By Lydia Jane Allison

NEW YORK –– Jan. 7, 2024 –– A look at seven statistical highlights from games played on Saturday, Jan. 6, and during the 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, Jan. 7, the 18th week of the 2023 season.

• NEW PLAYOFF TEAMS: Since 1990 – a streak of 34 consecutive seasons – at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before. This season, six teams​ – CLEVELAND, DETROIT, GREEN BAY, HOUSTON, the LOS ANGELES RAMS and PITTSBURGH – accomplished the feat.

  DIVISION WINNERS AFTER MISSING PLAYOFFS: The DETROIT LIONS (NFC North) and HOUSTON TEXANS (AFC South) both won their division this season after missing the playoffs in 2022.

  In each of the past 46 seasons (1977-2023, excluding 1982 when divisional play did not occur), at least one team has won its division the season after missing the playoffs.

  In 20 of the past 21 seasons (2003-23), at least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs.

  WORST TO FIRST: The Texans completed a worst-to-first turnaround by winning the AFC South the year after finishing in last place. In 19 of the past 21 seasons (2003-23), at least one team finished in first place the season after finishing in last or tied for last place.

  LAST PLACE TO PLAYOFFS: In 25 of the past 28 seasons (1996-2023), at least one team has made the playoffs the season after finishing in last or tied for last place. Both the CLEVELAND BROWNS and HOUSTON TEXANS qualified for the postseason after finishing in last place in their division last season.

  The AFC North – with BALTIMORE (13-4), CLEVELAND (11-6), PITTSBURGH (10-7) and CINCINNATI (9-8) – became the first division with all teams finishing with a winning record since the 1935 West division.

• AFC PLAYOFF SEEDS: The BALTIMORE RAVENS won the AFC North for the first time since 2019 and finished as the AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Ravens will have a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.

  The BUFFALO BILLS visit the MIAMI DOLPHINS on Sunday Night Football, with the winner earning the AFC East division title and the AFC’s No. 2 seed.

  If the Bills win, they will host the PITTSBURGH STEELERS, who clinched a playoff berth for the third time in the last four seasons, as the AFC’s No. 7 seed.

  If the Dolphins win, they would host Buffalo as the AFC’s No. 7 seed. Pittsburgh would earn the No. 6 seed and face Kansas City on Super Wild Card Weekend.

  The KANSAS CITY CHIEFS, who won the AFC West for the seventh-consecutive season, finished as the AFC’s No. 3 seed and will host the AFC’s No. 6 seed on Super Wild Card Weekend.

  The HOUSTON TEXANS, who won the AFC South for the first time since 2019, finished as the AFC’s No. 4 seed and will host the No. 5 seed CLEVELAND BROWNS on Super Wild Card Weekend. The Browns qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2020.

• NFC PLAYOFF SEEDS: The SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS won the NFC West for the second-consecutive season and finished as the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The 49ers will have a first-round bye and homefield advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

  The DALLAS COWBOYS, who clinched the NFC East for the first time since 2021, finished as the NFC’s No. 2 seed and will host the No. 7 GREEN BAY PACKERS on Super Wild Card Weekend. The Packers clinched a playoff berth for the fourth time in the past five seasons.

  There has not been a repeat NFC East division winner since 2004, the longest active streak among divisions in the NFL and the longest such streak in league history.

  The DETROIT LIONS, who won its first division title since 1993, finished as the NFC’s No. 3 seed and will host the No. 6 LOS ANGELES RAMS on Super Wild Card Weekend. The Rams qualified for the postseason for the third time in the past four seasons.

  The TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, who won their third-consecutive NFC South division title, finished as the NFC’s No. 4 seed and will host the No. 5 seed PHILADELPHIA EAGLES on Super Wild Card Weekend. The Eagles qualified for the postseason for the third-consecutive season.

• The DETROIT LIONS tied a franchise record with their 12th win of the season as JAHMYR GIBBS, SAM LAPORTA, DAVID MONTGOMERY and AMON-RA ST. BROWN each recorded a touchdown in the team’s 30-20 win over Minnesota in Week 18.

