NFL What To Look For – Week 17

CONSISTENT WINNERS IN THE AFC: The KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-4) – who clinched their sixth-consecutive AFC West division title – have a winning record in each of their nine seasons under head coach ANDY REID, including at least 12 wins in each of the previous three seasons.

With a win on Sunday against Cincinnati (1:00 PM ET, CBS), the Chiefs would become the fifth team in NFL history to record at least 12 victories in four consecutive seasons.

The teams with the most consecutive seasons with at least 12 wins in NFL history:

The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-6), who enter Week 17 as the No. 6 seed in the AFC and are looking to return to the playoffs after missing the postseason in 2020, have won at least 10 games in 18 of their 22 seasons under head coach BILL BELICHICK.

Belichick, who also won 11 games as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns in 1994, can become the second head coach all-time with 20 seasons of 10-or-more wins, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer DON SHULA (20 seasons).

The head coaches with the most seasons with at least 10 wins in NFL history:

The PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-7-1) have finished with a .500-or-better winning percentage in 17 consecutive seasons, including each of their previous 14 years, since MIKE TOMLIN became head coach in 2007.
With one more victory this season, the Steelers can surpass the 1957-73 CLEVELAND BROWNS (17 consecutive seasons) for the third-longest streak of seasons with a .500-or-better winning percentage in league annals.

The teams with the most consecutive seasons finishing with a .500-or-better record in NFL history:

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MAHOMES MAGIC: Since taking over as the Kansas City starting quarterback in 2018, PATRICK MAHOMES has led the Chiefs to four-consecutive division titles. This season, he ranks tied for fourth in the league with 33 touchdown passes and fifth with 4,310 passing yards and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING as the only quarterbacks ever with at least 4,000 passing yards in four of their first five seasons.

With at least 190 passing yards on at Cincinnati on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Mahomes will join MATTHEW STAFFORD as the only quarterbacks ever with at least 4,500 passing yards in three of their first five seasons.

Additionally, Mahomes needs two touchdown passes to become the first quarterback in NFL history with at least 35 touchdown passes in three of his first five seasons.

Mahomes has totaled 147 touchdown passes in 61 career games. With three touchdown passes on Sunday, Mahomes will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (62 games) as the fastest player to reach 150 career touchdown passes in NFL history.

The players to reach 150 touchdown passes in the fewest games in NFL history:

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GO PACK GO: Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS enters Week 17 with 3,689 passing yards and 33 touchdown passes this season and can become the sixth player ever to record at least 4,000 passing yards in 10 different seasons.

Since Week 11, Rodgers has recorded 16 touchdown passes with zero interceptions and has recorded at least two touchdown passes in each of the five games during that span.

Against Minnesota on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), Rodgers can become the third player ever with at least two touchdown passes and no interceptions in six-or-more consecutive games, joining TOM BRADY (nine consecutive games in 2010) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DON MEREDITH (six from 1965-66). Rodgers can join Brady as the only ones to do so within a single season.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes and no interceptions in NFL history:

Rodgers’ top target this season has once again been wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS, who ranks second in the league with 106 receptions and third with 1,362 receiving yards and is one of five players with at least 10 touchdown receptions (10) this season.

With at least four receptions, Adams – who also had 115 receptions in 2020 and 111 receptions in 2018 – can become the fourth player all-time with at least three career seasons with 110-or-more receptions.

The players with the most seasons with at least 110 receptions in NFL history:

With two touchdown receptions, Adams – who had 18 touchdown receptions in 2020, 13 in 2018 and 12 in 2016 – would become the fifth player ever with at least 12 touchdown receptions in four of his first eight career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (five seasons), CALVIN JOHNSON (four), RANDY MOSS (four) and TERRELL OWENS (four).

Adams, who has 652 receptions for 7,930 receiving yards and 72 touchdowns since entering the NFL in 2014, can become the sixth player in league annals with at least 600 receptions, 8,000 receiving yards and 70 touchdown receptions in his first eight seasons.

The players with at least 600 receptions, 8,000 receiving yards and 70 touchdown receptions in their first eight seasons in NFL history:

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SECOND-YEAR STATEMENTS: Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT ranks second in the league with 4,394 passing yards and tied for fourth with 33 touchdown passes. In 30 career games, Herbert has totaled 8,730 passing yards, the most by a player in his first two seasons in NFL history.

With at least 270 passing yards against Denver on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, CBS), Herbert will become the second-fastest player ever to reach 9,000 passing yards, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (32 games). Only PATRICK MAHOMES (30) reached the mark in fewer games

The players to reach 9,000 passing yards in the fewest games in NFL history:

Last week, Cincinnati quarterback JOE BURROW passed for 525 yards and four touchdowns for a 143.2 rating, the fourth-most passing yards by a player in a single game in NFL history. Burrow ranks second in the league with a 105.0 rating this season and ranks sixth with a career-high 4,165 passing yards. In 25 career games, Burrow has totaled 6,853 passing yards.

