PROTECTING THE ROCK: The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (7-0) are the last remaining undefeated team in the league and with a win at Houston on Thursday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, Prime Video), they would be off to their best start to a season in franchise history.
Quarterback JALEN HURTS has been the starter for each of the Eagles wins this season and won each of his final three starts of the 2021 season. With a win on Thursday, Hurts – who turned 24 years old in August – can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (11 consecutive wins in 1999) and DAK PRESCOTT (11 in 2016) for the third-longest winning streak by a starting quarterback under the age of 25 since 1990. Only BEN ROETHLISBERGER (15 consecutive wins from 2004-05) and LAMAR JACKSON (13 consecutive wins from 2019-20) have longer streaks.
The starting quarterbacks under the age of 25 with the longest winning streaks since 1990:
| PLAYER | TEAM | SEASON(S) | CONSECUTIVE WINS | ||
| Ben Roethlisberger | Pittsburgh | 2004-05 | 15 | ||
| Lamar Jackson | Baltimore | 2019-20 | 13 | ||
| Peyton ManningHOF | Indianapolis | 1999 | 11 | ||
| Dak Prescott | Dallas | 2016 | 11 | ||
| Jalen Hurts | Philadelphia | 2021-22 | 10* | ||
| *Active streak | |||||
Philadelphia leads the league with a +14 turnover differential this season and has a league-low two giveaways through its first seven games. With no turnovers on Thursday, the Eagles will become the first team in the Super Bowl era with fewer than three giveaways through their first eight games of a season.
— NFL —
TOP BILLING: The BUFFALO BILLS (6-1) enter Week 9 on a four-game winning streak and own the league’s top offense (430.6 yards per game). They also rank third in total defense (298.1 yards allowed per game).
Buffalo visits the New York Jets on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS) and has a chance to become the third team ever to average at least 425 yards of offense per game and allow fewer than 300 yards per game on defense through its first eight games of a season, joining the 2010 San Diego Chargers and 2007 New England Patriots.
The teams to average at least 425 yards of offense per game and allow fewer than 300 yards per game through their first eight games of a season in NFL history:
| TEAM | SEASON | YARDS PER GAME | YARDS PER GAME ALLOWED | |
| San Diego Chargers | 2010 | 426.9 | 260.0 | |
| New England Patriots | 2007 | 439.5 | 268.5 | |
| Buffalo Bills | 2022 | 430.6* | 298.1* | |
| *Through seven games | ||||
The Bills also enter the week with the league’s top-scoring defense (14.0 points allowed per game) and second-highest scoring offense (29.0 points per game). They can become the fourth team since 1970 to average at least 30 points per game and allow fewer than 14 points per game through their first eight games of a season, joining New England in 2019, Green Bay in 1996 and Washington in 1991.
— NFL —
WINDY CITY RUSHING: Led by running back KHALIL HERBERT (563 rushing yards) and quarterback JUSTIN FIELDS (424), the CHICAGO BEARS (3-5) enter the week with the league’s top rushing attack, averaging 188.4 yards per game on the ground.
As a team, Chicago has totaled over 225 rushing yards in each of its past three games. With at least 225 rushing yards against Miami on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), the Bears will become the fifth team ever and first since 1976 to record at least 225 rushing yards in four consecutive games.
The teams with at least 225 rushing yards in the most consecutive games in NFL history:
| TEAM | SEASON | CONSECUTIVE GAMES |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 1976 | 4 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 1951 | 4 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 1949 | 4 |
| Detroit Lions | 1934 | 4 |
| Chicago Bears | 2022 | 3* |
| *Active streak |
— NFL —
CHAMPIONS VS. CHAMPIONS: The two most recent Super Bowl Champions will go head-to-head on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS) when the LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-4) visit the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-4).
Los Angeles won Super Bowl LVI last year over Cincinnati as wide receiver COOPER KUPP recorded the game-winning touchdown catch with 1:25 remaining in the fourth quarter and defensive lineman AARON DONALD registered two of the Rams’ Super Bowl record nine sacks. Head coach SEAN MCVAY, with the win, became the youngest head coach to win the Super Bowl.
Two seasons ago, Tampa Bay defeated Kansas City to win Super Bowl LV. Quarterback TOM BRADY threw three touchdown passes in the win, earning his seventh Super Bowl title and fifth Pete Rozelle Trophy as Super Bowl Most Valuable Player, both the most by any player all-time.
The Rams (SoFi Stadium) and Buccaneers (Raymond James Stadium) are the only two teams to win a Super Bowl in their home stadiums.
This will be the 27th occurrence in the Super Bowl era and the eighth time in the past 20 seasons that the two most recent Super Bowl winners will meet in the regular season. The team who won the Super Bowl more recently has won six of the previous seven such matchups.
The matchups between the two most recent Super Bowl winners since 2003:
| SEASON | VISITING TEAM (SUPER BOWL) | HOME TEAM (SUPER BOWL) | RESULT |
| Week 9, 2022 | L.A. Rams (LVI) | Tampa Bay (LVI) | ??? |
| Week 4, 2020 | New England (LIII) | Kansas City (LIV) | KC 26, NE 10 |
| Week 11, 2019 | Philadelphia (LII) | New England (LIII) | NE 17, PHI 10 |
| Week 10, 2017 | New England (LI) | Denver (50) | NE 41, DEN 16 |
| Week 15, 2016 | New England (XLIX) | Denver (50) | NE 16, DEN 3 |
| Week 12, 2012 | Green Bay (XLV) | N.Y. Giants (XLVI) | NYG 38, GB 10 |
| Week 1, 2011 | New Orleans (XLIV) | Green Bay (XLV) | GB 42, NO 34 |
| Week 8, 2010 | Pittsburgh (XLIII) | New Orleans (XLIV) | NO 20, PIT 10 |
| Bold denotes more recent Super Bowl winner |
Brady enters Week 9 with 99,836 career passing yards, including the postseason, and needs 164 passing yards to become the first player in NFL history with 100,000 career passing yards. Brady has the most regular season passing yards (86,787) and postseason passing yards (13,049) all-time and has led the NFL in passing yards four times (2005, 2007, 2017 and 2021) during his 23-year career.
