NFL News: What To Look For – Week 9

By Lydia Jane Allison

NEW YORK — Oct. 30, 2024 — Below are players that can set historic marks or reach career milestones in Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season, including:

  • QB Jayden Daniels
  • QB Bo Nix
  • QB Caleb Williams
  • TE Brock Bowers
  • WR Malik Nabers
  • QB Jared Goff
  • RB Derrick Henry
  • RB Joe Mixon
  • RB Kyren Williams
  • WR Cooper Kupp
  • WR Puka Nacua
  • QB Justin Herbert

ROOKIE SUCCESS

Among Washington’s Jayden Daniels (six wins), Denver’s Bo Nix (five), Chicago’s Caleb Williams (four) and New England’s Drake Maye (one), rookie quarterbacks have combined for 16 wins this season, the second-most by rookie quarterbacks in the first eight weeks of a season in NFL history. In Week 9, the 2024 season can match or surpass the 2012 season (19 wins) for the most wins by rookie quarterbacks in the first nine weeks of a season all-time.

The 2024 season can become the third in NFL history in which three rookie quarterbacks each had five-or-more wins, joining 2012 (Robert Griffin IIIAndrew LuckRyan TannehillBrandon Weeden and Russell Wilson) and 2018 (Josh AllenLamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield).

Among the milestones rookies can reach in Week 9:

  • Jayden Daniels has a 112.8 passer rating in four career road games and on Sunday against the New York Giants (1 p.m. ET, FOX), can join Dak Prescott (119.5 passer rating) and Patrick Mahomes (115.2) as the only players with a passer rating of 110-or-higher in his first five career road games (minimum 100 attempts) in NFL history.

Daniels can also join Prescott as the only players all-time with a passer rating of 90-or-higher (minimum 15 attempts per game) in each of his first five career road games.

Daniels has a 78.6 completion percentage (88 of 112) in four career road games and can surpass Dak Prescott (71.6 completion percentage) and Chad Pennington (70.5) for the highest completion percentage by a player in his first five career road games (minimum 100 attempts) all-time.

  • Bo Nix has won three consecutive road starts and with a win at Baltimore (1 p.m. ET, CBS), can become the sixth rookie quarterback all-time to win four of his first five career road starts, joining Mac Jones (first five), Dak Prescott (five), Ben Roethlisberger (five), Andy Dalton (four) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino (four).
  • Caleb Williams, with a win at Arizona (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS), would become the second quarterback selected No. 1 overall in the NFL Draft to win five of his first eight career starts, joining Andrew Luck.
  • Las Vegas rookie tight end Brock Bowers leads the NFL with 52 receptions and with eight receptions at Cincinnati (1 p.m. ET, FOX), can join Puka Nacua (64 receptions) and Saquon Barkley (62) as the only players in NFL history with at least 60 receptions in their first nine career games.

    Bowers leads all tight ends with 535 receiving yards this season and can join Pro Football Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (771 receiving yards) and Kyle Pitts (606) as the only tight ends in NFL history with at least 600 receiving yards in their first nine career games.

  • New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers has 46 receptions in six career games and with four receptions against Washington (1 p.m. ET, FOX), can join Puka Nacua (58 receptions) as the only players in NFL history with at least 50 receptions in their first seven career games.

    Nabers has 498 receiving yards in six career games and can become the fifth player in the Super Bowl era with at least 600 receiving yards in their first seven career games, joining Ja’Marr Chase (754 receiving yards), Puka Nacua (752), Anquan Boldin (621) and Odell Beckham Jr. (609).

JARED GOFF

Detroit quarterback Jared Goff, in Weeks 4 and 6-8 with a bye in Week 5, became the third player in NFL history with a passer rating of 125-or-higher in four consecutive games (minimum 15 attempts per game), joining Russell Wilson (five straight games in 2015) and Ryan Tannehill (four in 2019).

On Sunday at Green Bay (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Goff can become the fourth quarterback since 2000 with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 110-or-higher in six consecutive games, joining Aaron Rodgers (11 straight games in 2011), Tom Brady (six in 2010) and Patrick Mahomes (six in 2018).

In his past five, Goff has completed 88 of 106 pass attempts (83 percent) with a 146.5 passer rating. On Sunday, he can set the marks for the highest completion percentage and highest passer rating by a player in a six-game span within a season in NFL history, minimum 100 attempts in each category.

The players with the highest completion percentage in a six-game span (minimum 100 attempts) in a season in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
Peyton Manning HOF Indianapolis 2008 78.3 (137 of 175)
Drew Brees New Orleans 2018 78.0 (135 of 173)
Sammy Baugh HOF Washington 1945 77.6 (83 of 107)
       
Jared Goff Detroit 2024 83.0* (88 of 106)
*in past five games

The players with the highest passer rating in a six-game span (minimum 100 attempts) in a season in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON PASSER RATING
Brock Purdy San Francisco 2023 138.1
Drew Brees New Orleans 2018 137.2
Milt Plum Cleveland 1960 136.5
       
Jared Goff Detroit 2024 146.5*
*in past five games

DERRICK HENRY

Baltimore running back Derrick Henry leads the NFL with 11 scrimmage touchdowns (league-best nine rushing, two receiving) this season and last week, became the first player in NFL history with a touchdown in each of his first eight games with a team.

With his next rushing touchdown this season, Henry can …

  • Become the fourth player in NFL history to reach 10 rushing touchdowns in seven career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers LaDainian Tomlinson (nine seasons) and Emmitt Smith (eight) as well as Adrian Peterson (eight).
  • Become the third player in NFL history with 10 rushing touchdowns in seven consecutive seasons, joining Tomlinson (nine consecutive seasons from 2001-09) and Peterson (seven from 2007-13).
  • Become the fifth player in NFL history with at least 100 rushing touchdowns in his first nine seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Tomlinson (138 rushing touchdowns), Smith (125) and Jim Brown (106) as well as Shaun Alexander (100). Henry has 99 career rushing touchdowns entering Week 9.

With a touchdown against Denver on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Henry can become the fourth player since 1990 to record a touchdown in each of his first nine games of a season, joining Todd Gurley (first 10 games in 2018), Arian Foster (first nine in 2012) and LeSean McCoy (first nine in 2011).

The players with a touchdown in the most consecutive games to begin a season since 1990:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON GAMES
Todd Gurley L.A. Rams 2018 10
Arian Foster Houston 2012 9
LeSean McCoy Philadelphia 2011 9
       
Derrick Henry Baltimore 2024 8*
*active streak

Henry, who had a rushing touchdown in his final game last season after turning 30 years old on Jan. 4, 2024, can join Pro Football Hall of Famer John Riggins (13 consecutive games from 1982-83) as the only players over the age of 30 to record a touchdown in 10 consecutive games.

JOE MIXON

Houston running back Joe Mixon rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown in the Texans’ Week 8 victory against Indianapolis and became the first player in NFL history with 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in four of his first five games with a team.

On Thursday Night Football at the New York Jets (8:15 p.m. ET, Prime Video), Mixon can become the fifth player in NFL history with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in five of his first six games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Brown (six games in 1958), O.J. Simpson (five in 1975) and Emmitt Smith (five in 1995) as well as DeMarco Murray (five in 2014).

The players with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in five of their first six games of a season in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON GAMES
Jim Brown HOF Cleveland 1958 6
DeMarco Murray Dallas 2014 5
Emmitt Smith HOF Dallas 1995 5
O.J. Simpson HOF Buffalo 1975 5
       
Joe Mixon Houston 2024 4*
*in first five games

TRIO OF RAMS

In Week 8, Los Angeles Rams wide receivers Cooper Kupp (five receptions for 51 yards and a touchdown) and Puka Nacua (seven reception for 106 yards) returned to the lineup and running back Kyren Williams totaled 116 scrimmage yards (97 rushing, 19 receiving) and a touchdown catch in the team’s 30-20 win against Minnesota.

Williams – who is 24 years old – has a touchdown in 10 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL, and with a touchdown at Seattle on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), can become the fifth player under the age of 25 to record a touchdown in 11 consecutive games, joining Todd Gurley (13 consecutive games from 2017-18), Pro Football Hall of Famer Lance Alworth (11 in 1964), Buddy Dial (11 from 1959-60) and Jonathan Taylor (11 in 2021).

The players under the age of 25 with the most consecutive games with a touchdown in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON(S) GAMES
Todd Gurley L.A. Rams 2017-18 13
Lance Alworth HOF San Diego Chargers 1964 11
Buddy Dial Pittsburgh 1959-60 11
Jonathan Taylor Indianapolis 2021 11
Eric Dickerson HOF L.A. Rams 1983 10
Kyren Williams L.A. Rams 2023-24 10*
*active streak

Kupp has 590 receptions in 95 career games and with 10 receptions on Sunday, can become fifth player in NFL history with 600 receptions in his first 100 career games, joining Keenan Allen (624 receptions), Antonio Brown (622), Julio Jones (619) and Anquan Boldin (614).

The players with the most receptions in their first 100 games in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM RECEPTIONS
Keenan Allen L.A. Chargers 624
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh 622
Julio Jones Atlanta 619
Anquan Boldin Arizona 614
Marvin Harrison HOF Indianapolis 591
Cooper Kupp L.A. Rams 590*
*in 95 games

Nacua has 1,627 receiving yards in 19 games since entering the NFL in 2023 and with 112 receiving yards against Seattle, can surpass Justin Jefferson (1,738 receiving yards) for the second-most receiving yards by a player in his first 20 career games in the Super Bowl era. Only Odell Beckham Jr. (1,959 receiving yards) has more.

The players with the most receiving yards in their first 20 games in the Super Bowl era:

PLAYER TEAM REC. YARDS
Odell Beckham Jr. N.Y. Giants 1,959
Justin Jefferson Minnesota 1,738
Ja’Marr Chase Cincinnati 1,667
Puka Nacua L.A. Rams 1,627*
*in 19 games

JUSTIN HERBERT & CHARGERS DEFENSE

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert passed for 279 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 111.3 rating in the team’s 26-8 win over New Orleans last week.

Currently in his fifth season, Herbert has 28 career games with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 100-or-higher and with another such performance at Cleveland on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), he can tie Deshaun Watson (29 games) for the second-most games with two touchdowns passes and a passer rating of 100-or-higher by a player in his first five seasons in NFL history. Only Patrick Mahomes (35 games) has more.

The players with the most career games with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in their first five seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM(S) GAMES
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 35
Deshaun Watson Houston, Cleveland 29
Josh Allen Buffalo 28
Justin Herbert L.A. Chargers 28*
Dan Marino HOF Miami 28
Russell Wilson Seattle 28
*in fifth season

The Chargers lead the NFL in scoring defense through Week 8 (13 points allowed per game) and have allowed 20-or-fewer points in each of its first seven games this season. On Sunday, the Chargers can become the sixth team since 1990 to allow 20-or-fewer points in each of its first eight games of a season, joining the 1990 New York Giants (first 10 games), 2013 Kansas City Chiefs (nine), 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars (nine), 2019 New England Patriots (eight) and 1991 Kansas City Chiefs (eight).

The teams to allow 20-or-fewer points in the most consecutive games to begin a season since 1990:

TEAM SEASON GAMES
New York Giants 1990 10
Kansas City 2013 9
Jacksonville 1999 9
New England 2019 8
Kansas City 1991 8
     
Los Angeles Chargers 2024 7*
*active streak

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