Halfway Home: AFC Midseason Projections

BALTIMORE

QB JOE FLACCO aims to become the first quarterback to start a postseason game in each of his first six seasons in the Super Bowl era. Flacco, who has 2,167 passing yards, is on pace (4,334) to join VINNY TESTAVERDE (4,177 in 1996) as the only players in Ravens history to pass for 4,000 yards in a season … WR TORREY SMITH, who has a team-high 707 receiving yards, is on target (1,414) for the most receiving yards in a single-season in franchise history (MICHAEL JACKSON, 1,201 in 1996) … On defense, LB TERRELL SUGGS (nine) needs 6.5 sacks to surpass PETER BOULWARE (15 in 2001) for the most sacks in a season in club annals.

BUFFALO

Running backs FRED JACKSON (502) and C.J. SPILLER (478) can challenge to become the NFL's first running back duo to register 1,000 rushing yards apiece in a season since the Panthers' tandem of JONATHAN STEWART (1,133) and DE ANGELO WILLIAMS (1,117) in 2009. Jackson needs 498 rushing yards to register his second career season with 1,000 rushing yards (1,062 in 2009). Spiller aims to become the first Bills running back with consecutive 1,000 yards seasons since MARSHAWN LYNCH (2007-2008) … WR STEVIE JOHNSON, who has a team-high 423 receiving yards this season, can become the first Bills wide receiver to post four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons … DE MARIO WILLIAMS (11 sacks) can challenge Pro Football Hall of Famer BRUCE SMITH (19 in 1990) for the Bills' single-season sack record.

CINCINNATI

Third-year QB ANDY DALTON is 25-16 (.610) as a starter, the highest winning percentage by a Bengals quarterback in franchise history (minimum 20 starts). Dalton has passed for 2,587 yards this season and is on pace (4,599) to surpass CARSON PALMER (4,131 in 2007) for the most passing yards in a season in Bengals history...Through Week 9, WR A.J. GREEN leads the NFL with 862 receiving yards and is on track (1,532) for the most receiving yards in a season in club annals (CHAD JOHNSON, 1,440). Green, who is in his third season, has totaled 3,269 receiving yards and can challenge to join RANDY MOSS (4,163) as the only players in NFL history to reach 4,000 receiving yards in the first three seasons of a career.

CLEVELAND

Through Week 9, tight end JORDAN CAMERON leads NFL tight ends in receptions (50) and ranks second among tight ends in receiving yards (600). Cameron can challenge Pro Football Hall of Fame tight end OZZIE NEWSOME (89 in 1983 and 1984) and KELLEN WINSLOW (89 in 2006) for the most receptions by a Browns player in a season. Cameron is also on pace (1,067) to join Winslow and Newsome as the only tight ends in Browns history to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season … Second-year WR JOSH GORDON has a team-best 626 receiving yards and can challenge for the most receiving yards in a single-season in franchise history (BRAYLON EDWARDS, 1,289 in 2007).

DENVER

The Broncos (343) have the most points ever by a team through eight games and are on target (686) for the most points in a season in NFL history (New England, 589 in 2007) … Four-time MVP QB PEYTON MANNING has an NFL-best in passing yards (2,919) and touchdowns (29) this season. Manning is on pace for the most passing yards (5,838) and touchdown passes (58) in a single season in NFL history. Manning currently has the second-most career passing yards (62,406) and touchdowns passes (465) in NFL history, trailing only BRETT FAVRE (71,838 passing yards; 508 TD passes) … Newcomer WR WES WELKER (50; 100) is on pace to become the first player in NFL history with six 100-catch seasons. Welker (nine) needs six touchdown catches for the most touchdown receptions in a season in club history (ANTHONY MILLER, 14).

HOUSTON

Veteran WR ANDRE JOHNSON (three) is on pace (813; 1,626) to join Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (four) as the only players in NFL history with four 1,500-yard seasons … First-year quarterback CASE KEENUM hopes to continue his development as an NFL quarterback. In his first two career starts, Keenum has passed for 621 yards with four touchdowns versus zero interceptions and a 118 passer rating … RB ARIAN FOSTER, who has 542 rushing yards, is on pace (1,084) for his fourth consecutive season with 1,000 rushing yards. Since 2010, Foster averages an NFL-best 121.3 scrimmage yards per game … On defense, Houston allows an NFL-low 273.5 yards per game through Week 9.

INDIANAPOLIS

The No. 1 pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, QB ANDREW LUCK has totaled 6,219 career passing yards and is on pace (8,064) for the most passing yards in the first two seasons of a career in NFL history (CAM NEWTON, 7,920). Luck (10) has the most game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime in the first two seasons of career since 1970 … Second-year WR T.Y. HILTON leads the team with 533 receiving yards and is on target (1,066) to register 1,000 receiving yards in a season for the first time in his career … All-Star LB ROBERT MATHIS leads the NFL with 11.5 sacks and can challenge the league's single-season sack record (MICHAEL STRAHAN, 22.5 in 2001).

JACKSONVILLE

QB CHAD HENNE has passed for 1,450 yards in seven games and is on target (3,107) for his second career 3,000-yard season (3,301 in 2010). Henne would become the first Jaguar to throw for 3,000 passing yards since 2009 (DAVID GARRARD, 3,597) … Third-year WR CECIL SHORTS has a team-best 565 receiving yards and can become the first Jaguars player to reach the 1,000-yard mark since 2005 (JIMMY SMITH, 1,023) … LB PAUL POSLUSZNY has a team-best 80 tackles and is on pace (160) to register 100+ tackles for the sixth consecutive season.

