What to Look For - Week 14

Mahomes1050Web

National Football League MVP in 2018 after a 50-touchdown season.

Super Bowl LIV champion and game MVP for the 2019 season.

More than 13,000 yards passing in only 43 career games.

Patrick Mahomes continues to compile records and recognition, and this week he can join two more elite lists.

For more on the company he soon will keep and other things to watch for this week, read on …

 

RACKING UP YARDS: Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES, currently in his fourth-career season, leads the NFL with 3,815 passing yards, ranks second with a 113.8 rating and ranks third with 31 touchdown passes in 2020.​

With at least 185 passing yards on Sunday at Miami (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Mahomes, who had 4,031 passing yards in 2019 and 5,097 passing yards in 2018, can become the third player with at least 4,000 passing yards in three of his first four seasons in NFL history, joining PEYTON MANNING and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO.

The players with at least 4,000 passing yards in three of their first four seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER

TEAM

SEASONS

Peyton Manning

Indianapolis

1999-2001

Dan MarinoHOF

Miami

1984-86

 

 

 

Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City

2018-19*

*Has 3,815 passing yards in 2020

 

 

Last week, Mahomes passed for 318 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions, his fifth consecutive game with at least 315 passing yards. With at least 315 passing yards on Sunday, he will tie DREW BREES (six consecutive games from 2012-13) and RICH GANNON (six consecutive games in 2002) for the most consecutive games with at least 315 passing yards in NFL history. Gannon was named Associated Press Most Valuable Player that season.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least 315 passing yards in NFL history:​

PLAYER

TEAM

SEASON(S)

GAMES

Drew Brees

New Orleans

2012-13

6

Rich Gannon#

Oakland Raiders

2002

6

 

 

 

 

Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City

2020

5*

*Active streak

 

 

 

#Named Associated Press Most Valuable Player

 

Kansas City clinched a playoff berth for the sixth-consecutive season last week, while New Orleans secured a spot in the postseason for the fourth-consecutive year. Both can clinch their respective division titles this week.

 

STREAKING COUSINS​: Over the last three weeks, Minnesota quarterback KIRK COUSINS ranks second in the NFL with nine touchdown passes and ranks third with 926 passing yards. In each of his three games during that span, Cousins has recorded at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes. ​

With at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes on Sunday at Tampa Bay (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Cousins will tie PATRICK MAHOMES (four consecutive games in 2018) and PEYTON MANNING (four consecutive games in 2012) for the second-longest streak of games with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes within a single season in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (five consecutive games in 1998) has a longer streak.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes within a single season in NFL history:​

PLAYER

TEAM

SEASON

GAMES

Steve YoungHOF

San Francisco

1998

5

Patrick Mahomes

Kansas City

2018

4

Peyton Manning

Denver

2012

4

 

 

 

 

Kirk Cousins

Minnesota

2020

3*

*Active streak

 

RYAN’S HOPE: Atlanta quarterback MATT RYAN ranks fourth in the NFL with 3,436 passing yards, marking his 12th-career season with at least 3,000 passing yards. He is the fourth player with at least 3,000 passing yards in 12 of his first 13 seasons in NFL history, joining PEYTON MANNING (13 seasons), Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (12) and ELI MANNING (12).

Ryan has 54,622 passing yards in his 13-year career. With at least 207 passing yards on Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers (4:25 PM ET, FOX), he will surpass PEYTON MANNING (54,828 passing yards) for the most passing yards by a player in his first 13 seasons in league history.

The players with the most passing yards in their first 13 seasons in NFL history:​

PLAYER

TEAM(S)

PASSING YARDS

Peyton Manning

Indianapolis

54,828

Matt Ryan

Atlanta

54,622*

Drew Brees

San Diego Chargers, New Orleans

51,081

*In 13th season

 
 
THE FUTURE IS NOW: Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT leads all rookies with 3,224 passing yards and 23 touchdown passes this season.

