FOR USE AS DESIRED
December 31, 2003

NFL PRESS BOX NOTES – WILD CARD WEEKEND

CONSISTENTLY GOOD:  Of the 12 teams in the playoffs, seven are winners of the past eight Super Bowls – every Super Bowl since 1995 except for Tampa Bay last year.  Those teams are: New England, Baltimore, St. Louis, Denver (twice), Green Bay and Dallas.

Three of these teams – Green Bay, New England and St. Louis – also played in a second Super Bowl.  And Tennessee played in Super Bowl XXXIV.  That means seven of this year’s 12 playoff teams have had 11 of the 16 Super Bowl appearances of the past eight seasons. 

Most of this season’s playoff teams have had consistently strong cumulative won-loss records in recent seasons, headed up by St. Louis and Tennessee – each with a 56-24 (.700) regular-season record over the past five years.  The .700 winning percentage of St. Louis and Tennessee during the past five seasons compares favorably with several legendary teams of the past: the 49ers' record during the first five seasons when they won two Super Bowls (1981-1985), winning percentage of .698; the 49ers' record during the nine seasons when they won four Super Bowls (1981-89), winning percentage of .720; and the Steelers' record during six seasons when they won four Super Bowls (1974-79), winning percentage of .761.
 

10-WIN TEAMS:  Thirteen teams, 12 of which are in the playoffs, won at least 10 games this season -- the New England Patriots (14-2), Kansas City Chiefs (13-3), Indianapolis Colts (12-4), Philadelphia Eagles (12-4), St. Louis Rams (12-4), Tennessee Titans (12-4), Carolina Panthers (11-5), Baltimore Ravens (10-6), Dallas Cowboys (10-6), Denver Broncos (10-6), Green Bay Packers (10-6), Miami Dolphins (10-6) and Seattle Seahawks (10-6). 

The 13 teams with 10 wins are the most such teams in one season in history.  This year marks the second time since 1990 when the 12-team playoff format began that all teams in the playoffs each have at least 10 wins.  It also happened in 2000.  A look at the seasons with the most 10-game winners in NFL history:

RUSHING INTO THE PLAYOFFS:  The 2003 playoffs will feature six running backs who rushed for at least 1,400 yards this year.– Baltimore’s JAMAL LEWIS (2,066), Green Bay’s AHMAN GREEN (1,883), Denver’s CLINTON PORTIS (1,591), Carolina’s STEPHEN DAVIS (1,444), Seattle’s SHAUN ALEXANDER (1,435) and Kansas City’s PRIEST HOLMES (1,420).  Five of six will take the field on Wild Card Weekend.  The six 1,400-yard running backs in one postseason is the most in history, surpassing the previous mark of four in 1997 and 2000.  Following are the postseasons with the most 1,400-yard running backs:

ROAD WARRIORS:  Since 1990, when the current 12-team playoff format began, at least one road team has won a Wild Card game in 11 of those 13 seasons (84.6 percent).
 

GOOD FOUR-TUNE:  Dallas Cowboys head coach BILL PARCELLS has won a playoff game with three different teams (New York Giants, New England, New York Jets), tying for the most in NFL history.  With a win in Saturday night’s NFC Wild Card game against Carolina, Parcells can pass CHUCK KNOX and DAN REEVES to become the first coach with playoff wins with four teams.  The head coaches with a playoff win with the most teams:

BRETT-TAKING:  Green Bay Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE needs one touchdown pass in Sunday’s NFC Wild Card game against Seattle to break his tie with DAN MARINO for the longest consecutive playoff-game streak with a TD pass (14).  With one touchdown, Favre also can pass Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW (30) for sole possession of third place for the most playoff TD passes in a career.  He can pass DAN MARINO (32) for second place with three TDs.

The most consecutive playoff games with a touchdown pass:

The most career playoff touchdown passes:

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REMEMBER THE TITANS:  The TENNESSEE TITANS finished 2003 with a 12-4 record and qualified for the playoffs as a Wild Card team.  The Titans are the 16th team in NFL history to enter the postseason as a Wild Card/non-division winner with at least 12 wins.  Tennessee finished the 1999 season at 13-3 and made the playoffs as a Wild Card, advancing to Super Bowl XXXIV.  Following are the 15 teams to advance to the postseason as a Wild Card/non-division winner with 12 or more wins:

*15-game schedule

FROM WILD CARD TO SUPER BOWL:  Wild Card teams/non-division winners have advanced to the Super Bowl eight times – including the Baltimore Ravens in 2000 when they became the fourth Wild Card team/non-division winner to win a Super Bowl. 

The Kansas City Chiefs performed the Super Bowl feat in 1969, the Oakland Raiders in 1980 and the Denver Broncos in 1997.  The eight Wild Card/non-division winners to play in Super Bowls:
 

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2003 NFL PLAYER PLAYOFF SHARES