NFL FACTOID

Things were real close in the NFL in Week 12.  All 16 games were decided by 13 points or less.  That was the most games with a less-than-two-touchdown margin in NFL history.  There were 12 games last week decided by seven points or less.  That total ties the NFL record for most such games in a week of December 11-13, 1993 (Week 15).

There will be a lot of belt-loosening…and tiebreaking.

That’s on the menu this week as the NFL and the rest of America head into Thanksgiving looking forward to second-helpings and their first taste of that hallowed NFL tradition – playoff tiebreakers.

Three teams can earn postseason berths this week – Carolina, Kansas City and New England.  But, as this season – and certainly this past week – has proven, predictability in the NFL is…unpredictable.

Last week?  In addition to record-breaking/tying close games, there were eight games that featured second-half, fourth-quarter, last-minute or overtime comeback victories.  As for overtime, the NFL extended its record string of overtime weeks to 11 last week (at least one per week since Week 2).  With 19 overtime games so far, the season record of 25 last year is in danger. 

As the NFL turns into the final lap of its season signaled by the annual Detroit Lions- and Dallas Cowboys-hosted national TV Thanksgiving games – the Cowboys’ will be the 100th Thanksgiving game the two teams have played since the Lions started the tradition in 1934 – things are, no surprise, tight!

Three of the NFL divisions – AFC North and South and NFC East -- have first-place ties.  In two divisions – the NFC North and West – the leader has only a one-game lead.  In another – the AFC East – it’s a two-game lead. 

“We’re all in the race,” says Philadelphia Eagles center HANK FRALEY.  “We’re all trying to make every game count.”    

Three clubs this week can really make their game count.  With a win (or in one case a tie) and other scenarios taking place, the trio will be playoff bound:

·         CAROLINA PANTHERS can clinch the NFC South with a win, plus New Orleans and Tampa Bay losses.

·         KANSAS CITY CHIEFS can win the AFC West with a win and a Denver loss or tie; or with a tie and a Denver loss.  The Chiefs can earn a playoff berth with a win and a Miami loss.

·         NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS can claim a playoff berth with a win, plus a Kansas City win or tie, and losses by Baltimore, Cincinnati and Denver.    

Playoffs aside, there’s turkey to be carved this week, and football to be watched:

• GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-5) at DETROIT LIONS (3-8) (Thursday, FOX, 12:30 PM ET):  Talk about tradition!     

In the 1950s and early ’60s, this series was NFL Thanksgiving football.  These two teams played every year on Turkey Day from 1951-63.  You’re talking BOBBY LAYNE and TOBIN ROTE!  The Lions won the majority of those games (9-3-1, .692).

The teams will wear classic uniforms Thursday.  Detroit will don its style from 1934, the year of its first Thanksgiving game.  Green Bay will sport its look from 1967, the season of its second consecutive Super Bowl title.

The Packers – one game behind Minnesota (7-4) in the NFC North – are 5-7 in Detroit since quarterback BRETT FAVRE became their starter in 1992.       

• MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-4) at DALLAS COWBOYS (8-3) (Thursday, CBS, 4:15 PM ET):  Ten years after the “Blocked-Kick-In-The-Snow Game” on Thanksgiving, these two play again on Turkey Day.  The Dolphins will wear their uniforms from 1973, 30 years after they won Super Bowl VII to cap off their 17-0 “Perfect Season.”  The Cowboys will sport the “double-star” jerseys they wore from 1960-66 and in 1994.   

The game will feature the return of Miami running back RICKY WILLIAMS to Texas for the first time since he became the NCAA career rushing leader (6,279 yards) and won the Heisman Trophy at the University of Texas.  He will confront the NFL’s second-ranked rush defense.

• PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-3) at CAROLINA PANTHERS (8-3):  Matchup of two first-place teams.  Each club has typified its season by winning tight contests.  The Panthers have won six games this year in the final two minutes or overtime.  The Eagles have won six in a row, four of them on second-half comebacks.

Each team features a quarterback confident in his passing game.  The Eagles’ DONOVAN MC NABB is tied for the fewest pickoffs in the conference (7) and has not been intercepted in his past 124 attempts, spanning four games.  The Panthers’ JAKE DELHOMME, in his first year as an NFL starter, has shown a leadership that inspires his teammates and has produced a fifth-place NFC fourth-quarter passer rating (84.2, tie).

• NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-2) at INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-2):  Another meeting of first-place teams.  The coaching matchups alone are enough to get the excitement quotient bubbling.  There’s head coaches BILL BELICHICK of the Patriots vs. TONY DUNGY of the Colts, who both built their reputations on defense.  There’s offensive coordinators CHARLIE WEIS of the Pats and TOM MOORE of the Colts vs. their respective opposing coordinators RON MEEKS and ROMEO CRENNEL.               

