TEAM NOTES
PATRIOTS WIN 10 FOR 13TH STRAIGHT SEASON
New England reached at least 10 regular-season wins for the 13th consecutive season in 2015. San Francisco (16) is the only other team to accomplish the feat.
PATRIOTS COMPLETE NFL RECORD STREAK OF SCORING IN 38 CONSECUTIVE QUARTERS
The Patriots scored in each of the first three quarters against Buffalo, extending their NFL-record streak to 38 consecutive quarters scoring points. The Patriots did not score in the fourth quarter against the Bills to snap the streak. The only other quarter in which the Patriots have not scored points in 2015 is the first quarter of the 2015 regular-season opener vs. Pittsburgh on Sept. 10.
PATRIOTS HAVE NFL'S STINGIEST DEFENSE
Through 10 games, the Patriots have allowed 182 points, the fewest of any other NFL team in 2015. New England's defense is allowing just 14 points per game over its last four contests and is allowing just 18.2 points per game on the season.
2015 NFL FEWEST POINTS ALLOWED
New England 182
Denver 183
Minnesota 184
PATS ARE THE THIRD DEFENDING SUPER BOWL CHAMPION TO START 10-0
The Patriots are the third defending Super Bowl champion to start a season 10-0, joining Green Bay (2011 – 13-0), Denver (1998 – 13-0) and San Francisco (1990 – 10-0).
PATRIOTS WIN 13th STRAIGHT GAME (INCLUDING PLAYOFFS)
The Patriots have now won 13 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 10 games of the 2015 regular season. The overall win streak is the third 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
13 Jan. 10, 2015 to Present
12 Nov. 25, 2001 to Sept. 22, 2002
PATRIOTS HAVE BEST WINNING PERCENTAGE IN NOVEMBER SINCE 2001
The Patriots improved to 43-15 (.741) in November since 2001, for the best winning percentage in November since that time. Indianapolis is second (42-20, .677).
PATRIOTS EARN A SERIES SWEEP OVER BUFFALO
The Patriots swept the 2015 season series with Buffalo. It is New England's 24th sweep of the season series with the Bills, dating back to the inception of the series between the old AFL rivals in 1960. The Patriots have won 27 of the last 32 games between the teams since Bill Belichick became head coach of the Patriots in 2000.
HOT WHEN IT'S COLD
The kickoff temperature tonight was 29 degrees, and New England won its eighth straight regular season home game in freezing temperatures (kickoff temperature of 32 degrees or colder). The last time the Patriots lost a home game played in freezing temperatures was on Nov. 5, 2006, when Indianapolis came away with a 27-20 win in a game played in 31 degree temperatures.
INDIVIDUAL NOTES
BELICHICK ADDS TO HIS RECORD WITH ANOTHER 10-WIN SEASON
Bill Belichick has coached the Patriots to 13 straight seasons with 10 or more wins after reaching his 10th win of the 2015 season vs. Buffalo, adding to his NFL record streak. In 2011, Belichick became the first coach in NFL history with nine straight seasons with at least 10 victories. George Seifert has the second most consecutive 10-win seasons with eight from 1989-1996 for San Francisco.
BRADY CLOSING IN ON MARINO FOR TD PASSES
Tom Brady threw his 417th career touchdown pass tonight, a total that ranks fourth all-time and trails Dan Marino (420) by three touchdowns for third place.
BRADY IS IMPRESSIVE AGAINST BUFFALO
Tom Brady owns a 25-3 record against the Buffalo Bills. He has more wins against Buffalo than any other NFL team. His 25 wins as a starting quarterback over the Bills are the second most by any quarterback against one team in NFL history. The New York Jets are second on Brady's wins list with 21 wins. Brett Favre's 26 wins against Detroit are the most by any quarterback against any one team.
MOST WINS BY A STARTING QUARTERBACK AGAINST AN OPPONENT
Player Wins
Brett Favre 26 wins against Detroit
Tom Brady 25 wins against Buffalo
Brett Favre 23 wins against Chicago
Dan Marino 22 wins against Indianapolis
BRADY'S TDS ARE SECOND MOST IN NFL HISTORY AGAINST ONE TEAM
Tom Brady has thrown 62 touchdown passes against Buffalo, the most by Brady against any one team, and the second most by any quarterback against any one team, trailing only Dan Marino's record of 72 scoring passes against the New York Jets.
Most Touchdowns against one NFL Team
Player Touchdowns
Dan Marino (Miami) 72 touchdowns against the New York Jets
Tom Brady (Buffalo) 62 touchdowns against Buffalo
Brett Favre (ATL/GB/NYJ/MIN) 60 against Chicago
BRADY HAS FOURTH STRAIGHT GAME WITH A PASS OF AT LEAST 40 YARDS
Tom Brady has his fourth straight game with a pass of at least 40 yards after his 41-yard pass to WR Danny Amendola in the third quarter. His longest streak of games with at least 40yard pass was eight straight games in 2007. He had a seven-game streak in 2009 and a four-game streak in 2003 and 2011.
