FOR USE AS DESIRED
NFL-103             1/10/02

 

“SUPER SEASON” KICKS OFF

The NFL playoffs begin on Saturday and Sunday, January 12-13, with Wild Card Weekend.  On Saturday, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers play at the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets visit the Oakland Raiders.  On Sunday, Wild Card Weekend continues with the San Francisco 49ers at the Green Bay Packers and the Baltimore Ravens at the Miami Dolphins.

The following week, the New England Patriots and Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC and Chicago Bears and St. Louis Rams in the NFC host the Divisional Playoff games.  The Steelers and Rams own homefield advantage for the Conference Championship Games if they win their Divisional games.  The conference champions advance to Super Bowl XXXVI at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 3.

 ALL-TIME PLAYOFFS

The San Francisco 49ers (39) will tie the Minnesota Vikings (40) for the second-most playoff games played by one franchise when they face Green Bay on January 13.  Dallas holds the record with 53 postseason games played.

The 49ers already rank second in most victories in playoff history with 24. Tied with Washington for third place are Green Bay and Oakland with 22 playoff victories apiece.

The St. Louis (also Cleveland and Los Angeles) Rams are participating in their 25th NFL playoffs, which ties them with the New York Giants for second all-time. The NFL record is 26 playoff seasons by the Dallas Cowboys.

The Baltimore Ravens have the best playoff winning percentage in NFL history with 1.000. The Super Bowl XXXV-champion Ravens are 4-0 in the playoffs.  The Ravens can become the first franchise in NFL history to win its first five playoff games. (The Detroit Lions also won their first four playoff games.) 

Following is a list of this year’s 12 playoff teams and their postseason records:

TEAM

WINS    LOSSES

PCT.

Baltimore Ravens

4

 

0

 

1.000

Green Bay Packers

22

 

10

 

.688

San Francisco 49ers

24

 

15

 

.615

Pittsburgh Steelers

21

 

15

 

.583

Oakland Raiders

22

 

16

 

.579

Miami Dolphins

20

 

18

 

.526

Chicago Bears

14

 

14

 

.500

New York Jets

6

 

7

 

.462

Philadelphia Eagles

10

 

12

 

.455

St. Louis Rams

16

 

21

 

.432

New England Patriots

7

 

10

 

.412

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

3

 

6

 

.333

WILD CARD RECORDS

TEAM

WINS

LOSSES

PCT.

Baltimore Ravens

1

0

1.000

Green Bay Packers

4

1

.800

Miami Dolphins

6

3

.667

San Francisco 49ers

2

1

.667

Oakland Raiders

3

2

.600

Philadelphia Eagles

4

5

.444

New York Jets

2

3

.400

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

1

2

.333

 

DIVISIONAL RECORDS

TEAM

WINS

LOSSES

PCT.

Pittsburgh Steelers

10

 

6

.625

St. Louis Rams

9

 

6

.600

New England Patriots

3

 

4

.429

Chicago Bears

4

 

6

.400

ROAD TO A TITLE?:  The St. Louis Rams were the NFL’s only team with an 8-0 road record this season.  Historically, teams with perfect road records have had playoff success.  Since 1970, five clubs prior to the Rams posted perfect regular-season road records.  All advanced to their conference championship games and four won the Super Bowl.

Following are the teams to finish with perfect road records since 1970:

Club

Road Record

Result

1972 Miami

7-0

Won Super Bowl

1982 Washington

5-0

Won Super Bowl

1984 San Francisco

8-0

Won Super Bowl

1989 San Francisco

8-0

Won Super Bowl

1990 San Francisco

8-0

Lost. NFC Champ.

2001 St. Louis

8-0

???

THE SKINNY ON THE HEAVYWEIGHTS:  Four of the top five rushing teams in the NFL this season earned playoff berths.  In addition, six of the seven clubs allowing the fewest sacks have clinched playoff spots.  Two of those clubs – the New York Jets and San Francisco – are among both groups.  A key to both of these statistics is offensive-line play.  Following are the average weights of projected offensive line starters for the 12 playoff clubs (based on 2001 opening-day roster weights):

Team

Avg. Weight (Pounds)

Philadelphia

324.4

Baltimore

317.0

New England

314.4

Oakland

313.0

Green Bay

312.8

Miami

310.6

Chicago

307.8

Tampa Bay

307.0

San Francisco

305.2

Pittsburgh

304.6

St. Louis

304.0

New York Jets

301.8

DA BEARS/THE PACK:  For the first time since 1994, both the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers are in the playoffs.  The two teams are NFC Central-Division rivals…have played the most games against each other of any two NFL teams (163)…are among the league’s oldest franchises (Chicago-1920; Green Bay-1921)…AND are also the top two teams all-time when it comes to most league championships won.

