WELKER HAS 2ND MOST CATCHES IN A GAME IN TEAM HISTORY; MOST IN A NON-OVERTIME GAME
Wes Welker had 15 receptions for 192 yards against the Jets today, setting the team record for most catches in a non-overtime game. Welker's 15 receptions are the second highest single-game total in overall team history, trailing Troy Brown's team-record 16 catches in an overtime game against Kansas City on Sept. 22, 2002. Welker's 15 receptions top his previous career high of 13 catches, set against Philadelphis on Nov. 25, 2007.
WELKER HAS 3RD HIGHEST RECEIVING YARD TOTAL IN TEAM HISTORY; MOST IN HOME GAME
Wes Welker totaled 192 receiving yards on 15 catches against the Jets today, setting a new career high with the third-best single-game receiving total in the 50-year history of the Patriots franchise and the most in team history in a home game. Welker's 192 receiving yards are the most for a Patriots player in a decade, dating back to Terry Glenn's team-record 214-yard performance at Cleveland on Oct. 3, 1999. Welker's previous career high was 150 receiving yards, set on Oct. 18, 2009 against Tennessee.
WELKER GOES OVER 100 YARDSWelker had his third 100-yard game of the season and the 10th regular-season 100-yard game of his career. His career high for most 100-yard games in a season is four in 2007 and 2008. Welker had eight receptions for 139 receiving yards at halftime. It is the second time in 2009 that he has had 100 yards receiving at halftime. He had seven receptions for 116 yards at halftime vs. Tennessee (10/18).
WELKER GOES OVER 10 RECEPTIONS FOR FOURTH TIME THIS SEASON; EIGHTH TIME IN CAREER
Welker had 15 catches and registered his fourth game of the season with 10 or more receptions. He achieved the feat for the eighth time in his career. The NFL record for most 10-plus receptions games in a season is seven, set by Houston's Andre Johnson in 2008.
BODDEN HAS THREE INTERCEPTIONS TO TIE THE FRANCHSISE RECORD
Leigh Bodden registered a career-high three interceptions to tie the Patriots franchise record for most interceptions in a game. The feat has now been achieved by the Patriots on nine occasions. Prior to today, the last time a Patriots player had three interceptions in a game was when Asante Samuel had three interceptions vs. Chicago on Nov. 26, 2006.
- Today was the second time in Bodden's career that he has had at least two interceptions in a game. He had two interceptions at Minnesota on Oct. 12, 2008, when he played for Detroit.
- Bodden is the second New England player to have at least two-interception in a game this season. S Brandon Meriweather had two interceptions at Tampa Bay on Oct. 25.
- Today's game was first game that a Patriots player has had least two interception in a game at Gillette Stadium since Asante Samuel had two vs. Philadelphia on Nov. 25, 2007.
BODDEN RETURNS INTERCEPTION 53 YARDS FOR A TOUCHDCOWN
Leigh Bodden scored on a 53-yard interception return in the first quarter. It was his first interception returned for a touchdown and the second NFL touchdown of his career. He also scored a touchdown on a 59-yard blocked field goal return at Pittsburgh (11-13-05) when he was with Cleveland.
- Bodden's touchdown was the second defensive touchdown for New England in 2009. S Brandon Meriweather scored on a 39-yard interception return against Tampa Bay on Oct. 25 in London.
- Bodden's 53-yard return is the longest for the Patriots since LB Adalius Thomas scored on a 65-yard interception return vs. San Diego (9-16-07).
- Bodden's touchdown was the first interception returned for a touchdown at Gillette Stadium for the Patriots since S Eugene Wilson returned an interception five yards for a touchdown on Dec. 16, 2007 against the Jets.
