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THE WEEK THAT WAS – WEEK 15

COMEBACKS GALORE: Close contests remain a staple of the 2015 season.

Teams have won after trailing in the second half 85 times this season, the third-most through Week 15 in NFL history. 

The most wins after trailing in the second half through Week 15: 

Teams have won after trailing in the fourth quarter 62 times this season, tied for the third-most through Week 15 in NFL history. 

The most wins after trailing in the fourth quarter through Week 15:               
            

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PLAYOFF BOUND: The ARIZONA CARDINALS defeated Philadelphia 40-17 on Sunday Night Football and clinched the NFC West division title.

The GREEN BAY PACKERS, who defeated Oakland 30-20, and the SEATTLE SEAHAWKS, who knocked off Cleveland 30-13, both secured playoff berths in the NFC, while the CINCINNATI BENGALS, who beat San Francisco 24-14, earned a playoff berth in the AFC.

The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, who already clinched the AFC East division, defeated Tennessee 33-16 and clinched a first-round bye.

The CAROLINA PANTHERS, who own the league’s best record at 14-0, have already clinched the NFC South division and a first-round bye.

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PREEMINENT PATRIOTS: The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, who defeated Tennessee 33-16 to improve to 12-2, became the second team in NFL history with at least 12 regular-season wins in six consecutive seasons. The only other team to accomplish the feat was Indianapolis, who won at least 12 regular-season games in seven consecutive seasons (2003-09). 

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CHARGING CHIEFS: The KANSAS CITY CHIEFS defeated Baltimore 34-14 for their eighth consecutive win. The Chiefs are the only team in NFL history to win eight consecutive games immediately following a five-game losing streak in the same season. 

In the victory over Baltimore, Chiefs rookie cornerback MARCUS PETERS had a 90-yard interception-return touchdown and safety TYVON BRANCH posted a 73-yard fumble-return touchdown, as Kansas City became the first team in NFL history to have a 90+ yard interception return-touchdown and a 70+ yard fumble-return touchdown in the same game.

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HISTORIC BREES: New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES passed for 341 yards and three touchdowns against Detroit on Monday Night Football, bringing his career total to 60,168 passing yards. 

Brees joined PEYTON MANNING (71,871), BRETT FAVRE (71,838) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (61,361) as the only players in NFL history with at least 60,000 career passing yards.

​The players with the most career passing yards in NFL history: 

Brees, who has 4,135 passing yards this season, became the first player in NFL history to have 10 consecutive 4,000-yard seasons.

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​SUPER CAM: Carolina quarterback CAM NEWTON passed for 340 yards with five touchdowns and rushed for 100 yards in the Panthers’ 38-35 win at the New York Giants. Newton is the first player in NFL history with at least 300 passing yards, 100 rushing yards and five touchdown passes in a single game.

Newton has 3,402 passing yards and 580 rushing yards this season and is the only player in NFL history to have five different seasons with at least 3,000 passing yards and 500 rushing yards. Newton has accomplished the feat in each of his five NFL seasons. 

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BIG BEN: Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER completed 40 of 55 passes (72.7 percent) for 380 yards and three touchdowns in the Steelers’ 34-27 win over Denver. 

Roethlisberger, who completed 40 passes against Indianapolis on October 26, 2014, is the first player in NFL history with two career games with at least 40 completions. 

Roethlisberger’s two games with 40 completions: 

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DOMINANT DOUG: Seattle wide receiver DOUG BALDWIN caught four passes for 45 yards and two touchdowns in the Seahawks’ 30-13 win against Cleveland.

Baldwin, who has had at least two touchdown receptions in each of his previous three games, joined Pro Football Hall of Famer CRIS CARTER (1995) and CALVIN JOHNSON (2011) as the only players in NFL history to have multiple touchdown catches in four consecutive games.

Baldwin, who has 10 touchdown receptions in Seattle’s past four games, tied Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (1987) for the most touchdown catches in a four-game span in a single season in NFL history. 

Baldwin’s past four games: 

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CONSISTENT CATCHERS: Pittsburgh WR ANTONIO BROWN had 16 receptions for 189 yards and two touchdowns in the Steelers’ 34-27 win against Denver, while Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES had nine receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown in the Falcons’ 23-17 victory at Jacksonville.

Brown (116 receptions, 1,586 receiving yards) and Jones (118, 1,544) rank in the top two in both receptions and receiving yards this season.Jones, who had 104 receptions for 1,593 yards last season, and Brown, who had 129 receptions for 1,698 yards in 2014, join MARVIN HARRISON (2001-02) and ANDRE JOHNSON (2008-09) as the only players in NFL history with consecutive seasons with at least 100 receptions and 1,500 receiving yards. 

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GREAT GURLEY: St. Louis rookie running back TODD GURLEY rushed for 48 yards and a touchdown in the Rams’ 31-23 victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday Night Football. 

Gurley, who has 1,023 rushing yards this season, joins Pro Football Hall of Famers ERIC DICKERSON (1,808 yards in 1983) and JEROME BETTIS (1,429 in 1993) as the only Rams rookies with at least 1,000 rushing yards. 

Gurley’s, Bettis’ and Dickerson’s rookie seasons: 

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HOT PEPPERS: Green Bay linebacker JULIUS PEPPERS had 2.5 sacks in the Packers’ 30-20 win at Oakland. 

Peppers, who now has 135 career sacks, surpassed JOHN ABRAHAM (133.5) and DE MARCUS WARE (133.5) for the 10th-most sacks since the stat became official in 1982.