Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

Patriots have 19 veterans who have always advanced to AFC title game

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The New England Patriots host the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC Championship Game on Sunday, and here are 10 fast facts to set the stage before media coverage kicks into a higher gear on Wednesday:

1. The Patriots have 19 veteran players who came from the draft or signed as a rookie free agent on the 53-man roster that have never experienced anything but advancing to the AFC Championship Game: Punter Ryan Allen, center David Andrews, running back Brandon Bolden, defensive tackle Malcom Brown, cornerback Malcolm Butler, long snapper Joe Cardona, offensive tackle Cameron Fleming, defensive end Trey Flowers, defensive end Geneo Grissom, safety Duron Harmon, cornerback Jonathan Jones, offensive lineman Ted Karras, safety Brandon King, guard Shaq Mason, safety Jordan Richards, linebacker Elandon Roberts, left tackle Nate Solder, guard Joe Thuney and running back James White.

2. Rob Gronkowski enters Sunday's game with 58 career postseason receptions, putting him within striking distance of Dallas Clark (64) for the most postseason receptions by a tight end in NFL history.

3. The Patriots will appear in their 14th conference championship game. Including Sunday, game has been played in Foxborough eight games. The Patriots are 9-4 in the AFC title game, including a 6-1 mark at home.

4. If the Patriots win, they will advance to their 10th Super Bowl in franchise history. That would extend their own record, with Dallas (8), Denver (8), Pittsburgh (8) and San Francisco (6) next in line.

5. Robert Kraft's 29 playoff wins rank him third in NFL history among owners, with only the Rooney family (36) and the community-owned Packers (34) ahead of him. Kraft has accumulated those wins in a shorter time frame, since 1994, while the total for the Rooney family accounts from 1933 and the Packers from 1919.

6. The Patriots are 21-4 at home in the playoffs. That is the all-time best home winning percentage (.840) in the playoffs, followed by Oakland (.792), Green Bay (.783), Denver (.773) and Washington (.722).

7. Bill Belichick will coach in his 38th postseason game, extending his own record set last week against Tennessee. Tom Landry (Dallas/36), Don Shula (Baltimore, Miami/36), Chuck Noll (Pittsburgh/24), Mike Holmgren (Green Bay, Seattle/24) and Joe Gibbs (Washington/24) are next in line.

8. Belichick will be a head coach in his 12th conference championship game, which extends his own record. Landry (10) is second.

9. Quarterback Tom Brady will appear in his 12th conference championship game, extending his own record. Gene Upshaw and George Blanda are tied for the next spot, with 10 apiece.

10. This will be Brady's 36th career postseason game, further distancing himself on the all-time list from Adam Vinatieri (30), Jerry Rice (29), D.D. Lewis (27) and Peyton Manning (27).

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