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NO NEED TO PANIC: At the end of Week 2, no more than 12 teams will be able to claim a perfect 2-0 record, leaving at least 20 clubs at 1-1 or 0-2.
Since realignment in 2002, 70 of the 120 playoff teams (58.3 percent) began the year at either 1-1 or 0-2, including the Super Bowl XLVI champion New York Giants in 2011.
A look at how playoff clubs in 2010 and 2011 began their seasons:
2010 2011
Team
After 2 games
Playoff Result
Team
After 2 games
Playoff Result
Atlanta
1-1
Advanced to Divisional
Atlanta
1-1
Advanced to Wild Card
Baltimore
1-1
Advanced to Divisional
Baltimore
1-1
Advanced to Conf. Champ.
Chicago
2-0
Advanced to Conf. Champ.
Cincinnati
1-1
Advanced to Wild Card
Green Bay
2-0
Won Super Bowl XLV
Denver
1-1
Advanced to Divisional
Indianapolis
1-1
Advanced to Wild Card
Detroit
2-0
Advanced to Wild Card
Kansas City
2-0
Advanced to Wild Card
Green Bay
2-0
Advanced to Divisional
New England
1-1
Advanced to Divisional
Houston
2-0
Advanced to Divisional
New Orleans
2-0
Advanced to Wild Card
New England
2-0
Advanced to Super Bowl XLVI
N.Y. Jets
1-1
Advanced to Conf. Champ.
New Orleans
1-1
Advanced to Divisional
Philadelphia
1-1
Advanced to Wild Card
N.Y. Giants
1-1
Won Super Bowl XLVI
Pittsburgh
2-0
Advanced to Super Bowl XLV
Pittsburgh
1-1
Advanced to Wild Card
Seattle
1-1
Advanced to Divisional
San Francisco
1-1
Advanced to Conf. Champ.
-- NFL --
HOME SWEET HOME:New England and Pittsburgh each return home in Week 2 after opening the 2012 season on the road. The Patriots, who will host Arizona, have a 67-13 (.838) record at Gillette Stadium since it opened in 2002, the best winning percentage of any team at a stadium since 1970 (minimum 25 games). The Patriots have won 15 of their past 17 home openers, including a perfect 10-0 mark at Gillette.
Pittsburgh is 65-22-1 (.744) at Heinz Field since its 2001 opening, which ranks third since 1970. The Steelers, who host the New York Jets on Sunday, have won nine consecutive home openers, the second-longest active streak in the league behind New England (10).
The teams with the highest winning percentage at a stadium since 1970 (minimum 25 games):
TEAM
STADIUM
W-L-T
WIN PCT.
New England Patriots
*Gillette Stadium
67-13-0
.838
Miami Dolphins
Orange Bowl
101-22-1
.819
Pittsburgh Steelers
*Heinz Field
65-22-1
.744
Minnesota Vikings
Metropolitan Stadium
64-23-1
.733
L.A. Rams
LA Memorial Coliseum
53-20-2
.726
Note: Ties prior to 1972 do not count in winning percentage.
- Current NFL stadium
-- NFL --
MAGNIFICENT MATTHEW:Detroit quarterback MATTHEW STAFFORD passed for 355 yards in the Lions' 27-23 victory against St. Louis, becoming the second player in NFL history to pass for at least 350 yards in four consecutive games (DREW BREES, 4 in 2011).
With 350 passing yards at San Francisco on Sunday night, Stafford can become the first player in NFL history with five consecutive 350-yard passing games.
A game-by-game look at the longest 350-yard passing game streaks in NFL history:
MATTHEW STAFFORD*, DETROIT
DREW BREES, NEW ORLEANS
DATE
PASSING YARDS
GAME RESULT
DATE
PASSING YARDS
GAME RESULT
12/18/11
391 yards at Oakland
W 28-27
9/25/11
370 yards vs. Houston
W 40-33
12/24/11
373 yards vs. San Diego
W 38-10
10/2/11
351 yards at Jacksonville
W 23-10
1/1/12
520 yards at Green Bay
L 45-41
10/9/11
359 yards at Carolina
W 30-27
9/9/12
355 yards vs. St. Louis
W 27-23
10/16/11
383 yards at Tampa Bay
L 26-20
- Active streak
Stafford has passed for 1,639 passing yards during his four-game streak, which began on December 18, 2011. He can also become the first player in NFL history to pass for 2,000 yards in a five-game span. Brees is the current record holder with 1,954 yards in a five-game span in 2006.
