[
]()
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 |
|