|
NFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES
PHILADELPHIA AT CHICAGO SATURDAY,GREEN BAY AT ST. LOUIS SUNDAY IN NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFSSATURDAY, JANUARY 19PHILADELPHIA EAGLES–NFC EAST (12-5) AT CHICAGO BEARS–NFC CENTRAL (13-3) SERIES
STAT LEADERS
NOTES GAME FEATURES NFL’s top 2 scoring defenses; No. 1 Chicago (203) & No. 2 Philadelphia (208). Bears had NFC’s top run defense (82.1). Eagles had conference’s top pass defense (179.0). EAGLES: Have won 6 of past 7, including WC victory over Tampa Bay……Outscored reg. season opponents 144-72 in second quarter…...QB DONOVAN MC NABBmakes first career start in his hometown of Chicago. Was All-America selection at Mount Carmel (IL) High School. Had 97.8 passer rating vs. Bucs in Wild Card game (16-25-194-2-1). Has averaged 6.2 yards per carry in 3 career playoff games (17 carries for 106 yards)……RBDUCE STALEY finished fourth among NFC RBs with career-high 63 catches for career-best 626 receiving yards. CORRELL BUCKHALTER ranked third among NFC rookie RBs with 586 rushing yards on 129 carries for 4.5 average……WR JAMES TRASH’s 63 catches, 833 receiving yards & 8 receiving TDs were all career highs……Club’s 10 fumble gives tied for third-fewest in NFC (Tampa Bay). Eagles’ 19 fumble takes tied for most in NFL (Green Bay & NY Jets)…...Opponents’ 208 points allowed were second-fewest in NFL & club record……Led NFL inside 20 with opponents’ 30.4 TD percentage (14 of 46)……In past 3 playoff games, defense has not allowed opponents TD……DE HUGH DOUGLAS has 3.0 sacks in 3 career playoff games……S DAMON MOORE had 2 INTs, including 1 for 59-yard TD-return, vs. Bucs in Wild Card game. Return was longest in club playoff history……KR-PR BRIAN MITCHELL has longest kick return in playoff history, 100 yards for TD vs. Tampa Bay in 1999 Divisional game (with Washington). Ranks third all-time with 24 career postseason punt returns & 254 punt-return yards, & needs 2 returns & 6 yards to pass THEO BELL (25) & ANTHONY CARTER (259) for second place, respectively……P SEAN LANDETA finished tied for second in NFC with 43.5 average, his highest since 44.8 in 1996 with Rams. His 26 punts inside 20 were career second-best (30 in 1998)……Eagles’ Pro Bowl All-Stars: K DAVID AKERS, S BRIAN DAWKINS, Douglas, LB JEREMIAH TROTTER & CB TROY VINCENT. BEARS: Won 13 games for first time since 1986 (14-2). Make first playoff appearance since 1994 & host first Divisional playoff since 1988 (20-12 win over Philly)……Bears have won second-most championships in NFL history with 9 (Green Bay, 12)……Are 13-0 when scoring 13+ points……Are 8-0 in games decided by 7 points-or-less……Team 7-1 at Solider Field this season……Bears have won 4 in a row & 7 of past 8. Have outscored opponents 104-31 in past 4 & 164-88 in past 8……Had +68 fourth-quarter scoring differential (121-53), tops in NFC……Had NFL-low 17 sacks allowed……QB JIM MILLER has 6-2 career record at Soldier Field. Is 11-2 as starter this season, including 5-1 at home. Had career-highs in passing yards (2,299) & touchdowns (13)……RB ANTHONY THOMAS set team rookie record with 1,183 rushing yards. Led all NFC rookies in rushing yards, TDs (7) & total first downs (66). Bears are 4-0 when Thomas rushes for 100+ yards……WR MARTY BOOKER set career-high & became first Bear with 100 catches. Had career-high 1,071 yards & 8 TDs. Ranked second in NFC with 28 third-down receptions (213 yards)……Bears allowed NFL-low 203 points, third-fewest in club history in 16-game season. Posted 2 shutouts for first time since 1991……Defense ranked first against the run (82.1)……Bears tied for third-fewest giveaways (24) in NFC & had second-fewest fumble gives (8). Ranked third in conference with 17 fumble takeaways & 37 total takes. Team’s +13 turnover margin was third-best in NFC……LB BRIAN URLACHER led team in tackles (117) for second consecutive season. Scored 2 TDs (90-yard fumble-return TD & 27-yard TD reception on fake FG attempt). Added 6.0 sacks & 3 INTs. Only defensive player to receive votes for A.P. MVP……S MIKE BROWN had team-high 5 INTs, including 2 game-winning INT-TDs in OT. In 2-year career, Brown has returned 3 of his 6 INTs for TDs. Bears’ Pro Bowl All-Stars: C OLIN KREUTZ, Urlacher, ST LARRY WHIGHAM & T JAMES WILLIAMS. SUNDAY, JANUARY 20GREEN BAY PACKERS–NFC CENTRAL (13-4) AT ST. LOUIS RAMS–NFC WEST (14-2) SERIES
STAT LEADERS
