Postgame notes from the Patriots' 27-16 victory over the Steelers, courtesy of the Pats' P.R. department:
TEAM MILESTONES
-- The Patriots are 6-1 and have won at least six of their first seven games for the eighth time in team history and the sixth time under coach Bill Belichick. The Pats started 7-0 in 2007 and 2015, and 6-1 in 1974, 1980, 2004, 2006, 2010 and 2016.
-- The Patriots extended their franchise record of games at the start of a season without an interception to seven. (The previous team record was four, set last year.) The NFL record is nine, set by the 1960 Browns, and the 2008 Redskins had eight.
INDIVIDUAL MILESTONES
-- Rob Gronkowski tied Stanley Morgan's franchise record for most touchdowns (68) and most touchdown receptions (67).
-- The TD pass caught by Gronkowski was the 66th he's caught from Tom Brady, putting the two of them in seventh place in NFL history for most quarterback-to-receiver touchdowns. They trail Peyton Manning/Marvin Harrison (112), Steve Young/Jerry Rice (85), Dan Marino/Mark Clayton (79), Philip Rivers/Antonio Gates (79), Drew Brees/Marques Colson (72) and Manning/Reggie Wayne (67). Sunday's Brady-to-Gronkowski TD broke a tie at 65 with Jim Kelly/Andre Reed.
New England Patriots
-- Gronkowski now has 5,930 career receiving yards, 14th-best among tight ends in NFL history. His 93 yards Sunday moved him past Todd Heap (5,869) and Todd Christensen (5,872).
-- LeGarrette Blount rushed for 127 yards, his third 100-yard game of the season and 13th of his career.