Green Bay, with 12 NFL championships, is the top team when it comes to league titles – hence the moniker “Titletown.” They are trailed closely by Chicago, with nine NFL titles.

Following is a list of the number of championships won by each of the 2001 playoff teams:

TEAM

CHAMPIONSHIP(S)

YEAR(S)

Green Bay

12

1929-31, 1936, 1939, 1944, 1961-62, 1965-67, 1996

Chicago

 9

1921, 1932-33, 1940-41, 1943, 1946, 1963, 1985

San Francisco

 5

1981, 1984, 1988-89, 1994

Pittsburgh

 4

1974-75, 1978-79

Oakland

 3

1976, 1980, 1983

Philadelphia

 3

1948-49, 1960

St. Louis

 3

1945, 1951, 1999

Miami

 2

1972-73

Baltimore

 1

2000

New York Jets

 1

1968

New England

 0

 

Tampa Bay

 0

 

HOME SWEET HOME: The San Francisco 49ers have a daunting task ahead of them when they travel to Lambeau Field to face the Green Bay Packers in an NFC Wild Card game this Sunday.

Green Bay has never lost a home playoff game…ever! The Pack is 12-0 at home all-time in the postseason and 10-0 at Lambeau Field.  Following is a chart of their home playoff games:

SEASON

GAME

DATE

STADIUM

OPPONENT

FINAL SCORE

1939

NFL Championship

December 10, 1939

State Fair Park (Milw.)

N.Y. Giants

27-0

 

1961

NFL Championship

December 31, 1961

City Stadium*

N.Y. Giants

37-0

 

1965

West. Conf. Champ.

December 26, 1965

Lambeau Field

Baltimore

13-10

(OT)

1965

NFL Championship

January 2, 1966

Lambeau Field

Cleveland

23-12

 

1967

West. Conf. Champ.

December 23, 1967

County Stadium (Milw.)

Los Angeles

28-7

 

1967

NFL Championship

December 31, 1967

Lambeau Field

Dallas

21-17

 

1982

First-Round Playoff

January 8, 1983

Lambeau Field

St. Louis

41-16

 

1994

First-Round Playoff

December 31, 1994

Lambeau Field

Detroit

16-12

 

1995

First-Round Playoff

December 31, 1995

Lambeau Field

Atlanta

37-20

 

1996

Divisional Playoff

January 4, 1997

Lambeau Field

San Francisco

35-14

 

1996

NFC Champ. Game

January 12, 1997

Lambeau Field

Carolina

30-13

 

1997

Divisional Playoff

January 4, 1998

Lambeau Field

Tampa Bay

21-7

 

*Renamed Lambeau Field in 1965

HEAD COACHES

FRESHMAN GLORY:  Rookie head coach HERMAN EDWARDS of the New York Jets will vie to join DON

MC CAFFERTY (Super Bowl V) and GEORGE SEIFERT (XXIV) as the only rookie head coaches to take their teams to Super Bowl titles.  He is the 10th coach since 1990 to lead his team to the playoffs in his inaugural coaching year.

Baltimore’s BRIAN BILLICK leads the group of 2001 coaches in winning percentage with a perfect 1.000.  He went 4-0 last year in taking the Ravens to a Super Bowl title.  Pittsburgh’s BILL COWHER has the most experience of any 2001 postseason coach.  He will take the sideline for his 12th playoff game on January 20.  Following are the records of all 2001 playoff head coaches:

COACH, TEAM

W

L

PCT.

Brian Billick, Baltimore

4

0

1.000

Bill Belichick, New England

1

1

.500

Jon Gruden, Oakland

1

1

.500

Steve Mariucci, San Francisco

2

2

.500

Andy Reid, Philadelphia

1

1

.500

Dave Wannstedt, Miami

2

2

.500

Bill Cowher, Pittsburgh

5

6

.455

Tony Dungy, Tampa Bay

2

3

.400

Herman Edwards, N.Y. Jets

0

0

.000

Dick Jauron, Chicago

0

0

.000

Mike Martz, St. Louis

0

1

.000

Mike Sherman, Green Bay

0

0

.000

CONSECUTIVE COACHING WINS: When Baltimore visits Miami on Sunday, Ravens head coach BRIAN BILLICK aims to become the third head coach in the past 20 years to open his playoff career with five consecutive victories.  Billick won his first four postseason games in leading the wild-card Ravens to the Super Bowl XXXV title last season.

