Giving quarterbacks big money doesn’t guarantee success or even playoff appearances.The NFL’s six highest-paid quarterbacks in 2018 will be spectators this postseason. Green Bay’s Aaron Rodgers ($33.5 million) http://www.bengalscheapstore.com/germaine-pratt-jersey-cheap , Atlanta’s Matt Ryan ($30 million), Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins ($28 million), San Francisco’s Jimmy Garoppolo ($27.5 million), Detroit’s Matthew Stafford ($27 million) and Oakland’s Derek Carr ($25 million) couldn’t lead their teams to the playoffs.Only Cousins had a winning record (8-7-1), and he failed in a do-or-die game in the regular-season finale. Cousins, who received a three-year, fully guaranteed, $84 million contract, struggled in a 24-10 loss to the Chicago Bears that eliminated the Vikings.Of the top six on the salary list, only Rodgers has won a Super Bowl. Ryan is 4-6 in the playoffs, Stafford is 0-3 and Cousins is 0-1. Carr and Garoppolo haven’t made a postseason start.Among the 12 starting quarterbacks still playing, six are still under their rookie contract and another — Nick Foles — is a backup.Here’s a look at a few more numbers entering wild-card weekend:SETTING RECORDS: New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees broke his own record with a 74.4 completion percentage Ryan Finley Jersey , the highest in a season in NFL history. … Philadelphia’s Zach Ertz set a record for most receptions by a tight end (116). … San Francisco’s George Kittle set a record for most yards receiving by a tight end (1,377). … Teams combined to score 1,371 total touchdowns, the highest total in a season. … Eight quarterbacks had a passer rating of 100 or higher, most in a season.LAST MAN STANDING: Philadelphia’s Doug Pederson is the only one of seven coaches hired in 2016 still with his team. Adam Gase (23-26, Miami), Chip Kelly (2-14, San Francisco), Hue Jackson (3-36-1, Cleveland), Mike Mularkey (19-17, Tennessee) http://www.bengalscheapstore.com/renell-wren-jersey-cheap , Dirk Koetter (19-29, Tampa Bay) and Ben McAdoo (13-16, Giants) all were fired, some sooner than others.WORST TO FIRST: The Bears (12-4) and Texans (11-5) won their divisions after finishing in last place in 2017. The Eagles won the Super Bowl last year after going worst-to-first in the NFC East.THE NEWCOMERS: Seven teams who weren’t in the playoffs last season qualified this year. All seven — Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Indianapolis, the Los Angeles Chargers and Seattle — will play this weekend. Since the 12-team playoff format was adopted in 1990, at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season that were not in the postseason the previous year.WILD-CARD CHAMPS: Nine teams who played wild-card games have won the Super Bowl, including the 1980 Raiders, 1997 Broncos Michael Jordan Jersey , 2000 and 2012 Ravens, 2005 Steelers, 2006 Colts, 2007 and 2011 Giants and 2010 Packers.TOUGHEST ROAD: The Eagles and Colts are each trying to become only the third No. 6 seed to win a Super Bowl, joining the 2005 Steelers and 2010 Packers.EASIEST ROAD: Since 1975, 49 of the 86 teams (57 percent) to reach the Super Bowl were No. 1 seeds. In that span, 20 No. 2 seeds, four No. 3, nine No. 4, two No. 5 and two No. 6 made it. Over the past five years, nine of 10 No. 1 seeds played in the Super Bowl. Only the 2016 Cowboys didn’t get in.WELCOME TO THE DANCE: Four quarterbacks will make their postseason debut as starters. Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, Chicago’s Mitchell Trubisky and Houston’s Deshaun Watson play this weekend. Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes has a bye.STINGY DEFENSE: In three of the past four seasons http://www.raidersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-hunter-renfrow-jersey , the teams with the stringiest regular-season scoring defense have advanced to the Super Bowl. The Bears led the league with the fewest points allowed per game (17.7) this season. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Vikings and wide receiver Adam Thielen have agreed in principle to a four-year contract extension valued at $64 million.The Vikings announced the deal on Friday. Thielen’s agency, The Institute for Athletes, posted the terms on Instagram , including the potential through incentives to earn as much as $73 million over the life of the contract covering the 2021-24 seasons.Thielen has two years left on the deal he signed in 2017, which easily made the Minnesota native one of the best bargains in the NFL after averaging 102 catches and 1,325 yards over the past two seasons. He was picked for the Pro Bowl both years, further enhancing one of the league’s best underdog stories.He needed a pay-your-own-way regional NFL combine and a Vikings rookie tryout camp to make the practice squad in 2013 out of Minnesota State, an NCAA Division II school that offered him a mere $500 scholarship out of Detroit Lakes High School. Thielen made the active roster in 2014 and contributed mostly on special teams for two seasons until becoming a starter in 2016.The $16 million annual average value of Thielen’s new contract would rank him sixth in the league , behind Odell Beckham, Antonio Brown, Mike Evans, DeAndre Hopkins and Brandin Cooks Zach Brown Jersey , according to figures compiled by the sports salaries database Spotrac.com.The 28-year-old Thielen had 113 receptions last season, the third-most in Vikings history and tied for fourth in the NFL. He had nine touchdowns, tied for 10th in the league with teammate Stefon Diggs. Thielen became the first player in NFL history to record eight straight games with 100-plus receiving yards to start a season.Diggs got his megadeal, valued at $72 million over five years, at the beginning of training camp last summer. He established career highs with 102 receptions and 1,021 yards in 2018.With big-ticket contracts for Diggs, quarterback Kirk Cousins, defensive end Danielle Hunter and linebackers Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr all on the books in the past 13 months, the Vikings have moved up close against the salary cap.