2000 Records Release

FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-112 12/28/00

YET ANOTHER SUPER SEASON!

Teams coming from nowhere. Young players excelling. Rookie coaches taking their teams to the playoffs. And more people than ever watching it all.

At Kickoff 2000 on Labor Day Weekend, the question was, could this NFL season top last season for excitement, unpredictability, and just plain fun?

Sure did!

"This is the NFL," says Green Bay Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE. "Anything can happen."

And did it ever this year!

IN 2000…

All six divisions had new champions, only the third time since 1970 that has happened (1992, 1998). That makes it 23 new division winners out of a possible 30 in the past five seasons – 77 percent.

Twelve teams finished with 10 or more wins – tying the season record of 12 teams in 1986 and 1991.

For the fourth consecutive season, at least five teams (out of 12) that weren’t in the playoffs the year before made the playoffs.

With two weeks to go in the season, not one division was clinched – the first time that had happened that late in the season since 1980.

Two divisions – the AFC West and NFC West – have their fifth new division champion in the past five seasons. Since 1997, no division has had fewer than three new titlists.

For the first time since the NFL went to three wild card teams per conference in 1990, each division has two representatives in the playoffs.

The NEW ORLEANS SAINTS went from "worst to first" in their division, from last place in ’99 to first this year. Only 14 teams have accomplished that feat since 1970. The Saints went from a 3-13 record last season to 10-6 this year, a seven-game turnaround.

If one facet of the game seemed to dominate in 2000, it was rushing. There were 23 1,000-yard rushers, the most ever.

There were 11 200-yard rushing games, the most ever.

Monday Night Football seemed to provide one memorable game after another. A record eleven MNF games were decided by seven points or less.

Attendance is on pace for an all-time high. Paid attendance averaged 66,164 per game through Week 16. The all-time record of 65,349 was set in 1999.

All local television blackouts were lifted on a weekend due to sold out games a record three times during the season. Only once before in the 27-year history of the NFL blackout policy were all blackouts lifted for a week’s games. Eighty-six percent of local TV blackouts were lifted during the season, an all-time record.

IS THE WHOLE SEASON GOING TO BE LIKE THIS? YES!

It started off zany and continued throughout the season.

When was the last time a team kicked off its season with an onsides kick? That’s exactly what the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES did on Kickoff 2000 Sunday – and recovered it – as they launched their season with a victory on the way to the playoffs.

"It was a great way to start the game off," said Eagles linebacker JEREMIAH TROTTER. It was a great way to start the season off…

In the Eagles’ game against Dallas (a hint of NFL rushing feats to come), Philadelphia running back DUCE STALEY rushed for 201 yards, the fifth-best ever on a Kickoff Weekend.

The Super Bowl XXXIV-champion St. Louis Rams (see a full-season rundown on them on page 5) picked up offensively where they left off in 1999 by scoring 41 points in a Monday night win over Denver -- tying an NFL record by posting 30-or-more points in their seventh-consecutive regular-season game. Rams quarterback KURT WARNER, the 1999 NFL MVP, throws for a career-high 441 yards, running back MARSHALL FAULK (who would become the 2000 MVP) compiles 178 yards from scrimmage, and Faulk (100 yards) and wide receivers AZ-ZAHIR HAKIM (116) and TORRY HOLT (103) become the second trio in Rams history to each post 100-yard games (ELROY HIRSCH, 162; TOM FEARS, 173 and V.T. SMITH, 103 on September 28, 1951 – also a Kickoff Weekend).

"This was a game where if you like offense, it was fun to watch," said Denver head coach MIKE SHANAHAN. "If you liked defense, you picked the wrong one to go to."

Minnesota Vikings quarterback DAUNTE CULPEPPER, in his first NFL start, showed what defenses could expect from the likes of him and Eagles quarterback DONOVAN MC NABB, both members of the Quarterback Class of ’99, throughout the season.

Culpepper rushed 13 times for 73 yards and three touchdowns against Chicago, becoming the first quarterback since 1970 with three rushing TDs in his first start, and only the fifth quarterback to do so in any game. His 73 yards were the third-most in Vikings annals, behind FRAN TARKENTON’s 99 yards in 1961 and WADE WILSON’s 75 in 1987.

Other quarterbacks took off on opening day. Buffalo’s ROB JOHNSON rushed for 60 yards, and even stay-in-the-pocket DREW BLEDSOE of New England ran for 30 yards, a career-high.

As a hint of zany plays to come throughout the season, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback SHAUN KING, with 35 seconds left in the first half against New England, no time-outs left and the clock running with the ball on the Patriots’ eight-yard line, yelled out an audible which called for his offense to act like a spike was coming to stop the clock, and instead faked the spike and fired a TD pass to REIDEL ANTHONY, all alone in the end zone.

Players who weren’t used to scoring did just that. Chicago Bears tight end JOHN ALLRED caught the first touchdown pass of his four-year career, and San Francisco 49ers fullback FRED BEASLEY had a career-high three TDs, after having only four career scores in his first 29 games.

Matching up against good company, New York Giants running back TIKI BARBER broke off a 78-yard TD run against Arizona, the team’s longest since FRANK GIFFORD’s 79-yarder on November 29, 1959 against Washington.

Washington Redskins running back LARRY CENTERS caught seven passes to give him 611 in his career, eclipsing KEITH BYARS (610) for the most by a running back. Also in the game, Redskins cornerback DARRELL GREEN started his 18th season, adding to the team record for longevity he set the year before. Green, at age 40, became the oldest NFL defensive back since 1970.

And…Oakland Raiders wide receiver ANDRE RISON caught the winning TD against San Diego, although, according to Raiders head coach JON GRUDEN, he wasn’t supposed to be on the field for the play that was called.

JETS STREAM

Perhaps no team – even if they didn’t make the playoffs – most typified the pulsating, unpredictable nature of the 2000 season than the NEW YORK JETS.

With their bag of trick plays, and an unlikely string of midseason comebacks, the Jets were symbolic of a fun season to watch…

TRICK & TREAT: Getting ready for two shocking comebacks, the Jets pulled off a bunch of surprising plays early in the season. For example, cornerback MARCUS COLEMAN, inserted into the offensive lineup for his leaping ability, catches a 45-yard TD pass from VINNY TESTAVERDE on the final play of the first half against Buffalo on September 17. And on October 15 in New England, linebacker MO LEWIS, on the field-goal unit, takes a pitchout from holder TOM TUPA, who has moved under center, for a three-yard gain and a first down. Four plays later, the Jets score.

THEN, ON SEPTEMBER 24, the visiting Jets surprised the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by coming back from a 17-6 deficit with less than two minutes to play to win 21-17. It was their third fourth-quarter comeback in four games. It was also only the fourth time since 1970 that a team had come back by 11 points or more with two minutes or less remaining in a game to win the game.

How’d they do it? First, Testaverde threw a six-yard TD pass to running back CURTIS MARTIN with 1:54 left. Then, with 52 seconds left, in a play called by offensive coordinator DAN HENNING, Martin, on a halfback option play, wobbled an 18-yard pass to a leaping WAYNE CHREBET in the back of the end zone for the winning score. Photos after the game showed that Martin, who had to surreptitiously take his gloves off before the play so the Bucs would not sense a pass, had not even gripped the ball by the laces.

"When you see linebackers coming," said Martin, "you don’t think of the threads on the ball."

Martin’s throw to Chrebet was the first game-winning TD pass by an NFL running back in the fourth quarter since October 11, 1969, when Buffalo’s PRESTON RIDLEHUBER did it to the Boston Patriots for a 23-16 win.

BUT THE BEST WAS YET TO COME: On October 23 on a Monday night, no less. There the Jets were, at home, behind by 23 points (30-7) to the Miami Dolphins as the fourth quarter began.

Then…Testaverde sandwiched TD passes of 30 yards to LAVERANUES COLES, one yard to JERMAINE WIGGINS, and 24 yards to Chrebet around a JOHN HALL field goal to counter one more score by the Dolphins before tossing the game-tying TD pass of three yards to 6-7, 308-pound tackle JOHN ELLIOTT, who bobbled the ball before finally permanently cradling it.

"You can’t shut him down forever!" joked ABC’s DENNIS MILLER after AL MICHAELS said it was the first TD catch of Elliott’s 13-year career.

Into overtime it went before Hall won it (40-37) on a 30-yard kick at 6:47.

And were milestones reached!:

The Jets’ 23-point comeback matched the second-largest in NFL history for a club trailing after three quarters. On November 8, 1987, the St. Louis Cardinals trailed Tampa Bay by 25 points (28-3) after the third quarter before posting a 31-28 victory. On October 1, 1985, the Minnesota Vikings overcame a 23-0 score after three quarters to defeat the Philadelphia Eagles 28-23.

The Jets’ 30 points in the fourth quarter were one point shy of the NFL record for fourth-quarter scoring. Three teams scored 31 in the fourth quarter, with the Atlanta Falcons last accomplishing the feat against the Green Bay Packers on September 13, 1981. The other clubs were the 1960 (December 17) and 1963 (December 8) Oakland Raiders.

Testaverde became the third player in NFL history to throw four touchdown passes in a fourth quarter. The others were San Francisco’s JOE MONTANA (Sept. 24, 1989 vs. Philadelphia) and Houston’s KEN STABLER (Nov. 23, 1980 vs. Jets).

Testaverde’s five touchdown passes tied the Monday-night record (DAVE KRIEG, Nov. 28, 1988; and JIM KELLY, October 21, 1991).

The 23-point comeback was a Jets record. The previous club best was a 21-point comeback against Denver on November 5, 1978.

The Jets’ 30 points were the most scored in a quarter in team history.

Jets cornerback MARCUS COLEMAN tied a club record with three interceptions.

Coleman became one of two players to record two interceptions in overtime (Cleveland’s FRANK MINNIFIELD vs. Houston on November 30, 1986).

It was the longest Monday-night game ever – four hours and 10 minutes. It was also the longest regular-season game since November 19, 1989. That game (Kansas City-Cleveland) was 4:14.

Maybe the New York Times said it best the morning after when it wrote, "What a game. It will go down as one of the best regular-season contests in league history."

YEAR OF THE RUSHER?

With so much going on this year in the NFL – surprise teams, classic games, the crazy playoff races – it is hard to identify one "theme" that ran throughout the league the whole year. But, one comes mighty close – the 2000 NFL rushing game.

From a 27-year-old rookie who is a former Marine…to the Rams’ MARSHALL FAULK, the Associated Press MVP…to people like EDDIE GEORGE, COREY DILLON and EMMITT SMITH, it seemed that every week, the heavyweight stars came from the rushing ranks – in all manor of records and milestones.

A sampling of the 2000 "Year of the Rusher"…

MARSHALL FAULK, St. Louis Rams: The NFL MVP. And what a year he had. Faulk…

……Set the NFL record for most touchdowns in a season – 26 – topping EMMITT SMITH’s mark of 25 in 1995.

……Joined WALTER PAYTON (1983-85) as the only players in history with three consecutive 2,000-yard scrimmage seasons.

……Became the first player in NFL history to have three four-touchdown games in a season, and only the second (JIM TAYLOR in 1962) with such games in consecutive weeks (December 10 and 18).

……Scored 11 touchdowns and had 572 scrimmage yards in his final three games. In the Rams’ Week 17 victory over New Orleans that earned them a playoff spot, Faulk rushed for a career-high 220 yards.

……Became the 14th player in NFL history with 20 or more touchdowns in a season.

MIKE ANDERSON, Denver Broncos: Followed other recent lower-round Denver draft choices TERRELL DAVIS and OLANDIS GARY in supplying an explosive rushing game to the team. Plus, Anderson came with an unusual background – a 27-year-old former Marine who played drums in his high school band, but no football. Anderson…

……Finished as the fourth-leading rusher in the NFL with 1,500 yards, the fifth-best rookie season ever.

……Led all NFL rookies with 15 touchdowns, tying ICKEY WOODS (1988) for the second most by a rookie.

……Set NFL record for rushing yards in a game by a rookie with 251 against New Orleans on December 3. It was the fourth-highest single-game total in history.

……Became the ninth rookie in NFL history to begin his career with two consecutive 100-yard games.

……Became first Broncos rookie to rush for 100 yards in his first career start with 131 yards against Atlanta on September 10.

……Was the oldest rookie running back – 27 – to play in a game since 1990.

……Established the third-highest two-game rushing total (446 yards) in history from November 26-December 3, behind O.J. SIMPSON’s 476 and WALTER PAYTON’s 467.

……With his 1,500 yards, enabled Denver to become only the second club in history to field three different 1,000-yard rushers in three consecutive years, following the 1986-88 Los Angeles Rams with ERIC DICKERSON, CHARLES WHITE and GREG BELL.

……Became on December 3 the first player in Denver history to rush for 100 yards in each half of a game (146/105).

COREY DILLON, Cincinnati Bengals: Specializes in breaking rushing records of famous NFL names. Already in the NFL record book for smashing the mark of JIM BROWN for the most rookie rushing yards in a game (246 on December 4, 1997), Dillon……

……Broke the record of Walter Payton (275 yards on November 20, 1977) for the most rushing yards in a game on October 22 when he ran for 278 against Denver, with TD runs of 65 and 41 yards.

"I’m still in shock," said Dillon after the game. "I still don’t believe it. From how I was running, I didn’t see that I had that many yards. I was just out there trying to get four yards."

……Ran for 137 yards the next week to establish the third-highest two-game total (415) in history, following Simpson’s 476 yards in 1976, and Payton’s 467 in 1977 (later passed by Mike Anderson).

……With his 1,435 yards, became the eighth player to rush for 1,000 yards in each of his first four seasons.

……Became the eighth player all-time with at least three career 200-yard rushing games, and one of 10 players with two 200-yard rushing games in a season.

EDDIE GEORGE, Tennessee Titans: The dependable workhorse back of the Titans and the league. George……

……Led the NFL in rushing attempts with 403.

……Finished third in the league in rushing yards with 1,509.

……Joined Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON as the only running backs to rush for 1,200 yards in each of their first five seasons.

EMMITT SMITH, Dallas Cowboys: The king just keeps rolling along. Next year will begin his assault on Walter Payton’s NFL-record 16,726 yards. This year, Smith……

……Became the third player to rush for 14,000 yards

……Scored his 150th touchdown. Only Jerry Rice has more (185).

……Tied BARRY SANDERS as the only players to gain 1,000 yards in each of 10 seasons.

BUT, MEANWHILE, THE QBs WERE EXCELLING, TOO…

New ones, young veterans, and "old" veterans. Throughout the year, every type of quarterback seemed to excel, whether they were still somewhat new to the league, or had been around a while.

RICH GANNON, Oakland Raiders: He’s only two years younger than his coach. And watching them on the sidelines in their animated discussions, you might tend to ask, "Who’s the boss here?" But that’s exactly what 35-year-old quarterback Rich Gannon has brought to the Oakland Raiders – veteran on-field leadership for 37-year-old head coach JON GRUDEN that propelled the Raiders this year into their first playoff berth since 1993.

"We clicked right away," says Gruden of his first meeting with Gannon in 1999. "I had never been around a guy that passionate about playing."