  The Lions – with Gibbs (11 scrimmage touchdowns), LaPorta (10), Montgomery (13) and St. Brown (10) – are the second team in NFL history with four players with at least 10 scrimmage touchdowns in a season, joining the 2013 DENVER BRONCOS (five players – ERIC DECKER, KNOWSHON MORENO, JULIUS THOMAS, DEMARYIUS THOMAS and WES WELKER).

  Gibbs (11 scrimmage touchdowns) and LaPorta (10 scrimmage touchdowns) are the first pair of rookie teammates each with at least 10 scrimmage touchdowns in NFL history.

  LaPorta had 86 receptions this season and surpassed KEITH JACKSON (81 receptions in 1988) for the most receptions by a rookie tight end in NFL history.

  LaPorta had 10 touchdown receptions this season, becoming the third rookie tight end in NFL history to record at least 10 touchdown receptions, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer MIKE DITKA (12 touchdown receptions in 1961) and ROB GRONKOWSKI (10 in 2010).

  LaPorta is the second rookie in NFL history with at least 85 receptions and 10 touchdown receptions, joining ODELL BECKHAM JR. (2014).

  LaPorta had 889 receiving yards this season, surpassing KEITH JACKSON (869 receiving yards in 1988) for the fourth-most receiving yards by a rookie tight end in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer MIKE DITKA (1,076 receiving yards in 1961), KYLE PITTS (1,026 in 2021) and JEREMY SHOCKEY (894 in 2002) had more.

• Dallas quarterback DAK PRESCOTT completed 31 of 36 attempts (86.1 percent) for 279 yards and four touchdowns with one interception for a 124.4 rating while wide receiver CEEDEE LAMB had 13 catches for 98 yards and two touchdowns and linebacker MICAH PARSONS had his career-high 14th sack of the season in the Cowboys’ 38-10 win over Washington.

  Prescott is the first quarterback in NFL history with four games in a season with a completion percentage of 80-or-higher (minimum 30 attempts in each game).

  Lamb had 135 receptions this season and became the sixth player in NFL history with at least 130 receptions in a season, joining MICHAEL THOMAS (149 receptions in 2019), COOPER KUPP (145 in 2021), Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (143 in 2002), ANTONIO BROWN (136 in 2015) and JULIO JONES (136 in 2015).

  Lamb had 135 receptions and 12 touchdown receptions this season and became the fourth player all-time with at least 125 receptions and 10 touchdown receptions in a season, joining ANTONIO BROWN (2014 and 2015), Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (2002) and COOPER KUPP (2021).

  Lamb had seven games with at least 11 receptions this season, surpassing MICHAEL THOMAS (six games in 2019) for the most games with 11-or-more receptions in a season in NFL history.

  Lamb has 10 career games with at least 10 receptions and joined MICHAEL THOMAS (18 games) and CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY (10) as the only players with at least 10 such games in their first four seasons in NFL history.

  Parsons has 40.5 career sacks and became the fifth player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with at least 40 sacks in his first three 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).

• Los Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver PUKA NACUA recorded four receptions for 41 yards in Week 18.

  Nacua had 105 receptions this season and surpassed JAYLEN WADDLE (104 receptions in 2021) for the most receptions by a rookie in NFL history.

  Nacua had 1,486 receiving yards this season and surpassed BILL GROMAN (1,473 receiving yards in 1960) for the most receiving yards by a rookie all-time.

• Minnesota wide receiver JUSTIN JEFFERSON has 12 receptions for 192 yards and one touchdown in Week 18.

  Jefferson had 1,074 receiving yards this season and is the fifth player in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons, joining MIKE EVANS, A.J. GREEN, Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS and MICHAEL THOMAS.

  Jefferson has 11 career games with at least 150 receiving yards, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer LANCE ALWORTH (10 games) for the most such games by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history.

  Jefferson has six career games with at least 175 receiving yards, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer ISAAC BRUCE (five games) and CHARLIE HENNIGAN (five) for the second-most such games by a player in his first four seasons all-time. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer LANCE ALWORTH (seven games) had more.

  Jefferson has 29 career games with at least 100 receiving yards in four career seasons, surpassing JULIO JONES (28 games) for the second-most by a player in his first five seasons. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (30 games) has more.

• Additional notes from Week 18 include:
  • Houston rookie quarterback C.J. STROUD completed 20 of 26 attempts (76.9 percent) for 264 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 134.1 rating in the Texans’ 23-19 win over Indianapolis on Saturday.

