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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