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PATRIOTS CLINCH PLAYOFF SPOT FOR 15TH TIME IN KRAFT'S 20 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP**
New England has now qualified for the playoffs 21 times in its 54-year history. The Patriots have earned 15 playoff berths in the 20 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 13 AFC East crowns under Kraft's leadership. New England has won 16 division crowns overall (15 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.
2013 AFC EAST CHAMPIONS
The Patriots claimed the AFC East Division title for the fifth consecutive season and for the 13th time under Robert Kraft.
DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIPS SINCE 1994
New England Patriots 13
Pittsburgh Steelers 10
Green Bay Packers 9
Indianapolis Colts 9
PLAYOFF SEASONS SINCE 1994
New England Patriots 15
Indianapolis Colts 15
Green Bay Packers 14
Pittsburgh Steelers 12
Philadelphia Eagles 11
Minnesota Vikings 10
BELICHICK LEADS PATRIOTS TO 11 WINS
The victory over Baltimore is the Patriots' 11th win of the season. Bill Belichick now has eleven 11 wins seasons, including 10 with the Patriots. He moves out of a tie with Tom Landry for sole possession of second place, behind Don Shula, who had 13 11-win seasons.
NFL HEAD COACHES WITH THE MOST 11 WIN SEASONS
Don Shula – 13
Bill Belichick – 11
Tom Landry - 10
BELICHICK WINS HIS 11TH DIVISION TITLE;
TIED WIH DON SHULA FOR THE MOST BY A HEAD COACH SINCE THE NFL MERGER IN 1970
Belichick guided the Patriots to the AFC East Title. It is the 11th division title of his career, tying him with Don Shula for the most division titles since the 1970 NFL merger.
PATRIOTS IN THE PLAYOFFS
New England has qualified for the playoffs 21 times in its 54-year history. Fifteen of those playoff berths have come in the 20 seasons since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994
TITLE TOWN
The Patriots have now won the AFC East for five straight seasons, matching the five straight the team won from 2003-07 for the longest streak in AFC East division history. The Patriots have won 11 of the last 13 division crowns. The Patriots have won 13 division titles in the 20 seasons since Robert Kraft bought the team in 1994.
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BRADY EARNS HIS 11TH DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP**
Tom Brady added on to his NFL record with his 11th division championship. Peyton Manning has the second most with ten division titles.
PATRIOTS WIN AT LEAST 11 GAMES FOR THE 15TH TIME IN TEAM HISTORY
The Patriots have won 11 games so far in 2013. It is the 15th time in team history that the team has won at least 11 games in a season and the fourth straight season with at least 11 wins.
BRADY TIES DAN MARINO FOR FOURTH PLACE WITH 147 CAREER WINS
Tom Brady led the Patriots to his 147th career regular season win to move into a tie with Hall of Famer Dan Marino for fourth on the all-time win list among starting quarterbacks.
BOUNCING BACK AFTER A LOSS
Since the beginning of 2003, the Patriots are now 34-4 (.895) in regular season games following a loss. The Patriots have dropped back-to-back regular season games just four times since 2003.
PATRIOTS ARE GOOD IN DECEMBER
Since 2008, the Patriots are 27-3 and have won 18 of their last 20 games. Bill Belichick is 50-9 (.847) in December with New England, the best record in December among head coaches with one team in NFL history (min. 25 games). George Seifert is second (27-6, .818). Tom Brady is 3-1 in the month of December in 2013 for a 44-7 record and has the best winning percentage at 86.3 in December for any quarterback since the 1970 NFL merger.
BRADY HAS THE BEST RECORD IN THE FINAL FOUR GAMES OF THE REGULAR SEASON SINCE THE 1970 MERGER
Tom Brady is now 42-9 in the final four games of the regular season, the best among any starting quarterback in the final four games since the 1970 merger.
EDELMAN CLOSING IN ON 1,000 YARDS
Edelman finished with 77 yards and now has 991 yards receiving in 2013 and needs nine yards in the final game to become the 10th Patriots player to register a 1,000-yard season.
EDELMAN NEARING 100 RECEPTIONS
Julian Edelman finished with seven receptions and now has 96 receptions for the season and needs four receptions in the final game to join Wes Welker (2007-09, 11-12) and Troy Brown (2001) as the only Patriots players to reach 100 receptions in a season.
