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NFL Milestones
by Brian Davis
30/7/2009
Are you ever on the hunt for statistics and records? Believe that statistics and milestones define how a player is remembered?
The diner checks out potential milestones that can be reached in the 2009 season, amongst the all-time leaders and greats to have ever played the game. We have tried to find those that are achievable within the year, to give you something to follow and check out through the season.
Marcus Allen look away now.
OFFENSE:
Touchdowns:
 Both LaDanian Tomlinson and Terrell Owens are on 141 all time touchdowns. They both require 5 touchdowns each to pass Marcus Allen (145) who currently sits as the 3rd overall Touchdown scorer of all time.
This is a fairly small bar for these two guys to get over, barring any injury woes; you would expect both of these to move above Allen by mid-season at the very latest.
Randy Moss is 5 touchdowns behind Tomlinson and Owens on 136 all time so could also go past Allen in 2009.
10 touchdowns for Moss, with Brady throwing to him again, you have to like that prospect and the chances of it happening so Allen will likely slip from 3rd to 6th by the end of this season on the all time Touchdown scorers list.
Point Scoring:
Former New York Giants and current Free Agent, 45 year old Kicker John Carney; currently sits on 1955 career points. He requires 48 points to overtake George Blanda (2002 points) as the third highest point scorer of all-time.
 Another current Free Agent Kicker, 41 year old Matt Stover, is 11 points behind Carney on 1944 points so requires 59 points to pass Blanda.
Youd have to think that Matt Stover, the second most reliable kicker in NFL history, has to find a roster spot somewhere. I believe he is still in talks with the Ravens coaching staff so could find himself, kicking again in Baltimore in 09.
Carney statistically had a decent 2008 season hitting 35/38 field goals for the Giants but suffered on his kick offs. Both he and Stover might end up somewhere that have kick-off specialists on their roster and can afford to have two kickers on their 53.
Failing that theyll be sure to be picked up somewhere as emergency cover, where they will have a chance of getting some points on the board.
Rushing:
Another Marcus Allen record will be under threat if Edgerrin James can find himself a team for 2009. James requires;
123 more yards to move into the top 10 rushers of all time passing Allen
159 yards will take him to 9th in the list past Marshall Faulk (12279).
192 yards will take Edge up to 8th in the list past the great Jim Brown (12312)
A healthy season of 619 yards will take Edge up 7th in the list past Tony Dorsett (12739)
James can still cut it at the top level. He certainly still has a season or two left, especially if he can contribute by spelling and backing up somebody somewhere. Even as a third choice he should pass Jim Brown in 2009.
 484 LaDanian Tomlinson yards will also move him into the top 10 all time rushers past Marcus Allen (12243) depending on James.
980 LDT yards will move him up to 7th in all time rushing yardage past Tony Dorsett, also dependant on Edge James situation.
As I have said elsewhere, I like Tomlinson to have a very good season this year so would expect him to pass Dorsett in 09 and get ahead of James.
Clinton Portis needs 798 rushing yards to break the 10,000 yard milestone.
Receiving Catches:
Terrell Owens (6th all time on 951 catches) currently trails Isaac Bruce (5th all time on 1003) in all time reception leaders by 52 catches.
25 Tony Gonzalez catches from Matt Ryan will take him past Art Monk (940) into 8th all time in reception leaders.
36 Gonzo catches will take him past Andre Reed (951) into 7th place of all time in all time reception leaders.
Matt Ryan must be salivating at having Tony Gonzalez to throw to this year, so by mid-season Mr Gonzalez will pass Andre Reed. As for Owens, he may not pass Bruce in 2009 but hell have closed that number come January and will move into 5th place in time.
Receiving Yardage:
 2nd all time yardage leader Isaac Bruce requires 56 more yards to get to 15,000 career yards. With the 49ers having a multitude of options at wide out, Bruce will be good for these yards very early on in 2009.
4th placed Marvin Harrison can make 15,000 career yards if somebody needs a veteran to come in and be a possession receiver for them. He needs 420 yards to reach this landmark.
Current 5th place man Terrell Owens will require 878 yards on the season to get him to 15,000 yards and past Tim Brown on the All-Time list.
9th placed Randy Moss is currently 576 yards behind Henry Ellard, 698 behind Cris Carter and will require 804 on the season to pass 6th placed James Lofton.
Torry Holt can break into the top 10 and past Andre Reed with a 539 yard plus season in Jacksonville.
Tony Gonzalez requires 449 yards to break into the top 19, passing Keenan McCardell in 20th and then Rod Smith as he does so.
Hines Ward will break into the 10,000 yard club with 220 yards.
Passing:
 3698 passing yards from Peyton Manning in 2009 will take him to 4th all time ahead of Warren Moon and firmly behind Elway, Marino and Favre.
150 pass completions will move Manning into 4th of all time in pass completion leaders, passing Warren Moon once again.
10 Manning touchdown passes will also move him into 3rd place on the All-Time Touchdown passers list, past Fran Tarkenton who has 342.
Peyton is yet to post a season under 3739 yards in his career and the last three seasons hes thrown for over 4000, so Moon will be very much in sight during the run-in. The other two records will both be achieved by at least mid-season barring any injury problems. God help the Colts if Manning does go down, can Sorgi really manage?
Kerry Collins requires 754 passing yards to move up to 12th all time in the Passing yards leaders passing Boomer Esiasen and Dave Kreig when he does get them.
2846 Kerry Collins passing yards in 2009 and hell surpass Johnny Unitas into 11th place all time.
Collins also requires 137 complete passes to move past Dan Fouts (3297) into 10th all time in pass completion leaders.
Both of these records will depend on Collins fitness and also the Titans Quarterback situation over the course of the season, if he can repeat his 2008 season then he can come close to getting the 2846 yards required, he should get his 137 completions early in the season. Some nice new shiny receivers and Vince Youngs personal and mental issues should see him remain as the starter for 09. Only injury can really stop him making in-roads into these records. 3 touchdown passes will take Tom Brady through the 200 Touchdown pass barrier, 17 will take him into the top 20 past John Brodie. 3554 yards will take Tom Brady through the 30,000 yard mark.
Donovan McNabb requires 6 touchdown passes to make the 200 mark and a mere 680 to pass the 30,000 yards mark.
DEFENCE:
 3 Darren Sharper interceptions will take him to joint 10th of all time in career interceptions. He currently has 54. Mel Blount, Bobby Boyd, Johnny Robinson and Eugene Robinson currently all sit joint 10th of all time with 57.
Missing only 2 games in the last 11 seasons, I like Sharper to achieve his three picks in a change of scenery in New Orleans this season, despite him only gaining one pick for the Vikings last year.
Jason Taylor currently sits 14th all time on the sack leader list.
1 sack will move him to 13th joint with Clyde Simmons
2 sacks will move him to joint 12th with Simeon Rice
6 sacks will move him to joint 11th with Derrick Thomas
He needs an 8 sack season to move into joint 10th with Rickey Jackson.
Taylor is another player with a change of scenery this off-season, which should inspire him to be in the mix of passing some of these guys on the all-time list. His one season in Washington saw him way down on his previous seasons totals. The Phins do have a very tough schedule this coming season so he may not make the 8 he needs to equal Thomas, but I can see him somewhere between Rice and Thomas by season end.
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