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There are so many football fans out there that despise the New England Patriots or, even worse, try to dispute the hard fact that the Pats are the greatest football team in history.
But, don’t just take our word for it – we’ve got 61 reasons the Pats are the best ever, courtesy of SB Nation:
Records the Patriots Currently Have:
Individual
- Most games played: Tom Brady, seven
- Most wins as a player: Brady, five (tied with Charles Haley, 49ers/Cowboys)
- Most games coached: Bill Belichick, seven
- Most wins as a coach: Belichick, five
- Most points, game: James White, 20 vs. Falcons
- Most touchdowns, game: James White, three vs. Falcons (tied with four players)
- Most passes attempted, career: Brady, 309
- Most passes attempted, game: Brady, 62 vs. Falcons
- Most passes completed, career: Brady, 207
- Most passes completed, game: Brady, 43 vs. Falcons
- Most passing yards, career: Brady, 2,071
- Most passing yards, game: Brady, 466 vs. Falcons
- Most passing touchdowns, career: Brady, 15
- Most passing attempts without an interception, game: Brady, 48 vs. Giants 2008
- Most consecutive completions, game: Brady, 16 vs. Giants 2012
- Most receptions, game: White, 14 vs. Falcons
- Most field goals attempted, career: Adam Vinatieri’s six with the Patriots would tie for first place, but he’s outright No. 1 via his four with the Colts.
- Most field goals made, career: Vinatieri again, four for the Patriots (which would only be second place) and three for the Colts.
- Most PATs: Vinatieri’s 11 as a Patriot would be the record, though he also added two with the Colts. Current Patriots kicker Stephen Gostkowski has eight.
- Most two-point conversions, game: Three Patriots (tied with seven others)
- Longest punt: Ryan Allen, 64 yards vs. Seahawks
- Most punt returns, career: Troy Brown, 8
Team
- Most team appearances: Nine
- Most passing yards: 442 vs. Falcons
- Most passing yards by both teams: 682 vs. Falcons
- Most passes attempted: 63 vs. Falcons
- Most passes completed: 43 vs. Falcons
- Most times sacked: Seven vs. Bears (tied with two teams)
- Fewest times sacked: Zero vs. Panthers (tied with 11 teams)
- Most rushing touchdowns allowed: Four vs. Bears
- Fewest rushing yards: Seven vs. Bears
- Lowest yards per carry average, game: 0.64 vs. Bears
- Most first downs: 37 vs. Falcons
- Most first downs by both teams: 54 vs. Falcons
- Most passing first downs: 26 vs. Falcons
- Most passing first downs by both teams: 39 vs. Falcons
- Fewest rushing first downs: One, by two Patriots teams (tied with two other teams)
- Most first downs by penalty: Four vs. Falcons (tied with six teams)
- Most two-point conversions: Two vs. Falcons
- Fewest turnovers: Zero vs. Rams (tied with 19 teams)
- Fewest takeaways: Zero by two Patriots teams (tied with 18 teams)
- Fewest fumbles, game: Zero by four Patriots teams (tied with 22 teams)
- Fewest fumbles by both teams: Zero vs. Packers (tied with three others)
- Most penalties: The Panthers committed 12 against the Patriots (tied with two teams)
- Most penalties by both teams: 20 vs. Panthers (tied with one other)
- Fewest field goal attempts in a game, both teams: One (three different Patriots Super Bowls)
- Most punt returns allowed: Six vs. Packers (tied with one other)
- Most punt returns by both teams: 10 vs. Packers
- Most punt return yardage allowed: 90 vs. Packers
- Most punt return yardage by both teams: 120 vs. Packers
- Fewest punt returns: Zero vs. Giants 2012 (tied with eight teams)
- Most kick return touchdowns allowed: One vs. Packers (tied with nine others)
- Fewest kick returns allowed: Zero vs. Seahawks
- Fewest kick return yards allowed: Zero vs. Seahawks
- Fewest kick returns by both teams: Three vs. Seahawks
- Fewest kick return yards by both teams: 49 vs. Seahawks
- Most points scored in a first quarter: 14 vs. Packers
- Most points in a first quarter, both teams: 24 vs. Packers
- Most points in a fourth quarter, both teams: 37 vs. Panthers
- Most points allowed in a third quarter: 21 vs. Bears
- Most points scored in an overtime: 6 vs. Falcons
Records That the Patriots Could Obtain:
- Most wins: Six (tying Steelers)
- Most consecutive wins: Two (tying seven other teams, including a previous Patriots back-to-back)
- Most losses: Five (tying Broncos)
- Average yards per punt, career (minimum 10 punts): Through eight Super Bowl punts, Allen’s at 45.25. The record’s 46.5, by Kansas City’s Jerrel Wilson.
So, there you go...
SOURCE: SB Nation