Bills Defeat Pats at Gillette Stadium for First Time

12/29/2014

New England finished the 2014 regular season with a 12-4 record and the top seed in the AFC playoffs. The Patriots have now earned the number one seed five times (2014, 2011, 2010, 2007, and 2003). New England’s 12 wins marks the ninth time in franchise history that the Patriots have recorded 12 or more victories in the regular season, and it is the ninth time in the last 12 years that the Patriots have had at least 12 regular season wins. The Patriots have had at least 12 wins in five straight seasons dating back to 2010. The Patriots finished with a 12-4 regular season record for the third straight year.

PATRIOTS END NFL-RECORD STREAK OF 35 STRAIGHT HOME WINS AGAINST CONFERENCE OPPONENTS
New England’s loss to Buffalo ended a streak of 35 straight wins at home against AFC conference opponents. The Patriots’ 35 straight home wins against a conference is the longest in NFL history (following the 1970 merger). The Miami Dolphins are second in NFL history with 21 straight home conference wins (1971-1974). Prior the loss to Buffalo, the Patriots last loss at home against an AFC opponent was a 33-10 loss vs. Pittsburgh on Nov. 30, 2008.

PATRIOTS FINISH SEASON WITH 468 POINTS AND 52 TOUCHDOWNS
The Patriots finished the 2014 season with 52 touchdowns, marking the eighth time in franchise history that New England has scored at least 50 touchdowns in a season. New England totaled 468 points in 2014, a total that ranks fifth in team history.

PATRIOTS SECOND HALF DEFENSE
The Patriots defense shut out the Bills in the second half. The Patriots have now gone six straight games without allowing a second half touchdown. The last time the Patriots allowed a second half touchdown was in the fourth quarter of the win vs. Indianapolis on Nov. 16. The Patriots have allowed just 12 second half points during that six-game stretch. The Patriots had shutouts in the second half three times (at Green bay, at San Diego and vs. Buffalo).

PATRIOTS SNAP 17-GAME HOME WINNING STREAK AGAINST THE AFC EAST
Prior to the loss to Buffalo, the Patriots had won their last 17 consecutive home games against AFC East opposition. Before the loss to Buffalo, the last time the Patriots lost a home game against an AFC East opponent was on Nov. 13, 2008, when the New York Jets left Gillette Stadium with a 34-31 overtime win. The Patriots’ 17-game streak ties Buffalo’s 17 straight home divisional wins from 1988-92 for the second longest since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. The Green Bay Packers (1994-98) own the record with 18 straight home wins against division opponents.

PATRIOTS SNAP STREAK OF 16 STRAIGHT HOME WINS
The Patriots ended their streak of 16 consecutive regular-season victories at home. Prior to the Buffalo loss, the Patriots had not lost a regular-season home game since December 16, 2012, when San Francisco left Foxborough with a 41-34 win.

PATRIOTS FALL TO BUFFALO AT GILLETTE FOR FIRST TIME
Prior to the Buffalo game, the Patriots had won their last 14 home games against Buffalo, and had a perfect 13-0 record against the Bills at Gillette Stadium.

2015 OPPONENTS DETERMINED
The Patriots 2015 opponents have been determined. In addition to playing each of the other AFC East opponents twice, the Patriots will play one game against each of the AFC South and NFC East teams. As the first-place team in the AFC East, the Patriots will play the first-place team of the AFC North (Pittsburgh or Cincinnati) and AFC West (Denver).

Home: Buffalo, Miami., NY Jets, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh/Cincinnati*

Away: Buffalo, Miami., NY Jets, Houston, Indianapolis, Dallas, NY Giants, Denver *-The winner of the Pittsburgh-Cincinnati game on Dec. 28 will be the Patriots’ AFC North opponent in 2015.

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