Sports
The seventeenth week of the NFL is nearly within the books, with appropriate one sport left to play. Several gamers had improbable performances, at the side of gruesome results from more than one groups.
Arguably the ideal efficiency came from Drew Lock and the Giants. New York entered the game on a 10-sport shedding crawl, which used to be the longest in franchise historical past. They were 0-8 at MetLife Stadium, and had handiest recorded three passing touchdowns in those eight contests. However on Sunday? Lock managed to throw three touchdowns against the Colts within the first half by myself.
He done the game with 309 yards on 17-of-23 passing with four pass touchdowns and one speeding rating, becoming the first Giants quarterback to possess 300 pass yards, four passing scores and a speeding landing since Eli Manning in 2014. Lock and Manning are the ideal Giants signal callers to attain that within the Tubby Bowl generation (since 1966).
This used to be furthermore the first time all season that New York led at dwelling after the first quarter. Lock had a host of wait on from Malik Nabers, who had seven catches for 171 yards and two scores. He and Tyrone Tracy Jr. became the third pair of rookie teammates every with now not much less than 1,000 scrimmage yards within the identical season, becoming a member of New Orleans’ Reggie Bush and Marques Colston (2006) and the Dallas Texans’ Abner Haynes and Johnny Robinson (1960).
The Giants weren’t the ideal team to possess improbable performances from this weekend. FOX Sports actions Compare broke down ten more seek-opening nuggets for you. Let’s rob a scrutinize:
1. Chiefs help cruising With their 15th catch of the season, Kansas Metropolis operate a franchise document for wins in a single season. Andy Reid has now coached a team that clinched the No. 1 seed in their convention seven cases in his occupation— tying Bill Belichick for basically the most No. 1 seeds by a head coach ever. Having done so on Christmas Day, this used to be appropriate the fifth occasion in NFL historical past that a team clinched the No. 1 seed on December twenty fifth— and the first since the 2017 Eagles.
This used to be the fourth time within the Patrick Mahomes generation that the Chiefs possess clinched the terminate seed. Prior to his arrival, K.C. had clinched the No. 1 seed appropriate twice in franchise historical past (1995, 1997). Including the playoffs, they’ve received 10 straight dwelling video games and will play their subsequent one within the AFC Divisional Spherical.
Within the occasion that they catch that sport, Mahomes will document his 11th occupation playoff catch at dwelling— which is intelligent to spoil a tie with Peyton Manning and Joe Montana for the second-most ever (Tom Brady- 21).
Takeaway: With a bye locked up, Kansas Metropolis is tranquil the fave to reach help out of the AFC. However don’t reveal that to Baltimore or Buffalo. 2. Here reach the Vikings Minnesota’s season has in actuality been magical. With the catch over Green Bay this week, they improved to 14-2 on the season and will clinch the division and No. 1 seed with a catch against Detroit subsequent week. Beneath are plenty of nuggets that contextualize appropriate how improbable their 2024 campaign has been:
Kevin O’Connell is the first head coach to catch 14+ video games in a season with a quarterback who’s in his first twelve months with the team; this furthermore makes Sam Darnold the first quarterback ever to catch 14+ video games in his first season with a team. Vikings possess recorded their ninth straight catch, their longest in-season catch crawl since 1975. Sam Darnold is now as much as 35 pass touchdowns this season, passing Brett Favre (2009) for basically the most by a quarterback in his first season as a Viking. Vikings possess now recorded a takeaway in every of their first 16 video games to delivery up a season for the first time since 1992; that is tied for the longest crawl to delivery up a season in franchise historical past. Takeaway: Subsequent Sunday’s matchup between the Lions and Vikings would possibly possibly be electric. However can Minnesota fetch it done? 3. Saquon makes historical past To your complete second half of the season, each person has been discussing whether or now not or now not Saquon Barkley can reach the 2,000-yard charge. Successfully, he finally did it in Week 17 against the Cowboys. Barkley is now the ninth player in NFL historical past to reach that milestone, and handiest wants 101 yards to spoil the single-season document held by Eric Dickerson:
Eric Dickerson (1984): 2,105 Adrian Peterson (2012): 2,097 Jamal Lewis (2003): 2,066 Barry Sanders (1997): 2,053 Derrick Henry (2020): 2,027 Terrell Davis (1998): 2,008 Chris Johnson (2009): 2,006 Saquon Barkley (2024): 2,005 O.J. Simpson (1973): 2,003 He furthermore handed Jamal Anderson for basically the most speeding yards within the second half of video games in a single season since now not much less than 1991. The Penn Instruct product is now as much as 1,245 speeding yards within the second half this season, while Anderson had 1,133 yards in 1998. Whether or now not Barkley plays or now not subsequent week, what he’s done this twelve months has been mighty. Philadelphia furthermore clinched the NFC East title for the fourth time in past eight seasons.
