NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-2) vs. BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-5)
Monday, Dec. 12, 2016 at 8:30 p.m. ET. Gillette Stadium (66,829)
PATRIOTS: Download Release | **Roster** | **Depth Chart** | **Watch Games**
RAVENS: Opponent Release| **Roster** | **Depth Chart** | **Scouting Report**
The New England Patriots improved to a 10-2 record after a 26-10 win against the Los Angeles Rams last week. The Patriots secured 10 wins for the 14th straight season (2003- 2016), second only to the 16 straight 10-win seasons by San Francisco (1983-1998).
This week, New England will host the Baltimore Ravens in a Monday Night Football game at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots are 7-1 all-time against Baltimore in the regular season, including 4-0 in home games. The two teams have played in four postseason contests since 2010, including two AFC Championship Games. The teams are 2-2 in the postseason games. This week's game will feature the Patriots sixth-ranked offense against the Ravens' top ranked defense.
SERIES HISTORY
The Patriots and Ravens have squared off eight times in the regular season and four times in the postseason, including two straight AFC Championship Games in 2011 and 2012, since the Baltimore franchise was founded following the Cleveland Browns' move to Baltimore in 1996. All four postseason games have been played at Gillette Stadium. The Patriots are 2-2 against Baltimore all-time in postseason play.
The team's last met in the 2014 AFC Divisional Playoff game when the patriots erased two different 14-point deficits in a 35-21 victory on Jan. 10, 2015. The team's met in the regular season in 2013 in Baltimore on Dec. 22 with the Patriots taking a 41-7 victory.
The Patriots and Ravens played in their first postseason meeting following the 2009 season with Baltimore taking a 33-14 win in a Wild Card matchup at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 10, 2010. The Patriots avenged that loss in the 2011 AFC Championship Game with a 23-20 victory over the Ravens at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 22, 2012, to advance to Super Bowl XLVI. The team's met for the second straight season in the 2012 AFC Championship Game at Gillette Stadium on Jan. 20, 2013, with Baltimore getting revenge for the 2011 AFC Championship loss with a 28-13 win to advance to the Super Bowl.
The Patriots are 7-1 all-time against Baltimore in the regular season, including 4-0 in home games.
The first meeting between the teams came during the Ravens' first season in Baltimore, when the Patriots prevailed 46-38 on Oct. 6, 1996. The 84 total points scored by both teams in that game rank as the second-highest total number of points in a game in Patriots history to the 86 points in a 43-43 tie with Oakland in 1964.
PATRIOTS-RAVENS PREDECESSORS
From 1970-83, the Patriots faced the Baltimore Colts 27 times, posting a 12- 15 record in those games. The Colts moved to Indianapolis prior to the 1984 season and Baltimore was without an NFL team until the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Ravens in 1996. Prior to the move, the Patriots were 4-11 against the Browns, including a 2-4 record against Cleveland while Bill Belichick was the Browns' head coach from 1991-95.
PASSING PERFORMANCES
Tom Brady is slated to start against Baltimore in the regular season for the seventh time. He is 5-1 against the Ravens in in the regular season.
BRADY ON MONDAY NIGHT
QB Tom Brady owns a 14-6 record when playing on Monday Night Football. His best statistical performance on Monday Night Football was in the 2011 season-opener when he completed 32-of-48 pass attempts for 517 yards and four touchdowns, including a 99-yard touchdown pass to Wes Welker in the win at Miami (9/12).
Brady has thrown three or more touchdowns in a Monday Night game nine times, including four four-touchdown performances.
Brady has 44 touchdown passes on Monday Night Football, the fourth most in Monday Night Football history, behind Brett Favre (69), Dan Marino (74) and Drew Brees (46).
BELICHICK ON MONDAY NIGHT
Bill Belichick is 17-10 all-time on Monday Night Football, including 16-7 as head coach of the Patriots.
As head coach of the Patriots, Belichick is 8-6 on the road on Monday and 8-1 at home.
PATRIOTS - RAVENS ON MONDAY NIGHT
This week's game will be the second time that the Patriots and Ravens have played on Monday Night Football.
PATS CAN CLINCH PLAYOFF BERTH
The New England Patriots have qualified for the playoffs 23 times in their 56-year history. Seventeen of those playoff berths have come in the 22 seasons since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994, a dramatic contrast to the six total playoff berths the team earned in its first 34 years of existence. The Patriots have won 18 division crowns, including 13 in the last 15 seasons, and have qualified as a Wild Card team four times (1976, 1985, 1994 and 1998). The Patriots also qualified for the playoffs in 1982 during the strike season.
The Patriots can clinch another AFC East Division title with a win plus a loss or tie by Miami or with a tie and a Miami loss. If New England clinches the division, they can also clinch a first-round bye with a Pittsburgh loss or tie.
PLAYOFF SEASONS SINCE 1994
New England Patriots, 17
Green Bay Packers, 17
Indianapolis Colts, 16
Pittsburgh Steelers, 14
Philadelphia Eagles, 12
Denver Broncos, 12
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION:This week's game will be broadcast by ESPN *and can be seen locally on *WCVB-TV Channel 5 in Boston. Sean McDonough will handle play-by-play duties with Jon Gruden as the color analyst. Lisa Salters will work the sidelines. The game will be produced by Jay Rothman and directed by Chip Dean.
NATIONAL RADIO:This week's game will be broadcast to a national audience on Westwood One. Kevin Harlan and Boomer Esiason will call the game. Ross Tucker will work 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. Produced by Marc Cappello.
