|
NFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES
TAMPA BAY AT PHILADELPHIA SATURDAY,SAN FRANCISCO AT GREEN BAY SUNDAY IN NFC WILD CARD PLAYOFFSSATURDAY, JANUARY 12TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS–NFC CENTRAL (9-7) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES–NFC EAST (11-5)
SERIES
STAT LEADERS
NOTES REMATCH of 2000 Wild Card game, won 21-3 by Philadelphia……Game features NFC’s No. 1 & No. 3 pass defenses (Philly, 179.0; TB, 184.4). BUCCANEERS: Have won 5 of past 7……Since 1998, Bucs are 15-7 (.682) in December/January games, including playoffs……Defeated Eagles 24-17 in franchise’s first-ever playoff game (12/29/79). Have outscored opponents 130-63 in second quarter……QB BRAD JOHNSON set club marks for attempts (559) & completions (340). Finished third in club history with 3,406 passing yards……RB MIKE ALSTOTT finished second in NFC with career-high 10 rushing TDs. His 11 total TDs tied for third in NFC. Had career-high 4.1 rush average. RB WARRICK DUNN finished third in NFC among RBs with career-high 68 receptions. His 557 receiving yards are career second-best. Tied for fourth in NFC & led all NFC RBs with 26 third-down receptions……WR KEYSHAWN JOHNSON set career highs with club-record & NFC-best 106 receptions & 1,266 receiving yards, which ranked second in Bucs history & fourth in NFC. Ranked third in conference with 67 receiving first downs……Led NFC with +17 turnover ratio. Tied for conference lead with 39 takes, & 22 gives are second-fewest in NFC. Club’s 10 fumble giveaways tie for third-fewest in NFC (Philly). Bucs’ 12 INTs thrown tie for fewest in conference (San Francisco), & 28 defensive INTs are best in NFC……DE SIMEON RICEhas 8.0 sacks in past 6 games. Has 45.0 sacks in past 4 years……CB RONDE BARBER tied for NFL lead with 10 INTs (Cleveland rookie ANTHONY HENRY). With Henry, became first players since MARK CARRIER in 1990 with 10 INTs. CB DONNIE ABRAHAM has at least 6 INTs in each of past 3 years……Tie Baltimore for most Pro Bowl All-Stars with six: Alstott, Barber, LB DERRICK BROOKS, Keyshawn Johnson, S JOHN LYNCH & DT WARREN SAPP. EAGLES: Have won 5 of past 6……Have won past 2 home playoff games by combined score 79-40……Have outscored opponents 144-72 in second quarter…...QB DONOVAN MC NABB had 90.6 passer rating in last year’s playoff vs. TB. His 24 completions in that game rank third in Eagles’ playoff history. His 41 attempts vs. Giants in last year’s Divisional game are also third. Had 91.3 fourth-quarter passer rating……RBDUCE STALEY finished fourth among NFC RBs with career-high 63 catches for career-best 626 receiving yards. RB 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 tie for third-fewest in NFC (Tampa Bay). Eagles’ 19 fumble takes tie for most in NFL (Green Bay & NY Jets)…...Opponents’ 208 points allowed are second-fewest in NFL & club record……Defense held Bucs’ offense to 199 total yards in 2000 Wild Card, including 1 yard on 8 rushes by Bucs’ RB Dunn……Led NFL inside 20 with opponents’ 30.4 TD percentage (14 of 46)……DE HUGH DOUGLAS had 2.0 sacks & 1 forced fumble vs. Bucs in Wild Card game……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 22 career postseason punt returns & 244 punt-return yards, & needs 4 returns & 16 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. SUNDAY, JANUARY 13SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS–NFC WEST (12-4) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS–NFC CENTRAL (12-4) SERIES
STAT LEADERS
NOTES CLUBS MET 4 TIMES in playoffs from 1995-98. Packers won 3 of those 4……Game features teams with second & third-best NFL playoff winning percentages, Packers (.688, 22-10) & 49ers (.615, 24-15). Baltimore is No. 1 (1.000, 4-0)…… Contest has NFC’s No. 2 (49ers, 355.6) & No. 3 (Packers, 341.4) offenses. 49ERS: Have won 8 of past 10……Will tie Minnesota Vikings for second-most playoff games played with 40. Have second-most playoff victories in NFL history with 24 (Dallas, 32)……QB JEFF GARCIA has not thrown INT in past 116 attempts. Ranked second in NFC with 94.8 passer rating, tied for second with 32 TD passes (BRETT FAVRE), & third with 62.7 completion percentage……Have NFC’s No. 1 rush offense (140.3). RB GARRISON HEARST finished with 1,553 scrimmage yards (347 receiving). Rookie RB KEVAN BARLOW ranked second on club with 512 rushing yards…… WR TERRELL OWENS’ career-high 16 receiving TDs led NFL & are third-most in club history. Has 29 TDs in past 2 seasons. Had 6 TDs on third-down receptions……Ranked second in NFL with 63.5 TD percentage inside 20 (33 TDs out of 52 possessions)……Ranked second in NFC with +15 turnover ratio. Led NFL with fewest giveaways with 19. Tied for fewest-fumble gives in NFL with Jets with 7. Tied with Tampa Bay for fewest INTs thrown in NFC with 12……Rookie DE ANDRE CARTER has 4.5 sacks in past 5 games……S ZACK BRONSON has 5 INTs in past 5. Tied with CB AHMED PLUMMER for club lead with 7 INTs, most by 49er since MERTON HANKS’ 7 in 1994……San Francisco Pro Bowl All-Stars: G RAY BROWN, Garcia, Hearst, Owens & DT BRYANT YOUNG. PACKERS: Have won 6 of past 7, including past 3……Have never lost playoff game at home (12-0) & are 10-0 at Lambeau Field……Are tied with Oakland & Wash. for third-most playoff wins by franchise with 22…...BRETT FAVRE has 91.1 career postseason rating. Has passed for TD in 10 consecutive playoff games, tied with KEN STABLER and JOE MONTANA for second all-time. Needs 1 for sole possession of second place. DAN MARINO holds record with 13. Favre ranks fifth in postseason history with 25 career TD passes & needs 2 to tie JOHN ELWAY (27) for fourth. 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 640 career rushing yards. Has 4 career playoff TDs & needs 1 to tie EDGAR BENNETT (5) for most in club playoff history……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 catch vs. 49ers for 11th consecutive playoff game with catch, tying Levens (active streak) & ROBERT BROOKS for Pack record. Has 600 career playoff receiving yards & needs 52 to pass Brooks for most in club history……Tied for NFC lead with 39 total takeaways (TB) & with 19 fumble takes (Phil.)……Allowed third-fewest points in NFC (266)……Club’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. |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||