| National Football League |
| Dec 18, 2022 |
| Seven From Sunday – Week 15 |
| A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, December 18, the 15th week of the 2022 season. Four teams clinched a playoff spot in Week 15: On Sunday, the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS clinched their seventh-consecutive AFC West division title with a 30-24 overtime victory at Houston, 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. On Thursday Night Football, the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS defeated Seattle, 21-13, to win the NFC West for the first time since 2019. On Saturday, the MINNESOTA VIKINGS recorded the largest comeback victory in NFL history, overcoming a 33-0 deficit to defeat Indianapolis, 39-36, in overtime to clinch the NFC North for the first time since 2017. On Saturday night, the BUFFALO BILLS defeated Miami, 32-29, as time expired to clinch a playoff berth for the fourth-consecutive season. COMEBACKS: The JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat Dallas, 40-34, as safety RAYSHAWN JENKINS registered the game-winning 52-yard interception return for a touchdown in overtime. It marked the seventh-longest game-winning interception return for a touchdown in overtime since 1974 and the longest since ROBERT ALFORD on October 11, 2015 (59 yards). Three teams – MINNESOTA (33-point deficit), CINCINNATI (17) and JACKSONVILLE (17) – each overcame deficits of at least 17 points to win in Week 15. It marks the first time in NFL history that three teams came back to win after trailing by 17-or-more points in a single week. There have been 44 games in which a team has overcome a deficit of at least 10 points to win or tie this season, the most such games through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time. The LAS VEGAS RAIDERS defeated New England, 30-24, as defensive end CHANDLER JONES registered a game-winning 48-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown on the final play of the fourth quarter. With Jenkins and Jones’ game-winning defensive touchdowns this week, it marks the first time since 1970 that there were two game-winning defensive scores on the final play in a single week. Six teams – BUFFALO and MINNESOTA on Saturday along with DETROIT, JACKSONVILLE, KANSAS CITY and LAS VEGAS on Sunday – came back to win after trailing in the fourth quarter. There have been 71 games in which a team has come back to win or tie after trailing in the fourth quarter, the most such games through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time. Seven teams – BUFFALO, DETROIT, JACKSONVILLE, KANSAS CITY, LAS VEGAS, the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS and MINNESOTA – each recorded a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime in Week 15. There have been 56 games this season decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime, the most such games through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time. CLOSE GAMES: With two games yet to be completed in Week 15, there have been 101 games decided by a touchdown (six points) or less, the most such games through the first 15 weeks all-time. Thirteen of 14 games (92.8 percent) that have been completed in Week 15 have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter and there have been 171 games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter this season, the most such games through the first 15 weeks in NFL history. Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES completed 36 of 41 pass attempts (87.8 percent) for 336 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 117.1 rating and added a rushing touchdown while tight end TRAVIS KELCE recorded 10 receptions for 105 yards in the Chiefs’ 30-24 overtime win at Houston. Mahomes’ 87.8 completion percentage is the highest single-game completion percentage among players with at least 40 attempts in NFL history. Mahomes completed his final 20 pass attempts and is the first player to finish a game with at least 20 consecutive completions since DREW BREES on December 16, 2019 (22 consecutive completions). Mahomes leads the NFL with 35 touchdown passes in 2022 and is 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). Kelce has 10,150 career receiving yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer SHANNON SHARPE (10,060) for the fourth-most receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY GONZALEZ (15,127), JASON WITTEN (13,046) and ANTONIO GATES (11,841) have more. Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS recorded 376 total yards (315 passing, 61 rushing) and his second career game with three rushing touchdowns while wide receiver A.J. BROWN registered nine receptions for 181 yards in the Eagles’ 25-20 win at Chicago. Last week, the Eagles became the first team to clinch a playoff berth this season. Hurts is the third quarterback ever with at least 300 passing yards and three rushing touchdowns in a single game, joining DAK PRESCOTT (September 20, 2020) and JACK KEMP (October 26, 1963). Hurts is the fourth quarterback in NFL history with two career games of at least three rushing touchdowns, joining DUANTE CULPEPPER, JOHNNY LUJACK and TOBIN ROTE. Hurts has 13 rushing touchdowns this season, surpassing STEVE GROGAN (12 rushing touchdowns in 1976) and CAM NEWTON (12 in 2020) for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season in NFL history. Only Newton (14 in 2011) has more. Hurts has 26 career rushing touchdowns and surpassed JOSH ALLEN (25) for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in his first three seasons in the Super Bowl era. Only CAM NEWTON (28 rushing touchdowns) has more. Hurts has eight career games with at least two rushing touchdowns, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famers OTTO GRAHAM (seven games) and STEVE YOUNG (seven), as well as JACK KEMP (seven) and STEVE MCNAIR (seven), for the second-most such games by a quarterback all-time. Only CAM NEWTON (10 games) has more. Since entering the NFL in 2019, Brown has seven career games with at least 150 receiving yards, the fifth-most such games by a player in his first four career seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers LANCE ALWORTH (10 games), RANDY MOSS (eight) and JERRY RICE (eight) as well as JUSTIN JEFFERSON (eight) have more. Detroit quarterback JARED GOFF passed for 252 yards, including the game-winning 51-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 remaining the fourth quarter, while rookie linebacker JAMES HOUSTON recorded a sack in the Lions’ 20-17 win at the New York Jets. Goff has 25,020 passing yards in 97 career games and tied 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. Houston is the third rookie since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record at least one sack in each of his first four career games, joining SANTANA DOTSON (1992) and TERRELL SUGGS (2003). Houston is the second player since 2000 with at least five sacks in his first four career games, joining ELVIS DUMERVIL (five sacks in his first four games in 2006). Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT recorded 1.5 sacks in the Steelers’ 24-16 win at Carolina. Watt has 76 sacks in 84 career games and became the third-fastest player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to reach 75 career sacks. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (65 games) and J.J. WATT (82) reached the mark in fewer games. Additional notes from Sunday include: Los Angeles quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT passed for 313 yards in the Chargers’ 17-14 win over Tennessee. Herbert has 4,019 passing yards this season and is the first player in NFL history with at least 4,000 passing yards in each of his first three career seasons. Appearing in his 40th career game, Cincinnati quarterback JOE BURROW recorded four touchdown passes in the Bengals’ 34-23 win at Tampa Bay. Burrow has 78 career touchdown passes and became the fifth player since 1970 with at least 75 touchdown passes in his first 40 career games, joining PATRICK MAHOMES (101 touchdown passes) and JUSTIN HERBERT (82), as well as Pro Football Hall of Famers DAN MARINO (90) and KURT WARNER (86). Burrow, who also has 10 career rushing touchdowns, joined ANDREW LUCK (86 passing, 12 rushing) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 75 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns in their first three seasons. Chicago quarterback JUSTIN FIELDS had 95 rushing yards on Sunday and leads all quarterbacks with 1,000 rushing yards this season. Fields is the third quarterback ever with at least 1,000 rushing yards in a season, joining LAMAR JACKSON (1,206 rushing yards in 2019 and 1,005 rushing yards in 2020) and MICHAEL VICK (1,039 in 2006). Appearing in his 100th career game, Tennessee running back DERRICK HENRY totaled 163 scrimmage yards (104 rushing, 59 receiving) and a rushing touchdown on Sunday. Henry has 77 rushing touchdowns in 100 career games, the sixth-most rushing touchdowns by a player in his first 100 career games in the Super Bowl era. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers EMMITT SMITH (103 rushing touchdowns), LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (102) and ERIC DICKERSON (80) as well as SHAUN ALEXANDER (91) and ADRIAN PETERSON (86) had more. Dallas linebacker MICAH PARSONS registered his 13th sack of the season and had a fumble recovery on Sunday. Parsons, who led all rookies with 13 sacks in 2021, is the third player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with at least 13 sacks in each of his first two seasons, joining ALDON SMITH and Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE. |
