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Sunday, January 6

Most awesome NFL records and milestones in 2012


The 2012 NFL regular season has finally come to an end and the playoffs are underway. This seems like as good a time as any to reflect on some of the awesome NFL records and milestones that took place in 2012. Here they are, broken up by team.



THE TEAMS



ARIZONA CARDINALS
·         Reached 500 regular-season victories (501).

·         WR LARRY FITZGERALD has 764 receptions for 10,413 yards in his career. Fitzgerald is the first Cardinal with 750+ receptions and the only player in team history with 10,000+ receiving yards.
·         Fitzgerald has at least one reception in 133 consecutive games (active), the longest streak in club history (MEL GRAY, 121).

·         CB-PR PATRICK PETERSON’s seven INTs ranked fourth in the NFL in 2012 and are the most by a Cardinal since 2001.


ATLANTA FALCONS
·         Earned home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs and a first-round bye for the second time in the past three seasons. Qualified for the postseason in three consecutive years for the first time in franchise history.
·         Posted a club-record fifth consecutive winning season.
·         Opened the season with eight wins, the best start in franchise history (4-0 in 1986, 2004). The Falcons are the 15th team since 1978 – when the NFL introduced the 16-game schedule – to start a season 8-0.
·         MIKE SMITH (56) surpassed DAN REEVES (52) for the most wins (including postseason) in Falcons history. Smith also became the first head coach in franchise history to reach the playoffs in four of his first five seasons.

·         QB MATT RYAN set a single-season team record with 4,719 passing yards, surpassing his own mark (4,177) set in 2011. Ryan is the only Falcons quarterback to register 4,000 passing yards in multiple seasons. With 32 TD passes in 2012, Ryan joined STEVE BARTKOWSKI (31 in 1980; 30 in 1981) as the only Falcons QBs with 30+ TD passes in a season.

·         WR RODDY WHITE recorded 1,351 receiving yards, his team-record sixth consecutive 1,000-yard season. White (1,351) and WR JULIO JONES (1,198) are the Falcons’ first pair of 1,000-yard receivers since 1998.

·         RB MICHAEL TURNER recorded 10 rushing touchdowns and is the only player in team history to rush for 10+ touchdowns in five consecutive seasons. Turner also became the first Falcon with 60 career rushing touchdowns.


BALTIMORE RAVENS
·         Won back-to-back division titles for the first time in franchise history.
·         RB RAY RICE totaled 1,621 scrimmage yards (1,143 rushing, 478 receiving). Rice, who led AFC RBs with 61 catches in 2012, has reached 1,600 scrimmage yards in four consecutive seasons and surpassed JAMAL LEWIS (three times) for the most such seasons in team history.
·         Rice accrued more than 1,100 rushing yards for the fourth consecutive season, the longest streak in club annals. Lewis (2000; 2002-2003; 2006) is the only other Raven to surpass that mark multiple times.

·         TE DENNIS PITTA (seven) tied TODD HEAP (seven in 2005) for the most TD receptions in a season by a tight end in franchise history.
·         KR-WR JACOBY JONES registered a 108-yard KR-TD in Week 6 and a 105-yard KR-TD in Week 10, the two longest kickoff-return touchdowns by a Raven. Jones, whose 108-yard return tied for the longest in NFL history, is the first player in NFL history with two career 105+ yard kick-return touchdowns.
·         Rookie K JUSTIN TUCKER made a 56-yard field goal in Week 2, tied for the longest field goal in club history.


BUFFALO BILLS
·         QB RYAN FITZPATRICK (3,400 passing yards) joined Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM KELLY (eight seasons) as the only Bills quarterbacks to reach 3,000 yards passing in three consecutive seasons.

·         WR STEVIE JOHNSON led the team in catches (79) and receiving yards (1,046) and became the first Bills wide receiver to post three consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

·         TE SCOTT CHANDLER (six) became the first tight end in team history with six touchdown catches in back-to-back seasons (six in 2011). PETE METZELAARS (six in 1992) and JAY RIEMERSMA (six in 1998) are the only other Bills tight ends to reach six TD receptions in a season.
·         DE MARIO WILLIAMS (10.5 sacks) became the first Bills defensive linemen since 1982 to record double-digit sacks in his debut season with the club.


