AFC Notes
This week’s primetime Thursday Night Football game will feature two of the NFL’s most efficient teams in the red zone – Denver and San Diego.
The Broncos (5-1) and Chargers (5-2) have each scored points on their past 53 offensive trips inside the 20-yard line, tied for the longest active streak in the NFL.
Scoring points as often as possible is important in the red zone, but it’s touchdowns that can really make the difference.
“It’s obviously important to get seven instead of three,” says NFL Network analyst and former scout DANIEL JEREMIAH. “When you’re getting touchdowns, it does a couple of things. Obviously you get the momentum in the football game. Also, expanding your lead and allowing the pass rush on the other side to really crank up. It’s huge.”
This season, Denver has scored touchdowns on 15 of 19 red zone trips (NFL-best 78.9 percent) along with four field goals. All 25 of San Diego’s trips into the red zone have resulted in points in 2014, including 14 touchdowns and 11 field goals.
The Broncos, Chargers and Seahawks are the only three NFL teams to score points on every red zone possession this season.
Since quarterback PEYTON MANNING joined the Broncos in 2012, Denver has scored 105 touchdowns in 152 total red zone trips, the best mark in the NFL during that span. This season, 12 of Manning’s 19 touchdown passes have come inside the 20-yard line.
Broncos cornerback AQIB TALIB thinks the reason for Denver’s red zone effectiveness is clear.
“It’s Peyton,” says Talib.
As he’s done throughout his career, Manning utilizes the whole field and finds the open receiver in the end zone, regardless of who it might be.
“One of the reasons why the Broncos have been so successful in the red zone is they have a lot of different guys they can go to,” says Jeremiah. “You have a big time tight end in JULIUS THOMAS who is a matchup nightmare for linebackers and safeties. You have DEMARYIUS THOMAS who they can use on a lot of different things going up to get the football. And you have a guy in WES WELKER who is really, really quick. You have a lot of different ways you can deploy your schemes.”
The NFL teams with the best red-zone touchdown efficiency since 2012:
| TEAM | RZ TDs | RZ TRIPS | RZ TD PCT. | |
| Denver Broncos | 105 | 152 | .691 | |
| New Orleans Saints | 86 | 138 | .623 | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 74 | 120 | .617 | |
| New England Patriots | 98 | 159 | .616 | |
| Dallas Cowboys | 76 | 124 | .613 | |
NFC Notes
As the NFL enters Week 8, there are four teams – three in the NFC – with one loss: Dallas (6-1), Arizona (5-1), Denver (5-1) and Philadelphia (5-1). On Sunday, the Eagles will visit the Cardinals in one of the marquee games of Week 8.
The two teams have met 114 times in the regular season and this will be the first meeting when both teams are 5-1 or better at least six games into a season.
A look at the two teams so far in 2014:
| TEAM | OVERALL | DIVISION | CONFERENCE | STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE |
| Philadelphia | 5-1 | 2-0 | 3-1 | .415 |
| Arizona | 5-1 | 1-0 | 3-0 | .475 |
NOTABLE OFFENSIVE STAT:
The Eagles are averaging 30.5 points per game, the highest in the NFC and the third-best mark in the league. Philadelphia has scored 21 total touchdowns – 10 passing, four rushing and seven return scores. The Eagles are one of three teams in the NFL to average at least 260 net passing yards per game (262.3) and 115 rushing yards per game (116.0).
The Cardinals have thrown a league-best one interception this season and the team’s 0.5 interception percentage (one interception, 209 attempts) leads the NFL. CARSON PALMER and DREW STANTON have each started three games at quarterback and rookie LOGAN THOMAS and wide receiver TED GINN, JR. have also thrown at least one pass for Arizona.
NOTABLE DEFENSIVE STAT:
Philadelphia has scored three defensive touchdowns this season, the most in the NFL. The Eagles have returned two fumbles for a touchdown (FLETCHER COX and CEDRIC THORNTON) and have recorded one interception-return score (MALCOLM JENKINS).
Arizona leads the NFL in rushing defense, allowing 72.5 yards per game and only 3.15 yards per carry. Under defensive coordinator TODD BOWLES, the Cardinals are the only team in the league that has not allowed an opposing team to rush for 100 yards in a game.
NOTABLE SPECIAL TEAMS STAT:
The Eagles lead the NFL with seven return touchdowns and no other team has more than three. Of Philadelphia’s seven return touchdowns, four have come on special teams via two blocked punt returns (BRAD SMITH and CHRIS MARAGOS), a kickoff return (CHRIS POLK) and a punt return (DARREN SPROLES).
Arizona rookie kicker CHANDLER CATANZARO has yet to miss a kick, connecting on all 15 field-goal attempts and 11 PATs. Catanzaro’s streak of 15 consecutive field goals made without a miss to start a season is tied for the longest in NFL history by a rookie (St. Louis’ GREG ZUERLEIN, 2012). This season, Catanzaro is the only kicker in the NFL with at least 15 field goals without a miss.
