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UNPREDICTABLE NFL: With two weeks remaining in the 2012 regular season, 19 teams remain in contention for a trip to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. Five teams – New England (AFC East), Houston (AFC South), Denver (AFC West), Green Bay (NFC North) and Atlanta (NFC South) – have won their divisions. Baltimore and San Francisco have clinched postseason berths.
Washington, which finished in last place in the NFC East last season, is currently tied for first place in the division. If the Redskins win the NFC East, 2012 would mark an NFL-record 10th consecutive season that at least one team has finished in first place in its division the season after finishing in last place.
DIVISION
2011 CHAMPION
LEADER(S) THROUGH WEEK 15
AFC East
New England
New England (10-4)*
AFC North
Baltimore
Baltimore (9-5)**
AFC South
Houston
Houston (12-2)*
AFC West
Denver
Denver (11-3)*
NFC East
NY Giants
Washington (8-6), Dallas (8-6), New York (8-6)
NFC North
Green Bay
Green Bay (10-4)*
NFC South
New Orleans
Atlanta (12-2)*
NFC West
San Francisco
San Francisco (10-3-1)**
Division champion; *Can clinch division title this weekend
-- NFL --
YEAR OF THE ROOKIE QB:Carolina's CAM NEWTON (4,051) and Cincinnati's ANDY DALTON (3,398) – each passed for 3,000 yards in 2011, the most rookie quarterbacks to reach the 3,000-yard mark in a season in NFL history.
The 2012 rookie quarterback class could have as many as five 3,000-yard passers. Indianapolis' ANDREW LUCK (3,978) and Cleveland's BRANDON WEEDEN (3,281) have already reached the mark, while Miami's RYAN TANNEHILL (2,929), Washington's ROBERT GRIFFIN III (2,902) and Seattle's RUSSELL WILSON (2,697) are quickly approaching.
* *
Luck (3,978) needs 74 passing yards this Sunday against Kansas City to surpass Newton* *for the rookie record for passing yards.
The rookie quarterbacks with the most passing yards in NFL history:
* *
MOST PASSING YARDS BY ROOKIE QB
PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
PASSING YARDS
Cam Newton
Carolina
2011
4,051
Andrew Luck
Indianapolis
2012
*3,978
Peyton Manning
Indianapolis
1998
3,739
Sam Bradford
St. Louis
2010
3,512
Matt Ryan
Atlanta
2008
3,440
Andy Dalton
Cincinnati
2011
3,398
Brandon Weeden
Cleveland
2012
*3,281
*Through 14 games
-- NFL --
ELITE PASS RUSHERS:With two games remaining in the 2012 regular-season, San Francisco's ALDON SMITH(19.5) and Houston's J.J. WATT (19.5) are each within a half a sack of 20. Denver's VON MILLER (16) needs four sacks to reach 20. If at least two reach the mark, 2012 would be the first season in which multiple players registered 20 or more sacks.
The players with 20 sacks in a single season since the sack became an official statistic in 1982:
PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
SACKS
Michael Strahan
NY Giants
2001
22.5
Jared Allen
Minnesota
2011
22
Mark Gastineau
NY Jets
1984
22
Chris Doleman
Minnesota
1989
21
Reggie White
Philadelphia
1987
21
Lawrence Taylor
NY Giants
1986
20.5
Derrick Thomas
Kansas City
1990
20
DeMarcus Ware
Dallas
2008
20
Aldon Smith
San Francisco
2012
*19.5
J.J. Watt
Houston
2012
*19.5
Von Miller
Denver
2012
*16
*Through 14 games
-- NFL --
80 CLOSING IN ON 800:Houston Texans wide receiverANDRE JOHNSON (799) needs one reception on Sunday against Minnesota to reach 800 career receptions. Johnson will appear in his 137th career game Sunday and can reach 800 career receptions in the second-fewest games in NFL history.
The fewest games to reach 800 career receptions in NFL history:
PLAYER
GAMES
Marvin Harrison
131
Torry Holt
142
Jerry Rice
154
Terrell Owens
158
Reggie Wayne
160
Andre Johnson
*136
*799 career receptions
-- NFL --
MEGATRON: Detroit Lions wide receiver CALVIN JOHNSON has recorded at least 100 receiving yards in seven consecutive games, tied with CHARLEY HENNIGAN (1961) and Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (1995) for the longest streak in NFL history. If Johnson has at least 100 receiving yards on Saturday night against Atlanta, he would surpass Hennigan and Irvin for the most consecutive 100-yard receiving games in NFL history.
Johnson has 1,667 receiving yards this season, the eighth most in a season all-time. With two games remaining, Johnson needs 182 receiving yards to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (1,848 in 1995) for the most receiving yards in a season in NFL history.
The players with the most consecutive games of 100 receiving yards:
PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
STREAK
Charley Hennigan
Houston
1961
7
Michael Irvin
Dallas
1995
7
Calvin Johnson
Detroit
2012
*7
*Active
-- NFL --
MANNING'S DOZEN: PEYTON MANNINGand the Denver Broncos will host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday and aim to improve to 12-3 this season. Since entering the NFL in 1998, Manning's teams have reached 12 regular-season wins in eight different seasons, the most by a starting quarterback in NFL history. Manning aims to extend his NFL record on Sunday.
The starting quarterbacks with the most 12-win regular seasons in NFL history:
MOST SEASONS WITH 12 WINS
PLAYER
SEASONS
*Peyton Manning
8
Tom Brady*
6
Brett Favre
6
John Elway
4
Jim Kelly
4
*Active
