NFL News: What To Look For – Week 13

By Lydia Jane Allison

NEW YORK –– Nov. 29, 2023 –– Below are teams and players that can set historic marks or reach career milestones in Week 13 of the 2023 NFL season, including:

  • Dallas (Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, Micah Parsons & DaRon Bland)
  • Philadelphia (Jalen Hurts)
  • San Francisco (Christian McCaffrey)
  • Houston (C.J. Stroud & Tank Dell)
  • L.A. Chargers (Keenan Allen & Justin Herbert)
  • Detroit (Jared Goff & Amon-Ra St. Brown)
  • Miami (Tyreek Hill)
  • Pittsburgh (T.J. Watt)

COWBOYS LOOK TO CONTINUE HOME DOMINANCE ON TNF

The DALLAS COWBOYS (8-3) have won three consecutive games and are one of three teams undefeated at home this season. They are 5-0 at AT&T Stadium in 2023 and have scored at least 30 points in each game. Since Week 2 of the 2022 season, the Cowboys have won 13 consecutive home games, the longest active streak in the NFL.

With 30 points against Seattle on Thursday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video), Dallas will become the third team in NFL history to score at least 30 points in each of its first six home games of a season, joining TAMPA BAY in 2021 and NEW ENGLAND in 2007.

The Cowboys also have totaled at least 40 points in each of their past three home games. They can become the third team in the Super Bowl era and fifth team in NFL history with at least 40 points in four consecutive home games.

The teams to score at least 40 points in the most consecutive home games in NFL history:

TEAM SEASON(S) GAMES
Cincinnati Bengals 2013 4
St. Louis Rams 2000 4
L.A. Chargers 1960-61 4
Detroit Lions 1952 4
     
Dallas Cowboys 2023 3*
*active streak    

Quarterback DAK PRESCOTT has totaled 1,555 passing yards, 15 touchdown passes and a 129.3 passer rating in five home starts this season. Including Dallas’ last home game of the 2022 season, Prescott has recorded at least 250 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in six consecutive home games.

With 250 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher on Thursday night, Prescott will become the second player in NFL history to reach those marks in seven consecutive home games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (seven consecutive home games from 1995-96 with Green Bay).

The players with at least 250 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in the most consecutive home games in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON(S) GAMES
Brett FavreHOF Green Bay 1995-96 7
Jared Goff L.A. Rams 2018 6
Dak Prescott Dallas 2022-23 6*
*active streak

Prescott has recorded at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes in four of his past five games overall. Since entering the league in 2016, he ranks fourth among all players with 19 such games.

With 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes against Seattle, Prescott will become the third player in NFL history with 20-or-more such games in his first eight seasons, joining PATRICK MAHOMES (26 games, in seventh season) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (26).

​The players with the most games with at least 300 passing yards and three touchdown passes in their first eight seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM GAMES
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 26*
Dan MarinoHOF Miami 26
Dak Prescott Dallas 19#
*in seventh season    
#in eighth season    

Wide receiver CEEDEE LAMB ranks third in the NFL with 1,066 receiving yards and sixth with 78 receptions. With five receptions on Thursday night, Lamb – who has 338 receptions since he entered the league in 2020 – will surpass ANQUAN BOLDIN (342 receptions) for the fourth-most receptions by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history.

The players with the most receptions in their first four seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM RECEPTIONS
Michael Thomas New Orleans 470
Jarvis Landry Miami 400
Justin Jefferson Minnesota 360*
Anquan Boldin Arizona 342
Diontae Johnson Pittsburgh 340
CeeDee Lamb Dallas 338*
*in fourth season    

Linebacker MICAH PARSONS has totaled at least 1.5 sacks in three of his past four games, including last week on Thanksgiving. Parsons has 11.5 sacks this season and since entering the league in 2021 ranks fourth among all players with 38 sacks.

With 1.5 sacks against Seattle, Parsons will become the second player with at least 13 sacks in each of his first three NFL seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE.

