NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-2) vs. NEW YORK GIANTS (5-2)
Sunday, November 6, 2011 - 4:15 p.m. ET
* Gillette Stadium (68,756)*
The New England Patriots will host an NFC opponent for the second time this season when the New York Giants travel to Gillette Stadium. The Patriots defeated Dallas, 20-16, on Oct. 16 to improve to an 18-1 record against NFC opponents at Gillette Stadium. The game this week against the Giants will be the first of two straight games against New York opponents. The Patriots will travel to the Meadowlands to face the Jets next week. It marks the second time in franchise history that the Patriots will face the New York teams in consecutive weeks. In 1990, the Patriots closed out the season with games at the Jets and home against the Giants.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
TELEVISION: This week's game will be broadcast by FOX and can be seen in Boston on WFXT-TV Channel 25. Joe Buck will handle play-by-play duties with Troy Aikman providing color. Pam Oliver will serve as the sideline reporter. The game will be produced by Richie Zyontz and directed by Rich Russo.
NATIONAL RADIO: This week's game will be broadcast to a national audience by Sports USA Radio Network. Larry Kahn and Ross Tucker will call the game. Troy West will provide sideline analysis.
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 Patriots and Giants will meet for the ninth time since their series was inaugurated in 1970. The Patriots claim a 5-3 edge in regular season play and have won four straight regular season games against New York since 1996. The series dates back to 1970, the year of the AFL-NFL merger and includes some memorable games despite the relative infrequency of the matchups. In 1996, the Patriots stole a 23-22 win to clinch a playoff berth after trailing 22-3 in the fourth quarter. In 2007, the last time the team's met in the regular season, the Patriots captured a 38-35 win to finish a perfect 16-0 regular season.
The first preseason game between the teams was the first NFL game played in Foxborough, as the Patriots opened Schaefer Stadium with a 20-14 win. The clubs have been frequent preseason opponents recently, squaring off in the preseason openers for three straight years from 2001-03 and in preseason finales for seven straight seasons from 2005-11. The teams faced each other in the 2011 preseason finale at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 1, with the Giants claiming an 18-17 victory.
MEMORABLE PATRIOTS-GIANTS MATCHUPS
Aug. 15, 1971- The Patriots defeated the Giants 20-14 in the opening preseason game at the old Foxboro Stadium.
Dec. 21, 1996- The Patriots rallied from a 22-3 fourth-quarter deficit to clinch a first-round playoff bye with a 23-22 win at Giants Stadium.
Aug. 10, 2001- New England began its first Super Bowl championship season with a 14-0 preseason shutout of the defending NFC champion Giants.
Dec. 29, 2007- The Patriots defeat the Giants by a thrilling 38-35 score to cap off the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history.
February 3, 2008- The Patriots faced the Giants in Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz. The Giants 17-14 win snapped the Patriots perfect season.
CONNECTIONSNew England Ties
- Giants President and Chief Executive Officer John Mara is an alumnus of Boston College, where he received a B.S. in marketing in 1976.
- Giants Head Coach Tom Coughlin was an assistant coach at Boston College from 1981-83. Coughlin was the wide receivers coach on the Giants' coaching staff while Bill Belichick was also on New York's staff (1988-90).
- Chris Mara Vice President of Player Evaluation went to Springfield College to play football before transferring to Boston College.
- Giants WR Victor Cruz went to the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Mass.
- Jonathan M. Tisch, Co-Owner and Treasurer, currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Tufts University.
- Giants Assistant Offensive Line Coach Jack Bicknell, Jr. played at Boston College from 1981-85. Bicknell's father, Jack was head coach at Boston college from 1981-1990.
- Giants Special Teams Coordinator Tom Quinn was the defensive coordinator at Boston University in 1995.
- Giants Tight Ends Coach Michael Pope coached running backs and tight ends for the Patriots from 1994-96. Pope was an assistant coach for the Giants from 1983-1991, including eight years while Bill Belichick was on the staff (1983-90).
- Giants running backs coach Jerald Ingram held the same position at Boston College (1991-93).
- Giants Offensive Coordinator Kevin Gilbride is a native of New Haven, Conn., and holds a degree in physical education from Southern Connecticut State, where he also played quarterback and tight end and later served as head coach (1980-84). His second coaching appointment was as the linebackers coach at Tufts University from 1976-77.
- Giants Secondary Coach/Corners Peter Giunta is a native of Salem, Mass., and played four years at Northeastern. He began his coaching career as an assistant coach at Swampscott High School (1978-80), then returned to New England to coach tight ends/wide receivers at Brown from 1984-85. From 1986-87, Giunta served as Brown's offensive coordinator.
- Giants assistant special teams coach Larry Izzo was a special teams captain for the Patriots from 2001-08.
- Giants Strength and Conditioning Coach Jerry Palmieri was the director of strength and conditioning at Boston College from 1993-94.
- Giants LB Mathias Kiwanuka went to Boston College and was drafted in the 1st round (32nd overall) in the 2006 draft.
- Giants Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Markus Paul held the same position at New England from 2000-04.
