AFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES

INDIANAPOLIS AT NEW YORK JETS SATURDAY,

CLEVELAND AT PITTSBURGH SUNDAY

IN AFC WILD CARD PLAYOFFS
 

SATURDAY, JANUARY 4

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS–AFC SOUTH (10-6)

AT NEW YORK JETS–AFC EAST (9-7)

SERIES

STAT LEADERS

NOTES

FIRST PLAYOFF MEETING since Super Bowl III (Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7)…… Teams played in AFC East from 1970-2001……Colts head coach TONY DUNGY & Jets head coach HERMAN EDWARDS overlapped tenures at Kansas City from 1990-91, Dungy as defensive coordinator & Edwards as scout before promotion to defensive backs coach in 1994.  When named head coach of Tampa Bay (1996), Dungy hired Edwards to become Buccaneers assistant head coach/defensive backs coach (1996-2000).  Edwards was hired by Jets after 2000 season.

COLTS: Team’s 38 victories over NYJ is most against any club……Dungy is 3rd head coach in club history to reach double-digit wins in 1st year with team (DON MC CAFFERTY, 1970; TED MARCHIBRODA, 1975).  McCafferty won SB V in 1970.  Dungy has taken teams to playoffs in 5 of past 7 years & is NFL’s 3rd winningest coach since 1999 at 40-24 (.625), trailing only JEFF FISHER (44-20, .688) & JON GRUDEN (42-22, .656)……Pro Bowl QB PEYTON MANNING is 5-3 (.625) in career vs. Jets.  Became 1st QB in NFL history to pass for 4,000 yards in 4 consecutive years.  Took every offensive snap in 2002 & has missed only 43 of 5,060 snaps in his career.  Has thrown 25+ TDs in 5 consecutive seasons, tied with BRETT FAVRE & DAN MARINO for longest streak in NFL history.  Surpassed club record for highest comp. pct. in season set by JIM HARBAUGH (63.7) in 1995 with 66.3 comp. pct……Pro Bowl WR MARVIN HARRISON surpassed NFL record for most catches in season set by HERMAN MOORE (123) in 1995 with 143 & posted 1,722 yards for 4th-most in league history with 11 TDs.  In last meeting vs. NYJ (12/23/01 at Indy), Harrison caught 12 passes for 127 yards & 1 TD.  Posted 10 100-yard receiving games in ’02.  Among AFC’s top 50 in receptions, WR REGGIE WAYNE ranked 5th in yards per catch (14.6)……In 5 career games vs. NYJ, RB EDGERRIN JAMES has 120 attempts for 500 yards (4.2 avg.) & 3 TDs.  Ranked 2nd on club in receptions (61) & has scored 41 TDs in 52 career games.  Despite playing only 9 games, rookie RB JAMES MUNGRO scored 8 rushing TDs in ’02……Rookie DE DWIGHT FREENEY (No. 11) finished 2nd in AFC & led NFL rookies with 13.0 sacks in 8 starts.  Came within 1.5 sacks of NFL’s rookie sack record (JEVON KEARSE, Tenn., 14.5, 1999).  Freeney also forced 9 fumbles……Defense (306.8) ranked 4th in AFC & 8th in NFL after finishing 2001 ranked 16th & 31st, respectively.  Defense allowed NFL-high 486 points last season & gave up league’s 7th fewest (313) in 2002.  Club outscored opponents 157-72 in 4th quarter……K MIKE VANDERJAGT (103 points) has scored 100+ points in club-record 5 consecutive seasons……Club ranked No. 5 in NFL in punt coverage (5.8 avg.) & No. 7 in kickoff coverage (20.5 avg.).