With two sacks, Parsons will become the fifth player since 1982 with at least 40 sacks in his first three NFL seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers REGGIE WHITE (52 sacks) and DERRICK THOMAS (43.5) as well as ALDON SMITH (42) and DWIGHT FREENEY (40).

Parsons can also tie Pro Football Hall of Famer RICHARD DENT (12 games), SHAWNE MERRIMAN (12) and ALDON SMITH (12) for the second-most games with at least two sacks by a player in his first three NFL seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (16 games) has more.

The players with the most games with at least two sacks in their first three NFL seasons since 1982:

PLAYER TEAM GAMES WITH 2+ SACKS
Reggie WhiteHOF Philadelphia 16
Richard DentHOF Chicago 12
Shawne Merriman San Diego Chargers 12
Aldon Smith San Francisco 12
Micah Parsons Dallas 11*
*in third season    

Last week, cornerback DARON BLAND registered his NFL-record fifth interception-return touchdown of the season. With another defensive touchdown this season, he will become the first player in NFL history to record six defensive touchdowns in a season, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer KEN HOUSTON (five in 1971).

HURTS & MCCAFFREY CAN SET MARKS IN CHAMPIONSHIP GAME REMATCH

The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-1) and SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (8-3) enter their Week 13 matchup as the top two seeds in the NFC. This Sunday’s contest (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX) will be the first time the clubs have met since Philadelphia defeated San Francisco, 31-7, in last season’s NFC Championship.

​If Philadelphia wins, the Eagles will become the second team in NFL history to win at least 11 of their first 12 regular-season games in consecutive seasons, joining the 1972-73 MIAMI DOLPHINS.

Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS is tied for second in the league with 11 rushing touchdowns and is the first quarterback ever with at least 10 rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons. Last week, he recorded his 11th career game with at least two rushing touchdowns, the most ever by a quarterback.

With two rushing touchdowns on Sunday, Hurts will become the first quarterback in NFL history with multiple rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games.

San Francisco running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY leads the league with 16 scrimmage touchdowns (11 rushing, five receiving). Since entering the NFL in 2017, McCaffrey has totaled 49 rushing touchdowns and 27 touchdown receptions.

With a rushing touchdown on Sunday, McCaffrey will join Pro Football Hall of Famers MARSHALL FAULK and LENNY MOORE as the only players in NFL history with at least 50 rushing touchdowns and 25 touchdown receptions.

New Orleans running back ALVIN KAMARA has 51 career rushing touchdowns and 23 touchdown receptions and can also accomplish the feat with two touchdown receptions against Detroit on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX).

The players with at least 50 rushing touchdowns and 25 touchdown receptions in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM(S) RUSHING TDs RECEIVING TDs
Marshall FaulkHOF Indianapolis, St. Louis Rams 100 36
Lenny MooreHOF Baltimore Colts 63 48
       
Alvin Kamara New Orleans 51 23
Christian McCaffrey Carolina, San Francisco 49 27

STROUD & DELL CONTINUE HISTORIC ROOKIE CAMPAIGNS

Houston rookie quarterback C.J. STROUD ranks second in the league with 3,266 passing yards, the second-most ever by a player in his first 11 career games.

With 331 passing yards against Denver on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Stroud will surpass ANDREW LUCK (3,596 passing yards) for the second-most passing yards by a player in his first 12 career games in NFL history. Only PATRICK MAHOMES (3,912) has more.

The players with the most passing yards in their first 12 career games in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM PASSING YARDS
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 3,912
Andrew Luck Indianapolis 3,596
Justin Herbert L.A. Chargers 3,467
     
C.J. Stroud Houston 3,266*
*in first 11 games    

Last week, Stroud recorded his fourth-consecutive and sixth overall game of the season with at least 300 passing yards. With another 300-yard game, he will surpass ANDREW LUCK (six games in 2012) for the second-most 300-yard games ever by a rookie. Only JUSTIN HERBERT (eight in 2020) has more.

Stroud, who will be 22 years and 61 days old on Sunday, can also become the youngest player in NFL history to record at least 300 passing yards in five consecutive games, surpassing PATRICK MAHOMES (23 years and 27 days old in 2018).

