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WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 16

WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 16

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UNPREDICTABLE NFL: With two weeks remaining in the 2012 regular season, 19 teams remain in contention for a trip to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans. Five teams – New England (AFC East), Houston (AFC South), Denver (AFC West), Green Bay (NFC North) and Atlanta (NFC South) – have won their divisions. Baltimore and San Francisco have clinched postseason berths.

Washington, which finished in last place in the NFC East last season, is currently tied for first place in the division. If the Redskins win the NFC East, 2012 would mark an NFL-record 10th consecutive season that at least one team has finished in first place in its division the season after finishing in last place.

DIVISION

2011 CHAMPION

LEADER(S) THROUGH WEEK 15

AFC East

New England

New England (10-4)*

AFC North

Baltimore

Baltimore (9-5)**

AFC South

Houston

Houston (12-2)*

AFC West

Denver

Denver (11-3)*

NFC East

NY Giants

Washington (8-6), Dallas (8-6), New York (8-6)

NFC North

Green Bay

Green Bay (10-4)*

NFC South

New Orleans

Atlanta (12-2)*

NFC West

San Francisco

San Francisco (10-3-1)**

Division champion; *Can clinch division title this weekend


-- NFL --

YEAR OF THE ROOKIE QB:Carolina's CAM NEWTON (4,051) and Cincinnati's ANDY DALTON (3,398) – each passed for 3,000 yards in 2011, the most rookie quarterbacks to reach the 3,000-yard mark in a season in NFL history.

The 2012 rookie quarterback class could have as many as five 3,000-yard passers. Indianapolis' ANDREW LUCK (3,978) and Cleveland's BRANDON WEEDEN (3,281) have already reached the mark, while Miami's RYAN TANNEHILL (2,929), Washington's ROBERT GRIFFIN III (2,902) and Seattle's RUSSELL WILSON (2,697) are quickly approaching.

* *

Luck (3,978) needs 74 passing yards this Sunday against Kansas City to surpass Newton* *for the rookie record for passing yards. 

The rookie quarterbacks with the most passing yards in NFL history:

* *

MOST PASSING YARDS BY ROOKIE QB

PLAYER

TEAM

YEAR

PASSING YARDS

Cam Newton

Carolina

2011

4,051

Andrew Luck

Indianapolis

2012

*3,978

Peyton Manning

Indianapolis

1998

3,739

Sam Bradford

St. Louis

2010

3,512

Matt Ryan

Atlanta

2008

3,440

Andy Dalton

Cincinnati

2011

3,398

Brandon Weeden

Cleveland

2012

*3,281

*Through 14 games


-- NFL --

 

ELITE PASS RUSHERS:With two games remaining in the 2012 regular-season, San Francisco's ALDON SMITH(19.5) and Houston's J.J. WATT (19.5) are each within a half a sack of 20. Denver's VON MILLER (16) needs four sacks to reach 20. If at least two reach the mark, 2012 would be the first season in which multiple players registered 20 or more sacks. 

 

The players with 20 sacks in a single season since the sack became an official statistic in 1982:

PLAYER

TEAM

YEAR

SACKS

Michael Strahan

NY Giants

2001

22.5

Jared Allen  

Minnesota

2011

22

Mark Gastineau

NY Jets

1984

22

Chris Doleman

Minnesota

1989

21

Reggie White

Philadelphia

1987

21

Lawrence Taylor

NY Giants

1986

20.5

Derrick Thomas

Kansas City

1990

20

DeMarcus Ware

Dallas

2008

20

Aldon Smith

San Francisco

2012

*19.5

J.J. Watt

Houston

2012

*19.5

Von Miller

Denver

2012

*16

*Through 14 games




-- NFL --

80 CLOSING IN ON 800:Houston Texans wide receiverANDRE JOHNSON (799) needs one reception on Sunday against Minnesota to reach 800 career receptions. Johnson will appear in his 137th career game Sunday and can reach 800 career receptions in the second-fewest games in NFL history.

The fewest games to reach 800 career receptions in NFL history:

PLAYER

GAMES

Marvin Harrison

131

Torry Holt

142

Jerry Rice

154

Terrell Owens

158

Reggie Wayne

160

Andre Johnson

*136

                                         *799 career receptions

-- NFL --

MEGATRON: Detroit Lions wide receiver CALVIN JOHNSON has recorded at least 100 receiving yards in seven consecutive games, tied with CHARLEY HENNIGAN (1961) and Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (1995) for the longest streak in NFL history. If Johnson has at least 100 receiving yards on Saturday night against Atlanta, he would surpass Hennigan and Irvin for the most consecutive 100-yard receiving games in NFL history.

Johnson has 1,667 receiving yards this season, the eighth most in a season all-time. With two games remaining, Johnson needs 182 receiving yards to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (1,848 in 1995) for the most receiving yards in a season in NFL history.

The players with the most consecutive games of 100 receiving yards:

 

PLAYER

TEAM

YEAR

STREAK

Charley Hennigan

Houston

1961

7

Michael Irvin

Dallas

1995

7

Calvin Johnson

Detroit

2012

*7

*Active




 

-- NFL --

 

MANNING'S DOZEN: PEYTON MANNINGand the Denver Broncos will host the Cleveland Browns on Sunday and aim to improve to 12-3 this season. Since entering the NFL in 1998, Manning's teams have reached 12 regular-season wins in eight different seasons, the most by a starting quarterback in NFL history. Manning aims to extend his NFL record on Sunday.

 

The starting quarterbacks with the most 12-win regular seasons in NFL history:

MOST SEASONS WITH 12 WINS

PLAYER

SEASONS

*Peyton Manning

8

Tom Brady*

6

Brett Favre

6

John Elway

4

Jim Kelly

4

*Active


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