NOTES PACKERS: Have won 7 of 8 & past 4 overall, including last week’s Wild Card game vs. 49ers……Tied for third all-time with 23 franchise playoff wins. Need win to tie San Francisco (24) for second-most……Are only team to defeat NFC No. 1 or No. 2 seed in Divisional Playoff since 1990 (27-17 win over No. 2 49ers in 1995)…...QB BRETT FAVRE ranks fifth all-time with 92.4 career postseason rating. Had 112.6 rating vs. 49ers in Wild Card game (22-29-269-2-1). Has passed for TD in 11 consecutive playoff games, which ranks second all-time. DAN MARINO holds record with 13. Favre ties for fourth in postseason history with JOHN ELWAY with 27 career TD passes. Needs 3 to tie TERRY BRADSHAW (30) for third all-time. Ranks seventh all-time with 3,659 career playoff passing yards & needs 205 to pass Bradshaw (3,833), TROY AIKMAN (3,849) & JIM KELLY (3,863) for fourth all-time. Holds or is tied for 13 club playoff records ……RB AHMAN GREEN was second in NFC with 1,981 scrimmage yards. Tied JIM TAYLOR’s club-record with 7 100-yard games. Ranked third in NFC with 9 rushing TDs.RB DORSEY LEVENS is Packers’ all-time playoff leader with 641 career rushing yards. Has 4 career playoff TDs & needs 1 to tie EDGAR BENNETT (5) for most in club postseason history. Has caught pass in club-record 12 consecutive playoff games (active)……WR BILL SCHROEDER tied for GB lead with 9 receiving TDs (with TE BUBBA FRANKS) & led club with 918 receiving yards. WR ANTONIO FREEMAN needs 1 reception vs. Rams for 12th consecutive playoff game with catch, tying Levens (active streak) for Pack record. Has club-record 684 career playoff receiving yards……Tied for NFC lead with 39 total takeaways (TB) & 19 fumble takes (Phil.)…… Allowed third-fewest points in NFC (266)……Team’s 52 sacks ranked second in NFC……DE KABEER GBAJA-BIAMILA led team & tied for third in NFC with 13.5 sacks, tying for fourth-most in club history (since 1982)……K RYAN LONGWELL is only fourth player in NFL history with 5 consecutive 100-point seasons to start career……Packers’ Pro Bowl All-Stars: Favre, Franks & Green. RAMS: Are participating in third consecutive postseason & 25th overall, tying NY Giants for second-most all-time (Dallas, 26)……NFC’s No. 1 seed has not lost Divisional Playoff game since 1987 (Vikings defeated No. 1 49ers)……First team in NFL history to score 500 points in 3 consecutive years. Rams’ 1,569 points in 3-year span is most ever. First club with 20,000 total yards in three-year span (20,177) & had NFL-record 14,248 passing yards over that time……Set franchise record with 14 regular-season wins. Have won 6 in a row……Had NFL’s top offense (418.1) & passing offense (291.4) ……QB KURT WARNER became sixth player in NFL history to win A.P. NFL MVP more than once (1999 & 2001). Led NFL in passing yards (4,830, second all-time behind DAN MARINO’s 5,084 in 1984), TDs (36) & passer rating (101.4). Has 96.0 career playoff passing rating, second all-time (BART STARR, 104.8). Playoff career average gain (8.87 yards per attempt) is best all-time. Has 2 consecutive postseason 300-yard games & seeks to tie JIM KELLY & WARREN MOON for second-best all-time. DAN FOUTS holds record with 4……Rams are 23-0 since 1995 when they have 100-yard rusher……RB MARSHALL FAULK became first player in NFL history with 4 consecutive 2,000-scrimmage yard seasons. Had NFC-best 2,147 yards from scrimmage, including NFC third-best 1,382 rushing yards. Led NFL in total TDs for second year in row (21) & had NFC-high 12 rushing TDs. Faulk’s 83 receptions led team & was most among NFL RBs ……WR TORRY HOLT had team-best 1,363 receiving yards (81 receptions). Has 2,998 receiving yards in past 2 seasons. Finished second in NFL with 26 catches of 20+ yards & tied for third with 6 receptions of 40+ yards. Was third in NFC with 16.8 average. Averaged 106.0 yards per game at home. WR ISAAC BRUCE tied for NFC-lead with 17.3 average. Had fifth 1,000-yard season of career (1,106 yards). Tied for third in NFL with 23 catches of 20+ yards. Averaging 111.0 yards per game in 4 career playoff games……Defense ranked first in NFC (279.4) & rush defense was second (85.9). Allowed 273 points this season, fourth-fewest in conference……Have not allowed 100-yard rusher in past 16 games……DE LEONARD LITTLE finished second in NFC with career-best 14.5 sacks. Entering 2001, had 5.5 total sacks in 3-year career……CB AENEAS WILLIAMS led club with 24 passes defensed, had team second-best 4 INTs (including 2 INT-TDs) & ranked third with 101 tackles. In 2 career postseason games (with Arizona), has 3 INTs……K JEFF WILKINS led NFL with 127 points……Rams tie 49ers & Eagles for NFC second-best with five players selected to Pro Bowl: Bruce, Faulk, T ORLANDO PACE, Warner & Williams. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||