CAROLINA PANTHERS
·         WR STEVE SMITH (772) posted a team-best 73 receptions and is the only wide receiver in team annals with 700 career receptions.
·         Smith (1,174) registered his club-record seventh 1,000-yard receiving season.
·         Rookie LB LUKE KUECHLY led the team with 165 tackles.
·         DE CHARLES JOHNSON (12.5) and DE GREG HARDY (11) finished the year with double-digit sacks. It is the first time two Panthers have reached the mark in a season since 2002 (JULIUS PEPPERS, 12, MIKE RUCKER 10).
·         Johnson, Peppers (2004-2006) and Rucker (2001-2003) are the only Panthers to record at least nine sacks in three consecutive years.


CHICAGO BEARS
·         Registered eight interception-return touchdowns, tied for the second-most in a season in NFL history (1998 Seattle, eight). The 1961 San Diego Chargers had an NFL-record nine INT-TDs.
·         QB JAY CUTLER passed for 3,033 yards and is the first Bears quarterback with three 3,000-yard seasons.
·         RB MATT FORTÉ recorded 1,434 scrimmage yards (1,094 rushing, 340 receiving) and became the first Bear with at least 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first five seasons. Pro Football Hall of Famer GALE SAYERS had 1,000 scrimmage yards in each of his first three seasons.

·         WR BRANDON MARSHALL set single-season team records for catches (118) and receiving yards (1,508). Marshall recorded 119 receiving yards on Kickoff Weekend, the most in a Bears debut since HARLON HILL (140) in 1954.
·         CB TIM JENNINGS led the NFL with nine interceptions this season. Jennings is the first Bear to pace the league in interceptions since MARK CARRIER (10) in 1990.
·         In the first quarter of a Week 9 victory, Chicago scored a touchdown on a blocked punt (COREY WOOTTON, five yards), a run (Forté, eight), an interception (BRIAN URLACHER, 46) and a pass (Marshall from JAY CUTLER, 13) becoming the first team in NFL history to score a touchdown on each of those in a quarter.
·         LB LANCE BRIGGS and CB CHARLES TILLMAN both returned interceptions for touchdowns in Week 4 and Week 5, the first teammates in league annals to accomplish the feat in back-to-back weeks.
·         Tillman’s eight career INT-return TDs and Briggs’ five rank first and second, respectively, in Bears history.
·         Registered their 53rd win on Kickoff Weekend, the most season-opening victories all-time.


CINCINNATI BENGALS
·         Qualified for the postseason for the fourth time under head coach MARVIN LEWIS (2005, 2009, 2011) and first time in back-to-back seasons since 1981-1982.

·         QB ANDY DALTON improved to 19-13 (.594), the highest winning percentage all-time by a Bengals starting quarterback (min. 20 starts). 

·         WR A.J. GREEN recorded 1,350 receiving yards, joining CHAD JOHNSON (four times) as the only players in franchise history to register 1,300+ in a season. Green’s career-high 97 receptions in 2012 are tied for the fourth-most by a Bengal all-time.
·         TE JERMAINE GRESHAM (64) collected the second-most receptions by a Bengals tight end in one season (DAN ROSS, 71 in 1981). Gresham is the first tight end in team history with three 50-reception seasons, reaching the mark in each of the past three years. 

·         Defense finished third in the NFL with a franchise-record 51 sacks in 2012.
·         DT GENO ATKINS (12.5) and DE MICHAEL JOHNSON (11.5) registered the second-most and third-most sacks, respectively, by a Bengal in a season since 1982 (EDDIE EDWARDS, 13 in 1983).


CLEVELAND BROWNS
·         QB BRANDON WEEDEN recorded the most wins (five) and passing yards (3,385) by a rookie in club history.
·         RB TRENT RICHARDSON rushed for more yards (950) and touchdowns (11) than any other Brown, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM BROWN (942 rushing yards and nine rushing TDs in 1957). His three 100-yard rushing games tied a team rookie record.
·         Richardson’s 950 rushing yards were the most among AFC rookies and third-most among all rookies.
·         Richardson caught 51 passes, the third-most among all rookies.


