--Another statistic that bodes well for the Patriots: They're 42-12 in divisional play since the beginning of the 2001 season. That record is the best intra-division record of any team in the NFL over the last eight seasons. So far, they are 3-1 against AFC East foes in 2009.

--RB Laurence Maroney tied a team record with a touchdown in his sixth consecutive game Monday. He scored twice against the Saints, giving him eight for the season, which also ties a career high. The team record for most consecutive games with at least one touchdown is seven, set by Curtis Martin in 1996.

--WR Wes Welker racked up another big game Monday with six receptions, the sixth consecutive game in which he's reached that total. Marvin Harrison holds the NFL record with 16 consecutive games catching six or more passes, set during the 2002-03 seasons.

--In what may qualify more as an NFL oddity, the New England Patriots became the first team Monday night to play seven teams with undefeated records during a single season.

That list is somewhat deceiving, however, since it includes the Buffalo Bills, who were 0-0 at the time, and the 1-0 Jets, whom the Patriots lost to in Week 2.

--The Patriots set a new low for defensive futility Monday by allowing Drew Brees to throw five touchdown passes against their overmatched secondary.

The last time a quarterback torched New England for five touchdowns was in 1996 when Dan Marino accomplished the feat at the age of 35. Marino only had 17 total touchdowns that year.

--While Tom Brady did pass Drew Bledsoe to become the franchise leader in yardage (29,732), his streak of consecutive games with 300 yards or more passing came to an end Monday night. Brady, with five straight 300-yard games, needed just one more to tie the NFL record held by Steve Young, Kurt Warner and Rich Gannon.

BY THE NUMBERS: 17 -- The number of consecutive games the Patriots had won against NFC teams prior to Monday's loss to New Orleans, a streak that began in 2005.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think everybody in this room has some degree of notoriety. You have to understand what comes along with that and try to make the best decisions you can." -- Patriots QB Tom Brady in reference to questions regarding golfer Tiger Woods' recent controversy.