| FOR USE AS DESIRED NFL-171 1/6/05 STILL CRAZY AFTER ALL THESE YEARS Record-breaking performances…record-setting winning streaks…consistent teams and surprise teams…powerhouse quarterbacking. Did the NFL leave anything out in 2004? You make the call. PEYTON MANNING came out throwing in Week 1 and never seemed to stop. DAUNTE CULPEPPER and DONOVAN MC NABB were right behind him. BEN ROETHLISBERGER burst upon the scene, and although DREW BREES had been "on the scene" for several years, he re-burst upon it. The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS set winning streaks, proud of their blue-collar mentality (TROY BROWN at cornerback?). The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES dominated and so did the PITTSBURGH STEELERS, more than doubling their victory total of last year. There were close games…comebacks…turnarounds…and BRETT FAVRE and JEROME BETTIS kept rolling along. "It was a crazy season in the NFL," says Seattle Seahawks quarterback MATT HASSELBECK. "A crazy year." An NFL review from Kickoff ’04 in Foxboro to the final-decision-making Week 17 across America: IN 2004… A record 732 touchdown passes were thrown. Scoring was up and averaged more than 40.0 points per game (43.0) for the 11th consecutive season. Twenty-four players scored at least 10 touchdowns, tying 1985 and 1995 for the most in history. There were 788 points scored in Week 13, tying Week 1 of 2002 for the most ever in a weekend. There were a record number of 100-yard rushing (179) and 300-yard passing games (81). The league-wide season passer rating was 82.8 – the highest in history. And the league-wide completion percentage was another all-time high (59.8). Four quarterbacks – DREW BREES, DAUNTE CULPEPPER, PEYTON MANNING and DONOVAN MC NABB -- had passer ratings over 100.0, tying 1998 for the most in a season. There were five 4,000-yard passing seasons – by Culpepper, BRETT FAVRE, TRENT GREEN, Manning and JAKE PLUMMER – tying 1999 for the most in a season. Two teams – Kansas City (418.4) and Indianapolis (404.7) -- averaged 400.0 yards of offense, tying 2000 for the most such clubs in a season. For the third time since 2000, two teams – Atlanta and San Diego -- went from "worst to first" in their divisions, finishing last a year ago and first in 2004. Teams just would not give up: The GREEN BAY PACKERS became the ninth team in the Super Bowl era to make the playoffs after starting the season 1-4……the BUFFALO BILLS lost their first four games, then compiled a late-season six-game winning streak to stay in the playoff race to the end……the JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS captured their first five wins in the last minute of each game……the CAROLINA PANTHERS switched their season completely around, losing seven of their first eight games, then winning six of their last eight. Games were "thisclose." Nearly half of NFL games were decided by one score:
For the second year in a row, the NFL set a paid attendance record. Games averaged 66,409 fans, topping the record 66,328 of 2003. The league reached 17 million paid attendance for the first time in its history (17,000,811), filling stadiums to 90 percent of capacity. The New England Patriots set two NFL consecutive-game win streaks. They won a record 21 in a row in the regular season and playoffs in 2003-04, and a record 18 straight regular-season games in the same years. The Pittsburgh Steelers won 14 in a row this year, tying the 1972 Miami Dolphins for the best such streak in a single season. "Hot teams" made the playoffs: Since Thanksgiving weekend, the unofficial kickoff to the NFL playoff race, the 12 playoff clubs were a combined 46-26. That’s a .639 winning clip……Almost every one of the 12 was on some sort of winning streak, led by Pittsburgh at 14-0, San Diego at 9-1, Indianapolis and New England at 8-1, and Green Bay at 9-2……Combined, the 12 compiled a 132-60 season record – a .688 winning percentage. Consistently good teams: Of the 12 teams, six are winners of the past eight Super Bowls. Those teams are New England (twice), St. Louis, Denver (twice) and Green Bay. Three of the teams – Green Bay, New England and St. Louis – also played in another Super Bowl. And Atlanta played in Super Bowl XXXIII. Put differently, five of this year’s 12 playoff teams have had 10 of the 16 Super Bowl appearances of the past eight seasons. Most of this year’s playoff teams have had consistently strong cumulative won-loss records in recent seasons, headed up by Philadelphia (59-21, .738), Pittsburgh (53-26-1, .669), and Green Bay and New England (both 53-27, .663) over the past five years. NFL HONORS TILLMAN Former Arizona Cardinals safety PAT TILLMAN – the first NFL player killed in combat since the Vietnam War – was honored in Week 2 (September 19-20) of the season by all NFL teams. Tillman left the Cardinals in 2002 to join the U.S. Army. He qualified for the Army Rangers and was killed in combat in Afghanistan while on patrol with his unit. All NFL players wore a No. 40 decal – Tillman’s uniform number – on their helmets that weekend to coincide with Arizona’s home opener. The Cardinals wore the No. 40 decal for the rest of the season. At halftime of their game that Sunday, the Cardinals honored Tillman and other Arizonans who gave their lives in service to their country. The NFL and the NFL Players Association announced that they will generate funds for the newly created Pat Tillman Foundation by donating proceeds from the sale of Tillman’s No. 40 Cardinals jersey. Thereafter, the NFL donated $250,000 to the construction of a USO Pat Tillman Center in Afghanistan. # # # How the 2004 NFL season unfolded… MANNINGNIFICENT! Perhaps BOOMER ESIASON said it best. The former NFL quarterback, now a commentator on CBS’ The NFL Today, said on December 12 while sitting two seats from DAN MARINO, "What we’re witnessing now, with all due apologies to my esteemed colleague, is the greatest single season by any quarterback in the history of the NFL." Well if it wasn’t the greatest, PEYTON MANNING’s 2004 season was certainly one of the greatest ever – by a long shot! "Manning" equaled "excitement" in ’04. Whether it was the frequency of his touchdown passes, the bunches he threw them in, his constant fidgeting and hand-waving at the line, his passel of receivers that competed for his passes, or, of course, his total TD passes – Manning, as certain players do every year, generated excitement every time he walked on the field. And it was what he accomplished once he got on the field that amazed everyone -- even the people on that field. "You look at the things he’s done even with teams having eight DBs in the game, and he’s still throwing touchdowns," said Tennessee Titans quarterback STEVE MC NAIR in early December. "It’s amazing what he’s doing right now." It was amazing what Peyton Manning did from start to finish in 2004: Set the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a season (49). Set the NFL record for most touchdown passes in a month (19 in November). Had one six-touchdown game, three five-TD games, two fours, three threes, and five twos. It took him to Week 15 to throw only one touchdown in a game. "It is astounding to see those types of stats and the number of touchdown