NO NEED TO PANIC

At the end of Week 2, no more than 11 teams will be able to claim a perfect 2-0 record, leaving at least 21 clubs at 1-1 or 0-2.

Since realignment in 2002, 48 of the 84 playoff teams (57.1 percent) began the year at either 1-1 or 0-2. Plus, four of the past eight Super Bowl champions began their seasons with a 1-1 or 0-2 record.

A look at how playoff clubs in 2007 and 2008 began their seasons:

NFL 2007

Team After 2 Games Playoff Result
Source: National Football League
Dallas2-0Advanced to Divisional
Green Bay2-0Advanced to NFC Conference Championship
Indianapolis2-0Advanced to Divisional
Jacksonville1-1Advanced to Divisional
New England2-0Advanced to Super Bowl XLII
N.Y. Giants0-2Won Super Bowl XLII
Pittsburgh2-0Advanced to Wild Card
Seattle1-1Advanced to Divisional
San Diego1-1Advanced to AFC Conference Championship
Tampa Bay1-1Advanced to Wild Card
Tennessee1-1Advanced to Wild Card
Washington2-0Advanced to Wild Card

 

NFL 2008

Team After 2 Games Playoff Result
Source: National Football League
Arizona2-0Advanced to Super Bowl XLIII
Atlanta1-1Advanced to Wild Card
Baltimore2-0Advanced to AFC Conference Championship
Carolina2-0Advanced to Divisional
Indianapolis1-1Advanced to Wild Card
Miami0-2Advanced to Wild Card
Minnesota0-2Advanced to Wild Card
N.Y. Giants2-0Advanced to Divisional
Philadelphia1-1Advanced to NFC Conference Championship
Pittsburgh2-0Won Super Bowl XLIII
San Diego0-2Advanced to Divisional
Tennessee2-0Advanced to Divisional

 

A VERY BRADY WIN STREAK

With a victory on Sunday over the New York Jets, New England Patriots quarterback TOM BRADY will match Chicago's JIM MC MAHON for the longest streak of consecutive regular-season wins by a quarterback in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) with 22.

Brady also had a separate streak of 18 consecutive regular-season wins that spanned from 2003 into the 2004 season, which is the third-longest in NFL annals.

Brady's current win streak began with a 23-16 win over Houston on 12/17/06.

The longest regular-season winning streaks by NFL quarterbacks in the Super Bowl era (since 1966):

Quarterback Win Streak Year
Source: National Football League
Jim McMahon, Chicago221984-87
Tom Brady, New England212006-present
Tom Brady, New England182003-04
Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh152004-05
Many Tied14 

 

TOMLIN'S TEAMS START FAST

With a win over the Bears in Week 2, MIKE TOMLIN of the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) can become the third head coach of the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to lead his team to 2-0 starts in the first three years of his head-coaching career.

Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach GEORGE ALLEN led the Los Angeles Rams to 2-0 starts in all five of his seasons with the club (1966-1970). When Allen took over in 1971 as head coach in Washington, he also led the Redskins to 2-0 starts in '71 and '72, giving him an NFL-record seven consecutive 2-0 starts to begin his career. BUM PHILLIPS (1975-77) also led the Houston Oilers to three straight 2-0 starts in his first stint as an NFL head coach.

MANNING MOVES UP

With a victory Monday night over the Miami Dolphins, PEYTON MANNING of the Indianapolis Colts will match JOHNNY UNITAS for fifth place on the NFL's all-time list for wins by a quarterback.

Manning, who earned his 118th career win on Kickoff Weekend, has already matched Unitas' franchise record in the category. One of Unitas' 119 career wins came as a member of the San Diego Chargers during his final season.

The most wins by a starting quarterback in NFL history:

Quarterback Career Wins
* In Pro Football Hall of Fame; ** Active
Brett Favre **170
John Elway *148
Dan Marino *147
Fran Tarkenton *125
Johnny Unitas *119
Peyton Manning **118

 

200 AND COUNTING

New England's TOM BRADY (199) and Philadelphia's DONOVAN MC NABB (196) are both approaching 200 career touchdown passes. If both players reach 200 on Sunday, it will be the first time in NFL history that two players achieve the benchmark on the same weekend.

With one more touchdown, Brady will reach 200 touchdown passes in his 115th career game, placing him fourth on the list for the fewest games played to reach the milestone.

The quarterbacks who reached 200 touchdown passes in the fewest games:

Quarterback Number of Games
* 199 career TD passes
Dan Marino89
Peyton Manning106
Brett Favre107
Johnny Unitas121
Jim Kelly132
Tom Brady *114

 

FABULOUS AT 50

Since joining the New Orleans Saints in 2006, quarterback DREW BREES has passed for 14,268 yards (291.2 per game) in his first 49 games with the club. Brees' total already ranks as the most passing yards of any player in his first 50 games with a new team (rookies and veterans) in NFL history.

Brees can extend his record when he plays in his 50th game with New Orleans when the Saints visit the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2.

The quarterbacks with the most passing yards in their first 50 games with a new team:

Quarterback Yards
* Through 49 games
Dan Marino89
Drew Brees, New Orleans *14,268
Kurt Warner, St. Louis13,864
Marc Bulger, St. Louis13,551
Dan Marino, Miami13,514
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis12,939

 

NFL 2009 Week 2 Preview - What to Look For