What To Look For – Week 15

PLAYOFF PUSH: Last week, the PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (12-1) became the first team to secure a spot in the 2022 postseason and five other teams can join them in Week 15. 

In the AFC, the KANSAS CITY CHEIFS (10-3) can secure their seventh-consecutive AFC West division title, tying the 1973-79 LOS ANGELES RAMS for the second-longest streak of division titles in NFL history. Only the 2009-19 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (11 consecutive seasons) had a longer streak. 

Additionally, the BUFFALO BILLS (10-3) can clinch their fourth-consecutive postseason berth, which would tie for the second-longest streak in franchise history (1963-67). Their only longer streak was when they made six consecutive playoff appearances from 1988-93. 

In the NFC, both the MINNESOTA VIKINGS (10-3) and SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (9-4) can win their respective divisions this week. The Vikings are looking for their first NFC North title since 2017, while the 49ers can win the NFC West for the first time since 2019. 

The DALLAS COWBOYS (10-3) can also clinch a postseason berth this week, as they can make the playoffs in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2006-07. 

For the full Week 15 playoff scenarios for each club, click here.

— NFL —

PASSING LEADERS: Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES leads the NFL with 4,160 passing yards this season, while Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT ranks second with 3,706. Last week, Mahomes joined Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING as the only players in NFL history with at least 4,000 passing yards in five of their first six season. 

With 294 passing yards against Tennessee on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Herbert can become the first player ever to record at least 4,000 passing yards in each of his first three seasons. 

Mahomes also leads the league with 33 touchdown passes in 2022. Since becoming Kansas City’s starter in 2018, Mahomes’ 184 touchdown passes are the most in the NFL and he has totaled at least 35 touchdown passes in three of the past four seasons. 

With two touchdown passes at Houston on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Mahomes will become the fifth quarterback in NFL history to record at least 35 touchdown passes in four-or-more different seasons, joining TOM BRADY (six seasons), AARON RODGERS (six), DREW BREES (four) and Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (four). 

The players with the most seasons with at least 35 touchdown passes in NFL history: 

PLAYERTEAM(S)SEASONS
Tom BradyNew England, Tampa Bay6
Aaron RodgersGreen Bay6
Drew BreesNew Orleans4
Peyton ManningHOFIndianapolis, Denver4
   
Patrick MahomesKansas City3*
*Has 33 touchdown passes in 2022

— NFL —

MILESTONE MARKER: Detroit quarterback JARED GOFF has led the Lions to five wins in their past six games and has totaled over 325 passing yards in each of the past two weeks. He ranks third in the NFC this season with 3,352 passing yards. 

Since entering the league in 2016, the former No. 1 overall pick, has 24,768 passing yards in 96 career games. With 232 passing yards at the New York Jets on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Goff can tie Pro Football Hall of Famers PEYTON MANNING (97 games) and KURT WARNER (97) as the third-fastest player ever to reach 25,000 career passing yards. Only MATTHEW STAFFORD (90 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (92) reached the mark in fewer games. 

The players to reach 25,000 career passing yards in the fewest games in NFL history: 

PLAYERTEAM(S)GAMES
Matthew StaffordDetroit90
Dan MarinoHOFMiami92
Peyton ManningHOFIndianapolis97
Kurt WarnerHOFSt. Louis Rams, N.Y. Giants, Arizona97
   
Jared GoffL.A. Rams, Detroit96*
*Has 24,768 passing yards

Las Vegas quarterback DEREK CARR enters Week 15 with 3,117 passing yards this season and last week became the third player in NFL history to record at least 3,000 passing yards in each of his first nine seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING and RUSSELL WILSON.

Since entering the league in 2014, Carr ranks third among all players with 34,817 passing yards. With 183 passing yards against New England on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, FOX), Carr will become the fourth quarterback ever to record at least 35,000 passing yards in his first nine seasons.  

The players with the most passing yards in their first nine seasons in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMPASSING YARDS
Matt RyanAtlanta37,701
Peyton ManningHOFIndianapolis37,586
Dan MarinoHOFMiami35,386
Derek CarrOakland/Las Vegas34,817*
*Entering Sunday

— NFL —

JEFFERSON MAKING HISTORY: Minnesota wide receiver JUSTIN JEFFERSON leads the NFL this season with 1,500 receiving yards and ranks second with 99 receptions. Last week, he recorded a career-high 223 receiving yards, his fifth-career game with at least 175 receiving yards, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer LANCE ALWORTH (five games) for the most such games by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history.

Jefferson ranked second in the league with 1,616 receiving yards in 2021 and with 100 receiving yards against Indianapolis on Saturday (1:00 PM ET, NFLN), can become the third player ever with at least 1,600 receiving yards in consecutive seasons. 

The players with at least 1,600 receiving yards in consecutive seasons in NFL history: 

PLAYERTEAMCONSECUTIVE SEASONS
Antonio BrownPittsburgh2014-15
Calvin JohnsonHOFDetroit2011-12
   
Justin JeffersonMinnesota2021*
*Has 1,500 receiving yards in 2022

Since entering the league in 2020, Jefferson ranks fifth with 295 receptions. With five catches on Saturday, he will become the third player all-time with at least 300 receptions in his first three seasons, joining MICHAEL THOMAS (321 receptions) and CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY (303). 

After totaling 108 receptions last season, Jefferson can also become the fifth player ever to record at least 100 receptions in two of his first three seasons, joining ANQUAN BOLDINBRANDON MARSHALL, McCaffrey and Thomas. 