passes he is throwing from week to week," said Atlanta Falcons quarterback MICHAEL VICK late in the season. Set the NFL record for most consecutive multiple-touchdown games in a season (13), bettering the 12 such games of JOHNNY UNITAS in 1959. Set the NFL record for most consecutive games with at least four TD passes (five games from October 31-November 25). Became the only player in NFL history to throw five touchdowns four times in a 12-month span. Set the record of most two-touchdown games to start a season (13). Reached 200 career TD passes in the second fewest games in history (106, behind DAN MARINO’s 89). Threw for 4,000 yards for the sixth consecutive season, the first player to do so. Set the NFL record for highest passer rating in a season (121.1), topping STEVE YOUNG’s 112.8 in 1994. "I was with Steve Young in San Francisco when he had his 112.8, and I thought it would be impossible to break," says Denver Broncos head coach MIKE SHANAHAN. Looking at all of Manning’s stats, some things just stick out at how dominating he was this year. Almost one out of every 10 passes went for a touchdown (9.9, the highest TD percentage in the league this year). Thirty of his 49 TDs came in the first half – more than 60 percent – giving the Colts the lead at the break in 12 of their 16 games. And he completed almost 70 percent (67.7) of his passes. He did all of it – incredibly – throwing his fewest passes ever in a season (497). "He’s having the best year of any quarterback I’ve ever seen," said Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback FRAN TARKENTON late in the season. "It’s a hard position to figure out. He’s figured it out. There’s nobody even close to him right now." Manning’s season-TD record came in the next-to-last game of the year and contained appropriate drama and sidelights to make the game even more memorable. On December 26 in Indianapolis against the San Diego Chargers, the Colts twice fell behind by 15 points in the second half. After the Chargers’ LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON ran for a 16-yard score five seconds into the fourth quarter, San Diego led 31-16. Indy’s DOMINIC RHODES ran back the ensuing kickoff 88 yards to bring the Colts to within 31-23. Down by eight with a little over three minutes left, Manning began his rally. He completed six of eight passes on a drive that started at his own 20. With one minute left at the Chargers’ 21, Manning rocketed a pass down the middle intended for slot receiver BRANDON STOKLEY, who was running a "corner-post" route – fake to the corner, then dart to the goalpost. The ball was on its way before Stokley even made his break. Bingo! The 21-yard pass hit Stokley right as he turned. He grabbed and held on. Touchdown! And Manning’s record-breaking 49th TD pass, topping the mark set by DAN MARINO 20 years ago. "It was right on me," said Stokley afterwards. "Which was probably a good thing, because if I had too much time to think about it, I probably would have dropped it." As 57,330 people were rocking the dome – fans booed the week before when Manning took a knee twice to run out the clock rather than go for the record-tier – the QB quickly and calmly signaled for two. EDGERRIN JAMES took it up the middle for a 31-31 tie. A little over two minutes into overtime, the Colts’ MIKE VANDERJAGT converted a 30-yard field goal for the win. Mom and Pop Manning were watching it all, right? Uh, almost not. Stranded in Memphis due to flight delays, former NFL quarterback ARCHIE and his wife OLIVIA (mother of two NFL quarterbacks with the New York Giants’ ELI) made it to the game with nine minutes left – plenty of time to see the record-breaker. "At the time I threw it, there wasn’t a lot of emotion in me, because if we don’t get the two-point conversion, this is a down locker room right now," said Manning after the game. "The fact that it happened, we won the game – it sure made for an exciting day." Make that "year," Peyton – year. PROGRESSION CHART OF THE NFL TD PASS RECORD
THE MANNING EFFECT PEYTON MANNING’s record-setting season had an enormous effect on the Colts – most of all leading them to a 12-4 record and the AFC South Division title. But his linkups with his teammates set other NFL records. Milestones reached by the Colts in 2004: First team with three receivers with 10 or more touchdown receptions – MARVIN HARRISON (15), REGGIE WAYNE (12) and BRANDON STOKLEY (10). Fourth team with three 1,000-yard receivers – Wayne (1,210), Harrison (1,113) and Stokley (1,077). Became the third team in history to score 40 points in four consecutive games (November 14-December 5; San Diego, 1960; St. Louis, 2000). Manning and Harrison linked up for two records. On November 8, Harrison caught his 664th pass from the quarterback, the most ever by an NFL quarterback-receiver combination (topping the 663 from Buffalo’s JIM KELLY to ANDRE REED from 1986-96). Cincinnati Bengals quarterback CARSON PALMER and wide receiver CHAD JOHNSON drove 220 miles round-trip to watch Manning and Harrison perform in the Monday night game while sitting in the stands. "They’re the best," said Palmer. "They’re who we want to be like." Then on December 5, Manning and Harrison connected on a 24-yard TD pass against Tennessee to give the combo 80 scoring connections, moving them into second place all-time in the category behind STEVE YOUNG and JERRY RICE (85). They finished the season with 82 hookups. On top of all that, on November 8, Harrison reached 800 career catches in the fewest games in history (131) – bettering JERRY RICE in 154 games. "WHAT STREAK?" …that was the New England Patriots’ answer and philosophy this season anytime anyone asked them about setting the NFL record for consecutive victories, which they did. "What streak?" became their mantra. It meant, what happened in the past, what happens in the future doesn’t matter. We play them one game at a time – nothing more. Before they knew it, they had won 18 regular-season "one-game-at-a-times," and 21 regular-season and playoff "one-game-at-a-times" – both NFL records. "It’s hard to play them two games at a time," said New England tackle MATT LIGHT during the streak. That said it all. The Patriots pride themselves on their "blue collar" makeup that has made them a "blue-chip" franchise with two Super Bowl titles in the past three years. Two of the key players in those championships typify the team’s blue-collar ethic. Quarterback TOM BRADY, who led the team on its two Super Bowl-winning drives, was a sixth-round draft choice. Kicker ADAM VINIATERI, who won both title games with his foot, was a free-agent signee out of South Dakota State, who honed his craft in NFL Europe. On their Week 17 53-man roster, half the players (27) were acquired through the free-agency system, on waivers or by trade, or were rookies of first-year free agents. The other half (26) were drafted by the club, but even here, 11 were third round-or-below choices. "Blue collar" to the core! Asked to describe the "typical Patriot," safety RODNEY HARRISON – who himself was signed as a free agent in 2003 – said, "You’re a vet. You’re not a high-priced guy. Your No. 1 priority is winning ball games. (Head coach BILL BELICHICK) is not afraid to take veteran players – people who’ve been told they can’t play anymore – and bring them into the system." And did that system work in 2004! On October 10, the Patriots defeated Miami 24-10 for their 19th regular-season and playoff victory in a row – an NFL record. Two weeks later, on October 24, they topped the New York Jets 13-7 for their 18th consecutive regular-season win – an NFL record. Before the streak was broken -- on October 31 by Pittsburgh -- the Pats had upped the first streak to 21 consecutive wins. Their average margin of victory in that streak? A little more than a touchdown per game (9.9 points) for the get-it-done-somehow Patriots. In only four games in the streak did the Patriots win by more than two touchdowns. "It’s hard in this day and age to win 21 straight games," said Steelers wide receiver HINES WARD. "They’re a great team, and they just don’t beat themselves." How the Patriots’ streaks stack up:
In setting those records and going beyond them, the Patriots reached other milestones this season: They ended the season scoring first in 20 regular-season games, breaking the record of 15 such games set by the Miami Dolphins in 1978. Set the NFL record for consecutive wins when leading at halftime with 31 (2001-04), besting the 30 such victories of the Denver Broncos from 1996-98. Set the mark for consecutive wins when entering the fourth quarter with 38 (2001-04), topping the 36 such wins of the Pittsburgh Steelers (1972-75) and San Diego Chargers (1992-96). BUT THE PATRIOTS WEREN’T THE ONLY TEAM STORY OF 2004… Sure the Patriots captivated fans with their streaking ways, but there were a lot of other teams that stood out in 2004, like the three below… BOLTS BACK ON TRACK: The remarkable "worst to first"
turnaround by the SAN DIEGO CHARGERS this year had ESPN’s
CHRIS BERMAN singing about those "San…Diego…Super Chargers!" With
an electrifying running back – LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON – and an
efficient quarterback – DREW BREES – San Diego reversed its
last-place finish of 2003 (from 4-12 to 12-4), won its first division
title since 1994, and will make its first playoff appearance since 1995.
IS IT THE YEAR OF THE EAGLE?: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES fans
sure hope so! Especially since the birds from the City of Brotherly Love
just completed the most successful season in franchise history. The ’85 Bears and their colorful cast of characters "shuffled" their
way to a Super Bowl title, but the ’97 49ers were derailed en route to
the big game by BRETT FAVRE and the Packers in the NFC
Championship. ROETHLISBURGH?: His rookie exploits can be seen later in this release, but the PITTSBURGH STEELERS and their first-year quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER were one of the great stories in the NFL this season. The Steelers joined the Eagles as the only teams in history from the same state to earn homefield advantage in the same year. They did not accomplish a "worst-to-first" turnaround like the Chargers, but Pittsburgh did undergo a marked improvement from 2003 to 2004. The Steelers finished the season with the most wins in the league (15-1) after going 6-10 last year. They enter the playoffs as the hottest team in the NFL, having won 14 in a row -- tying them with the 1972 Miami Dolphins for the most consecutive wins in a season. In leading the Steelers to their AFC North title, head coach BILL COWHER became one of only five coaches since 1970 – DON SHULA, BUD GRANT, TOM LANDRY and Cowher’s predecessor CHUCK NOLL – to win eight or more division championships. …AND MANNING WASN’T THE ONLY QUARTERBACK TO EXCEL Veteran, rookie, young veteran, it didn’t matter. In 2004, a whole range of quarterbacks posted stellar seasons… BRETT-TAKING: Even though the Green Bay Packers lost four of their first five games this fall, BRETT FAVRE never lost his swagger or confidence. With the 35-year-old Favre at the helm, the Packers became only the second team in history to rebound from a 1-4 start to clinch a division title. "Brett Favre is unbelievable," says Packers running back NAJEH DAVENPORT. "It’s a great honor to play with him. He’s like an old man, but he’s young at heart." Records and milestones that Brett Favre achieved this season: * Consecutive Starts: Became the first quarterback in NFL history to start 200 consecutive games on Monday night, November 29 when the Packers upended the St. Louis Rams 45-17. At the conclusion of the regular season, Favre’s streak stood at 205 consecutive starts. "He can be on crutches in the middle of the week and he always runs out there on Sunday," says Green Bay President BOB HARLAN. Nearly as impressive as the streak itself is Favre’s won-loss record since he became the Packers’ starter in 1992: 135-70 (.658 winning percentage). * Yards: PEYTON MANNING wasn’t the only quarterback chasing DAN MARINO in the record books this year. Favre joined Marino as the only players to throw for 3,000 yards in a season 13 times. He led Green Bay to a 16-13 win over Detroit on December 12, throwing for 188 yards to bring his season total to more than 3,000 once again. All of Favre’s 3,000-yard seasons have come consecutively – another NFL record. Passing the 4,000-yard milestone for the first time since 1999, Favre also moved past FRAN TARKENTON (47,003) and WARREN MOON (49,325) on the all-time passing yards list. His 49,734 career yards rank third behind Marino (61,361) and JOHN ELWAY (51,475). * Touchdowns: For the 11th consecutive year, Favre amassed 20 or more touchdown passes, giving the Mississippi native sole possession of first place in the category. Marino previously held the top spot, with 10 straight seasons of 20 TD passes. Favre also broke Marino’s record of consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass against an opponent, throwing for TDs in both games against Chicago this year to extend his streak to 26. Marino’s record of 24 came against the New York Jets. Favre also inched closer to Marino’s all-time mark of 21 games with four-or-more touchdown passes. He racked up four scores in the Packers’ 34-31 win over Minnesota on November 14, bringing his career total to 18 games with four or more TDs, second only to Marino. Though Favre matched and exceeded a few of Marino’s most impressive marks, he came up 10 games short of JOHNNY UNITAS’ record of 47 consecutive games with a touchdown pass. Philadelphia halted Favre’s streak at 36 on December 5. Favre now sits alone in second place behind Unitas. * Completions: He might not have caught him in yardage just yet, but Favre this year cruised past Elway into second place on the NFL’s all-time completions list (4,306). Marino ranks first with 4,967. BRADY’S BUNCH: A handful of passers produced gaudier numbers than New England Patriots quarterback TOM BRADY in 2004, but he still has a stranglehold on many records involving the most important statistic of all – victories. Brady’s passing numbers were among the best in the NFL this season
(28 touchdowns, 92.6 passer rating), but those numbers pale in
comparison to the remarkable rate at which Brady wins games. "He’s smart, but more than that, he’s very patient," says Cincinnati Bengals linebacker BRIAN SIMMONS. "He’s very mature."