-- NFL --
MOSS MOVING UP:San Francisco wide receiver RANDY MOSS had 47 receiving yards in his 49ers debut, bringing his career total to 14,905, the fifth-most in NFL history. With 30 receiving yards on Sunday night against Detroit, Moss would surpass TIM BROWN for fourth place all-time.
The players with the most receiving yards in NFL history:
PLAYER
YEARS
RECEIVING YARDS
Jerry Rice
1985-2004
22,895
Terrell Owens
1996-2010
15,934
Isaac Bruce
1994-2009
15,208
Tim Brown
1988-2004
14,934
*Randy Moss
1998-2012
14,905
- Active
-- NFL --
GRIFFIN'S GREAT START: Washington's ROBERT GRIFFIN III passed for 320 yards in the Redskins' 40-32 victory at New Orleans, becoming the first rookie quarterback in NFL history to pass for at least 300 yards in a season-opening victory.
Only four quarterbacks since 1970 have won their first two starts to begin a season. Three of those four players helped their teams qualify for the playoffs, including JOE FLACCO of Baltimore (2008) and MARK SANCHEZ of the New York Jets (2009), who led their respective clubs to the AFC Championship Game as rookies.
The rookie quarterbacks to win their team's first two games in a season since 1970:
YEAR
PLAYER, TEAM
OVERALL RECORD AS
ROOKIE STARTER
PLAYOFF RESULT
1983
John Elway, Denver
4-6
Advanced to Wild Card
1998
Ryan Leaf, San Diego
3-6
Missed playoffs
2008
Joe Flacco, Baltimore
11-5
Advanced to AFC Championship
2009
Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
8-7
Advanced to AFC Championship
2012
*Robert Griffin III, Washington
???
???
- 1-0 as starter
-- NFL --
TE MILESTONES: Two NFL tight ends are on the cusp of achieving major milestones in Week 2. Dallas' JASON WITTEN (698 career receptions) needs two catches against Seattle to become the third tight end in NFL history with 700 in his career.
San Diego's ANTONIO GATES has 597 career catches and needs three more against Tennessee to become the fifth tight end in NFL history with 600 career receptions.
The tight ends with the most receptions in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
YEARS
RECEPTIONS
Tony Gonzalez*
Kansas City, Atlanta
1997-2012
1,154
Shannon Sharpe
Denver, Baltimore
1990-2003
815
*Jason Witten
Dallas
2003-2012
698
Ozzie Newsome
Cleveland
1978-1990
662
*Antonio Gates
San Diego
2003-2012
597
- Active
-- NFL --
PATRIOT WAY:With New England's 34-13 win against Tennessee on Kickoff Weekend, Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK earned his 193rd career victory, tying CHUCK KNOX for the eighth-most wins in NFL history by a head coach.
With a victory against Arizona on Sunday, Belichick would surpass Knox and attain sole possession of eighth place.
The head coaches with the most wins in NFL history (including postseason):
HEAD COACH
TEAM(S)
WINS
Don Shula
Colts, Dolphins
347
George Halas
Bears
324
Tom Landry
Cowboys
270
Earl "Curly" Lambeau
Packers, Cardinals, Redskins
229
Chuck Noll
Steelers
209
Marty Schottenheimer
Browns, Chiefs, Redskins, Chargers
205
Dan Reeves
Broncos, Giants, Falcons
201
Chuck Knox
Rams, Bills, Seahawks
193
*Bill Belichick
Browns, Patriots
193
Bill Parcells
Giants, Patriots, Jets, Cowboys
183
- Active; Pro Football Hall of Fame member
