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2011 AFC EAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS**
The Patriots claimed the AFC East Division title for the third consecutive season.
PATRIOTS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT FOR 13TH TIME IN KRAFT'S 18 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP
New England has now qualified for the playoffs 19 times in its 52-year history. The Patriots have earned 13 playoff berths in the 18 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 AFC East crowns under Kraft's leadership. New England has won 14 division crowns overall (13 AFC East 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.
GRONKOWSKI REACHED 1,100 YARDS
TE Rob Gronkowski had 53 yards to push his 2011 totals to 1,141. It is the 18th time in NFL history that a tight end has reached 1,100 yards and 12th time a Patriots player reached 1,100 yards in a single season. His total is 13th in NFL history for a tight end. He needs 34 yards to pass Ben Coates (1,174) for the franchise record. Gronkowski needs 150 yards to surpass San Diego's Kellen Winslow's 1980 record of 1,290 yards for most receiving yards in a season by a tight end.
WELKER SET A CAREER-HIGH IN RECEIVING YARDS FOR A SEASON
Wes Welker added 41 receiving yards to set a single-season career high with 1,380 yards. His previous best was 1,348 receiving yards in 2009. His 1,380 yards are third in team history to Randy Moss (1,493 in 2007 and Stanley Morgan (1,491 in 1986).
PATRIOTS REACH 400 POINTS FOR THE FIFTH STRAIGHT SEASON
Tom Brady's 33-yard touchdown to WR Chad Ochocinco put the Patriots over 400 points for the year for the fifth straight season.
BRADY HAS 13 GAMES IN 2011 WITH 2 OR MORE TOUCHDOWNS
Tom Brady threw two touchdowns against the Denver. It is Brady's 13th game in 2011 with two or more touchdowns. Brady had 14 such games in 2007. The NFL record for most games with two or more touchdown passes in a season is 15 by Dan Marino in 1984.
WELKER MOVES PAST MORGAN FOR SECOND PLACE ON PATRIOTS RECEPTION LIST
Welker moved past Stanley Morgan (534) into second place on the Patriots all-time list after adding four receptions for 536 First place belongs to Troy Brown (557).
BRADY BECOMES SECOND PLAYER WITH AT LEAST 35 TDS IN 3 DIFFERENT SEASONS.
Tom Brady's 1-yard touchdown pass to TE Aaron Hernandez was his 35th touchdown of the season. He became the second NFL player to have at least three 35 touchdowns in three different seasons.
QUARTERBACKS WITH THE MOST 35 PASSING TOUCHDOWNS IN NFL HISTORY
Player 35 TD Pass Seasons
Tom Brady, 3 (50 in 2007, 36 in 2010 and 35 in 2011
Brett Favre, 3
Dan Marino, 2
Kurt Warner, 2
Steve Young, 2
BRADY ON PACE FOR SECOND CAREER 40 TOUCHDOWN SEASON
Brady has 35 touchdown passes through 13 games and needs five in the last two games to reach 40. If Brady reaches 40 touchdowns he will be just the second player in NFL history to have two seasons with 40 or more touchdown throws. Dan Marino had 48 touchdowns in 1984 and 44 in 1986.
BRADY ON PACE FOR 5,000 YARDS
After throwing for 320 yards against the Broncos and 4,593 yards through 14 games this year, Tom Brady is on pace to finish the season with 5,249 passing yards. Only two NFL players have thrown for 5,000 or more yards in a season with Dan Marino's NFL record 5,084 in 1984 and Drew Brees' 5,069 in 2008. The most yards Brady has ever thrown in a season is 4,806 in 2007. After 14 games, Marino had 4,340 yards in 1984 and Brees had 4,332 after 14 games in 2008.
BRADY HAS HIS 43rd 300-YARD GAME
Brady threw for 320 yards for his 43rd career 300-yard game and his ninth 300-yard game of the 2011 season. The nine 300-yard games are a personal best. The NFL record for most 300-yard games in a season is 11 by Drew Brees (2011).
