WORKING OVERTIME
In a season filled with close finishes, 11 games have been decided in overtime in 2010.
Of those 11, both teams had at least one possession in 10 of those contents (90.9 percent). If that percentage holds, it would be the highest of any season since 1994, when the NFL moved the kickoff spot back five yards from the 35- to the 30-yard line.
Since 1994, the highest percentage of overtime games in a season in which both teams had at least one possession is 71.4, which occurred twice (1995, 15 of 21; 1996, 10 of 14).
SECOND-HALF SURGES
Since 2000, 27 teams have reached the halfway point of the season with a .500 or below winning percentage and made the playoffs, including at least one in every season.
In each of the past four seasons, at least three teams started 4-4 or worse and rebounded to make the playoffs, the longest such streak in NFL history.
The teams since 2006 that started the season at .500 or below through eight games and earned a playoff berth:
| Year | Team | Record | Final Record | Playoff Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Source: NFL | ||||
| 2006 | Dallas | 4-4 | 9-7 | Advanced to Wild Card |
| 2006 | N.Y. Jets | 4-4 | 10-6 | Advanced to Wild Card |
| 2006 | Philadelphia | 4-4 | 10-6 | Advanced to Divisional |
| 2007 | San Diego | 4-4 | 11-5 | Advanced to AFC Championship |
| 2007 | Seattle | 4-4 | 10-6 | Advanced to Divisional |
| 2007 | Tampa Bay | 4-4 | 9-7 | Advanced to Wild Card |
| 2008 | Indianapolis | 4-4 | 12-4 | Advanced to Wild Card |
| 2008 | Miami | 4-4 | 11-5 | Advanced to Wild Card |
| 2008 | Minnesota | 4-4 | 10-6 | Advanced to Wild Card |
| 2008 | San Diego | 3-5 | 8-8 | Advanced to Divisional |
| 2009 | Green Bay | 4-4 | 11-5 | Advanced to Wild Card |
| 2009 | N.Y. Jets | 4-4 | 9-7 | Advanced to AFC Championship |
| 2009 | Baltimore | 4-4 | 9-7 | Advanced to Divisional |
GIVE ME FIVE: CHRIS JOHNSON
Tennessee running back CHRIS JOHNSON, who has 3,955 rushing yards on 787 attempts (5.0 average) in his NFL career, will play in his 40th game on Sunday when the Titans visit Miami.
If Johnson rushes for at least 45 yards against the Dolphins while maintaining his 5.0 yards-per-carry career average, he would become the fourth player in NFL history to rush for 4,000 yards and average 5.0 yards per carry or better in his first 40 games.
Players with 4,000 rushing yards and a 5.0+ yards-per-attempt average in their first 40 games:
| Player | Attempts | Yards | Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Through 39 games (Source: NFL) | |||
| Jim Brown | 821 | 4,230 | 5.15 |
| Adrian Peterson | 806 | 4,100 | 5.09 |
| Clinton Portis | 807 | 4,044 | 5.01 |
| Chris Johnson* | 787 | 3,955 | 5.03 |
QUICK VICK
Philadelphia quarterback MICHAEL VICK needs 25 rushing yards against Washington on Monday night to surpass Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback STEVE YOUNG (4,239) for the second-most rushing yards by a quarterback in NFL history.
Vick currently ranks third with 4,215 career rushing yards, trailing only Young and RANDALL CUNNINGHAM (4,928).
The quarterbacks with the most rushing yards in NFL history:
| Player | Teams | Yards | |
|---|---|---|---|
| * Active (Source: NFL) | |||
| Randall Cunningham | Philadelphia, Minnesota, Dallas, Baltimore | 4,928 | |
| Steve Young | Tampa Bay, San Francisco | 4,239 | |
| Michael Vick* | Atlanta, Philadelphia | 4,215 | |
| Fran Tarkenton | Minnesota, N.Y. Giants | 3,674 | |
| Steve McNair | Oilers/Titans, Baltimore | 3,590 | |
RECEIVING LEADERS MEET
Sunday's Bengals-Colts game will feature three of the top five receiving yardage leaders of the past 10 years (2001-present). Cincinnati wide receiver TERRELL OWENS leads all NFL players with 10,963 receiving yards during that span, while CHAD OCHOCINCO (10,425) and Indianapolis wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE (10,117) rank fourth and fifth, respectively.
REED AND REACT
Baltimore Ravens safety ED REED averages 26.9 yards per return on his 49 career interceptions (1,319 yards). With an interception against Atlanta on Thursday night, Reed would become the fourth player in NFL history with 50 INTs to average at least 20.0 yards per interception return.
Reed, who has three interceptions in his past two games, would join Pro Football Hall of Famer ROD WOODSON (20.9) DEION SANDERS (25.1) and DARREN SHARPER (22.4) as the only players to accomplish the feat.
Reed also needs 13 interception-return yards to surpass Sanders for the third-most in NFL history
BRAD TO THE BONE
St. Louis rookie quarterback SAM BRADFORD, the top choice in the 2010 NFL Draft, has completed 171 of 292 passes for 1,674 yards with 11 touchdowns for the Rams, who are currently tied for first in the NFC West.
Midway through his first professional season, Bradford is on pace to set NFL rookie records for passing attempts (584 projected) and completions (342) and projects to finish among the all-time top five in passing yards (3,348) and passing touchdowns (22) among rookie QBs.
SUH-PENDOUS
Detroit Lions rookie defensive tackle NDAMUKONG SUH, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, has 6.5 sacks, tops among rookies and the most by any defensive tackle this season.
Through eight games, Suh is on pace for 13 sacks, which would surpass DANA STUBBLEFIELD's record for sacks by a rookie defensive tackle (10.5 in 1993) since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. Suh is also within striking distance of the rookie sack record, regardless of position. JEVON KEARSE (14.5 sacks in 1999) is the current record holder.
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