DALLAS COWBOYS
·         QB TONY ROMO passed for a franchise-record 4,903 yards with 28 touchdowns. Romo is the only Cowboy to pass for 4,000 yards in a season (four times) and his five seasons with 20+ touchdown passes are the most in franchise history, surpassing DANNY WHITE(four).
·         Romo (177) passed Pro Football Hall of Famer TROY AIKMAN (165) for the most touchdown passes in club history.
·         TE JASON WITTEN (806), who recorded the most single-season receptions all-time by a tight end with 110, passed Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (750) for the most catches in franchise annals. Witten (8,948) and Irvin (11,904) are the only Cowboys with more than 8,000 receiving yards.
·         WR DEZ BRYANT caught 92 passes for 1,382 yards and 12 touchdowns. Bryant joined Irvin as the only players in club history to record at least 90 receptions, 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in a season. 
·         LB DE MARCUS WARE (11.5) registered his seventh consecutive season with double-digit sacks. Ware’s 111 career sacks are the most among all Cowboys since 1982.


DENVER BRONCOS
·         Won the AFC West for the 12th time and first time in back-to-back years since 1986-1987.
·         Became the sixth team since 1970 to finish the season with 11+ consecutive victories.

·         QB PEYTON MANNING registered single-season franchise bests in passing yards (4,659), touchdown passes (37) and passer rating (105.8) this season. Manning’s 37 touchdown passes and 105.8 passer rating led the AFC in 2012.
·         WR DEMARYIUS THOMAS (1,434) joined ROD SMITH (1,602 in 2000) and BRANDON LLOYD (1,448 in 2010) as the only Broncos to reach 1,400 receiving yards in season. Thomas had 10 touchdown receptions in 2012.
·         WR ERIC DECKER led the AFC and placed second in the league with 13 touchdown receptions and posted 1,064 receiving yards. 
·         Thomas and Decker are the first Broncos duo to register 1,000+ receiving yards and 10+ TD catches in a season.
·         LB VON MILLER recorded a franchise-record 18.5 sacks (DE ELVIS DUMERVIL, 17 in 2009). Dumervil notched 11 sacks in 2012.
·         On Monday Night Football in Week 6, Denver overcame a 24-point halftime deficit to claim a 35-24 victory at San Diego. It tied for the fourth-biggest regular-season comeback in NFL history and tied for the second-largest halftime deficit erased in a victory all-time.


DETROIT LIONS
·         In two games (Week 1, Week 8), QB MATTHEW STAFFORD threw the game-winning touchdown in the final minute of the fourth quarter. They were his third and fourth game-winners in the final minute of a fourth quarter, passing Pro Football Hall of Famer BOBBY LAYNE for the most in team history.
·         WR CALVIN JOHNSON set an NFL record with 1,964 receiving yards on a league-best 122 receptions, the second-most catches by a Lion in a season (HERMAN MOORE, 123 in 1995). Johnson ranks second in franchise history in career receptions (488) and receiving yards (7,836).


GREEN BAY PACKERS
·         Won the NFC North division in back-to-back seasons for the first time since winning three consecutive division titles in 2002-2004.
·         QB AARON RODGERS (171) passed Pro Football Hall of Famer BART STARR (152) for the second-most TD passes in club annals.
·         Rodgers passed for 4,295 yards with 39 TDs and eight interceptions this season and owns the only two 4,000-yard, 39+ TD seasons in Packer history (Rodgers in 2011). He is also the only Green Bay QB to pass for 4,000 yards with fewer than 10 interceptions in a season (three times).
·         PR-KR-WR RANDALL COBB (2,342) finished first in the NFL and set a franchise record for the most combined yards in a season (AHMAN GREEN, 2,250 in 2003). Cobb led the team with 80 receptions, 954 receiving yards, 964 kickoff-return yards and 292 punt-return yards and added 132 rushing yards.
·         Rookie CB CASEY HAYWARD led all NFL rookies with six interceptions.


HOUSTON TEXANS
·         Won their second AFC South title in franchise history after claiming the division championship in 2011Recorded franchise-records in wins (12) and tied the franchise record for sacks (44).
·         QB MATT SCHAUB passed for 4,008 yards and 22 TDs, his third 4,000-yard, 20-TD season. Schaub is the only player in club history to reach either mark in a season.