BRADY REGISTERS FIFTH STRAIGHT 300-YARD GAMEQB Tom Brady totaled 310 passing yards, recording his his fifth straight 300-yard game (380, 308, 332, 375 and 310) and his sixth of the 2009 season. Brady's five consecutive 300-yard games are a personal best and a team record. The NFL record for most consecutive 300-yard games is six by Steve Young (1998), Kurt Warner (2000) and Rich Gannon (2002). Besides Brady, five other NFL players have had five consecutive 300-yard games: Joe Montana (1982), Kerry Collins (2001-02), Drew Brees 2006), Kurt Warner (2008) and Peyton Manning (2009).
BRADY HAS SIX 300-YARD GAMES IN 2009Brady now has six 300-yard games in 2009. The six 300-yard games are second in team history to Brady's team-record eight 300-yard games in 2007. The NFL record for most 300-yard games in a single season is 10 by Rich Gannon (2002) and Drew Brees (2008).
BRADY GOES OVER 3,000 YARDS FOR THE SEASONBrady finished the game with 3,049 passing yards for the season, tying Drew Bledsoe for the Patriots' team record for most 3,000-yard seasons. Brady and Bledsoe have both thrown for 3,000 or more yards seven times in a Patriots uniform. Brady 13-yard completion to WR Randy Moss in the third quarter pushed him over 3,000 yards. Brady now has seven career 3,000-yard seasons to tie Drew Bledsoe with seven seasons of 3,000 or more yards.
BRADY GOES OVER 20 TOUCHDOWNS FOR THE SEASONS
Tom Brady threw his 20th touchdown of the season on a four-yard touchdown pass to Randy Moss in the first quarter. Brady now has thrown 20 or more touchdowns seven times in his 10 NFL seasons, and owns the Patriots record for most seasons with 20 or more touchdown passes.
MOST SEASONS WITH 20 OR MORE TOUCHDOWN PASSES / PATRIOTS HISTORYTom Brady, 7
Drew Bledsoe, 4
Babe Parilli, 2
Butch Songin, 1
Matt Cassel, 1
Steve Grogan, 1
Tony Eason, 1
BRADY NEEDS 163 MORE PASSING YARDS TO SET CAREER FRANCHISE RECORD
Tom Brady now has 29,495 career passing yards, needing only 163 more passing yards to pass Drew Bledsoe's franchise record 29,657 passing yards.
WELKER KEEPS IT UP
Wes Welker now has eight straight games with six or more receptions after finishing with 15 receptions. The record for most consecutive games with 6 receptions is 16 by Marvin Harrison from 2002-03. Welker has caught six or more passes in 22 of his last 24 regular-season games
WELKER ON PACE FOR 138 CATCHES IN 2009
Wes Welker now has 79 receptions in the 2009 season, despite missing two games due to injury. He is averaging 9.9 receptions in the eight games he has played. If he keeps that pace he will finish the season with a Patriots record of 138 catches, breaking the old mark of 112 receptions Welker set by 2007. A total of 138 receptions would rank second in NFL history to Marvin Harrison's record of 143.
BELICHICK BECOMES 15th COACH IN NFL HISTORY WITH 160 CAREER VICTORIESBill Belichick won his 160th overall game (including playoffs) today, becoming the 15th head coach in NFL history to reach that mark. Belichick's 160 career wins are more than any other active NFL head coach and rank 15th in the league's 90-year history. Belichick's career record is now 160-93 (.632), and his winning percentage of .632 ranks third among all head coaches with 150 or more career wins, trailing only George Halas (.682) and Don Shula (.666).
MARONEY IS FIRST PATRIOT IN A DECADE TO SCORE RUSHING TOUCHDOWN IN 5 STRAIGHT GAMES
RB Laurence Maroney scored a touchdown for the fifth straight game when he scored on a two-yard run in the second quarter. His five straight games with a touchdown are tied for the third longest streak in New England history. Maroney is the first Patriots player to score a rushing touchdown in five or more consecutive games in over a decade, dating back to Robert Edwards' streak of six straight games with a touchdown in 1998.
