| 2012 New England Patriots season | |
|---|---|
| Owner | Robert Kraft |
| Head coach | Bill Belichick |
| Home field | Gillette Stadium |
| Results | |
| Record | 12–4 |
| Division place | 1st AFC East |
| Playoff finish | Won Divisional Playoffs (vs. Texans) 41–28 Lost AFC Championship (vs. Ravens) 13–28 |
| Pro Bowlers | Tom Brady, QB Wes Welker, WR Matthew Slater, ST Rob Gronkowski, TE Logan Mankins, G Vince Wilfork, DT Jerod Mayo, MLB |
| Uniform | |
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The 2012 season was the New England Patriots' 43rd in the National Football League (NFL) and their 53rd overall. The Patriots did not improve upon their 13–3 record from 2011, finishing at 12–4, but did win the AFC East for the fourth season in a row, and a first-round bye as one of the top two seeds in the AFC for the third consecutive year. This season marked head coach Bill Belichick's 13th season as Patriots head coach, and the 11th season in which the Patriots played all of their home games at Gillette Stadium.
The 2012 Patriots featured a prolific offense that broke the record for first downs in a season, with 444, and finished third all-time in scoring, with 557 points, finishing only behind the 2011 Green Bay Packers and their previous 2007 record setting season. Additionally, this was the third consecutive season that the Patriots exceeded 500 points scored, which tied the record set by the 1999-2001 St. Louis Rams. The Patriots also ranked first in the league with a turnover margin of +25.[1]
The Patriots' 12-win season marked their tenth consecutive 10-win season, a feat exceeded only by the San Francisco 49ers' streak of 16, from 1983 to 1998, and their twelfth consecutive winning season. They defeated the Houston Texans in the divisional round 41–28 before losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship game 28–13, marking their first and only AFC title game loss at home. As of 2024, this was the last time the Patriots swept their division.
- ^ Mayer, Larry (January 7, 2013). "Reviewing Bears season by the numbers". Chicago Bears. Archived from the original on October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2013.