NEW YORK –– Dec. 17, 2023 –– A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during NFL Network’s Saturday Showdown tripleheader on Dec. 16 and during the 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, Dec. 17, the 15th week of the 2023 season.
- The SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS clinched the NFC West division title for the second-consecutive season with a 45-29 win over Arizona in Week 15. It marks their first back-to-back division titles since 2011-12.
Both the DALLAS COWBOYS and PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, who visit Seattle on Monday Night Football, clinched playoff berths for the third-consecutive season.
The BALTIMORE RAVENS can clinch a playoff berth in Week 15 with a win on Sunday Night Football at Jacksonville while the DETROIT LIONS can secure a playoff berth should Philadelphia defeat Seattle on Monday.
Four teams recorded the game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime in Week 15: CAROLINA (field goal with no time remaining in fourth quarter), CINCINNATI (field goal with 3:11 left in overtime), CLEVELAND (field goal with 34 seconds remaining in fourth quarter) and HOUSTON (field goal with no time remaining in overtime).
Four teams overcame a deficit of 10-or-more points to win in Week 15: CINCINNATI (14), HOUSTON (13), INDIANAPOLIS (13) and CLEVELAND (10). - Miami quarterback TUA TAGOVAILOA completed 21 of 24 attempts (87.5 percent) for 224 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions for a 119.4 rating and running back RAHEEM MOSTERT rushed for two touchdowns in the Dolphins’ 30-0 win over the New York Jets.
Tagovailoa has six career games with a completion percentage of 80-or-higher (minimum 20 attempts in each game), surpassing JOE BURROW (five games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (five) for the most such games by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history.
Mostert has 18 rushing touchdowns this season, tied with LEGARRETTE BLOUNT (18 rushing touchdowns in 2016) for the third-most rushing touchdowns by an undrafted player in a season since 1967. Only PRIEST HOLMES (27 rushing touchdowns in 2003 and 21 in 2002) has more.
Mostert, who has 18 rushing touchdowns and two touchdown receptions in 2023, is the third undrafted player since 1967 to record at least 20 touchdowns in a season, joining AUSTIN EKELER (20 touchdowns in 2021) and PRIEST HOLMES (27 in 2003 and 24 in 2002). - San Francisco quarterback BROCK PURDY had four touchdown passes with no interceptions for a 135.3 rating and running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY had 187 scrimmage yards (115 rushing, 72 receiving) and three touchdowns (two receiving, one rushing) in the 49ers’ Week 15 win over Arizona.
Purdy has six games this season with a passer rating of 130-or-higher, tied with AARON RODGERS (six games in 2011 and six games in 2020), TONY ROMO (six in 2014), RYAN TANNEHILL (six in 2019) and RUSSELL WILSON (six in 2019) for the most such games in a season in NFL history.
Purdy has 13 career games with a passer rating of 110-or-higher, tied with JUSTIN HERBERT (13 games) for the second-most such games by a player in his first two seasons in NFL history. Only RUSSELL WILSON (14) has more.
McCaffrey has 1,292 rushing yards and 509 receiving yards this season and is the fourth player in NFL history to record at least 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in four-or-more career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARSHALL FAULK (five seasons) and THURMAN THOMAS (four) as well as TIKI BARBER (four).
McCaffrey has 80 scrimmage touchdowns in 89 career games and is the fifth running back with at least 80 scrimmage touchdowns in his first 90 career games in the Super Bowl era, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (104 scrimmage touchdowns) and EMMITT SMITH (97) as well as SHAUN ALEXANDER (91) and ADRIAN PETERSON (83).
McCaffrey has totaled 6,018 rushing yards and 4,265 receiving yards since entering the NFL in 2017 and is the third player ever with at least 6,000 rushing yards and 4,000 receiving yards in his first seven seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK and ROGER CRAIG.
McCaffrey is the second player in NFL history with 30 career games with at least 50 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (41 games). - Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN had two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) in the Bills’ 31-10 win over Dallas.
Allen has 10 games with both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown this season, surpassing KYLER MURRAY (nine games in 2020) for the most such games in a season in NFL history. - Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES passed for 305 yards and two touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 27-17 win at New England.
Mahomes, currently in his seventh season, has 45 career games with at least 300 passing yards, tied with MATT RYAN (45 games) for the most such games by a player in his first 10 career seasons in NFL history.
Mahomes has 217 touchdown passes in 94 career games, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (217 touchdown passes) for the most touchdown passes by a player in his first 100 career games in NFL history. - Tampa Bay quarterback BAKER MAYFIELD passed for 381 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 158.3 rating, the highest attainable mark, in the Buccaneers’ 34-20 win at Green Bay.
Mayfield is the third player with at least 375 passing yards, four touchdown passes and a 158.3 rating in a road game in NFL history, joining NICK FOLES (Nov. 3, 2013 at Oakland, with Philadelphia) and KEN O’BRIEN (Nov. 2, 1986 at Seattle, with the New York Jets). - New Orleans quarterback DEREK CARR completed 23 of 28 attempts (82.1 percent) for 218 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions for a 134.8 rating in the Saints’ 24-6 win over the New York Giants.
Carr has 3,098 passing yards this season and became the third player in NFL history with at least 3,000 passing yards in each of his first 10 career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING and RUSSELL WILSON.
Carr has 3,503 career completions and joined MATT RYAN (3,630 completions) as the only players with at least 3,500 completions in their first 10 career seasons in NFL history. - Additional notes from Week 15 include:
- Detroit rookie tight end SAM LAPORTA had five receptions for 56 yards and three touchdowns in the Lions’ 42-17 win over Denver on Saturday in Week 15.
LaPorta became the fourth rookie tight end since 1980 to record three touchdown receptions in a game, joining ERIC GREEN (Oct. 14, 1990), ROB GRONKOWSKI (Nov. 14, 2010) and JOSEPH FAURIA (Oct. 13, 2013).
LaPorta has nine touchdown receptions this season, tied with JUNIOR MILLER (nine touchdown receptions in 1980) for the third-most ever by a rookie tight end. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer MIKE DITKA (12 touchdown receptions in 1961) and ROB GRONKOWSKI (10 in 2010) have more.
LaPorta has 71 receptions this season and is the third rookie tight end with at least 70 receptions in NFL history, joining KEITH JACKSON (81 receptions in 1988 with Philadelphia) and JEREMY SHOCKEY (74 receptions in 2002 with the New York Giants). - Cincinnati quarterback JAKE BROWNING passed for 324 yards and two touchdowns with one interception for a 97.7 rating in the Bengals’ overtime win on Saturday in Week 15.
Browning is the fifth quarterback since 1950 with a passer rating of 95-or-higher in each of his first four career starts, joining GARDNER MINSHEW (2019), CHAD PENNINGTON (2002), BROCK PURDY (2022) and MARK RYPIEN (1988).
Browning has a completion percentage of 76.0 (98 of 129) in his first four career starts, trailing only CHAD PENNINGTON (76.9 percent) for the highest completion percentage by a quarterback in his first four career starts since 1950. - Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT recorded two sacks in Week 15 and has 21 career games with at least two sacks, tied with his brother J.J. WATT for the fifth-most such games by a player in his first seven seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers REGGIE WHITE (30 games) and RICHARD DENT (23) as well SIMEON RICE (23) and JARED ALLEN (22) have more.
- Detroit rookie tight end SAM LAPORTA had five receptions for 56 yards and three touchdowns in the Lions’ 42-17 win over Denver on Saturday in Week 15.