— NFL —
MORE MAHOMES HISTORY: Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES leads the NFL with 20 touchdown passes this season and ranks fourth with 2,159 passing yards. In 70 career games (all starts), Mahomes has totaled 21,150 passing yards and 171 touchdown passes.
With 105 passing yards against Tennessee on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), Mahomes will surpass MATTHEW STAFFORD (21,254 passing yards) for the most passing yards ever by a quarterback in his first 75 career starts. With three touchdown passes, Mahomes will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (173 touchdown passes) for the most-ever by a quarterback in his first 75 career starts.
The quarterbacks with the most passing yards in their first 75 career starts in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | PASSING YARDS | ||
| Matthew Stafford | Detroit | 21,254 | ||
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 21,150* | ||
| Andrew Luck | Indianapolis | 20,569 | ||
| *In 70 career starts | ||||
The quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes in their first 75 career starts in NFL history:
| PLAYER | TEAM | TOUCHDOWN PASSES | ||
| Dan MarinoHOF | Miami | 173 | ||
| Patrick Mahomes | Kansas City | 171* | ||
| Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay | 160 | ||
| *In 70 career starts | ||||
— NFL —
SUNSHINE STATE STARS: Miami wide receiver TYREEK HILL leads the league with 69 receptions and 961 receiving yards this season, the third-most receiving yards by a player in his team’s first eight games of a season in the Super Bowl era.
With 113 receiving yards at Chicago on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), a mark he has reached in four of eight games this season, Hill will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer ISAAC BRUCE (1,073 receiving yards in 1995) for the most receiving yards by a player in his team’s first nine games of a season in the Super Bowl era.
Hill totaled 188 receiving yards last week and joined ROY GREEN (1984) as the only players ever with at least 150 receiving yards in four of their team’s first eight games of a season in NFL history. In 99 career games, Hill has surpassed 150 receiving yards 11 times.
With 150 receiving yards on Sunday, Hill will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (12 games) for the fourth-most games with at least 150 receiving yards by a player through his first 100 career games in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers LANCE ALWORTH (17 games) and JERRY RICE (14), as well as JULIO JONES (13) have more.
The players with the most games with at least 150 receiving yards in their first 100 career games:
| PLAYER | TEAM(S) | GAMES | |
| Lance AlworthHOF | San Diego Chargers | 17 | |
| Jerry RiceHOF | San Francisco | 14 | |
| Julio Jones | Atlanta | 13 | |
| Randy MossHOF | Minnesota | 12 | |
| Isaac BruceHOF | St. Louis Rams | 11 | |
| Tyreek Hill | Kansas City, Miami | 11* | |
| Calvin JohnsonHOF | Detroit | 11 | |
| *In 99 games | |||
Hill’s teammate JAYLEN WADDLE ranks fourth in the league with 727 receiving yards in 2022. The two have combined for 1,688 receiving yards this season and have an opportunity to rank among the teammates with the most combined receiving yards through their team’s first nine games of a season in NFL history.
The teammates with the most combined receiving yards through their team’s first nine games of a season all-time:
| TEAMMATES | TEAM | SEASON | COMBINED REC. YARDS | |
| Bill Groman & Charlie Hennigan | Houston Oilers | 1961 | 1,950 | |
| Isaac BruceHOF & Torry Holt | St. Louis Rams | 2000 | 1,878 | |
| Emmanuel Sanders & Demaryius Thomas | Denver | 2014 | 1,854 | |
| Tyreek Hill & Jaylen Waddle | Miami | 2022 | 1,688* | |
| *Through first eight games | ||||
— NFL —
FULLY CHARGED: Los Angeles Chargers quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT ranks fourth in the NFL with 287.0 passing yards per game this season and has surpassed the 300-yard mark twice (Weeks 2 and 4). Since entering the league in 2020, Herbert has 19 games with at least 300 passing yards, tied for the most in the league.
With 300 passing yards at Atlanta on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Herbert will surpass ANDREW LUCK (19 games) for the most games with at least 300 passing yards by a player in his first three seasons in NFL history.
AUSTIN EKELER leads all running backs this season with 53 receptions. Prior to the Chargers’ Week 8 bye, Ekeler totaled 10 receptions in Week 6 and 12 receptions in Week 7. With 10 receptions on Sunday, Ekeler will become the first running back ever with at least 10 receptions in three consecutive games.
Ekeler also ranks tied for second among all players with eight touchdowns (five rushing, three receiving) and is the only player in the league with at least one rushing touchdown and one touchdown reception in multiple games this season (Weeks 4, 5 and 7). Since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Ekeler has nine games with both a rushing and receiving touchdown, the third-most in the NFL.
With both a rushing and receiving touchdown on Sunday, Ekeler will become the third player in NFL history with 10 games with both a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown in his first six seasons, joining ALVIN KAMARA and CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY.
After totaling 11 touchdowns in 2019 and tying for the league lead with 20 touchdowns in 2021, Ekeler can become the fourth undrafted player in the common-draft era to have at least 10 touchdowns in three-or-more different seasons, joining ARIAN FOSTER (four seasons), ANTONIO GATES (four) and PRIEST HOLMES (four).