On the field, things will be just as exciting, primarily because of the two quarterbacks.  Indianapolis’ PEYTON MANNING heads up the NFL’s No. 1 passing game.  New England’s TOM BRADY directs the league’s No. 8 pass offense.  They are two of the most resourceful quarterbacks in the NFL.  That’s why their teams have the second-best records in the league.

• MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-4) at ST. LOUIS RAMS (8-3):  Get ready for a race, DBs.  This one could turn on the flat-out speed of the receivers.

The Vikings come in with RANDY MOSS.  The Rams counter with TORRY HOLT and ISAAC BRUCE.  The three are ranked no lower than fifth in catches and receiving yards in the NFC.  Holt (84/1,285) and Moss (72/1,079) are the top two receivers in the league in receptions and yards.  The three average 72 catches for 1,074 yards for the season.  And the game is indoors on AstroTurf.

But, the pass defenses have no apologizing to do.  The Vikings lead the league in interceptions (22), the Rams are ranked seventh in the category (16).  The Vikings face the Rams’ 11-game home win streak, tied with Kansas City for the NFL’s best active mark.

• CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-5) at PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-7):  A tables-are-switched AFC North battle.  Usually it’s the Steelers who are in the division lead this time of year.  This season, it’s the Bengals in the top spot along with Baltimore.

Cincinnati, under new head coach MARVIN LEWIS, is in playoff contention this late in the season for the first time since 1990, its last time in the postseason.  The Bengals are led by JON KITNA, the only quarterback in the league to take every snap this year, a tough running game in COREY DILLON and RUDI JOHNSON, and fleet and effective receivers CHAD JOHNSON and PETER WARRICK.  Chad Johnson ties for the AFC lead in catches (65) with the Steelers’ HINES WARD and leads in yards (988).

Cincy goes against the NFL’s ninth-ranked defense.  And the Steelers, who have won two of their past three and the division the last two years, do not believe they are out of it.  “We’re still in this,” says linebacker JOEY PORTER.  “We run the table, we’ll be there.”  

• TENNESSEE TITANS (9-2) at NEW YORK JETS (4-7) (Monday, ABC, 9:00 PM ET):  No matter which quarterbacks play, this could be an exciting one.  The Titans’ STEVE MC NAIR (calf) has not been ruled out for the game.  But if he is unable to play, it could be a battle of Volek vs. Pennington, the comeback QBs.      

BILLY VOLEK, who had not thrown a pass since 2001, last week replaced the injured McNair in the second quarter, and proceeded to engineer a 21-point comeback for a 38-31 win over Atlanta.  CHAD PENNINGTON, as he has in the past four weeks for the Jets after returning from injury, guided a fourth-quarter rally in Week 12.  This one comprised a 94-yard, three-minute drive (with no timeouts available) culminating in a TD pass for a 13-10 victory over Jacksonville.

WEEK 13: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27
GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-5) AT DETROIT LIONS (3-8)

SERIES

	PACKERS	LIONS
LEADER	77-62-7
STREAKS	Past 6
COACHES VS. OPP.	Sherman: 6-1	Mariucci: 2-1
LAST WEEK	W 20-10 vs. 49ers	L 24-14 at Vikings
LAST GAME	9/14/03:  Lions 6 at Packers 31.  Green Bay RB Ahman Green rushes for 160 yards, including 65-yard TD run, on 23 carries to lead Packers.
LAST GAME AT SITE	9/22/02:  Packers 37, Lions 31.  Green Bay QB Brett Favre throws 3 TD passes as Packers win 1st game ever played at Ford Field.
BROADCAST	FOX (12:30 PM ET):  Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Cris Collinsworth.  CBS Radio: Dave Sims, John Riggins.

