NFL News: Top Seven Statistical Highlights From Sunday – Week 9

A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, November 6, the ninth week of the 2022 season.

  • CLOSE GAMES: With two games yet to be completed in Week 9, there have been 61 games decided by a touchdown (six points) or less and 78 games decided by one score (eight points), both the most such games through the first nine weeks all-time.

    Nine of 11 games (81.8 percent) that have been completed in Week 9 have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter and there have been 103 games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter this season, the most such games through the first nine weeks in NFL history.

    COMEBACKS: Four teams overcame deficits of at least 10 points to win on Sunday: JACKSONVILLE (17-point deficit), the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (10), MINNESOTA (10) and the NEW YORK JETS (11). There have been 27 games in which a team has overcome a deficit of at least 10 points to win or tie, the third-most such games through the first nine weeks of a season all-time, trailing only 1987 (31 games) and 2020 (29 games).

    Four teams came back to win or tie after trailing in the fourth quarter on Sunday: Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota and TAMPA BAY. There have been 41 games this season in which a team has come back to win or tie after trailing in the fourth quarter, tied with 1987, 1989, 2012 and 2021 for the most such games through the first nine weeks in NFL history.

    GAME-WINNING SCORES: The Los Angeles Chargers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each completed their comeback victories with a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation. There have been 31 games decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime this season, tied with the 2012 season (31 games) for the third-most such games through the first nine weeks of a season in NFL history. Only 2021 (35 games) and 2015 (33) have more.
  • Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY passed for 280 yards, including the game-winning touchdown pass with nine seconds remaining in the Buccaneers’ 16-13 comeback win over the Los Angeles Rams.
    Brady has 55 career game-winning drives, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (54) for the most game-winning drives in NFL history.

    Brady has 100,116 career passing yards, including the postseason, and is the first player in NFL history with 100,000 career passing yards. Brady has the most regular season passing yards (87,067) and postseason passing yards (13,049) all-time and has led the NFL in passing yards four times (2005, 2007, 2017 and 2021) during his 23-year career.
  • The MINNESOTA VIKINGS improved to 7-1 with a 20-17 comeback win at Washington and first-year head coach KEVIN O’CONNELL became the fifth head coach since 2000 to win seven of his first eight games, joining JIM CALDWELL (2009), JIM HARBAUGH (2011), MATT LAFLEUR (2019) and MIKE MARTZ (2000).

    Minnesota wide receiver JUSTIN JEFFERSON recorded seven receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown in the win on Sunday.

    Jefferson has 19 career games with at least 100 receiving yards, tied with ODELL BECKHAM JR. (19 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (19) for the most such games by a player in his first three career seasons in NFL history.
  • All four teams in the AFC East have a winning record through the first nine weeks: BUFFALO (6-2), the NEW YORK JETS (6-3), MIAMI DOLPHINS (6-3) and NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-4). It marks the fifth time since 2002 that all four teams in a single division have a winning record through the first nine weeks of a season, joining the 2021 AFC North, 2021 AFC West, 2014 AFC North and 2008 NFC East. 

    Miami wide receiver TYREEK HILL recorded 143 receiving yards and one touchdown catch while wide receiver JAYLEN WADDLE had 85 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in the Dolphins’ 35-32 win at Chicago.

    Hill has 1,104 receiving yards this season, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer ISAAC BRUCE (1,073 receiving yards in 1995) for the most receiving yards by a player in his team’s first nine games of a season in the Super Bowl era.

    Hill and Waddle, who has 812 receiving yards this season, are the fifth pair of teammates each with at least 800 receiving yards in their team’s first nine games of a season in the Super Bowl era, joining Tampa Bay’s MIKE EVANS and CHRIS GODWIN in 2019, Denver’s EMMANUEL SANDERS and DEMARYIUS THOMAS in 2014, Buffalo’s ERIC MOULDS and PEERLESS PRICE in 2002 and the St. Louis Rams’ TORRY HOLT and Pro Football Hall of Famer ISAAC BRUCE in 2000.

    Hill and Waddle have combined for 1,916 receiving yards in 2022 and are the second pair of teammates to combine for at least 1,900 receiving yards in their team’s first nine games of a season in NFL history, joining BILL GROMAN and CHARLIE HENNIGAN of the 1961 Houston Oilers (1,950 combined receiving yards).
  • The CHICAGO BEARS rushed for 252 yards against Miami on Sunday and joined the 1976 PITTSBURGH STEELERS (Weeks 7-10) as the only teams in the Super Bowl era with at least 225 rushing yards in four consecutive games. They are also the first team since the 1978 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (Weeks 12-15) with at least 200 rushing yards in four straight contests.