·         RB ARIAN FOSTER posted NFL bests with 17 total touchdowns and 15 rushing touchdowns, his third consecutive season with 10+ rush TDs (16 in 2010; 10 in 2011).DOMANICK WILLIAMS (13 in 2004) is the only other Texan to rush for at least 10 TDs in a season.
·         WR ANDRE JOHNSON collected 112 receptions for a club-record 1,598 yards with four touchdowns. 
·         DE J.J. WATT led the NFL with a franchise-record 20.5 sacks.
·         In Week 11, Schaub passed for 527 yards and WR ANDRE JOHNSON recorded 14 receptions and 273 receiving yards, all of which are franchise single-game records.


INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
·         Became only the second team (2008 Miami, 11) in NFL history to win 11 games following a season with two or fewer victories.
·         Reached the postseason for the 12th time in 14 seasons.
·         WR REGGIE WAYNE led the Colts with 106 receptions and 1,355 receiving yards. Wayne (13,058) moved into second on the Colts’ all-time scrimmage yards list.
·         WR T.Y. HILTON led all NFL rookies with seven TD receptions in 2012. 
·         RB VICK BALLARD finished second in the AFC and fourth in the NFL among rookie RBs with 814 rushing yards.
·         Wayne posted 212 receiving yards in Week 5, the second-most in franchise annals (Pro Football Hall of Famer RAYMOND BERRY, 224, November 10, 1957).
·         KR DEJI KARIM had a 101-yard KR-TD in Week 17, the longest since COTTON SPEYRER’s 101-yard return in 1973.


JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS
·         RB MAURICE JONES-DREW (63) passed FRED TAYLOR (62) for the most rushing TDs in club history. Jones-Drew (12,014) became the third player in team history to eclipse 12,000 combined yards, joining Taylor and JIMMY SMITH.
·         WR JUSTIN BLACKMON led NFL rookies with 865 receiving yards and tied for the most receptions among rookies with 64.
·         Blackmon totaled 236 receiving yards in Week 11, the third-most in a game by a rookie all-time. That total also marked the second-most among all players in franchise history (Jimmy Smith, 291).
·         JOSH SCOBEE set franchise records for points scored (848) and field goals made (192) in a career and tied a team record with 20 consecutive made field goals.


KANSAS CITY CHIEFS
·         RB JAMAAL CHARLES (1,509) became the third Chief to reach 1,500 rushing yards in a season (LARRY JOHNSON and PRIEST HOLMES).
·         Charles rushed for a 91-yard touchdown in Week 3 and an 86-yard touchdown in Week 16, the two longest runs from scrimmage in Chiefs history. Charles’ 91-yard TD is longest play in club annals.
·         LB DERRICK JOHNSON (125) has surpassed 100 tackles in back-to-back seasons, leading the team both years.


MIAMI DOLPHINS
·         QB RYAN TANNEHILL totaled more passing yards (3,294) and completions (282) than any rookie in club history.

·         Tannehill became the first Dolphins rookie QB to start a season opener.
·         RB REGGIE BUSH tied career-highs with six rushing TDs and eight total TDs.
·         DE CAMERON WAKE (15) reached double-digit sacks for the second time in his four-year career. With 43 sacks, Wake has the most sacks of any Dolphin in his first four seasons.


MINNESOTA VIKINGS
·         Qualified for the postseason for the first time since winning back-to-back division titles in 2008-2009, winning the final four games in December to earn a Wild Card berth.

·         RB ADRIAN PETERSON set a franchise record with eight consecutive 100-yard rushing games (Week 7-Week 14). Peterson totaled 1,313 yards in those games, the most by any player in NFL history over any eight-game stretch in a single season.
·         DE JARED ALLEN (12) registered his sixth consecutive season and seventh overall with 11 or more sacks. Allen’s 74 sacks with the Vikings are third in club history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers JOHN RANDLE (114) and CHRIS DOLEMAN (96.5).
·         TE KYLE RUDOLPH’s career-best nine TD catches led Minnesota in 2012 and are the second-most in franchise history by a tight end.
·         Rookie K BLAIR WALSH scored 141 points (35 FG, 36 PAT), the most by a rookie in club annals.

·         WR-KR PERCY HARVIN recorded a 105-yard kickoff-return touchdown in Week 4 and his five career kickoff-return touchdowns are the most in team history.


NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
·         Won the AFC East title for the 14th time and became the second team in NFL history to win at least 10 games in 10 consecutive seasons (San Francisco, 1983-1998, 16 consecutive seasons). 