COOL BREES: In his third year as a starter for the San Diego Chargers, quarterback DREW BREES’ sterling play brought back memories of the Powder Blue’s potent passing offense of the past. The first Chargers QB to earn a Pro Bowl spot since DAN FOUTS in 1986, Brees peppered his name all over the Chargers’ single-season record book while leading them to the AFC West title. Some of Brees’ highlights: * His quarterback rating of 104.8 is the highest season total
in franchise history, bettering the previous mark of 93.6
produced by Fouts in 1982. After posting a 67.5 rating in 2003,
Brees’ 37.3-point improvement is the largest since the NFL began
compiling the rating in 1973. Oakland’s KEN STABLER had owned
that mark, with a 36.0-point improvement from 1975-76. * Completing 262 of 400 passes, Brees’ completion percentage (65.5) is the second best in team history in a season (MARK HERRMANN, 1985, 65.7). * His 27 touchdown passes rank third on the Chargers’ single-season list, below the 33- and 30-TD seasons of Fouts in 1981 and 1980, respectively. With a career day against Oakland on October 31 (22 of 25 for 281 yards, five TDs, 153.1 rating), Brees also became the first San Diego signal-caller to throw for five touchdowns in a game since Fouts in 1982. VICK DOES THE TRICK: When Atlanta Falcons quarterback MICHAEL VICK spotted an opening in the Carolina defense in the waning moments of the fourth quarter on December 18, the fleet-footed QB took advantage of the opportunity to augment his ever-expanding NFL highlight reel with a game-tying 12-yard TD scamper to force overtime. The Falcons eventually won the game in the extra frame, 34-31. "He is the Superman of the league," says Denver defensive tackle, LUTHER ELLIS, whose team was also "Vick-timized" this season in a 41-28 loss on October 31. "He’s special on film, but he’s even more amazing in person." Vick’s uncanny ability to befuddle defenses with his scrambling prowess produced a bevy of records for the fourth-year quarterback this season: * In only 43 career games, Vick is already the NFL’s all-time leader in 100-yard rushing games by a quarterback with five. BILLY KILMER held the record of four…in 170 games. * Vick became the only player in history to throw for more than 250 yards and rush for over 100 yards in a single game (against Denver on October 31). * In the 15 games he played this year, Vick rushed for 902 yards – good for third on the all-time single season list for quarterbacks. BOBBY DOUGLASS (968) and RANDALL CUNNINGHAM (942) rank first and second, respectively. MOVE OVER, MR. MONTANA: In addition to leading the Philadelphia Eagles to their third division title in a row, quarterback DONOVAN MC NABB put some NFL records in his back pocket too. McNabb set a record for consecutive completions by hitting 24 in a row over two games. After finishing with 10 consecutive completions against the New York Giants on November 28, McNabb started with 14 in a row against Green Bay on December 5. JOE MONTANA had owned the record with 22. In that December 5 game, McNabb became only the fourth quarterback in history to throw four or more touchdowns on four different occasions in the same season. DAUNTE’S INFERNO: Performing his signature "Get Your Roll On" rotating-arm movement after each touchdown, Minnesota Vikings quarterback DAUNTE CULPEPPER posted the best numbers of his five-year career in 2004, enjoying one of the most productive seasons by a QB in NFL history. "He’s having a great year," said New York Giants cornerback WILL ALLEN in October. "He’s balling, he’s on fire. He’s making good decisions and he’s using his weapons." The versatile Culpepper narrowly missed out on joining the short list
of quarterbacks who have thrown 40 touchdowns in a season (Manning and
Marino twice, and KURT WARNER), totaling 39 passing TDs in ’04.
His 2004 performance established franchise benchmarks in yards,
passing touchdowns, completion percentage and passer rating. WAITING IN THE WINGS: With so many top-tier quarterbacks
taking snaps for NFL teams right now, who knows how many undiscovered
stars are sitting idle as backups? It would appear Tennessee has
discovered just such a player in BILLY VOLEK. IT WAS A RECORD-BREAKING YEAR FOR RUSHERSQuarterbacks like PEYTON MANNING and BEN ROETHLISBERGER may have grabbed the majority of the headlines this season, but 2004 might just go down in history as the year of the running back. Sure, teams were throwing it more often and more accurately than ever, but the running game still proved to be the foundation of a good offense. For the second year in a row, 18 players rushed for 1,000 yards, with 10 of them eclipsing the 1,200-yard plateau. Whether it was a 255-pound bruiser like JEROME BETTIS or a diminutive speedster like 180-pound WARRICK DUNN, NFL running backs flat out got it done in ’04! A rundown of some of the RBs who made their presence known in 2004: JEROME BETTIS & CURTIS MARTIN: Bettis has spent the better part of his career with Pittsburgh, while Martin was born and raised in that city and played college ball at Pitt. But these two share more in common than their ties to the Steel City. Two of the steadiest rushers in NFL history, Bettis and Martin continue to rumble past legend after legend on the NFL’s all-time rushing yards list. When Martin’s Jets collided with Bettis’ Steelers this season, both runners broke the 13,000-yard mark during the contest – the first time in NFL history that two backs have accomplished that feat in the same season, let alone the same game. Martin ranks fourth on the all-time list with 13,366 yards, slightly ahead of Bettis (13,294). With a late-season surge, Martin became the oldest player in history (31) to lead the league in rushing. Cleveland’s Pro Football Hall of Famer MARION MOTLEY had held that distinction, topping the NFL in rushing at age 30 in 1950 (810 yards). Martin shows no sign of slowing down, racking up a career-best 1,697 yards this year and scoring 14 total touchdowns – his best total since 1996. He accomplished these milestones without breaking a run of more than 25 yards, making him the first back in NFL history to eclipse the 1,500-yard mark without a 25-yard play to his credit. The five oldest players to lead the NFL in rushing:
Martin’s performance was instrumental in the Jets’ run to the playoffs in an ultra-competitive AFC this year. Known for his field vision and ability to squeeze through the smallest of holes in a defense, Martin became only the second player in history to rush for 1,000 yards in 10 consecutive seasons. Hall of Famer BARRY SANDERS is the other. "He doesn’t break down, he just keeps breaking records," says Jets head coach HERMAN EDWARDS. As for "The Bus," Bettis’ wheels continue to go ’round and ’round. Serving primarily as the Steelers’ short-yardage running back until DUCE STALEY missed time due to injury, Bettis pummeled and pounded his way to eight touchdown runs on only 50 carries in Pittsburgh’s first seven games. But as soon as Bettis got his chance to be the every-down back, he rattled off four consecutive 100-yard games. "The old legs got turning once again," said Bettis, who has rushed for 100 yards in a franchise-record 48 games. His 48th 100-yard effort couldn’t have come at a better time for the Steelers, as they survived a 33-30 scare from the New York Giants on December 18 to keep their eventual 14-game winning streak alive. Bettis carried the ball 36 times for 140 yards and one touchdown. A top-10 list of the NFL’s all-time leading rushers:
PRIEST HOLMES: Holmes continues to bulwark his reputation as one of the NFL’s most prolific and productive backs in scoring touchdowns. His 62 rushing TDs and 66 multi-purpose scores since the start of the 2002 season both represent NFL records for a three-year span. After posting four scores in Kansas City’s 56-10 win over Atlanta on October 24, Holmes followed up with an equally exciting encore – 143 yards and three TDs in the Chiefs’ 45-35 win over Indianapolis. With his back-to-back three-touchdown performances, Holmes moved into a tie with EMMITT SMITH with nine games of three or more touchdowns in a career. JIM BROWN sits atop the list with 10. Holmes – in only his fourth season with the franchise -- also moved past former Chiefs wide receiver OTIS TAYLOR (7,476) for No. 1 on the team’s all-time multi-purpose yards list. Holmes has generated 141.5 yards of offense per game in his tenure with the Chiefs, producing 7,641 total yards in 54 games. Despite missing eight games this season with a knee injury, Holmes still ranked third in the NFL with 14 rushing touchdowns. He also ranks fourth all-time in fewest career rushing attempts per touchdown (minimum 1,000 carries) with a score for every 20.2 carries. As a Chief, he has averaged one score for ever 16.5 carries. Players with the fewest rushing attempts per TD:
LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON: One of the most complete running backs in the league is the San Diego Chargers’ very own lightning in a bottle, LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON. After becoming the first back in history to catch 100 passes last season, Tomlinson this year established an NFL season record for consecutive games with at least one rushing touchdown (12). A pair of Redskins – JOHN RIGGINS and GEORGE ROGERS –
share the record of 13 straight games, with both streaks spanning two
seasons. Since Tomlinson was held out of the Chargers’ season finale to
rest up for the playoffs, he will have the chance to tie that streak
next season in Week 1. The four-year pro has manufactured at least 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his four seasons with the Bolts. SHAUN ALEXANDER: Though this Seattle star came up two yards
short of a rushing title this year (1,696), Alexander became the first
player in history to score 15 or more touchdowns in four consecutive
seasons. Only five players have done it three times – Alexander,
EMMITT SMITH, JERRY RICE, TERRELL DAVIS and PRIEST
HOLMES. AHMAN GREEN: Since he became a member of the Packers five years ago, Green has proven to be the perfect running mate for quarterback BRETT FAVRE -- rushing for 1,000 yards every year since he arrived. After establishing team records for rushing yards and touchdowns in a season in 2003, Green made history once again this year when he broke free on a 90-yard touchdown scamper in Green Bay’s 41-20 win over Dallas on October 24. His blisteringly quick 90-yard jaunt was a record-breaker in two respects: * Green became the only player besides BO JACKSON to have two 90-yard touchdown runs in his career. * It was the longest run the Cowboys had surrendered in the 45-year history of the franchise. In that same game, Green moved ahead of Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM TAYLOR into first place on the Packers’ all-time list of career 100-yard rushing games. Green has topped the century mark 28 times in his five seasons with the Pack. MARSHALL FAULK: The St. Louis Rams’ can-do-everything running
back moved into fourth place on the all-time yards-from-scrimmage leader
board, bypassing BARRY SANDERS (18,190). Faulk’s 18,571
multi-purpose yards trails, in order, WALTER PAYTON (21,265),
EMMITT SMITH (21,579) and JERRY RICE (23,540). JAMAL LEWIS: The man who produced only the NFL’s fifth
2,000-yard rushing season last year turned out this season the
fifth-best NFL rushing total in a career’s first 50 games. On
September 19 against Pittsburgh, Lewis rushed for 62 yards to bring his
50-game total to 4,876.
COREY DILLON: Despite winning two of the past three Super Bowls, the New England Patriots had only one 1,000-yard rushing season in that time. So who did head coach BILL BELICHICK go out and get? One of the league’s premier running backs, COREY DILLON -- who more than filled any holes in the Patriots’ running game. How did the former Cincinnati Bengal respond to the pressure of being
the main back for a defending World Champion? He established a franchise
record for rushing yards (1,635) and scored the most rushing touchdowns
(12) in a season by a Patriots’ RB since CURTIS MARTIN posted 14
in 1996. WILLIS MC GAHEE & CHRIS BROWN: Yet another former Miami Hurricane who is showing serious star quality, McGahee became only the third back since 1970 to rush for 100 yards in each of his first three starts. Tennessee’s CHRIS BROWN pulled off the same feat earlier in the year, rushing for 100, 152 and 101 yards in each of his first three starts. St. Louis-Arizona Cardinals running back STUMP MITCHELL is the only other player since the merger to rush for 100 yards in each of his first four starts. PACK’S BACK-UP STARS IN GREEN’S STEAD: Filling in for an injured AHMAN GREEN, NAJEH DAVENPORT posted the third-best rushing performance by a player in his first career start in the past 20 years with 178 yards on Monday night, November 29 in the Packers’ 45-17 win over St. Louis.