MOST 300-YARD PASSING GAMES IN NFL HISTORY
Peyton Manning, 63
Dan Marino, 63
Brett Favre, 62
Drew Brees, 55
Kurt Warner, 52
Dan Fouts, 51
Warren Moon, 49
Tom Brady, 43
Joe Montana, 39
MOST 300-YARD GAMES PASSING IN A SEASON
11 Drew Brees, New Orleans, 2011
10 Rich Gannon, Oakland, 2002
10 Drew Brees, New Orleans, 2008
9 Tom Brady, Patriots, 2011
9 Dan Marino, Miami, 1984
9 Warren Moon, Houston, 1990
9 Kurt Warner, St. Louis, 1999
9 Kurt Warner, St. Louis, 2001
9 Peyton Manning, Indianapolis, 2009
9 Matt Schaub, Houston, 2009
CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH AT LEAST ONE TOUCHDOWN PASS CONTINUES FOR BRADY
Tom Brady has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 30 straight regular season games, extending his team mark with an 33-yard touchdown pass to Chad Ochocinco in the first quarter. Brady's current streak started when he threw a touchdown pass in all 16 games in 2010 and he has now achieved the feat in all 13 games in 2011. The old team record was 19 games, also set by Brady. The NFL record is 47 set by Johnny Unitas (1956-7), followed by Drew Brees with 41 and Brett Favre with 36.
WELKER IS STREAKING
Wes Welker extended his streak to 75 straight regular-season games with at least one reception as a member of the Patriots to extend his franchise record. Welker has an overall streak of 92 straight regular-season games with at least one reception, including his time with the Miami Dolphins. Welker has caught at least one pass in each of his 79 games with the Patriots, including four postseason games. The last time that Welker did not catch a pass in a game was December 24, 2005 when he was with Miami.
PATRIOTS SCORING STREAK
The Patriots are averaging 35.8 points over their last six games, totaling 215 points over that span. During their current six-game winning streak, New England has scored 37 points against the N.Y. Jets (11/13), 34 points against Kansas City (11/21), 38 points against Philadelphia (11/27), 31 points against Indianapolis (12/4), 34 points at Washington (12/11) and 41 against Denver..
PATS SCORE 30 POINTS FOR THE 11TH TIME IN 2011 AND FOR THE SIXTH STRAIGHT GAME
The Patriots scored 30 points for the sixth straight game and for the 11th time in 2011. The Patriots also scored 30 or more points in a game 11 times in 2010. The NFL record for most 30-point games in a single season is 12 by the 2007 Patriots and the 1999 St. Louis Rams. The NFL record for most consecutive 30-point games in a single season is eight by the 2007 and 2010 Patriots and the 2000 St. Louis Rams. The Patriots are now 71-3 when scoring 30 or more points under head coach Bill Belichick.
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HERNANDEZ SETS CAREER HIGH IN RECEIVING YARDS AND RECEPTIONS.**
TE Aaron Hernandez set a career high with 9 receptions for 129 yards.It is his third career 100-yard game. His previous best was 103 at Miami in the 2011 season-opener on Sept. 12, 2011 and 8 receptions vs. Dallas on Oct 16, 2011.
HERNANDEZ TIES A CAREER HIGH WITH A 46-YARD GAIN
TE Aaron Hernandez tied a career high with a 46-yard reception in the first quarter. He had also had a 46-yard reception at the Jets on Sept. 19, 2010.
HERNANDEZ MATCHES ROOKIE SEASON TOTAL OF SIX TOUCHDOWNS
Hernandez scored his sixth touchdown of the season on a 1-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter. He also had six touchdown receptions as a rookie in 2010.
CHAD OCHOCINOC SCORES FIRST TOUCHDOWN WITH THE PATRIOTS
WR Chad Ochocinco scored his first touchdown with the Patriots on a 33-yard pass from Tom Brady in the first quarter.
MARK ANDERSON REGISTERS TWO SACKS
Mark Anderson registered two sacks to bring his 2011 total to 9.0. If he gets one more sack the Patriots will have two players with double-digit sacks with Andre Carter's 10.0. The last time two Patriots had 10 or more sacks was 1985 with Andre Tippett (16.5), Garin Veris (10.0) It has happened two times in Patriots history. In addition to 1985, in 1977 Tony McGee had 12 sacks and Ray Hamilton had 10 sacks.