With at least 147 passing yards against Kansas City on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Burrow will become the fourth-fastest player ever to reach 7,000 career passing yards, surpassing MARC BULGER (27 games) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (27).

The players to reach 7,000 passing yards in the fewest games in NFL history:

Miami quarterback TUA TAGOVAILOA enters Week 17 leading all qualified passers with a 70.1 completion percentage (230 of 328) this season. Since entering the league last season, Tagovailoa has recorded a completion percentage of 70-or-higher (minimum 20 attempts) in nine games.

With a completion percentage of 70-or-higher (minimum 20 attempts) at Tennessee on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Tagovailoa – making his 20th career start – will become the first player ever with a completion percentage of 70-or higher (miniumum 20 attempts) in 10 of his first 20 career starts.

The players with the most games with a completion percentage of 70-or-higher (minimum 20 attempts) in their first 20 career starts in NFL history:

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HISTORY IN HOLLYWOOD: Los Angeles Rams wide receiver COOPER KUPP leads the NFL with 132 receptions, the fifth-most in a single season all-time, for 1,734 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

With five receptions at Baltimore on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Kupp would surpass ANTONIO BROWN (136 receptions in 2015) and JULIO JONES (136 in 2015) for the third-most receptions in a single season in NFL history.

The players with the most receptions in a single season in NFL history:

Kupp’s 1,734 receiving yards are the seventh-most in a season all-time and with at least 48 receiving yards, would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer ISAAC BRUCE (1,781 receiving yards in 1995) for the fifth-most in a season all-time.

The players with the most receiving yards in a single season in NFL history:

Dating back to Week 13 of the 2020 season, Kupp has recorded at least five receptions in 19 consecutive games and can become the fifth player all-time with at least five catches in 20 consecutive games.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least five receptions in NFL history:

Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman AARON DONALD leads the team with 12 sacks this season and is the only player in the league with at least 11 sacks in each of the past five seasons. In his eight-year career, Donald has totaled 97.5 sacks.

With a sack on Sunday, Donald will surpass teammate VON MILLER (98 sacks) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DERRICK THOMAS (98) for the fourth-most sacks by a player in his first eight seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.

The players with the most sacks in their first eight seasons since 1982:

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OFFENSIVE ROOKIE SUCCESS: Five rookies – Miami wide receiver JAYLEN WADDLE (96 receptions), Detroit wide receiver AMON-RA ST. BROWN (74), Cincinnati wide receiver JA’MARR CHASE (68), Pittsburgh running back NAJEE HARRIS (67) and Atlanta tight end KYLE PITTS (64) – each have at least 60 receptions this season. The 2021 season can become the first with four-or-more rookies reaching 70 receptions, surpassing the 2014 season (three players).

Waddle enters Week 17 tied for the sixth in the league with 96 receptions, the second-most receptions by a rookie in league annals. With six receptions at Tennessee (1:00 PM ET, CBS), he would surpass ANQUAN BOLDIN (101 receptions in 2003) for the most receptions by a rookie all-time.
The rookies with the most receptions in NFL history:

Waddle and St. Brown each have at least eight receptions in four consecutive games and in Week 17, can surpass ODELL BECKHAM JR. (four consecutive games in 2014) for the most consecutive games with at least eight receptions by a rookie all-time.

Chase, who also has 1,163 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions this season, needs seven receptions to join ODELL BECKHAM JR. (2014) as the only rookies with at least 75 receptions, 1,000 receiving yards and 10 touchdown receptions in NFL history.

With at least 47 receiving yards, Chase can become the fifth rookie with at least 1,200 receiving yards in the Super Bowl era.

The rookies with at least 1,200 receiving yards in the Super Bowl era:

Harris leads all rookies with 1,406 scrimmage yards (984 rushing, 422 receiving) this season and can become the fifth rookie in NFL history with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards.

The rookies with at least 1,000 rushing yards and 500 receiving yards in NFL history:

Pitts ranks third among all tight ends with 949 receiving yards this season and with at least 51 receiving yards against Buffalo (1:00 PM ET, FOX), can join Pro Football Hall of Famer MIKE DITKA (1,076 receiving yards in 1961) as the only rookie tight ends in NFL history with at least 1,000 receiving yards.

Pitts has 64 receptions in 2021 and with six receptions, can become the third rookie tight end all-time with at least 70 receptions, joining KEITH JACKSON (81 receptions in 1988) and JEREMY SHOCKEY (74 in 2002).

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DEFENSIVE ROOKIE SUCCESS: Dallas linebacker MICAH PARSONS leads all rookies with 13 sacks this season, followed by Miami linebacker JAELAN PHILLIPS (8.5 sacks) and New York Giants linebacker AZEEZ OJULARI (eight). This season can become the first season since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, in which three rookies recorded 10-or-more sacks.

With two sacks against Arizona (4:25 PM ET, FOX), Parsons can surpass JEVON KEARSE (14.5 sacks in 1999) for the most sacks by a rookie since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.

The rookies with the most sacks since 1982: