By Lydia Jane Allison
NEW YORK –– Jan. 10, 2024 –– Below are among the players that can set milestones on Super Wild Card Weekend:
- Cleveland (Joe Flacco & Kareem Hunt)
- Houston (C.J. Stroud)
- Kansas City (Patrick Mahomes & Travis Kelce)
- Miami (Tyreek Hill & Raheem Mostert)
- Dallas (Dak Prescott & CeeDee Lamb)
- L.A. Rams (Matthew Stafford & Cooper Kupp)
- Detroit (Jared Goff)
- Buffalo (Leonard Fournette)
- Philadelphia (Jalen Hurts)
FLACCO LOOKS TO CONTINUE HISTORIC POSTSEASON CAREER
Cleveland quarterback JOE FLACCO will be making his 16th career postseason start when the Browns travel to face the Texans on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, Telemundo). In his previous 15 playoff starts, all with Baltimore, Flacco compiled a 10-5 record with 25 touchdown passes. Seven of his 10 playoff wins have come on the road, while five have come in the Wild Card round.
With a victory on Saturday, Flacco would surpass TOM BRADY (seven road playoff wins) for the most road playoff wins by a starting quarterback in NFL history. He would also surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (five wins in the Wild Card round) for the most wins by a starting quarterback in the Wild Card round.
In each of his past eight playoff games, Flacco has recorded at least two touchdown passes. With two touchdown passes this weekend, he will tie AARON RODGERS (nine consecutive playoff games) for the longest streak of postseason games ever with multiple touchdown passes. Also this weekend, Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES can become the sixth quarterback ever with at least two touchdown passes in seven-or-more consecutive postseason games.
The players with at least two touchdown passes in the most consecutive postseason games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | CONSECUTIVE GAMES |
| Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay | 9 (Jan. 10, 2016 – Jan. 24, 2021) |
| Joe Flacco | Baltimore | 8* (Jan. 15, 2012 – Jan. 10, 2015) |
| Terry BradshawHOF | Pittsburgh | 7 (Dec. 30, 1978 – Jan. 9, 1983) |
| Drew Brees | New Orleans | 7 (Jan. 21, 2007 – Jan. 14, 2012) |
| Joe MontanaHOF | San Francisco | 7 (Jan. 1, 1989 – Jan. 12 – 1991) |
| Tom Brady | New England, Tampa Bay | 6 (Jan. 14, 2017 – Feb. 4, 2018) |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 6* (Jan. 16, 2022 – Feb. 12, 2023) |
| *Active streak | ||
Since becoming Cleveland’s starting quarterback in Week 13, Flacco has totaled 1,616 passing yards (323.2 per game) and 13 touchdown passes over five games (Flacco did not play in Week 18). In each start, he recorded multiple touchdown passes and in each of his last four, totaled at least 300 passing yards.
With 300 passing yards on Saturday, Flacco – who will be 38 years and 362 days old on Saturday – will become the first player 38 years or older to record at least 300 passing yards in five consecutive games, including the playoffs, in NFL history.
STROUD MAKES PLAYOFF DEBUT
After being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Houston quarterback C.J. STROUD recorded 4,108 passing yards and 23 touchdown passes with a 100.8 rating in his rookie season, the third-most passing yards and third-highest passer rating among qualified rookie quarterbacks in NFL history.
With 229 passing yards on Saturday against Cleveland (4:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, Telemundo), Stroud will surpass JUSTIN HERBERT (4,336 passing yards in 2020) for the second-most passing yards ever by a rookie, including postseason. Only ANDREW LUCK (4,662 in 2012) has more.