THE RECEIVERS STARRED They’re the speedsters with sure hands, and did they perform in ’04!... MOSS MAKES HISTORY His 9,142 yards put him just ahead of JERRY RICE (9,072) as best all-time through seven years. Moss (90) also ranks second behind Rice in TDs (93) and third behind MARVIN HARRISON (665) and SHANNON SHARPE (595) in receptions with 575 in a career’s first seven years. RAVE REVIEWS FOR T.O.: TERRELL OWENS made quite a splash in his first season as a Philadelphia Eagle. Though he may have come up one touchdown short of winning a bet with
ANDY REID that would have forced the Eagles’ rotund head coach to
sport tights during a practice, Owens still had a season to remember. MORE HUNDREDS FOR HOLT: After leading the NFL in 100-yard receiving games (10) last year, the St. Louis Rams’ TORRY HOLT topped the century mark six more times in 2004. Those 16 games move the 28-year-old receiver past JERRY RICE for the second most 100-yard games in a receiver’s first six seasons. RANDY MOSS leads in the category over that duration with 38 100-yard games. TIP-TOP TIGHT ENDS BURST ONTO SCENE: With budding star ANTONIO GATES enjoying one of the finest all-around receiving seasons by a tight end in history, the NFL has a passel of promising receivers at the position. Gates corralled 13 touchdown receptions this season, the most ever by a tight end. Proving to be DREW BREES’ most reliable target with 81 receptions and 964 yards, Gates started to come into his own in his second year in the league after playing only basketball at Kent State. His jaw-dropping vertical leap combined with his soft hands make for a lethal combination. "There’s kind of a new breed of tight end coming on," says Gates, who became the first Charger to score three times in a game since 1997 with a trio of TDs against New Orleans on November 7. "And there seem to be, from what I’ve heard and seen, more of them." Here are just a few of the other tight ends that have added new dimensions to NFL offenses: * Kansas City’s TONY GONZALEZ set league records for
receptions (102) and yards (1,258) by a tight end this year en route
to his sixth-straight Pro Bowl appearance. His 102 catches are a
record-breaking achievement in two respects: they are a season
franchise record, regardless of position; and Gonzalez is the first
tight end to lead the NFL in receptions since TODD CHRISTENSEN
in 1986.
* San Francisco’s ERIC JOHNSON established single-season franchise records for yards (825) and catches (82) by a tight end. The Ivy League product also owns the distinction of being the last draft choice of BILL WALSH, who was adamant about selecting him in the seventh round of the 2001 draft out of Yale. * Dallas’ JASON WITTEN set Cowboys season records for catches (87) and yards (980) by a tight end. * Atlanta’s ALGE CRUMPLER led all NFL tight ends with 17
receptions of 20 yards or more this year, earning him his second
straight Pro Bowl trip. His season totals of 48 catches for 774
yards are franchise records at his position. In all, tight ends accounted for 188 touchdowns this season, by far
the most by the position in NFL history. The previous high came in 1961,
when TEs racked up 155 scores. In total, eight tight ends led their
respective teams in receptions this year. Wow indeed. Here are the most productive tight ends in the NFL in 2004:
…AND THE OLDTIMERS WERE STILL BRINGING IT! A number of the NFL’s elder statesman continued to put their respective signatures on the league’s record books. A look at significant accomplishments by players who continue to prove that age is nothing but a number: THIRTY-FIVE & COUNTING: That’s not JERRY RICE's age -- he’s 42 – it’s the number of times his name can be found in the NFL record book at No. 1! Rice this year became the career leader in combined net yards in his most productive game as a Seattle Seahawk (eight catches, 145 yards) on Monday night, December 6. The ageless receiver passed BRIAN MITCHELL (23,330) on a 27-yard touchdown pass from MATT HASSELBECK in the first quarter of the game. Rice, whose yardage total now stands at 23,450, owns an amazing 35 NFL records. * MEETING OF MEGASTARS: In Rice’s first game with
Seattle on October 24, it was another NFL great who stole the show.
Running back EMMITT SMITH sealed a 25-17 victory for the
Arizona Cardinals with a 23-yard touchdown run. On that play, Smith
passed WALTER PAYTON for the all-time lead in career 100-yard
rushing games (78). "He’s one of the best, and I just wanted to pull him aside and say congratulations," said Rice after seeking out Smith on the field after the game. "You know, he’s still doing it." Smith also became the first player in history to eclipse the 18,000-yard mark for career rushing yards with a 67-yard effort against the New York Giants on November 14. SPREADING THE WEALTH: Dallas Cowboys rookie wide receiver TERRANCE COOPER was only five years old when a promising young quarterback named VINNY TESTAVERDE threw his first NFL touchdown pass to MARK CARRIER for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1987. So what’s the connection? Cooper became the 63rd different player to catch a touchdown pass from Testaverde on December 6, breaking the NFL record held by STEVE DE BERG. Testaverde subsequently hooked up with another rookie wide receiver – PATRICK CRAYTON – for a touchdown, extending his record to 64 receivers. The 41-year-old Testaverde also became the oldest player in history to throw for more than 3,000 yards in a season and the first quarterback older than 40 to throw for more than 300 yards in back-to-back games. PRIMETIME PERFORMANCE FOR DEION: After a three-year sabbatical from the NFL, DEION SANDERS proved to everybody that he’s still got it in the Baltimore Ravens’ 20-6 win over Buffalo on October 24. Sanders looked strikingly like the high-stepping Deion of old on his 48-yard interception return for a touchdown, increasing his NFL record for return touchdowns to 19. Nine of those 19 scores have come via the pick, tying Sanders for second all-time in the category with KEN HOUSTON and AENEAS WILLIAMS. Recently retired ROD WOODSON is the career leader with 12. GAME RECORDS APLENTY IN ’04 All season long, there were games that produced record-setting performances …I’LL TAKE THAT!: Fans can thank safety ED REED for
keeping hope alive that the Baltimore Ravens will don all-black uniforms
again in 2005. Had the Ravens been upset by Cleveland while wearing the
dark duds, odds are that that would have been the last time Baltimore
players wore the alternate jerseys. PRESSURE? WHAT PRESSURE?: The 2003 NFL season may have
produced the most overtime games in history, but 2004 was jam-packed
with games that came down to the wire. In fact, two games were decided
by a game-winning field goal that covered more than 50 yards on the same
day for the first time since 1970. ARE YOU SURE THAT’S THE RIGHT SCORE?: To call the
Cincinnati Bengals’ 58-48 win over the Cleveland Browns on November 28 a
"shootout" would be an understatement. The game had all the makings of a
high-scoring contest in the first half, with the Bengals jumping out to
a 27-13 lead, but nobody could have anticipated the 66-point explosion
that was to come in the third and fourth quarters.
