NFL Notebook: Five Teams Entered Sunday with Fewer Wins than Opponent Earned Wins
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| (SportsDay photo by Nancy DeLander Beecher) |
A look at seven statistical highlights from games played during the 9:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET windows on Sunday, October 15, the sixth week of the 2023 season.
- With two games remaining in Week 6, 10 of 13 games (76.9 percent) have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter, with eight games having been decided by one score.Five teams that entered Week 6 with fewer victories than their opponent this season earned wins: the CINCINNATI BENGALS (over Seattle), CLEVELAND BROWNS (over San Francisco), HOUSTON TEXANS (over New Orleans), NEW YORK JETS (over Philadelphia) and WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (over Atlanta).The NEW YORK JETS (3-3) overcame an 11-point deficit and defeated Philadelphia, 20-14, as BREECE HALL rushed for the game-winning touchdown with 1:46 remaining in the fourth quarter. Defensive lineman QUINNEN WILLIAMS (interception) and linebacker QUINCY WILLIAMS (fumble recovery) became the first pair of brothers to record a takeaway for the same team since Minnesota's E.J. and ERIN HENDERSON on September 19, 2010.The CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-2) overcame a 10-point deficit and defeated San Francisco, 19-17, as DUSTIN HOPKINS kicked the game-winning field goal with 1:40 remaining in the fourth quarter. The Browns have allowed 1,002 yards this season, the fewest yards allowed in 52 years and the third-fewest yards allowed by a team in its first five games of a season since 1970, trailing only the 1971 BALTIMORE COLTS (836 yards) and 1970 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (945).The BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-2) defeated Tennessee, 24-16, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London in the third of five international games this season. Baltimore quarterback LAMAR JACKSON recorded 285 total yards (223 passing, 62 rushing), his 50th career game with at least 50 rushing yards, and joined MICHAEL VICK (54 games) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with 50 career games of 50-or-more rushing yards.
- Miami running back RAHEEM MOSTERT had three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) and wide receiver TYREEK HILL had six catches for 163 yards and one touchdown in the Dolphins' 42-21 win over Carolina.Miami has 2,992 total yards of offense this season, the second-most total yards of offense by a team in its first six games of a season in NFL history, trailing only the 2000 ST. LOUIS RAMS (3,056 yards).Miami has scored 223 points this season, the fifth-most points by a team in its first six games of a season in the Super Bowl era. Only the 2013 DENVER BRONCOS (265 points), 2000 ST. LOUIS RAMS (262), 2009 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (238) and 2007 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (230) had more.Mostert has 11 touchdowns this season and is the sixth different player with at least 11 touchdowns in his team's first six games of a season since 1970, joining SHAUN ALEXANDER (12 touchdowns in 2005), TODD GURLEY (11 in 2018) and PRIEST HOLMES (11 in 2004 and 2002) as well as Pro Football Hall of Famers EMMITT SMITH (11 in 1995) and LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (11 in 2005).Mostert is the fourth player in NFL history with nine rushing touchdowns and two receiving touchdowns in his team's first six games of a season, joining EMERSON BOOZER (1967), TODD GURLEY (2018) and PRIEST HOLMES (2002).Hill has 814 receiving yards this season, the most receiving yards by a player in his team's first six games of a season in the Super Bowl era and the second-most by a player in his team's first six games of a season in NFL history, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer DON HUTSON (819 receiving yards in 1942).Hill is the first player ever to record at least 150 receiving yards in four of his team's first six games of a season. He had 215 receiving yards in Week 1, 157 receiving yards in Week 3, 181 receiving yards in Week 5 and 163 receiving yards in Week 6.Hill has 12 career games with at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown reception, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer CALVIN JOHNSON (12 games) for the third-most games with at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown reception by a player in his first eight seasons. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers LANCE ALWORTH (16) and JERRY RICE (14) have more.Hill has six touchdown receptions this season and is the fifth player ever to record at least six touchdown receptions in each of his first eight seasons, joining LARRY FITZGERALD and Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISON, DON HUTSON and RANDY MOSS.
- Detroit quarterback JARED GOFF passed for 353 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions for a 107.5 rating in the Lions' 20-6 win at Tampa Bay.Goff has 17 career games with at least 350 passing yards, tied with ANDREW LUCK (17 games) for the fourth-most such games by a player in his first eight career seasons in NFL history. Only PATRICK MAHOMES (21 games, currently in his seventh season), Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (18) and MATTHEW STAFFORD (18) have more.
- Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS had two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) and wide receiver A.J. BROWN had seven receptions for 131 yards in Week 6.Hurts has 31 career rushing touchdowns, tied with JOSH ALLEN (31 rushing touchdowns) for the second-most by a quarterback in his first four career seasons in NFL history. Only CAM NEWTON (33 rushing touchdowns) has more.Brown is the fifth player since 2000 to total at least 125 receiving yards in four consecutive games, joining ODELL BECKHAM JR. (2014), JOSH GORDON (2013), ANDRE JOHNSON (2008) and Pro Football Hall of Famer CALVIN JOHNSON (2012).Brown and Miami's TYREEK HILL are the third and fourth players in the Super Bowl era to record at least 125 receiving yards in four of his team's first six games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer LANCE ALWORTH (1968) and ANDRE RISON (1990).
- San Francisco running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY recorded a touchdown reception on Sunday.McCaffrey has recorded a scrimmage touchdown in 15 consecutive games, including the postseason, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famers LENNY MOORE (15 consecutive games in 1963-64), JOHN RIGGINS (15 consecutive games in 1982-1983) and O.J. SIMPSON (15 consecutive games in 1974-75) for the longest such streak in NFL history.
- Cincinnati wide receiver JA'MARR CHASE had six catches for 80 yards in the Bengals' 17-13 win over Seattle.Chase has 3,057 receiving yards in 35 career games since entering the NFL in 2021 and is the fifth player in NFL history to reach 3,000 career receiving yards in 35-or-fewer games, joining ODELL BECKHAM JR. (30 games), CHARLIE HENNIGAN (31), JUSTIN JEFFERSON (33) and Pro Football Hall of Famer LANCE ALWORTH (34).
- Carolina wide receiver ADAM THIELEN had 11 receptions for 115 yards and one touchdown in Week 6.Thielen has 24 career games with at least 100 receiving yards and surpassed GARY GARRISON (23 games) for the third-most such games by an undrafted player in the common-draft era. Only ROD SMITH (30 games) and WES WELKER (28) have more.Thielen has eight career games with at least 10 receptions, tied with J.T. SMITH (eight games) for the second-most such games by an undrafted player in the common-draft era. Only WES WELKER (18 games) has more.
- Additional notes from Sunday include:
- Houston rookie quarterback C.J. STROUD passed for 199 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the Texans' 20-13 win over New Orleans.Stroud recorded 191 pass attempts prior to his first interception, the most consecutive pass attempts without an interception to begin a career in NFL history and the second-longest such streak by a rookie at any point all-time, trailing only KYLER MURRAY (211 pass attempts in 2019).
- Los Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver PUKA NACUA had four catches for 26 yards in the Rams' 26-9 win over Arizona.Nacua has 50 receptions this season, the most receptions by a player in his first six career games in NFL history, and 598 receiving yards, the most receiving yards by a player in his first six career games in the Super Bowl era, surpassing ANQUAN BOLDIN (592 receiving yards in 2003).
