5 Things You Need to Know About Sunday's Patriots Game vs. New York Jets at Gillette Stadium

After playing four of their first six games on the road, the New England Patriots
will return to Foxborough and try to get an edge in the AFC East with a key division game against the rival New York Jets.

All four AFC East teams enter this week’s games with 3-3 records. It is the first time since realignment in 2002 that all of the teams in one division are tied for first place in Week 6 of the season or later.

The Patriots and Jets will meet for the 107th time Sunday, including three postseason games, since the series between the AFC East rivals began in 1960.

The Patriots earned their 14th sweep in the series last season following a 30-
21 win at Gillette Stadium on Oct. 9 and a 37-16 victory in the rematch at MetLife Stadium in a Sunday Night Football game on Nov. 13.

The Patriots sweep last season put them in front 53-52-1 in the all-time series. The Patriots are 28-25-1 all-time in home games against the Jets, including 24-19 overall in Foxborough and 8-4 at Gillette Stadium.

The teams have played in the postseason three times, a 1985 Wild Card game, a 2006 Wild Card game and an AFC Divisional game in 2010. New England beat the Jets, 26-14, in 1985 at the Meadowlands on their way to Super Bowl XX. In
2006, the Patriots defeated the Jets, 37-16, at Gillette Stadium. The Jets defeated the Patriots, 28-21, in the 2010 playoff game.

New England is 24-14 against the Jets since Robert Kraft purchased the team in 1994. New England’s 53 victories over the Jets (including two playoff wins) are the second most over any single opponent, trailing only Buffalo with 63 all-time wins.

The rivalry continues Sunday.

If you are not attending Sunday’s game at Gillette Stadium, you can watch the game on CBS at 4:25 p.m. Jim Nantz will handle play-by-play duties while Phil Simms will provide analysis. If you are unable to watch the game on TV, you can listen to the game on the Patriots Radio Flagship Station, 98.5 The Sports Hub. Gil Santos will provide play-by-play while Scott Zolak will provide analysis.

Here's five things you need to know about Sunday's game at Gillette Stadium.

1. Foxborough Parking Ban in Effect, Stadium Parking Information and Time Gates Open

Foxborough’s recently established parking bylaw that bans residents from parking vehicles on their property for a fee will be in effect Sunday. Those in violation of the parking ban will be subject to a $100 fine. Click here for more information. Foxborough Police Chief Edward O'Leary told Foxborough Patch there have been no violations of the parking ban to date.

As for parking along Route 1, parking lots will open for game day at 12:30 p.m. Gillette Stadium's gates open at 2:30 p.m. for admission to the game.

General Parking Rates for Gillette Stadium Lots

• $40 for cars
• $125 for RVs (enter P10 N from the North, Enter P11 from the South)
• $125 for Limos (enter P1 N from north or P7 S from the south)
• $200 for buses (Enter P10 N from the North, Enter P11 from the South)
• $40 for motorcycles (one per space)

All Gillette Stadium Lots are cash only.

2. Allow Plenty of Time for Traffic Around the Stadium

Drivers are advised to allow themselves plenty of time when travelling near the stadium on game day. Traffic restrictions will be in place on local roads before and after Sunday's game. Fans must use I-95, I-495 or Route 140 to access Gillette Stadium.

Click here to keep an eye on game day traffic with Patch’s live traffic feature.

3. The Dos and Don’ts at Gillette Stadium

No one wants to be "that fan" that doesn't know the stadium's security protocol. Be prepared on game day by reviewing the dos and don’ts at Gillette Stadium as well as other useful information about the facility:

• Ticket Policies
• Patron Screening
• Prohibited Items
• Acceptable Items
• Banner Policy
• Smoking Policy
• Medical Supplies or Dietary Considerations
• Fan Code of Conduct
• Security Assistance During an Event
• Lost & Found
• Letters of Disinvite
• Designated Driver Program

4. Patriots to Wear Throwback Jerseys Sunday

The Patriots will wear throwback uniforms that replicate the ones worn by the 1985 team this week. The Patriots wore throwback uniforms last season in the home game against the Jets, a 30-21 New England victory on Oct. 9, 2011. The Patriots will wear red jerseys with white pants and a white helmet featuring the ‘Pat Patriot’ logo with white facemasks. The Patriots are 8-3 in throwback uniforms.

5. Quick Hits About Sunday's Game at Gillette Stadium

• Division Dominance: The New England Patriots own a 54-15 (.783) record in regular season AFC East games since the beginning of the 2001 season, compiling the best intra-division record of any team in the NFL.
• Former Patriots that are Now Jets: Jets RB Lex Hilliard had a brief stint with the Patriots earlier this season. Hilliard was signed by New England on Sept. 4 and waived on Sept. 19. Hilliard appeared in two
  games for the Patriots and tallied one carry for two yards; Jets Quarterbacks Coach Matt Cavanaugh was a second round draft pick of the Patriots in 1978 and played for New England for five years (1978-82).
• Former Jets that are now Patriots: Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick spent the 1997-1999 seasons as assistant head coach/secondary for the Jets before moving to New England for the 2000 season. The 1998 Jets became AFC East Champions under Belichick’s guidance; Patriots Linebackers Coach Pepper Johnson played two seasons with the Jets (1997-98); Patriots RB Danny Woodhead was a member of the Jets in 2008 and through the first week of the 2010 season. Woodhead was released by the Jets on Sept. 14 and signed by the Patriots four days later; Patriots CB Marquice Cole played for the Jets from 2009-
  11.
• What to Watch For: With one touchdown pass against the Jets, Tom Brady will extend his streak to 39 straight games with at least one touchdown pass and continue his third longest streak all time, behind Drew Brees (48-current) and Johnny Unitas (47). Brady has 49 career 300 yard games in the regular season and needs one more to break a tie with Warren Moon (49) for 7th place all time. Brady has two rushing touchdowns in 2012 and needs one more to tie his single-season career high of three set in 2011; Stephen Gostkowski (7-of-10) needs one more 50-yard field goal to tie Adam Vinatieri (8-of-17) for most 50-yard
  field goals in Patriots history. Gostkowski has two 50-yarders so far in 2012 and can become the first Patriots player with three 50-yard field goals in a single season; Wes Welker has four straight 100-yard games and needs one against the Jets to set a team mark. He is tied with
  Randy Moss (2007) with four straight 100-yard games. Welker (16) needs one more 10-plus catch game to break a second place tie with Marvin Harrison (15) and tie Jerry Rice (17) for the most 10-catch games in NFL history. Welker has caught 10-plus catches in two straight games to tie his personal best. He had two back-to-back 10-plus catch games in 2009. If he has a 10-plus catch game against the Jets he will be the first with three straight 10-plus catch games since Andre Johnson of Houston in 2008. The NFL record for most consecutive 10-catch games is three by Johnson, Brett Perriman (1995) and Reggie Wayne (2007-08). Welker needs one reception to extend his streak to 84 straight regular-season games with at least one reception as a member of the Patriots to extend his franchise
  record. Welker has an overall streak of 100 straight regular-season games with at least one reception, including his time with the Miami Dolphins; The Patriots have gained at least 350 total yards in 15 consecutive games and need to accomplish the feat against the Jets to tie the 1999-2000 St. Louis Rams for the longest streak in NFL history. The Patriots ran 89 offensive plays vs. Denver (10/7) and 85 offensive plays at Seattle (10/14). If they have 80 or plays against the Jets they will be the first team to do so in three straight games since the 1983 Dallas Cowboys.

Note: Information courtesy of Patriots Media Relations Department.