NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-3) at SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (8-4)
Sunday, Dec. 7, 2014 at 8:30 p.m. ET
* Qualcomm Stadium (71,294)*
PATRIOTS: Game Release | Injury Report | Broadcast Info | Roster | Depth Chart | Stats
CHARGERS: Game Preview | Roster | Depth Chart | Stats
The New England Patriots snapped a seven-game winning streak with a 26-21 loss last week at Green Bay. Following the game, the Patriots traveled to San Diego to spend the week on the West Coast preparing for a Week 14 game against the San Diego Chargers.
Since the beginning of 2003, the Patriots are 36-4 (.900) in regular-season games following a loss, including nine straight wins following a defeat since 2012. The Patriots have dropped back-to-back regular season games just four times since 2003. As a starter in his career, Tom Brady is 37-8 in games following a loss.
This week's matchup showcases the top two quarterbacks in the final four games of the season since the merger. Brady has a 40-8 record in the final four games, including five 4-0 records in the final four games (2001, 2003, 2007, 2010 and 2011). San Diego's Philip Rivers is second with a 29-3 record in the last four games.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is 51-9 (.850) 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 45-7 (.865) in December, the best record in December among quarterbacks with at least 20 starts. Roger Staubach is second (17-3, .850). (17-3, .850).
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: This week's game will be broadcast by NBC and can be seen locally on WHDH Channel 7 in Boston. Al Michaels will handle play-by-play duties with Cris Collinsworth as the color analyst. Michele Tafoya will work from the sidelines. The game will be produced by Fred Gaudelli and directed by Drew Esocoff.
NATIONAL RADIO: This week's game will be broadcast to a national audience on Westwood One. Kevin Kugler and James LOfton will call the game. Scott Kaplan will report from the sidelines.
LOCAL RADIO: 98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. Play-by-play broadcaster Bob Socci will call the action along with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak, who will provide color analysis.
SERIES HISTORY
The New England Patriots and the San Diego Chargers will meet in an old AFL rivalry game when they play for the 40th time overall, including three postseason meetings, and for the first time since the Patriots' 35-21 win over Chargers at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 18, 2011.
The Patriots will travel to San Diego for the first time since a 23-20 win at Qualcomm Stadium on Oct. 24, 2010.
The Patriots and Chargers have met three times in the postseason, including the 1964 AFL Championship game and the 2007 AFC Championship game. The Patriots, who are 2-1 against the Chargers in the postseason, won the 2007 AFC Championship Game, 21-12, against the Chargers at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 20, 2008.
The Patriots lead the regular-season series with a 20-14-2 record and are 22-15-2 overall against the Chargers.
The series dates back to 1960, the inaugural season for each team. Bill Belichick is 5-5 in his career against the Chargers in the regular season with a 4-3 record while the Patriots head coach. He is 2-0 against the Chargers in the postseason.
SERIES BREAKDOWN
(Includes Postseason)
Overall Record . 22-15-2
Home Record . 12-8-1
Boston, 2-7-1
Foxborough, 10-1-0
Away Record 10-7-1
Los Angeles, 1-0-0
San Diego, 8-7-1
Longest winning streak, 10 games (12/02/73-10/14/01)
Longest losing streak, 4 games (11/10/68– 11/15/70)
Bill Belichick vs. San Diego, 5-5 (1-2 with Cleveland)
Mike McCoy vs. New England, First Meeting
QUICK HITS
- The Patriots won 10 straight games against the Chargers from Dec. 2, 1973 through Oct. 14, 2001.
- The Patriots first championship game was played at San Diego on Jan. 5, 1964, in the AFL Championship game. San Diego beat the Patriots in that game, 51-10.
- Tom Brady's first 300-yard game was on Oct. 14, 2001 when he completed 33-of-54 passes for 364 yards in a 29-26 overtime win. Brady threw his first two NFL touchdowns in that game with a 21-yarder to WR Terry Glenn in the second quarter and a 3-yarder to TE Jermaine Wiggins in the fourth quarter.