The rookies with the most passing yards in NFL history, including postseason:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON | PASSING YARDS | |
| Andrew Luck | Indianapolis | 2012 | 4,662 | |
| Justin Hebert | L.A. Chargers | 2020 | 4,336 | |
| C.J. Stroud | Houston | 2023 | 4,108* | |
| *Entering Saturday | ||||
Stroud tied for the league lead with 300 passing yards in six games this season, tied for the second-most 300-yard games ever by a rookie. With 300 passing yards on Saturday, Stroud can become the fifth rookie quarterback ever to record 300 passing yards in a postseason game, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer SAMMY BAUGH, DAK PRESCOTT, BROCK PURDY and RUSSELL WILSON.
The rookie quarterbacks with at least 300 passing yards in a postseason game:
| ROOKIE QB | TEAM | SEASON | ROUND | OPPONENT | FINAL SCORE | PASSING YARDS |
| Russell Wilson | Seattle | 2012 | NFC Divisional | at Atlanta | ATL 30, SEA 28 | 385 |
| Sammy BaughHOF | Washington | 1937 | NFL Championship | at Chicago Bears | WAS 28, CHI 21 | 335 |
| Brock Purdy | San Francisco | 2022 | NFC Wild Card | vs. Seattle | SF 41, SEA 23 | 332 |
| Dak Prescott | Dallas | 2016 | NFC Divisional | vs. Green Bay | GB 34, DAL 31 | 302 |
With a win against Cleveland this weekend, Stroud can become the fourth rookie quarterback that was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft to win a postseason game in the common-draft era, joining JOE FLACCO (2008), BEN ROETHLISBERGER (2004) and MARK SANCHEZ (2009).
The first-round rookie quarterbacks to win a postseason game in the common-draft era:
| ROOKIE QB | TEAM | SEASON | DRAFT PICK | PLAYOFF WINS |
| Mark Sanchez | N.Y. Jets | 2009 | 5 | 2 |
| Joe Flacco | Baltimore | 2008 | 18 | 2 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh | 2004 | 11 | 1 |
MAHOMES, KELCE AND HILL MOVING UP ALL-TIME POSTSEASON RANKS
Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES enters the 2023 postseason as one of six quarterbacks all-time to win multiple Super Bowl MVPs (Super Bowls LIV and LVII). In 14 career playoff starts, Mahomes is 11-3 with 4,084 passing yards (291.7 per game) and 35 touchdown passes with a 107.4 passer rating, the highest postseason rating ever among qualified quarterbacks. Nine of his 11 wins have come at home in Kansas City.
With a win against Miami on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, Peacock), Mahomes will tie Pro Football Hall of Famers PEYTON MANNING (10 home playoff wins) and JOE MONTANA (10) for the second-most home playoff wins by a starting quarterback in NFL history. Only TOM BRADY (21) has more.
The starting quarterbacks with the most home playoff wins in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | HOME PLAYOFF WINS | |
| Tom Brady | New England, Tampa Bay | 21 | |
| Peyton ManningHOF | Indianapolis, Denver | 10 | |
| Joe MontanaHOF | San Francisco, Kansas City | 10 | |
| John ElwayHOF | Denver | 9 | |
| Brett FavreHOF | Green Bay, Minnesota | 9 | |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 9* | |
| *Entering Saturday | |||
Mahomes’ top target throughout his postseason career has been tight end TRAVIS KELCE, as the two have connected for 14 postseason touchdowns. With a touchdown between Mahomes and Kelce on Saturday night, they will tie TOM BRADY and ROB GRONKOWSKI (15 touchdowns) for the most postseason touchdowns between a quarterback-receiver pairing in NFL history.
The quarterback-receiver pairings with the most postseason touchdowns in NFL history:
| QUARTERBACK | RECEIVER | TOUCHDOWNS |
| Tom Brady | Rob Gronkowski | 15 |
| Patrick Mahomes | Travis Kelce | 14* |
| Joe MontanaHOF | Jerry RiceHOF | 12 |
| *Entering Saturday |
Kelce enters Saturday ranked second all-time in postseason receptions (133), receiving yards (1,548) and touchdown receptions (16), trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE in each category. Kelce has recorded at least five receptions in each of his past 10 playoff games, 50 receiving yards in each of his past nine, and a touchdown reception in each of his past six.
