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Home , Cincinnati Bengals, Dwayne Haskins, Freddie Kitchens, Kyle Shanahan, Marty Schottenheimer, Maxx Crosby

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/3/19 http://twitter.com/nfl345

NFL ENTERS FINAL QUARTER WITH KEY GAMES ON TAP

To help celebrate the NFL’s 100th season, each week will feature an NFL 100 Game of the Week. Each game is a nod to a momentous game played, a fierce rivalry that spans decades, a matchup of original teams and/or a game in which history was made. The NFL has designated Sunday’s BENGALS- matchup as the NFL100 Game of the Week because the contest includes the teams closest to the birthplace of the NFL. In 1920, the NFL formed in Northeast , where owner RALPH HAY organized the first meeting of fellow owners. Four years later, at nearby Massillon Washington High School, and future Pro Football Hall of Famer discovered the sport that would shape his life. By 1946, as the first coach of the Cleveland franchise when it launched as part of the All- Conference, Brown was so synonymous with success that by popular demand he became the team’s namesake, despite his humble objections. After entering the NFL in 1950, Brown’s team won three league championships (1950, 1954- 55). When the AFL placed an expansion franchise in Cincinnati during the mid-1960s, Brown joined the team as and , then named his new team the Bengals in time for the club’s inaugural 1968 season. One of Brown’s first Cincinnati assistant coaches was Pro Football Hall of Famer BILL WALSH.

BRADY, BREES IN RACE FOR HALLOWED MARK: As NFL teams jockey for position in the 2019 playoff race, New England quarterback and New Orleans quarterback have one of ’s most significant all-time records in their sights: Most career passes, currently held by (539). Entering Week 14, Brady (535) and Brees (532) have Manning on their radar screens.

The players with the most career touchdown passes in NFL history:

PLAYER, TEAM(S) YEARS TD PASSES Peyton Manning, -Denver 1998-2015 539 Tom Brady, New England 2000- 535 Drew Brees, S.D. Chargers-New Orleans 2001- 532 Brett FavreHOF, -Green Bay-N.Y. Jets-Minnesota 1991-2010 508 Dan MarinoHOF, Miami 1983-99 420 , S.D./L.A. Chargers 2004- 391 , Pittsburgh 2004- 363 , N.Y. Giants 2004- 362 , Green Bay 2005- 360 Fran TarkentonHOF, Minnesota-N.Y. Giants 1961-78 342

Brady, whose Patriots host the Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), is 47-12 (.797) during his career in starts following a regular-season loss.

EASTERN CONNECTIONS IN THE BIG EASY: When the travel to meet the on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX) in a matchup of 10-win teams, one former Eastern Illinois quarterback, the 49ers’ , will square off against another former Eastern Illinois field general, Saints head coach . Also, the father of 49ers head coach , former Raiders, Broncos and Redskins head coach , also played at Eastern Illinois, where a serious injury ended his playing career but helped him discover his passion for coaching. The school also produced former Dallas quarterback TONY ROMO.

 If San Francisco this week clinches a playoff berth, the 49ers would become the first NFL club that didn’t qualify for the playoffs last season to earn a postseason invitation. In every season since the 12-team playoff format began in 1990, at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs that were not in the postseason the year before.

DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR’S NIGHTMARE: In one of Week 14’s premier games, the put the league’s longest winning streak, eight games, on the line when they face the on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS). The contest not only matches two of the AFC’s best teams, it also matches two of the NFL’s best dual-threat . Baltimore’s LAMAR JACKSON, whose 977 net rushing yards are more than five NFL teams this year, also ranks fourth in the NFL with a 109.6 . Buffalo’s JOSH ALLEN, who ranks third among NFL quarterbacks with 430 rushing yards, has a fourth-quarter passer rating of 114.0.

 Sunday’s game will have more combined rushing yards (1,407) by starting quarterbacks than any contest in NFL history.

 Additionally, Jackson needs 23 rushing yards to become the second quarterback in NFL history with a 1,000-yard rushing season, and 63 to post the most rushing yards in a single season by an NFL quarterback, surpassing MICHAEL VICK, who had 1,039 in 2006.

 As a team, the Ravens are on pace for one of the most prolific rushing campaigns in the NFL’s 100 seasons. Since the league moved to a 16-game schedule in 1978, Baltimore’s 207.8 net rushing yards per game are on pace to finish 10 yards better than any other team in that span.

The teams with the most net rushing yards per game since 1978:

TEAM SEASON GM ATT YARDS YDS/GM Baltimore Ravens 2019 12 445 2,494 207.8 1978 16 671 3,165 197.8 Kansas City Chiefs 1978 16 663 2,986 186.6 1984 16 674 2,974 185.9 2006 16 537 2,939 183.7

THE FOURTH QUARTER: As the NFL makes its final turn toward the regular-season finish line, each club has just four games remaining, and 26 teams remain in contention for a trip to LIV. Two of those teams, the and OAKLAND RAIDERS, battle in a key AFC contest Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS).

 The game features several of the NFL’s top rookies. Oakland’s leads all NFL rookies in rushing yards (1,061), rushing (seven) and scrimmage yards (1,207). Tennessee A.J. BROWN leads AFC rookies with 626 receiving yards. On defense, Oakland’s (7.5) and (3.5) are the NFL’s only pair of rookie teammates with three-or-more sacks each.

ROOKIE QUARTERBACKS CONTINUE TO WIN GAMES: Arizona’s , the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 NFL , leads the at home against the on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS). Murray and the Steelers’ DEVLIN HODGES, an undrafted rookie, are two of the six rookie quarterbacks to win a game this season. Last week, Denver’s joined a group that includes Washington’s DWAYNE HASKINS, the Giants’ DANIEL JONES and Jacksonville’s GARDNER MINSHEW. That group of six represents the second-highest of rookie quarterbacks to win an NFL start in league history, trailing only the 1987 season (seven). Detroit’s DAVID BLOUGH, who plays at Minnesota Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), gives the 2019 rookies an opportunity to the single-season league record.

BATTLE OF OHIO: When the make the cross-state trip to play the CLEVELAND BROWNS on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), the teams will meet for a 92nd time. Sunday marks the first Bengals-Browns game in 35 years in which each club has a first-year head coach. Cincinnati’s and Cleveland’s are the first rookie head-coaching pair in the series since December 2, 1984, when the Bengals’ beat the Browns’ on an , 20-17.

NFL SCHEDULE, DECEMBER 5, 8-9 (All times Eastern)

Thursday Sunday (cont.) FOX/NFLN at Chicago Bears 8:20 PM AMAZON at Jets 1:00 PM CBS Sunday at 1:00 PM CBS at Atlanta Falcons 1:00 PM FOX at 4:05 PM FOX Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills 1:00 PM CBS Pittsburgh Steelers at Arizona Cardinals 4:25 PM CBS Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns 1:00 PM CBS Kansas City Chiefs at New England Patriots 4:25 PM CBS Washington Redskins at 1:00 PM FOX Tennessee Titans at Oakland Raiders 4:25 PM CBS at 1:00 PM CBS at 8:20 PM NBC at 1:00 PM FOX Monday San Francisco 49ers at New Orleans Saints 1:00 PM FOX at 8:15 PM ESPN