NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-3) at WASHINGTON REDSKINS (4-8)
Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. ET
* FedEx Field (91,704)*
The New England Patriots improved to 9-3 with a 31-24 win over Indianapolis last week. With their ninth win of the 2011 season, the Patriots guaranteed a winning record for the 11th straight season. The Patriots have now won nine or more games in 15 of the 18 seasons that Robert Kraft has owned the team. They are the first team to win more than half of their games in 11 straight seasons since free agency began in 1993.
This week, the Patriots will be looking for their first ever win in Washington, the only NFL city that the Patriots have never won on the road. Washington is one of three NFL teams that Tom Brady has never won in a road game. In addition to Washington, Brady has never won at New Orleans and has never played at San Francisco. (Note: the 2009 victory at Tampa Bay was played in London).
The Patriots will be on the road this week at Washington and next week at Denver. It is the second time this season with back-to-back road games. The Patriots played at Buffalo followed by a game at Oakland earlier in the year.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: This week's game will be broadcast to a regional audience by CBS and can be seen in Boston on WBZ-TV Channel 4. Greg Gumbel will handle playby- play duties with Dan Dierdorf providing color. The game will be produced by Mark Wolff and directed by Bob Fishman.
RADIO: 98.5 FM, The Sports Hub, is the flagship station for the Patriots Radio Network. A complete listing of the network's 37 stations can be found here. Play-by-play broadcaster Gil Santos is in his 35th season as the voice of the Patriots and will call the action along with Patriots Hall of Famer Gino Cappelletti. Scott Zolak will provide sideline analysis.
SERIES HISTORY
The New England Patriots and Washington Redskins will meet for the 9th time in the regular season. New England will be looking for its first win ever in Washington. The Patriots are 0- 2 in games played on the road against the Redskins. Washington is the only team in the NFL that New England has never beaten in a road game. While the teams have not been frequent opponents in the regular season, they have met 20 times in the preseason. The New York Giants are the only team that the Patriots have faced more times in the preseason than Washington.
The last regular season game was on Oct. 28, 2007 with New England taking the contest, 52-7. The game marked the Patriots' second win ever against the Redskins and Washington's first-ever visit to Gillette Stadium for a regular season game. Washington leads the series by a 6-2 margin. The Patriots won the first meeting between the two teams in a 1972 win at Schaefer Stadium and then dropped the next six games before the win in 2007 at Gillette Stadium.
The Patriots are 2-4 against Washington at home and 0-2 in games played in Washington, including 0-1 at FedEx Field after a 20-17 loss on Sept. 28, 2003, the team's only regular-season game at that venue.
INFREQUENT FOES IN THE REGULAR SEASON
The Patriots and Redskins, despite frequent preseason matchups, have met just eight times in regular-season play. The Patriots' eight games against Washington are the second fewest against any team that entered the league prior to the most recent era of expansion, which began with the entry of the Jaguars and Panthers to the NFL in 1995.
PATRIOTS VS. NFC EAST
The Patriots play each of the four NFC East teams this season as part of the NFL's schedule rotation. In addition to this week's game, the Patriots defeated Dallas, 20-16, on Oct. 16, lost to the Giants 24-20 on Nov. 6 and beat Philadelphia, 38-20 on Nov. 27.. The last time New England faced all four NFC East teams in a season was in 2007, when the Patriots compiled a 4-0 record against the division. New England holds an all-time combined regular-season record of 17-24 against the NFC East teams - Dallas (4-7), N.Y. Giants (5-5), Philadelphia (6-6) and Washington (2-6). The Patriots are 1-1 against the NFC East in the Super Bowl after beating Philadelphia 24-21 in Super Bowl XXXIX and losing to the Giants 17-14 in Super Bowl XLI.
CONNECTIONS
New England Ties
- LB Rob Jackson was born in West Haven, Conn. Jackson went on to play college football at Kansas State.
- C/G Will Montgomery was born in Brunswick, Maine. and moved to Virginia where he attended high school at Clifton before enrolling at Virginia Tech.
Washington D.C., MD Ties
- Offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach Bill O'Brien was the running backs coach at the University of Maryland for two seasons, 2003-04.
- CB Kyle Arrington was born and raised in Accokeek, Maryland.
