TOP HEAVY: There are 16 teams with at least seven wins, the most through 11 games in NFL history.
COMEBACKS GALORE: The 2014 season has featured many close games and great comeback victories.
Three teams – Chicago, Dallas and Denver – overcame deficits of 10+ points to win this week. There have been 29 comeback victories of 10+ points this season, the fourth-most through Week 12 in NFL history.
The most comeback wins of 10+ points through Week 12 in NFL history:
| THROUGH WEEK 12 | |
| SEASON | 10+ POINT COMEBACK WINS |
| 1987 | 33 |
| 2011 | 30 |
| 2012 | 30 |
| 2014 | 29 |
| 1984 | 28 |
| 1999 | 28 |
DOMINANT DIVISION: The AFC North teams – BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-4), CINCINNATI BENGALS (7-3-1), CLEVELAND BROWNS (7-4) and PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-4) – are all at least three games above .500. The AFC North is the first division in NFL history to have every team at least three games over .500 at any point in a season.
The AFC North standings:
| 2014 AFC NORTH | ||||
| TEAM | WON | LOST | TIED | |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 7 | 3 | 1 | .682 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 |
| Cleveland Browns | 7 | 4 | 0 | .636 |
THE PATRIOT WAY: The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS improved to 9-2 with a 34-9 win against the Detroit Lions, clinching their 14th consecutive winning season. New England (2001-present) is the sixth team in NFL history to post at least 14 consecutive winning seasons and is the first to do so since the San Francisco 49ers (1983-98, 16 seasons).
New England’s victory over Detroit was their third consecutive win over a first-place team. The Patriots won their previous two games over Denver (43-21) and Indianapolis (42-20), becoming the first team in NFL history to win three straight games by 20 or more points, each against an opponent with a record of at least three games above the .500 mark.
MILESTONE MANNING: Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING completed 28 of 35 passes for 257 yards and four touchdowns in the Broncos’ 39-36 victory against Miami. Manning has now thrown at least one touchdown pass in 50 consecutive games, becoming the third player in NFL history to accomplish the feat.
Dallas quarterback TONY ROMO, who ranks fifth on the list, passed for 275 yards and four touchdowns in the Cowboys’ 31-28 win at the New York Giants to increase his streak of consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass to 38.
The players with the most consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass:
| PLAYER | YEAR(S) | TEAM | CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A TOUCHDOWN PASS |
| Drew Brees | 2009-2012 | New Orleans | 54 |
| Tom Brady | 2010-2013 | New England | 52 |
| Peyton Manning | 2010-2014 | Denver | 50* |
| Johnny Unitas | 1956-1960 | Baltimore | 47 |
| Tony Romo | 2012-2014 | Dallas | 38* |
| *Active streak |
TEXAN IS 10TH: Houston wide receiver ANDRE JOHNSON had three catches for 36 yards in Week 12. Johnson, who now has 985 career receptions, surpassed RANDY MOSS (982) for the 10th most receptions in NFL history.
RETURN TO SENDER: Philadelphia rookie JOSH HUFF returned the opening kickoff 107 yards for a touchdown in the Eagles’ 43-24 win over Tennessee. Huff is the second Eagle with a 100-plus yard kickoff-return touchdown this year (CHRIS POLK, 102 yards, Week 3) and Philadelphia is the first team since the 1970 Green Bay Packers to have multiple players with a 100-plus yard kickoff-return touchdown in a season.
Nine different Eagles have now scored a return touchdown, tied for the most in a single season in NFL history.
Huff’s return-touchdown was the 10th return touchdown of 100 yards on the opening kickoff of a game since 2000. In the last 26 years of the 1900s (1973-1999), there were zero return touchdowns of at least 100 yards on the opening kickoff of a game.
FANTASTIC FRED: Buffalo running back FRED JACKSON rushed for 32 yards in Week 12, and now has 5,402 career rushing yards,surpassing WILLIE PARKER (5,378) for the third-most rushing yards all-time by an undrafted player.
The undrafted players with the most career rushing yards:
| PLAYER | YEARS | TEAM(S) | CAREER RUSHING YARDS |
| Priest Holmes | 1997-2007 | Baltimore, Kansas City | 8,172 |
| Arian Foster* | 2009-Present | Houston | 5,885 |
| Fred Jackson* | 2007-Present | Buffalo | 5,402 |
| Willie Parker | 2004-2009 | Pittsburgh | 5,378 |
| Kevin Mack | 1985-1993 | Cleveland | 5,123 |
| *Active |
CONSISTENT IN CHICAGO: Chicago running back MATT FORTÉ rushed for 89 yards with two touchdowns and had five catches for 23 yards in the Bears’ 21-13 win over Tampa Bay. Forté has 822 rushing yards and 72 catches this year, his seventh consecutive season with at least 800 rushing yards and 40 receptions. Forté joined LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON as the only players in NFL history to start a career with seven seasons in a row with 800+ rushing yards and 40+ catches.
Forté has 7,488 rushing yards and 3,517 receiving yards in 102 career games. He is the third-fastest player in NFL history to reach 7,000 rushing yards and 3,500 receiving yards. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers MARSHALL FAULK (97 games) and MARCUS ALLEN (99) reached the milestone in fewer games.
