NFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES

CAROLINA AT ST. LOUIS SATURDAY,

GREEN BAY AT PHILADELPHIA SUNDAY

IN NFC DIVISIONAL PLAYOFFS

SATURDAY, JANUARY 10
CAROLINA PANTHERS–NFC SOUTH (12-5) AT ST. LOUIS RAMS–NFC WEST (12-4)

SERIES

STAT LEADERS

NOTES

CLUBS MET TWICE annually from 1995-2001 as members of NFC West.  Panthers have 4-2 (.667) mark all-time in St. Louis.  Carolina’s past 3 wins in StL by 6 points or less.

PANTHERS: JOHN FOX has led club to playoffs in his 2nd season as head coach……Club won 7 games by 3 points-or-less, equaling NFL single-season record (7, Ariz, 1998)……QB JAKE DELHOMME made 1st playoff start last week & posted 104.5 passer rating (18 of 29 for 273 yards, 1 TD, 0 INTs).  Had 7 4th-quarter TD passes, tied for 2nd-most in NFL &  88.2 4th quarter passer rating (77 of 131, 1,009 yards, 7 TDs & 4 INTs).  Avgd. 7.17 yards per pass attempt (449 attempts, 3,219 yards), 4th-most in NFC.  Spent 2 seasons in NFL Europe League.  Was backup to Rams QB KURT WARNER with 1998 Amsterdam Admirals & helped 1999 Frankfurt Galaxy to championship with victory in World Bowl ‘99……RB STEPHEN DAVIS has club-record & career-high 1,444 rushing yards & 7 100-yard games in reg. season.  His team has 21-6 record (.778), including 2-0 in playoffs, when he rushes for 100.  Gained 104 yards on 26 carries, including 23-yard TD run, vs. Cowboys.  Second-year RB DE SHAUN FOSTER has 636 yards from scrimmage in 2003 (429 rush, 207 rec)……WR STEVE SMITH posted career-highs with 88 receptions, 1,110 yards & 7 TD catches.  Had 100-yard receiving game (135 yards, 5 catches, 1 TD) in 1st-career playoff game last week.  WR MUHSIN MUHAMMAD avgs. 15.5 yards per catch (54 for 837).  Has 20-career 100-yard games after totaling 103 yards on 4 receptions vs. Cowboys.  WR RICKY PROEHL participated in playoffs from 1999-01 w/ Rams & had TD catch in each postseason.  Spent 1998-02 with Rams, totaling 207 receptions & 2,590 yards & adding 14 catches for 238 yards in playoffs……Club ranked 8th in NFL, allowing 295.3 yards per game……DE MIKE RUCKER has career-high & team-leading 12.0 sacks while 2nd-year DE JULIUS PEPPERS added 7.0.  Peppers had INT & 34-yard return vs. Dal.  DT KRIS JENKINS is NFC All-Star starter……Rookie 3rd-round CB RICKY MANNING (No. 82) tied for club lead with 3 INTs……Pro Bowl P TODD SAUERBRUN led NFC with 44.6-yard avg, becoming 1st punter since 1970 to lead conference in avg. 3 years in row.

RAMS:  Have won franchise-record 14 consecutive home games overall & 5 in row in playoffs……Scored 447 points, tied (Ind) for 2nd-most in NFL (KC, 484)……MIKE MARTZ has led club to playoffs in 3 of 4 years as head coach……QB MARC BULGER makes 1st-career playoff start.  Has 18-4 (.818) record as starter, including 5 wins after trailing in 4th.  Was 1 of 4 NFL QBs with 100+ passer rating on 3rd down, completing 91 of 145 for 1,141 yards, 13 TDs & 5 INTs for 102.7 rating.  His 13 TD passes ranked 1st in league on 3rd down.  QB KURT WARNER has completed at least 60 pct. of pass attempts in 6 of 7 career playoff games……RB MARSHALL FAULK has 38 career 100-yard rushing games & Rams are 25-0 when he reaches 100, including 159-yard effort vs. Phil in 2001 NFC Champ……WR TORRY HOLT has 27 career 100-yard receiving games, tied with LANCE ALWORTH & CHARLEY HENNIGAN for 2nd-most in 1st 5 seasons all-time (RANDY MOSS, 30).  Had 10 100s in reg. season, tied for 2nd-most in single season all-time (MICHAEL IRVIN, 11, 1995).  WR ISAAC BRUCE has 3 100-yard receiving games in 7 career playoff outings……WR DANE LOOKER posted career-highs with 47 catches & 495 yards.  Will see action in 1st playoff game since earning MVP honors in NFL Europe 2002 champ game, World Bowl X.  Posted 11 rec. for 111 yards & 2 TDs, leading Berlin Thunder win……DE GRANT WISTROM earned NFC Def. Player of Month honors for Dec, notching 4.5 of his 7.5 sacks during month.  DE LEONARD LITTLE has 3 12.0-sack years in row……S AENEAS WILLIAMS has 6 career playoff INTs, tied for 7th-most all-time.  With 2 INTs will tie RONNIE LOTT, BILL SIMPSON & CHARLIE WATERS for most in NFL history.  S JASON SEHORN has 4 INTs in 5 career playoff games.  Has INT in each of 3 career postseasons he has participated in……K JEFF WILKINS connected on 39 FGs, tying OLINDO MARE (1999) for most ever in single season……P SEAN LANDETA has 83 career playoff punts and needs 2 to pass DANNY WHITE (84) for 2nd-most in NFL history. 