With a touchdown reception on Saturday, Kelce will tie DAVID GIVENS (seven consecutive playoff games) for the second-most consecutive postseason games with a touchdown reception in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHN STALLWORTH (eight) has a longer streak.
The players with a touchdown reception in the most consecutive postseason games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | CONSECUTIVE GAMES |
| John StallworthHOF | Pittsburgh | 8 (Dec. 30, 1978 – Jan. 1, 1984) |
| David Givens | New England | 7 (Jan. 18, 2004 – Jan. 14, 2006) |
| Rob Gronkowski | New England | 6 (Jan. 10, 2015 – Jan. 13, 2018) |
| Travis Kelce | Kansas City | 6* (Jan. 16, 2022 – Feb. 12, 2023) |
| *Active streak | ||
Miami wide receiver TYREEK HILL led the NFL with a franchise-record 1,799 receiving yards this season. In 14 career playoff games, he has totaled 91 receptions for 1,150 yards and five touchdowns. He played 13 of those 14 games with the Chiefs and he will be making his return to Kansas City as a visiting player this weekend.
Both Hill and Kelce have recorded at least 50 receiving yards in each of their past nine postseason games and can become the fifth and sixth players ever to total at least 50 receiving yards in 10 consecutive playoff games, joining JULIAN EDELMAN (13 consecutive games), GARY CLARK (10), JULIO JONES (10) and Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (10). Jones, with Philadelphia, can extend his streak to 11 games on Monday night at Tampa Bay (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+, ESPN2/ESPN+-ManningCast, ESPN Deportes).
The players with at least 50 receiving yards in the most consecutive postseason games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | CONSECUTIVE GAMES |
| Julian Edelman | New England | 13 (Jan. 11, 2014 – Feb. 3, 2019) |
| Gary Clark | Washington | 10 (Jan. 10, 1988 – Jan. 9, 1993) |
| Julio Jones | Atlanta, Tennessee, Tampa Bay | 10* (Jan. 8, 2012 – Jan. 16, 2023) |
| Jerry RiceHOF | San Francisco | 10 (Jan. 1, 1989 – Jan. 17, 1993) |
| Tyreek Hill | Kansas City, Miami | 9* (Jan. 19, 2020 – Jan. 15, 2023) |
| Travis Kelce | Kansas City | 9* (Jan. 17, 2021 – Feb. 12, 2023) |
| Wes Welker | New England | 9 (Jan. 12, 2008 – Jan. 20 – 2013) |
| *Active streak | ||
Hill can also become the fifth player ever to record at least five receptions in 10 consecutive postseason games, while Kelce can join JULIAN EDELMAN (13 consecutive games) as the only players to accomplish the feat in 11-or-more consecutive playoff games.
The players with at least five receptions in the most consecutive postseason games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | CONSECUTIVE GAMES |
| Julian Edelman | New England | 13 (Jan. 11, 2014 – Feb. 3, 2019) |
| Travis Kelce | Kansas City | 10* (Feb. 2, 2020 – Feb. 12, 2023) |
| Jerry RiceHOF | San Francisco | 10 (Jan. 1, 1989 – Jan. 17, 1993) |
| Wes Welker | New England, Denver | 10 (Jan. 12, 2008 – Jan. 12, 2014) |
| Tyreek Hill | Kansas City, Miami | 9* (Jan. 19, 2020 – Jan. 15, 2023) |
| *Active streak | ||
PASSING TOUCHDOWN LEADERS MEET IN DALLAS
Dallas quarterback DAK PRESCOTT led the NFL with 36 touchdown passes this season while Green Bay quarterback JORDAN LOVE ranked second with 32.
