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HOPE IS ALIVE:Since the current playoff format was instituted in 1990, 16 clubs with a losing record after nine games have made the playoffs.
Most recently in 2011, the Denver Broncos had a 4-5 record through nine games before clinching the AFC West title and advancing to the Divisional Playoffs against the New England Patriots.
The 16 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
-- NFL --
MANNING MOVING UP:Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING ranks second in the AFC with 2,705 passing yards this season. With 295 passing yards on Sunday against San Diego, Manning would register his 14th season with at least 3,000 passing yards, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO for the second-most such seasons in NFL history. BRETT FAVRE holds the record with 18 seasons with at least 3,000 passing yards.
The players with the most seasons with at least 3,000 passing yards:
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
SEASONS WITH 3,000 PASSING YARDS
Brett Favre
Green Bay, N.Y. Jets, Minnesota
18
Dan Marino
Miami
13
*Peyton Manning
Indianapolis, Denver
13
John Elway
Denver
12
*Active
-- NFL --
SOUTHERN COMFORT: MATT RYAN and the Atlanta Falcons will host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday and aim to improve to 5-0 at the Georgia Dome this season. Since entering the NFL in 2008, Ryan has a 30-4 (.882) career regular-season record at home, the best home winning percentage of any NFL quarterback who began their career in the Super Bowl era (minimum 25 starts).
The best records at home among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era (minimum 25 starts):
PLAYER
HOME RECORD
WIN PCT.
*Matt Ryan
30-4
.882
Joe Flacco*
32-5
.865
Tom Brady*
72-12
.857
Terry Bradshaw
67-12
.848
Roger Staubach
49-10
.831
*Active
-- NFL --
HEATING UP: Three active quarterbacks – the Dallas Cowboys' TONY ROMO(20-3, .870), New England's TOM BRADY(31-10, .756) and Baltimore's JOE FLACCO (15-5, .750) – are among the best in November and look to improve their winning percentages in the month* *among starting quarterbacks (minimum 20 starts) in the Super Bowl era.
Romo, who ranks first overall among the group, and the Cowboys will host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Brady's (.756) and Flacco's (.750) November winning percentages are currently fourth and fifth, respectively. Brady and the Patriots will host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Flacco will aim to improve his November mark against the divisional rival, Pittsburgh Steelers.
The quarterbacks with the best records in November in the Super Bowl era (minimum 20 starts):
PLAYER
RECORD IN NOVEMBER
WIN PCT.
*Tony Romo
20-3
.870
Daryle Lamonica
19-4-2
.826
Jim McMahon
18-5
.783
*Tom Brady
31-10
.756
*Joe Flacco
15-5
.750
*Active
Note: Ties prior to 1972 did not count in winning percentage.
-- NFL --
MILLER TIME: Denver linebacker VON MILLER has 21.5 sacks and will play in his 25th career game on Sunday against San Diego.
With two sacks this weekend, Miller can tie 49ers linebacker ALDON SMITH (23.5), who played in his 25th game last week, for the second-most sacks through a player's first 25 games since 1982. Miller's 21.5 sacks are currently tied with CLAY MATTHEWS (21.5) for the fourth-most sacks through a player's first 25 games.
The players with the most sacks in their first 25 games since sacks became an official statistic in 1982:
PLAYER
TEAM
YEARS
SACKS
Derrick Thomas
Kansas City
1989-1990
25
Aldon Smith
San Francisco
2011-2012
23.5
Shawne Merriman
San Diego
2005-2006
22.5
Clay Matthews
Green Bay
2009-2010
21.5
Von Miller
Denver
2011-2012
*21.5
*Through 24 games
-- NFL --
YOUNG BUC:**Tampa Bay rookie running back DOUG MARTIN has totaled 858 scrimmage yards in his past five games, the most by a rookie in a five-game span since EDGERRIN JAMES (914) in 1999.
With 142 scrimmage yards on Sunday at Carolina, Martin would join Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON and James as the only rookies in NFL history to total 1,000 scrimmage yards in a six-game span.
The most scrimmage yards by a rookie in a six-game span:
PLAYER
YEAR
MOST SCRIMMAGE YARDS BY ROOKIE IN SIX-GAME SPAN
Eric Dickerson
1983
1,066
Edgerrin James
1999
1,045
Eric Dickerson
1983
1,016
Edgerrin James
1999
1,003
-- NFL --
LEADER OF THE PACK:Green Bay Packers quarterbackAARON RODGERS (19,749) needs 251 passing yards on Sunday at Detroit to reach 20,000 career passing yards. Rodgers will appear in his 79th career game Sunday and can reach 20,000 career passing yards in the fourth-fewest games in NFL history.
The fewest games to reach 20,000 career passing yards in NFL history:
PLAYER
GAMES
Dan Marino
74
Kurt Warner
76
Peyton Manning
78
Aaron Rodgers
*79
*Rodgers will appear in his 79th game this week
