2021 What To Look For - Week 14

Veteran quarterbacks enter this week with the chance to change league history. Tom Brady can add to his already impressive resume. The most notable record he can claim is by surpassing Drew Brees for the most career completions.

Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford also are looking to etch their names into the record books with notable performances.

Continue reading to learn what other marks could be broken in Week 14:

PASSING HISTORY: Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY enters Week 14 as the league’s leader in passing yards (3,771) and touchdown passes (34) in 2021. This marks his ninth season with at least 30 touchdown passes, tied for the second-most such seasons ever.

With 229 passing yards against Buffalo on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Brady will reach 4,000 passing yards for the 13th time in his career, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (14 seasons) as the only players with at least 4,000 passing yards in 13-or-more seasons in NFL history.

Brady also leads the league with 347 completions this season and has 7,125 career completions. With 18 completions on Sunday, Brady – who is already the league’s all-time leader in passing yards (82,975) and touchdown passes (615) – will surpass DREW BREES (7,142) for the most completions in NFL history. 

The players with the most completions in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	COMPLETIONS
Drew Brees	San Diego Chargers, New Orleans	7,142
Tom Brady	New England, Tampa Bay	7,125
Brett FavreHOF	Green Bay, Minnesota	6,300

 

Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER enters this week with 2,758 passing yards in 2021 and can become the sixth player all-time to record 3,000 passing yards in 15 career seasons. He currently ranks sixth on the all-time passing yards list with 63,106. With 335 passing yards at Minnesota on Thursday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, FOX), Roethlisberger will surpass PHILIP RIVERS (63,440) for the fifth-most passing yards ever.

The players with the most passing yards in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)	PASSING YARDS
Tom Brady	New England, Tampa Bay	82,975
Drew Brees	San Diego Chargers, New Orleans	80,358
Peyton ManningHOF	Indianapolis, Denver	71,940
Brett FavreHOF	Green Bay, N.Y. Jets, Minnesota	71,838
Philip Rivers	San Diego/L.A. Chargers, Indianapolis	63,440
Ben Roethlisberger	Pittsburgh	63,106

 

Atlanta quarterback MATT RYAN has 363 career touchdown passes and ranks 10th on the all-time list. With four touchdown passes at Carolina on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Ryan will surpass ELI MANNING (366) for the ninth-most touchdown passes in NFL history.

GREEN BAY GREATNESS: The GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-3) currently hold the No. 2 seed in the NFC playoff picture and have a chance to clinch their third-consecutive NFC North title on Sunday. For all the Week 14 playoff scenarios, click here.

Since becoming the Green Bay starting quarterback in 2008, AARON RODGERS has led the Packers to nine 10-win seasons, the second-most of any team during that span.

With a win against Chicago on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), Rodgers will become the fourth starting quarterback all-time with 10-or-more 10-win seasons, joining TOM BRADY (can achieve the mark for the 19th time in 2021) and Pro Football Hall of Famers PEYTON MANNING (14 seasons) and BRETT FAVRE (10).

The starting quarterbacks with the most seasons with at least 10 wins in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)		SEASONS
Tom Brady	New England, Tampa Bay		18*
Peyton ManningHOF	Indianapolis, Denver		14
Brett FavreHOF	Green Bay, Minnesota		10
Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay		9*
*Has nine wins in 2021

 

Rodgers enters Week 14 with 23 touchdown passes this season and has multiple touchdown passes in nine games, tied for the most in the league. With two touchdown passes on Sunday night, Rodgers will have recorded 25 touchdown passes in 12 seasons, the fourth-most such seasons in NFL history.

The players with the most seasons with at least 25 touchdown passes in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM(S)		SEASONS
Tom Brady	New England, Tampa Bay		16
Peyton ManningHOF	Indianapolis, Denver		16
Drew Brees	San Diego Chargers, New Orleans		14
Brett FavreHOF	Green Bay, Minnesota		11
Philip Rivers	San Diego/L.A. Chargers		11
Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay		11*
*Has 23 touchdown passes entering Week 14

 

JUSTIN THE NICK OF TIME: Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT ranks fourth in the league with 3,547 passing yards this season and leads the NFL in 300-yard passing games (seven).

After setting the rookie record for passing yards last season (4,336), Herbert – the No. 6 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft – has 7,883 career passing yards entering Week 14. With 117 passing yards on Sunday against the New York Giants (4:05 PM ET, FOX), he would become the fourth-youngest player (23 years, 277 days old on Sunday) to reach 8,000 passing yards in NFL history.

The youngest players to reach 8,000 career passing yards in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	AGE
Jameis Winston	Tampa Bay	22 years, 361 days
Sam Darnold	N.Y. Jets	23 years, 212 days
Drew Bledsoe	New England	23 years, 236 days
Justin Herbert	L.A. Chargers	23 years, 277 days*
*On Sunday; has 7,883 career passing yards

 

Herbert leads all AFC quarterbacks with 27 touchdown passes this season and has five games with at least three touchdown passes, tied for the most in the conference. Last season, Herbert set the NFL rookie record with 31 touchdown passes.

With two touchdown passes on Sunday, he will become the second-youngest player to reach 60 touchdown passes in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (23 years, 78 days) reached the mark at a younger age.

