Seven From Sunday – Kickoff Weekend

A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, September 13, the first week of the 2020 season.

  • Six teams came back to win after trailing in the fourth quarter on Kickoff Weekend – Arizona, Chicago, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, the Los Angeles Chargers and Washington – the most fourth-quarter comeback victories on Kickoff Weekend since 2016 (nine teams).
  • Cincinnati quarterback JOE BURROW, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft, made his first career start against the Los Angeles Chargers on Kickoff Weekend. At least one rookie quarterback has started in Week 1 in 13 consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the NFL since at least 1950.

    Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY (43 years old) and New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES (41) faced off on Kickoff Weekend, marking the first game in NFL history in which both starting quarterbacks were age 40 or older. It also marked the first matchup since at least 1950 to feature the top-two all-time leaders in passing touchdowns.
  • Baltimore quarterback LAMAR JACKSON passed for 275 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 152.1 rating in the Ravens’ 38-6 win over the Browns on Kickoff Weekend.

    Jackson has three career games with at least three touchdown passes and a passer rating of 150 or higher (minimum 10 attempts), the most by a quarterback in his first three seasons in NFL history.
  • Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON completed 31 of 35 attempts (88.6 percent) for 322 yards and four touchdowns for a 143.1 rating in the Seahawks’ 38-25 win at Atlanta. His completion percentage of 88.6 is tied for the third-highest single game completion percentage (minimum 35 attempts) in NFL history.

    Wilson, who has 30,056 passing yards and 4,022 rushing yards during his nine-year NFL career, joins Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG as the only players in NFL history with at least 30,000 career passing yards and 4,000 career rushing yards.

    Atlanta quarterback MATT RYAN passed for 450 yards with two touchdowns in Week 1. Ryan has 51,636 career passing yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHN ELWAY (51,475) for the ninth-most passing yards in NFL history.

    Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES recorded nine receptions for 157 yards against Seattle. He has 807 career receptions in 127 games and became the second-fastest player to reach 800 catches in NFL history, trailing only ANTONIO BROWN (126 games).

    Jones has 16 career games with at least 150 receiving yards, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer DON MAYNARD (15) and CALVIN JOHNSON (15) for the fourth-most in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (30), LANCE ALWORTH (17) and TERRELL OWENS (17) have more.
  • Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS passed for 364 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 127.5 rating in the Packers’ 43-34 win at Minnesota on Kickoff Weekend.

    Rodgers has 16 career games with at least 300 passing yards and four touchdown passes, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (16) for the fourth-most such games in league annals.

    Rodgers has 47,310 career passing yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer FRAN TARKENTON (47,003) for the 12th-most passing yards in NFL history. He also has 368 career passing touchdowns, surpassing ELI MANNING (366) for the seventh-most passing touchdowns in league annals.

    Packers cornerback JAIRE ALEXANDER registered a sack, interception and a safety against Minnesota. He is the fifth player to record a sack, interception and a safety in a single game since 2000, joining ROCKY BOIMAN (Week 4, 2003), CALAIS CAMPBELL (Week 5, 2016), JAMES HARRISON (Week 11, 2008) and ADALIUS THOMAS (Week 2, 2006).
     
  • Jacksonville quarterback GARDNER MINSHEW completed 19 of 20 pass attempts (95 percent) for 173 yards with three touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 142.3 rating in the Jaguars’ 27-20 win over Indianapolis.

    Minshew is the fourth quarterback in NFL history with a completion percentage of 95 of higher (minimum 20 attempts) in a single game, joining DREW BREES [29 of 30 (96.7 percent) on December 16, 2019], PHILIP RIVERS [28 of 29 (96.6 percent) on November 25, 2018] and MARCUS MARIOTA [22 of 23 (95.7 percent) on November 26, 2018].
  • New England quarterback CAM NEWTON rushed for 75 yards and two touchdowns in the Patriots’ 21-11 win against Miami on Kickoff Weekend.

    Newton has 60 career rushing touchdowns, the most by a quarterback in NFL history. He has seven career games with at least two rushing touchdowns, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famers OTTO GRAHAM and STEVE YOUNG, along with JACK KEMP and STEVE MCNAIR for the most by a quarterback in NFL history.
  • Other notable performances from Sunday include:
    • Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN passed for 312 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing touchdown in the Bills’ 27-17 victory over the New York Jets in Week 1.

      Allen has 18 career rushing touchdowns, tied with DAK PRESCOTT (18) for the second-most by a quarterback in his first three seasons in league history. Only CAM NEWTON (28 rushing touchdowns) has more.

      Week 1 marked Allen’s 11th career game with both a passing and rushing touchdown, tied with STEVE GROGAN (11 games) for the third-most by a quarterback in his first three seasons in NFL history. Only CAM NEWTON (20 games) and DAK PRESCOTT (13) have more.
    • Las Vegas running back JOSH JACOBS recorded 139 scrimmage yards (93 rushing, 46 receiving) and three rushing touchdowns in the Raiders’ 34-30 win at Carolina on Kickoff Weekend.

      Jacobs, who had two rushing touchdowns as a rookie in Week 1 of the 2019 season, joins LAWRENCE PHILLIPS (1996-97) as the only players in NFL history with at least two rushing touchdowns in Week 1 of both their rookie and second seasons.
    • Carolina running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY totaled 134 scrimmage yards (96 rushing, 38 receiving) and two rushing touchdowns against Las Vegas.

      McCaffrey has 26 rushing touchdowns and 15 receiving touchdowns in 49 career games and joined CHUCK FOREMAN (37 rushing touchdowns, 18 receiving touchdowns) as the only players with at least 25 rushing touchdowns and 15 receiving touchdowns in their first 50 games in NFL history.
    • Baltimore wide receiver MARQUISE BROWN registered five receptions for 101 yards in the team’s Week 1 win.

      Brown, who had 147 receiving yards as a rookie in Week 1 of the 2019 season, is the fifth player in NFL history and first since LOUIS LIPPS (1984-85) with at least 100 receiving yards on Kickoff Weekend during both his rookie and second season.