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SUNDAY ENDS:The Atlanta Falcons (8-0) remained undefeated with a 19-13 win over the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Atlanta tight end TONY GONZALEZrecorded four receptions for 36 yards and Dallas tight end JASON WITTEN caught seven passes for 51 yards.
Gonzalez now has 50 receptions this season and 1,199 for his career, second all-time behind Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (1,549). Gonzalez is the only player in NFL history with 15 consecutive 50-reception seasons and joins Rice (17) as the only players in NFL history with 15 50-reception seasons
Witten has 58 receptions in 2012, marking his ninth consecutive 50-catch season, the second-most by a tight end behind Gonzalez. Witten (754) surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (750) for the most receptions in franchise history.
Gonzalez and Witten rank among the top three tight ends in all-time receptions and receiving yards:
* *
PLAYER |
TEAM(S) |
RECEPTIONS |
RECEIVING YARDS | |
Tony Gonzalez |
Kansas City, Atlanta |
1,199 |
13,833 | |
Shannon Sharpe* |
Denver, Baltimore |
815 |
10,060 | |
Jason Witten |
Dallas |
754 |
8,447 | |
*Pro Football Hall of Famer |
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-- NFL --
10,000 CLUB:Detroit quarterbackMATTHEW STAFFORD totaled 285 passing yards on Sunday as the Lions defeated Jacksonville, 31-14. Stafford (10,233) reached 10,000 career passing yards in his 37th career game and became the second-fastest player to reach the milestone (KURT WARNER, 36).
The fewest games to reach 10,000 career passing yards in NFL history:
PLAYER |
TEAM(S) |
GAMES |
Kurt Warner |
St. Louis |
36 |
Matthew Stafford |
Detroit |
37 |
Marc Bulger |
St. Louis |
38 |
Dan Marino |
Miami |
38 |
Peyton Manning |
Indianapolis |
39 |
-- NFL --
ROOKIE SHOWDOWN:The Indianapolis Colts (5-3), led by 2012 NFL Draft No. 1 overall selection ANDREW LUCK,*defeated the Miami Dolphins (4-4) and rookie quarterbackRYAN TANNEHILL*, 23-20 on Sunday. The matchup marked the first time since the merger that two rookie quarterbacks, each with at least three wins, faced each other in a game.
Luck completed 30 of 48 passes (62.5 percent) for 433 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 105.6 passer rating. Luck's 433 passing yards are the most by a rookie in a game in NFL history, besting the previous mark of 432 yards set by CAM NEWTON last season.
Luck has four 300-yard passing games, tied with PEYTON MANNING (1998) for the most by a rookie in a season all-time.
This season, there have been nine individual 300-yard passing games by rookie quarterbacks. That is already the most such games in a single season in NFL history.
The most passing yards in a single game by a rookie quarterback in NFL history:
PLAYER |
TEAM |
OPPONENT |
WEEK |
SEASON |
PASSING YARDS |
Andrew Luck |
Indianapolis |
Miami |
9 |
2012 |
433 |
Cam Newton |
Carolina |
Green Bay |
2 |
2011 |
432 |
Ryan Tannehill |
Miami |
Arizona |
4 |
2012 |
431 |
-- NFL --
ZERO TO 60:Pittsburgh head coach MIKE TOMLINearned his 60th victory on Sunday with a 24-20 win over the New York Giants. Tomlin now has a 60-28 (.682) record in six seasons and his 88 games ties CHUCK KNOX(88) for the fourth-fewest games to reach 60 career victories among coaches who began their career since 1970.
GEORGE SEIFERT(75) reached 60 wins in the fewest games in NFL history.
The coaches who began their career since 1970 to win 60 games in the fewest games: * *
COACH |
TEAM(S)^ |
NO. OF GAMES | |
George Seifert |
San Francisco |
75 | |
Joe Gibbs |
Washington |
84 | |
Mike Ditka |
Chicago |
85 | |
Mike Tomlin |
Pittsburgh |
88 | |
Chuck Knox |
LA Rams, Buffalo |
88 | |
Bill Cowher |
Pittsburgh |
90 | |
Andy Reid |
Philadelphia |
90 | |
^Through first 60 wins |
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WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON MNF: One more note to keep in mind for tonight's *Monday Night Football *game between the Eagles and Saints…
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, 29 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.
Of those 29 clubs, five have advanced to the Conference Championship Game, including the 2001 New England Patriots, who won Super Bowl XXXVI.
The five teams since 2000 to start .500 or worse halfway through the season and advance to the Conference Championship Game:
SEASON |
TEAM |
RECORD |
ADVANCED TO: |
2001 |
New England |
4-4 |
Won Super Bowl XXXVI |
2002 |
Tennessee |
4-4 |
Championship Game |
2002 |
Oakland |
4-4 |
Lost Super Bowl XXXVII |
2007 |
San Diego |
4-4 |
Championship Game |
2009 |
New York Jets |
4-4 |
Championship Game |