Takeaway: Saquon’s 2024 season is a reminder of two issues: the working help bellow is tranquil extremely-major, and a swap of surroundings can lead to occupation-changing success for any player. 4. Joe Brrrrrr! Final week we said Joe Burrow is arguably taking half in cherish the ideal quarterback within the NFL. It is time to put off “arguably” from that sentence. The dilapidated Heisman winner has thrown three touchdowns in eight consecutive video games, becoming the fourth player in NFL historical past to construct that feat— becoming a member of Tom Brady (10 in 2007), Andrew Excellent fortune (eight in 2018) and Peyton Manning (eight in 2004).
Against the Broncos, he recorded his seventh occupation sport with 400+ pass yards and three passing scores. The handiest gamers with more such video games earlier than turning 30 years dilapidated are Dan Marino and Mahomes (every had nine). His play valid by the month of December is extraordinary, as he’s the first quarterback ever to throw for over 1,500 yards with 15 touchdowns and a 75% completion charge within a calendar month.
Lastly, Burrow has 10 video games with 250+ pass yards and three pass touchdowns this season— the fourth player in NFL historical past to possess 10+ such video games in a season. The choice three? Mahomes in 2018 (10), Peyton Manning in 2013 (11) and Tom Brady in 2007 (10). All three of them received the MVP that season.
Takeaway: Joe Burrow is doing all the pieces he can to sneak Cincinnati into the playoffs. And hopefully it happens, because he’s been completely stellar this twelve months. 5. Rookie pass-catchers thriving Four rookies possess reached 1,000 receiving yards this season— Malik Nabers, Brian Thomas Jr., Ladd McConkey, and Brock Bowers— atmosphere the document for basically the most 1,000-yard rookie pass-catchers in a season in NFL historical past (the 2021 and 2014 season every had three). Nabers and Thomas Jr. (LSU) at the side of McConkey and Bowers (Georgia) became the second and third rookie duos from the identical college to possess 1,000 receiving yards within the identical season. They joined Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson (Ohio Instruct), who were the first rookie duo to construct that charge help in 2022. Beneath are about a nuggets that highlight how prolific these rookies were this twelve months:
Brian Thomas Jr. now has 10 video games with now not much less than 75 receiving yards, breaking a tie for basically the most such video games by a rookie within the Tubby Bowl generation; he used to be tied with Justin Jefferson, Odell Beckham Jr., Anquan Boldin, and Terry Glenn. Brian Thomas Jr. is no doubt one of 4 rookies within the Tubby Bowl generation to put up over 1,100 receiving yards (1,179) and 10 receiving touchdowns (10) in a season; the ideal others were Odell Beckham Jr., Ja’Marr Rush and Randy Moss. Malik Nabers is the fifth rookie in NFL historical past with 100 catches and 1000 yards, becoming a member of Anquan Boldin (2003), Jaylen Paddle (2021), Puka Nacua (2023), Brock Bowers (2024), and Malik Nabers (2024). Malik Nabers is the first rookie in Giants historical past to document 100+ receptions in a season. Ladd McConkey has operate the Chargers rookie single-season info for catches (77) and receiving yards (1,054). Ladd McConkey and Malik Nabers possess had 50+ receiving yards in every of their final nine video games played, tying Odell Beckham Jr. for the longest such crawl by a rookie since the 1970 merger. Takeaway: The above checklist would now not even encompass Marvin Harrison Jr. and Rome Odunze. Demand to verify an increasing number of receivers taken within the first round of the NFL Draft. 6. Brock Bowers breaks document No longer too mighty of a shock here as he’s been inching closer and closer to this document every week, but Brock Bowers breaking the rookie tight terminate single-season document for receiving yards tranquil deserves recognition. Along with his seven catches for 77 yards against the Saints, he’s now as much as 108 receptions for 1,144 receiving yards on the season. He broke Mike Ditka’s document of 1,076 receiving yards, while his 108 receptions are basically the most by a rookie ever— regardless of bellow.