MOST CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RUSHING TOUCHDOWN / PATRIOTS HISTORY
7, Curtis Martin, 10/13/96 to 11/24/96
6, Robert Edwards, 09/07/98 to 10/19/98
5, Laurence Maroney, 10/18/09 to 11/22/09 (active)
5, Curtis Martin, 10/23/95 to 11/19/95
5, Horace Ivory, 10/22/78 to 11/19/78
MARONEY TIES CAREER HIGH WITH TWO TOUCHDOWNS
Laurence Maroney had a pair of rushing touchdowns against the Jets, tying his career high with two rushing scores. Maroney reached the end zone twice in a game for the third time in his career, having also achieved the feat at the N.Y. Giants on Dec. 27, 2007 and at Cincinnati on Oct. 1, 2006. Today's game against the Jets marked the first time Maroney had reached the end zone twice in a home game.
NEW ENGLAND BOUNCES BACK AGAIN
Since the beginning of the 2003 season, the Patriots are now 21-1 (.955) in games following a regular-season loss, including a 3-0 record in such games this season. Over the last five-plus seasons (2003-09), the Patriots have only lost back-to-back games on one occasion (Nov. 5 and Nov. 12, 2006). The Patriots have now won 10 straight games following losses.
PATRIOTS-JETS SERIES TIED AT 50-50-1 IN THE TEAMS' 50th SEASONS
With today's victory, the Patriots evened their all-time series with the New York Jets at 50-50-1. The teams have played 101 games (including two playoff games) since the franchises were founded 50 years ago, and each team has won 50 times, with one tie.
PATRIOTS RECORD FOUR INTERCEPTIONS FOR FIRST TIME IN NEARLY THREE YEARS
The registered four interceptions against the Jets today, with Leigh Bodden recording three interceptions and Brandon Meriweather adding another interception. It is the Patriots' first game with four or more interceptions since Dec. 17, 2006 vs. Houston. The team record for most interceptions in a game is seven against the Jets on November 21, 1976.
STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI GETS STRONGER EVERY YEAR
Stephen Gostkowski had one touchback today to push his season total to 19 touchbacks. His 19 touchbacks are a career high and are the most for a Patriots player since at least 1990. Gostkowski's touchback totals have improved every year. He had 12 as a rookie in 2006, 15 in 2007 and 17 in 2008.
BANTA CAIN HAS A PAIR OF SACKS; LEADS TEAM WITH 5.0 SACKS
Tully Banta-Cain sacked Mark Sanchez twice today, bringing his season total to a team-high 5.0 sacks. The two-sack game was his second of the season, having also had 2.0 sacks against Buffalo in the 2009 regular season opener on Sept. 14. Banta-Cain's 5.0 sacks are the second highest total of his seven-year career, trailing only his 5.5 sacks with the Patriots in 2006. Banta-Cain's second sack of the game against the Jets was a strip-sack in the fourth quarter, forcing Sanchez to fumble, and Derrick Burgess recovered the ball to give the Patriots possession and ice the game.
BRADY WINS 21st STRAIGHT HOME STARTTom Brady has now won 21 straight starts at home (including the playoffs), a streak that began following a 17-14 loss to the New York Jets on Nov. 12, 2006. Brady is 21-0 as a starter since the Patriots installed FieldTurf at Gillette Stadium. Brady's overall home record (60-10, .857) is the best since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970.
OHRNBERGER MAKES HIS DEBUT
Fourth-round draft pick Rich Ohrnberger made his NFL debut in the first quarter when he lined up at right guard. He had been inatcive for the season's first nine games.
CONNOLLY MAKES FIRST CAREER START
Dan Connolly made his first NFL start when he started at right guard in place of the injured Stephen Neal.
EDELMAN HAVING SOLID ROOKIE SEASONRookie Julian Edelman had three receptions to bring his total to 26 this season. Edelman's 26 receptions are the most for a Patriots rookie since Deion Branch had 43 receptions in 2002.
