NOT CATCHING L’S
Through Week 5, scoring has been at an unprecedented level throughout the NFL, as seven teams are averaging at least 30 points per game, the most in a single season through Week 5 since 1970.
Three of those teams – the GREEN BAY PACKERS (38.0 points per game, 4-0), SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (33.8, 5-0) and TENNESSEE TITANS (30.5, 4-0) – are unbeaten entering Week 6. The PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-0) are averaging 29.5 points per game and also have yet to lose this season.
If Green Bay (at Tampa Bay; 4:25 PM ET, FOX), Tennessee (vs. Houston; 1:00 PM ET, CBS) and Pittsburgh (vs. Cleveland; 1:00 PM ET, CBS) are all victorious in Week 6, 2020 will be the third season since 1970 (not including the shortened 1982 season) in which at least four teams are unbeaten through six weeks. Seattle has a bye in Week 6.
The seasons with the most unbeaten teams through six weeks since 1970 (not including the shortened 1982 season):
SEASON |
TEAMS (RECORD THROUGH WEEK 6) |
|
2015 | 5: Carolina (5-0), Cincinnati (6-0), Denver (6-0), Green Bay (6-0), New England (5-0) | |
2009 | 4: Denver (6-0), Indianapolis (5-0), Minnesota (6-0), New Orleans (5-0) | |
2020* | 4: Green Bay (4-0), Pittsburgh (4-0), Seattle (5-0), Tennessee (4-0) | |
*Through five weeks | ||
THROW PACK THROW
Last season, Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS passed for 26 touchdowns, while throwing only four interceptions, tied for the fewest among qualified quarterbacks in 2019. Through his first four games in 2020, Rodgers is tied for third in the league with 13 touchdown passes, while being the only qualified passer to not throw an interception.
.@TomBrady and @AaronRodgers12 were tossing dimes the last time they met. 🎯
📺: #GBvsTB — Sunday 4:25pm ET on FOX
📱: NFL app // Yahoo Sports app pic.twitter.com/RqinAKckvF— NFL (@NFL) October 15, 2020
With at least three touchdown passes and zero interceptions on Sunday at Tampa Bay (4:25 PM ET, FOX), Rodgers will tie MILT PLUM (16 touchdown passes before throwing his first interception in 1960) for the fourth-most touchdown passes by a player to begin a season before his first interception in NFL history.
The players with the most touchdown passes before throwing an interception to begin a season in NFL history:
PLAYER |
TEAM |
SEASON |
TOUCHDOWN PASSES |
|||
Peyton Manning | Denver | 2013 | 20 | |||
Nick Foles | Philadelphia | 2013 | 19 | |||
Alex Smith | Kansas City | 2017 | 18 | |||
Milt Plum | Cleveland | 1960 | 16 | |||
Aaron Rodgers | Green Bay | 2020 | 13* | |||
*Active streak | ||||||
With at least two touchdown passes and zero interceptions on Sunday, Rodgers would become the first player in NFL history with at least two touchdown passes and zero interceptions in each of his team’s first five games of a season.
FIRE THE CANNONS
Tampa Bay wide receiver MIKE EVANS ties for the league lead with six touchdown receptions in 2020, while being the only player with at least one touchdown reception in five games this season.
With a touchdown reception on Sunday against Green Bay (4:25 PM ET, FOX) Evans will become the fourth player with at least one touchdown reception in each of his team’s first six games of a season since 1970.
The players with a touchdown reception in the most games to begin a season since 1970:
PLAYER |
TEAM |
SEASON |
GAMES |
||||
T.J. Houshmandzadeh | Cincinnati | 2007 | 8 | ||||
Plaxico Burress | New York Giants | 2007 | 6 | ||||
Wes Welker | Denver | 2013 | 6 | ||||
Mike Evans | Tampa Bay | 2020 | 5* | ||||
*Active streak | |||||||
CHASING HISTORY
Last week, Pittsburgh wide receiver CHASE CLAYPOOL recorded seven receptions for 110 yards and scored four touchdowns (three receiving, one rushing), becoming the third rookie wide receiver to record four touchdowns in a single game in NFL history. Entering Week 6, Claypool leads all rookies with five touchdowns this season.
CHASE CLAYPOOL NOW HAS 4 TDS 😳
10 touches
116 total yards(via @steelers)pic.twitter.com/z5GF7xd3Fo
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 11, 2020
With a touchdown on Sunday against Cleveland (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Claypool will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (1998), MARTAVIS BRYANT (2014), WILLIE GAULT (1983) and CALVIN RIDLEY (2018) for the most touchdowns by a rookie wide receiver in his first five career games since 1970.
The rookie wide receivers with the most touchdowns in their first five career games since 1970:
PLAYER |
TEAM |
SEASON |
TOUCHDOWNS |
Martavis Bryant | Pittsburgh | 2014 | 6 |
Willie Gault | Chicago | 1983 | 6 |
Randy MossHOF | Minnesota | 1998 | 6 |
Calvin Ridley | Atlanta | 2018 | 6 |
Chase Claypool | Pittsburgh | 2020 | 5* |
*Through four games |
DONALD DOMINANCE
Last week, Los Angeles Rams defensive lineman AARON DONALD registered four sacks and a forced fumble in his team’s victory, his second-career game with four sacks. Entering Week 6, Donald leads the NFL with 7.5 sacks this season.
.@AaronDonald97 had FOUR sacks yesterday and we are not talking about it enough. pic.twitter.com/iqm95WWVka
— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) October 12, 2020
Since entering the league in 2014, Donald has 79.5 career sacks, tied with CHANDLER JONES for the most in the NFL over that span. With at least a half a sack at San Francisco on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), Donald will become the fourth player with at least eight sacks in each of his first seven seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers DERRICK THOMAS and REGGIE WHITE, as well as DEMARCUS WARE.
The players with at least eight sacks in each of their first seven seasons since 1982:
PLAYER | TEAM | SEASONS | |
Derrick ThomasHOF | Kansas City | 1989-1995 | |
DeMarcus Ware | Dallas | 2005-11 | |
Reggie WhiteHOF | Philadelphia | 1985-91 | |
Aaron Donald | St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams | 2014-2020* | |
*7.5 sacks in 2020 | |||
STEEL CURTAIN
Entering Week 6, the PITTSBURGH STEELERS tie for the league lead with 20 sacks and tie for third with six interceptions. Last week, Pittsburgh registered five sacks and two interceptions in its victory, becoming the fourth team since 2000 to register at least three sacks and an interception in each of its first four games of a season.
2 INTs. 11 tackles for loss. 29 rushing yards allowed. We had a Steel Curtain sighting on #MNF.@Steelers | #HereWeGo | #PITvsNYG pic.twitter.com/4dmuyB7EQJ
— NFL (@NFL) September 15, 2020
With at least three sacks and an interception on Sunday against Cleveland (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Pittsburgh will join the 1985 NEW YORK GIANTS as the only teams in NFL history to record at least three sacks and an interception in each of their first five games of a season.