One of Stroud’s top targets this season has been fellow rookie TANK DELL, who ranks tied for the league lead among rookies with seven touchdown receptions and second with 709 receiving yards. Dell has recorded at least five receptions, 50 receiving yards and one touchdown reception in each of his past four games.

With another touchdown between Stroud and Dell, the two will become the fourth rookie quarterback-receiver pairing in NFL history to connect for at least eight touchdowns and the first since Cleveland’s TIM COUCH and KEVIN JOHNSON in 1999 (eight touchdowns).

The rookie quarterback-receiver pairings to connect for the most touchdowns in NFL history:

QUARTERBACK RECEIVER  TEAM SEASON TOUCHDOWNS
Jim Plunkett Randy Vataha  New England 1971 9
Charlie Conerly Bill Swiacki  N.Y. Giants 1948 9
Tim Couch Kevin Johnson  Cleveland 1999 8
C.J. Stroud Tank Dell  Houston 2023 7
Andrew Luck T.Y. Hilton  Indianapolis 2012 7
Tony Banks Eddie Kennison  St. Louis Rams 1996 7

​Dell can also become the first rookie in NFL history to record at least five receptions, 50 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in five consecutive games and the first rookie ever to reach those marks in seven games overall.

​The rookies with the most games with at least five receptions, 50 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON GAMES
Anquan Boldin Arizona 2003 6
Tank Dell Houston Texans 2023 6
Bill Groman Houston Oilers 1960 6
Michael Thomas New Orleans 2016 6

 KEENAN ALLEN ON HISTORIC RUN

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver KEENAN ALLEN leads the league with 97 receptions and ranks second with 1,117 receiving yards. He has totaled at least 10 receptions and 100 receiving yards in each of his last three games.

With another such performance at New England on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Allen will become the second player in NFL history to record at least 10 receptions and 100 receiving yards in four consecutive games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer CALVIN JOHNSON (2012).

Allen can also become the third player ever with 20 such games in his career, joining ANDRE JOHNSON (21 games) and ANTONIO BROWN (20).

The players with the most games with at least 10 receptions and 100 receiving yards in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM(S) GAMES
Andre Johnson Houston 21
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay 20
Keenan Allen San Diego/L.A. Chargers 19*
*active    

Since entering the league in 2013, Allen ranks second among all players with 893 receptions, and has totaled at least 100 receptions in four seasons (2017, 2019-21).

With three receptions on Sunday, Allen will become the sixth player in NFL history to record 100 receptions in five-or-more seasons, joining ANTONIO BROWN (six seasons), BRANDON MARSHALL (six), LARRY FITZGERALD (five), ANDRE JOHNSON (five) and WES WELKER (five).

The players with the most seasons with at least 100 receptions in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM(S) SEASONS
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh 6
Brandon Marshall Denver, Chicago, N.Y. Jets 6
Larry Fitzgerald Arizona 5
Andre Johnson Houston 5
Wes Welker New England 5
     
Keenan Allen L.A. Chargers 4*
*has 97 receptions in 2023    

With seven receptions, Allen will become the fastest player in NFL history (138 games) to reach 900 career receptions, surpassing ANTONIO BROWN (143 games).

Since entering the league in 2020, quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT ranks fourth among all players with 114 touchdown passes.

With a touchdown pass on Sunday, Herbert will surpass PATRICK MAHOMES (114 touchdown passes) for the second-most touchdown passes by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (142) has more.

The players with the most touchdown passes in their first four seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM TOUCHDOWN PASSES
Dan MarinoHOF Miami 142
Justin Herbert L.A. Chargers 114*
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 114
*in fourth season    

GOFF & ST. BROWN CAN EACH HIT MILESTONES

Last week, Detroit quarterback JARED GOFF recorded his fourth game this season with at least 300 passing yards. It marked his 35th career 300-yard game, the fifth-most in the league since he entered in 2016.

With 300 passing yards at New Orleans on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Goff will surpass MATT RYAN (35 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (35) for the third-most games with at least 300 passing yards by a player in his first eight seasons in NFL history. Only PATRICK MAHOMES (44 games, in seventh season) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (38) have more.

