What to Look For WEEK 6

CLIMBING BACK: Teams off to a slow start are justified in believing that they can turn it around. Since the current playoff format (12 teams) was instituted in 1990, 13 teams have rebounded from being at least three games under .500 after the season’s first five weeks or later to qualify for the postseason. Since 1990, teams that were three or more games below .500 after Week 5 or later and made the playoffs:

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MILE-HIGH MANNING: Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING will face the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football. Manning has 36 career games with at least three touchdown passes and zero interceptions, including two such games in 2012. With at least three touchdowns and zero interceptions on Monday night, Manning would surpass BRETT FAVRE (36) for the most such games in NFL history.

The players with the most games with three-plus touchdown passes and zero interceptions in NFL history:

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THE RACE IS ON: Houston defensive end J.J. WATT and Green Bay linebacker CLAY MATTHEWS will be featured when the Texans and Packers meet on Sunday Night Football. Watt, who ranks second in the NFL with 7.5 sacks and Matthews, who has an NFL-best eight sacks, can both challenge to rank in the top three for the most sacks through a team’s first six games since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

The players with the most sacks through a team’s first six games:

NO LUCK HERE: Indianapolis rookie quarterback ANDREW LUCK has passed for 300 yards (313 and 362) in each of the Colts’ past two games.

With a 300-yard performance on Sunday against the New York Jets, Luck will become the first rookie quarterback to pass for 300+ yards in three consecutive games in NFL history. 

MR. OCTOBER: In a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship Game, ELI MANNING and the New York Giants will travel to San Francisco. For his career, Manning is 24-5 (.828) as a starter in October, the best mark among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era. 

The highest career winning percentage in October among quarterbacks who began their career in the Super Bowl era (minimum 20 starts):

Note: Ties prior to 1972 did not count in winning percentage.

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AIMING FOR NO. 1 SPOT:  Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER (27,703) needs 287 passing yards on Thursday Night Football against the Tennessee Titans to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRY BRADSHAW for the most career passing yards in Steelers history. In 14 seasons (1970-1983) with the Steelers, Bradshaw played in 168 games; Roethlisberger will play in his 119th career game on Thursday night.

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JUST CRUZ-ING: New York Giants wide receiver VICTOR CRUZ will play in his 25th career game when the Giants face the 49ers on Sunday. In 24 career games, Cruz has totaled 119 receptions for 1,974 receiving yards and can challenge the top five for the most receptions and receiving yards among players in their first 25 games in NFL history.

The players with the most receptions through the first 25 games of a career in NFL history:

The players with the most receiving yards through the first 25 games of a career in NFL history: