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In-game notes

Email|Link|Comments (0) Posted by Mike Reiss, Globe Staff February 3, 2008 08:44 PM

In-game notes, courtesy of the Patriots' media relations staff:

IF THE PATRIOTS WIN TODAY, THEY WOULD…

Become the second team in the NFL’s 88-year history to achieve an undefeated and untied record throughout the regular season and playoffs, joining the 1972 Miami Dolphins (17-0).

Set the all-time NFL record for most overall victories in a season (19), topping the 18 total wins by the 1984 San Francisco 49ers and the 1985 Chicago Bears (18).

Win their 15th playoff game this decade, setting a new NFL record for most postseason victories in a single decade, topping the 14 playoff wins by the 1970s Dallas Cowboys and the 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers.

Become the second NFL team to win four Super Bowls in a seven-year span, joining the Pittsburgh Steelers, who won four in six seasons (1974, 1975, 1978 and 1979).

Become the fourth NFL team to win four or more Super Bowls, joining San Francisco, Dallas and Pittsburgh (five wins each).

Improve their playoff record to 22-12 (.647), maintaining the highest playoff winning percentage in NFL history among teams that have played at least 10 playoff games.

IF THE PATRIOTS WIN TODAY, ROBERT KRAFT WOULD…

Earn his fourth Super Bowl victory as Patriots owner, tying Pittsburgh’s Art Rooney (4) for the second highest Super Bowl victory total among NFL owners, trailing only San Francisco’s Eddie DeBartolo (5).

IF THE PATRIOTS WIN TODAY, BILL BELICHICK WOULD…

Tie the NFL record for most Super Bowl wins by a head coach, joining Pittsburgh’s Chuck Noll as the only head coaches in NFL history to win four Super Bowl championships.

IF THE PATRIOTS WIN TODAY, TOM BRADY WOULD…

Tie the NFL record for most Super Bowl wins as a starting quarterback, joining San Francisco’s Joe Montana and Pittsburgh’s Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to win four Super Bowls as a starting signal caller.

BRUSCHI TIES MOST PLAYOFF GAMES BY ANY ACTIVE PLAYER; PLAYS IN FIFTH SUPER BOWL
Tedy Bruschi is playing in his 22nd career playoff game today, tying him with Brett Favre and Adam Vinatieri for the most playoff games by an active NFL player. Bruschi has played in more playoff games than any other player in Patriots history. Jerry Rice holds the NFL record with 29 career playoff games. Bruschi is playing in his fifth career Super Bowl, tying the second highest total in NFL history behind DL Mike Lodish (who played in six Super Bowls with Buffalo and Denver). Bruschi joins 14 other players as having played in five or more Super Bowls. Bruschi’s five Super Bowls ties the NFL record for a linebacker, equaling the five appearances by D.D. Lewis (Dallas), Cornelius Bennett (Buffalo/Atlanta) and Bill Romanowski (San Francisco/Denver/Oakland).

MARONEY SCORES THIRD TOUCHDOWN IN THREE PLAYOFF GAMES THIS SEASON
Laurence Maroney gave the Patriots a 7-3 lead on a 1-yard touchdown run on the first play of the second quarter. The touchdown was Maroney’s third of this season’s playoffs. He also found the end zone in the Patriots’ divisional playoff win over Jacksonville and in New England’s AFC Championship win over San Diego. Maroney totaled 122 rushing yards in each of those games.

HOBBS HAS INTERCEPTION FOR SECOND STRAIGHT GAME; THIRD IN LAST FOUR GAMES
Ellis Hobbs intercepted an Eli Manning pass at the Giants’ 10-yard line in the second quarter, marking his second straight game with an interception. He also had an interception against San Diego in the AFC Championship Game. His only interception of the 2007 regular season came in the season finale against the Giants on Dec. 29. New York quarterback Eli Manning had not thrown an interception since Hobbs picked him off in that game.

QUICK HITS

The Patriots lost the coin toss for their fourth straight Super Bowl. New England lost the coin toss in each of its three Super Bowl victories (following the 2001, 2003 and 2004 seasons).

Today’s game is just the second game that the Patriots have played this season on a natural grass surface. Seventeen of their 19 games have been played on artificial surfaces. Prior to today, New England’s only other game on grass this season was at Miami on Oct. 21.

Jarvis Green sacked Eli Manning for a 3-yard loss in the third quarter. The sack was Green’s first of this season’s playoffs and raised his career playoff total to 5.0 sacks in 14 postseason games.