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SUNDAY ENDS:The Atlanta Falcons (8-0) remained undefeated with a 19-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Atlanta tight end TONY GONZALEZrecorded four receptions for 36 yards and Dallas tight end JASON WITTEN caught seven passes for 51 yards.
Gonzalez now has 50 receptions this season and 1,199 for his career, second all-time behind Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (1,549). Gonzalez is the only player in NFL history with 15 consecutive 50-reception seasons and joins Rice (17) as the only players in NFL history with 15 50-reception seasons
Witten has 58 receptions in 2012, marking his ninth consecutive 50-catch season, the second-most by a tight end behind Gonzalez. Witten (754) surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (750) for the most receptions in franchise history.
Gonzalez and Witten rank among the top three tight ends in all-time receptions and receiving yards:
* *
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
RECEPTIONS
RECEIVING YARDS
Tony Gonzalez
Kansas City, Atlanta
1,199
13,833
Shannon Sharpe*
Denver, Baltimore
815
10,060
Jason Witten
Dallas
754
8,447
*Pro Football Hall of Famer
-- NFL --
10,000 CLUB:Detroit quarterbackMATTHEW STAFFORD totaled 285 passing yards on Sunday as the Lions defeated Jacksonville, 31-14. Stafford (10,233) reached 10,000 career passing yards in his 37th career game and became the second-fastest player to reach the milestone (KURT WARNER, 36).
The fewest games to reach 10,000 career passing yards in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
GAMES
Kurt Warner
St. Louis
36
Matthew Stafford
Detroit
37
Marc Bulger
St. Louis
38
Dan Marino
Miami
38
Peyton Manning
Indianapolis
39
-- NFL --
ROOKIE SHOWDOWN:The Indianapolis Colts (5-3), led by 2012 NFL Draft No. 1 overall selection ANDREW LUCK,*defeated the Miami Dolphins (4-4) and rookie quarterbackRYAN TANNEHILL*, 23-20 on Sunday. The matchup marked the first time since the merger that two rookie quarterbacks, each with at least three wins, faced each other in a game.
Luck completed 30 of 48 passes (62.5 percent) for 433 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 105.6 passer rating. Luck's 433 passing yards are the most by a rookie in a game in NFL history, besting the previous mark of 432 yards set by CAM NEWTON last season.
Luck has four 300-yard passing games, tied with PEYTON MANNING (1998) for the most by a rookie in a season all-time.
This season, there have been nine individual 300-yard passing games by rookie quarterbacks. That is already the most such games in a single season in NFL history.
The most passing yards in a single game by a rookie quarterback in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
OPPONENT
WEEK
SEASON
PASSING YARDS
Andrew Luck
Indianapolis
Miami
9
2012
433
Cam Newton
Carolina
Green Bay
2
2011
432
Ryan Tannehill
Miami
Arizona
4
2012
431
-- NFL --
ZERO TO 60:Pittsburgh head coach MIKE TOMLINearned his 60th victory on Sunday with a 24-20 win over the New York Giants. Tomlin now has a 60-28 (.682) record in six seasons and his 88 games ties CHUCK KNOX(88) for the fourth-fewest games to reach 60 career victories among coaches who began their career since 1970.
GEORGE SEIFERT(75) reached 60 wins in the fewest games in NFL history.
The coaches who began their career since 1970 to win 60 games in the fewest games: * *
COACH
TEAM(S)^
NO. OF GAMES
George Seifert
San Francisco
75
Joe Gibbs
Washington
84
Mike Ditka
Chicago
85
Mike Tomlin
Pittsburgh
88
Chuck Knox
LA Rams, Buffalo
88
Bill Cowher
Pittsburgh
90
Andy Reid
Philadelphia
90
^Through first 60 wins
WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON MNF: One more note to keep in mind for tonight's *Monday Night Football *game between the Eagles and Saints…
STILL IN THE MIX:History shows that a losing record at this point in the season does not negate a team's chances of making the playoffs. Since 2000, 29 teams have reached the halfway point of their season with a .500 or below winning percentage and proceeded to the playoffs, including at least one in each season.
Of those 29 clubs, five have advanced to the Conference Championship Game, including the 2001 New England Patriots, who won Super Bowl XXXVI.
The five teams since 2000 to start .500 or worse halfway through the season and advance to the Conference Championship Game:
SEASON
TEAM
RECORD
ADVANCED TO:
2001
New England
4-4
Won Super Bowl XXXVI
2002
Tennessee
4-4
Championship Game
2002
Oakland
4-4
Lost Super Bowl XXXVII
2007
San Diego
4-4
Championship Game
2009
New York Jets
4-4
Championship Game