After 13 years of moving from club to club – Minnesota to Washington to Kansas City, and often as a backup – Gannon came into his own this year. He led the Raiders to a 12-4 record (their most wins since 1990) and their first division championship since 1990.

In the process, Gannon tied Kansas City’s ELVIS GRBAC for the second-most touchdowns (28) in the AFC, while compiling a 92.4 passer rating, also third in the conference. On top of that, he finished 16th in the AFC in rushing with 529 yards and four TDs. Three came in one game, on September 10 against Indianapolis in a 38-31 Raider comeback win.

DONOVAN MC NABB, Philadelphia Eagles: If Gannon can rush, McNabb can really rush! The second-year quarterback, one of two members of the QB Class of ’99 who readily excelled this year (see Daunte Culpepper below), took his team to its first playoff spot since 1996 while leading all quarterbacks in rushing with 629 yards -- the most since STEVE MC NAIR’s 674 in 1997. All told, McNabb accounted for 75.0 percent of the Eagles’ offense this season.

Two of his games in 2000 season stick out.

On November 26 in Washington, with the Eagles ahead of the Redskins (and New York Giants) by one game, McNabb’s heroics led the Eagles to a 23-20 victory. He rushed for 125 yards, including a 21-yard bootleg touchdown and a 54-yard scramble that set up the winning field goal. It was the sixth-best rushing performance by a quarterback in history. On his TD run, McNabb outran Redskins defensive end BRUCE SMITH, faked out safety MARK CARRIER, and dragged safety MATT STEVENS three yards into the end zone.

Then on December 10 in Cleveland in a 35-24 victory over the Browns, McNabb threw for a career-high 390 yards and four touchdowns as the Eagles clinched their first playoff berth in four years. He accounted for 402 total net yards, going 23 for 36 and taking Philadelphia on two 98-yard scoring drives.

"He can run the ball, he can pass the ball, he reads defenses well, he gets the check-offs done," says Eagles running back STANLEY PRITCHETT. "He does virtually everything you want a fifth- or sixth-year quarterback to do, and this is his second year. That man’s special."

DAUNTE CULPEPPER, Minnesota Vikings: A bigger version (6-4, 250 compared to 6-2, 226) Culpepper finished second to McNabb in NFC quarterback rushing with 470 yards. In his first year as a starter, the team’s ’99 first-round draft choice led the Vikings to the NFC Central Division title, finishing as the conference’s third-leading passer (98.0).

On top of that, he tied Indianapolis’ PEYTON MANNING for the NFL lead in touchdown passes with 33.

Culpepper accomplished what only two quarterbacks did before him – winning his first seven starts. DIETER BROCK won his first seven starts for the Los Angeles Rams in 1985, and MIKE TOMCZAK his first 10 for the Chicago Bears in 1985.

"Daunte Culpepper is going to be a great quarterback," says Vikings wide receiver CRIS CARTER. "It’s just a matter of when."

PEYTON MANNING, Indianapolis Colts: Hard to say that a quarterback who just finished his third season is an "accomplished veteran," but with Manning, the description is apt.

Sure, he and his "Triplet" mates, running back EDGERRIN JAMES and wide receiver MARVIN HARRISON, had some tough moments in 2000 after Indianapolis won the AFC East in ’99. But after a late-season three-game losing streak, Manning led the Colts on a final-three-game winning surge that earned them a playoff berth, and dictated some changes in the team’s record book.

Manning’s 33 touchdowns tied with Minnesota’s Culpepper for the league lead, and broke the 41-year-old Colts record of JOHNNY UNITAS (32 in 1959). He led the NFL in passing yardage this season with 4,413, was the only quarterback to take every snap, and has directed Indianapolis to 23 victories since the start of 1999 – the best such mark in the NFL.

Manning’s 4,000-yard season was his second in a row, enabling him to join BRETT FAVRE (1998-99), DAN FOUTS (1979-81), DAN MARINO (1984-86) and WARREN MOON (1990-91; 1994-95) as the only quarterbacks to throw for that total in successive seasons.

One of his best games came on September 25 in a 43-14 Monday night victory over Jacksonville.

Manning completed 23 of 36 attempts for 440 yards and four touchdowns for a 143.3 passer rating (158.3 is perfect) against the Jaguars. His yardage total broke his own club record (404 against San Diego on September 26, 1999). In addition, Manning became the first player in Colts history with two career 400-yard efforts. His four scoring passes also marked a career-high. He became the 10th player since 1990 with at least 400 yards passing and four touchdowns in a game.

"I think Peyton Manning is the best quarterback since Johnny Unitas," says former Buffalo Bills head coach MARV LEVY, now a commentator on FOX Sports Net.

JEFF GARCIA, San Francisco 49ers: As far as his NFL experience is concerned, he is a "young veteran," having just completed his second year. But Jeff Garcia of the San Francisco 49ers has a lot of experience – five years in the Canadian Football League. And the rebuilding 49ers just might have found their successor to JOE MONTANA and STEVE YOUNG.

Garcia, 30, finished fourth in the NFC in passer rating (97.6) in 2000 and threw 31 touchdown passes for a 6-10 club, second in the league only to Culpepper and Manning.

