NFL Report: Iowa TEs make a major impact

TIGHT END EXPLOSION

Iowa once again has wrested the moniker as the NFL's “Tight End U” away from Big Ten rival Wisconsin.

Four different Hawkeyes have started NFL games at tight end this year. Oakland's Brandon Myers has 16 catches for 228 yards, while Buffalo's Scott Chandler caught 12 passes for 175 yards and four touchdowns. Dallas Clark (Tampa Bay) and Tony Moeaki (Kansas City) each have nine catches.

Throw in Allen Reisner, who played in three games for Minnesota (he's now on the practice team), and nobody can touch Iowa at tight end. Wisconsin has four rostered tight ends with Owen Daniels (Houston), Garrett Graham (Houston) and Lance Kendricks (St. Louis) earning starts. Travis Beckum (NY Giants) is on the physically-unable-to-perform list.

HISTORICAL MOMENT

New Orleans QB Drew Brees has tied Johnny Unitas' record by throwing TD passes in 47 consecutive games. Brees goes for the solo record tonight at home against San Diego. Coincidentally, that's Brees' former club and the team with which Unitas ended his career.

GAME OF THE WEEK

The NFL's greatest individual rivalry renews this afternoon with Denver traveling to New England. Broncos QB Peyton Manning and Patriots QB Tom Brady have combined for six MVPs, 714 touchdown passes and more than 96,000 passing yards. Brady owns an 8-4 record against Manning but many duels between the all-time greats have been legendary.

ON THE TUBE

Tough week to select games at KFXA and KGAN. The local affiliates try to show the Packers, Vikings and Bears as often as possible. But today - a single-game week for Fox - KFXA had to pick between the Packers-Colts and Bears-Jaguars. Likewise, the Vikings-Titans game competes against CBS' nationally aired Broncos-Patriots, you know, Manning vs. Brady. Talk about making nobody happy this week.

• Ravens at Chiefs, noon, KGAN
• Packers at Colts, noon, KFXA
• Titans at Vikings, 3:25 p.m., KGAN
• Chargers at Saints, 7:20 p.m., KWWL