ROOKIE TAKEOVER ON TNF: New England quarterback MAC JONES enters Week 11 leading all rookies with 2,333 passing yards, 13 touchdown passes and a 94.1 passer rating. In the Patriots’ victory last week, he completed 19 of 23 passes (82.6 percent) for 198 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions and a 142.1 rating. It marked the fifth-highest single-game rating by a rookie quarterback in the Super Bowl era (minimum 20 attempts). Jones has led the Patriots to four straight wins and compiled a 102.6 rating over those four games. He can become the fourth rookie quarterback ever to win five straight games and have a 100-or-higher rating over the span of the winning streak, joining DAK PRESCOTT (twice in 2016), ROBERT GRIFFIN III (2012) and BEN ROETHLISBERGER (2004).
Jones has also won each of his four road starts this season. With a win at Atlanta on Thursday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, FOX/NFL Network/Amazon), he can join Prescott (six in 2016) and Roethlisberger (six in 2004) as the only rookie quarterbacks ever to win their first five road starts.
The rookie quarterbacks to win the most consecutive road starts to begin a career in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON | GAMES |
| Dak Prescott | Dallas | 2016 | 6 |
| Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh | 2004 | 6 |
| Mac Jones | New England | 2021 | 4* |
| *Active streak |
Atlanta tight end KYLE PITTS enters Thursday leading rookie tight ends with 40 catches and ranks second among all rookies with 606 receiving yards. With four receiving yards against New England, Pitts can surpass CHARLE YOUNG (609 receiving yards in 1973) for the second-most receiving yards ever by a rookie tight end in his first 10 games. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer MIKE DITKA (869 in 1961) had more.
With six receptions, Pitts will surpass JORDAN REED (45 receptions in 2013) for the second-most receptions ever by a rookie tight end in his first 10 games. Only KEITH JACKSON (54 in 1988) had more.
The rookie tight ends with the most receptions in their first 10 games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON | RECEPTIONS |
| Keith Jackson | Philadelphia | 1988 | 54 |
| Jordan Reed | Washington | 2013 | 45 |
| Jermaine Gresham | Cincinnati | 2010 | 42 |
| Jeremy Shockey | N.Y. Giants | 2002 | 42 |
| Charle Young | Philadelphia | 1973 | 42 |
| Kyle Pitts | Atlanta | 2021 | 40* |
| *In first nine games |
— NFL —
TOP-5 OFFENSES MEET IN KC: The DALLAS COWBOYS (7-2) enter Week 11 with the top offense in the league (433.9 yards per game), while the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (6-4) ranks fourth (405.6). When the teams meet at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX), it will mark the sixth-most combined total yards per game between opposing teams in a matchup entering Week 11 or later since 1950.
The games with the most combined total yards per game between opposing teams entering a matchup Week 11 or later since 1950:
| WEEK, SEASON | TEAMS (YARDS PER GAME) | COMBINED YARDS PER GAME |
| Week 11, 2018 | Kansas City (423.1) at L.A. Rams (448.0) | 871.1 |
| Week 15, 2013 | San Diego Chargers (400.5) at Denver (465.6) | 866.1 |
| Week 17, 2011 | Carolina (395.7) at New Orleans (457.1) | 852.8 |
| Week 12, 2011 | New England (426.7) at Philadelphia (415.5) | 842.2 |
| Week 13, 2014 | New Orleans (433.6) at Pittsburgh (406.4) | 840.0 |
| Week 11, 2021 | Dallas (433.9) at Kansas City (405.6) | 839.5 |
Each team enters Sunday coming off games in which it each scored at least 40 points. Kansas City defeated Las Vegas, 41-14, and Dallas defeated Atlanta, 43-3, in Week 10. This will mark the first game this season in which each team scored at least 40 points the previous week.
Dallas quarterback DAK PRESCOTT leads qualified passers with a 110.8 passer rating through 10 weeks, while Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES’ 106.3 career passer rating is the highest in league history, minimum 1,500 attempts.
This will mark the fourth game since 1990 featuring a current season’s passer rating leader against the career passer rating leader and first since 1995.
