NFL 2010 Matt Ryan QB Atlanta Falcons - Falcons 7-2 NFL's Best Record after defeating the Ravens
Matt Ryan's Falcons NFL's Best at 7-2

The second half of the 2010 NFL season is underway and the race to the playoffs is on and at the halfway point, the races are tight.

The Atlanta Falcons are now 7-2 after defeating the Baltmore Ravens 26 to 21 on Matt Ryan's 33-yard touchdown pass to Roddy White with 20 seconds remaining on Thursday night.

Four teams -- the New England Patriots, New York Giants, New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers -- currently have the NFL's second best record at 6-2. And three other teams -- the Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints -- also have six wins (6-3).

"It's good to get out of there with a win," says Jets wide receiver BRAYLON EDWARDS about the team's 23-20 overtime win at Detroit. "A win is a win at the end of the day, especially in this league."

It's especially hard to get a win when there are so many good teams. Entering Week 10, there are 21 teams with a .500+ record, tied for the second-most in NFL history through the first nine weeks (22 in 1997).

Some of the key games of NFL 2010 Week 10:

NEW YORK JETS (6-2) at CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-5)

The Jets erased a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes of regulation and defeated the Detroit Lions 23-20 in overtime last week. It marked only the second time in franchise history the Jets rallied from a double-digit deficit in the final three minutes of the fourth quarter (September 24, 2000 at Tampa Bay).

"We feel fortunate to get the win," says Jets head coach REX RYAN, "but we don't care. We'll take it. That's what good teams do. They find a way to win."

Quarterback MARK SANCHEZ threw for a career-high 336 yards and a touchdown -- a 74-yard strike to BRAYLON EDWARDS. He also scored on a one-yard run with 2:46 remaining in the fourth quarter and set up the game-winning field goal in overtime with a 52-yard pass to SANTONIO HOLMES.

"This entire team is a resilient bunch," says Sanchez. "When we need it the most, we find a way to win games. I'm proud of the way we played and our effort throughout the entire game."

Cleveland knocked off the New England Patriots 34-14 last weekend, the team's second consecutive impressive victory after the Week 7 win at New Orleans over the defending Super Bowl champions.

Browns rookie quarterback COLT MC COY completed 73.7 percent of his passes (14 of 19) and ran for a score while running back PEYTON HILLIS rushed for 184 yards and two scores.

"This sends a message that what happened last game against New Orleans was not a fluke," says Cleveland tackle JOE THOMAS. "We're a good team. We're starting to find our identity."

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-2) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-2)

The Patriots and Steelers meet on Sunday night and both teams enter Week 10 tied for the NFL's best record at 6-2. New England has won six of the past eight meetings (including playoffs) between the two teams.

Pittsburgh held on for a 27-21 win at Cincinnati on Monday night to maintain a share of first place in the AFC North. Wide receiver MIKE WALLACE had five receptions for 110 yards and a touchdown and the defense stopped the Bengals at the Pittsburgh 12-yard line in the final minute.

"This is how the Steelers play ball," says cornerback IKE TAYLOR. "We're always in tough, close ballgames."

New England looks to rebound from a 34-14 loss at Cleveland, ending the Patriots' five-game winning streak. Despite the loss, New England owns a share of first place in the AFC East with the New York Jets.

"We have to do better in all areas and get ready for Pittsburgh," says Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-3) at WASHINGTON REDSKINS (4-4)

Two NFC East rivals will meet at FedExField on Monday night when the Redskins host the Eagles. Philadelphia will look to avenge a Week 4 loss to Washington.

Last week, the Eagles defeated the Indianapolis Colts 26-24 at Lincoln Financial Field as the team improved to an NFL-best 12-0 under head coach ANDY REID after a bye. Quarterback MICHAEL VICK passed for a touchdown and rushed for another score.

"This was a very gratifying win," says Vick. "Two weeks of hard work and preparation. This is a tough league. We played against one of the best teams in the league and pulled it out. We have to strive to beat every team that we line up against. We try and make a statement week in and week out."

This season, Vick leads the NFL with a 105.3 passer rating and has not thrown an interception. He'll be challenged this week as Redskins cornerback DE ANGELO HALL leads the league with six interceptions, including five in the past two games.

 

Statistical highlights from NFL 2010 Week 9.

BRETT FAVRE

Minnesota quarterback BRETT FAVRE had a career-high 446 passing yards in the Vikings' 27-24 overtime win against Arizona.

It marked the first 400-yard game for Favre since December 5, 1993 (402 at Chicago). That span of 16 years, 337 days between 400 yard passing games is the longest in NFL history.

PHILIP RIVERS

San Diego quarterback PHILIP RIVERS had 295 passing yards and tied his career-high with four touchdown passes in the Chargers' 29-23 win at Houston.

Rivers now has 2,944 passing yards, the second-most passing yards through a team's first nine games of a season in NFL history (DREW BREES, 2,985 in 2008).

PEYTON MANNING

Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING had 287 passing yards and one touchdown in the Colts' 26-24 loss at Philadelphia.

Manning started his 200th consecutive game, joining BRETT FAVRE as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to start 200 consecutive games. Manning is the only quarterback in NFL history to start the first 200 games of his career.

MICHAEL VICK

Philadelphia quarterback MICHAEL VICK rushed for 74 yards and one touchdown in the Eagles' 26-24 win against Indianapolis.

Vick now has 4,215 career rushing yards and joins RANDALL CUNNINGHAM (4,928 rushing yards) and Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (4,239 rushing yards) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to record at least 4,200 rushing yards.

JEREMY SHOCKEY

New Orleans tight end JEREMY SHOCKEY had one reception, which resulted in a touchdown, in the Saints' 34-3 victory at Carolina. Shockey now has 500 career catches and became the eighth tight end in NFL history to reach 500 receptions.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, who defeated the Indianapolis Colts 26-24, have won 12 consecutive games after a bye, the longest such winning streak in NFL history. Since the bye was instituted in 1990, Philadelphia has an NFL-best 18-4 (.818) record after a bye.

MICHAEL ADAMS

Arizona's MICHAEL ADAMS recovered a fumble and returned it for a touchdown in the Cardinals' 27-24 loss at Minnesota. It marked the fourth opponent fumble recovery touchdown for Arizona this season, tying the NFL all-time single-season record. The last team to return four opponent fumbles for touchdowns was the 1999 Kansas City Chiefs.

ANTWAAN RANDLE EL

Pittsburgh wide receiver ANTWAAN RANDLE EL, who threw a 39-yard touchdown pass on Monday night, has completed 21 of 26 regular-season passes (80.8 percent) in his career for 320 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions for a 157.5 passer rating, just shy of a perfect mark (158.3). That is the highest completion percentage and passer rating among players with at least 20 attempts in NFL history.

 

NFL 2010 Week 10 Preview: The Race to the NFL Playoffs is On