Randy Moss = Touchdown Machine

Twelve years into his career, New England Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss remains on pace to break almost all the records held by Jerry Rice, an incoming Hall of Famer. I certainly don't expect him to break many, however, because Rice played for 20 seasons -- and most of them at an extremely high level. Moss may have entered the league at age 21, but he is unlikely to play into his 40s.

That doesn't mean we should ignore that Moss tied Rice on Sunday for the most seasons with 10 or more receiving touchdowns. In a league where scoring touchdowns is the goal, the duo tops an impressive list. Moss and Rice each have reached the milestone nine times, followed by Terrell Owens and Marvin Harrison (eight), and Cris Carter (six). Harrison and Carter are retired, so won't add to their totals, but it's conceivable Owens could reach 10 TDs again.

Granted, 10 receiving touchdowns is somewhat of an arbitrary number that sounds nice because of how many fingers we have on our hands. If the cutoff is nine receiving touchdowns, Rice (12) firmly leads the category followed by Moss and Owens (nine), and Harrison and Carter (eight).

Can Moss break the record? Possibly, considering he has reached the 10-touchdown plateau in each of his three seasons with the New England Patriots. But Rice and Harrison each had an eight-year streak snapped, and Owens is watching his own streak of three straight seasons end.

Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald, who has four 10+ touchdown years in his first six seasons, is likely the only other active receivers who could join this elite group. Moss had five milestone seasons in his first six years, followed by Rice (four), and Owens and Harrison (three).

Here's the breakdown of the top five receivers on this list:

Randy Moss
Nine times, two teams, four QBs
New England Patriots

2009 13 Tom Brady
2008 11 Matt Cassel
2007 23 Tom Brady
Minnesota Vikings
2004 13 Daunte Culpepper
2003 17 Daunte Culpepper (12); Gus Frerotte (5)
2001 10 Daunte Culpepper (6); Todd Bouman (4)
2000 15 Daunte Culpepper
1999 11 Jeff George (8); Randall Cunningham (3)
1998 17 Randall Cunningham (15); Brad Johnson (2)

Jerry Rice
Nine times, one team, two QBs
San Francisco 49ers
1995 15 Steve Young (11); Elvis Grbac (4)
1994 13 Steve Young
1993 15 Steve Young
1992 10 Steve Young
1991 14 Steve Young (10); Steve Bono (4)
1990 13 Joe Montana (12); Steve Young (1)
1989 17 Joe Montana (14); Steve Young (3); Steve Bono (1)
1987 22 Joe Montana (13); Steve Young (8); Harry Sydney (1)
1986 15 Jeff Kemp (8); Joe Montana (6); Mike Moroski (1)

Terrell Owens
Eight times, three teams, four QBs
Dallas Cowboys
2008 10 Tony Romo (9); Brooks Bollinger (1)
2007 15 Tony Romo
2006 13 Tony Romo (10); Drew Bledsoe (3)
Philadelphia Eagles
2004 14 Donovan McNabb
San Francisco 49ers
2002 13 Jeff Garcia
2001 16 Jeff Garcia
2000 13 Jeff Garcia
1998 14 Steve Young (11); Ty Detmer (2); Terry Kirby (1)

Marvin Harrison
Eight times, one team, one QB
Indianapolis Colts
2006 12 Peyton Manning
2005 12 Peyton Manning
2004 15 Peyton Manning (14); Jim Sorgi (1)
2003 10 Peyton Manning
2002 11 Peyton Manning
2001 15 Peyton Manning (14); Ken Dilger (1)
2000 14 Peyton Manning
1999 12 Peyton Manning

Cris Carter
Six times, two teams, two QBs
Minnesota Vikings
1999 13 Jeff George (11); Randall Cunningham (1); Randy Moss (1)
1998 12 Randall Cunningham (8); Brad Johnson (4)
1997 13 Brad Johnson (8); Randall Cunningham (5)
1996 10 Brad Johnson (8); Warren Moon (2)
1995 17 Warren Moon
Philadelphia Eagles
1989 11 Randall Cunningham (9); Matt Cavanaugh (1); Roger Ruzek (1)

Nota bene: Yes, Moss did throw one of the 13 touchdowns to Carter in 1999 -- a 27-yarder against the New York Giants. ... The next three wide receivers on the list, each with five seasons, are Art Powell, Lance Alworth and Bob Hayes. ... James Lofton is the top player on the career receiving touchdown list (26th overall with 75 touchdowns) without any seasons with 10+ touchdown catches.

Manning's unknown MVP record?

Correction: Peyton Manning has played 11 NFL seasons, not 10 as previously stated.

Note: My research is only complete through 1985, but I am extremely confident no player before then qualifies because careers were much shorter. Please let me know if my data is inaccurate.

Peyton Manning was named the 2008 NFL MVP today, and now the debate can really begin. Historically, will Manning or Brett Favre be remembered as the better quarterback?

Both have one Super Bowl ring and both have won three NFL MVPs, the only players to achieve such a feat. The future Hall of Famers even share the odd distinction of being a co-MVP -- Manning shared it with Steve McNair in 2003 and Favre shared it with Barry Sanders in 1997.

The Indianapolis Colts quarterback, however, did move past Favre in one category by receiving 32 of this year's 50 votes from The Associated Press. He actually only needed one to set the mark.

Manning has now received MVP votes in seven of his 11 NFL seasons, breaking a record shared by Favre and Jerry Rice, who each had career totals of six. Steve Young and Joe Montana received MVP votes in four individual seasons.

In addition to his three first-place finishes (2008, 2004, 2003), Manning has finished second (2005), tied for second (1999), third (2006) and tied for fifth (2000). Favre won the award in three consecutive years (1997, 1996, 1995) and also has second- (2007, 2002) and third-place (2001) finishes in his 18-year career.

For the curious, Rice finished second (1995, 1987), third (1994, 1993) sixth (1986) and seventh (1990) in a 20-year career.

Receiving any MVP votes in a career can be a difficult task -- future Hall of Fame running back LaDainian Tomlinson has received no votes outside of his 2006 MVP season -- and Manning's consistent greatness should not be overlooked.

Nota bene:

- Jerry Rice's feat is astounding in itself because wide receivers are not often recognized by MVP voters. Since Rice's career began in 1985, only Randy Moss (1998) and Sterling Sharpe (1993) and tight end Mark Bavaro (1986) received any MVP votes.

- Eight players received MVP votes in 2008, marking the most split ballot since 1993, when nine players received votes: Emmitt Smith (26), Steve Young (21), Jerry Rice (15), John Elway (10), Troy Aikman (3), Warren Moon (2), Marcus Allen (2), Phil Simms (1), Sterling Sharpe (1).