The youngest players to reach 60 career touchdown passes in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	AGE
Dan MarinoHOF	Miami	23 years, 78 days
Jameis Winston	Tampa Bay	23 years, 289 days
Matthew Stafford	Detroit	23 years, 328 days
Justin Herbert	L.A. Chargers	23 years, 277 days*
*On Sunday; has 28 career touchdown passes

 

With three touchdown passes, Herbert will become the first player ever with at least 30 touchdown passes in each of his first two seasons.

RAM RECORDS: Los Angeles Rams wide receiver COOPER KUPP leads the league with 100 receptions, 1,366 receiving yards and 11 touchdown receptions this season. Last week, he became the first player ever with at least 100 receptions and 10-or-more touchdown receptions in his team's first 12 games of a season.

In each of his past eight games, Kupp has surpassed 90 receiving yards. With at least 90 receiving yards at Arizona on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN), Kupp will become the third player to eclipse 90 receiving yards in nine consecutive games in the Super Bowl era, joining ODELL BECKHAM JR. (nine games in 2014) and Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (nine games in 1995).

The players with at least 90 receiving yards in the most consecutive games in the Super Bowl era:

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON	GAMES
Odell Beckham Jr.	N.Y. Giants	2014	9
Michael IrvinHOF	Dallas	1995	9
Cooper Kupp	L.A. Rams	2021	8*
*Active streak

 

Quarterback MATTHEW STAFFORD ranks second in the league with 30 touchdown passes and is third with 3,611 passing yards. He has 48,720 passing yards in his 13-year career. With 122 passing yards on Monday, Stafford will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (48,841) for the fourth-most passing yards by a player in his first 13 seasons in NFL history.

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

PLAYER	TEAM(S)		PASSING YARDS
Matt Ryan	Atlanta		55,767
Peyton ManningHOF	Indianapolis		54,828
Drew Brees	San Diego Chargers, New Orleans		51,081
Dan MarinoHOF	Miami		48,841
Matthew Stafford	Detroit, L.A. Rams		48,720*
*In 13th season

 

STREAKING BACKS: Last week, Indianapolis running back JONATHAN TAYLOR became the fifth player ever with a rushing touchdown in at least 10 consecutive games within a single season. Cincinnati running back JOE MIXON enters Week 14 having rushed for a touchdown in six straight games and has scored a scrimmage touchdown in each of his past nine games.

If Mixon scores a touchdown against San Francisco on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS) and extends his streak, this will mark the third season ever in which two players each had a 10-game touchdown streak, joining 1983 (Pro Football Hall of Famers ERIC DICKERSON and JOHN RIGGINS) and 1964 (Pro Football Hall of Famers LANCE ALWORTH and LENNY MOORE).

The seasons in which two players each had 10-game touchdown streaks:

SEASON	PLAYER – TD STREAK
2021	Jonathan Taylor – 10 games*
	Joe Mixon – 9 games*
1983	John RigginsHOF – 12 games
	Eric DickersonHOF – 10 games
1964	Lenny MooreHOF – 14 games
	Lance AlworthHOF – 10 games
*Active streak

 

SACK ATTACK: Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT leads the league with 16 sacks in 2021 after recording a career-high 3.5 sacks last week.

Watt, who had 13 sacks in 2018, 14.5 sacks in 2019 and 15 sacks in 2020, joined Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (1985-88; 1990-93) as the only players with at least 13 sacks in four consecutive seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. He is also the first player since his brother, J.J. WATT (2014-15), to total at least 15 sacks in consecutive seasons.

With a sack at Minnesota on Thursday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, FOX), Watt will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DERRICK THOMAS (66 sacks) for the third-most sacks by a player in his first five seasons since 1982. Only White (81) and J.J. Watt (74.5) have more. 

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

PLAYER	TEAM	SACKS
Reggie WhiteHOF	Philadelphia	81
J.J. Watt	Houston	74.5
Derrick ThomasHOF	Kansas City	66
T.J. Watt	Pittsburgh	65.5*
*In fifth season

 

Cincinnati defensive end TREY HENDRICKSON has 11.5 sacks in his first season as a Bengal and has registered a sack in each of his past eight games. With a sack against San Francisco on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Hendrickson will join CHRIS JONES (11 consecutive games in 2018) as the only players with a sack in at least nine consecutive games within a single season since 1982.

Dallas linebacker MICAH PARSONS, the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft,leads all rookies with 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss this season and has recorded a sack in each of the past five games. With a sack at Washington on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Parsons will become the third rookie to record a sack in six-or-more consecutive games since 1982, joining JAVON KEARSE (eight consecutive games in 1999) and MIKE CROEL (six in 1991). Both Kearse and Croel were both named Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The rookies with a sack in the most consecutive games since 1982:

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON	GAMES
Javon Kearse#	Tennessee	1999	8
Mike Croel#	Denver	1991	6
Micah Parsons	Dallas	2021	5*
*Active streak
#Named Associated Press Defensive Rookie of the Year

The Pro Football Hall of Fame will recognize individual and team “Milestones” throughout the 2021 season. Joining the Hall in celebrating the year’s accomplishments will be 11 of the health systems that are network providers providing quality medical care and services across the country in partnership with Hall of Fame Health. They are Baylor Scott & White, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, HonorHealth, Flagler Health , Tampa General Hospital, OhioHealth, NorthShore HealthSystem, Providence St. John’s, HCA Gulf Coast, UCSF Health and Array Behavioral Care.