On October 22, he threw his 14th touchdown pass without an interception for the best such streak since RANDALL CUNNINGHAM’s 14 in 1998 with Minnesota.

RAMS AS EXCITING AS EVER

Sure, the Super Bowl XXXIV champs didn’t make the playoffs until the last week after sailing in the year before.

But ask most NFL fans which team they’d prefer to watch for pure, explosive offensive fireworks, and it would be the ST. LOUIS RAMS, hands down.

Even one of the men charged with orchestrating their defense, veteran coach BUD CARSON, thinks this team may have changed the way clubs approach the game. "I think the teams that win it all are going to be the top offensive teams like St. Louis that are going to spend all their money on offense," says Carson. "They’re going to say, ‘Give me four good offensive players and they’ll make much more of an impact than four good defensive players. And I have to say they’re right."

Even the players who go up against them are in awe of the Rams’ firepower.

"They actually were a pleasure to watch," said San Diego Chargers running back TERRELL FLETCHER after St. Louis had defeated his team 57-31 on October1.

A rundown of what the Rams – under rookie head coach MIKE MARTZ -- accomplished in 2000, individually and as a team:

RECORDS

TEAM: Set record for most yards gained in a season with 7,075, breaking old mark of 6,936 by 1984 Miami Dolphins.

TEAM: Set record for most passing yards in a season with 5,232, breaking old mark of 5,018 by 1984 Miami Dolphins.

TEAM: Set record for most combined points scored and allowed with 1,011, breaking record of 902 by 1985 San Diego Chargers.

TEAM: Set record for most consecutive games scoring 30-or-more points with 14, breaking record of seven held by 1963 Green Bay Packers and 1968 Cleveland Browns.

TEAM: Set record for most consecutive games scoring 20-or-more points with 28, breaking record of 26 held by 1983-85 Miami Dolphins.

TEAM: Set record for most two-point conversions in a game with four, breaking old mark of three set many times.

TEAM: Tied record for most two-point conversions in a game by both teams with five (Atlanta), tying old record set by the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots in 1996.

RB MARSHALL FAULK: Set record by scoring 26 touchdowns, breaking record of 25 by Emmitt Smith (1995)

RB MARSHALL FAULK: Set record with three four-touchdown games, breaking record of two set by JIM TAYLOR (1962) and GALE SAYERS (1965). Joined Taylor as only players with two in consecutive games.

RB MARSHALL FAULK: Tied record by scoring two two-point conversions, tying old record set four other times.

WR TORRY HOLT: Set single-game record by averaging 63.00 yards per catch (three catches), breaking old mark of 60.67 by Bill Groman (1960) and Homer Jones (1965).

MILESTONES

TEAM: Scored 40-plus points in five of first six games, first team ever to accomplish such a feat.

TEAM: Totaled 614 yards in Week 5 vs. San Diego, tying for 12th most in history.

TEAM: Scored 540 points, which ranks third all-time.

TEAM: Scored 67 touchdowns, which ranks second all-time.

MIKE MARTZ: Became the fourth coach in NFL history to start his career 6-0.

QB KURT WARNER: Threw second career "perfect game" (passer rating of 158.3, the highest possible) in Week 5 against San Diego. He is the only passer in NFL history with two "perfect games." (minimum 20 attempts)

QB KURT WARNER: Passed for most yards ever after six games (2,260), passing old mark set by DREW BLEDSOE (2,072 in 1994).

QB KURT WARNER: Tied Steve Young’s record (1998) for most consecutive 300-yard games at six.

RB Marshall Faulk joined WALTER PAYTON as only players in league history with three consecutive 2,000-scrimmage yards seasons.

WR Isaac Bruce & WR TORRY HOLT finished first and second in the NFC in receiving yardage and became the first duo to finish 1-2 in their conference since WES CHANDLER & KELLEN WINSLOW in the AFC in 1982.

DEFENSE GLAMOROUS?

If any team made defense "sexy" this year, it was the BALTIMORE RAVENS.

Shutouts are not a common occurrence in the NFL and not that exciting, but the Ravens’ defense got their fans pumped up this year by posting four, one short of the NFL record since 1970 of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ five in 1976.

The Ravens did set perhaps the most important record of any defense – points allowed. They surrendered 165 points, besting the NFL record of the 1986 Chicago Bears (187).

"The beauty of it all is that it helps us win football games," says Ravens defensive coordinator MARVIN LEWIS. "That’s what the best part of this is. Not how many yards you give up. If we keep the other team from scoring, we’re going to win. That’s been our focus."

The "focus" of the Baltimore Ravens’ defense in 2000:

Allowed only 11 touchdowns over their last 13 games.

Had an NFL-high 49 takeaways and 26 fumble-recoveries.

Finished second in the NFL in total defense (247.9) and led in rushing defense (60.6).

Yielded 970 yards rushing, besting the NFL record in a 16-game schedule of 1,061 by the 1995 San Francisco 49ers.

Topped the NFL in yards-per-carry average (2.69) and has an NFL-best 33 consecutive games without allowing a 100-yard rusher.

Allowed the fewest red-zone trips (27) and had an AFC-best 29.6 defensive-touchdown rate.

