What to Look For in 2017

The Patriots incredible run of success over the past 18 years has led to some team and individual milestones. The team, its head coach and its players look to continue that trend during the 2017 season. Here is a look at what to look for in 2017:

  • The Patriots set an NFL record last year with their eighth consecutive division title. They will look to add to that mark in 2017.
  • The Patriots also set a record by reaching six straight conference championship games and will look to add that as well.
  • The Patriots are tied with the Dallas Cowboys (1991-1996 – 12 wins) for the most consecutive seasons with at least one playoff win (2011-2016 – 11 wins) with six straight and will look to break that mark in 2017.
  • The Patriots have finished above .500 in 16 consecutive seasons (2001-2016), which ties them with the San Francisco 49ers for the most consecutive winning seasons since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. They can eclipse that record in 2017.
  • Bill Belichick is tied with Tom Landry and Don Shula for the most postseason games as a head coach with 36. With a playoff appearance in 2017, Belichick will break that record.
  • After a Week 2 win over the Saints, Belichick has 264 career wins as a head coach. He needs seven more in 2017 to surpass Landry (270) to move into third on the all-time wins list behind Don Shula (347) and George Halas (324).
  • Also after a Week 2 win over New Orleans, Tom Brady has 184 regular season wins and needs just three more this season to surpass Peyton Manning and Brett Favre (186 each) for the most regular season wins by a starting quarterback in NFL history. Brady already has the most overall wins by a starting QB with 209.
  • Tom Brady is tied with Peyton Manning for most Player of the Week awards with 27 and can set the NFL record with one in 2017.
  • The 2017 season is Brady’s 18th with the Patriots and he will break a tie with John Brodie (San Francisco) and Dan Marino (Miami) for the most seasons with one team by any NFL quarterback.
  • Stephen Gostkowski has 1,475 points and needs just 12 more to break into the top 20 in points scored in NFL history.
  • Matthew Slater has earned six Pro Bowl berths as a special teams player (2011-2016) and needs just one more invitation to match Steve Tasker (1987, 1990-1995) for the most special teams Pro Bowl honors in NFL history.
  • Rob Gronkowski needs one more 1,000-yard receiving season to join Tony Gonzalez and Jason Whitten (still active) for the most 1,000-yard seasons by a tight end (4).
  • Gronkowski had his 24th 100-yard game in New Orleans in Week 2, which ties him for second in NFL history among tight ends with Kellen Winslow behind only Gonzalez (31). He also ranks third in Patriots history in 100-yard games behind Stanley Morgan (38) and Wes Welker (28).
  • Gronkowski has 6,244 career receiving yards, which is fourth in team history. Heading into Week 3, he needs 123 yards to pass Troy Brown for third all-time behind Morgan (10,352) and Welker (7,459).
  • Gronkowski entered the 2017 season fourth all-time among NFL tight ends with 754 postseason receiving yards behind Dallas Clark (847), Keith Jackson (834) and Shannon Sharpe (814).
  • Gronkowski entered the 2017 season fifth all-time among NFL tight ends with 52 postseason receptions behind Clark (64), Jay Novacek (62), Sharpe (62) and Brent Jones (60).