JETS:  Won 2nd AFC East title & became 1st team since 1970 merger to win division after 2-5 start.  Edwards is 1st head coach in team history to lead Jets to playoffs in each of 1st 2 seasons.  Have won 7 of past 9, outscoring opponents 77-16 in 4th quarter.  Offense averaging 25.8 points & 336.3 yards per game in past 12 vs. 12.5 points & 250.0 yards in 1st 4.  In past 3 playoff games, Jets averaging 403.0 yards per game……QB CHAD PENNINGTON had NFL-best & club-record 104.2 passer rating & 68.9 comp. pct., 6th-best pct. in NFL history.  Led league with 7 100.0+ passer rating games.  As starter, is 8-4 (.667) with 109.9 rating, including 22 TDs vs. 4 INTs.  Jets rank 4th in NFL in red zone with 59.3 TD pct. (32 TDs, 54 possessions).  Pennington has 18 TDs vs. 0 INTs in red zone……RB CURTIS MARTIN rushed for 1,094 yards to become 2nd player in NFL history (BARRY SANDERS) to rush for 1,000 yards in each of 1st 8 seasons.  In 14 career games vs. Colts, has rushed for 1,540 yards (110.0 yards per game) & 7 TDs.  Has 8 rushing TDs in 6 career playoff games, including TD in 5 of past 6……WR LAVERANUES COLES tied for 2nd in Jets’ history with 89 receptions (KEYSHAWN JOHNSON).  Is 2nd Jet (HOF DON MAYNARD) with 1,200 receiving yards in season (1,264).  WR WAYNE CHREBET led team with career-high 9 TD receptions.  In past 4 vs. Colts, Chrebet has 25 catches for 355 yards (88.8 per game) & 1 TD.  WR-PR SANTANA MOSS led AFC with 16.5 PR avg., highest in conference since 1974 (LEMAR PARRISH).  Jets led NFL with 31.7 avg. start after KO.  KR CHAD MORTON ranked 2nd in AFC with 26.0 avg.  Team had 5 players (Chrebet, Martin, Moss, TE ANTHONY BECHT, Coles) with 5+ TDs, tying franchise record (1985, 1988)……Club is 9-0 in 2002 when +1 or better in turnover ratio……In past 9, defense allowing 15.9 points & 293.7 yards per game vs. 27.6 points & 402.9 yards in 1st 7.  DE JOHN ABRAHAM (team-high 10.0 sacks) became 1st Jet since MARK GASTINEAU to post consecutive seasons with 10.0+ sacks.  Team is 14-6 (.700) when Abraham has 1.0 sack or more.  CB DONNIE ABRAHAM (1996-2001), S DAMIEN ROBINSON (1997-2000) & DE STEVE WHITE (1996-2001) played for Colts’ Dungy at TB.  CB Abraham led Jets with 4 INTs & is also Bucs’ all-time leader in INTs (31)……Jets have 2 AFC All Stars this season: DE Abraham & C KEVIN MAWAE.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 5

CLEVELAND BROWNS–AFC NORTH (9-7)

AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS–AFC NORTH (10-5-1)

SERIES

STAT LEADERS

NOTES

GAME FEATURES AFC’s oldest rivals, meeting for 102nd time & 2nd time in playoffs (1/7/95: Pitt. 29, Cle. 9, at Pitt.) ……Browns-Steelers series has produced 31 Pro Football Hall of Famers in 124 combined seasons.  Only divisional rivalry to produce more is Bears-Packers (45).  Bears-Packers have played 41 more combined seasons than Browns-Steelers…… Cities are separated by 132 miles.…..Clubs serve as each team’s most-played rival……In Week 4, Browns-Steelers series became AFC’s 1st to reach 100 games……From 1970 to present, have combined to win 24 of 33 division titles (Steelers 17, Browns 7)……Only AFC teams with 400 victories: Pittsburgh 485; Cleveland 406……Game is Wild Card Weekend’s only divisional meeting.