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NOTES

PACKERS:  Seek 3rd consecutive Thanksgiving Day win vs. Det……QB BRETT FAVRE has played in 186 consecutive games & can tie FORREST GREGG (187) for club record.  Has started 184 consecutive games, most-ever by NFL QB.  Since beginning streak on 9/27/92, Pack has 121-63 (.658) record, best in NFL.  Has TD pass in career-high 20 consecutive games, 2nd-longest streak in club history (22, CECIL ISBELL).  Has 41 career TD passes vs. Lions, 2nd-most vs. any club……RB AHMAN GREEN has 1,326 rushing yards & needs 149 to pass JIM TAYLOR (1,474) for single-season club record.  Taylor’s mark, set in 1962, is oldest team single-season rushing record in NFL.  Has 23 career 100-yard games & his club is 21-2 (.913) in those contests.  Has 36 rushing TDs with Pack & needs 2 to pass VERNE LEWELLEN (37) for 3rd-most in team history……DE KABEER GBAJA-BIAMILA has 33.0 career sacks & needs 3.0 to tie TONY BENNETT (36.0) in 4th in club history……LIONS:  Club seeks 10th win in past 15 Thanksgiving games.  Club has lost 2 fumbles in 2003, fewest in NFL......QB JOEY HARRINGTON has been sacked once per 58.9 career pass attempts (14 sacks, 825 attempts), best sack-per-pass att. ratio all-time.  Lions have surrendered 7 sacks in 2003, fewest in NFL.  Made 1st NFL start in last home game vs. Pack, tossing 2 TDs……RB SHAWN BRYSON has 255 receiving yards on career-best 39 catches & needs 17 yards for career-high……WR BILL SCHROEDER has 11 career 100-yard receiving games & his club is 8-3 (.727) in those contests.  Avgd. 989 yards receiving with GB from 1999-01……DE ROBERT PORCHER has sack vs. Pack in 4 of past 7 meetings.  Had 2.0 sacks last week ……K JASON HANSON has 24 career 50-yard FGs, 3rd-most in NFL history, trailing all-time leader MORTEN ANDERSON, 40.

MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-4) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (8-3)
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DOLPHINS:  Team will wear 1973 commemorative uniforms, celebrating SB VIII Champion Dolphins, NFL’s 2nd team to earn consecutive Super Bowl titles.  Club is 21-12 (.636) all-time vs. NFC East.  Head coach DAVE WANNSTEDT began NFL coaching career w/ Cowboys as def. coordinator (1989-92)……Last week, QB JAY FIEDLER helped lead club to its largest 4th qtr comeback (trailing 23-10) since 1980.  As starter, Fiedler is 33-15 (.688), 2nd-best winning pct. among active QBs……RB RICKY WILLIAMS needs 91 rush yds for 4th-consecutive 1,000-yd season & needs 1 100-yd game to tie HOFer LARRY CSONKA (15) for most by Dolphin……WR CHRIS CHAMBERS has 5th most TD rec. (6) among AFC WRs.  TE RANDY MC MICHAEL stands 4th among AFC TEs in catches (36)……Only defense in NFL not to allow 100-yd rusher & ranks No. 1 in AFC in pts allowed (15.5).  DE ADEWALE OGUNLEYE ties for 4th in NFL in sacks (10.0) & has 4 multi-sack gms.  CB SAM MADISON has 29 INTs, tied with GLENN BLACKWOOD (29) for 3rd-most in club history…… COWBOYS:  Since 1990, club has 8-5 mark on Thanksgiving…… Are only team in NFL top 5 in 3 major def. categories – yards (1, 238.5), rushing (2, 82.4) & passing (1, 156.1) – & bidding to become 1st club since ’91 Eagles to finish 1st in all 3. QB QUINCY CARTER has career-high 11 TD passes & 153 yards rushing……RB TROY HAMBRICK has career-high 644 yards & could become 1st Cowboy other than EMMITT SMITH to rush for 1,000 since HERSCHEL WALKER in 1988 (1,514)……WR JOEY GALLOWAY has 49 career TD catches & needs 1 for 50.  Has 27 rec. for 504 yards.  WR TERRY GLENN has 16 career 100-yard games & his club is 14-2 (.875) in those contests.  Had 1st-career 100 vs. Dolphins on 11/3/96 (10 for 112, w/NE).  Second-year WR ANTONIO BRYANT has 429 rec. yards (28 catches)…… Defense has allowed 1 100-yard rusher in past 16 games & holds foes to NFL-low 4.1 yards per play……DE ERIC OGBOGU had 1st career INT vs. Car……LB DEXTER COAKLEY has 5 career def. TDs & needs 1 for club record (DENNIS THURMAN).

