WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 11
HOPE IS ALIVE:Since the current playoff format was instituted in 1990, 18 clubs with a losing record after nine games have made the playoffs.
Most recently in 2012, the Washington Redskins (3-6) and Cincinnati Bengals (4-5) both had losing records through nine games before advancing to the postseason.
The 18 clubs to qualify for the playoffs since 1990 with a sub-.500 record through nine games:
YEAR
TEAM
RECORD AFTER NINE GAMES
FINAL RECORD
ADVANCED TO
1990
Houston Oilers
4-5
9-7
Wild Card
1990
New Orleans
4-5
8-8
Wild Card
1992
San Diego
4-5
11-5
Divisional
1994
Detroit
4-5
9-7
Wild Card
1994
New England
3-6
10-6
Wild Card
1995
Detroit
3-6
10-6
Wild Card
1995
San Diego
4-5
9-7
Wild Card
1996
Jacksonville
3-6
9-7
AFC Championship
1997
Detroit
4-5
9-7
Wild Card
2001
Tampa Bay
4-5
9-7
Wild Card
2002
Cleveland
4-5
9-7
Wild Card
2002
NY Jets
4-5
9-7
Divisional
2003
Green Bay
4-5
10-6
Divisional
2008
San Diego
4-5
8-8
Divisional
2009
NY Jets
4-5
9-7
AFC Championship
2011
Denver
4-5
8-8
Divisional
2012
Cincinnati
4-5
10-6
Wild Card
2012
Washington
3-6
10-6
Wild Card
-- NFL --
THE WEST IS THE BEST:Sunday Night Football *in Week 10 *will feature an AFC West divisional matchup between the 9-0 Kansas City Chiefs and the 8-1 Denver Broncos. The combined win percentage (.944/ 17-1) between Denver and Kansas City represents the highest for a game this late in the season since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger (minimum nine games each).
The last time a game featured a better combined record between opponents this late in the season was on December 7, 1969, when the Minnesota Vikings (10-1) defeated the L.A. Rams (11-0) by a score of 20-13.
The games with the highest win percentage in the NFL since 1970 (minimum nine games each):
DATE
* *
MATCHUP
HIGHEST WIN PERCENTAGE
11/17/13
*Kansas City (9-0) at Denver (8-1)
17-1 (.944)
11/29/07
Green Bay (10-1) at Dallas (10-1)
20-2 (.909)
12/3/90
N.Y. Giants (10-1) at San Francisco (10-1)
20-2 (.909)
11/27/77
Baltimore (9-1) at Denver (9-1)
18-2 (.900)
12/24/05
Indianapolis 13-1 at Seattle (12-2)
25-3 (.893)
Play on *Sunday Night Football
-- NFL --
MANNING UP:Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING leads the NFL in 2013 with 33 touchdown passes.
With two TD passes on Sunday Night Football against Kansas City, Manning would register his third season of at least 35 passing TDs, tying TOM BRADY and BRETT FAVRE for the most such seasons in NFL history.
The players with the most seasons with at least 35 touchdown passes in NFL history:
* *
PLAYER
* *
TEAM(S)
SEASONS WITH 35 TD PASSES
Brett Favre
Green Bay
3
Tom Brady*
New England
3
*Peyton Manning
Indianapolis, Denver
2
Many tied
2
*Active
-- NFL --
RUNNER'S WORLD: Running back ADRIAN PETERSON and the Minnesota Vikings will travel to Seattle to face the Seahawks on Sunday.
With one rushing TD, Peterson would join Pro Football Hall of Famer EMMITT SMITH (eight) and LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (nine) as the only players in NFL history to rush for 10 touchdowns in at least seven different seasons.
The running backs with the most seasons with 10 rushing TDs in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
SEASONS WITH 10 RUSHING TDs
LaDainian Tomlinson
San Diego
9
Emmitt Smith
Dallas
8
Adrian Peterson*
Minnesota
6
Marcus Allen
Los Angeles Raiders, Kansas City
6
Barry Sanders
Detroit
6
*Active
-- NFL --
OPEN THE GATES: San Diego tight end ANTONIO GATEShas 52 receptions for 612 yards this season. In his 11th year out of Kent State, Gates ranks fourth in NFL history in both receptions (694) and receiving yards (8,933) by a tight end.
With six receptions and 67 yards on Sunday against Miami, Gates would join TONY GONZALEZof the Atlanta Falcons,JASON WITTENof the Dallas Cowboys and*Pro Football Hall of FamerSHANNON SHARPE *as the only tight ends in NFL history with 700 receptions and 9,000 receiving yards.
The tight ends with 700 receptions and 9,000 receiving yards in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
YARDS
RECEPTIONS
Tony Gonzalez*
Kansas City, Atlanta
14,773
1,289
Shannon Sharpe
Denver, Baltimore
10,060
815
Jason Witten*
Dallas
9,480
853
Antonio Gates*
San Diego
8,933
694
*Active
-- NFL --
MONDAY NIGHT MAGIC: TOM BRADYand the New England Patriots will travel to Carolina to face the Panthers on Monday Night Football.
Brady (41) needs two touchdown passes to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG(42)* *for the third-most TD passes on Monday Night Football.
The quarterbacks with the most career touchdown passes on Monday Night Football:
PLAYER
TD PASSES ON MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
GAMES
Dan Marino
74
38
Brett Favre
69
38
Steve Young
42
25
*Tom Brady
41
17
Peyton Manning**
36
17
Joe Montana
36
20
*Plays Monday
**Active