- G Chris Snee was drafted out of Boston College in the 2nd round (34 overall) in the 2004 draft and has spent his whole career with the Giants.
- Giants LB Zak DeOssie is a native of North Andover, Mass., and attended Phillips Academy in Andover before continuing on to Brown University. Zak is the son of Steve DeOssie, who finished his NFL playing career as a linebacker and long snapper with the Patriots in 1994 and 1995.
- Giants LB Jonathan Goff is a native of Peabody, MA. Goff attended St. John's Prep in Danvers, MA, before attending Vanderbilt.
- Giants Wide Receivers Coach Sean Ryan was a graduate assistant at Boston College from 2001-02.
- Giants rookie LB Mark Herzlich attended Boston College and was signed as an undrafted free agent in July 2011.
New York Ties
- Patriots head coach Bill Belichick spent 12 seasons on the Giants' coaching staff, and was the team's defensive coordinator for their victories in Super Bowls XXI and XXV.
- Belichick joined the Giants as the special teams coach on Ray Perkins' staff in 1979, and during his tenure coached special teams (1979-82), linebackers (1980-84) and the secondary (1989-90), while also holding defensive coordinator responsibilities (1985-90).
- Patriots Defensive Line Coach Pepper Johnson was drafted by the Giants in the second round of the 1986 NFL Draft. He won two Super Bowls and twice earned Pro Bowl honors during his career with New York, which spanned from 1986- 92.
- Patriots Safeties Coach Matt Patricia was born in Sherrill, N.Y.
- Patriots CB Devin McCourty calls Montvale, N.J. home and attended Rutgers.
- Defensive Assistant Coach Brian Flores is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y. Flores would receive his bachelor's degree and master's degree at Boston College.
- Harold Nash, Strength and Conditioning, was signed by the Giants as an undrafted free agent and was a member of the team during training camp in 1993.
- Football Research Director Ernie Adams served as Director of Pro Personnel with the Giants before leaving in 1991 to join Bill Belichick's staff in Cleveland.
Former NFL Teammates
- Patriots WR Deion Branch and Giants S Deon Grant played for the Seattle Seahawks from 2007-09. Patriots OL Dan Connolly and Grant played for the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2006. Patriots LB Tracy White and Grant were teammates in Jacksonville in 2005.
- White was teammates in Seattle with Giants DT Rocky Bernard from 2003-04. Branch was also teammates with Bernard in Seattle from 2006-08.
- White played for the Philadelphia Eagles with Giants T Stacy Andrews in 2009.
- Patriots WR Chad Ochocinco and Giants T Stacy Andrews were teammates when they played for the Cincinnati Bengals from 2004-08.
- Patriots WR Wes Welker and Giants QB Sage Rosenfels were teammates when they played for the Miami Dolphins from 2004-05.
PATRIOTS BOUNCE BACK
Since the beginning of the 2003 season, the Patriots are 26-2 (.929) in games following a regular season loss. Over the last nine seasons (2003-11), the Patriots have only lost back-to-back games on two occasions, once in 2006 and once in 2009.
PATRIOTS RECORD AGAINST THE NFC AT HOME SINCE 2002
The Patriots have won 18 straight games at Gillette Stadium against NFC opponents. The only loss was the very first game against an NFC opponent at the new stadium when the visiting Green Bay Packers beat the Patriots, 28-10, on Oct. 13, 2002.
HOME RECORDS AFTER HALLOWEEN SINCE 2002
The Patriots own the NFL's best record after Halloween since 2002 with a 31-7 (.815) record.
HOME RECORDS AFTER HALLOWEEN SINCE 2002
The Patriots own the NFL's best record after Halloween since 2002 with a 31-7 (.815) record.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN 2011
The Patriots own an overall record of 63-12 (.840) at Gillette Stadium in regular season games. Since their state-of-the-art facility opened at the beginning of the 2002 season, the Patriots own the NFL's best record at home.
RECORD SETTING PACE
QUALIFIER - Seven games into the season, a number of Patriots players are on pace for record-breaking seasons. While we know these won't be realistic projections, it is fun to look at what the numbers would be if they continued at this pace.
TOM BRADY
- Tom Brady (2,361) is on pace to throw for 5,397 yards. Only two NFL players have thrown for 5,000 or more yards in a season with Dan Marino's NFL record 5,084 in 1984 and Drew Brees' 5,069 in 2008.
- Brady has 18 touchdowns, putting him on pace for 41 touchdown passes, which would be his second season with 40 or more touchdowns. He had an NFL-record 50 touchdowns in 2007. If Brady reaches 40 touchdowns, he will be just the second NFL player to have two seasons with 40 or more touchdowns. Dan Marino had 48 touchdowns in 1984 and 44 in 1986.
- Brady currently has an NFL record of 31 straight wins as a starter in the regular season at home. The last time the Patriots lost a regular season home game in which Brady started was on Nov. 12, 2006 against the New York Jets.
- Brady has a current streak of 23 straight games with at least one touchdown pass, a Patriots team record.
