Since 1990, 63 percent of teams (165 of 262) that started 2-0 advanced to the postseason, while 42 percent of teams that began 1-1 (193 of 460) made the playoffs. Out of the 265 teams that began a season 0-2, 30 advanced to the postseason (11.3 percent).

Last year, the LOS ANGELES RAMS became the second eventual Super Bowl winner in the past five years to begin the season 2-0. Of the 56 total Super Bowl champions, 35 (62.5 percent) won their first two games of the season.

After Week 2, the records of teams that made the playoffs, won divisions and won Super Bowls since 1990:
RECORD MADE PLAYOFFS WON DIVISION WON SUPER BOWL
2-0 63.0% (165/262) 40.5% (106/262) 7.6% (20/262)
1-1 42.0% (193/460) 24.1% (111/460) 2.0% (9/460)
0-2 11.3% (30/265) 5.7% (15/265) 1.1% (3/265)
A look at how playoff clubs in 2020 and 2021 began their seasons (teams to begin 1-1 or 0-2 in bold):

                        2020                                                       2021

Team After 2 games Playoff Result Team After 2 games Playoff Result
Baltimore 2-0 Advanced to Divisional Arizona 2-0 Advanced to Wild Card
Buffalo 2-0 Advanced to AFC Champ. Buffalo 1-1 Advanced to Divisional
Chicago 2-0 Advanced to Wild Card Cincinnati 1-1 Advanced to Super Bowl LVI
Cleveland 1-1 Advanced to Divisional Dallas 1-1 Advanced to Wild Card
Green Bay 2-0 Advanced to NFC Champ. Green Bay 1-1 Advanced to Divisional
Indianapolis 1-1 Advanced to Wild Card Kansas City 1-1 Advanced to AFC Champ.
Kansas City 2-0 Advanced to Super Bowl LV Las Vegas 2-0 Advanced to Wild Card
L.A. Rams 2-0 Advanced to Divisional L.A. Rams 2-0 Won Super Bowl LVI
New Orleans 1-1 Advanced to Divisional New England 1-1 Advanced to Wild Card
Pittsburgh 2-0 Advanced to Wild Card Philadelphia 1-1 Advanced to Wild Card
Seattle 2-0 Advanced to Wild Card Pittsburgh 1-1 Advanced to Wild Card
Tampa Bay 1-1 Won Super Bowl LV San Francisco 2-0 Advanced to NFC Champ.
Tennessee 2-0 Advanced to Wild Card Tampa Bay 2-0 Advanced to Divisional
Washington 1-1 Advanced to Wild Card Tennessee 1-1 Advanced to Divisional
TOP PASSERS ON THURSDAY NIGHT

The Kansas City Chiefs (1-0) are set to host the Los Angeles Chargers (1-0) on Thursday Night Football in the first-ever NFL regular-season game to air exclusively on Amazon Prime Video (8:15 PM ET). It will be a pivotal early season AFC West clash and will feature two of the league’s top passers.

Kansas City’s PATRICK MAHOMES (302.4 passing yards per game in 64 career games) and Los Angeles’ JUSTIN HERBERT (291.8 in 33 career games) rank first and second, respectively, all-time in passing yards per game (minimum 1,000 pass attempts).

The players with the most passing yards per game in NFL history (minimum 1,000 pass attempts):
PLAYER TEAM(S) PASSING YPG
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 302.4
Justin Herbert L.A. Chargers 291.8
Drew Brees San Diego Chargers, New Orleans 280.0


On Kickoff Weekend, Mahomes earned AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors after recording five touchdown passes and 360 passing yards. His sixth-career game with at least five touchdown passes. Tied for the fourth-most ever. It also marked his 32nd-career game with at least 300 passing yards.

With at least 300 passing yards on Thursday night, Mahomes will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (32 games) for the most games with at least 300 passing yards by a player in his first six seasons in NFL history.

The players with the most games with at least 300 passing yards in their first six seasons in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM GAMES  
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 32*  
Dan MarinoHOF Miami 32  
Kurt WarnerHOF St. Louis Rams 30  
*In sixth season    

Herbert passed for 279 yards and three touchdowns in last week’s Chargers victory. His 14th-career game with at least three touchdown passes, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famers PEYTON MANNING (13 games) and KURT WARNER (13) for the third-most such games by a player in his first three career seasons in NFL history.

With at least three touchdown passes against Kansas City, Herbert will tie Mahomes (15 games) for the second-most such games by a player in his first three seasons ever. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (18) has more.

The players with the most games with at least three touchdown passes in their first three seasons in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM GAMES  
Dan MarinoHOF Miami 18  
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 15  
Justin Herbert L.A. Chargers 14*  
*In third season    

Herbert also enters Thursday with at least 300 passing yards in 17 career games. He can surpass Mahomes and Warner for the second-most games with at least 300 passing yards by a player in his first three seasons ever. Only ANDREW LUCK (19 games) has more.

The players with the most games with at least 300 passing yards in their first three seasons in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM GAMES  
Andrew Luck Indianapolis 19  
Justin Herbert L.A. Chargers 17*  
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 17  
Kurt WarnerHOF Miami 17  
*In third season    
CATCHING RECORDS

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver COOPER KUPP followed up his record-breaking 2021 season with 13 catches for 128 yards and a touchdown on Kickoff Weekend. Going back to Week 13 of the 2020 season, Kupp has now recorded at least five receptions in 22 consecutive regular-season games.

With five catches against Atlanta on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, FOX), Kupp will tie DEANDRE HOPKINS (23 consecutive games from 2018-20) for the second-most consecutive games with at least five receptions in NFL history. Only ANTONIO BROWN (36 games from 2013-15) has a longer such streak.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least five receptions in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM(S) SEASONS GAMES
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh 2013-15 36
DeAndre Hopkins Houston, Arizona 2018-20 23
Cooper Kupp L.A. Rams 2020-22 22*
*Active streak

Detroit wide receiver AMON-RA ST. BROWN ranked second among rookies with 90 receptions last season. From Weeks 13-18, became the first rookie all-time with at least eight receptions in six consecutive games. On Kickoff Weekend, he picked up where he left off and had eight catches for 64 yards and a touchdown against Philadelphia.

With at least eight catches against Washington on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), St. Brown will become the third player in league history to record at least eight receptions in eight consecutive games. He will be joining ANTONIO BROWN (eight consecutive games in 2014) and MICHAEL THOMAS (eight consecutive games in 2019).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least eight receptions in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM SEASON(S) GAMES
Antonio Brown Pittsburgh 2014 8
Michael Thomas New Orleans 2019 8
Anquan Boldin Arizona 2005 7
Travis Kelce Kansas City 2020 7
Amon-Ra St. Brown Detroit 2021-22 7*
*Active streak
DOMINANT DEBUTS

Philadelphia wide receiver A.J. BROWN tied a career high with 155 receiving yards last week in his Eagles debut. The second-most among all players in Week 1. While Las Vegas wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS totaled 141 receiving yards in his Raiders debut. The third-most in the NFL on Kickoff Weekend.

Each player has a chance to rank among the most receiving yards ever by a non-rookie in his first two games with a new team.

The non-rookies with the most receiving yards in their first two games with a new team in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM SEASON RECEIVING YARDS
Anthony Allen Washington 1987 306
Randy MossHOF New England 2007 288
Laveranues Coles Washington 2003 286
Art Powell Oakland Raiders 1963 272
Randy MossHOF Oakland Raiders 2005 257
       
A.J. Brown Philadelphia 2022 155*
Davante Adams Las Vegas 2022 141*
*Through first game      
GEAUX-ING FOR YARDS

Last year, former LSU wide receivers JUSTIN JEFFERSON (1,616 receiving yards) and JA’MARR CHASE (1,455) ranked second and fourth, respectively, in receiving yards across the league. Chase recorded the most receiving yards by a rookie in the Super Bowl era. While Jefferson’s 3,016 career receiving yards were the most-ever by a player in his first two seasons.