Following are the coaches with the most consecutive playoff wins to begin a career since 1980:

Coach

Consecutive Playoff Wins To Start Career

Joe Gibbs

6

Tom Flores

5

Brian Billick

4

George Seifert

4

Bill Walsh

4

PLAYERS

Following are players who hold or are chasing playoff records and milestones:

  • Oakland wide receiver JERRY RICE is all-time career playoff leader with 124 receptions, 1,811 receiving yards, and 19 receiving TDs. Is all-time leader with a catch in 23 consecutive playoff games and with seven career 100-yard games. Is tied with TOM FEARS and RANDY MOSS for most consecutive 100-yard playoff games with three (not active). Rice has most three-TD playoff games in history with three. His 215 receiving yards vs. Cincinnati in Super Bowl XXIII are third-most in playoff history. Has two 11-catch games which tie for third-most in playoff history. His four consecutive games with a TD reception ties for third-most in history (not active). Needs two touchdowns to tie THURMAN THOMAS and EMMITT SMITH for most career postseason TDs with 21.
  • Miami running back LAMAR SMITH set the postseason record with 40 rushing attempts vs. Indianapolis in 2000 Wild Card game. Also rushed for 209 yards in that game, second-most ever in playoff history.
  • New York Jets running back CURTIS MARTIN has third-longest run from scrimmage in playoff history, 78 yards vs. Pittsburgh in 1996 Divisional game as member of New England Patriots. His three rushing TDs in that game tie for second-most rushing TDs in a game in playoff history. Has scored rushing TD in five consecutive playoff games and needs one TD in next playoff game for sole possession of third-most all-time.
  • St. Louis quarterback KURT WARNER ranks second all-time with 96.0 postseason passer rating. Has two consecutive 300-yard games and needs one to tie JIM KELLY and WARREN MOON for second-most all-time with three in a row. Is all-time playoff leader in career average gain (yards per attempt) with 8.87. Warner’s five touchdown passes vs. Minnesota in 1999 Divisional game ties for second-most in a game all-time.
  • Green Bay quarterback BRETT FAVRE has passed for a TD in 10 consecutive playoff games, tied with KEN STABLER and JOE MONTANA for second all-time. Needs one for sole possession of second place. DAN MARINO holds the record with 13 consecutive postseason games with a touchdown.
  • Baltimore tight end SHANNON SHARPE has longest reception in postseason history, 96 yards (from TRENT DILFER) vs. Oakland in 2000 AFC Championship Game. Sharpe is tied with Miami tackle HARRY SWAYNE for the postseason record with 11 consecutive victories (seven with Denver and four with Baltimore for both), along with former Green Bay Packers cornerback HERB ADDERLEY.

·    Philadelphia return specialist BRIAN MITCHELL has longest kick return in playoff history, 100 yards for a touchdown vs. Tampa Bay in 1999 Divisional game as member of Washington Redskins. Ranks third all-time with 22 career punt returns. Needs four to pass THEO BELL (25) for second place. Also ranks third all-time with 244 punt-return yards and needs 16 to pass ANTHONY CARTER (259) for second place.

·     Tampa Bay defensive tackle WARREN SAPP is tied with many others for second-most sacks in a playoff game with 3.0. The record is 3.5 by RICH MILOT (1984) and RICHARD DENT (1985).

ROOKIE RUSHERS: ANTHONY THOMAS of the Chicago Bears rushed for a club-rookie record 1,183 yards this season. Now, Thomas takes aim at the most prolific postseasons by rookie rushers. 

Following are the top rookie rushing playoff performances in a game and an entire postseason:

BEST PLAYOFF GAME, ROOKIE

 

 

 

Player, Team

Yards

Opponent

Game

Timmy Smith, Washington

204

Denver

January 31, 1988

Paul Lowe, L.A. Chargers

165

Houston

January 1, 1961

Fred Taylor, Jacksonville

162

New England

January 3, 1999

Zack Crockett, Indianapolis

147

San Diego

December 31, 1995

Duane Thomas, Dallas

143

San Francisco

January 3, 1971

BEST POSTSEASON, ROOKIE

 

 

Player, Team

Yards

Rookie Season

Timmy Smith, Washington

342

1987

Jamal Lewis, Baltimore

338

2000

Duane Thomas, Dallas

313

1970

Ickey Woods, Cincinnati

307

1988

Earl Campbell, Houston

264

1978

FIRST-GAME JITTERS:  New England’s TOM BRADY went 11-3 as the Patriots’ starting quarterback this season.  In the NFC, San Francisco’s JEFF GARCIA won 12 of 16 starts and Chicago’s JIM MILLER had an 11-2 starting record.  All three quarterbacks will be making their playoff debuts this year.  Following are the top five passing-yardage totals in a quarterback’s first career playoff game (since 1970):

PLAYER, TEAM

DATE

OPPONENT

YARDS

Randall Cunningham, Eagles

12/31/88

Chicago

407

Kurt Warner, Rams

1/16/00

Minnesota

391

Neil Lomax, Cardinals

1/8/83

Green Bay

385

Richard Todd, Jets

12/27/81

Buffalo

377

Jeff George, Falcons

12/31/95

Green Bay

366

AFTER A LONG WAIT…:  When New England hosts its AFC Divisional Playoff Game on Saturday, January 19, linebacker ROMAN PHIFER will make his first NFL playoff appearance.  Phifer, with his third team in 11 NFL seasons, has played 168 regular-season games – the most among active players who have not made a playoff appearance.  Following are the active players to play the most regular-season games without appearing in the playoffs:

Player

Reg.-Season Games

Roman Phifer

168

Marty Carter

161

Tony McGee

136

Sean Gilbert

132

Dean Wells

129

BEST NFL PLAYOFF PERFORMANCES

(Single postseason)

PASSING YARDS

Player, Team

Season

Comp.

