It’s not exactly America’s Game of the Week. It’s more Tennessee and California’s “Game” of the Week, but this is what I’m working with. The Tennessee Titans (4-4) and Mike Mularkey travel to the west coach to take on Mike McCoy and the San Diego Chargers (3-5). The rest of the country is getting Green Bay vs Indianapolis. Not we happy few. God help us all.
As always, scroll on down for the live blog. Keep reading for this week’s press release from the NFL.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 9
STILL IN THE MIX: History shows that a losing record at this point of the season does not negate a team’s chances of making the playoffs. Since 2000, 40 teams have reached the halfway point of their season with a .500 or below winning percentage and advanced to the playoffs, including at least one in each season. Last year, there were five such teams: Houston (3-5), Kansas City (3-5), Washington (3-5), Seattle (4-4) and Pittsburgh (4-4).
Of those 40 clubs, five have advanced to the Conference Championship Game, including the 2001 New England Patriots, who won Super Bowl XXXVI.
AWESOME AJAYI: Dolphins running back JAY AJAYI has rushed for 418 yards over his past two games on his way to becoming the fourth player in NFL history to rush for at least 200 yards in consecutive games.
With 182 yards on Sunday against the Jets, Ajayi would join Pro Football Hall of Famers O.J. SIMPSON (647) and WALTER PAYTON (604) as the only players in NFL history to rush for 600 yards in a three-game span.
CLUTCH CARR: Raiders quarterback DEREK CARR passed for 513 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions last week in Oakland’s 30-24 overtime victory over Tampa Bay.
With 387 passing yards on Sunday night against Denver, Carr would become the fifth player with 900 passing yards in a two-game span in NFL history.
BIG TIME BREES: Saints quarterback DREW BREES has passed for 18 touchdowns this season, including two four-touchdown games, bringing his career total to 446.
With four touchdown passes on Sunday at San Francisco, Brees would become the third player in NFL history to throw 450 touchdown passes, joining PEYTON MANNING (539) and Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (508).
SUPER SACKERS: Green Bay linebacker JULIUS PEPPERS registered a sack last week, bringing his career total to 139.5. With 2.5 sacks on Sunday against Indianapolis, Peppers would pass Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL STRAHAN (141.5) for the fifth-most sacks since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
Denver linebacker DE MARCUS WARE has 136.5 career sacks, the ninth-most all-time. With 1.5 sacks on Sunday at Oakland, Ware (136.5) would pass Pro Football Hall of Famers JOHN RANDLE and RICHARD DENT (137.5) for the eighth-most sacks since 1982.
LORENZO ON THE RISE: Entering his tenth season with nine career sacks, Bills linebacker LORENZO ALEXANDER leads the NFL with nine sacks this season. With one sack against Seattle on Monday night, Alexander would become the first player to begin his career in 1982 or later with a career total of fewer than 10 sacks to record 10 sacks in his 10th season.
The game is on CBS in your local markets. We’ll be checking in on the other late games too. Watch it with me.
