WHAT TO LOOK FOR - WEEK 8
TOUCHDOWN PASSPORTS : The NFL International Series returns to the United Kingdom on Sunday when the San Francisco 49ers face the Denver Broncos at London's Wembley Stadium. The contest marks the fourth consecutive year that a regular-season game has been played in the U.K.
The two franchises are no strangers to international travel. San Francisco and Denver are the only two NFL teams that have faced an NFL opponent in six different countries outside of the United States (including preseason) . The Broncos have previously played in Australia (1999), Germany (1992), Japan (1990, 1995), Mexico (1997), Spain (1994) and the United Kingdom (1987) while the 49ers have competed in Canada (1998), Germany (1991), Japan (1989, 1995, 2002), Mexico (2005), Spain (1993) and the United Kingdom (1988, 1992).
This weekend San Francisco, which played in the first international regular-season game in NFL history on Oct. 2, 2005 against the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City's Azteca Stadium, will become the first team to play in 10 games against NFL opponents outside US borders (including preseason).
HOME RENOVATIONS : The Kansas City Chiefs, who sit atop the AFC West with a 4-2 record, opened the season in a newly-renovated Arrowhead Stadium and won their first three contests in the complex after winning only one home game in 2009.
With a win over the Buffalo Bills this Sunday, Kansas City can become the seventh team in NFL history to win its first four home games after starting the previous season 0-4 at home. Four of the six teams to accomplish the feat finished the season undefeated at home.
DUAL-THREAT DUO : New York Jets running back LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON has recorded 490 rushing yards with five touchdowns on 92 carries and totaled 107 receiving yards on 19 receptions this season. In his career, Tomlinson has posted 12,980 rushing yards and 4,062 receiving yards.
With 20 or more rushing yards against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, Tomlinson will join Pro Football Hall of Fame running back WALTER PAYTON (16,726 rushing yards, 4,538 receiving yards) as the only running backs in NFL history to record at least 13,000 rushing yards and 4,000 receiving yards in their careers .
MAN OF THE HOUSE : The Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts are tied for second in the AFC South with 4-2 records and will meet in a key divisional matchup on Monday Night Football.
Colts quarterback PEYTON MANNING, who has led the Colts to an 8-0 record at home against the Texans, owns a 10-3 record as a starter on Monday night. If Manning guides Indianapolis to victory, he will maintain the top winning percentage in Monday-night contests among all starting quarterbacks in NFL history (min. 10 wins).
LLOYD IN LONDON : Broncos wide receiver BRANDON LLOYD leads the AFC with 709 receiving yards on 35 catches and is the only NFL player with at least 25 receptions to average more than 20-yards per catch (20.3) this season.
On Sunday in London, Lloyd can become the sixth player since 1970 and the first since 1989 to accrue 800 receiving yards through his team's first eight games while averaging at least 20.0 yards per catch . Two players - Pro Football Hall of Famers JAMES LOFTON (1983, 1984) and JERRY RICE (1986, 1989) - have accomplished the feat twice in their careers.
KICK START : In Week 7, NFL kickers converted five field goals of 50 yards or more, including a 55-yarder by JOHN KASAY in Carolina's 23-20 home victory over the 49ers. Kasay is tied with JASON HANSON of Detroit for the most 50-yard field goals made (three) in 2010.
The 34 50-yard field goals this year are the most through the first seven weeks of a season since 1970 and are on pace (83) to break the NFL record of 66 in 2008. If at least one kicker is successful on a 50-yard attempt in Week 8, it will be the most field goals made of 50 yards or longer since 1970 through the season's first eight weeks.