PASSING PERFORMANCES
Tom Brady has played against San Diego six times in the regular-season and twice in the postseason. Brady is 2-0 in the postseason against the Chargers, following an AFC Divisional win in 2006 and a win in the 2007 AFC Championship Game and owns a 4-2 record against the Chargers in regular-season meetings.
Philip Rivers has started against the Patriots six times, including twice in the playoffs
PATRIOTS ON SUNDAY NIGHT
The Patriots are 22-16 all-time on Sunday Night Football, including 2-0 in 2014 after a 43-17 win vs. Cincinnati on Oct. 5, 2014 at Gillette Stadium and a 42-20 win at Indianapolis on Nov. 16. The Patriots were 2-0 on Sunday Night Football in 2013 after a 30-23 win at Atlanta on Sept. 29 and a 34-31 come-from-behind overtime win vs. Denver on Nov. 24.
TOM BRADY ON SUNDAY NIGHT
QB Tom Brady owns a 14-8 record in 22 games playing on Sunday Night Football, including a 2-0 record in 2014 following the Patriots' 43-17 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Oct. 5, 2014 at Gillette Stadium and the 42-20 win at Indianapolis on Nov. 16.
His best statistical performance on Sunday Night Football came in Week 10 of the 2007 season when he completed 31-of-39 pass attempts for 373 yards and five touchdowns, including four to wide receiver Randy Moss, in a 56-10 rout of the Buffalo Bills at Ralph Wilson Stadium (11/18). Brady has thrown for over 300 yards ten times in Sunday Night Football games.
CONNECTIONS
NEW ENGLAND TIES
Chargers DE Kendall Reyes attended Nashua North HS in Nashua, N.H., where he was a two-time all-state and all-conference wide receiver and defensive end, and was also the team captain of the football, basketball and track teams. In 2012, he became the first player from Nashua North HS to be drafted and the first Nashua native to be drafted since 1988, when the Cincinnati Bengals selected Herb Webster in the fifth round. In 2013, Reyes was inducted into the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Nashua's Hall of Fame. He played collegiately at Connecticut from 2008-11, where he was a team captain and first-team All-Big East selection as a junior and senior.
* Chargers OLB Dwight Freeney attended Bloomfield (Conn.) HS, where he lettered in football, basketball, baseball and soccer and had his No. 44 jersey retired in 2007. Freeney led the Warhawks to a state title in football in 1997.
* Chargers RB Donald Brown played at Connecticut from 2006-08 and was the Big East and ECAC Player of the Year in 2008 after leading the nation and setting school and conference records with 2,083 rushing yards. Brown was also a first-team All-America selection by Sporting News and second-team All-American by Associated Press.
* Chargers special teams coach Kevin Spencer played football and lacrosse at Springfield (Mass.) College, earning his bachelor's degree in 1975. He also spent five years (1987-91) as the head coach at Wesleyan (Conn.) University.
* Chargers running backs coach Ollie Wilson is a native of Worcester, Mass., who competed in football, basketball, baseball and track at Doherty HS. He played collegiate football at Springfield (Mass.) College, where he was an honorable mention All-America wide receiver.
SO CAL TIES
- Patriots WR Matthew Slater lettered in football for two seasons at Servite HS in Anaheim, Calif., where he was also a standout performer in track, finishing tied for second at the CIF State meet in the 100m (10.67) and fourth in the 200m (21.39). Slater played collegiately at UCLA from 2004-07, earning first-team All- Pac 10 honors as a senior in 2007 after tying for the national lead with three kickoff return touchdowns.
- Patriots LB Akeem Ayers lettered three seasons at Verbum Dei HS in Los Angeles, Calif., playing defensive end, linebacker and wide receiver. Ayers played collegiately at UCLA from 2007-10, appearing in 37 games with 28 starts and recording 183 tackles, 14 sacks, seven forced fumbles, four fumble recoveries, six interceptions and two touchdowns. He earned All-America honors in his final two seasons and was one of five finalists for the 2010 Butkus Award.
- Patriots RB Shane Vereen attended Valencia (Calif.) HS, where he accounted for over 6,000 scrimmage yards and 89 touchdowns over his three-year varsity career. He also was a top sprinter, recording the fastest 100m dash time (10.6) of any junior in Southern California during the 2006 track and field season.