When the two meet on Sunday (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes), it will mark the second Wild Card matchup ever between the league leaders in touchdown passes from the regular season. The other was between Pro Football Hall of Famers TERRY BRADSHAW and DAN FOUTS in 1982 when Fouts’ Chargers defeated Bradshaw’s Steelers, 31-28.
Sunday will mark Prescott’s seventh career postseason start. In four of those six starts, he has recorded both a touchdown pass and rushing touchdown. With a similar performance this weekend, Prescott will become the third player ever to record both a touchdown pass and rushing touchdown in five career postseason games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (seven games) and TOM BRADY (five). Kansas City’s PATRICK MAHOMES also has four such games and can join Young and Brady this weekend.
The players with the most postseason games with both a touchdown pass and a rushing touchdown in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES | |
| Steve YoungHOF | San Francisco | 7 | |
| Tom Brady | New England, Tampa Bay | 5 | |
| John ElwayHOF | Denver | 4 | |
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 4* | |
| Donovan McNabb | Philadelphia | 4 | |
| Dak Prescott | Dallas | 4* | |
| *Active in 2023 postseason | |||
Prescott’s top target this season has been wide receiver CEEDEE LAMB, who set single-season Cowboys records with 135 receptions and 1,749 receiving yards. Lamb finished the season with 13 receptions in each of his final two games and can become the first player ever with 13 receptions in three consecutive games, including the postseason.
Lamb led the league with at least 10 receptions in seven games this season, three more games than any other player. With 10 receptions on Sunday, Lamb will join MICHAEL THOMAS (nine games in 2019) as the only players ever to total at least 10 receptions in eight-or-more games in a season, including the playoffs.
The players with the most games with at least 10 receptions in a season, including the playoffs, in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON | GAMES |
| Michael Thomas | New Orleans | 2019 | 9 |
| Andre Johnson | Houston | 2008 | 7 |
| CeeDee Lamb | Dallas | 2023 | 7* |
| Michael Thomas | New Orleans | 2018 | 7 |
| Wes Welker | New England | 2009 | 7 |
| *Entering Sunday | |||
Dallas head coach MIKE MCCARTHY has complied an 11-10 career postseason record, which includes leading Green Bay to a Super Bowl XLV championship following the 2010 season. With a victory on Sunday, McCarthy will become the first head coach in NFL history to win a playoff game against a team with which he won a Super Bowl as head coach.
STAFFORD & GOFF FACE FORMER TEAMS, KUPP LOOKS TO MAKE PLAYOFF HISTORY
Los Angeles Rams quarterback MATTHEW STAFFORD was selected No. 1 overall in the 2009 NFL Draft by Detroit, while Detroit quarterback JARED GOFF was selected No. 1 overall in the 2016 NFL Draft by the Rams. The two clubs swapped quarterbacks prior to the 2021 season and will be facing off on Sunday night (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, Universo).
The winning starting quarterback will become the first quarterback ever to win a playoff game against a team for which he previously started a playoff game.
In the 2021 playoffs, Rams wide receiver COOPER KUPP set the record for most receptions in a single postseason (33) while totaling the second-most receiving yards (478) and tying for the second-most touchdown receptions (six). He recorded a touchdown reception in each of the four games during that playoff run, including two touchdown receptions in both the NFC Championship and Super Bowl LVI, when he earned MVP honors following the Rams victory.
With two touchdown receptions on Sunday night, Kupp will become the third player in NFL history to record multiple touchdown receptions in three consecutive postseason games, joining LARRY FITZGERALD (2008-09) and ERNEST GIVINS (1989-91).
In six career postseason games, Kupp has totaled seven touchdown receptions. With a touchdown reception in Detroit, Kupp will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (eight touchdown receptions) for the third-most touchdown receptions ever by a player in his first seven career playoff games. Only LARRY FITZGERALD (nine) and Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (nine) have more.
