NEW ORLEANS (5-0) at NEW ENGLAND (4-1)
Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET, Fox
OPENING LINE – Patriots by 2 1/2
RECORD VS. SPREAD – New Orleans 4-1, New England 2-3
SERIES RECORD – Patriots lead 8-4
LAST MEETING – Saints beat Patriots 38-17, Nov. 30, 2009
LAST WEEK – Saints beat Bears 26-18; Bengals beat Patriots 13-6
AP PRO32 RANKING – Saints No. 2; Patriots No. 7
SAINTS OFFENSE – OVERALL (4), RUSH (26), PASS (2)
SAINTS DEFENSE – OVERALL (11T), RUSH (18), PASS (12)
PATRIOTS OFFENSE – OVERALL (18), RUSH (14), PASS (21)
PATRIOTS DEFENSE – OVERALL (16), RUSH (23), PASS (14)
STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES – Tom Brady’s chance to tie Drew Brees on Sunday for most consecutive regular-season games with TD pass (54) ended vs. Bengals at 52. … Patriots have allowed second-fewest points per game (14) in NFL. Saints are fourth (14.6). … Saints are 5-0 for second time in four years. … In last game against Patriots, Brees threw for 371 yards and five TDs with highest possible passer rating of 158.3. … TE Jimmy Graham is tied for second in NFL with 37 catches after making 10 last Sunday; has at least 100 yards receiving in four consecutive games; and can break tie for longest streak by tight end in NFL history Sunday. … RBs Darren Sproles and Pierre Thomas have combined for 54 catches for 474 yards and three TDs while rushing for 240 yards and one TD. … DE Cameron Jordan has four sacks in last four games. … Saints held first five opponents under 20 points for first time since 2000. They allowed second-most points in 2012. … Saints lead NFL in time of possession at 34:37. … Brady failed to throw TD pass last time he faced Saints in 11th game of 2009. His streak began in 2010 opener. … Patriots coming off lowest scoring game since Dec. 10, 2006, 21-0 loss to Miami. … Only winless Jacksonville has been less successful than Patriots at scoring TDs inside red zone. … WR Danny Amendola had four catches against Bengals after missing previous three games with groin injury. … CB Aqib Talib tied for NFL lead with four interceptions. … Patriots TEs have combined for five receptions while Rob Gronkowski sat out first five games recovering from surgeries on left forearm and back. … Coach Bill Belichick’s next win would be his 210th, breaking tie with Chuck Noll for fifth all-time.
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AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org
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