— NFL —

SATURDAY NIGHT RECEIVER: When the BUFFALO BILLS (10-3) host the MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-5) in a key, late-season AFC East matchup on Saturday night (8:15 PM ET, NFLN), three of the top receivers in the league will be on display. 

Miami’s TYREEK HILL ranks second in the NFL with 1,460 receiving yards this season, while teammate JAYLEN WADDLE ranks seventh with 1,003. They are the only pair of teammates each with at least 1,000 receiving yards in 2022. Buffalo’s STEFON DIGGS ranks fourth with 1,239 receiving yards and tied for third with 10 touchdown receptions. Hill (100 receptions) and Diggs (94) also rank first and third, respectively, among reception leaders this season. 

Saturday’s meeting will mark the fourth game in NFL history featuring opposing players each with at least 1,200 receiving yards on the season entering the matchup in Week 15 or earlier. 

PLAYERS (REC. YARDS ENTERING GAME)WEEK, SEASONRESULT
MIA Tyreek Hill (1,460) & BUF Stefon Diggs (1,239)Week 15, 2022???
HOU Andre Johnson (1,360) & IND Reggie Wayne (1,220)Week 15, 2012HOU 29, IND 17
SF Jerry RiceHOF (1,464) & NE Stanley Morgan (1,222)Week 15, 1986SF 29, NE 24
OAK Art Powell (1,301) & SD Lance AlworthHOF (1,221)Week 15, 1964OAK 21, SD 20


Hill recorded a 57-yard fumble-recovery touchdown and his sixth touchdown reception of the season last week, becoming the fifth player in NFL history to record at least six touchdown receptions in each of his first seven seasons. 

Since entering the league in 2016, Hill ranks second among wide receivers with 74 total touchdowns (62 receiving, six rushing, four punt-returns, one kickoff-return and one fumble-recovery). He is also the only player in the Super Bowl era to score a 50-yard touchdown in five different ways. 

With a touchdown on Saturday night, Hill will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer LANCE ALWORTH (75 touchdowns) for the third-most touchdowns by a wide receiver in his first seven seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (97 touchdowns) and RANDY MOSS (91) have more.

The wide receivers with the most touchdowns in their first seven seasons in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAM(S)TOUCHDOWNS
Jerry RiceHOFSan Francisco97
Randy MossHOFMinnesota91
Lance AlworthHOFSan Diego Chargers75
Tyreek HillKansas City, Miami74*
Terrell OwensHOFSan Francisco74
*Entering Saturday

Hill can also join Moss as the only wide receivers in NFL history with at least seven touchdowns in each of his first seven seasons.

With six catches on Saturday night, Diggs will become the sixth player ever to record at least 100 receptions and 1,200 receiving yards in three-or-more consecutive seasons. He can become the first player to ever accomplish the feat in each of his first three seasons with a team.

The players with at least 100 receptions and 1,200 receiving yards in the most consecutive seasons in NFL history: 

PLAYERTEAMCONSECUTIVE SEASONS
Antonio BrownPittsburgh6 (2013-18)
Marvin HarrisonHOFIndianapolis4 (1999-2002)
Herman MooreDetroit3 (1995-97)
Jerry RiceHOFSan Francisco3 (1994-96)
Michael ThomasNew Orleans3 (2017-19)
   
Stefon DiggsBuffalo2* (2020-21)
*Active streak

In nine career starts against the Dolphins, Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN has totaled 27 touchdowns (23 passing, four rushing) and has recorded at least two touchdown passes in each game. 

With two touchdown passes on Saturday night, Allen will become the second player ever to record at least two touchdown passes in 10 consecutive games against a single opponent, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (10 consecutive games against the New York Jets from 1991-97). 

— NFL —

RIDICULOUS RAIDER: Las Vegas wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS ties for the league lead this season with 12 touchdown receptions, while ranking third with 1,247 receiving yards. 

With 53 receiving yards against New England on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, FOX), Adams can become the fifth player all-time to record at least 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions in four-or-more different seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (six seasons), MARVIN HARRISON (five), RANDY MOSS (five) and TERRELL OWENS (four). 

The players with the most seasons with at least 1,300 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions in NFL history: 

PLAYERTEAM(S)SEASONS 
Jerry RiceHOFSan Francisco6 
Marvin HarrisonHOFIndianapolis5 
Randy MossHOFMinnesota, New England5 
Terrell OwensHOFSan Francisco, Dallas4 
    
Davante AdamsGreen Bay, Las Vegas3* 
*Has 1,247 receiving yards and 12 touchdown receptions in 2022

— NFL —

HEY, ROOKIE: Green Bay wide receiver CHRISTIAN WATSON ties for the lead among rookies this season with nine touchdowns (seven receiving, two rushing) and has recorded a touchdown reception in each of his past four games. 

Since Week 10, he leads all players with seven touchdown receptions and is the third rookie in the Super Bowl era with at least seven touchdown receptions in a four-game span. 

With a touchdown reception against the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC), Watson will become the fourth rookie in the Super Bowl era with a touchdown catch in five consecutive games and the first since LEE EVANS IN 2004. 

The rookies with a touchdown reception in the most consecutive games in the Super Bowl era: 

PLAYERTEAMSEASONCONSECUTIVE GAMES
Randy MossHOFMinnesota19987
Lee EvansBuffalo20045
Chris SandersHouston Oilers19955
    
Christian WatsonGreen Bay20224*
*Active streak   

— NFL —