchdown, a receiving touchdown and a kickoff return for touchdown in the AFC Divisional Playoff game vs. Houston on Jan. 14, 2017. 
 
ERIC LEE CREDITED WITH FIRST CAREER SAFETY
DL Eric lee sacked Jets QB Bryce Petty in the end zone for a sack in the fourth quarter.
 
LB MARQUIS FLOWERS ADDS ANOTHER SACK
A week after registering his first NFL sacks with 2 ½ against Buffalo, LB Marquis Flowers added an 8-yard sack in the second quarter against the Jets. 
 
LB JAMES HARRISON RECORDS TWO SACKS
LB James Harrison played in his first game with the Patriots and recorded two sacks on the Jets final drive. It marks his 18th game with at least two sacks. 
 

LINEUP NOTES

 
• LB James Harrison played in his first game as a member of the Patriots. 
• LB Kyle Van Noy returned to action and the starting lineup after missing the last three games due to injury.