·         The Patriots (2009-2012) became the third team in league annals to win 13 consecutive December games (San Diego, 18 from 2006-2009; Dallas, 13 from 1968-1972).
·         Totaled 557 points, the third-most of any team in a single season in league annals.
·         The Patriots scored 52 points in Week 4 and 59 in Week 11. New England has scored at least 50 points in five games started by QB TOM BRADY, the second-most 50-point games by a starting quarterback in NFL history (Pro Football Hall of Famer LEN DAWSON, six).

·         Recorded at least 350 total net yards in an NFL-record 17 consecutive games (11/6/2011-10/28/2012), surpassing the 1999-2000 St. Louis Rams (16).
·         BILL BELICHICK (204) now has the seventh-most wins (including postseason) among all NFL head coaches, surpassing DAN REEVES (201) and CHUCK KNOX (193). Belichick reached 200 wins in his 307th game, the fourth-fastest of any coach in league history.

·         Brady has recorded at least one touchdown pass in a franchise-record 48 consecutive regular-season games, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHNNY UNITAS (47) for the second-longest such streak in NFL history.

·         WR WES WELKER posted an AFC-best 118 receptions for 1,354 receiving yards, becoming the first player in NFL history with five 100-catch seasons and first Patriot with 1,300+ receiving yards in back-to-back campaigns.  Welker is now the Patriots all-time career leader in receptions (672) and ranks second in receiving yards (7,459).


NEW ORLEANS SAINTS
·         QB DREW BREES, who led the NFL in passing yards (5,177) and touchdown passes (43), registered 4,000+ yards for the seventh consecutive season and 30+ TDs for the fifth consecutive season. Brees is the only Saints quarterback to reach either of those marks in any season.

·         TE JIMMY GRAHAM registered 85 receptions for 982 yards with nine touchdowns. Graham, who had 99 receptions in 2011, is the only Saints TE with 80+ receptions in a season.
·         THOMAS MORSTEAD led the NFC and finished second in the NFL with 50.1 yards per punt. His 43.2 net average ranked second among NFL punters. 


NEW YORK GIANTS
·         Became the third team in NFL history with 650 regular-season wins (654).

·         TOM COUGHLIN (83) surpassed BILL PARCELLS (77) for the second-most regular-season wins in Giants history among head coaches, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE OWEN (153).
·         QB ELI MANNING (211) became the Giants’ all-time leader in touchdown passes (PHIL SIMMS, 199). Manning threw 26 TD passes in 2012, his fourth season with at least 25. He is the only Giants QB to reach 25 touchdown passes in at least three seasons.
·         WR VICTOR CRUZ collected 86 receptions for 1,092 yards with 10 touchdowns. Cruz is the first player in club annals to post at least 80 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 10 TD catches in a season.
·         Rookie RB-KR DAVID WILSON set a single-game franchise record with 327 all-purpose yards in Week 14. Wilson became the first player in NFL history with at least 200 kickoff return yards and 100 rushing yards in the same game.
·         STEVIE BROWN amassed an NFL-best 307 interception-return yards, a Giants franchise record.  His eight interceptions tied for the second-most in the league.
·         Cruz caught a game-winning 77-yard touchdown pass from Manning in Week 7, the longest game-winning touchdown in the final two minutes of a game in franchise history.
·         Gained 604 yards of total offense in Week 2, the second-most in team history (609, 12/3/1950).


NEW YORK JETS
·         RB SHONN GREENE set career highs in rushing yards (1,063) and rushing touchdowns (eight). Greene has reached 1,000 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons (1,054 in 2011). 
·         CB ANTONIO CROMARTIE posted a team-high three interceptions, his third time tying or leading the Jets in the category in as many years.
·         Became the third team in NFL history to score a touchdown via the rush, pass, interception-return and punt-return in a season’s opening game (MARK SANCHEZ threwthree TD passes, SHONN GREENE rushed for a TD, ANTONIO CROMARTIE returned an interception 40 yards for a TD and JEREMY KERLEY added a 68-yard PR-TD).  


OAKLAND RAIDERS
·         QB CARSON PALMER (4,018) joined RICH GANNON (4,689 in 2002) as the only Raiders quarterbacks to pass for more than 4,000 yards in a season.
·         Palmer passed for at least 200 yards in a franchise-record 16 consecutive games (11/27/2011-11/18/2012).
·         SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI totaled 118 points, the fifth-most points scored by a Raider in one season. Janikowski owns four of the top-five single-season point totals and has scored the most points (1,389) in team history.


PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
·         WR JEREMY MACLIN has 258 career receptions, the most by any Eagle in his first four seasons.
·         WR DE SEAN JACKSON has six career 70+ yard touchdowns (four receiving, two punt returns). Only TIMMY BROWN (nine) has more in club history.
·         Rookie DT FLETCHER COX led all rookie interior linemen with 5.5 sacks.
·         Rookie KR-WR DAMARIS JOHNSON recorded 291 punt return yards, the second most by a Philadelphia rookie (Jackson, 440 in 2008).


PITTSBURGH STEELERS
·         Registered more passing yards than their opponent in 18 consecutive home games (11/21/2010-12/9/2012), the longest streak in NFL history (16, 2000-2001 St. Louis Rams).
·         Finished first in the league in yards allowed per game (275.8) and pass defense (185.2 yards per game). Pittsburgh is the first club to lead the league in net yards allowed in 10 different seasons.
·         QB BEN ROETHLISBERGER posted 3,265 passing yards to become the Steelers’ all-time leader with 29,844 career passing yards (Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW, 27,989). It marked Roethlisberger’s club-record seventh 3,000-yard season in as many years.
·         In Week 10, Pittsburgh defeated Kansas City in overtime, 16-13, to earn the team’s 15th consecutive home win on Monday Night Football, the longest such streak in NFL history. The streak began on October 19, 1992 when the Steelers defeated Cincinnati, 20-0.


ST. LOUIS RAMS
·         RB STEVEN JACKSON (1,042) reached 1,000 rushing yards for the eighth consecutive season, the longest streak in team history. Jackson (10,135) is the only Ram with more than 10,000 rushing yards. 

·         Jackson and Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON are tied for second in club history with 56 career rushing touchdowns, trailing only Pro Football Hall of FamerMARSHALL FAULK (58).
·         Rookie CB JANORIS JENKINS recorded three interception-return touchdowns, tied for the most by a rookie in NFL history and the most by any St. Louis player in a season. Jenkins returned two INTs for touchdowns in Week 12, becoming the fourth rookie to accomplish the feat in league annals.
·         WR DANNY AMENDOLA in Week 2 collected 15 receptions, tying a franchise record held by ISAAC BRUCE and FLIPPER ANDERSON. Amendola tied an NFL record with 12 catches in the first half (REGGIE WAYNE, 12 on 12/30/2007).


SAN DIEGO CHARGERS
·         QB PHILIP RIVERS (3,606) is the first Charger to pass for 3,500 yards in five consecutive seasons. His 27,891 career passing yards trail only Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN FOUTS (43,040) in team annals.
·         Rivers passed for 26 touchdowns, extending his team-record streak of consecutive seasons with at least 25 touchdown passes to five.


SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS
·         Won the NFC West in back-to-back seasons for the first time since winning four consecutive titles from 1992-1995.
·         JIM HARBAUGH, whose team earned a first-round bye in 2012, joined GEORGE SEIFERT (1989-90) as the only 49ers head coaches to win the NFC West division in each of their first two seasons.

·         RB FRANK GORE became San Francisco’s all-time leader in rushing attempts (1,911) and rushing touchdowns (51).
·         LB ALDON SMITH led the NFC with a franchise-record 19.5 sacks.
·         In Week 5, San Francisco amassed a franchise-record 621 yards (311 rushing, 310 passing) and became the first team in NFL history with 300 yards passing and 300 yards rushing. The 49ers had a 300-yard passer (ALEX SMITH, 303 yards), 100-yard rusher (FRANK GORE, 106 yards), and two 100-yard receivers (MICHAEL CRABTREE, 113 yards and VERNON DAVIS, 106 yards) in the same game for the first time since November 19, 1961.


SEATTLE SEAHAWKS
·         Earned a Wild Card berth at 11-5, the team’s best record since finishing 13-3 in 2005 en route to Super Bowl XL.

