Kindle Battling Back

Dawson still kicking it

Browns kicker Phil Dawson might be one of the most underrated players in NFL history. He has never made the Pro Bowl, never been an All-Pro.

Yet, Dawson has made 81.8 percent of his 286 field goal attempts, and two games ago, he broke Lou Groza’s team record for career field goals. Dawson now has made 238 field goals in his 12 seasons.

He has been overlooked because of the Browns’ struggles.

Dawson, the last remaining member of the 1999 expansion Browns, has seen his team go 61–122, with one playoff game and only two winning seasons in his career. He has lacked the opportunity to make many game-winning kicks, with only 12 in his 12 seasons.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t say [the losses] are mounting,” Dawson said. “You don’t ever want to expect it or accept it. As a competitor, you come each and every week and give it your all and be optimistic and hopeful and all those things. As the years have gone by, it’s getting harder and harder to process it and handle it probably the way I had hoped. … I see the opportunities other guys in this league get [with playoff games], and certainly I’m envious of being in that position and would very much look forward to getting that opportunity before all is said and done.”

Dawson, 35, has wanted a new contract for a while now. He is a free agent after this season and likely will be in high demand. Though Cleveland is the only NFL home Dawson has ever known, the Browns still are rebuilding 12 years later.

Dawson said he has thought about the future, but his focus is on the here and now.

“I’ve haven’t given up on this season yet,” he said. “There will be plenty of time to sit down and evaluate and consider and do all those things, but now is not the time to do that.”

Fourth-and-short

• Cowboys quarterback Jon Kitna, who is replacing the injured Tony Romo, is 46-69 as a starter. Only three active quarterbacks — Brett Favre, Mark Brunell and Kerry Collins — have more losses. He has not started a game in more than two years, since Oct. 5, 2008, and he has not won as a starter since Dec. 23, 2007.

• Chargers cornerback Quentin Jammer is having his best season. Jammer, the fifth overall pick in 2002, has been targeted 33 times. He has allowed 15 receptions for 123 yards.

• Joe Flacco threw a career-worst four interceptions in a Week 2 loss to the Bengals. In the five weeks since then, Flacco has completed 64.7 percent of his passes for 1,249 yards with nine touchdowns and one interception. He has the second-highest passer rating in the NFL (105) in that span, trailing only Kansas City’s Matt Cassel (108.9).

• The Titans have seven consecutive losses to the Chargers. The last time the franchise beat San Diego, the team was the Houston Oilers.

• Cornerback DeAngelo Hall has 11 interceptions in 27 games with the Redskins. His teammates have only 12 in that span. Hall ranks second behind only Baltimore safety Ed Reed and Philadelphia cornerback Asante Samuel with 31 interceptions since he was drafted in 2004.

• Reed forced three turnovers, including two interceptions, in his first game back for the Ravens. Baltimore had only three interceptions in the first six games with Reed on the physically unable to perform list.

• The AFC leads in interconference games 17-12. The Texans are the only AFC team with a winning record that has lost to an NFC team. Houston did it twice, with losses to the Cowboys and to the Giants.

• In the four games before Seattle traded for Marshawn Lynch, the Seahawks averaged 70.5 yards per game rushing. In the two games with Lynch, they have averaged 127.5 on the ground.

• Rams quarterback Sam Bradford has 82 total passing yards in the second halves of his past two games combined. Against San Diego and Tampa Bay, Bradford completed 10-of-19 passes in the second half with no touchdowns or interceptions. In the first halves, he was 21-of-38 for 242 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions.

• The Packers have lost nine players to injured reserve since the start of the season, including running back Ryan Grant, linebacker Nick Barnett and tight end Jermichael Finley.

• The Colts have either owned for shared the AFC South lead in 115 of 143 weeks of the division’s existence. Indianapolis has six AFC South titles.
• Vikings defensive tackle Pat Williams, who turned 38 on Oct. 24, is the oldest active defensive player in the NFL. Minnesota also has the league’s oldest player in Brett Favre, 41.

• The Patriots are 28-5 in the month of October since the 2003 season. They have won 19 of their past 21 games in the month, including a 3-0 record this season.

• The Saints have turned the ball over 14 times this season, including nine in the past three games. On the other side, a defense that averaged 2.4 takeaways per game last season has but six in seven games. (The Saints also have three takeaways on special teams.) That leaves New Orleans at minus-5 in turnover differential.

• The Eagles have intercepted 11 passes. They have allowed 13 touchdown passes, including eight in the past three games.

• The Steelers are 24-4 against NFC teams since 2003, including two Super Bowls.

• Jay Cutler’s passer rating has fallen from 109.7 to 84.1 over the past four games. In 22 games in Chicago, he has 33 interceptions and 34 touchdown passes.

• Since December 2008, the Cardinals are 9-0 after losses.

• Matt Ryan is 16-1 (.941) at home since becoming the Falcons’ starting quarterback as a rookie in 2008.

• Carson Palmer has three 300-yard games this season, all losses. The Bengals are 5-9 all time when Palmer throws for 300 or more yards.

• With a league-leading 54 catches for 747 yards through seven games, Falcons receiver Roddy White is on pace to catch 123 passes. That which would break Terance Mathis’ team record of 111, set in 1994.

• Eagles running back LeSean McCoy has 80 rushing yards in his past 32 carries.