SERIES HISTORY
The New England Patriots and Arizona Cardinals will meet for the 11th time this weekend, and will clash for the seventh time on the Cardinals' home turf. After a 1-6 series start against Arizona, the Patriots have won the last three meetings to bring their record against the Cardinals to 4-6. This will mark the fifth time in the last six contests that New England has traveled to Arizona for the matchup. New England holds a 2-2 record in games played in Arizona. The Cardinals are one of just three teams (Seattle and San Francisco) which the Patriots have not yet played in the Bill Belichick era (since 2000). The last time the Patriots and Cardinals faced off was in the 1999 season, when the Patriots made the trip to Sun Devil Stadium and came home with a 27-3 victory on Oct. 31, 1999

QUICK HITS

• The Cardinals are one of just three NFL teams that the Patriots have not yet played in the Bill Belichick era (also San Francisco and Seattle, both of whom the Patriots will also play this season).
• The Patriots have allowed the Cardinals to score a total of three points in the teams' last two meetings combined (31-0 win on Sept. 15, 1996 and 27-3 win on Oct. 31, 1999).
  CONNECTIONS

• Bob Wylie, offensive line coach for the Cardinals, coached the Bengals tight ends from 1997-98. Alex Wood, offensive coordinator for the Cardinals, was the wide receivers coach for the Bengals in 2003. Wood and Wylie both coached in Cincinnati while Corey Dillon was the team's running back from 1997-2003.
• Cardinals running backs coach Kirby Wilson served in that same position for the Patriots from 1997-99.
• Patriots defensive back Eugene Wilson and Cardinals middle linebacker Michael Young were teammates at the University of Illinois.
• Patriots linebacker Rosevelt Colvin played for the Bears from 1999-2002 where Bob Wylie, Cardinals offensive line coach, served in the same position from 1999-2003.
• Patriots wide receiver P.K. Sam, Cardinals wideout Anquan Boldin and Arizona defensive tackle Darnell Dockett were all teammates at Florida State.
• Patriots veteran linebacker Tedy Bruschi and Patriots punter Josh Miller were teammates from 1992-1993 at the University of Arizona.
  THIS WEEK IN PATRIOTS HISTORY
  September 12 - September 19
  September 16, 1960: Defensive back Chuck Shonta returns a fumble for a touchdown on the final play of the game to give the Patriots their first-ever victory with a 28-24 advantage over the N.Y. Titans at the Polo Grounds in New York.
  September 16, 1990: The Patriots beat Indianapolis 16-14 for their only victory of the 1990 season.
  September 18, 1994: New England defeat the Bengals 31-28 in Cincinnati for the first victory during Robert Kraft's ownership of the Patriots.
  September 15, 1996: The Patriots travel to Arizona and defeat the Cardinals 31-0. Running back Curtis Martin scored three touchdowns and Drew Bledsoe threw for three scores as the Patriots earned their first win in a season that would see them march to Super Bowl XXXI.