    Stroud finished with 4,108 passing yards this season, becoming the fifth rookie quarterback all-time with at least 4,000 passing yards, joining ANDREW LUCK (4,374 passing yards in 2012), JUSTIN HERBERT (4,336 in 2020), CAM NEWTON (4,051 in 2011) and JAMEIS WINSTON (4,042 in 2015).

    Stroud recorded a 100.8 passer rating this season and became the fourth qualifying rookie quarterback in NFL history with a passer rating of 100-or-higher, joining DAK PRESCOTT (104.9 rating in 2016), ROBERT GRIFFIN III (102.4 in 2012) and RUSSELL WILSON (100.0 in 2012).

    Stroud had nine games with at least 250 passing yards this season, surpassing ANDREW LUCK (eight games in 2012) for the second-most such games by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. Only JUSTIN HERBERT (12 games in 2020) had more.

  • Tennessee running back DERRICK HENRY rushed for 153 yards and one touchdown in the Titans’ 28-20 win over Jacksonville in Week 18.

    Henry has 90 career rushing touchdowns and is the fourth player in NFL history with at least 90 rushing touchdowns in his first eight career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (126) and EMMITT SMITH (112) as well as SHAUN ALEXANDER (100).

    Henry had 12 rushing touchdowns this season and is the sixth player in NFL history with five career seasons of 12-or-more rushing touchdowns, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (seven seasons), EMMITT SMITH (six) and JIM BROWN (five) as well as SHAUN ALEXANDER (five) and ADRIAN PETERSON (five).

    Henry has 13 career games with at least 150 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famers ERIC DICKERSON (13 games) and EMMITT SMITH (13) as well as ADRIAN PETERSON (13) for the fourth-most ever by a player in his first eight seasons. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers JIM BROWN (18 games), LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (16) and O.J. SIMPSON (15) have more.

  • Las Vegas wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS had five catches for 46 yards and one touchdown in the Raiders’ Week 18 win.

    Adams had 103 receptions in 2023 and became the fourth player in NFL history with at least 100 receptions in four consecutive seasons, joining ANTONIO BROWN (six consecutive seasons from 2013-18), STEFON DIGGS (four from 2020-23) and Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (four from 1999-2002).

    Adams has 872 receptions since entering the NFL in 2014 and surpassed TORRY HOLT (869 receptions) for the third-most receptions by a player in his first 10 seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (927 receptions) and BRANDON MARSHALL (882) had more.

  • San Francisco wide receiver DEEBO SAMUEL finished the 2023 season with 1,117 scrimmage yards (892 receiving, 225 rushing), his second-career 1,000-yard season.

    Samuel has 4,122 receiving yards and 1,007 rushing yards since entering the NFL in 2019 and is the second player in NFL history with at least 4,000 receiving yards and 1,000 rushing yards in their first five career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer CHARLEY TAYLOR.

  • Jacksonville tight end EVAN ENGRAM had 10 receptions for 79 yards and one touchdown in Week 18.

    Engram had 114 receptions this season, surpassing TRAVIS KELCE (110 receptions in 2022) and JASON WITTEN (110 in 2012) for the second-most receptions by a tight end in a season in NFL history. Only ZACH ERTZ (116 receptions in 2018) had more.

    Engram had four games with at least 10 receptions this season and joined ZACH ERTZ (five games in 2018) as the only tight ends with four games with 10-or-more receptions in a season in NFL history.

  • Tampa Bay safety ANTOINE WINFIELD JR. recorded a sack and forced fumble in the Buccaneers’ 9-0 win over Carolina in Week 18.

    Winfield has six games with at least one sack this season and is the fourth defensive back since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with six such games in a season, joining JAMAL ADAMS (eight games in 2020), DAVE DUERSON (six in 1986) and ROMAN HARPER (six in 2011).

    Winfield is the first defensive back since 2000 with six sacks and six forced fumbles in a season.

  • Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT registered two sacks in the Steelers’ 17-10 win over Baltimore on Saturday.

    Watt has 22 career games with at least two sacks, tied with JARED ALLEN (22 games) for the fourth-most games with at least two sacks 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 as SIMEON RICE (23) had more.​

COURTESY NFL COMMUNICATIONS