Last week, Jefferson led the NFL with a career-high 184 receiving yards in Minnesota’s victory over Green Bay. It marked his 15th-career game with at least 100 receiving yards and his fifth-career game with at least 150 receiving yards. Both are among the most such games by a player in his first three seasons in the Super Bowl era.

The players with the most games with at least 100 receiving yards in their first three seasons in the Super Bowl era:
PLAYER TEAM GAMES  
Odell Beckham Jr. N.Y. Giants 19  
Randy MossHOF Minnesota 19  
T.Y. Hilton Indianapolis 16  
John Jefferson San Diego Chargers 16  
Anquan Boldin Baltimore 15  
Justin Jefferson* Minnesota 15*  
A.J. Green Cincinnati 15  
*In third season    
The players with the most games with at least 150 receiving yards in their first three seasons in the Super Bowl era:
PLAYER TEAM GAMES
Randy MossHOF Minnesota 6
Justin Jefferson Minnesota 5*
6 others 5
*In third season      

Chase totaled 10 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown on Kickoff Weekend. In 18 career games, he now has 1,584 receiving yards and 14 touchdown receptions.

With a receiving touchdown at Dallas on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Chase will become the second-fastest player ever (19 games) to record 1,500 receiving yards and 15 touchdown receptions in his career. Surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (20 games). Only ODELL BECKHAM JR., another former LSU Tiger, reached the milestone quicker (17 games).

The players to reach 1,500 career receiving yards and 15 career touchdown receptions in the fewest games in the Super Bowl era:
PLAYER TEAM GAMES  
Odell Beckham Jr. N.Y. Giants 17  
Randy MossHOF Minnesota 20  
Charlie Brown Washington 21  
       
Ja’Marr Chase Cincinnati 18*  
*Has 1,584 receiving yards and 14 touchdown receptions    
SACK ATTACK

Last week, a total of 11 players across the league recorded at least two sacks, tied for the most such players to do so in Week 1 since 2000 (11 players in 2011 and 2006).

Among those players with multiple sacks on Kickoff Weekend was Cleveland’s MYLES GARRETT, who now has 60.5 sacks in 69 career games. With a sack against the New York Jets on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Garrett will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DERRICK THOMAS (61 sacks) and J.J. WATT (61) for the third-most sacks by a player in his first 70 NFL games since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.

With two sacks, Garrett will surpass T.J. WATT (62) for the second-most sacks in his first 70 NFL games. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (79) has more.

The players with the most sacks in their first 70 NFL games since 1982:
PLAYER TEAM SACKS  
Reggie WhiteHOF Philadelphia 79  
T.J. Watt Pittsburgh 62  
Derrick ThomasHOF Kansas City 61  
J.J. Watt Houston 61  
Myles Garrett Cleveland 60.5*  
*In 69 career games    

Dallas’ MICAH PARSONS, who led all rookies with three multi-sack games last season, also recorded two sacks in Week 1. With another two-sack performance against Cincinnati on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Parsons will become the sixth player since 1982 with at least two sacks in five of his first 20 career games, joining MARK ANDERSON, JOEY BOSA, ELVIS DUMERVIL, CLAY MATTHEWS and ALDON SMITH.

Jacksonville’s TRAVON WALKER was selected No. 1 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He recorded both a sack and interception in his NFL debut last week. Walker joined AUNDRAY BRUCE, TOM COUSINEAU, STEVE EMTMAN and MYLES GARRETT as players selected first overall in the NFL Draft to record a sack in their first career games since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. He was also the first top-pick to record both a sack and interception in his first-career game since 1982.

With a sack against Indianapolis on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Walker will join Garrett as the only No. 1 overall picks to record a sack in each of their first two career games.

Abonnieren
Benachrichtige mich bei
guest
0 Comments
Most Voted
Newest Oldest
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments