FOXBOROUGH – In 2001, the Patriots finished the regular season with an 11-5 record, and that was good enough to get a bye in the AFC playoffs.In 2006, they were 12-4 and didn’t get a bye.Two years later, they were 11-5, again, and didn’t even make the playoffs. Now, this year, they have a chance to repeat that 11-5 mark (a win over the Houston Texans will accomplish that feat) and – outside of the fact that the game will be played for seeding purposes – it won’t mean a thing. Because a 10-5 mark, with one game to go, was good enough to clinch an AFC East title for the Patriots.So, the question was posed to coach Bill Belichick that, perhaps, he was frustrated by the seeming randomness of records and how they translate into playoff positions.”No, not really,” Belichick said. “It’s football. Every season’s different. You measure your success against the other teams, and how you do in relation to the rest of them.”Last year,” he said, “we didn’t do enough – in relation to the other teams – to make the playoffs. This year, we did.”I mean, in 2001 we were 11-5 and we got a bye,” he said.The Patriots certainly didn’t take the win for granted, even though this is their eighth division title in 10 years ? and the seventh straight year (and eighth out of nine) they’ve won at least 10 games.”This feels (great),” said running back Fred Taylor, who played his first game since suffering an injury early in the season. “It’s been about nine years since I’ve had a hat and a T-shirt, so I’m definitely going to frame mine up, box it up, throw it in the attic. Memories, man. That’s what it’s all about.”Another player seriously happy about winning this division was quarterback Tom Brady.”It’s been a long journey,” he said. “We started the year at home ? not in the playoffs.”And for him, personally, the year also started with him rehabbing the torn ACL that made him miss all but one quarter of the 2008 season.”At this time last year, we were sitting around, hoping teams would lose,” he said. “So it’s nice to be back in the playoffs.”For the third week in a row, receiver Wes Welker had double-digit figures in receptions (13) and yards (138). He is also up to 122 for the season, easily surpassing his previous personal best (and team best) 112 (a figure he achieved in 2007).In addition, Welker had his seventh 10-plus reception game of the season, which tied an NFL record for most double-digit receptions (along with Andre Johnson of Houston).”I never envisioned (putting together this type of season for three years),” Welker said. “I knew my numbers would probably go up just having (Tom) Brady and the type of offense we’re in, and things like that. I never knew it would be like this. Definitely, I’m very blessed to be a Patriot and to be here. Hopefully, we’ll just keep it going.”The Patriots finished the regular season perfect at home – the fourth time in this decade that has happened. They were also 8-0 at Gillette in 2003, 2004, and – of course – 2007, when they were 16-0. Since Gillette opened in 2003, the Pats are 60-12 (.833). They are also a perfect 7-0 in playoff games at the stadium.The Patriots came out with a balanced offense, with all their backs running hard, and well. The only fly in the ointment came on the opening drive, when Laurence Maroney fumbled on the goal line.Maroney never saw the field thereafter.But Taylor – who served as a mentor for Maurice Jones-Drew in Jacksonville – tried to lift Maroney’s spirits.”We talked throughout the game,” Taylor said. “I just told him that in all situations, try to pull something positive from it. God works in mysterious ways ? we all know that. I just told him that whether good or bad, it happened for a reason. So just be patient and keep your head up.”It could have been a pivotal turning point, but the Patriots’ defense held on a fourth-down try, and New England scored its first touchdown of the day shortly thereafter.