    Chicago has 1,759 rushing yards this season, the third-most by a team in their first nine games of a season since 1990, trailing only the 2006 ATLANTA FALCONS (1,790 rushing yards) and 2019 BALTIMORE RAVENS (1,775).

    Quarterback JUSTIN FIELDS rushed for a career-high 178 yards and surpassed MICHAEL VICK (173 rushing yards on December 1, 2002) for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a regular-season game since at least 1940.

    Fields, who totaled four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) on Sunday, became the first player in NFL history with at least three touchdown passes, 150 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in a single game.
  • Cincinnati running back JOE MIXON set career highs with 211 scrimmage yards (153 rushing, 58 receiving) and five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) in the Bengals’ 42-21 win over Carolina.

    Mixon became the sixth player in the Super Bowl era with at least 200 scrimmage yards and five touchdowns in a single game, joining SHAUN ALEXANDER (September 29, 2002), JAMAAL CHARLES (December 15, 2013), CLINTON PORTIS (December 7, 2003), Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (October 14, 1990) and JONATHAN TAYLOR (November 21, 2021).

    Mixon became the third player in the Super Bowl era with at least four rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown in a single game, joining SHAUN ALEXANDER (September 29, 2002) and JONATHAN TAYLOR (November 21, 2021).

    Mixon, who had three rushing touchdowns and a touchdown reception in the first half on Sunday, became the fourth player in NFL history to record three rushing touchdowns and a touchdown reception in a single half, joining SHAUN ALEXANDER (first half on September 29, 2002), Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM BROWN (second half on November 28, 1965) and DUB JONES (second half on November 25, 1951).
  • Los Angeles Chargers running back AUSTIN EKELER recorded his fourth game this season with both a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown while rookie kicker CAMERON DICKER kicked the game-winning 37-yard field goal with no time remaining in the team’s 20-17 comeback win at Atlanta.

    Ekeler became the third player in NFL history with 10 games with both a rushing and receiving touchdown in his first six career seasons, joining ALVIN KAMARA and CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY.

    Ekeler, who has 10 touchdowns in 2022 after recording 20 touchdowns in 2021 and 11 touchdowns in 2019, is the fourth undrafted player in the common-draft era to have at least 10 touchdowns in three-or-more different seasons, joining ARIAN FOSTER (four seasons), ANTONIO GATES (four) and PRIEST HOLMES (four).

    Dicker, who appeared in Week 5 with Philadelphia and converted a game-winning 23-yard field goal with 1:45 remaining in that contest, is the third rookie kicker since 1970 to convert a game-winning field goal in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime for two different teams in a single season, joining BRIAN JOHNSON (2021) and MATT MCCRANE (2018).
  • Other notable performances from Sunday include:
    • Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN totaled 291 yards (205 passing, 86 rushing) and two rushing touchdowns on Sunday against the New York Jets.

      Allen has six career games with at least two rushing touchdowns, surpassing JACK KEMP (five games), JOHNNY LUJACK (five) and CAM NEWTON (five) for the third-most such games by a quarterback in his first five NFL seasons all-time. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer OTTO GRAHAM (seven games) and JALEN HURTS (seven) have more.
    • Las Vegas wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS registered 10 receptions for 146 yards and two touchdown receptions on Sunday against Jacksonville.

      Adams, who has 717 receptions for 8,779 yards and 80 touchdowns since entering the NFL in 2014, is the fourth player with at least 700 receptions and 80 receiving touchdowns in his first nine career seasons in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISONCALVIN JOHNSON and JERRY RICE.

      Adams has 12 career games at least 100 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions, tied with ANTONIO BROWN (12 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE LARGENT (12) for the fifth-most such games by a player in his first nine seasons who began his career in the Super Bowl era. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (18), MARVIN HARRISON (17), RANDY MOSS (16) and TERRELL OWENS (13) have more.

      Adams has 14 career games with at least 10 receptions, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception, the most such games in NFL history.
    • Los Angeles Rams wide receiver COOPER KUPP recorded eight receptions for 127 yards and one touchdown on Sunday against Tampa Bay.

      Kupp is the sixth player in NFL history with 20 games with at least five receptions, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in his first six career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers RANDY MOSS (28 games), JERRY RICE (22), LANCE ALWORTH (21) and MARVIN HARRISON (20) as well as STERLING SHARPE (20).
    • New England linebackers MATTHEW JUDON and JOSH UCHE each recorded three sacks on Sunday and became the first pair of teammates each with at least three sacks in the same game since AARON DONALD and TROY REEDER in Week 5 of the 2020 season with the Los Angeles Rams.
    • New England defensive back JONATHAN JONES became the third player since 2000 with an interception-return for a touchdown and a blocked punt in the same game, joining PATRICK CHUNG (Week 4, 2010) and CHAD WILLIAMS (Week 13, 2002).

COURTESY NFLmedia.com

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