NEW YORK – A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, January 5, the 18th week of the 2024 season.
- With one game remaining this season, there have been 141 games decided by seven-or-fewer points, tied with the 2022 season for the most in a season in NFL history.
There have been 121 games this season decided by six-or fewer points and 152 games decided by eight-or-fewer points, both the second-most in a season in NFL history, trailing only 2022 (122 games decided by six-or-fewer, 156 games decided by eight-or-fewer).
There have been 188 games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter, the second-most such games in a season in NFL history, trailing only 2022 (203 games). - The Minnesota Vikings (14-2) visit the Detroit Lions (14-2) on Sunday Night Football (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC), with the winner securing the NFC North division title, the No. 1 seed in the NFC, a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs.
The Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) secured the No. 2 seed in the NFC and will face the No. 7 seed Green Bay Packers (11-6) on Wild Card Weekend powered by Verizon. The Eagles defeated the Packers, 34-29, in Week 1 in the first-ever regular-season game in Brazil.
The No. 3 seed Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10-7) defeated New Orleans, 27-19, in Week 18 to secure the NFC South division title for the fourth-consecutive season and will host the No. 6 seed Washington Commanders (12-5), who are making their first playoff appearance since 2020, on Wild Card Weekend
The Los Angeles Rams (10-7), who won the NFC West for the first time since 2021, are the No. 4 seed and will host the No. 5 seed, either Detroit or Minnesota, next week. - The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (15-2), which secured the AFC West division title for the ninth-consecutive season, are the No. 1 seed in the AFC and will have a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs.
The No. 2 seed Buffalo Bills (13-4), who won the AFC East for the fifth-straight season, will host the Denver Broncos (10-7), who qualified for the postseason for the first time since 2015, on Wild Card Weekend. The Bills became the first team in NFL history with at least 30 touchdown passes (30) and 30 rushing touchdowns (32) in a season.
The No. 3 seed Baltimore Ravens (12-5), who clinched their second-consecutive AFC North division title with a win on Saturday of Week 18, will host the No. 6 seed Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7) in the first round of the playoffs. The two AFC North rivals split their two meetings during the regular season.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson had 41 touchdown passes and four interceptions this season and became the first player with at least 40 touchdown passes and fewer than five interceptions in a season in NFL history.
The No. 4 seed Houston Texans (10-7), who won the AFC South for the second-straight season under head coach DeMeco Ryans, will host the No. 5 seed Los Angeles Chargers (11-6), who qualified for the postseason in their first season under head coach Jim Harbaugh. - Tampa Bay wide receiver Mike Evans had nine receptions for 89 yards in the Buccaneers’ 27-19 win over New Orleans.
Evans had 1,004 receiving yards this season, his 11th-consecutive season with at least 1,000 receiving yards, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice (11 consecutive seasons from 1986-96) for the most consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons in NFL history. - New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes, including one to wide receiver Davante Adams, in the team’s 32-20 win over Miami.
Rodgers has 503 regular-season touchdown passes and became the fifth player in NFL history with 500 regular-season touchdown passes, joining Tom Brady (649 touchdown passes), Drew Brees (571) and Pro Football Hall of Famers Peyton Manning (539) and Brett Favre (508).
Rodgers reached 500 touchdown passes in 248 career regular-season games and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (244 games) as the only players to reach 500 regular-season touchdown passes in fewer than 250 career games.
Rodgers had 28 touchdown passes this season, his 14th career season with at least 25 touchdown passes, tied with Drew Brees (14 seasons) for the third-most such seasons in NFL history. Only Tom Brady (17 seasons) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (16) have more.
Rodgers and Adams have connected for 83 touchdowns, surpassing Miami’s quarterback-wide receiver duo of Pro Football Hall of Famer Dan Marino and Mark Clayton (82 touchdowns) for the third-most touchdowns, including the playoffs, by a quarterback-wide receiver pairing in NFL history. - Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 69 percent of his pass attempts (331 of 480) for 3,568 yards and 25 touchdowns with a 100.1 passer rating and added 891 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns in 17 starts this season, the highest completion by a qualified rookie quarterback ever and the most rushing yards by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
Daniels is one of five qualified rookie quarterbacks in NFL history with a passer rating of 100-or-higher, joining Dak Prescott (104.9 rating in 2016 with Dallas), Robert Griffin III (102.4 in 2012 with Washington), C.J. Stroud (100.8 in 2023 with Houston) and Russell Wilson (100.0 in 2012 with Seattle).
