A look back at the statistics and highlights from games the sixth week of the NFL 2012 regular season

 

Exciting Finishes

Close games have been a staple of the 2012 season as 51 games have been decided by eight points or fewer, tied for the second-most such games through the first six weeks of a season in NFL history.

 

Scoring Highs

NFL teams have combined for 4,233 points in 2012, the most points through six weeks in NFL history.

That record total equates to 46.52 points per game. If the current average stays at this pace, it would rank as the highest of any season in history (1948, 46.48 points per game).

Teams have also combined to score 464 touchdowns, the second-most through Week 6 of any NFL season (466 in 2002).

 

Crowded at The Top

Through Week 6, all teams in the AFC East -- Buffalo, Miami, New England and the New York Jets -- have a 3-3 record and are tied for first place. It marks the first time since realignment in 2002 that all teams in a division are tied for first through Week 6 or later.

 

Wild Monday

On Monday Night Football, the Denver Broncos trailed 24-0 at halftime and came back to win 35-24 against the San Diego Chargers. The 24-point halftime deficit is tied for the second-largest halftime deficit that a team overcame to win in NFL history. On December 7, 1980, the San Francisco 49ers trailed the New Orleans Saints by 28 points (35-7) at halftime and before winning 38-35 in overtime.

Broncos quarterback PEYTON MANNING completed 24 of 30 passes (80 percent) for 309 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a 129 passer rating. Manning executed his 47th career game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO for the most since the 1970 NFL merger. [

Check Out: Broncos Rebound from 24-Point Deficit to Down Chargers ]

 

Last One Standing

On Sunday, the Atlanta Falcons remained undefeated after their 23-20 win over Oakland. Atlanta is the last unbeaten team remaining in the NFL and improved to 6-0 for the first time in franchise history.

Atlanta quarterback MATT RYAN passed for 249 yards and led the Falcons 43 yards in 39 seconds to set up MATT BRYANT's game-winning 55-yard field goal with one second remaining. Ryan guided Atlanta to his 19th career game-winning drive in the fourth quarter or overtime. That is the most by a quarterback in his first five seasons in the Super Bowl era.

Ryan is now 29-4 (.879) in home starts, the best record by a starting quarterback since 1970 (minimum 20 starts). Baltimore's JOE FLACCO, who led the Ravens to a 31-29 home victory over Dallas, ranks second with a 31-5 (.861) mark.

 

Yard Work

NFL 2012 Week 6 featured 11 individual 300-yard passing games -- Tom Brady, 395; Andy Dalton, 381; Ben Roethlisberger, 363; Carson Palmer, 353; Christian Ponder, 352; Aaron Rodgers, 338; Josh Freeman, 328; Sam Bradford, 315; Matthew Stafford, 311; Michael Vick, 311; And Peyton Manning, 309 -- bringing the season total to 57. The 57 individual 300-yard passing games are the most through Week 6 of any season in NFL history.

 

Return Record

Baltimore kick returner JACOBY JONES returned a kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown in the Ravens 31-29 victory over the Dallas Cowboys. His 108-yard kickoff return is tied for the longest in NFL history (RANDALL COBB and ELLIS HOBBS).

 

900-Club

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE caught five passes for 87 yards in the Colts 35-9 loss to the New York Jets. Wayne (903) became the 14th player in NFL history to record 900 career receptions.

 

Big Ben

Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER recorded 363 passing yards against Tennessee on Thursday Night Football, bringing his career total to 28,066. Roethlisberger surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshaw (27,989) for the most passing yards in Steelers history.

 

Skins Rookies

Washington rookie quarterback ROBERT GRIFFIN III rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns and rookie running back ALFRED MORRIS had a rushing touchdown in the Redskins' 38-26 win over Minnesota. Griffin has six rushing touchdowns this season and Morris has five. They are the first rookie teammates to each rush for at least five touchdowns in a team's first six games in NFL history.

Since 1970, Griffin and MICHAEL VICK (December 1, 2002) are the only quarterbacks to rush for at least 130 yards and two touchdowns in a game.

 

Barber Style D

Tampa Bay defensive back RONDE BARBER had a 78-yard interception-return touchdown in the Buccaneers' 38-10 win over Kansas City. Barber has eight career interception-return touchdowns and he is the first player in NFL history with at least eight interception-return touchdowns, four fumble-return touchdowns and a punt-return touchdown.

Barber's 12 combined interception and fumble-return touchdowns are tied for the third-most in NFL history with AENEAS WILLIAMS and CHARLES WOODSON. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer ROD WOODSON and DARREN SHARPER have more with 13.

Barber started his 221st career game and tied linebacker DERRICK BROOKS for the most starts in franchise history.

 

10,000 Club Before 30

Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD had six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals' 19-16 overtime loss against Buffalo. At 29 years, 44 days old, Fitzgerald (10,045) joins RANDY MOSS (28 years, 314 days) as the only players in NFL history to reach 10,000 receiving yards before the age of 30.

 

Net Yards Machine

The New England Patriots gained 475 total net yards in the team's 24-23 loss at Seattle. The Patriots have gained at least 350 total net yards in 15 consecutive games and passed the 1982-83 San Diego Chargers (14) for the second-longest streak in NFL history. The 1999-2000 St. Louis Rams hold the record at 16 consecutive games.

 

Lions Point Man

Detroit's JASON HANSON scored 14 points and converted all four field-goal attempts, including the game-winner in overtime, in the Lions' 26-23 win at Philadelphia. Hanson has 2,074 career points and passed JOHN CARNEY (2,062) for the third-most points in NFL history. Hanson's 2,074 points are the most ever by a player with one franchise.

Hanson has 479 career field goals and passed Carney (478) for the third-most in NFL history. Hanson's 479 field goals are the most ever by a player with one franchise.

 

Mr. October

In a rematch of last season's NFC Championship Game, ELI MANNING led the New York Giants to a 26-3 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday. In his career, Manning is 25-5 (.833) as a starter in October, the best mark among quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era (minimum 20 starts).

 

Just Cruz-Ing

New York Giants wide receiver VICTOR CRUZ played in his 25th career game in the Giants' win over the 49ers on Sunday. Cruz has totaled 2,032 receiving yards, the sixth-most through the first 25 games of a career in NFL history.

Cruz's 125 career receptions are tied for the sixth-most among players in their first 25 games in NFL history.

 

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