Bill Belichick, Tom Brady, and the Patriots’ eight straight division titles
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The Patriots have won an NFL-record eight straight division titles. Here are some fast facts about where this feat — and the others that come along with it — ranks in NFL annals:
■ Bill Belichick and Tom Brady have won 14 division titles in their 16 years together in New England. They have twice as many division titles as the next coach-quarterback duo. Terry Bradshaw and Chuck Noll won seven.)
■ The Patriots are bound for the playoffs for the eighth straight year, the longest active streak and tied for the second-longest streak in league history. Dallas, from 1975-83, and Indianapolis, from 2002-10, each went nine straight times.
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■ New England has had a first-round bye 11 times since 2001, the most in the NFL and more than double than the next team. Denver has had five.
■ The Patriots are tied with the 2003-09 Colts for most consecutive 12-win seasons (seven).
■ New England is tied for second-most 12-win seasons (11) since the 1970 merger. San Francisco has 13.
■ Belichick is one win away from reaching 200 regular-season victories as the Patriots’ head coach.
■ Brady has the second-best winning percentage in December for a quarterback in the Super Bowl era. He is 53-10 for a .841 winning percentage. Roger Staubach was 17-3 in December for a .850 winning percentage.
Follow Rachel G. Bowers on Twitter @RachelGBowers.