The players with the most touchdown receptions in their first seven career postseason games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | REC. TDs | |
| Larry Fitzgerald | Arizona | 9 | |
| Randy MossHOF | Minnesota | 9 | |
| Jerry RiceHOF | San Francisco | 8 | |
| Cooper Kupp | L.A. Rams | 7* | |
| *In first six games | |||
RUSHING INTO POSTSEASON RECORD BOOKS
Several players have a chance to set historic postseason marks on the ground this weekend.
Cleveland running back KAREEM HUNT has recorded a rushing touchdown in each of his first three career postseason games. With a rushing touchdown at Houston on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, NBC, Peacock, Telemundo), he will become the fourth player ever with a rushing touchdown in each of his first four playoff games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers TERRELL DAVIS (first seven playoff games) and CURTIS MARTIN (five) as well as ARIAN FOSTER (four).
The players with a rushing touchdown in the most consecutive games to begin a postseason career in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES |
| Terrell DavisHOF | Denver | 7 (Jan. 4, 1997 – Jan. 17, 1999) |
| Curtis MartinHOF | New England, N.Y. Jets | 5 (Jan. 5, 1997 – Jan. 17, 1999) |
| Arian Foster | Houston | 4 (Jan. 7, 2012 – Jan. 13, 2013) |
| Kareem Hunt | Kansas City, Cleveland | 3* (Jan. 6, 2018 – Jan. 17, 2021) |
| *Active streak | ||
Miami running back RAHEEM MOSTERT led the league with a franchise-record 18 rushing touchdowns this season and has recorded a rushing touchdown in four of his past five games. In three career postseason games, all with San Francisco, Mostert has totaled five rushing touchdowns.
With a rushing touchdown at Kansas City on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, Peacock), Mostert will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer TERRELL DAVIS (six rushing touchdowns), SONY MICHEL (six) and RICKY WATTERS (six) for the third-most rushing touchdowns ever by a player in his first four career playoff games. Only LEGARRETTE BLOUNT (seven) and Pro Football Hall of Famer CURTIS MARTIN (seven) have more.
The players with the most rushing touchdowns in their first four career postseason games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | RUSH TDs | |
| LeGarrette Blount | New England | 7 | |
| Curtis MartinHOF | New England, N.Y. Jets | 7 | |
| Terrell DavisHOF | Denver | 6 | |
| Sony Michel | New England | 6 | |
| Ricky Watters | San Francisco | 6 | |
| Raheem Mostert | San Francisco | 5* | |
| *In first three games | |||
Buffalo running back LEONARD FOURNETTE has totaled nine rushing touchdowns in nine career playoff games. With a rushing touchdown against Pittsburgh on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS, Paramount+), he will become the fifth player all-time with at least 10 rushing touchdowns in his first 10 career postseason games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers TERRELL DAVIS (12 rushing touchdowns), JOHN RIGGINS (12) and EMMITT SMITH (10) as well as and LEGARRETTE BLOUNT (10).
The players with the most rushing touchdowns in their first 10 career postseason games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | RUSH TDs | |
| Terrell DavisHOF | Denver | 12 | |
| John RigginsHOF | Washington | 12 | |
| LeGarrette Blount | New England, Philadelphia | 10 | |
| Emmitt SmithHOF | Dallas | 10 | |
| Leonard Fournette | Jacksonville, Tampa Bay | 9* | |
| Marshawn Lynch | Seattle | 9 | |
| *In first nine games | |||
Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS tied a Super Bowl record by rushing for three touchdowns in Super Bowl LVII last year, his third consecutive playoff game with a rushing touchdown.
With a rushing touchdown at Tampa Bay on Monday night (8:15 p.m. ET, ESPN/ABC/ESPN+, ESPN2/ESPN+-ManningCast, ESPN Deportes), Hurts – who tied the single-season record by a quarterback with 15 rushing touchdowns this season – will become the second quarterback ever with a rushing touchdown in four consecutive games, joining DAK PRESCOTT (2018-22).
COURTESY NFL COMMUNICATIONS
