NFL 2014: What To Look For Week 5

NFL 2014: What To Look For Week 5

Cowboy Way

Dallas running back DE MARCO MURRAY has rushed for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in each of his first four games, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer EMMITT SMITH for the fourth-longest such streak in NFL history to begin a season.

With at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown against the Houston Texans on Sunday, Murray can join Pro Football Hall of Famers JIM BROWN (six) and O.J. SIMPSON (five) as the only players to do so in at least five games to begin a season.

The longest start-of-season streaks in NFL history with at least 100 rushing yards and a touchdown run:

Player	Team	Season	Streak
Source: NFL Active streak*
Jim Brown	Cleveland	1958	6
O.J. Simpson	Buffalo	1975	5
Emmitt Smith	Dallas	1995	4
DeMarco Murray*	Dallas	2014	4

Still In The Mix

History shows that a losing record at this point in the season does not negate a team's chances of making the playoffs.

Since the current playoff system (12 teams) was instituted in 1990, 25 teams have rebounded from a losing record after four weeks to qualify for the postseason, including the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers in 2013. Four of those teams advanced to their Conference Championship Games, including the 2001 New England Patriots (1-3) en route to their Super Bowl XXXVI victory.

Since 1990, the NFL teams that started 1-3 or worse and made the playoffs:

Season	Team	Record	Advanced To
Source: NFL
1990	New Orleans	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs
1990	Philadelphia	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs
1991	NY Jets	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs
1992	San Diego	0-4	Divisional Playoffs
1993	Green Bay	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
1993	Houston	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
1995	Detroit	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs
1995	Philadelphia	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
1996	Dallas	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
1996	Jacksonville	1-3	Championship Game
1997	NY Giants	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs
1998	Buffalo	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs
2000	New Orleans	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
2001	New England	1-3	Won Super Bowl XXXVI
2002	Atlanta	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
2002	Tennessee	1-3	Championship Game
2002	NY Jets	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
2002	Pittsburgh	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
2004	Green Bay	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs
2005	Chicago	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
2007	San Diego	1-3	Championship Game
2008	Minnesota	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs
2011	Denver	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
2013	Carolina	1-3	Divisional Playoffs
2013	Philadelphia	1-3	Wild Card Playoffs

500 Club

Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING has 499 career touchdown passes and can join BRETT FAVRE (508) as the only players with 500.

Favre recorded his 500th career touchdown pass in his 293rd game on his 9,924th pass attempt. Manning has 8,563 career attempts and will face the undefeated Arizona Cardinals (3-0) in his 244th regular season game on Sunday.

A look at how quickly Favre and Manning reached each major touchdown pass milestone in terms of games and attempts:

Number of Games To Reach Milestone TDs

Player	100	200	300	400	500
Source: NFL
Brett Favre	62	107	167	228	293
Peyton Manning	56	106	157	209	??

Number of Attempts To Reach Milestone TDs

Player	100	200	300	400	500
Source: NFL
Brett Favre	2,030	3,533	5,645	7,699	9,924
Peyton Manning	1,922	3,689	5,306	7,226	??

Cool Brees

New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES has 39,936 passing yards since joining the Saints in 2006, the most of any NFL player during that span.

Brees needs 64 passing yards against Tampa Bay to become the sixth quarterback in NFL history with 40,000 passing yards with one franchise. He will play in his 132nd game with New Orleans on Sunday and can surpass DAN MARINO (Miami Dolphins, 153 games) as the fastest quarterback to reach 40,000 passing yards with a team.

The quarterbacks with 40,000 passing yards with one team and the number of games it took each of them to reach the milestone:

Player	Team	Games
Source: NFL 39,936 passing yards*
Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	153
Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts	154
Tom Brady	New England Patriots	162
Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers	164
Dan Fouts	San Diego Chargers	168
John Elway	Denver Broncos	183
Drew Brees*	New Orleans Saints	131

Tom Terrific

New England's TOM BRADY needs 60 passing yards against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday Night Football to become the sixth quarterback in NFL history to reach 50,000 career passing yards.

In 15 seasons, Brady has 49,940 career passing yards.

The NFL quarterbacks with the most career passing yards:

Quarterback	Seasons	Passing Yards
Source: NFL Active*
Brett Favre	1991-2010	71,838
Peyton Manning*	1998-present	65,778
Dan Marino	1983-1999	61,361
Drew Brees*	2001-present	52,284
John Elway	1983-1998	51,475
Tom Brady*	2000-present	49,940

Tight Ends with 10,000 Yards

JASON WITTEN of the Dallas Cowboys has 9,955 career receiving yards, the third-most among tight ends in NFL history.

With 45 receiving yards against Houston, Witten can join TONY GONZALEZ (15,127) and Pro Football Hall of Famer SHANNON SHARPE (10,060) as the only tight ends with 10,000 career receiving yards.

Witten, who will play in his 180th career game in Week 5, can become the second-fastest tight end to reach the milestone. Gonzalez reach 10,000 yards in his 177th game, while Sharpe did so in his 203rd game.

NFL 2014 - What To Look For Week 5

NFL 2014: What To Look For Week 5

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NFL 2014 - What To Look For Week 5