NFL 2013 Week 16: What To Look For

Unpredictable NFL

With two weeks remaining in the 2013 regular season, 19 teams remain in contention for a trip to Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium. Only one team -- Indianapolis (AFC South) -- has clinched a division title. Denver, Kansas City and Seattle have all clinched playoff spots.

Four teams -- Kansas City (AFC West), Philadelphia (NFC East), New Orleans (NFC South) and Carolina (NFC South) -- that finished in or tied for last place in their divisions in 2012 are currently in or tied for first place in their respective divisions with two weeks to play. If any of these teams wins its division, 2013 would mark an NFL-record 11th consecutive season that at least one team has finished in first place in its division the season after finishing in or tied for last place.

Division 2012 Chmapion Week 15 Leader(s)
Source: NFL
*Division champion;
**Can clinch division title this weekend
AFC EastNew EnglandNew England (10-4)**
AFC NorthBaltimoreCincinnati (9-5) **
AFC SouthHoustonIndianapolis (9-5)*
AFC WestDenverDenver (11-3)**, Kansas City (11-3)
NFC EastWashingtonPhiladelphia (8-6)**
NFC NorthGreen BayChicago (8-6)**
NFC SouthAtlantaNew Orleans (10-4)**, Carolina (10-4)
NFC WestSan FranciscoSeattle (12-2)**

 

A Manning For All Seasons

Denver quarterback Peyton Manning leads the NFL with 47 touchdown passes in 2013, which is already the fourth-most in a season in NFL history.

Manning, who needs four more TD passes to surpass Tom Brady's single-season NFL record of 50 in 2007, can move up the all-time single-season list in Houston on Sunday.

Manning is the first player in NFL annals with at least 45 touchdown passes in two different seasons.

The quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes in a season in NFL history:

Quarterback Team Season TD Passes
Source: NFL *Through 14 games
Tom Brady New England200750
Peyton Manning Indianapolis200449
Dan MarinoMiami198448
Peyton Manning*Denver201347
Drew BreesNew Orleans201146

 

Manning (4,811) can also become the fifth different player to throw for 5,000 yards in a season, joining DREW BREES (three times), Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO, TOM BRADY and MATTHEW STAFFORD.

Manning has led the league in touchdown passes three times in his career and can tie DREW BREES, BRETT FAVRE and Pro Football Hall of Famers LEN DAWSON, JOHNNY UNITAS and STEVE YOUNG for the most seasons leading the league in touchdown passes (four).

Lots of Andrew Luck

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck has thrown for 7,673 yards in his first two NFL seasons, the third-most passing yards in a player's first two seasons of a career in NFL history.

With 248 passing yards at Kansas City on Sunday, Luck will surpass Peyton Manning (7,874) and Cam Newton (7,920) for the most passing yards in the first two seasons of a career in NFL history.

The quarterbacks with the most passing yards in the first two seasons of a career in NFL history:

Quarterback Team Passing Yards
Source: NFL *Through Week 15
Cam Newton Carolina7,920
Peyton ManningIndianapolis7,874
Andrew Luck*Indianapolis7,673
Dan MarinoMiami7,294
Andy DaltonCincinnati7,067

 

Broncos Racking Up the Points

The Denver Broncos have scored 535 points in 2013, already the eighth-most points in a season in NFL history. The Broncos are averaging 38.2 points per game, the second-highest average of any team in NFL history behind the 1950 Los Angeles Rams (38.8).

The Broncos have also scored 68 total touchdowns this season, the fourth-most total TDs by a team in a season in NFL history.

With three TDs in Houston on Sunday, the Broncos can move past the 1984 Miami Dolphins (70) and 2011 Green Bay Packers (70) into second on the all-time list for most TDs scored in a season.

The teams scoring the most total TDs in a season in NFL history:

Team Season Total TDs
Source: NFL *Through 14 games
New England200775
Green Bay201170
Miami198470
Denver*201368

 

Leader Of The Pack

Green Bay Packers rookie running back EDDIE LACY leads all NFL rookies with 1,028 rushing yards in 2013.

With 78 rushing-yards on Sunday vs. Pittsburgh, Lacy can surpass JOHN BROCKINGTON (1,105 in 1971) for the most rushing yards by a rookie in Packers annals.

Lacy (248) has already surpassed Brockington's all-time rookie mark (216) for rushing attempts in a season and his eight rush TDs are the most by a Green Bay rookie.

Just Kicking It

In Week 15, Baltimore Ravens kicker JUSTIN TUCKER converted all six field goal attempts, including a 61-yarder in the final minute to beat the Lions 18-16. Tucker's 61-yard field goal marked the third-longest come-from-behind game-winning field goal in the final minute of the fourth quarter in NFL history.

Tucker has made 33 consecutive field goals this season, the fourth-longest streak in NFL history.

With four field goals without a miss on Sunday vs. New England, Tucker would surpass MATT STOVER (36) for the third-most consecutive field goals made in NFL history.

The most consecutive field goals made in NFL history:

Player Team / Season Consecutive FGs
Source: NFL *Active Streak
Mike VanderjagtIndianapolis, 2002-200442
Gary AndersonSan Francisco, 1997; Minnesota, 199840
Matt StoverBaltimore, 2005-200636
Justin Tucker*Baltimore, 201333

 

The 100 Receptions Club

Houston Texans wide receiver ANDRE JOHNSON leads the NFL with 99 receptions and Chicago's BRANDON MARSHALL (90) ranks fourth. Both receivers can join WES WELKER as the only players in NFL history with five 100-catch seasons.

The players with the most 100-catch seasons in NFL history:

Player Seasons
Source: NFL *Active
Wes Welker5*
Andre Johnson4*
Brandon Marshall4*
Reggie Wayne4*
Jerry Rice4
Marvin Harrison4

 

Candlestick Park: Blowing Out The Candle

The final Monday Night Football game of the season features a matchup between the ATLANTA FALCONS and SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS and will serve as the final regular-season NFL game to be played in Candlestick Park, before the team moves to Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

The 49ers have called Candlestick home since 1971 and Monday will mark the 36th time the stadium has hosted Monday Night Football, the most of any stadium in NFL history.

The NFL stadiums to host the most Monday Night Football Games in NFL history:

Stadium MNF Games
Source: NFL
Candlestick Park35
Sun Life Stadium32
Giants Stadium30
Texas Stadium28
Soldier Field25
Qualcomm Stadium25

 

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NFL 2013 Week 16: What To Look For