GOSTKOWSKI CLOSE TO BREAKING HIS OWN RECORD FOR MOST FIELD GOALS IN A SEASON
Gostkowski has made 34 field goals in 2013 after a 45-yard field goal in the second quarter and a 42-yarder in the third quarter. In 2008 he set the franchise record for most field goals in a season with 36. His 34 field goals in 2013 are the second most in a single season. Gostkowski needs three field goals in the final games to surpass that mark.
GOSTKOWSKI BECOMES THIRD PATRIOTS PLAYER TO REACH 1,000 POINTS
Gostkowski became the third Patriots player to reach 1,000 points after two extra points in the first quarter put him at 1,000 points. He now has 1,009, joining Adam Vinatieri (1,158) and Gino Cappelletti (1,130).
GOSTKOWSKI LEADING THE NFL WITH 133 POINTS
Gostkowski led the NFL in scoring in 2008 with 148 points, and in 2012 with 153 points. He is leading the NFL with 144 total points and is looking for his third season leading the NFL.
NFL Record for Most Seasons Leading the League in Scoring
5 Don Hutson Green Bay (1940-44)
5 Gino Cappelletti Patriots (1961, 1963-66)
3 Earl Clark, Portsmouth (1932), Detroit (1935-36)
3 Pat Harder, Chicago Cardinals (1947-49)
3 Paul Hornung, Green Bay (1959-61)
JOSH KLINE MAKES FIRST NFL START
Josh Kline made his first NFL start when he lined up at left guard with Logan Mankins moving from his left guard spot to left tackle in place of Nate Solder, who was out due to injury. Kline becomes the ninth of the Patriots 13 rookies to make at least one start.
LOGAN MANKINS MAKES SECOND NFL START AT LEFT TACKLE
Logan Mankins moved from left guard to left tackle due to the injury to Nate Solder. It marks his second NFL start at left tackle. Mankins started at left tackle in place of Matt Light vs. Miami on Dec. 24, 2011
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ROOKIE LOGAN RYAN GETS FIRST TWO-INTERCEPTION GAME OF HIS CAREER;*
* LEADER AMONG NFL ROOKIES**
Rookie CB Logan Ryan had two interceptions with a pick in the first quarter and one in the third quarter. He now leads the Patriots with five interceptions on the season, one ahead of CB Aqib Talib, who has four. His five interceptions are the most among all rookies in 2013. Kiko Alonso (Buffalo) and Eric Reid (San Francisco) are second with four. He is the second Patriots player to have a two-interception game. Talib had two in the 13-10 win vs. New York Jets on Sept. 12.
KYLE ARRINGTON REGISTERS SECOND CAREER SACK IN AS MANY WEEKS
CB Kyle Arrington registered his second NFL sack when he dropped QB Joe Flacco for a 7-yard loss in the second quarter. Last week at Miami, Arrington recorded his first NFL sack when he dropped Ryan Tannehill for a 4-yard loss in the second quarter.
SEALVER SILIGA RESGITERS SECOND CAREER SACK IN AS MANY WEEKS
Sealver Siliga dropped QB Joe Flacco for a 7-yard loss in the fourth quarter for his second career sack. He registered his first sack last week at Miami when he sacked Ryan Tannehill for a 6-yard loss in the fourth quarter.
BALTIMORE WAS ONLY ALLOWING 14 POINTS IN THEIR HOME GAMES IN 2013
The Patriots scored 41 points against Baltimore. Baltimore's defense entered the game ranked 9th overall and was 7th in the NFL with only 19.8 points allowed per game, including just 14.3 per game at home.
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PATRIOTS SCORE TWO DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS IN THE FOURTH QUARTER**
DE Chandler Jones scored his first NFL touchdown when he recovered fumble on snap in the end zone in the fourth quarter. S Tavon Wilson ended the Ravens' next series when he returned a pick 74 yards for a touchdown. It is the third defensive touchdown for the Patriots in 2013. Logan Ryan returned a pick 79 yards for a touchdown at the NY Jets on Oct. 20.
LEGARRETTE BLOUNT SCORES TWO TOUCHDOWNS
RB LeGarrette Blount scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter and a 7-yard run in the fourth quarter, It is the third time in his career that he has scored two touchdowns in a game and the first time since Sept. 8, 2011 when he was with Tampa Bay.
