- Other games with playoff implications are DENVER at BUFFALO (1:00 PM ET, CBS), where the Bills look to improve their record in AFC games, a key Wild Card tiebreaker, to 6-2; CAROLINA at NEW ORLEANS (1:00 PM ET, CBS), where the Saints can gain important ground in both the NFC South and the race for the NFC’s top seed by improving their conference record to 7-2; and SEATTLE at PHILADELPHIA (1:00 PM ET, FOX), where the Seahawks can improve their conference record to 6-1 and the Eagles can remain well in contention.
ANOTHER YOUNG QUARTERBACK IN PRIMETIME:
Baltimore’s LAMAR JACKSON leads the Ravens into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to close Week 12 on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN). The Ravens rushed for 263 yards in their 41-7 win over Houston in Week 11. Baltimore, with 2,038 rushing yards through its first 10 games of the season, is the seventh team since 1970 and first since the 1978 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2,029 rushing yards) with at least 2,000 rushing yards in its first 10 games of a season. The Ravens‘ 2,038 rushing yards are the fifth-most through a team’s first 10 games of a season since 1970.
Jackson, who had 86 rushing yards last week, has recorded at least 60 rushing yards in seven consecutive games, surpassing MICHAEL VICK (six games in 2004) for the longest such streak by a quarterback in league annals. Jackson has 1,483 career rushing yards and surpassed CAM NEWTON (1,447) for the most by a quarterback in his first two seasons in NFL history.
WINNING FRANCHISES MEET IN FOXBOROUGH:
With a win last week, the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS secured a 19th consecutive winning season. In NFL history, the only team to string together at least 19 winning seasons was the DALLAS COWBOYS, who assembled a streak of 20 winning campaigns from 1966-85. Those teams meet on Sunday at Gillette Stadium (4:25 PM ET, FOX).
- Additionally, the Patriots (9-1) have the opportunity to win a 10th game and reach 17 consecutive seasons with 10-or-more victories. New England would break a tie with San Francisco, which won 10 games in 16 straight years (1983-98). The Patriots have won at least 10 games every year since going 9-7 in 2002.
- Sunday’s battle also features the NFL’s top offense, Dallas, vs. the league’s top defense, New England. The Cowboys are averaging an NFL-leading 444.6 yards per game while New England is holding the NFL to a league-low 249.9 yards per contest.