- Brady has 116 wins as a starter and needs one more win to tie Joe Montana (117) for 7th all-time.
JULIAN EDELMAN
- Julian Edelman has the highest punt return average in Patriots history with a 13.6-yard average (36-489).
BENJARVUS GREEN-ELLIS
- BenJarvus Green-Ellis has 18 touchdown runs since the beginning of the 2010 season, tied for the third most in the NFL with Michael Turner, behind Adrian Peterson (21) and Arian Foster (20). The Patriots are 18-1 all-time when Green- Ellis has a rushing touchdown in a game.
ROB GRONKOWSKI
- Rob Gronkowski has five touchdowns so far in 2011, putting him on pace for 11 for the year. The NFL record for most touchdowns in a season by a tight end is 13 by Vernon Davis (SF) in 2009 and Antonio Gates (SD) in 2004. Gronkowski last season set the franchise record for touchdowns by a tight end with 10.
- Gronkowski has 15 touchdown catches in 23 career NFL games. His 15 touchdowns since 2010 are the most in the NFL by a tight end.
WES WELKER
- Wes Welker has 57 receptions through seven games and is on pace for 130, which would be second to Marvin Harrison's single season record of 143, set in 2002.
- Welker has 824 receiving yards and is on pace for 1,883, which would break Jerry Rice's record of 1,848, set in 1995. Wes Welker had a career-high 217 receiving yards to set a franchise record (09/25/11) at Buffalo, breaking the previous record set by Terry Glenn with 214 receiving yards.
- Welker has a streak of 68 straight regular season games with at least one reception as a member of the Patriots to extend a franchise record. TE Ben Coates held the previous mark with 63 straight games.
- Welker has caught at least one pass in 85 straight regular season games in his NFL career.
- Welker is tied with six other NFL players as the only players in NFL history to have at least eight receptions, 150 yards and at least one touchdown three times in a single season.
VINCE WILFORK
- Vince Wilfork has two interceptions so far in 2011 and is one of four Patriots defensive lineman to ever register two career interceptions. Anthony Pleasant (2001) is the only other Patriots defensive lineman to record two interceptions in a single season.
PATRIOTS ARE SHARP AT GILLETTE
The Patriots have now won 20 straight regular season home games dating back to a 47-7 win over Arizona on Dec. 21, 2008. The Patriots own an overall record of 63-12 (.840) at Gillette Stadium in regular season games. Since their state-of-the-art facility opened at the beginning of the 2002 season, the Patriots own the NFL's best record at home all-time. Green Bay has the second longest current streak with 8 straight home victories. The NFL record for most consecutive home games won is 27 by Miami (1971-74).
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 consecutive two-sack games by DE Andre Carter after two-sack games vs. Dallas and at Pittsburgh.
5
The number of touchdown catches by TE Rob Gronkowski in 2011. He is on pace for 11. The NFL record for a tight end is 13.
7.19
The number of receptions that Wes Welker is averaging during his Patriots career with 489 receptions in 68 games, best in franchise history.
5.27
The average yards per carry by Danny Woodhead during his Patriots career (127 att. for 669 yards), the best average among any Patriots player with at least 100 rushing attempts.
10
The number of career 100-yard receiving games by Deion Branch after he finished with 8 receptions for 129 yards in the win vs. San Diego (9/18).
18
The number of rushing touchdowns by BenJarvus Green-Ellis since the start of the 2010 season, tied for the third most in the NFL.
18
The number consecutive home wins over NFC opponents at Gillette Stadium.
19
The number of 10-tackle games by LB Jerod Mayo after he finished with a team-high 11 total tackles vs. San Diego (9/18).
57
The number of receptions by Welker in the first seven games, which is tied for the second most in NFL history for the first seven games of the season.
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).
824
The number of receiving yards by Wes Welker after seven games. In 2010, Welker led the Patriots with 848 total yards to finish 11th in the AFC.
TOM BRADY BY THE NUMBERS
1
The number of NFL quarterbacks that followed a 500-yard performance with a 400-yard performance after Brady had backto- back games with 517 yards and 423 yards.
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).
6
The number of times that Brady has finished a season with 25 or more touchdowns. He is the sixth QB in NFL history to have 25 or more touchdown passes in at least six different seasons.
8
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 finished the season with 3,900 yards.
11
The number of times an NFL quarterback has thrown for 500 or more yards after Brady threw 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.
18
The number of NFL quarterbacks that have reached 35,000 yards after Brady (37,105) reached the milestone at Miami (9/12).
31
The number of consecutive regular-season starts that Tom Brady has won at Gillette Stadium, extending an NFL record for most consecutive home wins by a starting quarterback in the regular season.
38
The number of regular season 300-yard passing games by Tom Brady, a team record. He is in 9th place for the most 300-yard games in NFL history.
88
The number of times that Brady has thrown two or more touchdowns in a game. The Patriots are 74-14 when he throws for two or more touchdowns.
116
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.
182
Bill Belichick has 182 career victories as a head coach, including playoff games. Belichick is in sole possession of 10th place in alltime coaching victories.
