HISTORY IN FOXBOROUGH: The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS enter Week 12 with the best record in the AFC at 9-1. Since 2003, the Patriots have had at least 10 wins in 16 consecutive seasons – tied with the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1983-98) for the most consecutive 10-win seasons in NFL history.
With a win over the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX), New England would surpass San Francisco (16 seasons) for the most consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins in NFL history.
The teams with the most consecutive seasons with at least 10 wins in NFL history:
TEAM
YEARS
CONSECUTIVE 10+ WIN SEASONS
New England
2003-18
16*
San Francisco
1983-98
16
*Active streak
New England quarterback TOM BRADY enters Week 12 with 2,752 passing yards, the third-most in the AFC in 2019.
With 248 passing yards on Sunday, Brady would surpass DREW BREES (16 seasons) and PEYTON MANNING (16) for the second-most seasons with at least 3,000 passing yards in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (18) has more.
The players with the most seasons with at least 3,000 passing yards in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
SEASONS WITH 3,000 PASSING YARDS
Brett Favre
Green Bay, New York Jets, Minnesota
18
Tom Brady
New England
16*
Drew Brees
San Diego, New Orleans
16*
Peyton Manning
Indianapolis, Denver
16
*Active
NFC SHOWDOWN BY THE BAY: In every season since the NFL expanded to 32 teams and realigned into eight divisions in 2002, at least one team has won its division the season after missing the playoffs. After both missed the playoffs in 2018, the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-1) and GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-2) currently stand as the top two seeds in the NFC, lead their respective divisions through 10 games and are positioned to continue that trend.
With a win over Green Bay on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), San Francisco – who finished 4-12 last season – would join the 2016 DALLAS COWBOYS as the only teams to win 10 of their first 11 games in a season after winning four or fewer games the previous year in NFL history.
DEFENSIVE NIGHTMARE: Through 10 games this season, Baltimore quarterback LAMAR JACKSON has 2,258 passing yards and 781 rushing yards – the most rushing yards by a quarterback through 10 games of a season in NFL history. Since entering the NFL in 2018, Jackson has 3,459 passing yards and 1,476 rushing yards in 26 career games.
With 24 rushing yards on Monday Night Football against the Los Angeles Rams (8:15 PM ET, ESPN), Jackson would become the first player with at least 3,000 passing yards and 1,500 rushing yards over his first two seasons in NFL history.
CATCH HIM IF YOU CAN: Carolina running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY leads the NFL with 1,576 scrimmage yards this season and became the first player with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in his team’s first 10 games of a season in NFL history.
McCaffrey, who has 20 rushing touchdowns and 14 receiving touchdowns since entering the NFL in 2017, needs one receiving touchdown against New Orleans (1:00 PM ET, CBS) to join CHUCK FOREMAN (1973-75) as the only players with at least 20 rushing touchdowns and 15 receiving touchdowns through their first three seasons in NFL history.
BALLING IN BIG EASY: New Orleans wide receiver MICHAEL THOMAS leads the NFL with 94 receptions – the most receptions by a player in his team’s first 10 games of a season in NFL history – and 1,141 receiving yards in 2019. Last week, Thomas had eight receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown, his fourth-consecutive game with at least eight receptions and 100 receiving yards.
With at least eight receptions and 100 receiving yards on Sunday against Carolina (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Thomas would become the fourth player with at least eight receptions and 100 receiving yards in five consecutive games in a single season in NFL history.
The players with the most consecutive games with at least eight receptions and 100 receiving yards in a single season in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
SEASON
CONSECUTIVE GAMES
Isaac Bruce
St. Louis Rams
1995
6
Anquan Boldin
Arizona
2005
5
Calvin Johnson
Detroit
2012
5
Michael Thomas
New Orleans
2019
4*
*Active streak
Additionally, with six receptions and 59 receiving yards, Thomas would become the fifth player to have at least 100 receptions and 1,200 receiving yards in three consecutive seasons in NFL history.
The players with the most consecutive seasons with at least 100 receptions and 1,200 receiving yards in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
YEARS
CONSECUTIVE SEASONS
Antonio Brown
Pittsburgh
2013-18
6
Marvin HarrisonHOF
Indianapolis
1999-2002
4
Herman Moore
Detroit
1995-97
3
Jerry RiceHOF
San Francisco
1994-96
3
Michael Thomas
New Orleans
2017-18
2*
*Active streak
HOPPING UP THE RECORD BOOKS: Earlier this season, Houston wide receiver DEANDRE HOPKINS became the third-youngest player to reach 8,000 career receiving yards in NFL history. Hopkins, who is in his seventh NFL season, has had at least 800 receiving yards in each of his first six seasons.
With 55 receiving yards against Indianapolis on Thursday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, FOX/NFLN/Amazon), Hopkins would tie for the third-most consecutive seasons with at least 800 receiving yards to begin a career in NFL history.
The players with the most consecutive seasons with at least 800 receiving yards to begin a career in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
YEARS
CONSECUTIVE SEASONS
Jerry RiceHOF
San Francisco
1985-96
12
Gary Clark
Washington, Phoenix Cardinals
1985-93
9
A.J. Green
Cincinnati
2011-17
7
T.Y. Hilton
Indianapolis
2012-18
7*
Keyshawn Johnson
New York Jets, Tampa Bay
1996-2002
7
DeAndre Hopkins
Houston
2013-18
6*
*Active streak
ERTZ GOES FOR 500: Philadelphia tight end ZACH ERTZ has 492 receptions for 5,448 yards and 31 touchdowns in 101 career games.
With eight receptions against Seattle onSunday(1:00 PM ET, FOX), Ertz would become the second-fastest tight end to reach 500 career receptions in NFL history.
The tight ends to reach 500 career receptions in the fewest games in NFL history:
