- The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS defeated Buffalo 23-3 and improved to 10-2. The Patriots have won at least 10 games in 15 consecutive seasons, the second-longest streak in NFL history (16, San Francisco, 1983-1998).
New England quarterback TOM BRADY passed for 258 yards in today’s win and became the fourth player in NFL history to reach 65,000 career passing yards (65,214), joining PEYTON MANNING (71,940), Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (71,838) and DREW BREES (69,409).
In his career, Brady has won 55 games in December, the most by a starting quarterback in any calendar month in NFL history.
- New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES completed 25 of 34 passes (73.5 percent) for 269 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions for a 106.1 passer rating in the Saints’ 31-21 win over Carolina. Brees has 6,127 career completions and surpassed PEYTON MANNING (6,125) for the second-most completions in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (6,300) has more career completions.
Saints rookie running back ALVIN KAMARA had 126 scrimmage yards – 66 receiving and 60 rushing – in today’s win. This season, Kamara has 614 receiving yards and 606 rushing yards and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer CHARLEY TAYLOR (1964) and BILLY SIMS (1980) as the only rookies in NFL history to have at least 600 rushing yards and 600 receiving yards.
New Orleans running backs Kamara (126 scrimmage yards with two touchdowns) and MARK INGRAM (122 scrimmage yards with a touchdown) combined for 248 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns. It marked the fifth consecutive game in which Kamara and Ingram combined for 200+ scrimmage yards.
- Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver KEENAN ALLEN had 10 catches for 105 yards and a touchdown in the team’s 19-10 win over Cleveland. Allen is the first player in NFL history to have at least 10 catches, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in three consecutive games.
- Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD had 10 catches for 98 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals’ loss against the Los Angeles Rams. Fitzgerald has 1,207 career catches and became the third player in NFL history to reach 1,200 receptions, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (1,549) and TONY GONZALEZ (1,325). Fitzgerald, who played in his 214th career game, is the fastest player in NFL history to reach the milestone (Rice, 221 games and Gonzalez, 247).
Fitzgerald has 82 receptions this season, his 10th career season with at least 75 catches. Only Rice (13) has more such seasons in NFL history.
Fitzgerald has 15,267 career receiving yards and surpassed ISAAC BRUCE (15,208) to move into fourth place on the NFL’s all-time receiving yards list.
Indianapolis running back FRANK GORE rushed for 61 yards in the Colts’ loss at Jacksonville. Gore, who has 13,697 career rushing yards, moved into fifth place on the NFL’s all-time rushing list and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famers LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (13,684) and JEROME BETTIS (13,662). The only players with more career rushing yards are Hall of Famers EMMITT SMITH (18,355), WALTER PAYTON (16,726), BARRY SANDERS (15,269) and CURTIS MARTIN (14,101).
- Minnesota quarterback CASE KEENUM completed 25 of 30 passes (83.3 percent) for 227 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 120.4 passer rating in the Vikings’ 14-9 win at Atlanta.
Keenum, who had a 114 passer rating in three November games and was named the NFC Offensive Player of the Month, has posted a passer rating of at least 100 in four consecutive games, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (2009) and DAUNTE CULPEPPER (2000 and 2004) for the longest streak in franchise history.
- New York Jets wide receivers JERMAINE KEARSE (157 yards) and ROBBY ANDERSON (107) each had at least 100 receiving yards in the team’s 38-31 win over Kansas City.
Last week against Carolina, Anderson (146 yards) and Kearse (105) also had 100-yard receiving games. The duo is the first set of Jets teammates to each have at least 100 receiving yards in consecutive games since 1967 (Weeks 16-17) when Pro Football Hall of Famer DON MAYNARD and GEORGE SAUER accomplished the feat for New York.
- Green Bay rookie running back AARON JONES rushed for the game-winning 20-yard touchdown with 5:59 remaining in overtime of the Packers’ 26-20 win over Tampa Bay. Green Bay has played 41 overtime games in franchise history (including the postseason) and Jones is only the second Packers player all-time to score a rushing touchdown in overtime (JIM HARGROVE, October 18, 1987).
Chicago rookie running back TARIK COHEN had a 61-yard punt-return touchdown in the Bears’ loss against San Francisco. Cohen is the first player since TERRY METCALF (1975) and the first rookie since Pro Football Hall of Famer GALE SAYERS (1965) to have a punt-return touchdown, rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown and passing touchdown in a single season.