Former Patriots
- WR Jabar Gaffney was a member of the New England organization from 2006-2008. Over the course of three seasons the wide out notched 85 receptions, 1,059 receiving yards, and eight touchdowns.
- WR Donte Stallworth spent the 2007 season with the Patriots and recorded 46 receptions, 697 receiving yards, and three touchdowns.
- Washington practice squad players TE Rob Myers and QB Jonathan Crompton both spent time on the Patriots' practice squad.
Former Teammates
- DB Antwaun Molden played with WR David Anderson with the Houston Texans from 2008-10. DE Mark Anderson also played with Molden and Anderson in Houston during the 2010 season.
- G Donald Thomas teamed up with WR Anthony Armstrong in Miami during part of the 2009 season.
- LB Rob Ninkovich played with T Jammal Brown during parts of the 2006 season and 2008 season with the New Orleans Saints.
- G Brian Waters played with the Kansas City Chiefs from 2000-10. During his time in K.C., Waters played with LB Keyaron Fox from 2004-07. Fox was drafted by the Chiefs in the third round (93 overall) out of Georgia Tech.
- DE Mark Anderson played for the Chicago Bears with QB Rex Grossman from 2006-08.
- WR Deion Branch played with G Sean Locklear and P Sav Rocca. Branch played his entire tenure with the Seattle Seahawks with Locklear, 2006-09, and Rocca, 2007-09.
- Branch also played with DB Josh Wilson in Seattle from 2007-09.
- LB Tracy White teamed up Locklear during the 2004 season as a member of the Seahawks.
- DB James Ihedigbo and C/G Will Montgomery played together with the New York Jets from 2007-08. RB Danny Woodhead played with Montgomery and Ihedigbo during the 2008 season.
- DE Shaun Ellis teamed up with WR Santana Moss in New York from 2001-04. Ellis played with the Jets from 2000-10 before joining the Patriots.
- G Donald Thomas was teammates with T Tyler Polumbus for six days (Aug. 25-31) during the 2010 season in Detroit. The Lions traded Polumbus to the Seattle Seahawks.
- G Donald Thomas played part of the 2010 season with RB Tristan Davis, practice squad, with the Miami Dolphins.
Former Redskins
- DE Andre Carter played with the Redskins from 2006-10 before signing in the off season with New England. Over the course of his five seasons with Washington, Carter recorded 34 sacks with a high of 11 in 2009.
STRONG IN THE SECOND HALF
Since 2001, New England has done a remarkable job of finishing the season strong, compiling an NFL-best 63-15 (.808) record in games on or after Thanksgiving, including a 6-1 record in 2010.
ANNUAL ACHIEVEMENTS - PATRIOTS HAVE THE MOST 9 WIN SEASONS SINCE 2001
The Patriots are the only team in the NFL to have recorded nine or more wins in each of the last 11 seasons.
MOST SEASONS OF 9 WINS SINCE 2001
New England, 11*
Pittsburgh, 9*
Indianapolis, 9
Philadelphia, 8
*-Includes 2011 Season
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
BY THE NUMBERS
2
The number of interceptions by Vince Wilfork in 2011. Anthony Pleasant (2001) is the only other Patriots defensive lineman to record two interceptions in the same season.
2
The number of punts returned by Julian Edelman for touchdowns during his career, the fourth Patriots' player with two or more punt returns for a touchdown.
7
The number of interceptions by Kyle Arrington to lead the NFL in 2011. His seven interceptions are more than the total for four other teams and ties the totals for one other.
8
The number of times in NFL history a player reached 1,000 yards in the ninth game of the season after Wes Welker reached the milestone.
9.0
The number of sacks by Andre Carter in 2011, putting himself in position for his fourth 10-plus sack season.
13
The number of touchdown catches by TE Rob Gronkowski in 2011 to tie the NFL record for tight ends.
14
The number of total touchdown by TE Rob Gronkowski in 2011 (13 rec. and 1 rush.) the highest number of combined touchdowns by a tight end in NFL history.
23
The number of touchdown receptions by Rob Gronkowski since 2010, the most among all NFL tight ends.
20
The number of 10-tackle games by LB Jerod Mayo after he finished with a team-high 11 total tackles vs. Kansas City (11/21/11).
26
The number of games it took Rob Gronkowski to reach 20 touchdowns, the fewest games among tight ends in NFL history.
34
The number of consecutive fourth quarter field goals made by Stephen Gostkowski, the most since the statistic was first tracked in 1991.
241
The number of receiving yards that Wes Welker (1,253) needs in 2011 to set the franchise record. Randy Moss had 1,493 yards in 2007.
622
The number of total yards by the Patriots in the win at Miami in the season opener, a franchise record. The previous best was 619 yards vs. Tennessee (10/18/09).
TOM BRADY BY THE NUMBERS
1
Tom Brady became the first player to follow a 500-yard performance with a 400-yard performance after Brady had backto- back games with 517 yards and 423 yards.
2
Brady joins Drew Brees (2011) as the only players to reach 3,000 yards in the first nine games of the season. Brady (3,032) had the most yards ever through the first nine games of the year.
4
The number of times that Brady has thrown a game-winning touchdown pass in the final minute of the game to turn a deficit into a Patriots win after a final-minute touchdown vs. Dallas (10/16), including the postseason.
6
Brady became the sixth NFL quarterback in NFL history to have 30 or more touchdowns passes in at least three seasons after reaching 30 last week vs. Indianapolis.
9
The number of times Tom Brady has passed for 3,000 or more yards in a season, a franchise record for most 3,000-yard seasons. He enters this week with 3,627 passing yards.
11
Tom Brady was the 11th quarterback in NFL history to throw for 500 or more yards after he passed Brady for 517 in the 2011 opener at Miami.
19
The number of times Tom Brady has earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He earned the award in each of the first two weeks of the 2011 season.
41
The number of regular season 300-yard passing games by Tom Brady, a team record.
93
The number of times that Brady has thrown two or more touchdowns in a game. The Patriots are 78-15 when he throws for two or more touchdowns.
120
The number of wins that Brady has as a starting quarterback. He reached the 100-win milestone in the fewest number of starts (131) among all quarterbacks in the modern era.
1,327
The number of passing yards Brady had in the first three games (517, 423 and 387) of 2011. Brady's 1,327 yards set the NFL mark for the most passing yards ever in a three-game stretch.
THE KRAFT ERA
3
The number of Super Bowl championships the Patriots have won since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994. That mark is the highest total in the NFL over that span. Only Denver (2; 1997 and 1998) and Pittsburgh (2; 2005 and 2008) have won multiple Super Bowl titles since 1994.
5
The number of conference championships the Patriots have won since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994. That mark is the highest total in the NFL over that span. Pittsburgh is second with three conference titles since 1994.
10
The number of division championships won by the Patriots since Kraft purchased the team in 1994.
12
The number of playoff seasons earned by the Patriots in the 17 seasons since Robert Kraft purchased the team.
17
The number of playoff games the Patriots have won since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994. That mark is the highest total in the NFL over that span. Pittsburgh ranks second with 15 playoff wins over that span.
26
The number of playoff games the Patriots have appeared in since 1994. The mark is tied with Pittsburgh for the most playoff games during that time period.
THE BELICHICK ERA
4
Bill Belichick is one of just four coaches to win three championships since the Super Bowl era began. Belichick joins three members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame in the exclusive club (Chuck Noll 4, Joe Gibbs 3 and Bill Walsh 3). Belichick is the only coach to win three Super Bowls in the post-1993 salary cap era and the only one to ever win three in four years.
186
Bill Belichick has 186 career victories as a head coach, including playoff games. Belichick moved past Bill Parcells into sole possession of ninth place in all-time coaching victories. Chuck Knox is in 8th place with 193 wins.
NFL'S TOP DECEMBER RECORD SINCE 2001
(Rk) Team, Record
(1) New England Patriots, 38-5
(2) Philadelphia Eagles, 32-12
(3) Pittsburgh Steelers, 32-13
(4) Indianapolis Colts, 29-16
(5) San Diego Chargers, 29-17
PATRIOTS DEDICATE 2011 SEASON TO MYRA KRAFT
The Patriots have dedicated the 2011 season to the loving memory of Myra Kraft, who passed away on July 20 after a courageous battle with cancer. Every Patriots player and coach are honoring Myra's memory by wearing a patch with her initials on it in recognition of her lifelong contributions to the local and global philanthropic community and her influence on the charitable mission of the entire Patriots organization. The patch will be worn on the left chest of every player throughout the season.
