NFL

Quick reads: Around the NFL

By JOANNE KORTH
Published November 27, 2005

CHASING PERFECTION

Through 10 games, Indianapolis has plenty in common with the 1972 Miami team it hopes to join as an unbeaten champion. Here are some standard, and a few not-so-standard, comparisons:

2005 Colts 1972 Dolphins

10-0 Record 10-0

7 Victories by 10+

points 7

2nd Offensive ranking 2nd

8th Defensive ranking 1st

305 Points scored 278

153 Points allowed 127

15.2 Average victory margin 15.1

52:50 Time spent trailing 105:11

Tony Dungy Coach Don Shula

2 Number of teams coached 2

Coached in Florida Odd coincidence Coached the Colts (1963-69)

(Bucs 1996-01)

MNF vs. Steelers Prime-time 11th game MNF beat St. Louis Cardinals 31-10

Why do teams continue to ignore Patriots linebacker Mike Vrabel when he lines up at tight end? Vrabel has caught six passes in his career, all touchdowns, including one in the playoffs and one in the Super Bowl. Somehow, Vrabel sneaked up on the Saints last weekend for a 1-yard touchdown reception.

Giants quarterback Eli Manning plays his best in the fourth quarter:

Quarter Comp/Att Pct Yards TD INT Rating

Quarters 1-3 120-242 49.6 1,566 13 7 76.2

Fourth quarter 53-90 58.9 754 5 2 95.3

Totals 173-332 52.1 2,320 18 9 81.4

STAT OF THE WEEK

The Rams are yielding a league-worst 30 points per game, which has them on pace to give up a franchise-record 480 for the season. The record of 471 was set in 2000.

"It's going to be an exciting game. Somebody's coming out 3-8, baby!"

- 49ers kicker Joe Nedney on the matchup between the 49ers and Titans, both 2-8

Browns running back Reuben Droughns is 132 yards shy of ending the league's longest drought for a team without a 1,000-yard rusher. Cleveland hasn't had a 1,000-yard rusher since 1985, when Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner did it.

After a slow start in which Droughns was not a major part of the game plan, he has 537 yards on 106 carries the past five games. He is on pace for 307 carries and 1,389 yards, which would set a team record for attempts and give him more yards in a season than any Browns back except Jim Brown.

Giants punter Jeff Feagles will go into the NFL record book today by playing in his 283rd straight game, breaking the mark set by Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall from 1960-79. Feagles has never missed a game in his 18-year career, an impressive number even if he's "just a punter."

"I've been around a long time, and kickers and punters always get a bad rap," said Feagles, 39. "Fortunately, in this game you have to line up on fourth down and punt and you have to kick field goals. It's part of the game. All I know is it will be there and they won't put an asterisk next to it."

San Francisco coach Mike Nolan got a reminder from his wife, Kathy, that he has plenty to be thankful for despite a 2-8 record in his first season with the 49ers. The couple passed a truck on the freeway recently, causing Nolan to question his career choice.

"Boy, I wonder what it'd be like to drive a truck," Nolan said. "It'd be great, doing your own thing."

Her response: "Yeah, well, the truck driver probably wishes he could coach the 49ers."

His response: "Thank you."

--Compiled by Times staff writer Joanne Korth, using information from the Boston Globe, Cleveland Plain Dealer, Contra Costa (California) Times, Nashville Tennessean, Newsday (New York), St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Tacoma News Tribune.

[Last modified November 27, 2005, 01:18:21]