OFFENSIVE FIREWORKS IN THE PREQUEL: When an offense is backed
up to its own one-yard line, the goal is always to make it to the five,
so the punter will have enough breathing room to get off a kick without
too much pressure. But Cleveland quarterback JEFF GARCIA and wide
receiver ANDRE’ DAVIS had a different approach on how to dig the
club’s offense out of a hole against the Bengals in the teams’ first
meeting of the year: a 99-yard touchdown pass! SOMEBODY STOP ’EM!: The toe-to-toe Cincinnati vs. Cleveland
game may have produced more points, but the meeting between Kansas City
and Indianapolis on Halloween produced a scary amount of yardage. The
shootout between two of the league’s best offenses resulted in 1,095
total yards – the third most in NFL history. The Chiefs manufactured a
mind-boggling 590 yards in their 45-35 win over Indy (505 yards). TWO-POINTER TO WIN IT?: Of all the possible end-of-the-game
scenarios that could have capped the overtime contest between the
Chicago Bears and Tennessee Titans on November 14, who could have
guessed the last play of the game would be a safety? Additionally, November 14 marked the first day in NFL history that
three overtime games ended with each of the three different ways a team
can score – touchdown (Jacksonville 23, Detroit 17), field goal
(Baltimore 20, New York Jets 17) and the Chicago-Tennessee safety. ’BOUT TIME THE OL GOT A LITTLE FACE TIME!: Kansas City Chiefs
running backs PRIEST HOLMES and DERRICK BLAYLOCK had quite
a day in their combined eight-touchdown effort against Atlanta on
October 24, but one of the players who opens holes for the RBs got to
share the limelight, too. Guard BRIAN WATERS was recognized as
the AFC Offensive Player of the Week for his dominant – but anonymous –
performance in the Week 7 game. NICE THROW, ROOK: Ohio State product CRAIG KRENZEL has
always been known as a winner, and that’s just what he did in his first
start for the Chicago Bears on October 31. But sparking the Monsters of
the Midway to a 23-13 victory over the 49ers wasn’t all Krenzel
accomplished. He became the first quarterback to throw a touchdown pass
on his first attempt of his first start since 1994. DOUBLING UP: Only three times in history had two opening kickoffs been returned for touchdowns on the same day. Then this year, it happened twice within two weeks of each other. On December 5, New England’s BETHEL JOHNSON and Buffalo’s TERRENCE MC GEE gave their teams 7-0 cushions to start the day. Then on December 19, Kansas City’s DANTE HALL and New Orleans’ AARON STECKER did the same thing. Scoring first is important. All four teams won thanks to their head start. And they scored. The fewest points registered was 21 by New Orleans. Buffalo and New England each posted 42 points, and Kansas City rang up 45. The five times in NFL history that two kickoffs were returned for TDs to start games on the same day:
WES DID IT ALL!: The Miami Dolphins’ WES WELKER, a first-year player out of Texas Tech, etched his name into the NFL record book on October 10 in New England when he became the first player to return a punt and a kickoff as well as kick a kickoff, a successful field goal and an extra point in the NFL’s Super Bowl era (since 1966). Welker finished the season with 10.8 punt return average, good for fifth in the NFL. HEY, ROOK! Whether his name was Roethlisberger or Jones (both of them), numerous NFL rookies shined in their debuts this year, with promise of more great things to come. A sampling… BEN ROETHLISBERGER: When Pittsburgh selected quarterback
BEN ROETHLISBERGER with the No 11 pick in this year’s draft, who
could have predicted residents of the Steel City would be able to order
a "Roethlisberger" at their local sandwich shops by the middle of fall? But there was no learning curve needed. All the strong-armed
Roethlisberger did this year was lead the Steelers to 13 consecutive
wins in as many starts, by far the most of any rookie quarterback in any
era. Following is a roll call of Roethlisberger’s records from his first NFL
season: * Wins: He more than doubled the record for most
consecutive wins to start a rookie season held by former Steelers
quarterback MIKE KRUCZEK, who won his first six starts in a
row when TERRY BRADSHAW was sidelined with an injury in 1976:
Not surprisingly, Roethlisberger’s 13 wins as a rookie also
represents a benchmark for total winning starts by a first-year QB.
Dating back to his college career at Miami of Ohio, the poised
Pittsburgh rookie has won an amazing 26 games in a row as a
starter. * Passing: Roethlisberger has been efficient and
effective all season, finishing with an NFL rookie record 98.1
passer rating. Completing 66.4 percent of his throws,
Roethlisberger’s percentage by far tops DAN MARINO’s previous
rookie best of 58.4 in 1983. His 21 of 25 performance against Dallas
on October 17 certainly didn’t hurt, as Roethlisberger set a record
for completion percentage in a game by a rookie (84.0) with a
minimum of 25 throws. * Awards: Since the Associated Press began choosing
Offensive Rookie of the Year selections in 1957, no quarterback has
ever earned the distinction – that is, until Roethlisberger did on
January 5. Not only did he win the award, he did so unanimously. JONES & JONES, INC.: They might not be related, but KEVIN
JONES’ and JULIUS JONES’ rookie seasons have been strikingly
similar. Both made NFL history in their own ways. Both hit their strides
late in the season. And both posted back-to-back 150 yard rushing games
– no small feat. The second-round pick from Notre Dame became the first player in NFL
history – rookie or veteran – to carry the ball 30 or more times in
three consecutive games (November 21-December 6). During that three-game
streak, two games came in a five-day span, making Jones the second
player in addition to EMMITT SMITH to carry the ball more than 30
times in a span that short. In all, Julius rushed for 819 yards in the
eight games in which he played, while posting the second-best
single-game rushing output ever by a Dallas rookie with 196 yards (TONY
DORSETT, 206). MICHAEL CLAYTON: In the 2004 NFL Draft, a record seven wide
receivers were selected in the first round. Four receivers were chosen
before LSU standout MICHAEL CLAYTON was snatched up by the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers at No. 15. Clayton went on to rewrite the franchise’s
rookie receiver record book, establishing marks for receptions (80),
yards (1,193) and touchdowns (seven). TEAM RECORDS WERE SET, TOO In addition to the numerous NFL records that were set this season, many team marks were bettered, with some famous NFL names being topped… CAN YOU TOP THIS? YES!
