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- Four teams clinched a playoff berth today, including three division winners. The Atlanta Falcons, who defeated New Orleans 23-13 on Thursday night, clinched the NFC South today with Tampa Bay's loss at Denver. The New England Patriots clinched the AFC East with their 23-16 win at Miami. The Denver Broncos clinched the AFC West with their 31-23 win over Tampa Bay. The Houston Texans clinched a playoff berth with their 24-10 win at Tennessee.
- New England quarterback TOM BRADY led the Patriots to a 23-16 win at Miami. With the victory, New England clinched the AFC East and Brady became the first starting quarterback in NFL history to win 10 division titles. Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING led the Broncos to a 31-23 win over Tampa Bay. With the victory, Denver clinched the AFC West and Manning tied Pro Football Hall of Famer JOE MONTANA for the second-most division titles in NFL history with nine.
- Indianapolis' ANDREW LUCK and Seattle's RUSSELL WILSON became the first pair of rookie quarterbacks in NFL history to each throw a game-winning touchdown pass in the final minute of regulation or overtime on the same day. Luck threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to DONNIE AVERY as time expired in the Colts' 35-33 win at Detroit. Wilson threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to SIDNEY RICE in overtime in the Seahawks' 23-17 win at Chicago. Luck, who had 391 passing yards against Detroit, has thrown for 3,596 yards this season, the most ever by a rookie in his first 12 games. Luck's total (3,596) already ranks third in NFL history for the most by a rookie in a single season, trailing only CAM NEWTON (4,051) and PEYTON MANNING (3,739). Wilson has now thrown a game-winning touchdown pass in the final two minutes of regulation or overtime three times. That is the most ever by a rookie since at least the 1970 merger.
- New England wide receiver WES WELKER had 12 receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown in the Patriots' win. It marked the 17th game in Welker's career in which he had at least 10 catches, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE for the most in NFL history.
- Detroit wide receiver CALVIN JOHNSON had 13 catches for 171 yards and a touchdown in the Lions' 35-33 loss to Indianapolis. Johnson is the first player in NFL history with four consecutive 140+ receiving yard games in a single season. Johnson also tied the NFL record set by PAT STUDSTILL in 1966 with his fifth consecutive game with at least 125 receiving yards.
- Minnesota running back ADRIAN PETERSON rushed for 210 yards and a touchdown in the Vikings' 23-14 loss at Green Bay. Peterson has 8,198 career rushing yards and reached 8,000 yards in his 85th game. He is one of only seven players in NFL history to reach 8,000 career rushing yards in 85 games or fewer. He joins ERIC DICKERSON (73), JIM BROWN (80), EARL CAMPBELL (83), BARRY SANDERS (83),EDGERRIN JAMES (84) and EMMITT SMITH (85). Peterson has three career 200-yard rushing games. Only six players in NFL history have more. Those six are O.J. SIMPSON(six), TIKI BARBER (five) and Brown, Campbell, Sanders and LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (four).
- San Francisco linebacker ALDON SMITH had one sack in the 49ers' 16-13 overtime loss at St. Louis. Smith has 31.5 career sacks and passed Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (31) for the most by a player in his first two NFL seasons since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. Smith leads the NFL with 17.5 sacks, the second-most through a team's first 12 games since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. MARK GASTINEAU of the New York Jets had 18.5 sacks through 12 games in 1984.