11/7/07
Patriots enter bye week with 9-0 record
New England Patriots
The Patriots enter their bye week as the NFL's only undefeated team and have begun a season with nine consecutive victories for the first time in franchise history. New England has won 12 consecutive regular-season games dating back to last season, achieving the second longest regular-season winning streak in team history. The Patriots are the league's top-ranked offense in terms of points per game (39.4) and yards per game (428.7). New England's defense ranks fourth in fewest yards allowed per game (275.2) and fifth in fewest points allowed per game (16.3). Following their bye week, New England returns to action at Buffalo in an 8:15 p.m. game on Sunday, Nov. 18.
REGULAR-SEASON WINNING STREAK
The Patriots have won 12 consecutive regular-season games dating back to a 40-7 win over the Houston Texans at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 17, 2006. New England's current 12-game regular-season winning streak is the second longest in franchise history, trailing only their NFL-record 18 consecutive regular-season wins spanning the 2003 and 2004 seasons. That streak was part of an overall 21-game winning streak that set an all-time pro football record.
PRO BOWL BALLOTING UNDERWAY
NFL Pro Bowl balloting runs from Oct. 15 through Dec. 11. Fans may vote for their favorite NFL players to represent the AFC and NFC in the 2008 Pro Bowl in Honolulu on Sunday, Feb. 10. Fans may vote online at nfl.com/probowl or by sending the text message "PRO" to 7777 from a phone with Sprint wireless service. The AFC and NFC All-Star squads are determined by the consensus votes of fans, players and coaches. Each group's vote counts one-third towards determining each conference's 43-man roster. The Pro Bowl teams will be announced at 4:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Dec. 18 in a Pro Bowl Selection Show on NFL Network.
THREE-GAME POINT TOTAL HIGHEST SINCE 1950
The Patriots scored a combined total of 149 points over a threegame span from Oct. 14 to Oct. 28, marking the highest threegame point total by an NFL team since 1950. The last team to score 149 or more points over a three-game span was the 1950 Los Angeles Rams, who totaled 163 points from Oct. 22 to Nov. 5, 1950. The Patriots won their three games by scores of 48-27 (at Dallas on Oct. 14), 49-28 (at Miami on Oct. 21) and 52-7 (vs. Washington on Oct. 28), totaling 149 points. The 1950 Rams won three games by scores of 70-27, 65-24 and 28-21, totaling 163 points. The 1950 Rams hold the NFL's all-time record for most points per game, averaging 38.8 points per game (466 points in 12 games). The 2007 Patriots are currently averaging 39.4 points per game (355 points in nine games).
HISTORIC OUTPUT
Through nine games, the Patriots are on pace to produce one of the most prolific offensive performances in NFL history. New England has scored an average of 39.4 points per game, a mark that is on pace to top the NFL record of 38.8 points per game (1950 L.A. Rams). New England has outscored its opponents by an average of 23.1 points per game, a mark that currently ranks second in NFL history, trailing only the 1942 Chicago Bears, who outscored their opponents by an average of 26.6 points.
NFL RECORDS SET OR TIED IN 2007
NFL Team Records
* Most consecutive victories by 17 points or more to begin a season (8).
* Most consecutive games scoring 34 or more points to begin a season (8, tied with the 2000 St. Louis Rams).
QB Tom Brady
* Most victories in first 100 starts in the Super Bowl Era (76, tied with Roger Staubach).
* Most consecutive games with three or more TD passes (9).
* Most consecutive games with three or more TD passes to begin a season (9 games from 9/9/07 to Present).
* Most TD passes in a single month (20 in October 2007).
* Most TD passes in first nine games of a season (33).
* Most TD passes in first eight games of a season (30).
* Most TD passes in first seven games of a season (27).
* Most TD passes in first six games of a season (21).
* Most consecutive games with completion pct. of 75% or higher in a single season (4 games from 9/9/07 to 10/1/07).
* Most completions in first 100 passes of a season (79).
* Most touchdown passes in a game since 1970 AFL-NFL Merger (6 on 10/21/07; tied with 11 others)
* Highest single-game passer rating (perfect 158.3 rating, 10/21/07; 17th time since 1970).
WR Randy Moss
* Most consecutive 100-yard receiving games to begin tenure with a team (4 games from 9/9/07 to 10/1/07).
KR Ellis Hobbs
* Longest kickoff return in NFL history (108 yards, 9/9/07).
LB Junior Seau
* Oldest player to record two or more interceptions in a game (38 years old, 10/7/07).