The games featuring the season passer rating leader against the career passer rating leader since 1990:
| WEEK, SEASON | SEASON PASSER RATING LEADER | CAREER PASSER RATING LEADER | RESULT |
| Week 11, 2021 | Dak Prescott | Patrick Mahomes | ??? |
| Week 7, 1995 | Jim Harbaugh | Steve YoungHOF | IND 18, SF 17 |
| Week 3, 1993 | John ElwayHOF | Joe MontanaHOF | KC 15, DEN 7 |
| Week 13, 1990 | Phil SimmsHOF | Joe MontanaHOF | SF 7, NYG 3 |
Kansas City wide receiver TYREEK HILL ranks tied for third in the league this season with eight touchdown receptions. Hill, who has totaled at least seven overall touchdowns in each of his first six seasons, has 66 touchdowns (55 receiving, six rushing, five return) in 84 games. With a touchdown on Sunday, he will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (67 touchdowns) for the second-most touchdowns by a player in his first 85 career games since 1970. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (81) had more.
Last week, Kansas City tight end TRAVIS KELCE recorded his third game this season and 28th career with at least 100 receiving yards. With at least 100 receiving yards against Dallas, Kelce will tie ROB GRONKOWSKI (29 games) for the second-most such games ever by a tight end. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY GONZALEZ (31 games) has more.
Both Hill and Kelce will be going up against a Dallas defense that features the league’s interception leader in cornerback TREVON DIGGS. Diggs’ eight interceptions are tied for the most by a player in his team’s first nine games of a season since 1990.
With an interception on Sunday, Diggs can join DOUG EVANS (2001) as the only players in the Super Bowl era with an interception in eight of their team’s first 10 games of a season.
— NFL —
HOME COOKING: Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY leads the league with 27 touchdown passes this season and ranks third with 2,870 passing yards.
On Monday Night Football against the New York Giants (8:15 PM ET, ESPN), Brady can mark the sixth time ever that a player has recorded 3,000 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes through his team’s first 10 games of a season. Four of the past five times this has occurred, the player has gone on to win Associated Press Most Valuable Player that season.
The players with at least 3,000 passing yards and 30 touchdown passes in their team’s first 10 games of a season in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON | PASSING YARDS | TOUCHDOWN PASSES | ||||||
| Patrick Mahomes# | Kansas City | 2018 | 3,150 | 31 | ||||||
| Peyton ManningHOF | Denver | 2014 | 3,301 | 30 | ||||||
| Peyton ManningHOF# | Denver | 2013 | 3,572 | 34 | ||||||
| Aaron Rodgers# | Green Bay | 2011 | 3,168 | 31 | ||||||
| Tom Brady# | New England | 2007 | 3,059 | 38 | ||||||
| Tom Brady | Tampa Bay | 2021 | 2,870* | 27* | ||||||
| *Through nine games | ||||||||||
| #Named AP Most Valuable Player | ||||||||||
If Brady reaches the 3,000-yard mark, he will register his 19th such season and surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (18 seasons) for the most seasons with 3,000 passing yards by any player in NFL history.
He can also tie Favre (nine seasons) and Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (nine) for the second-most seasons ever with at least 30 touchdown passes. Only DREW BREES (10) has more.
Going back to Week 17 of last season, Brady has passed for at least four touchdowns in five consecutive home games. He is the first player to ever record at least four touchdown passes in each of his first four home games of a season and will look to extend the streak on Monday night.
— NFL —
FULLY CHARGED: Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT has 6,881 passing yards and 50 touchdown passes in his career and is scheduled to make his 25th career start in Week 11.
With 119 passing yards against Pittsburgh on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), Herbert will become the fourth player ever to record 7,000 passing yards in his first 25 career starts, joining PATRICK MAHOMES (8,007 passing yards) and Pro Football Hall of Famers KURT WARNER (7,333) and DAN MARINO (7,054).
The quarterbacks with the most passing yards in their first 25 career starts in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | PASSING YARDS | ||
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 8,007 | ||
| Kurt WarnerHOF | St. Louis Rams | 7,333 | ||
| Dan MarinoHOF | Miami | 7,054 | ||
| Justin Herbert | L.A. Chargers | 6,881* | ||
| *Scheduled to make 25th start on Sunday | ||||
With three touchdown passes on Sunday night, Herbert will surpass TONY ROMO (52 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most ever by a quarterback in his first 25 career starts.
The quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes in their first 25 career starts in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | TOUCHDOWN PASSES | ||
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 68 | ||
| Dan MarinoHOF | Miami | 65 | ||
| Kurt WarnerHOF | St. Louis Rams | 59 | ||
| Tony Romo | Dallas | 52 | ||
| Justin Herbert | L.A. Chargers | 50* | ||
| Deshaun Watson | Houston | 50 | ||
| *Scheduled to make 25th start on Sunday | ||||
Herbert’s top target this season has been wide receiver KEENAN ALLEN, who leads the team with 65 catches and 698 receiving yards. Allen has 689 receptions in 109 career games and his 14 games with at least 10 receptions are the fifth-most since he entered the league in 2013.
