By Dean Michaels, NFL Writer
Out of The Blocks
The Chicago Bears, who defeated the Indianapolis Colts 41-21 on Kickoff Weekend, have won 53 season openers, the most wins all-time on Kickoff Weekend.
The teams with the most wins on Kickoff Weekend:
Team | Kickoff Weekend Wins |
---|---|
Source: NFL | |
Chicago Bears | 53 |
Green Bay Packers | 52 |
New York Giants | 49 |
Detroit Lions | 44 |
Pittsburgh Steelers | 40 |
Washington Redskins | 40 |
The Dallas Cowboys, who defeated the New York Giants 24-17, improved their NFL-best record in season openers to 35-17-1 (.673).
The teams with the highest winning percentage on Kickoff Weekend:
Team | Kickoff Weekend Record | Win Pct. |
---|---|---|
Source: NFL | ||
Dallas Cowboys | 35-17-1 | .673 |
Denver Broncos | 33-19-1 | .635 |
Jacksonville Jaguars | 11-7-0 | .611 |
Chicago Bears | 53-35-5 | .602 |
New York Giants | 49-34-5 | .590 |
Streaking Patriots
The New England Patriots, who defeated the Tennessee Titans 34-13, have won nine consecutive games on Kickoff Weekend, the longest current streak in the NFL. The Patriots tied the Chicago Bears (1984-1992) for the fourth-most consecutive wins all-time in season openers.
The most consecutive games won all-time in season openers:
Team | Years | Streak |
---|---|---|
* Active streak Source: NFL | ||
Dallas Cowboys | 1965-1981 | 17 |
Miami Dolphins | 1992-2002 | 11 |
Detroit Lions/Portsmouth Spartans | 1930-1939 | 10 |
New England Patriots | 2004-present | 9* |
Chicago Bears | 1984-1992 | 9 |
On The Fast Track
New England quarterback TOM BRADY completed 23 of 31 passes (74.2 percent) for 236 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 117.1 passer rating at Tennessee. The victory was Brady's 125th in his career as a starter and he reached the milestone in the fewest starts (160) in NFL history. The previous mark was held by PEYTON MANNING (184).
The quarterbacks to reach 125 wins in the fewest starts:
Player | Fewest Starts to 125 Wins |
---|---|
Source: NFL | |
Tom Brady | 160 |
Peyton Manning | 184 |
Brett Favre | 189 |
Dan Marino | 199 |
John Elway | 201 |
Brady's 125 wins are the fifth-most in NFL history among starting quarterbacks. He passed Pro Football Hall of Famer FRAN TARKENTON (124) and trails only BRETT FAVRE (186), Hall of Famers JOHN ELWAY (148) and DAN MARINO (147) and PEYTON MANNING (142).
Most Career Wins as Starter
Player | Record | Win Pct. |
---|---|---|
*Active Source: NFL | ||
Brett Favre | 186-112 | .624 |
John Elway | 148-82-1 | .643 |
Dan Marino | 147-93 | .613 |
Peyton Manning* | 142-67 | .679 |
Tom Brady* | 125-35 | .781 |
Fran Tarkenton | 124-109-6 | .531 |
Climbing The Charts
Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING completed 19 of 26 passes (73.1 percent) for 253 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions for a 129.2 passer rating in the Broncos' 31-19 win over Pittsburgh. Manning (401) joined BRETT FAVRE (508) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (420) as the only players in NFL history to record 400 career touchdown passes. Manning reached the mark in the fewest games (209) in NFL history.
Player | Fewest Games To Reach 400 TD Passes |
---|---|
Source: NFL | |
Peyton Manning | 209 |
Dan Marino | 227 |
Brett Favre | 228 |
Up-and-Coming
Detroit Lions quarterback MATTHEW STAFFORD completed 32 of 48 passes (66.7 percent) for 355 yards with one touchdown in his 30th career start as the Lions' defeated St. Louis, 27-23. Stafford has 8,195 passing yards, the third-most through 30 starts by a quarterback who began his career in the Super Bowl era. Only KURT WARNER (8,739) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (8,467) have more passing yards through 30 starts.
The quarterbacks with the most passing yards through 30 career starts who began their career in the Super Bowl era:
Player | Passing Yards Through 30 Starts |
---|---|
Source: NFL | |
Kurt Warner | 8,739 |
Dan Marino | 8,467 |
Matthew Stafford | 8,195 |
Tony Romo | 8,044 |
Aaron Rodgers | 8,000 |
Stafford (61 TD passes) also surpassed TONY ROMO for the third-most TD passes among quarterbacks through 30 career starts in the Super Bowl era.
The most touchdown passes through 30 starts among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era:
Player | TD Passes Through 30 Starts |
---|---|
Source: NFL | |
Dan Marino | 73 |
Kurt Warner | 70 |
Matthew Stafford | 61 |
Tony Romo | 60 |
Dave Krieg | 58 |
Rookie QBs
Entering 2012, only two rookie quarterbacks had ever passed for at least 300 yards on Kickoff Weekend: PEYTON MANNING (302 yards, 1998) and CAM NEWTON (422 yards, 2011). That total was matched on Sunday when Washington's ROBERT GRIFFIN III (320 yards) and Indianapolis' ANDREW LUCK (309 yards) accomplished the feat.
The most passing yards among rookies in season openers in NFL history:
Player | Team | Year | Passing Yards |
---|---|---|---|
Source: NFL | |||
Cam Newton | Carolina Panthers | 2011 | 422 |
Robert Griffin III | Washington Redskins | 2012 | 320 |
Andrew Luck | Indianapolis Colts | 2012 | 309 |
Peyton Manning | Indianapolis Colts | 1998 | 302 |
Mark Sanchez | New York Jets | 2009 | 272 |
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