"NEW" TEAMS

With six new division winners, newly-successful teams emerge. And that they did in 2000:

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS: New general manager (RANDY MUELLER). New coach (JIM HASLETT). A lot of new players (JEFF BLAKE, JOE HORN, NORMAN HAND). It’ll take them a while to jell, right?

Wrong! The new New Orleans Saints went from 3-13 in ’99 to 10-6 this year, in the process winning their first NFC Western Division title since 1991 (and going 7-1 in the division). That’s a "worst-to-first" scenario.

Even after running back RICKY WILLIAMS and quarterback Blake went out for the season, the Saints showed a pluckiness and kept on going, even discovering a hidden gem in quarterback AARON BROOKS.

NEW YORK GIANTS: It may be odd to call one of the oldest franchises in the NFL "new," but the Giants of 2000 became one of the newly-dominant teams in the league, winning homefield advantage in the NFC playoffs.

Their quarterback, KERRY COLLINS, ran an offense that did not shock with the spectacular, but consistently took the team on winning streaks -- a three-game string to start the season, a four-game streak in the middle of the year, and a five-game run to conclude the season.

And who can’t like a coach like the Giants’ JIM FASSEL, who with almost a third of the season left, "guaranteed" that his team would go to the playoffs?

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES: What do you do when you only win eight games for all of 1998-99? Make up for it in one season like the Eagles did this year with 11 victories and their first playoff berth since 1996.

They lost one of their main cogs, running back DUCE STALEY, early on, but quarterback DONOVAN MC NABB and a committee of running backs took up the slack on the ground.

The Eagles are led by offensive-minded head coach ANDY REID, who both played football at Brigham Young and wrote about it for the school newspaper.

BALTIMORE RAVENS and OAKLAND RAIDERS: Ravens season described in "Defense Glamorous?" section on page 6 and Raiders’ in Rich Gannon section on page 4.

MONDAY NIGHT MADNESS

Every Monday night game wasn’t close – it only seemed that way.

This year, a record 11 Monday night games were decided by seven points or less. And in what ways!

There was that incredible Jets comeback. That ANTONIO FREEMAN catch. The SHAUN KING-WARRICK DUNN hookup.

You just expected something zany and memorable to happen every Monday night. And it seemed to.

A rundown of the 11 Monday Night Football games to be decided by seven points or less:

MONDAY NIGHT MIRACLES

Week 1	Denver 36 at St. Louis 41	Rams score on one-yard TD run with 2:58 remaining. Hold off Broncos.
Week 2	New England 19 at N.Y. Jets 20	Jets score on 28-yard TD pass with 1:55 remaining. Hold off Patriots.
Week 3	Dallas 27 at Washington 21	Cowboys extend lead with 38-yard FG with 1:46 remaining. Hold off Redskins.
Week 5	Seattle 17 at Kansas City 24	Chiefs score on 15-yard TD run with 4:26 left. Hold off two Seahawks’ drives.
Week 6	Tampa Bay 23 at Minnesota 30	Vikings extend lead with 19-yard FG with 59 seconds left. Hold off Buccaneers.
Week 8	Miami 37 at New York Jets 40 (OT)	Jets overcome 23-point fourth-quarter deficit and win game with 40-yard FG in overtime.
Week 9	Tennessee 27 at Washington 21	Redskins cut lead to six with 5:42 to play, but can’t catch Titans.
Week 10	Minnesota 20 at Green Bay 26 (OT)	Vikings botch potential game-winning FG in regulation. Packers score on miraculous 43-yard touchdown in overtime.
Week 11	Oakland 24 at Denver 27	Raiders tie game with 1:06 remaining. Broncos kick game-winning 41-yard field goal with no time left.
Week 14	Kansas City 24 at New England 30	Chiefs, down 30-24, drive to Patriots’ 12 with no timeouts left. Game ends on last play as KC TE Tony Gonzalez is tackled by Pats CB Tebucky Jones.
Week 16	St. Louis 35 at Tampa Bay 38	Tampa Bay QB Shaun King hooks up with RB Warrick Dunn on a double-lateral/run play that keeps game-winning drive alive.

2000 NFL MILESTONES

VIKINGS SAILING: Wide receivers CRIS CARTER and RANDY MOSS of the Minnesota Vikings reached significant milestones in 2000. On November 30 in a Thursday night game against Detroit, 14-year veteran Carter caught a leaping four-yard touchdown pass from Daunte Culpepper on the first play of the second quarter to give him his 1,000th career catch. He joined JERRY RICE as the only receivers in NFL history to reach that total.

On Thanksgiving Day at Dallas (11/23), Carter caught two passes for 22 yards, giving him his eighth 1,000-yard season, tying STEVE LARGENT for the second-most in history behind JERRY RICE (12).

On November 19 against Carolina, Moss caught five passes for 106 yards, joining JOHN JEFFERSON (San Diego, 1978-80) as the only receivers in history with 1,000 yards in each of their first three seasons. On December 17 against Green Bay, Moss caught a 78-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to give him 4,000 yards for his career in his 46th game – the fewest games to reach that mark in history. Jerry Rice did it in 47 games.