 

With two passing touchdowns on Sunday against Atlanta (4:25 PM ET, FOX), Herbert will become the fourth rookie with at least 25 touchdown passes in NFL history, joining BAKER MAYFIELD (27 touchdown passes in 2018), PEYTON MANNING (26 in 1998) and RUSSELL WILSON (26 in 2012). Manning (3,739 passing yards) and Mayfield (3,725) are the only rookies to also pass for at least 3,500 yards. ​

The rookie quarterbacks with at least 25 touchdown passes in NFL history:

PLAYER

TEAM

SEASON

TOUCHDOWN PASSES

Baker Mayfield

Cleveland

2018

27

Peyton Manning

Indianapolis

1998

26

Russell Wilson

Seattle

2012

26

 

 

 

 

Justin Herbert

Los Angeles Chargers

2020

23*

*Entering Week 14

 

 

 

         
 

Miami rookie quarterback TUA TAGOVAILOA has won four of his first five career starts, while recording seven touchdown passes with zero interceptions and leading all rookies with a 99.4 rating (minimum 100 attempts). ​

With no interceptions on Sunday against Kansas City (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Tagovailoa will become the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to record zero interceptions in each of his first six career starts.

Philadelphia rookie quarterback JALEN HURTS is expected to make his first-career start on Sunday against New Orleans (4:25 PM ET, FOX), becoming the sixth rookie quarterback to start a game this season.

This will mark the fifth-consecutive season that at least six rookie quarterbacks have started at least one game, the longest such streak in the Super Bowl era.

 

DAVANTE CATCHING DIMES: Last week, Green Bay wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS recorded 10 receptions for 121 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the third player with at least five receptions and a touchdown catch in seven consecutive games within a single season in NFL history, joining ANTONIO BROWN (eight games in 2018) and Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRELL OWENS (seven games in 2007).

Adams ties for the league lead with 13 touchdown receptions this season. With a touchdown catch on Sunday at Detroit (4:25 PM ET, FOX), Adams will have recorded a touchdown reception in eight consecutive games, tied for the third-longest streak within a single season in the Super Bowl era. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (12 games in 1987) and A.J. GREEN (nine games in 2012) have a longer streak.

The players with the most consecutive games with a touchdown reception within a single season in the Super Bowl era:​

PLAYER

TEAM

SEASON

GAMES

Jerry RiceHOF

San Francisco

1987

12

A.J. Green

Cincinnati

2012

9

Antonio Brown

Pittsburgh

2018

8

T.J. Houshmandzadeh

Cincinnati

2007

8

Terrell OwensHOF

San Francisco

1998

8

Jerry RiceHOF

San Francisco

1989

8

 

 

 

 

Davante Adams

Green Bay

2020

7*

*Active streak

 
 
STEELER SACKERS: The PITTSBURGH STEELERS lead the NFL with 44 sacks and have recorded at least two sacks in every game this season. Dating back to Week 9 of the 2016 season, Pittsburgh has recorded a sack in 69 consecutive games, tied for the longest such steak in NFL history.
 

With a sack at Buffalo on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), the Steelers will surpass the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (69 consecutive games from 1999-2003) for the most consecutive games with a sack in league history.

Linebacker T.J. WATT recorded a sack and forced fumble last week and leads the NFL with 12 sacks this season. With a sack on Sunday night, Watt – who had 14.5 sacks in 2019 and 13 sacks in 2018 – will become the sixth player since 1990 with at least 13 sacks in three consecutive seasons.

The players with the most consecutive seasons with at least 13 sacks since 1990:​

PLAYER

TEAM(S)

SEASONS

CONSECUTIVE SEASONS

Reggie WhiteHOF

Philadelphia

1990-93

4

Jared Allen

Kansas City, Minnesota

2007-09

3

Simon Fletcher

Denver

1991-93

3

Chandler Jones

Arizona

2017-19

3

Derrick ThomasHOF

Kansas City

1990-92

3

 

 

 

 

T.J. Watt

Pittsburgh

2018-19

2*

*Has 12 sacks in 2020

 
 
DOMINANT DONALD: Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle AARON DONALD ranks second in the league with 11 sacks, his fourth-consecutive season with at least 10 sacks. He has 83 sacks in his seven-year career.
 

With a sack against New England on Thursday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, FOX/NFLN/Amazon), Donald will surpass VON MILLER (83.5 sacks) and JARED ALLEN (83) for the fourth-most sacks by a player in his first seven seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.

The players with the most sacks in their first seven seasons since 1982:​

PLAYER

TEAM(S)

SACKS

Reggie WhiteHOF

Philadelphia

110

DeMarcus Ware

Dallas

99.5

Derrick ThomasHOF

Kansas City

85

Von Miller

Denver

83.5

Jared Allen

Kansas City, Minnesota

83

Aaron Donald

Los Angeles Rams

83*

*In seventh season