NFL’s What To Look For – Week 9

WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 9

MAGNIFICENT MAHOMES: Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES leads the NFL with 2,526 passing yards and 26 touchdown passes through the first eight weeks of the season. Mahomes has thrown for at least 300 yards in each of his last seven games.

With 300 passing yards at Cleveland (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Mahomes would join ANDREW LUCK (2014) as the only quarterbacks with at least 300 passing yards in eight consecutive games within a single season in league history.

The players with at least 300 passing yards in the most consecutive games within a single season in NFL history:

Mahomes, who has thrown four touchdown passes in three consecutive games and five total games this season, can become the third quarterback in league annals with at least four touchdown passes in six different games in a single season, joining PEYTON MANNING (six games in 2004 and nine in 2013) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (six in 1984). Manning and Marino each won the Associated Press Most Valuable Player award in those seasons.

The players with the most games with at least four touchdown passes within a single season in NFL history:

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HERE COMES HOUSTON: Houston quarterback DESHAUN WATSON passed for five touchdowns with a 156.0 rating in the Texans’ 42-23 victory over Miami in Week 8.

Watson, who has 34 touchdown passes in 15 career games, needs one touchdown pass on Sunday at Denver (4:05 PM ET, CBS) to join Pro Football Hall of Famers KURT WARNER (39 touchdowns) and DAN MARINO (35) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 35 touchdown passes in their first 16 career games.

The quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes in their first 16 career games in NFL history:

The HOUSTON TEXANS have won five consecutive games following an 0-3 start to the season. With a win on Sunday, the Texans would join the 1970 NEW YORK GIANTS as the only teams since 1970 to win six consecutive games immediately following an 0-3 start.

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SUPER CAM: Carolina quarterback CAM NEWTON has 58 career rushing touchdowns, the most by a quarterback in NFL history, and has at least five rushing touchdowns in each of his first seven seasons in the NFL.

Newton, who has four rushing touchdowns this season and faces Tampa Bay on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), needs one rushing touchdown to become the first quarterback and seventh player overall in NFL history with at least five rushing touchdowns in eight consecutive seasons.

The players with at least five rushing touchdowns in the most consecutive seasons in league annals:

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BACK TO BACK: Los Angeles Rams running back TODD GURLEY leads the NFL with 1,151 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns (11 rushing, four receiving) through the Rams’ first eight games of the 2018 season.

Gurley, who led the NFL with 19 touchdowns (13 rushing, six receiving) last season, needs one receiving touchdown on Sunday at New Orleans (4:25 PM ET, FOX) to join Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (2000-01) as the only players in NFL history with at least 10 rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns in consecutive seasons.

The players with at least 10 rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns in consecutive seasons in NFL history:

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CAN’T STOP THIS THIELEN: Minnesota wide receiver ADAM THIELEN had seven receptions for 103 yards and one touchdown in Week 8 and leads the league with 74 receptions and 925 receiving yards this season. Thielen is the first player in NFL history with at least 100 receiving yards in each of his team’s first eight games to start a season.

With 100 receiving yards on Sunday against Detroit (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Thielen would become the only player in NFL history to record nine consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards in NFL history:

Thielen, who also has a touchdown catch in each of his past five games, can become the only player since 1970 with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in six consecutive games.

With six receptions and 75 receiving yards this week, Thielen would become the sixth undrafted player in the common draft era (since 1967) to record consecutive seasons with at least 80 receptions and 1,000 receiving yards.

The undrafted players with the most consecutive seasons of at least 80 catches and 1,000 receiving yards in the common draft era:

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ELITE EIGHT: Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES has 638 receptions for 9,866 yards and 43 touchdowns in 102 career NFL games.

With 134 receiving yards on Sunday at Washington (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Jones would surpass CALVIN JOHNSON (115 games) as the fastest player to reach 10,000 career receiving yards in NFL history.

The players to reach 10,000 career receiving yards in the fewest games in NFL history:

With 134 receiving yards, Jones can also become the sixth player in league annals with at least 10,000 receiving yards in their first eight seasons.

The players with at least 10,000 receiving yards in their first eight seasons in league history:

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TOP DAWG: Cleveland defensive end MYLES GARRETT ties for the AFC lead with eight sacks in 2018 and has 15 sacks in 19 career games.

Garrett, who will play his 20th career game on Sunday against Kansas City (1:00 PM ET, CBS), needs two sacks to become the fourth player with at least 17 sacks in their first 20 career games since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.

The players with the most sacks in their first 20 career games since 1982: