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IN-SYNC STANDINGS: After Week 5, there are 17 teams with a .500 or better record, including all four NFC West clubs – ARIZONA, 4-1 (.800); SAN FRANCISCO, 4-1 (.800); ST. LOUIS, 3-2 (.600); and SEATTLE, 3-2 (.600).
Twenty teams are in or within one game of first place of their respective divisions, tied with 2005 and 2010 for the most through Week 5 since realignment in 2002. Only one game separates all four clubs in three divisions (AFC East, NFC East and NFC West), the most through Week 5 since realignment in 2002.
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-- NFL --
HIGH 5-0:The ATLANTA FALCONSand the HOUSTON TEXANSboth* *improved to 5-0 for the first time in franchise history. Atlanta, which also started 4-0 in 1986 and 2004, claimed a 24-17 victory at Washington, while Houston defeated the New York Jets 23-17 on Monday Night Football.
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-- NFL --
A GREAT 48:On Sunday Night Football, New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES passed for 370 yards and four touchdowns in the Saints' 31-24 win over San Diego. Brees extended his streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass to 48, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHNNY UNITAS(47)* *for the longest streak in NFL history.
The quarterbacks to record one or more touchdown passes in the most consecutive games:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
DATES |
CONSEC. GAMES W/ TD PASS |
|
Drew Brees |
New Orleans |
10/18/2009-present |
*48 |
|
Johnny Unitas |
Baltimore Colts |
12/9/1956-12/4/1960 |
47 |
|
Tom Brady |
New England |
9/12/2010-present |
*37 |
|
Brett Favre |
Green Bay |
11/4/2002-11/29/2004 |
36 |
|
Dan Marino |
Miami |
11/10/1985-11/22/1987 |
30 |
|
*Active streak |
|
|
|
Unitas surpassed the previous mark held by CECIL ISBELL (22 games) on November 30, 1958 and held sole possession of the record for 19,663 days before Brees tied the mark in Week 4. Brees has thrown 118 touchdowns during his streak, 12 more than Unitas (102) had during his run. During their streaks, Unitas threw a TD pass to seven different players, while Brees has connected with 15 players.
During their record-setting streaks, Brees has recorded 29 300-yard games and passed for four or more touchdowns in nine contests, while Unitas registered six 300-yard games and threw four or more touchdowns in seven games.
A look at Brees' numbers during his 48-game streak and Unitas' numbers during his 47-game streak:
|
PLAYER |
GAMES |
ATT |
COMP |
YARDS |
TDs |
INTs |
RATING |
RECORD |
|
Drew Brees |
48 |
1,936 |
1,331 |
15,173 |
118 |
51 |
101.4 |
34-14 |
|
Johnny Unitas |
47 |
1,298 |
697 |
10,645 |
102 |
61 |
87.6 |
31-16 |
In Week 5, New England quarterback TOM BRADYpassed for 223 yards with one touchdown in the Patriots' 31-21 win over Denver to record his 37th consecutive game with a touchdown pass, surpassing BRETT FAVRE (36) for the third-longest such streak.
-- NFL --
SO CLOSE:Close games have been a staple of the 2012 season as 44 games have been decided by eight points or fewer, the second-most such games through the first five weeks of a season in NFL history.
The most games decided by eight points or fewer in a season's first five weeks:
|
MOST GAMES DECIDED BY EIGHT POINTS OR FEWER | |
|
SEASON |
THROUGH FIVE WEEKS |
|
1999 |
45 |
|
2012 |
44 |
|
1988 |
43 |
|
2011 |
42 |
|
2010 |
41 |
-- NFL --
YOUNG ARMS:Through Week 5, four rookie quarterbacks – Indianapolis' ANDREW LUCK(three), Washington's ROBERT GRIFFIN III(two), Cleveland's BRANDON WEEDEN (two) and Miami's RYAN TANNEHILL(one) – have combined for eight individual 300-yard passing games, already the most such games by rookie QBs in any NFL season (seven in 2011).
With four accomplishing the feat this season, 2012 is tied for the most rookie quarterbacks with at least one 300-yard passing game in any NFL season (four in 1987 and 2011). Carolina's CAM NEWTON(three), Cincinnati's ANDY DALTON(two), Minnesota's CHRISTIAN PONDER(one) and Houston's T.J. YATES(one) each registered one or more 300-yard passing games last year.
The 300-yard passing games by rookie quarterbacks in 2012:
|
PLAYER, TEAM |
DATE |
GAME |
PASS YARDS |
|
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis |
9/9/2012 |
Week 1 at Chicago |
309 |
|
9/23/2012 |
Week 3 vs. Jacksonville |
313 | |
|
10/7/2012 |
Week 5 vs. Green Bay |
362 | |
|
Robert Griffin III, Washington |
9/9/2012 |
Week 1 at New Orleans |
320 |
|
9/30/2012 |
Week 4 at Tampa Bay |
323 | |
|
Brandon Weeden, Cleveland |
9/16/2012 |
Week 2 at Cincinnati |
322 |
|
9/27/2012 |
Week 4 at Baltimore |
320 | |
|
Ryan Tannehill, Miami |
9/30/2012 |
Week 4 at Arizona |
431 |
-- NFL --
GOOD LUCK:Indianapolis rookie quarterback ANDREW LUCK passed for 362 yards and two touchdowns in the Colts' 30-27 win over Green Bay. Luck is the first rookie in NFL history to pass for 1,200 yards (1,208) and record at least two wins in his team's first four games.
Luck and CAM NEWTON are the only players in NFL history to pass for at least 300 yards in three of their first four career games.
Luck, who led the Colts back from a 21-3 deficit, is the first rookie quarterback to overcome an 18 point deficit to win a game since MATTHEW STAFFORD of the Detroit Lions in 2009 (November 22) and only the fourth to accomplish the feat since 2003.
The rookie quarterbacks who have overcome an 18 point deficit to win a game since 2003:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
GAME |
DEFICIT |
RESULT |
|
Ryan Fitzpatrick |
St. Louis |
11/27/2005 at Houston |
24-3 |
33-27 (OT) |
|
Vince Young |
Tennessee |
11/26/2006 vs. NY Giants |
21-0 |
24-21 |
|
Matthew Stafford |
Detroit |
11/22/2009 vs. Cleveland |
24-3 |
38-37 |
|
Andrew Luck |
Indianapolis |
10/7/2012 vs. Green Bay |
21-3 |
30-27 |
-- NFL --
FOSTER'S FAST 40:Houston running back ARIAN FOSTER amassed 168 yards from scrimmage (152 rushing, 16 receiving) on Monday Night Football. Foster (3,629 rushing, 1,374 receiving) registered more than 5,000 yards from scrimmage in his first 40 career games, reaching the milestone in the third-fewest games in league annals. Only EDGERRIN JAMES(36)*and Pro Football Hall of FamerERIC DICKERSON *(39) recorded 5,000 yards from scrimmage in fewer games.
The players to reach 5,000 yards from scrimmage in the fewest games:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM(S) |
YEARS |
RUSH YDS. |
REC. YDS. |
SCRIM. YDS. |
GAMES |
|
Edgerrin James |
Indianapolis |
1999-2001 |
3,679 |
1,330 |
5,009 |
36 |
|
Eric Dickerson |
LA Rams |
1983-1985 |
4,456 |
645 |
5,101 |
39 |
|
Arian Foster |
Houston |
2009-2012 |
3,629 |
1,374 |
5,003 |
40 |
|
Chris Johnson |
Tennessee |
2008-2010 |
4,202 |
866 |
5,068 |
41 |
|
Clinton Portis |
Denver, Washington |
2002-2004 |
4,192 |
871 |
5,063 |
41 |
|
LaDainian Tomlinson |
San Diego |
2001-2003 |
3,861 |
1,182 |
5,043 |
41 |
-- NFL --
PARTY ON WAYNE:In the Colts' win, Indianapolis wide receiver REGGIE WAYNEtotaled a career-best 212 receiving yards on 13 catches, including a four-yard game-winning touchdown with 35 seconds remaining. Wayne became the 16th player in NFL history with 40 career 100-yard receiving games.
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The players with 100 receiving yards in 40 or more games:
|
PLAYER |
100-YD REC. GAMES |
|
PLAYER |
100-YD REC. GAMES |
|
Jerry Rice^ |
76 |
|
Isaac Bruce |
45 |
|
Randy Moss* |
64 |
|
Tim Brown |
43 |
|
Marvin Harrison |
59 |
|
James Lofton^ |
43 |
|
Terrell Owens |
51 |
|
Cris Carter |
42 |
|
Don Maynard^ |
50 |
|
Lance Alworth^ |
41 |
|
Torry Holt |
47 |
|
Steve Largent^ |
40 |
|
Michael Irvin^ |
47 |
|
Steve Smith* |
40 |
|
Jimmy Smith |
46 |
|
*Reggie Wayne |
40 |
|
*Active |
|
|
| |
|
^Pro Football Hall of Famer |
|
|
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-- NFL --
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300-300 CLUB:The SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS totaled 621 yards of offense (311 rushing, 310 passing) in a 45-3 win against Buffalo. The 49ers became the first team in NFL history to net more than 300 rushing yards and 300 passing yards in a single game.
San Francisco is averaging 195.8 rushing yards per game (first in the NFL) and ranks first in the league in points allowed per game (13.6), second in yards allowed per game (262.6) and second in passing yards allowed per game (181.2).
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NFL SUPPORTS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH WITH "A CRUCIAL CATCH" CAMPAIGN
The NFL and NFL Players will support October's National Breast Cancer Awareness Month with their fourth-annual national screening initiative and fundraising campaign. In collaboration with the American Cancer Society, the initiative, called "A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives," reminds women 40 and older about the importance of having an annual mammogram.
Throughout the month, NFL Breast Cancer Awareness games will feature footballs with pink ribbon decals, on-field pink ribbon stencils and many pink items, including cleats, wristbands, gloves, sideline caps, pins, helmet decals, eye shield decals, captains' patches, sideline towels and quarterback towels.
To learn more about the campaign, go to www.NFL.com/pink.