OWENS BREAKS A 50-YEAR-OLD RECORD: On December 17, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver TERRELL OWENS shattered an NFL record that has existed since 1950.

Owens had 20 receptions against visiting Chicago, topping the 18 caught by TOM FEARS of the Los Angeles Rams against the Green Bay Packers on December 3, 1950. Owens’ catches went for 283 yards, the eighth-best total in NFL history.

JAGUARS GROWL: Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver JIMMY SMITH had enough yardage for three games on September 10 against Baltimore. Smith had 15 catches for 291 yards, the fifth-most yardage ever in a game, and the most since Los Angeles Rams wide receiver WILLIE "FLIPPER" ANDERSON posted an NFL-record 336 on November 26, 1989.

Smith also became the third player in NFL history with at least 275 receiving yards and three TDs in a game.

"It was a sensational effort," said Jaguars head coach TOM COUGHLIN. "I don’t know any other way to describe it."

The top five receiving-yards games:

Date	Player, Team	Catches	Yards	TDs
Nov. 26, 1989	Willie Anderson, L.A. Rams	15	336	1
Dec. 22, 1985	Stephone Paige, K.C.	8	309	2
Nov. 22, 1945	Jim Benton, Cleveland	10	303	1
Dec. 3, 1950	Cloyce Box, Detroit	12	302	4
Sept. 10, 2000	Jimmy Smith, Jacksonville	15	291	3

Smith and Jaguars wide receiver KEENAN MC CARDELL each had 1,000 yards in 2000, becoming the sixth tandem to each surpass that mark three times.

FAVRE CARVES RECORDS: Green Bay Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE continued to add to his career highlights.

Against the Buffalo Bills on September 10, he threw two touchdown passes, giving him 238 for his career and moving him past JIM KELLY (237) into 13th place all-time.

On November 27 against Carolina on a Monday night, Favre threw for his 250th TD pass in his 141st career game, placing him behind only DAN MARINO (128 games) as the players to reach that total the fastest.

Then on December 3, Favre reached 3,000 yards for a ninth season in a row, tying Marino (1984-92) for the most consecutive such seasons. Favre’s pass that gave him 3,000 yards went to wide receiver BILL SCHROEDER. "It’s an honor to play with him," said Schroeder.

And finally on December 17 against Minnesota, Favre threw for three TDs, tying him with SONNY JURGENSEN (255) for eighth-most ever.

MITCHELL ON THE RUN: Philadelphia Eagles running back-kick returner BRIAN MITCHELL set several records during the season.

On September 10 against the New York Giants, he became the sixth player in history to reach 17,000 combined yards, comprised of rushing, receiving, interception returns, punt and kick returns, and fumble returns.

On October 1 against Atlanta, Mitchell tied ERIC METCALF’s NFL record with his 11th career return touchdown – an 89-yard kickoff return. He also had a career-long 85-yard rushing TD.

On October 29, again against the Giants, he set the career mark for punt-return yards at 3,717, besting former Giant DAVID MEGGETT (3,708). And on November 12, Mitchell topped MEL GRAY’s NFL record of 10,250 kickoff-return yards with 10,371.

Mitchell scored touchdowns four different ways this season (a 13-yard pass reception, 85-yard run from scrimmage, 72-yard punt return, and 89-yard kickoff return). It was the second time he accomplished that feat in a season (with Washington in 1997). He and GALE SAYERS are the only two NFL players with touchdowns four different ways in a season.

"To have your name alongside his for something is unbelievable," says Mitchell. "You never think that will happen."

HISTORY MADE IN ST. LOUIS: On October 15, when Atlanta played in St. Louis, something happened that had never happened before.

The clubs opened the game with consecutive kickoff-return touchdowns. It was the first time in NFL history that a game opened with back-to-back kickoff return touchdowns. Atlanta rookie DARRICK VAUGHN returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown. St. Louis’ TONY HORNE then took the ensuing kickoff 103 yards for a TD.

The last time there were consecutive kickoff-return touchdowns in a game was on December 13, 1998 when Baltimore’s PATRICK JOHNSON had a 97-yard kickoff-return TD late in the first quarter followed by an 88-yard kickoff return touchdown by Minnesota’s DAVID PALMER.

WHAT A WEEKEND!: Week 8 in the NFL this season (October 19, 22-23) was a history-making one. Cincinnati’s COREY DILLON set an NFL record by rushing for 278 yards (see page 4)…the Jets mounted their shocking comeback against the Dolphins (page 2)…and Minnesota’s GARY ANDERSON became the NFL’s all-time scoring leader.

With one minute left in the game against Buffalo and the Vikings ahead by one point, Anderson converted a 21-yard field goal to provide the final margin in a 31-27 victory. The kick gave him 2,004 points in his 19-year career, topping GEORGE BLANDA by two points for the most in history. "In that kind of setting at the end of the game, I couldn’t have written it better myself," said Anderson.

ELVIS IS IN THE BUILDING!: And how! On November 5 against NFC West-rival Oakland, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback ELVIS GRBAC threw for 504 yards (on 39 of 53 passing), the first 500-yard passing game since BOOMER ESIASON’s 522 yards for Arizona against Washington on November 10, 1996.