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-6) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (6-5)
SERIES

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49ERS:  QB JEFF GARCIA could see 1st action since Week 8.  Has 1,459 rushing yards & needs 41 for 1,500.  QB TIM RATTAY has started past 3 games, posting 98.6 rating as starter (54 of 86, 632 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs)……RB GARRISON HEARST has 16 100-yard games with SF & club is 15-1 (.938) in those contests.  Needs 2 100s to tie JOE PERRY (18) for most in club history.  Has 7,838 career rushing yards & needs 162 to become 6th active player with 8,000.  RB KEVAN BARLOW has 543 yards & 49ers are only NFL club with 2 500-yard rushers.  Club averages 137.1 rushing yards per game, 5th-best in NFL……SF is 13-2 in past 15 when WR TERRELL OWENS tops 100-yards receiving.  Needs 160 yards for 4th-consecutive & 5th-career 1,000-yard season.  WR TAI STREETS has career-high tying 5 TD catches……Defense had 3 INTs last week vs. GB & has 30 sacks this season, tied for 2nd-most in NFL (Bal, 31).  Club’s 27 takeaways tied for 3rd-most in league……DE ANDRE CARTER has 23 sacks in past 32 games……LB JULIAN PETERSON has career-best 4.5 sacks, 2nd among NFC LBs (CHAD BROWN, 5)……RAVENS:  Are 12-7 in November under head coach BRIAN BILLICK.  Club has been in or tied for 1st place in AFC North for past 11 weeks......Last week, QB ANTHONY WRIGHT set career highs in attempts (37), completions (20), yds (319), and TDs (4) vs 0 INTs......RB JAMAL LEWIS leads NFL with 1,364 rush yards & has 100+ rush yards in 8 of past 10 games.  Lewis has more rush yards than 13 of other 15 AFC teams.  Leads AFC with 10 runs of 20+ yards......TE TODD HEAP leads team w/44 catches & is only AFC TE to lead club in receptions.  Last week, WR MARCUS ROBERTSON caught 4 TDs last week; 24 pts. is most in 1 gm by NFL player in ’03……LB RAY LEWIS tied for AFC LB-high 9 passes defensed.  Rookie LB TERRELL SUGGS (No. 10) stands 5th in AFC in sacks (8.0) & leads NFL rookies.  Suggs ties for 2nd among AFC LBs with 3 FFs.  S ED REED ties for AFC lead in INTs (6) & has 4 punt blocks in 27 career games……P-K WADE RICHEY ranks 2nd in AFC with 11 touchbacks.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (8-3) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (8-3)
SERIES

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EAGLES:  Are 24-5 (.828) overall & 13-2 (.867) on road in Nov. & Dec. since 2000, best in NFL.  Club has won 8 of past 9, including 6 in row, after 0-2 start.  Seek 1st 7-game win streak since 1992-93 (8)……Head coach ANDY REID has 42 reg.-season wins since 2000, most of any coach……QB DONOVAN MC NABB has 100+ passer rating in 3 of past 4 starts.  Ranks 1st in NFL among QBs with 293 yards rushing……Eagles’ 15 rushing TDs lead NFC & rank 2nd in NFL (KC, 18).  Club averaging 4.8 yards per rushing attempt, 5th-best in NFL......Eagles are 10-1 (.909) when QB McNabb & WR JAMES THRASH connect for TD……Rookie 2nd-round TE L.J. SMITH has 20 receptions for 272 yards & club is 4-0 when Smith leads team in receiving yards……DT COREY SIMON has 24.0 career sacks & needs 1.0 to become 4th DT in club history with 25.0 (JEROME BROWN, KEN CLARKE, ANDY HARMON).  Ties for NFC lead & 2nd in NFL among DTs with 5.0 sacks……CB TROY VINCENT has 28 INTs with Eagles & needs 1 to tie DON BURROUGHS (29) for 5th-most in club history……PANTHERS:  In games decided by 3 points-or-less, club has won past 6.  Play 3rd consecutive game vs. NFC East (W vs. Wash, L vs. Dal)……QB JAKE DELHOMME is 8-4 as starter.  Avgs. 7.26 yards per pass attempt (298 att, 2,163 yards), 4th-most in NFC.  Ties for 4th in NFL with 5 4th-quarter TD passes……RB STEPHEN DAVIS has 6 100-yard rushing games in 2003 & needs 1 for single-season career-high.  Has 24 career 100s & his club is 19-5 (.792) in those contests.  His 1,143 rushing yards are single-season club record……WR STEVE SMITH has 3 9+ reception games & 3 100-yard efforts in 2003, posting career-high 60 receptions (768 yards).  WR MUHSIN MUHAMMAD avgs. career-best 16.5 yards per catch (33 for 545), 3rd-best in NFL (min. 30 catches).  WR RICKY PROEHL has 597 career receptions & needs 3 for 600.……Club has allowed 0 points in 1st quarter in 9 of 11 games……Defense has allowed opponents 23 redzone possessions, tied for fewest in NFL (Dal, Ten)……DE MIKE RUCKER has career-high 11.0 sacks & needs 4.0 to tie single-season team record (KEVIN GREENE, 15.0, 1998). 

ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-8) AT CHICAGO BEARS (4-7)
SERIES

STATS