NFL KICKOFF WEEKEND - REDSKINS v. GIANTS TODAY

WHAT TO LOOK FOR – NFL KICKOFF 2008 WEEKEND

SUPER STARTERS:  There are never any guarantees in the NFL, but there are trends.  And they start as early as Kickoff Weekend.  History indicates that the best way for a team to start its drive towards a possible Super Bowl championship is to win in Week 1.

The 42 Super Bowl winners have a 34-7-1 record in the Kickoff Weekend games of their title seasons.  However, as the Super Bowl XLII champion New York Giants proved, a loss on Kickoff Weekend can still lead to a championship season.

Since 1978, when the NFL went to the 16-game schedule, and excluding the abbreviated season of 1982, teams that are victorious on Kickoff Weekend are more than twice as likely to reach the playoffs than losers of an opening game:

Of the 426 teams which won openers…225 went to the playoffs (130 won division titles).

Of the 426 teams which lost openers…99 went to the playoffs (55 won division titles).

In 2007, nine of the 12 playoff teams – Dallas, Green Bay, Indianapolis, New England, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Seattle, Tennessee and Washington – were victorious on Kickoff Weekend.

“Season openers,” says Washington Redskins tight end CHRIS COOLEY, “set a standard for your team.”

KICKOFF WINNERS:  The season kicks off on Thursday night when the Super Bowl XLII champion NEW YORK GIANTS host the WASHINGTON REDSKINS.  The contest will feature two of the NFL’s most successful teams in season openers.  The Giants rank second in history with 46 Kickoff Weekend victories and the Redskins tie for sixth with 37 wins.

The teams with the most wins on Kickoff Weekend:

TEAM	KICKOFF-WEEKEND WINS
Chicago	49
Green Bay	48
New York Giants	46
Detroit	42
St. Louis	38
Pittsburgh	37
Washington	37

-- KICKOFF 2008 WEEKEND --

STREAKING INTO HISTORY:  The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS became the first team in NFL history with a perfect 16-0 regular-season record last year.  Dating back to the last three weeks of 2006, New England has won 19 consecutive regular-season games, the longest streak in league annals. 

The Patriots, who also have the second-longest such streak in history (18 games, 2003-04), will seek to reach 20 in a row on Sunday when they host Kansas City.

Following are the teams with the longest regular-season winning streaks in NFL history:

TEAM	YEARS	STREAK
New England	2006-07	19*
New England	2003-04	18
Chicago Bears	1933-34	17
Chicago Bears	1941-42	16
Miami Dolphins	1971-73	16
Miami Dolphins	1983-84	16
Pittsburgh Steelers	2004-05	16

*Active streak

MVP QBs:  Last season, New England quarterback TOM BRADY was named the Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player after setting an NFL record with 50 touchdown passes.  Brady, who led New England to Super Bowl XLII, hopes to continue the success of MVP quarterbacks this Sunday.  The past 10 QBs to be named the NFL MVP have posted a passer rating of at least 88.5 on Kickoff Weekend the following season.

The past 10 MVP quarterbacks and their performances on Kickoff Weekend the following season:

NAME	TEAM	DATE	ATT.	COMP.	PCT.	YARDS		TD	INT	RATING
Steve Young	SF	9/3/95	27	21	77.8	260		2	0	131.5
Brett Favre	GB	9/1/96	27	20	74.1	247		4	0	141.5
Brett Favre	GB	9/1/97	22	15	68.2	226		2	1	113.1
Brett Favre	GB	9/6/98	32	24	75.0	277		2	0	121.5
Kurt Warner	StL	9/4/00	35	25	71.4	441		3	3	106.5
Kurt Warner	StL	9/8/02	41	32	78.0	315		0	1	88.5
Rich Gannon	Oak.	9/7/03	38	24	63.2	264		2	0	101.2
Peyton Manning	Ind.	9/9/04	29	16	55.2	256		2	1	93.5
Steve McNair	Ten.	9/11/04	14	9	64.3	73		1	0	101.2
Peyton Manning	Ind.	9/11/05	36	21	58.3	254		2	0	98.6

-- KICKOFF 2008 WEEKEND --

THANK DEVIN:  Chicago Bears return specialist DEVIN HESTER has scored 14 touchdowns (seven punt-return TDs, four kickoff-return TDs, two receiving TDs and a missed-FG return TD) in his first two NFL seasons.  The two-time All Star averages 80.9 yards per touchdown, the highest such mark in NFL history (minimum 10 touchdowns).  

The players with the highest yards-per-touchdown average in history (minimum 10 TDs):

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	TDs	YARDS		AVG.
Devin Hester	Chicago	14	1,132		80.9*
Mel Gray	NO, Detroit, Hou./Tenn., Philadelphia	10	781		78.1
Tamarick Vanover	Kansas City, San Diego	11	757		68.8
Dante Hall	Kansas City, St. Louis	21	1,438		68.5*
Deion Sanders	Atlanta, SF, Dallas, Washington, Baltimore	22	1,461		66.4

            *Active

Hester’s 11 combined kick-return touchdowns (seven PR-TDs, four KR-TDs) already rank as the third most in history.  With another kick-return touchdown, Hester will tie DANTE HALL and ERIC METCALF (12) for second all-time, one behind BRIAN MITCHELL’s NFL mark (13).

The players with the most combined kick-return touchdowns in history:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	YEARS	PR-TDs	KR-TDs	COMBINED TDs
Brian Mitchell	Washington, Philadelphia, NY Giants	1990-03	9	4	13
Dante Hall	Kansas City, St. Louis	2000-07	6	6	12*
Eric Metcalf	Cle., Atl., SD, Ari., Car., Was., GB	1989-02	10	2	12
Devin Hester	Chicago	2006-07	7	4	11*
Three Tied	--	--	--	--	9

*Active

TDs FOR T.O.:  Entering his 13th NFL season, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver TERRELL OWENS has 129 receiving touchdowns, the third most in history.  With two touchdowns this Sunday against Cleveland, Owens will move past CRIS CARTER (130) into second place all-time in the category.  Owens had two touchdowns on Kickoff Weekend last year and has six receiving TDs in his past four openers. 

The players with the most receiving touchdowns in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	YEARS	REC. TDs
Jerry Rice	SF, Oak., Sea.	1985-2004	197
Cris Carter	Phi., Min., Mia.	1987-2002	130
Terrell Owens	SF, Phi., Dal.	1996-Present	129*
Randy Moss	Min., Oak., NE	1998-Present	124*
Marvin Harrison	Indianapolis	1996-Present	123*

      *Active