HAPPY RETURN: When Washington running back STEPHEN DAVIS fumbled the ball early in the first quarter on November 5, Arizona Cardinals cornerback AENEAS WILLIAMS picked it up and returned it for what was judged to be 103 yards, making it the second-longest fumble return in history to JACK TATUM’s 104-yard return for Oakland against Green Bay on September 24, 1972.

"I’m still running, and my heart is still running," said Williams after the game.

But upon review the next day by Elias Sports Bureau, the NFL’s official statistician, and the league office, it was determined that Williams’ return was for 104 yards, thereby tying Tatum for the longest ever.

QUICK HITS…

The MINNESOTA VIKINGS broke a 49-year-old record on December 17 with their 30th consecutive 300-yard game, topping the Los Angeles Rams from 1949-51.

New England Patriots quarterback DREW BLEDSOE threw for 3,291 yards, becoming the fourth player with seven consecutive 3,000-yard seasons (1994-00).

Tennessee Titans head coach JEFF FISHER became the fourth-youngest coach to win 50 games on October 16, behind DON SHULA, JOHN MADDEN and BILL COWHER.

Cleveland Browns punter CHRIS GARDOCKI set an NFL record on September 10 with his 630th punt without a block, passing DAVE JENNINGS (623, NY Giants, 1976-83) in the category. On December 17, the New England Patriots’ LEE JOHNSON punted seven times, becoming the NFL’s career leader with 1,159 punts. He topped Jennings’ record of 1,154. And on December 23, Seattle Seahawks punter JEFF FEAGLES played in his 208th consecutive game, breaking his tie with RAY GUY (1973-86) for the longest streak by a punter.

On October 19 on a Thursday night, the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers played to an 11-11 halftime tie – the first such halftime score in NFL history.

The TENNESSEE TITANS won their 10th consecutive game at Adelphia Coliseum on October 1, setting the NFL record for a team opening a new stadium.

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver PETER WARRICK had a 77-yard touchdown run against Denver on October 22, the longest run by a rookie receiver since Seattle’s JOEY GALLOWAY went 86 yards against Jacksonville on November 12, 1995.

Sportscaster NICK HALLING, who broadcasts NFL Europe League games on FOX-TV, became the first British commentator to call an NFL game live on U.S. television when he did play-by-play of the Atlanta Falcons-Carolina Panthers game on October 29.

Oakland Raiders kicker SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI on October 29 against San Diego became the first rookie to convert five field goals in a game since New England’s ADAM VINATIERI on September 22, 1996.

Tennessee Titans cornerback SAMARI ROLLE on October 30 became the first player since Pittsburgh’s CARNELL LAKE on September 16, 1996 to have an interception-return touchdown on the final play of the first half.

When Buffalo Bills kicker STEVE CHRISTIE kicked a 32-yard field goal in overtime on November 5 to defeat New England, it marked his third "walk-off" field goal of the season – ending a game in overtime or with no time left in regulation. Christie is the fourth kicker since he entered the league in 1990 with three "walk-off" field goals in a season – JASON HANSON, 1994; DOUG PELFREY, 1994; and CHRIS JACKE, 1998.

Oakland Raiders cornerback ERIC ALLEN on December 24 had a 37-yard interception-return touchdown. It was his third such score of the season, making him the first player in NFL history with three interception-return TDs in a season twice (1993).

AND YOU CAN QUOTE ME!

Lighthearted quotes from the 2000 NFL season:

"As long as I don’t break a nail, I’m OK. If I catch a nail, it’s all over" -- St. Louis Rams quarterback KURT WARNER, recovering from a broken finger by tossing a football with his wife BRENDA.

"You’ve got to hit him low and try to give him a flat tire" – New York Giants linebacker MIKE BARROW on trying to stop Steelers running back JEROME "THE BUS" BETTIS.

"I guarantee you, in 20 years, it will be fourth down" -- Cincinnati Bengals quarterback SCOTT MITCHELL forecasting how he will tell the story of his 12-yard TD run that came on third down, when he actually thought it came on a "more dramatic" fourth down.

"I planned it that way" -- Denver Broncos backup quarterback GUS FREROTTE on throwing three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter.

"It was very windy out there. I have to blame it on something" – Philadelphia Eagles quarterback DONOVAN MC NABB after missing the goal post with a "free-throw" toss of the football after a TD run.

"I think Alexander The Great was fighting over in Macedonia" – Kansas City Chiefs head coach GUNTHER CUNNINGHAM on the last time the team had played without injured center TIM GRUNHARD.

"I’m probable" – Flu-stricken New York Giants head coach JIM FASSEL on his availability for that week’s game.

"Two football fields, nonstop" – Tennessee Titans cornerback SAMARI ROLLE on the circuitous route he took to return an interception as time expired in the first half.

"What’s happening in the Middle East is a crisis. This isn’t a crisis" – Baltimore Ravens head coach BRIAN BILLICK, when asked if his offense was in a "crisis condition" after not scoring for 16 quarters.

"You only get noticed when something bad happens" – The Philadelphia Eagles’ KOY DETMER on the life of a field-goal holder.