- Patriots S Patrick Chung was born in Kingston, Jamaica and moved to California at age 10 and started playing football as a freshman at Rancho Cucamonga (Calif.) HS, where he excelled as a wide receiver and free safety.
- Patriots OL Ryan Wendell attended Diamond Bar (Calif.) HS, where he had his jersey retired and was named to the school's hall of fame. He was also named the Sierra League's Most Valuable Player and won the California Governor's Scholar Share Award.
- Patriots CB Brandon Browner attended Sylmar and Monroe High Schools in San Fernando Valley, Calif., and was a Prep Star West All-Region and All-Valley Mission League selection as a senior playing cornerback and receiver.
FORMER PATRIOTS
- Chargers assistant strength and conditioning coach Rick Lyle played for the Patriots from 2002-03, winning a Super Bowl championship in his final season as a player.
FORMER NFL TEAMMATES
- Chargers WR/KR Eddie Royal finished seventh in the NFL in kickoff return average (26.1) as a rookie with the Denver Broncos in 2008, when Patriots special teams coach Scott O'Brien was serving as Denver's special teams coach. Patriots offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Josh McDaniels then tutored Royal from 2009-10, when he was the Denver's head coach.
- Chargers head coach Mike McCoy served as offensive coordinator under Patriots offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Josh McDaniels from 2009-10, when McDaniels was then the head coach of the Denver Broncos. Chargers special teams coach Kevin Spencer began his NFL coaching career as an assistant with the Browns in 1991, which was Patriots head coach Bill Belichick's first season as Cleveland's head coach.
- Chargers assistant strength and conditioning coach Rick Lyle played for Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for several seasons: Cleveland Browns (1994- 95), N.Y. Jets (1997-99) and New England Patriots (2002-03).
- Chargers QB Kellen Clemens, Patriots TE Michael Hoomanawanui and WR Danny Amendola were teammates on the St. Louis Rams from 2010-11. Amendola and Clemens also played together on the Rams in 2012. Patriots offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Josh McDaniels tutored Clemens in 2011, when he was serving as the Rams' offensive coordinator/quarterbacks.
- Patriots tight ends coach Brian Daboll worked with Chargers QB Kellen Clemens from 2007-08, when he was the quarterbacks coach for the New York Jets. Patriots CB Darrelle Revis was also teammates with Clemens on the Jets from 2007-10.
- Patriots tight ends coach Brian Daboll was offensive coordinator of Kansas City in 2012, when Chargers CB Brandon Flowers was playing for the Chiefs.
- Patriots offensive line coach Dave DeGuglielmo and Chargers RB Ronnie Brown worked together on the Miami Dolphins from 2009-10.
FORMER COLLEGE TEAMMATES
- Patriots offensive coordinator/quarterbacks Josh McDaniels, director of player personnel Nick Caserio and Chargers general manager Tom Telesco were college teammates at John Carroll University.
- Patriots RB Jonas Gray, LB Darius Fleming and Chargers C Trevor Robinson were teammates at Notre Dame from 2008-11. Chargers LB Manti Te'o (2009-12) and G Chris Watt (2010-13) also played for the Fighting Irish.
- Patriots LB Dont'a Hightower, Chargers T D.J. Fluker and DT Damion Square played together at Alabama from 2009-11.
- Patriots RB Shane Vereen, Chargers WR Keenan Allen and CB Steve Williams were teammates at California in 2010.
- Patriots LB Jamie Collins and Chargers LB Cordarro Law constituted a key part of the linebacker corps at Southern Mississippi from 2009-11
- Patriots TE Michael Hoomanawanui (2007-09), S Tavon Wilson (2008-11) and Chargers DT Corey Liuget (2008-10) were teammates at Illinois.
- Patriots OL Ryan Wendell and Chargers WR Seyi Ajirotutu were teammates at Fresno State from 2005-07. Chargers RB Ryan Matthews also played for the Bulldogs in 2007, when he led all freshmen with 14 touchdowns.
PATRIOTS: Game Release | Injury Report | Broadcast Info | Roster | Depth Chart | Stats
CHARGERS: Game Release | Roster | Depth Chart | Stats
RELATED LINKS