With 11 receptions on Sunday night, Allen will surpass ANTONIO BROWN (111 games) as the fastest player to ever reach 700 career receptions.
The players to reach 700 career receptions in the fewest games in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | GAMES | ||
| Antonio Brown | Pittsburgh | 111 | ||
| Julio Jones | Atlanta | 112 | ||
| Marvin HarrisonHOF | Indianapolis | 114 | ||
| Keenan Allen | San Diego/L.A. Chargers | 109* | ||
| *Has 689 receptions | ||||
— NFL —
NFC DOMINANCE: Since entering the NFL in 2018, Baltimore quarterback LAMAR JACKSON has started 12 games against the NFC and has won each contest, totaling 3,282 yards (2,167 passing, 1,115 rushing) and 26 touchdowns (20 passing, six rushing) in those starts.
With a win at Chicago on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Jackson can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer KEN STABLER (12 wins) for the second-most consecutive wins by a starting quarterback against one conference to begin his career in NFL history. Only BOBBY HEBERT (15 games) had a longer such streak to begin his career.
The most consecutive wins by a starting quarterback against one conference to begin a career in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASONS | OPPOSING CONFERENCE | CONSECUTIVE WINS | |
| Bobby Hebert | New Orleans | 1987-92 | AFC | 15 | |
| Lamar Jackson | Baltimore | 2018-21 | NFC | 12* | |
| Ken StablerHOF | Oakland Raiders | 1971-76 | NFC | 12 | |
| *Active streak | |||||
Additionally, with a win, the Ravens can tie the NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1987-90) and MIAMI DOLPHINS (1978-81) for the second-most consecutive wins ever by one team against the opposite conference. Only the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2005-09) had a longer such streak.
The teams to win the most consecutive games against the opposite conference in NFL history:
| TEAM | SEASONS | OPPOSING CONFERENCE | CONSECUTIVE WINS |
| New England Patriots | 2005-09 | NFC | 17 |
| New Orleans Saints | 1987-90 | AFC | 13 |
| Miami Dolphins | 1978-81 | NFC | 13 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 2018-21 | NFC | 12* |
| Tennessee Titans | 2007-10 | NFC | 12 |
| *Active streak |
— NFL —
HISTORY IS IN THE CARRDS: Entering Week 11, Las Vegas quarterback DEREK CARR ranks fourth in the league with 2,826 passing yards and his five games with at least 300 passing yards this season are tied for the most in the NFL.
With 174 passing yards against Cincinnati on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, CBS), Carr will become the fourth quarterback ever to pass for at least 3,000 yards in each of his first eight seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING, CAM NEWTON and RUSSELL WILSON.
Carr has 29,722 career passing yards and can become the fifth quarterback ever to reach 30,000 passing yards in his first eight seasons.
The quarterbacks with the most passing yards in their first eight seasons in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | PASSING YARDS | ||
| Peyton ManningHOF | Indianapolis | 33,189 | ||
| Matt Ryan | Atlanta | 32,757 | ||
| Dan MarinoHOF | Miami | 31,416 | ||
| Matthew Stafford | Detroit | 30,303 | ||
| Russell Wilson | Seattle | 29,734 | ||
| Derek Carr | Oakland/Las Vegas | 29,722* | ||
| *In eighth season | ||||
— NFL —
JUMPING AROUND THE RECORD BOOK: Indianapolis running back JONATHAN TAYLOR is tied for the league lead with 937 rushing yards this season and ranks third with nine rushing touchdowns. Last year, Taylor led all rookies with 1,169 rushing yards and tied for the lead among rookies with 11 rushing touchdowns.
With 63 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown at Buffalo on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Taylor will become the fourth player since 2000 and first since ADRIAN PETERSON (2007) to record at least 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in each of his first two seasons.
The players with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in each of their first two seasons since 2000:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASONS |
| Adrian Peterson | Minnesota | 2007-08 |
| Clinton Portis | Denver | 2002-03 |
| LaDainian TomlinsonHOF | San Diego Chargers | 2001-02 |
| Jonathan Taylor | Indianapolis | 2020-21* |
| *Has 937 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns in 2021 | ||
Taylor enters Sunday having recorded at least 100 scrimmage yards and a rushing touchdown in seven consecutive games. If he accomplishes the feat again in Buffalo, he will become the third player ever to do so in eight straight games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (2006) and LYDELL MITCHELL (1975-76).
Taylor can join Tomlinson, who won Associated Press Most Valuable Player in 2006, as the only players to do so in a single season.