Takeaway: Bowers would possibly possibly be the ideal pass-catching tight terminate within the league. It’ll be superior to verify what he does in 2025. 7. Gruesome Myles Along with his two sacks against the Dolphins, Myles Garrett is now as much as 14 sacks on the twelve months— tied with Trey Hendrickson for basically the most within the league this season. However hitting the 14-charge furthermore save apart him in a class of his have. Garrett has now had 14+ sacks in four consecutive seasons, the first player ever to construct that since sacks became an decent stat in 1982. The Texas A&M product has furthermore had 10+ sacks in seven of his first eight seasons, with handiest Hall of Famer Reggie White having more (eight). He’s furthermore the ideal player to possess 500+ quarterback pressures within the Subsequent Gen Stats generation.
Takeaway: Garrett is a generational abilities that would now not fetch talked about adequate consequently of Cleveland’s lack of success. He would possibly possibly possibly appropriate spoil the all-time sack document at this charge. 8. Can’t terminate Jayden Jayden Daniels has been extraordinary this season, and leading the Commanders to their 11th catch of the season in extra time against the Falcons on Sunday night. Here is Washington’s first 11-catch season since 1991 (received 14 video games that season). Daniels now has 3,530 pass yards, 864 crawl yards, 25 pass touchdowns, and six speeding scores on the twelve months. These 864 are basically the most by a rookie quarterback in a single-season in NFL historical past. He’s now the first rookie quarterback in NFL historical past with 10+ wins, 30+ total touchdowns and 4,000+ total yards.
And with help-to-help comeback wins of 10+ components, he’s appropriate the fifth rookie quarterback to attain that since 1950 and the first since Andrew Excellent fortune in 2012. His 12 landing passes within the fourth quarter/OT are basically the most of any rookie in a single season since 1991, and is no doubt one of appropriate four gamers with 10+ passing scores within the fourth quarter/OT in that span (Peyton Manning, Derek Carr, Gardner Minshew).
Takeaway: This guy is the long crawl of the NFL, and Washington appears to be cherish they’ve a capability MVP in years yet to reach help. 9. Colts gaze spark in offense No topic being upset by the Giants, the Colts offense has confirmed signs of positivity within the past few weeks— scoring over 30 components and over 440+ total derive yards in help-to-help video games. Great of that has to construct with Jonathan Taylor, who recorded his third straight sport with 100+ speeding yards. He done the day with 125 speeding yards and two speeding scores, while Alec Pierce had 125 receiving yards and Michael Pittman had 109 of his have.
Both the receivers caught a landing as successfully, making them the first trio in franchise historical past to possess one player crawl for 125+ yards, while the choice two had 100+ receiving yards— and all three gamers rating. Whereas you occur to put off touchdowns from that equation, the final trio to construct that for the Colts used to be Edgerrin James, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark.
Takeaway: Indianapolis has plenty of offensive pieces that would possibly possibly foster long-timeframe success. However Chris Ballard and Co. have to form up the defense by the draft and free agency for a better 2025. 10. McKee has relaxing debut It is repeatedly relaxing to verify backup quarterbacks thrive, but it be rare to verify the third-stringer possess major success. With Jalen Hurts being out this week and Kenny Pickett taking half in successfully adequate to take a seat down down within the third quarter, Tanner McKee got his shot this Sunday against Dallas. The Stanford product done three-of-four for 54 yards and two landing passes. Sure, that is handsome— he threw four passes with two of them going for seven. He became the first player within the NFL Draft generation (since 1936) to possess more than one landing passes in his NFL debut while making an strive 5 or fewer passes. You’re taking care of to verify it.
Takeaway: No topic shedding to the Commanders final week, the Eagles are so honest that McKee used to be ready to attain one of these feat. Nobody wants to verify them within the playoffs.
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