The players with the most games with at least 300 passing yards in their first eight seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM(S) GAMES
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 44*
Dan MarinoHOF Miami 38
Jared Goff L.A. Rams, Detroit 35#
Matt Ryan Atlanta 35
Kurt WarnerHOF St. Louis Rams, Arizona 35
*in seventh season    
#in eighth season    

Wide receiver AMON-RA ST. BROWN has recorded at least eight receptions in five of his past six games. Since entering the NFL in 2021, St. Brown has at least eight receptions in 17 games, the second most in the league during that span.

With eight catches on Sunday, St. Brown will surpass ANQUAN BOLDIN (17 games) for the second-most games with at least eight receptions by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history. Only JUSTIN JEFFERSON (19) has more.

The players with the most games with at least eight receptions in their first three seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM GAMES
Justin Jefferson Minnesota 19
Anquan Boldin Arizona 17
Amon-Ra St. Brown Detroit 17*
*in third season    

St. Brown ranks fourth in the league this season with 82 receptions and sixth with 993 receiving yards. With eight receptions, he will become the third player ever to record at least 90 receptions and 900 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons, joining ODELL BECKHAM JR. and MICHAEL THOMAS.

HILL ON HISTORIC RECEIVING PACE

Miami wide receiver TYREEK HILL leads the NFL with 1,324 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions, and ranks second with 88 receptions.

With 76 receiving yards at Washington on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Hill will become the fifth player in history to record at least 1,400 receiving yards in his team’s first 12 games of a season, joining CHARLIE HENNIGAN (1,541 receiving yards in 1961) and Pro Football Hall of Famers ELROY “CRAZY LEGS” HIRSCH (1,495 in 1951), LANCE ALWORTH (1,428 in 1965) and CALVIN JOHNSON (1,428 in 2012).

The players with at least 1,400 receiving yards in their team’s first 12 games of a season in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON RECEIVING YARDS
Charlie Hennigan Houston Oilers 1961 1,541
Elroy HirschHOF Los Angeles Rams 1951 1,495
Lance AlworthHOF San Diego Chargers 1965 1,428
Calvin JohnsonHOF Detroit 2012 1,428
       
Tyreek Hill Miami 2023 1,324*
*through 11 games

WATT RACKING UP SACKS

Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT is tied for first with 13.5 sacks this season and had two sacks in Week 12, his 20th-career game with at least two sacks. He has 91 sacks in 98 games since entering the NFL in 2017 and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (82 games) as the only players since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to reach 90 sacks in fewer than 100 NFL games.

With a two-sack performance in one of his next two games, Watt – who will appear in his 99th career game on Sunday against Arizona (1 p.m. ET, CBS) – can surpass JARED ALLEN (20 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer BRUCE SMITH (20) for the fourth-most games with at least two sacks in a player’s first 100 NFL games since 1982.

The players with the most games with at least two sacks in their first 100 NFL games since 1982:

PLAYER TEAM(S) GAMES WITH 2+ SACKS
Reggie WhiteHOF Philadelphia 29
Richard DentHOF Chicago 23
J.J. Watt Houston 23
Jared Allen Kansas City, Minnesota 20
Bruce SmithHOF Buffalo 20
T.J. Watt Pittsburgh 20*
*in 98 career games​

Watt, who had 15 sacks in 2020 and tied the single-season NFL-record with 22.5 sacks in 2021, can become the fourth player since 1982 with at least 15 sacks in three of his first seven NFL seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers REGGIE WHITE (four seasons) and DEMARCUS WARE (three) as well as his brother, J.J. WATT (three).

Watt has at least one sack in 57 career games and with one sack on Sunday, will surpass AARON DONALD (57 games) for the fifth-most career games with at least one sack in a player’s first seven NFL seasons since 1982. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers DEMARCUS WARE (68 games) and REGGIE WHITE (63) as well as VON MILLER (61) and MYLES GARRETT (59, in seventh season) have more.

 

COURTESY NFL COMMUNICATIONS

Posted in NFL