AFC NEWS ‘N’ NOTES

FOR USE AS DESIRED  

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,

AFC-N-10 10/19/04  

CONTACT: STEVE ALIC (212/450-2066)

BATTLE OF UNBEATENS TO DETERMINE TOP SPOT IN AFC EAST

Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts will be transformed into a "Wins ‘R’ Us" warehouse Sunday when two of the NFL’s three undefeated teams – the Patriots (5-0) and the Jets (5-0) – compete for first place in the AFC East.

New England has won 20 games in a row, including the playoffs. Within that streak are 17 consecutive regular season victories to tie the NFL record held by the 1933-34 Chicago Bears, coached by Pro Football Hall of Famer GEORGE HALAS.

The Jets, tabbed "Hempstead Five-O" by the New York Daily News, are at that mark for the first time in their history. New York has a plus-.500 record against three teams it has played at least 10 times. One of those clubs is the Patriots -- 47-39-1, .546.

Jets running back CURTIS MARTIN (613) leads the NFL in rushing yards and has run for five touchdowns in the past seven meetings against his former team (1995-97). Martin (12,282) needs 31 yards this week to surpass Hall of Famer JIM BROWN (12,312) for seventh-place on the NFL’s all-time rushing list.

"Curtis is, pound-for-pound, probably the strongest player in the league, certainly one of the strongest," says Patriots head coach BILL BELICHICK, a former Jets assistant coach (1997-99).

"We know what we’re facing this week," says New York head coach HERMAN EDWARDS, whose team leads the AFC with a plus-9 turnover ratio. "We’re facing the best team in football.  They’ve won two Super Bowls out of the last three, and they know how to win tight games."

All-time list of NFL games played between unbeaten teams with at least five wins apiece:

DATE GAME
November 13, 1921 Buffalo All-Americans (6-0) vs. Akron Pros (6-0)
November 4, 1923 Canton Bulldogs (5-0) vs. Chicago Cardinals (5-0)
October 28, 1973 Minnesota Vikings (6-0) vs. Los Angeles Rams (6-0)
October 24, 2004 New York Jets (5-0) vs. New England Patriots (5-0)

Through the past five seasons (since 1999), a look at how the last team in each conference to lose fared at season’s end:

YEAR

TEAMS

RECORD BEFORE 1ST LOSS

FINAL RECORD

SEASON RESULT

1999 – AFC

New England Patriots

4-0

8-8

  Missed playoffs

1999 – NFC

St. Louis Rams

6-0

13-3

  Won Super Bowl XXXIV
           

2000 – AFC

New York Jets

4-0

9-7

  Missed playoffs

2000 – NFC

Minnesota Vikings

7-0

11-5

  Advanced to NFC Championship
           

2001 – AFC

San Diego Chargers

3-0

5-11

  Missed playoffs

2001 – NFC

St. Louis Rams

6-0

14-2

  Advanced to Super Bowl XXXVI
           

2002 – AFC

Oakland Raiders

4-0

12-4

  Advanced to Super Bowl XXXVII

2002 – NFC

Carolina Panthers

3-0

7-9

  Missed playoffs

2002 – NFC

New Orleans Saints

3-0

9-7

  Missed playoffs
           

2003 – AFC

Kansas City Chiefs

9-0

13-3

  Advanced to AFC Divisional

2003 – NFC

Minnesota Vikings

6-0

9-7

  Missed playoffs
           

2004 – AFC

New York or New England

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2004 – NFC

Philadelphia Eagles

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