·         Won all eight regular-season games at home for the third time since 2003. Seattle was the only team with a perfect record at home in 2012. QB RUSSELL WILSON is the first rookie quarterback since 1970 to win all of his team’s home games.
·         Wilson set team rookie records for passing yards (3,118), completion percentage (64.1), touchdown passes (26) and passer rating (100.0). His passer rating is the highest of any player in team history. 
·         RB MARSHAWN LYNCH rushed for 1,590 yards with 11 touchdowns. His 1,590 rushing yards are the third-most in a season in club annals.
·         Scored 58 points in Week 14 and 50 in Week 15, the first time a team has scored at least 50 points in back-to-back games in a season since the 1950 New York Giants. Seattle outscored opponents by 91 points (108-17) in those contests, the largest margin of victory in a two-game span since Chicago in 1941 (95 points).
·         DE CHRIS CLEMONS (11.5) posted at least 11 sacks for the third consecutive season, becoming the first Seahawk to record at least 10 sacks in each of his first three seasons with the club.


TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS
·         QB JOSH FREEMAN threw for a club-record 4,065 yards. Freeman is the only quarterback in Buccaneers history with three 3,400+ yard seasons, accomplishing the feat in each of the past three years.
·         WR VINCENT JACKSON caught 72 passes for 1,384 yards, the second-most receiving yards in Buccaneers history (MARK CARRIER, 1,422 in 1989).
·         Rookie RB DOUG MARTIN established Tampa Bay rookie records for rushing yards (1,454) and rushing touchdowns (11).
·         Martin set single-game team records by rushing for 251 yards and four TDs in Week 9, both of which were the highest totals by any player in 2012. Martin and MIKE ANDERSON (12/3/2000) are the only players in NFL history to rush for at least 250 yards and four touchdowns in a game. Martin had TD runs of 70, 67, 45 and one yards in the contest. He is the first player in NFL history with rushing touchdowns of at least 70, 65 and 45 yards in a single game.


TENNESSEE TITANS
·           RB CHRIS JOHNSON (1,243) joined EDDIE GEORGE (five, 1996-2000) as the only players in club history to reach 1,000 rushing yards in five consecutive seasons.Johnson (6,888) also became the third player in franchise history with 6,500 career rushing yards (George, 10,009 and Pro Football Hall of Famer EARL CAMPBELL, 8,574).
·           Johnson ran for a franchise-long 94-yard touchdown in Week 15.
·           WR KENDALL WRIGHT (64) tied for the most receptions among NFL rookies, the second-most by a rookie in team history (BILL GROMAN, 72 in ’60). 
·           KR-WR DARIUS REYNAUD registered a Titans-record 105-yard kickoff-return touchdown in Week 3.

·           In Week 3, Tennessee became the first team in NFL history to score five touchdowns of at least 60 yards in a game in its 44-41 overtime win over Detroit: TOMMIE CAMPBELL, 65-yard punt-return TD; JARED COOK, 61-yard TD reception from JAKE LOCKER;DARIUS REYNAUD, 105-yard kick-return TD; NATE WASHINGTON, 71-yard TD reception from Locker; and ALTERRAUN VERNER, 72-yard fumble-return TD.
·           In Week 17, the Titans became the first team in NFL history with two interception-return touchdowns and two punt-return touchdowns in the same game in the Titans’ 38-20 win over Jacksonville. Rookie linebacker ZACH BROWN scored both interception-return touchdowns (79 and 30 yards) and Reynaud scored both punt-return touchdowns (69 and 81 yards).


WASHINGTON REDSKINS
·         Won the NFC East for the first time since 1999.
·         Became the fifth team in NFL history to qualify for the playoffs after a 3-6 start.
·         MIKE SHANAHAN (175) surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famers BUD GRANT (168),PAUL BROWN (170) and JOE GIBBS (171) and MIKE HOLMGREN (174) for 11th place all-time in career victories.
·         Rookie QB ROBERT GRIFFIN III passed for 3,200 yards with 20 touchdowns versus five interceptions for a 102.4 rating and rushed for 815 yards with seven touchdowns. Griffin is Washington’s first quarterback to reach 3,000 passing yards and 15 passing TDs while surrendering fewer than 10 interceptions.
·         Rookie RB ALFRED MORRIS finished second in the NFL with a team-record 1,613 rushing yards.
·         Morris (13) recorded more rushing touchdowns than any Redskins rookie. His 13 rushing TDs led the NFC and were the second-most in the NFL.
·         Griffin and Morris are the first rookie teammates with 3,000+ yards passing and 1,500+ rushing yards. The pair is also the first QB-RB combo to rush for at least 500 yards each in their rookie season.