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CLIMBING BACK:Teams off to a slow start are justified in believing that they can turn it around. Since the current playoff format (12 teams) was instituted in 1990, 13 teams have rebounded from being at least three games under .500 after the season's first five weeks or later to qualify for the postseason. Since 1990, teams that were three or more games below .500 after Week 5 or later and made the playoffs:
YEAR
TEAM
RECORD
FINAL RECORD
ADVANCED TO
1990
New Orleans Saints
2-5
8-8
Wild Card
1992
San Diego Chargers
1-4
11-5
Divisional
1993
Houston Oilers
1-4
12-4
Divisional
1994
New England Patriots
3-6
10-6
Wild Card
1995
Detroit Lions
2-5, 3-6
10-6
Wild Card
1995
San Diego Chargers
4-7
9-7
Wild Card
1996
Jacksonville Jaguars
3-6, 4-7
9-7
Championship Game
2002
Tennessee Titans
1-4
11-5
Championship Game
2002
New York Jets
1-4, 2-5
9-7
Divisional
2004
Green Bay Packers
1-4
10-6
Wild Card
2008
San Diego Chargers
4-7, 4-8, 5-8
8-8
Divisional
2010
Seattle Seahawks
6-9
7-9
Divisional
2011
Denver Broncos
1-4, 2-5
8-8
Divisional
-- NFL --
MILE-HIGH MANNING: Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING will face the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football. Manning has 36 career games with at least three touchdown passes and zero interceptions, including two such games in 2012. With at least three touchdowns and zero interceptions on Monday night, Manning would surpass BRETT FAVRE (36) for the most such games in NFL history.
The players with the most games with three-plus touchdown passes and zero interceptions in NFL history:
PLAYER
MOST GAMES WITH 3 TD PASSES & 0 INTs
Brett Favre
36
Peyton Manning
*36
Tom Brady
32*
Drew Brees
24*
Dan Marino
18
Fran Tarkenton
18
*Active
-- NFL --
THE RACE IS ON:Houston defensive end J.J. WATTand Green Bay linebacker CLAY MATTHEWS will be featured when the Texans and Packers meet on Sunday Night Football. Watt, who ranks second in the NFL with 7.5 sacks and Matthews, who has an NFL-best eight sacks, can both challenge to rank in the top three for the most sacks through a team's first six games since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
The players with the most sacks through a team's first six games:
PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
SACKS
Keith Millard
Minnesota Vikings
1989
12
Kevin Greene
Carolina Panthers
1998
11
Michael Strahan
New York Giants
2001
10.5
six tied
10
NO LUCK HERE:Indianapolis rookie quarterback ANDREW LUCK has passed for 300 yards (313 and 362) in each of the Colts' past two games.
With a 300-yard performance on Sunday against the New York Jets, Luck will become the first rookie quarterback to pass for 300 yards in three consecutive games in NFL history.
MR. OCTOBER: In a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game, ELI MANNING and the New York Giants will travel to San Francisco. For his career, Manning is 24-5 (.828) as a starter in October, the best mark among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era.
The highest career winning percentage in October among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era (minimum 20 starts):
PLAYER
RECORD IN OCTOBER
WIN PCT.
*Eli Manning
24-5
.828
Kordell Stewart
16-4
.800
Daryle Lamonica
18-5-3
.771
Ben Roethlisberger*
23-7
.767
Tom Brady*
32-10
.762
*Active
Note: Ties prior to 1972 did not count in winning percentage.
-- NFL --
AIMING FOR NO. 1 SPOT: Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER (27,703) needs 287 passing yards on Thursday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW for the most career passing yards in Steelers history. In 14 seasons (1970-1983) with the Steelers, Bradshaw played in 168 games; Roethlisberger will play in his 119th career game on Thursday night.
PLAYER
GAMES PLAYED
PASSING YARDS
Terry Bradshaw
168
27,989
*Ben Roethlisberger
118
27,703
*Active
-- NFL --
JUST CRUZ-ING: New York Giants wide receiver VICTOR CRUZ will play in his 25th career game when the Giants face the 49ers on Sunday. In 24 career games, Cruz has totaled 119 receptions for 1,974 receiving yards and can challenge the top five for the most receptions and receiving yards among players in their first 25 games in NFL history.
The players with the most receptions through the first 25 games of a career in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
RECEPTIONS
Anquan Boldin
Arizona Cardinals
154
Reggie Bush
New Orleans Saints
143
Marques Colston
New Orleans Saints
138
Tom Fears
Los Angeles Rams
131
Charley Hennigan
Houston Oilers
126
Victor Cruz
New York Giants
*119
*In 24 career games
The players with the most receiving yards through the first 25 games of a career in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
REC. YARDS
Charley Hennigan
Houston Oilers
2,468
Bill Groman
Houston Oilers
2,453
Billy Howton
Green Bay Packers
2,138
Lance Alworth
San Diego Chargers
2,118
Bob Hayes
Dallas Cowboys
2,084
Victor Cruz
New York Giants
*1,974
*In 24 career games