SUNDAY, JANUARY 11
GREEN BAY PACKERS–NFC NORTH (11-6) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES–NFC EAST (12-4)

SERIES

STAT LEADERS

NOTES

HEAD COACHES MIKE SHERMAN of GB & ANDY REID of Philadelphia served as offensive assts under MIKE HOLMGREN with Packers from 1997-98.  Sherman coached tight ends while Reid coach quarterbacks……Series features close games, as 7 of past 8, including 4 in row, decided by 8 points or less.

PACKERS:  Head coach MIKE SHERMAN is 45-23 (.662), including playoffs, as Packers’ head coach & is 1st coach in club history to top 40 wins in 1st 4 reg. seasons (43-21)……Offense finished 1st in NFC with 65.4 redzone TD pct, (52 trips, 34 TDs)……QB BRETT FAVRE tossed NFL-best 32 TD passes.  Favre has now led league 4 times in his career, tying LEN DAWSON, JOHNNY UNITAS & STEVE YOUNG for most seasons leading league in TD passes all-time.  Has TD pass in club-record 25 games in row, longest current streak in NFL.  Has TD pass in 14 consecutive playoff games, longest such streak in NFL history.  Has 31 playoff TD passes in 18 games & needs 2 to pass DAN MARINO (32) for 2nd-most all-time.  Has 4,506 career playoff passing yards after totaling 319 vs. Sea & needs 5 to pass Marino for 3rd-most ever……RB AHMAN GREEN had career-best 20 TDs, passing JIM TAYLOR (19, 1962) for single-season club record.  Has 25 career 100-yard games & his club is 23-2 (.920) in those contests.  Led NFC & ranked 3rd in NFL with 2,250 yards from scrimmage (1,883 rush, 367 rec). Had 2 1-yard TD runs vs. Sea.  Rushed for 192 yards, 1 TD in last game vs. Phil……WR JAVON WALKER had 5 catches for 111 yards vs. Sea. & seeks to become 1st player in NFL history with 3 consecutive 100-yard receiving games in 1st 3 career playoff games.  Led club with career-best 9 TD receptions.  His 17.5 yards per catch (41 for 716) avg. ranks 2nd in NFL (min. 30 catches).  WR ROBERT FERGUSON has career-highs with 38 catches & 520 receiving yards.  WR ANTONIO FREEMAN has 10 playoff TD catches in 15 career postseason games & needs 1 to pass Pro Football Hall of Famer FRED BILETNIKOFF (10) for 3rd-most in NFL history.  DE KABEER GBAJA-BIAMILA had 10 sacks & is 1st player in franchise history with 3 consecutive 10-sack seasons……CB AL HARRIS had game-winning 52-yard INT TD in overtime, marking 1st time in NFL history playoff game decided by defensive TD in OT.  Played in 87 games with Eagles from 1998-02, including 7 in playoffs.  S DARREN SHARPER led club in INTs (5) for 4th consecutive season……KR NAJEH DAVENPORT had 16 kick returns in 2003 & avgs. 31.6 yards per return. 

EAGLES:  Club has won 11+ games for 4 consecutive seasons & earned 3rd NFC East championship in row……Team has allowed 2 offensive TDs in past 4 home playoff games……Head coach ANDY REID has 4 playoff wins with Eagles, most in franchise history.  Club has won 44 of 51 games, including playoffs, under Reid when scoring 20+ points……QB DONOVAN MC NABB has 9 career playoff TD passes & needs 1 to pass RON JAWORSKI (9) for most in team history.  Ranks 4th in NFL playoff history (min. 150 attempts) with 2.4 INT pct. (6 INTs in 248 attempts).  Has completed at least 60 pct. of pass attempts in 5 of 7 career playoff games.  Ranked 2nd among NFL QBs this season with 355 yards rushing (3 TDs)……Club ranked No. 2 in NFL with 23 rushing TDs.  Have rushing TD in 15 games in row……RB trio of CORRELL BUCKHALTER (542, 8), BRIAN WESTBROOK (613, 7) & DUCE STALEY (463, 5) combined for 1,618 rushing yards & 20 rushing TDs.  Staley has TD in 4 of 5 career playoff games……Eagles are 12-1, including playoffs, when McNabb & WR JAMES THRASH connect for TD……WR TODD PINKSTON had game-winning 6-yard TD catch with 27 seconds remaining in last game vs. GB……DT COREY SIMON posted 7.5 sacks, 2nd-most among NFL DTs, while DT DARWIN WALKER added 6.0, tied for 3rd-most in conference.  DT JIM FLANIGAN was born in GB & spent 2001 season with Pack, posting 41 tackles and 4.5 sacks……LB MARK SIMONEAU led club with 122 tackles in 1st season with team.  Faced Eagles in divisional playoffs last year as member of Falcons.  LB NATE WAYNE started 40 games for Packers from 2000-02. Started 16 games in 1st season with Eagles & will take part in 3rd consecutive postseason, including past 2 with GB……CB BOBBY TAYLOR has played in 10 career playoff games with Eagles, most in franchise history.  Had 2 INTs in 2 playoff games last season.