BROWNS:  Club advances to playoffs for 24th time, 4th most in NFL history behind Dallas (26), NY Giants (26) & St. Louis (25).  Game signals team’s 1st playoff berth since returning to NFL as expansion franchise in 1999……Tied with Tampa Bay for NFL’s best road record (6-2)……Under head coach BUTCH DAVIS, club is 14-5 (.737) when scoring 20 points-or-more……QB KELLY HOLCOMB makes 1st career playoff start.  Holcomb is 1-1 on year as starter (Weeks 1 & 2).  In those starts, Holcomb completed 44 of 69 passes (63.8 pct.) for 528 yards & 5 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 111.0 rating.  Club recorded 27 TD passes, most since 1987 when club also posted 27 & advanced to AFC Championship Game……Rookie RB WILLIAM GREEN (No. 16) had 243 carries in ’02, surpassing club rookie record of 222 set by KEVIN MACK in 1985.  In past 7 games, Green has 172 carries for 726 yards (4.2 avg.) & 5 TDs.  Club was 5-2 (.714) in those 7 games.  Green rushed for 3rd-most yards by Cleveland rookie with 887, trailing only HOF JIM BROWN (942) & Mack (1,104).  Since 1985, only Brown to outrush Green was LEROY HOARD (890) in 1994……WR KEVIN JOHNSON is only Brown to play in all 64 of club’s games since returning to NFL in 1999.  Has multiple catches in all but 2 career games. Among Browns in 1st 4 NFL seasons, Johnson’s TD catch total (21) is 3rd-most in club history, trailing GARY COLLINS (33) & HOF PAUL WARFIELD (22)……Among AFC’s top 50 players in receptions, WR QUINCY MORGAN leads in yards per catch with 17.2 on 56 receptions……WR-PR DENNIS NORTHCUTT is 5th player in club history to score TD via reception, rush & kick return in same season.  Last Brown to accomplish feat was ERIC METCALF in 1994 & was last year Cleveland won in playoffs (1/1/95: Cle 20, NE 13).  Northcutt had NFL’s 3rd best PR avg. (14.7) & recorded club’s best PR avg. since HOF LEROY KELLY (15.6) in 1965……LB EARL HOLMES played for Steelers (1996-2001) & led Pitt. in tackles from 1999-2001.  Started all 16 games for Browns & made game-saving tackle on 4th down during goal-line stand vs. Atl last week with 0:23 remaining……2nd year DE MARK WORD leads club in sacks (8.0).  In 2001, Word posted 5.0 sacks & forced 3 fumbles in NFL Europe with Rhein Fire……Defense is AFC's best inside red zone, allowing 19 TDs on 55 trips (34.5 pct.).  Defense has denied points on 16 of 55 possessions (29.0 pct.) inside its 20 & has allowed only 1 300-yard passer in past 24 games……Special teams blocked 5 kicks in ’02 (4 FGs, 1 punt)……Club has 10 players from 1999 roster that went 2-14 & lost to Steelers 43-0 in Week 1 of '99 before beating Steelers later that season in Pittsburgh.

STEELERS:  Club won 5 of past 6 in 2002 & has defeated Cleveland in Pittsburgh 9 of past 10 games.  Club has scored TD on 9 of 16 opening drives (none vs. Cle.)……Head coach BILL COWHER has career 13-4 (.765) record vs. Cleveland.  Played 3 seasons as Browns LB (1980-82) & spent 4 years (1985-1988) with Cleveland as coach (sp. teams & secondary).  Steelers have 7 division titles & 8 playoff berths in Cowher Era (1992-present).  Pittsburgh has never won more than 7 divisional titles during any 11-year span in club history……Steelers & Titans were only NFL clubs undefeated within division……QB TOMMY MADDOX is 7-3-1 (.625) as starter in 2002.   Made 1st appearance in 2002 vs. Browns in Week 4, leading Pitt. to 16-13 OT win.  Maddox entered game trailing 13-6 with 4:14 remaining.  Maddox surpassed single season club record for comp. pct. set by KORDELL STEWART (60.2 pct.) in 2001 by completing 62.1 pct.  Maddox set club single game passing record in Week 10, passing for 473 yards vs. Atl, surpassing HOF BOBBY LAYNE’s 409 yards in 1958 vs. Chi. Cardinals.  Maddox ranked 3rd in AFC in TD ratio (5.3)……Offense avg. 25.5 points with Maddox as starter; was scoring 15.7 before Maddox……In last meeting, RB AMOS ZEREOUE gained then-career high 111 yards on 29 carries (3.8 avg.) & caught 5 passes for 62 yards (12.4 avg.).  Zereoue has scored all 4 TDs vs. AFC North.  RB JEROME BETTIS is NFL’s 3rd leading rusher since 1996 with 8,451 yards, trailing Tenn’s EDDIE GEORGE (8,876) & NYJ’s CURTIS MARTIN (8,771)……Pro Bowl WR HINES WARD & WR PLAXICO BURRESS surpassed own club record for most catches by Steelers duo (190).  Ward ranked 2nd in AFC in receiving yards (1,329) & Burress ranked 3rd (1,325).  Ward posted 12 TD catches, tying club record co-owned by LOUIS LIPPS (1985) & BUDDY DIAL (1961)……Pro Bowl LB JOEY PORTER & LB CLARK HAGGANS tied for team-lead in sacks (9.0) – no other AFC LB had more than 8.0.  Porter is 1st player in NFL history to record 9.0+ sacks & as many as 4 INTs in same season.  LB KENDRELL BELL recorded 4.0 sacks in final 5 games of 2002.  Porter is tied with S BRENT ALEXANDER (4) for team INT lead.  Club led AFC with 50 sacks, marking 5th time team has registered 50 sacks since 1982……Joining WR Ward & LB Porter as Pittsburgh AFC All Star is G ALAN FANECA.