FOR USE AS DESIRED
January 15, 2004

PRESS BOX NOTES – AFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

BEST OF THE BEST:  The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (15) and INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (14), opponents in this Sunday’s AFC Championship Game, have combined for 29 wins.  This is the second-highest such total in AFC title game history, after the 30 of the Jacksonville Jaguars (15) and Tennessee Titans (15) in 1999.

Teams that combined for the most wins in AFC Championship Game history:

PLAYOFF PRECISION:  Entering this Sunday’s AFC Championship, Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING has compiled the second-highest career playoff passer rating of all-time (minimum 100 attempts) behind Pro Football Hall of Famer BART STARR (104.8).  Manning has completed 94 of 161 attempts (58.4 percent) for 1,239 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions for a 96.3 mark in five playoff games. 

The top five quarterbacks in postseason passer rating:

UMBLEMISHED IN OT:  TOM BRADY of New England and Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW are the only NFL quarterbacks to build a spotless record in overtime in their careers, including the playoffs (minimum five games).

The six winningest overtime quarterbacks in NFL history:

“SUPER” RESULTS:  Indianapolis quarterback PEYTON MANNING has passed for eight touchdowns against no interceptions in two playoff games this year.  In NFL history, only four quarterbacks have completed a postseason with eight or more touchdown passes with no interceptions.  Each of the four led his team to a Super Bowl victory while also earning Super Bowl MVP honors.  The four quarterbacks with at least eight touchdowns and no interceptions in a single postseason:

WINNING WAYS:  Since the start of the 2001 season, head coaches BILL BELICHICK of New England and TONY DUNGY of Indianapolis have been two of the winningest coaches in the NFL. 

The head coaches with the top six records since 2001:

IT’S A TEAM SPORT:  The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS and PHILADELPHIA EAGLES each have reached their conference championship games without a 1,000-yard rusher or 1,000-yard receiver.  They are attempting to become the first such teams to advance to the Super Bowl since the 1996 Green Bay Packers. 

The last five teams to reach a conference championship game without a 1,000-yard rusher or receiver:

RARE REMATCHES:  This Sunday’s AFC and NFC Championship Games are rematches of meetings of this past November 30 – only the second time that championship games have been rematches of regular-season games played on the same day.  On October 1, 1989, the Cleveland Browns defeated the visiting Denver Broncos 16-13.  On the same day, the Los Angeles Rams topped the host San Francisco 49ers 13-12.  Denver and San Francisco, as home teams, won the championship game rematches. 

MAKE NO MISTAKES ABOUT IT:  TOM BRADY of New England and PEYTON MANNING of Indianapolis are the top two active quarterbacks with the lowest playoff interception percentage (minimum of 100 attempts).

The active quarterbacks with the lowest postseason interception percentage:

LAMAR HUNT TROPHY:  Former Miami Dolphins running back LARRY CSONKA, a five-time Pro Bowl selection and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, will present the winner of the AFC Championship Game Sunday with the LAMAR HUNT TROPHY.

Hunt, the owner of the Kansas City Chiefs and founder of the American Football League, helped professional football attain its stature as America’s No. 1 sport.  In the 10-year history of the AFL, his team posted the most wins (87) and earned spots in two of the first four Super Bowls, including a victory in Super Bowl IV.  Hunt was the first figure from the AFL to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1972.

Csonka starred in the last Super Bowl played in Houston – Super Bowl VIII in 1974.  He led Miami to a 24-7 victory over Minnesota by rushing for a then-Super Bowl-record 145 yards.  The performance earned him the game’s MVP honor.