THREE INTERCEPTIONS FOR SAMUEL
Asante Samuel recorded three interceptions, recording the first three-interception game for the franchise in more than 23 years. The last time a Patriot intercepted three passes in a game was on Oct. 23, 1983, when Roland James had three picks in a 31-0 win at Buffalo. Samuel, who was born on Jan. 6, 1981, was two years old at the time. Samuel's three interceptions tie the Patriots' single-game franchise record and mark the seventh time a Patriots player has achieved the feat in the regular season. Samuel has now recorded 12 career interceptions is the 28th player in Patriots history to record 10 or more interceptions for the team. His six interceptions this season set a career-high and are the most interceptions by a Patriots player since Ty Law and Tyrone Poole also recorded six picks in 2003.
RUNNING BACK RECEPTIONS RECORD
With a 9-yard catch in the fourth quarter - his 262nd career reception - Kevin Faulk became the Patriots' all-time leader in receptions by a running back. Faulk passed Tony Collins' mark of 261 career receptions, which was achieved from 1981-87. Faulk has recorded 25 or more receptions in each of the last seven seasons, including this year, and is the Patriots' all-time leading kickoff returner.
STEPHEN GOSTKOWSKI
Rookie kicker Stephen Gostkowski nailed a 52-yard field goal with one second left in the first half to give the Patriots a 10-3 lead. Gostkowski has made nine of his last 10 field goals and is 11-of-15 (73.3 percent) on the season. The 52-yard boot was the longest field goal of Gostkowski's career.
WINNINGEST QUARTERBACK IN PATRIOTS HISTORY
Today's 17-13 win over the Bears was the 76th victory of Tom Brady's regular-season and playoff career, making him the winningest quarterback in Patriots history. Brady's total of 76 wins eclipses Steve Grogan's previous record of 75 wins, achieved over 16 seasons from 1975-90. Brady's 76th win came in his 100th career start, giving him an overall record of 76-24 (.760). Grogan's career record was 75-63 (.543).
RECORD PERFORMANCE
Tom Brady made his 100th career start today and improved his career regular-season and playoff record to...
- 76-24 overall
- 20-1 on artificial surfaces
- 22-4 against NFC teams
- 24-4 in games decided by six points or less
- 40-10 at home
- 34-6 in games played on Thanksgiving or later
- 57-2 when leading at halftime
- 62-1 when leading after three quarters
WATSON SCORESTight end Benjamin Watson gave the Patriots a 17-10 lead with a 2-yard touchdown reception from Tom Brady with 8:22 left in the game. The touchdown grab was Watson's third of the season and he became the seventh Patriots player to score three or more touchdowns this year. Watson has already set career highs in both receptions (45) and receiving yards (599), and his three touchdowns are one shy of his career high (4), established last season. Watson now has recorded seven career touchdowns.
SEYMOUR BLOCKED FIELD GOAL
Richard Seymour blocked a 45-yard field goal attempt by Robbie Gould with 5:02 left in the first quarter to preserve a 0-0 tie. The blocked field goal was the fifth of Seymour's regular-season career and the sixth of his career including regular-season and playoff games. Seymour's blocked field goal was the second by the Patriots this season, following Mike Wright's block of a 40-yard field goal attempt by Miami's Olindo Mare at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 8. Today's blocked field goal marked the first miss of the year for Gould, who had made his first 24 attempts of the 2006 season. The block also broke Gould's franchise-record streak of 26 straight successful field goals, dating back to last season.
SEYMOUR FUMBLE RECOVERY
Richard Seymour recovered a loose ball at the Patriots' 15-yard line following a fumbled snap by the Bears early in the second quarter. The fumble recovery was Seymour's first of the season and was the fourth fumble recovery of his career. The takeaway came in the red zone, marking New England's third red-zone takeaway of the season. The fumble recovery set up a 11-play, 92-yard drive that ended in a 1-yard touchdown run by Laurence Maroney and a 7-0 Patriots lead.
ROOKIE RUSHERRookie running back Laurence Maroney gave the Patriots a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. The touchdown was the fifth of Maroney's career and his fourth career rushing touchdown. Maroney has scored touchdowns in consecutive weeks, having scored on a 19-yard pass play last week at Green Bay. His rushing touchdown was his first since Oct. 1, when he scored twice via the run in the Patriots' 38-13 win over the Cincinnati Bengals.
LONG DRIVE
The Patriots took a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard Laurence Maroney touchdown that capped off a 10-play, 92-yard drive that chewed up 5:05 in the second quarter. The drive was the second longest of the season for the Patriots, topped only by a 12-play, 93-yard touchdown drive in the season opener against Buffalo at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 10.
QUICK HITS
- Mike Wright got his fingertips on a Brad Maynard punt in the second quarter and the tipped punt traveled only 24 yards. The tipped ball marks the second time Wright has gotten his hands on a kicked ball this season, having blocked a field goal against Miami on Oct. 8.
- Richard Seymour dropped Rex Grossman for a 5-yard sack in the third quarter. Seymour now has 4.0 sacks on the season.