Daniels became the third rookie starting quarterback in NFL history to win 12 games, joining Dak Prescott (13 wins in 2016 with Dallas) and Ben Roethlisberger (13 in 2004 with Pittsburgh). - Denver rookie quarterback Bo Nix completed 26 of 29 pass attempts (89.7 percent) for 321 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 152.4 passer rating and rushed for 47 yards in the Broncos’ 38-0 win over Kansas City.
Nix’s 89.7 completion percentage (26 of 29) in Week 18 is the highest single-game completion percentage by a rookie quarterback with a minimum of 25 pass attempts in NFL history, surpassing Dak Prescott (88.9 percent (32 of 36) on Dec. 18, 2016 with Dallas).
Nix became the first rookie quarterback all-time with multiple games with at least 300 passing yards four touchdown passes and a passer rating of 140-or-higher.
Nix began Week 18 by completing each of his first 18 pass attempts, the most consecutive completions to begin a game by a rookie since at least 1978.
Nix had 29 touchdown passes this season and surpassed Baker Mayfield (28 touchdown passes in 2018 with Cleveland) for the second-most touchdown passes by a rookie quarterback in NFL history. Only Justin Herbert (31 touchdown passes in 2020 with the Los Angeles Chargers) had more.
Nix had 19 touchdown passes at home this season and surpassed Russell Wilson (17 home touchdown passes in 2012 with Seattle) and C.J. Stroud (17 in 2023 with Houston) for the most home touchdown passes by a rookie quarterback in NFL history.
Nix had 10 games with at least two touchdown passes this season and joined Justin Herbert (2020 with the Los Angeles Chargers) as the only rookies with 10 such games all-time.
Nix became the first rookie quarterback ever with seven games with multiple touchdown passes and no interceptions.
Nix had five games with at least three touchdown passes this season and joined Justin Herbert (six games in 2020 with the Los Angeles Chargers) as the only rookies with five such games in NFL history.
Nix had 376 completions this season and surpassed Trevor Lawrence (359 completions in 2021 with Jacksonville) for the third-most completions by a rookie quarterback in NFL history, trailing only Justin Herbert (396 completions in 2020 with the Los Angeles Chargers) and Carson Wentz (379 in 2016 with Philadelphia). - Additional notes from Sunday include:
- Las Vegas rookie tight end Brock Bowers had 112 receptions this season while New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers had 109 receptions in 2024, the two highest reception totals by rookies in NFL history.
Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, with 112 receptions, and Arizona’s Trey McBride, with 111 receptions, recorded the third and fourth-most receptions by a tight end in a season in NFL history, trailing only Zach Ertz (116 receptions in 2018 with Philadelphia) and Evan Engram (114 in 2023 with Jacksonville). - Carolina quarterback Bryce Young totaled five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) with a 123.5 passer rating in the Panthers’ 44-38 overtime win over Atlanta.
Young, who is 23 years and 164 days old, became the fourth player under the age of 24 with at least three touchdown passes and two rushing touchdowns in a game, joining Josh Allen (Dec. 30, 2018 with Buffalo), Steve Grogan (Oct. 3, 1976 with New England) and David Woodley (Nov. 9, 1980 with Miami). - Atlanta rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (age 24) passed for 312 yards and two touchdowns, running back Bijan Robinson (age 22) rushed for 170 yards and two touchdowns and wide receiver Drake London (age 23) had 10 receptions for 187 yards and two touchdowns in Week 18.
The Falcons became the first team in NFL history with a 300-yard passer, 175-yard receiver and 150-yard rusher each under the age of 25 in the same game.
Atlanta became the first team with a 175-yard receiver and 150-yard rusher each under the age of 24 in the same game in NFL history.
Robinson has 32 career games with at least 50 scrimmage yards, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famers Edgerrin James (32 games) and LaDainian Tomlinson (32) for the most games with at least 50 scrimmage yards by a player in his first two seasons in NFL history. - Dallas linebacker Micah Parsons tied his career high with 2.5 sacks in Week 18.
Parsons had 12 sacks in 2024 and became the fourth player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with at least 10 sacks in each of his first four NFL seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Dwight Freeney, Derrick Thomas and Reggie White.
Parsons has 15 career games with at least two sacks and became the fourth player since 1982 with at least 15 games with two-or-more sacks in his first four seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Reggie White (22 games) and Richard Dent (16) as well as J.J. Watt (15).
Parsons has 52.5 career sacks since entering the NFL in 2021 and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer Dwight Freeney (51 sacks) for the fifth-most sacks by a player in his first four seasons since 1982. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers Reggie White (70 sacks), Derrick Thomas (58) and DeMarcus Ware (53.5) as well as J.J. Watt (57) had more.
- Las Vegas rookie tight end Brock Bowers had 112 receptions this season while New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers had 109 receptions in 2024, the two highest reception totals by rookies in NFL history.
