Official site of the Pittsburgh Steelers

ARTICLE

NFL PRESS BOX NOTES – WEEK 5

TURNING IT AROUND: History shows that a losing record at this point in the season does not negate a team’s chances of making the playoffs.

Since the current playoff system (12 teams) was instituted in 1990, 19 teams have rebounded from a losing record through a season’s first four weeks to enter the postseason. Two of those clubs advanced to their championship games, and the 2001 New England Patriots (1-3) won Super Bowl XXXVI.

Since 1990, teams that started 1-3 or worse and made the playoffs:

YEAR	TEAM (Record)	ADVANCED TO:
1990	New Orleans (1-3)	Wild Card Playoffs
1990	Philadelphia (1-3)	Wild Card Playoffs
1991	NY Jets (1-3)	Wild Card Playoffs
1992	San Diego (0-4)	Divisional Playoffs
1993	Green Bay (1-3)	Divisional Playoffs
1993	Houston (1-3)	Divisional Playoffs
1995	Detroit (1-3)	Wild Card Playoffs
1995	Philadelphia (1-3)	Divisional Playoffs
1996	Dallas (1-3)	Divisional Playoffs
1996	Jacksonville (1-3)	Championship Game
1997	NY Giants (1-3)	Wild Card Playoffs
1998	Buffalo (1-3)	Wild Card Playoffs
2000	New Orleans (1-3)	Divisional Playoffs
2001	New England (1-3)	Won Super Bowl XXXVI
2002	Atlanta (1-3)	Divisional Playoffs
2002	Tennessee (1-3)	Championship Game
2002	NY Jets (1-3)	Divisional Playoffs
2002	Pittsburgh (1-3)	Divisional Playoffs
2004	Green Bay (1-3)	Wild Card Playoffs

TOP FIVES CLASH: Two games this weekend will feature quarterbacks ranked in the top five in two key categories – winning percentage and touchdowns.

When the Atlanta Falcons host the New England Patriots on Sunday, two of the winningest active quarterbacks in the NFL will meet.

The Patriots’ TOM BRADY, who became a starter in 2001, leads all quarterbacks with a .757 winning percentage. Atlanta’s MICHAEL VICK, a starter since 2002, ranks fourth in the category with a .663 mark.

This is the first time the two have met as starters. Vick relieved in the Falcons’ 24-10 loss to New England on November 4, 2001.

Active quarterbacks with the highest winning percentage (minimum 20 starts):

PLAYER	TEAM	W-L-T	WINNING PERCENTAGE
*Tom Brady*	*New England*	*50-16-0*	*.757*
Donovan McNabb	Philadelphia	59-24-0	.711
Marc Bulger	St. Louis	28-12-0	.700
*Michael Vick*	*Atlanta*	*26-13-1*	*.663*
Brett Favre	Green Bay	135-74-0	.645

In Green Bay, when New Orleans visits the Packers on Sunday, it will be a homecoming for Saints quarterback AARON BROOKS. Brooks was a backup to Packers quarterback BRETT FAVRE in 1999 and this is his first game back at Lambeau Field.

Since taking over as the starter for New Orleans in 2001, Brooks has thrown 100 touchdown passes, tying for the fourth most in the league in that time. Favre is second in that span with 130 TD passes.

The quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes since 2001:

PLAYER	TD PASSES
Peyton Manning, Indianapolis	137
*Brett Favre, Green Bay*	*130*
Tom Brady, New England	101
*Aaron Brooks, New Orleans*	*100*
Daunte Culpepper, Minnesota	100
Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia	100

SALTY D: The Indianapolis Colts have compiled a 4-0 record for the second time in four years under head coach TONY DUNGY. Their offense has been helped immeasurably by the team’s tough defense.

Through four games, the Colts’ defense has yielded 26 points (6.5 points per game), and has not allowed a touchdown in the first 55 minutes of any game.

The fewest points allowed through the first five games of a season since 1970:

TEAM	YEAR	POINTS ALLOWED	PTS. ALLOWED PER GAME
Atlanta	1977	22	4.4
Baltimore	1971	24	4.8
Denver