ROOKIE RECORDS: Two rookie quarterbacks – Seattle’s RUSSELL WILSON and Indianapolis’ ANDREW LUCK – have moved into the top five among all-time rookie touchdown pass leaders.
Wilson totaled four touchdowns (three rushing, one passing) in Seattle’s 50-17 win over Buffalo in Toronto. He has 21 touchdown passes this season, tying CAM NEWTON (2011) for the third-most TD passes by a rookie in NFL history. Wilson is the first player ever to have three rushing touchdowns and a passing touchdown in the first half of a game.
Luck threw two touchdown passes in the Colts’ 29-17 loss at Houston, bringing his season total to 20. He tied ANDY DALTON (2011) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (1983) for the fifth-most TD passes by a rookie.
The rookie quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes in NFL history:
| MOST TD PASSES BY ROOKIE QB | ||||
| PLAYER | TEAM | YEAR | TDs | |
| Peyton Manning | Indianapolis | 1998 | 26 | |
| Charlie Conerly | N.Y. Giants | 1948 | 22 | |
| Russell Wilson | Seattle | 2012 | 21* | |
| Cam Newton | Carolina | 2011 | 21 | |
| Indianapolis | 2012 | 20* | ||
| Andy Dalton | Cincinnati | 2011 | 20 | |
| Dan Marino | Miami | 1983 | 20 | |
| *Through 14 games |
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YARD WORK: Three quarterbacks – New England’s TOM BRADY, Denver’s PEYTON MANNING and Dallas’ TONY ROMO – reached the 4,000-yard mark for at least the fourth time in their careers this weekend.
Manning passed for 204 yards and a touchdown in the Broncos’ 34-17 win at Baltimore. Manning, who has 4,016 passing yards this season, extended his NFL record by recording his 12th career 4,000-yard season. Manning, in his first season with Denver, is the fifth player in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards with two different teams. He joins DREW BLEDSOE, BRETT FAVRE, Pro Football Hall of Famer WARREN MOON and KURT WARNER.
Brady compiled 443 passing yards in the Patriots’ 41-34 loss to San Francisco on Sunday Night Football. Brady (4,276) became the fifth quarterback with at least five 4,000-yard passing seasons. Brady also joined Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO, DREW BREES and MATTHEW STAFFORD as the only players to pass for at least 4,000 yards following a 5,000-yard season.
Romo threw for 341 yards and two touchdowns in the Cowboys’ 27-24 overtime win over Pittsburgh. Romo has 4,269 passing yards this season and reached the milestone for the fourth time in his career, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer WARREN MOON and PHILIP RIVERS for the sixth-most such seasons.
The quarterbacks with the most 4,000-yard passing seasons:
| MOST 4,000-YARD PASSING SEASONS | |
| PLAYER | SEASONS |
| Peyton Manning* | 12^ |
| Drew Brees* | 7^ |
| Dan Marino | 6 |
| Brett Favre | 6 |
| Tom Brady* | 5^ |
| Tony Romo* | 4^ |
| Warren Moon | 4 |
| Philip Rivers* | 4 |
| *Active ^Includes 2012 |
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