DID I READ THAT RIGHT?? Just when you thought you’d seen it all in the NFL, the 2004 season
provided plenty of unexpected moments, some qualifying as hilarious, others
just hard to believe. DETROIT’S DRUMMOND THE NEXT DANTE?: Who can forget DANTE HALL's dominating four-game streak of returning either a kick or a punt for a touchdown last season? Had there been an MVP award for the first half of the season, "The Human Joystick" would have won it, hands down. The Detroit Lions’ EDDIE DRUMMOND had an equally brilliant
season in 2004, despite being lost for the rest of the year on
Thanksgiving to a shoulder injury. In 11 games, Drummond weaved his way
to four return TDs (on two punts, two kickoffs). Even more impressive, Drummond ran back the opening kickoff of the
following game against the Vikings, giving him an NFL-record three
return touchdowns in a five-return span. UNORTHODOX, BUT EFFECTIVE!: New Orleans kick returner AARON STECKER committed a big miscue on the opening kickoff of the Saints’ matchup with Tampa Bay on December 19 – he let the opening kickoff roll right through his legs. Fortunately for Saints coach JIM HASLETT, Stecker managed to
pick up the loose ball and scamper 98 yards for a score anyway!
Apparently, the former Buccaneer was so overwhelmed by adrenaline
because he was facing his former team that he mishandled the kick. HANG 10, DUDE!: When quarterback REX GROSSMAN was lost
for the year with a knee injury early in the Chicago Bears’ season, the
team attempted to contact CHAD HUTCHINSON about the vacancy.
Where was the former Stanford signal-caller? Surfing, of course. RUMBLIN’, BUMBLIN’, STUMBLIN’…: That’s just what Bills
317-pound defensive tackle PAT WILLIAMS did towards the end zone
once he surprisingly found the football in his hands in the fourth
quarter of Buffalo’s game against Miami on December 5. Williams’ slow
stroll to the end zone provided the Bills’ sideline with more than just
a good laugh, however, as the TD sealed the victory with less than three
minutes to play. DESPARATE TIMES, DESPERATE MEASURES: Few defenses have managed to so much as slow down the Indianapolis Colts’ juggernaut of an offense. One look at Indy’s season point total (522) proves that statement. Since conventional defense most times proves so futile against the
high-powered Colts, the Tennessee Titans decided to take a different
approach on December 5: trick ’em, trick ’em…and trick ’em some more! HEY, YOU LOOK FAMILIAR!: When Washington won its third Super Bowl title under JOE GIBBS in 1992, tackle RAY BROWN was there. When the legendary Gibbs decided to return to coaching 12 years later, Brown was there once again. After turning 42 on December 12, Brown became the oldest lineman to play in the league since the 1920s. Brown, who has suited up for eight different squads in his 19-year career, has spent a total of eight years in Washington. HEY, YOU LOOK FAMILIAR, PART II: DREW BLEDSOE must have
experienced déjà vu when he threw an interception against his former New
England Patriots team on November 14. Who was there to make the grab?
Wide receiver TROY BROWN, who moonlighted this year as a
defensive back in the wake of Pats’ injuries. Brown caught 12 touchdowns
from Bledsoe when the two played together in New England. STERLING SALUTES: New Orleans Saints wide reciever JOE
HORN decided to celebrate the accomplishments of others rather than
his own when he scored a touchdown on December 12, running a finger
under the words "Remember Our Troops" on a sign behind the end zone. WHEN IN ROME…: When Detroit Lions head coach STEVE
MARIUCCI was an assistant in Green Bay, he watched a young
quarterback from Mississippi walk through the snow in shorts and a pair
of flip flops, get into his car, and drive away with his head out the
window because his windshield was covered in snow. Who was that confused
young quarterback? None other than BRETT FAVRE. "We talked about how you use them," said Mariucci, a Michigan native.
"There were some real good questions. ‘Does that thing scratch my
window?’ That sort of thing. So they were ready for the winter. Some of
these guys had never seen snow before." WORKIN’ OVERTIME: When kicker JOHN KASAY was knocked
out of the game against San Francisco on November 14, lucky for the
Carolina Panthers that punter CRAIG SAUERBRUN was willing to work
double duty -- kicking four extra points in addition to the go-ahead
field goal in a 37-27 victory. M&M BROTHERS MAKE HISTORY: Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON
MANNING may have written himself into the record books with his
unprecedented success throwing the football this season, but he also
grabbed a smaller piece of history along with his brother ELI on
December 12. "…AND YOU CAN QUOTE ME!" Ten lighthearted quotes form the 2004 season: "I love watching him play. Unfortunately this time I was not watching him on TV" – Minnesota head coach MIKE TICE after Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING threw four touchdowns against the Vikings. "I told Coles I needed this for my quarterback rating" – Washington running back CLINTON PORTIS relating a conversation he had with wide receiver LAVERANUES COLES after throwing his first NFL pass for a game-winning touchdown. "That’s the only time I’ve ever called a play on defense, and it goes for a touchdown. I guess that’s why I don’t coach defense" -- St. Louis head coach MIKE MARTZ after Miami quarterback JAY FIEDLER and wide receiver RANDY MC MICHAEL picked apart his blitz to score a TD. "Tomorrow it’ll be like, ‘Hey, good play -- don’t ever do that again" – New England quarterback TOM BRADY on how head coach BILL BELICHICK would react to him completing a seven-yard pass while sitting on the ground. "The best play in football is the kneel-down. We’d like to have those more often" – Jacksonville linebacker MIKE PETERSON about the end of the game in the team’s victory over Chicago. "I got some blocks, and luckily it was all big, slow guys chasing me" – Indianapolis linebacker ROB MORRIS after he returned a blocked field goal 68 yards for a touchdown. "I love the guy already" – Tampa Bay tackle KENYATTA WALKER after recently signed kicker JAY TAYLOR converted two field goals and three PATs in the team’s victory over Atlanta. "We just keep pumping them full of air and starches and fruits and stuff" – Cincinnati head coach MARVIN LEWIS when asked how he keeps his defense healthy and productive. "For an offensive lineman, that’s a lovely day. That’s a dream" – Kansas City guard BRIAN WATERS after running back PRIEST HOLMES scored four touchdowns in the team’s win over Atlanta. "It was 78 yards to the end zone? I knew there was a reason I was tired" – Washington linebacker ANTONIO PIERCE on the details of the interception he returned for a touchdown. |
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