Att.
YARDS
TDs
INTs

Dan Marino, Miami

1984

71

116

1,001

 

8

5

Joe Montana, San Francisco

1984

67

108

873

 

7

5

Jim Kelly, Buffalo

1990

54

82

851

 

5

2

Jim Plunkett, Oakland

1980

49

92

839

 

7

3

Joe Montana, San Francisco

1988

56

90

823

 

8

1

RUSHING YARDS

PLAYER, TEAM

SEASON

ATT.

YARDS

TDs

John Riggins, Washington

1982

136

 

610

4

Terrell Davis, Denver

1997

112

 

581

8

Terrell Davis, Denver

1998

78

 

468

3

Marcus Allen, L.A. Raiders

1983

58

 

466

4

Eddie George, Tennessee

1999

108

 

449

3

RECEIVING YARDS

PLAYER, TEAM

SEASON

REC.

YARDS

TDs

Jerry Rice, San Francisco

1988

21

409

6

Charlie Brown, Washington

1983

14

401

1

Anthony Carter, Minnesota

1987

23

391

1

Fred Biletnikoff, Oakland

1968

14

370

4

Tom Fears, L.A. Rams

1950

16

334

3

RECEPTIONS

PLAYER, TEAM

SEASON

REC.
YARDS

TDs

Anthony Carter, Minnesota

1987

23

391

1

Tony Nathan, Miami

1984

22

217

0

Dan Ross, Cincinnati

1981

22

244

2

Jerry Rice, San Francisco

1988

21

409

6

Dwight Clark, San Francisco

1984

19

272

1

Andre Reed, Buffalo

1992

19

313

3

Jerry Rice, San Francisco

1989

19

317

5

TOUCHDOWNS

PLAYER, TEAM

SEASON

TOTAL TDs
RUSH TDs

REC. TDs

Terrell Davis, Denver

1997

8

8

0

Larry Csonka, Miami

1973

6

6

0

Franco Harris, Pittsburgh

1974

6

6

0

Jerry Rice, San Francisco

1988

6

0

6

John Riggins, Washington

1983

6

6

0

Gerald Riggs, Washington

1991

6

6

0

Emmitt Smith, Dallas

1995

6

6

0

Ricky Watters, San Francisco

1995

6

6

0

SUPER BOWL LIVES UP TO ITS NAME

Although the Baltimore Ravens handily defeated the New York Giants 34-7 in Super Bowl XXXV, four of the past six Super Bowls have been highly competitive, featuring both teams within seven points or less of each other at some point in the second half.

Super Bowl XXX, between the Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers, was the first in a string of super-competitive Super Bowls that have produced some of the championship’s most memorable games and moments.  Following is a rundown of the past six Super Bowls:

Super Bowl

Winner

Loser

Score

Site

Description

XXX

Dallas

Pittsburgh

27-17

Tempe

With 6:36 remaining, Pittsburgh cuts Dallas’ lead to 20-17.  But on the Steelers’ ensuing offensive possession, QB Neil O’Donnell throws an INT to Dallas CB Larry Brown (named MVP), which leads to a Cowboys TD.

XXXI

Green Bay

New England

35-21

New Orleans

The Patriots narrow the score to 28-21 on RB Curtis Martin’s 18-yard TD run late in the third quarter, but on the ensuing kickoff, Packers KR Desmond Howard (later named Super Bowl MVP) returns the kick 99 yards for a TD.

XXXII

Denver

Green Bay

31-24

San Diego

Denver takes a seven-point lead with 1:45 left.  The Packers march to the Broncos’ 35 but cannot advance further.  The Broncos win when Packers QB Brett Favre’s fourth-down pass is batted down by Broncos LB John Mobley.

XXXIII

Denver

Atlanta

34-19

Miami

--

XXXIV

St. Louis

Tennessee

23-16

Atlanta

On the game’s final play, Rams LB Mike Jones makes “The Tackle” at the one-yard line, preventing Titans WR Kevin Dyson from scoring the game-tying TD.

XXXV

Baltimore

N.Y. Giants

34-7

Tampa

--