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WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 9
STILL IN THE MIX:History shows that a losing record at this point in the season does not negate a team's chances of making the playoffs. Since 2000, 32 teams have reached the halfway point of their season with a .500 or below winning percentage and proceeded to the playoffs, including at least one in each season.
-- NFL --
GOING WEST: Through Week 8, teams in the AFC West (Kansas City, 8-0; Denver, 7-1; San Diego, 4-3; Oakland, 3-4) have a combined 22-8 (.733) record this season.
With Kansas City (at Buffalo), Oakland (vs. Philadelphia) and San Diego (at Washington) in action in Week 9 and Denver on a bye, the AFC West can challenge for the highest winning percentage by a division through nine weeks of a season since 1970.
The highest winning percentage by divisions through nine weeks since 1970:
SEASON
DIVISION
W-L
WIN PCT.
1984
AFC West
31-14
.689
2008
NFC East
23-11
.676
2007
AFC South
22-11
.667
1999
AFC East
27-14
.659
2011
NFC North
21-11
.656
2007
NFC East
21-11
.656
*2013
AFC West
22-8
.733
*Through Week 8
-- NFL --
NOVEMBER MADNESS: The NFL season enters November on Sunday and three active quarterbacks – Dallas' TONY ROMO(21-4, .840), Baltimore's JOE FLACCO (17-5, .773) and New England's TOM BRADY(33-10, .767) – 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 Minnesota Vikings on Sunday. Flacco's (.773) and Brady's (.767) November winning percentages are currently fourth and fifth, respectively. Flacco and the Ravens will travel to face the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Brady will aim to improve his November mark against the 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
21-4
.840
Daryle Lamonica
19-4-2
.826
Jim McMahon
18-5
.783
*Joe Flacco
17-5
.773
*Tom Brady
33-10
.767
*Active
Note: Ties prior to 1972 did not count in winning percentage.
-- NFL --
WHO DEY:Cincinnati quarterback ANDY DALTON has passed for at least 300 yards, three touchdowns and a 100 passer rating in each of his past three games (337 yards, three TDs, 105.9 passer rating at Buffalo; 372 yards, three TDs, 135.9 passer rating at Detroit; 325 yards, five TDs, 125.7 passer rating vs. New York Jets).
With at least 300 passing yards, three TD passes and a 100 passer rating on Thursday Night Football at Miami, Dalton will join PEYTON MANNING (four), AARON RODGERS (four) and Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (four) as the only players in NFL history to register four such consecutive games.
The most consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards, three touchdown passes and a 100 passer rating in NFL history:
* *
PLAYER
* *
YEAR(s)
* *
TEAM
CONSECUTIVE GAMES W/ 300 PASSING YARDS, 3 TD PASSES, 100 PASSER RATING
Peyton Manning
2012
Denver Broncos
4
Aaron Rodgers
2012-13
Green Bay Packers
4
Steve Young
1998
San Francisco 49ers
4
Cincinnati wide receiver A.J. GREEN has totaled 3,141 receiving yards in 39 career games. On Thursday night, Green needs 122 receiving yards to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE for the fifth-most receiving yards in the first 40 games of a career in NFL history.
The players with the most receiving yards through the first 40 games of a career in NFL history:
PLAYER
RECEIVING YARDS THROUGH 1ST 40 GAMES
Lance Alworth
3,820
Charley Hennigan
3,436
Randy Moss
3,412
Anquan Boldin
3,402
Jerry Rice
3,262
A.J. Green
*3,141
*Through 39 games
-- NFL --
FULL OF SACKS:Entering Week 9, four players – the Indianapolis Colts' ROBERT MATHIS(11.5), the Kansas City Chiefs' JUSTIN HOUSTON(11), the Buffalo Bills' MARIO WILLIAMS (11) and the St. Louis Rams' ROBERT QUINN (10) – have already reached double-digit sacks this season. If at least two more players reach 10 sacks in Week 9, 2013 would be the first season in which six players registered 10 or more sacks through the first nine weeks of a season since 1982.
The most players with 10 sacks through nine weeks of a season since the statistic was made official in 1982:
YEAR
# PLAYERS W/ 10 SACKS THROUGH WEEK 9
1983
5
2000
5
2008
4
2013
*4
*Through eight weeks
-- NFL --
REUNITED:St. Louis head coach JEFF FISHER and the Rams will host the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. Fisher spent 17 seasons (1994-2010) as the Oilers/Titans head coach and guided the franchise to six playoff appearances, three division titles, two AFC championship games, and one Super Bowl appearance.
On Sunday, Fisher will join Pro Football Hall of Famer CURLY LAMBEAU as the only head coaches in NFL history to face a team he led for at least 17 seasons.
