WORKING OVERTIME : In a season filled with close finishes, 11 games have been decided in overtime in 2010. Of those 11, both teams had at least one possession in 10 of those contents (90.9 percent). If that percentage holds, it would be the highest of any season since 1994, when the NFL moved the kickoff spot back five yards from the 35- to the 30-yard line.
Since 1994, the highest percentage of overtime games in a season in which both teams had at least one possession is 71.4, which occurred twice (1995, 15 of 21; 1996, 10 of 14).
-- NFL --
SECOND-HALF SURGES : Since 2000, 27 teams have reached the halfway point of the season with a .500 or below winning percentage and made the playoffs, including at least one in every season.
In each of the past four seasons, at least three teams started 4-4 or worse and rebounded to make the playoffs, the longest such streak in NFL history.
The teams since 2006 that started the season at .500 or below through eight games and earned a playoff berth :
YEAR
TEAM
RECORD
(8 GAMES)
FINAL
RECORD
PLAYOFF RESULTS
2006
Dallas
4-4
9-7
Advanced to Wild Card
2006
N.Y. Jets
4-4
10-6
Advanced to Wild Card
2006
Philadelphia
4-4
10-6
Advanced to Divisional
2007
San Diego
4-4
11-5
Advanced to AFC Championship
2007
Seattle
4-4
10-6
Advanced to Divisional
2007
Tampa Bay
4-4
9-7
Advanced to Wild Card
2008
Indianapolis
4-4
12-4
Advanced to Wild Card
2008
Miami
4-4
11-5
Advanced to Wild Card
2008
Minnesota
4-4
10-6
Advanced to Wild Card
2008
San Diego
3-5
8-8
Advanced to Divisional
2009
Green Bay
4-4
11-5
Advanced to Wild Card
2009
N.Y. Jets
4-4
9-7
Advanced to AFC Championship
2009
Baltimore
4-4
9-7
Advanced to Divisional
-- NFL --
GIVE ME FIVE : Tennessee running back CHRIS JOHNSON, who has 3,955 rushing yards on 787 attempts (5.0 average) in his NFL career, will play in his 40th game on Sunday when the Titans visit Miami.
If Johnson rushes for at least 45 yards against the Dolphins while maintaining his 5.0 yards-per-carry career average, he would become the fourth player in NFL history to rush for 4,000 yards and average 5.0 yards per carry or better in his first 40 games.
Players with 4,000 rushing yards and a 5.0 yards-per-attempt average in their first 40 games :
PLAYER
ATT.
YARDS
AVG.
Jim Brown
821
4,230
5.15
Adrian Peterson
806
4,100
5.09
Clinton Portis
807
4,044
5.01
*Chris Johnson
787
3,955
5.03
- Through 39 games
QUICK VICK : Philadelphia quarterback MICHAEL VICK needs 25 rushing yards against Washington on Monday night to surpass Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback STEVE YOUNG (4,239) for the second-most rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL history.
Vick currently ranks third with 4,215 career rushing yards, trailing only Young and RANDALL CUNNINGHAM (4,928).
The quarterbacks with the most rushing yards in NFL history :
PLAYER
TEAMS
YARDS
Randall Cunningham
Philadelphia, Minnesota, Dallas, Baltimore
4,928
Steve Young
Tampa Bay, San Francisco
4,239
*Michael Vick
Atlanta, Philadelphia
4,215
Fran Tarkenton
Minnesota, N.Y. Giants
3,674
Steve McNair
Hou./Ten. Oilers/Titans, Baltimore
3,590
- Active
-- NFL --
RECEIVING LEADERS MEET : Sunday's Bengals-Colts game will feature three of the top five receiving yardage leaders of the past 10 years (2001-present). Cincinnati wide receiver TERRELL OWENS leads all NFL players with 10,963 receiving yards during that span, while CHAD OCHOCINCO (10,425) and Indianapolis wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE (10,117) rank fourth and fifth, respectively.
The players with the most receiving yards since 2001 :
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
YARDS
*Terrell Owens
San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo, Cincinnati
10,963
Torry Holt
St. Louis, Jacksonville
10,959
Randy Moss*
Minnesota, Oakland, New England, Tennessee
10,615
*Chad Ochocinco
Cincinnati
10,425
*Reggie Wayne
Indianapolis
10,117
- Active
-- NFL --
REED AND REACT : Baltimore Ravens safety ED REED averages 26.9 yards per return on his 49 career interceptions (1,319 yards). With an interception against Atlanta on Thursday night, Reed would become the fourth player in NFL history with 50 INTs to average at least 20.0 yards per interception return.
Reed, who has three interceptions in his past two games, would join Pro Football Hall of Famer ROD WOODSON (20.9) DEION SANDERS (25.1) and DARREN SHARPER (22.4) as the only players to accomplish the feat.
The players with 50 career interceptions and a 20.0 return average in NFL history :
PLAYER
INTs
YARDS
AVG.
Deion Sanders
53
1,331
25.1
Darren Sharper*
63
1,412
22.4
Rod Woodson
71
1,483
20.9
*Ed Reed
49
1,319
26.9
- Active
Reed also needs 13 interception-return yards to surpass Sanders for the third-most in NFL annals :
PLAYER
INT RETURN YARDS
Rod Woodson
1,483
Darren Sharper*
1,412
Deion Sanders
1,331
*Ed Reed
1,319
Emlen Tunnell
1,282
- Active
BRAD TO THE BONE : St. Louis rookie quarterback SAM BRADFORD, the top choice in the 2010 NFL Draft, has completed 171 of 292 passes for 1,674 yards with 11 touchdowns for the Rams, who are currently tied for first in the NFC West.
Midway through his first professional season, Bradford is on pace to set NFL rookie records for passing attempts (584 projected) and completions (342) and projects to finish among the all-time top five in passing yards (3,348) and passing touchdowns (22) among rookie QBs.
The all-time NFL rookie passing leaders in attempts, completions, yards and touchdowns :
ATTEMPTS
COMPLETIONS
YEAR
ATT.
YEAR
COMP.
Peyton Manning, Ind.
1998
575
Peyton Manning, Ind.
1998
326
Chris Weinke, Car.
2001
540
Chris Weinke, Car.
2001
293
Rick Mirer, Sea.
1993
486
Rick Mirer, Sea.
1993
274
David Carr, Hou.
2002
444
Matt Ryan, Atl.
2008
265
Jim Zorn, Sea.
1976
439
Joe Flacco, Bal.
2008
257
Sam Bradford, St.L.
2010
*584
Sam Bradford, St.L.
2010
*342
YARDS
TOUCHDOWNS
YEAR
YARDS
YEAR
TDs
Peyton Manning, Ind.
1998
3,739
Peyton Manning, Ind.
1998
26
Matt Ryan, Atl.
2008
3,440
Charlie Conerly, NYG
1948
22
Joe Flacco, Bal.
2008
2,971
Dan Marino, Mia.
1983
20
Chris Weinke, Car.
2001
2,931
Jim Plunkett, NE
1971
19
Rick Mirer, Sea.
1993
2,833
Fran Tarkenton, Min.
1961
18
Joe Namath, NYJ
1965
18
Sam Bradford, St.L.
2010
*3,348
Sam Bradford, St.L.
2010
*22
- Projected
-- NFL --
SUH-PENDOUS : Detroit Lions rookie defensive tackle NDAMUKONG SUH, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, has 6.5 sacks, tops among rookies and the most by any defensive tackle this season.
Through eight games, Suh is on pace for 13 sacks, which would surpass DANA STUBBLEFIELD's record for sacks by a rookie defensive tackle (10.5 in 1993) since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. Suh is also within striking distance of the rookie sack record, regardless of position. JEVON KEARSE (14.5 sacks in 1999) is the current record holder.
The highest sack totals by rookies (since 1982) :
PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
SACKS
Jevon Kearse
Tennessee
1999
14.5
Dwight Freeney
Indianapolis
2002
13.0
Leslie O'Neal
San Diego
1986
12.5
Simeon Rice
Arizona
1996
12.5
Multiple players tied
12.0
Ndamukong Suh
Detroit
2010
*13.0
- Projected
