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NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS - 2009 AFC EAST CHAMPIONS
The New England Patriots finished the 2009 season with a 10-6 record, claiming the AFC East Division title for the sixth time in the past seven seasons and the seventh time in nine years. The only two seasons that the Patriots did not win the division title they finished tied for first but lost the tiebreaker. The Patriots have now qualified for the playoffs 17 times in their 50-year history. The Patriots have earned 11 playoff berths in the 16 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 12 division crowns and has qualified as a Wild Card team on five occasions.

ANNUAL ACHIEVEMENTS
The Patriots won more than half of their games in 2009 for the ninth straight year after finishing with a 10-6 record. They are the first team to win more than half of their games in nine straight seasons since free agency began in 1993. The Patriots are the fifth team to win more than half of their games in nine straight seasons since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, joining the 49ers (16 straight from 1983-1998), the Cowboys (16 straight from 1970-85), the Raiders (11 straight from 1970-80) and the Steelers (9 straight from 1972-80). The Patriots have now won nine or more games in 13 of the 16 seasons Robert Kraft has owned the team.

PATRIOTS HAVE MOST 9-PLUS WIN SEASONS SINCE 2001The Patriots are the only team in the NFL to have recorded nine or more wins in each of the last nine seasons. The Patriots claimed their 10th win of the year with a 35-7 win over Jacksonville (12/27) and have now won 10 or more games eight times in the last nine seasons.

PATRIOTS CLOSE OUT 8-0 REGULAR-SEASON AT HOMEThe Patriots closed the regular-season home schedule with a perfect 8-0 record at Gillette Stadium, earning their fourth overall undefeated record at home. The Patriots were the only AFC team to go undefeated at home in 2009. The first three times the Patriots went undefeated at home in the regular season (2003, 2004 and 2007) they advanced to the Super Bowl. Since 2003, the Patriots possess a 54-10 (.844) overall record at home, including a 7-1 record at home in the playoffs. The Patriots own an overall record of 59-13 (.819) at Gillette Stadium since it opened in 2002.

TALE OF THE TAPE
Record, 10-6
Divisional Standings, 1st
Total Yards Gained, 6,357
Total Offense (Rank), 397.3 (3)
Rush Offense, 120.1 (12)
Pass Offense, 277.3 (3)
Points Per Game, 26.7 (6)
Touchdowns Scored, 50
Third Down Conversion Pct., 43.7
Team Passer Rating, 95.6
Opponent Passer Rating, 81.7
Total Yards Allowed, 5,123
Total Defense (Rank), 320.2 (11)
Rush Defense, 110.5 (13)
Pass Defense, 209.7 (12)
Points Allowed/Game, 17.8 (5)
Touchdowns Allowed, 35
Third Down Defense (Pct.), 37.1
Field Goals Made/Attempted, 26/31
Possession Avg., 32:55
Sacks Allowed/Yards Lost, 18/104
Sacks Made/Yards, 31/229
Interceptions For/Against, 18/13
Penalties Against/Yards, 81/743
Punts/Avg., 57/39.0
Takeaway/Giveaway Ratio, 6

PATRIOTS GO OVER .500 FOR 9th STRAIGHT YEAR
The Patriots won more than half of their games in 2009 for the ninth straight year after finishing with a 10-6 record. They are the first team to win more than half of their games in nine straight seasons since free agency began in 1993.

The Patriots are the fifth team to win more than half of their games in nine straight seasons since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, joining the 49ers (16 straight from 1983-1998), the Cowboys (16 straight from 1970-85), the Raiders (11 straight from 1970- 80) and the Steelers (9 straight from 1972-80).

The Patriots have now won nine or more games 13 of the 16 seasons Robert Kraft has owned the team.

DOMINANT DEFENSE
The Patriots defense finished 11th in the NFL, eight yards behind the 10th place Washington Redskins. The Patriots defense has finished in the top ten 13 times, including five times under Head Coach Bill Belichick.

OFFENSE RANKS HIGH
The Patriots offense finished third in the NFL after averaging 397.3 yards in total offense. That total is the second highest in team history to the 411.3 yards in total offense per game in 2007.

PATRIOTS ON THE POINT
The Patriots scored 427 points in 2009 and finished sixth in the NFL with 26.7 points per game. The 427 points are the fourth most in team history.

TOP OFFENSE
The Patriots offense finished third in the NFL. It is the third straight season that the offense finished in the Top 10. Since the 1970 merger, the Patriots' offense has finished in the top 10 15 times, including five times under head coach Bill Belichick.

LOOKING AHEAD

2010 PATRIOTS/NFL CALENDAR

FEBRUARY, 2010
February 24-March 2 NFL Scouting Combine, Indianapolis, Ind.

MARCH, 2010
March 5 ............... Free Agency Begins
March 21-24 ......... NFL Annual Meeting, Orlando, Florida

APRIL, 2010
April 22-24 ........... NFL Draft, New York City

MAY, 2010
May 24-26............ NFL Spring Meeting, Dallas, Texas

PATRIOTS 2010 DRAFT STATUS
As of January 13, the Patriots possess eight selections in the 2010 NFL Draft, including four picks in the first two rounds. New England owns the 22nd pick in the first round. New England may receive additional selections in this year's draft when the NFL awards compensatory selections in late March. The draft will be held on April 22-24. The Patriots are without a third-round pick in 2010 due to a trade with Oakland in exchange for LB Derrick Burgess. The Patriots are without a fifth-round pick due to the trade with Tampa Bay for TE Alex Smith.

PATRIOTS 2010 DRAFT SELECTIONS
(Additional Compensatory Selections May Be Awarded)

Jacksonville's position in the draft is subject to a coin toss with Chicago, while Tennessee's position in the draft is subject to a coin toss with Carolina.

*-To be determined following assignment of compensatory selections

NOTES
2A^ The Patriots acquired Jacksonville's 2010 second-round selection during a 2009 draft day trade. The Patriots acquired a 2009 seventh-round selection and a 2010 second-round selection in exchange for a 2009 third-round selection.

2B# The Patriots acquired Tennessee's 2010 second-round selection in a draft day trade in exchange for a 2009 third-round selection.

7B@ The Patriots acquired Philadelphia's 2010 seventh-round selection in a draft day trade along with WR Greg Lewis in exchange for a 2009 fifth-round selection.

2010 PATRIOTS OPPONENTS
In 2010, the Patriots will play each of the other AFC East rivals twice and will play one game against each of the AFC North and NFC North teams. As the first-place team in the AFC East, the Patriots will play the first place teams of the AFC South (Indianapolis) and the AFC West (San Diego).

Highlights of the Patriots' 2010 schedule

• The Patriots' 2010 opponents had an aggregate record of 136-120 (.531) in 2009.
• Nine of the Patriots' 16 games will be against teams that finished with a winning percentage of .500 or better in 2009.
• The Patriots will play five games against opponents that won 10 or more games in 2009.
• Six of the Patriots eight home games in 2010 will be against teams that made the playoffs in 2009.
• The Patriots will play two of the six NFC playoff teams.
• The Patriots will play all of the teams from the AFC Playoff field, including two games against AFC East rival New York Jets.
• The Patriots will host Indianapolis after traveling to face the Colts in Indianapolis four straight times.
• The Patriots will face the Jets at their new stadium, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2010.
• The Patriots will attempt to avenge the 2009 Wild Card loss to Baltimore when they host the Ravens in a rematch at Gillette Stadium. It will be Baltimore's third trip to New England in the last two seasons.