KANSAS CITY

The Chiefs are 9-0 for the second time in franchise history (2003) … The team record for victories in a season is 13 (1995, 1997, 2003) … Chiefs newcomer ALEX SMITH has 1,919 passing yards and can challenge to become the first Chiefs quarterback with 3,500 passing yards in a season since TRENT GREEN in 2005 (4,014) … RB JAMAAL CHARLES has rushed for 725 yards and is on target (1,288) to surpass 1,200 rushing yards for the third time in his career (1,467 in 2010; 1,509 in 2012) … On defense, LBs TAMBA HALI (nine) and JUSTIN HOUSTON (11) aim to become the first NFL duo to each register at least 15 sacks since Pro Football Hall of Famer CHRIS DOLEMAN (21) and KEITH MILLARD (18) did it with Minnesota in 1989.

MIAMI

Selected eighth overall in the 2012 NFL Draft, QB RYAN TANNEHILL has 1,977 passing yards and is on target (3,954) to join Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO as the only quarterbacks in Dolphins history to pass for at least 3,900 yards in a season … In his first season with Miami, WR MIKE WALLACE leads the team with 480 receiving yards and aims to record his third season with 1,000 receiving yards (1,257 in 2010; 1,193 in 2011) … DE CAMERON WAKE (5.5) seeks double-digit sacks for the third time in his career (14 in 2010;15 in 2012).

NEW ENGLAND

Two-time MVP QB TOM BRADY has 2,256 passing yards and is on target (4,011) to join PEYTON MANNING (12), DREW BREES (seven), BRETT FAVRE (six) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (six) as the only players to have at least six seasons with 4,000 passing yards. Brady, who has a 143-41 (.777) career record, needs four wins to tie Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (147-93, .613) for the fourth-most wins among starting quarterbacks in NFL history … DE CHANDLER JONES has 8.5 sacks in nine games this season and is on pace (15) to join Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker ANDRE TIPPETT (18.5 in 1984; 16.5 in 1985) as the only Patriots to record at least 15 sacks in a season.

NEW YORK JETS

Rookie QB GENO SMITH (1,997; 3,550) is on target for the fifth-most passing yards in a season in Jets annals. The West Virginia product needs 448 passing yards for the most passing yards by a rookie in franchise history (MARK SANCHEZ, 2,444 in 2009) … On defense, DE MUHAMMAD WILKERSON has a career-best eight sacks and is on pace for the third-most sacks by a Jet since sacks became an official statistic in 1982, trailing only MARK GASTINEAU (22 in 1984; 19 in 1983). LB DAVID HARRIS (68) aims to lead the team in tackles for the fifth consecutive season.

OAKLAND

Third-year QB TERRELLE PRYOR has 485 rushing yards through seven games and can challenge MICHAEL VICK (1,039 in 2006) for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single-season. Pryor, who has two 100-yard rushing games this season needs one such game to tie Vick's record (2004 and 2006) for the most 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback in a season in league history … WR DENARIUS MOORE (513; 1,026) is on track to become the first Raider to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season since RANDY MOSS in 2005 (1,005) … On special teams, K SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI (44) needs nine field goals of 50+ yards to surpass JASON HANSON (52) for the most career field goals of 50+ yards in NFL history.

PITTSBURGH

QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER is on target (2,330; 4,660) to break his own single-season club record of 4,328 passing yards in 2009. Roethlisberger (203) needs 10 touchdown passes to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW (212) for the most career touchdown passes in Steelers history … WR ANTONIO BROWN has 61 receptions for 701 yards and is on pace (122 receptions; 1,402 yards) for the most catches and receiving yards in a season by a Steeler … LB LA MARR WOODLEY (five) is on target (10) to become the first Steeler to register four seasons with 10+ sacks in franchise history (11.5 in 2008; 13.5 in 2009; 10 in 2010).

SAN DIEGO

QB PHILIP RIVERS has 2,473 passing yards and is on pace (4,946) to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN FOUTS (4,802 in 1981) for the most passing yards in a season in franchise history. Rivers currently has the second-most career passing yards (30,364) and touchdown passes (206) in Chargers annals, trailing only Fouts (43,040 yards, 254 TDs) … Rivers' top target in the passing game, All-Star TE ANTONIO GATES (8,871), needs 333 receiving yards to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer CHARLIE JOINER (9,203) for the second-most career receiving yards in club history … Rookie WR KEENAN ALLEN leads NFL rookies with 527 receiving yards and can challenge for the most receiving yards by a Chargers rookie (JOHN JEFFERSON, 1,001 in 1978).

TENNESSEE

RB CHRIS JOHNSON (516; 1,032) is on track for his sixth straight season with 1,000 rushing yards. Johnson can surpass EDDIE GEORGE (five) for the most consecutive seasons with 1,000 rushing yards in franchise history. Since entering the NFL in 2008, Johnson has an AFC-best 7,404 rushing yards … Second-year WR KENDALL WRIGHT leads the club with 502 receiving yards. Wright is on target (1,004) to become the first Titans player to reach 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2011 (NATE WASHINGTON, 1,023)...On defense, DT JURRELL CASEY leads the team with six sacks. Casey aims to join RAY CHILDRESS (13 in 1992) as the second defensive tackle in Oilers/Titans history to reach double-digit sacks.

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Halfway Home: AFC Midseason Projections