BRADY HAS 5TH MOST YARDS THROUGH FIRST TEN GAMES IN NFL HISTORY
Tom Brady leads the NFL with 3,320 passing yards in 2015. It is the fifth-highest total through ten games in NFL history.
GOSTKOWSKI ENDS STREAK AT 31 STRAIGHT FIELD GOALS
Stephen Gostkowski extended his streak to 31 straight field goals with a 35-yard field goal in the first quarter but missed on a 54-yarder in the third quarter to end his streak. He ended a streak of 52 straight field goals at home. It was his first home miss since Sept. 12, 2013 vs. the New York Jets when he missed on a 43-yard field goal in the second quarter.
Most Consecutive Field Goals/Patriots History
31 Stephen Gostkowski (12/07/14- 11/23/15)
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)
JAMES WHITE SCORES FIRST NFL TOUCHDOWNS; ONE RECEIVING AND ONE RUSHING TD
RB James White caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady in the second quarter for his first NFL touchdown. He is the 60th player to catch a touchdown pass from Brady. He scored his first rushing touchdown on a 6-yard run in the third quarter.
AMENDOLA GOES OVER 100
Danny Amendola had his second 100-yard game of the 2015 season and the seventh of his career, finishing the game with 117 receiving yards, his highest total of the season. Amendola also broke the 100-yard mark in 2015 when he had 105 yards in the win at Indianapolis on Oct. 18, 2015. It is the fifth 100-yard game of his career with the Patriots.
CHRIS HARPER LINES UP TO RETURN PUNT FOR FIRST TIME
Rookie WR Chris Harper lined up to return a punt in the fourth quarter for the first time in his career.
BRADY ON RECORD PACE FOR PASSING YARDS
Tom Brady has 3,320 passing yards through 10 games this season. Brady is on pace to finish the season with 5,312 passing yards, which would challenge Peyton Manning's NFL-record 5,477 passing yards in 2013.
Most Passing Yards in a Season
Player Yards
Peyton Manning (2013) 5,477
Drew Brees (2011) 5,476
Tom Brady (2011) 5,235
Drew Brees (2012) 5,177
Drew Brees (2013) 5,162
Dan Marino (1984) 5,084
Matthew Stafford (2011) 5,038
BRADY ON PACE FOR 40 TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Tom Brady has 25 touchdown passes through the first 10 games of the season, putting him on pace to finish with 40 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 season
Player 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
QUICK HITS
- Jerod Mayo tackled Buffalo RB LeSean McCoy for a 4-yard loss on the second play of the game on second-and-one, forcing the Bills into a third down that they did not convert as the New England defense began the game with a three-and-out.
- Devin McCourty helped to break up a Tyrod Taylor pass intended for LeSean McCoy in the end zone on third down in the second quarter, forcing a Buffalo field goal attempt on the next play that was missed, to preserve a 3-3 first half tie.
- Chandler Jones stopped Tyrod Taylor for a 6-yard loss on third down in the third quarter with the score tied at 10, forcing a Buffalo punt on the next play, and the Patriots took possession and marched down the field to take a 17-10 lead on James White's 6-yard touchdown run.
- Dont'a Hightower stopped LeSean McCoy for a 1-yard loss on first down in the third quarter on the Bills' first offensive play after the Patriots took a 17-10 lead, starting off a three-and-out for the New England defense.
- Brandon King forced a Leodis McKelvin fumble on a punt return in the third quarter with the Patriots holding a 17-10 lead. Jonathan Freeney recovered the ball, and after a fumble out of bounds, New England gained possession at the Bills' 30-yard line, setting up a Partriots offensive possession that ended in a 35-yard Stephen Gostkowski field goal and a 20-10 Patriots lead.
- Rob Ninkovich and Dominique Easley combined to sack Tyrod Taylor on a 0-yard sack on third down in the fourth quarter, forcing a Buffalo punt on the next play.
- Patrick Chung stopped Karlos Williams for a 1-yard loss on third-and-inches in the fourth quarter, helping to preserve New England's 20-10 fourth-quarter lead and forcing a Buffalo punt on the next play.
- Logan Ryan stopped Karlos Williams for a 2-yard loss on first down in the fourth quarter.
- Jabaal Sheard tackled LeSean McCoy for a 4-yard loss on a Buffalo first down in the red zone late in the fourth quarter.
LINEUP NOTES
MARCUS CANNON RETURNS TO ACTION
Marcus Cannon returned to action after missing the last four games with a start at left tackle.
SEBASTIAN VOLLMER RETURNS TO ACTION
Sebastian Vollmer returned to action after missing on game. He did not start the game but was in at right tackle in the second offensive possession.
