FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1/3/18 http://twitter.com/nfl345 TERRIFIC TURNAROUNDS, RECORD-SETTING PERFORMANCES & RISING STARS HIGHLIGHT STELLAR 2017 SEASON New teams making the playoffs and winning divisions... consistent teams excelling once again records falling young players making their mark and so much more. The 2017 season had it all, including a fantastic finish. Week 17 came right down to the wire as three playoff spots and one division title the NFC South were decided on the last day of the season. Sunday s excitement was due in part to having 16 divisional games played on the season s final day, a tradition instituted in 2010. The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (NFC East) and JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (AFC South) both completed worst-to-first turnarounds and at least one team has won its division the season after finishing in or tied for last place in 14 of the past 15 seasons. Five of the eight divisions were won by a team that finished in third or fourth place in the division last year JACKSONVILLE (AFC South), the LOS ANGELES RAMS (NFC West), MINNESOTA (NFC North), NEW ORLEANS (NFC South) and PHILADELPHIA (NFC East). Each of the 12 teams still in Super Bowl LII contention can look back at the eventful and unpredictable 2017 regular season and appreciate how challenging the road to the playoffs was. Philadelphia (13-3) captured the No. 1 seed in the NFC for the first time since 2004, while the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, who finished atop the AFC with a 13-3 record, won their ninth consecutive AFC East title, extending their NFL-record streak. The Patriots are the only team in NFL history with at least 12 wins in eight consecutive seasons. We have to beat good teams no matter what. That s what the playoffs are, says Eagles defensive end CHRIS LONG. Thirteen wins is great, but we have to make it worth something. That means playing our best in the playoffs. Since the 12-team playoff format was adopted in 1990, at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season that were not in the postseason the year before. Eight teams that missed the postseason in 2016 Buffalo (9-7), Carolina (11-5), Jacksonville (10-6), Los Angeles Rams (11-5), Minnesota (13-3), New Orleans (11-5), Philadelphia (13-3) and Tennessee (9-7) accomplished the feat this year, tied with the 2003 season for the most such teams since 1990. There are a lot of happy guys in that locker room, a lot of emotions running pretty wild, guys just happy to be a part of it, said Bills head coach SEAN MC DERMOTT after clinching the team s first postseason berth since 1999. This is a team; these guys play as a team. We re nowhere near where we need to be, but we are very grateful for this opportunity and it s a well-earned opportunity, and so my hat goes off to everyone involved. The NFL is never short on surprises, and that leads to the excitement we witnessed in 2017:
TERRIFIC TURNAROUNDS The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (NFC East) and JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (AFC South) both clinched respective division titles after finishing in last place in 2016. At least one team has won its division the season after finishing in or tied for last place in 14 of the past 15 seasons. The teams to go from worst-to-first in their division since 2003: SEASON TEAM RECORD PRIOR SEASON RECORD 2003 Carolina 11-5 7-9 2003 Kansas City 13-3 8-8* 2004 Atlanta 11-5 5-11 2004 San Diego 12-4 4-12* 2005 Chicago 11-5 5-11 2005 New York Giants 11-5 6-10* 2005 Tampa Bay 11-5 5-11 2006 Baltimore 13-3 6-10* 2006 New Orleans 10-6 3-13 2006 Philadelphia 10-6 6-10 2007 Tampa Bay 9-7 4-12 2008 Miami 11-5 1-15 2009 New Orleans** 13-3 8-8 2010 Kansas City 10-6 4-12 2011 Denver 8-8 4-12 2011 Houston 10-6 6-10* 2012 Washington 10-6 5-11 2013 Carolina 12-4 7-9* 2013 Philadelphia 10-6 4-12 2015 Washington 9-7 4-12 2016 Dallas 13-3 4-12 2017 Jacksonville 10-6 3-13 2017 Philadelphia 13-3 7-9 * Tied for last place ** Won Super Bowl Since the 12-team playoff format was adopted in 1990, at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season that were not in the postseason the year before. This season, eight teams the BUFFALO BILLS, CAROLINA PANTHERS, JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS, LOS ANGELES RAMS, MINNESOTA VIKINGS, NEW ORLEANS SAINTS, PHILADELPHIA EAGLES and TENNESSEE TITANS all qualified for the playoffs after missing the postseason last year, tied with the 2003 season for the most such teams since 1990. SEASON PLAYOFF TEAMS NOT IN PREVIOUS SEASON S PLAYOFFS 1990 7 (Cincinnati, Chicago, Kansas City, Los Angeles Raiders, Miami, New Orleans, Washington) 1991 5 (Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, New York Jets) 1992 6 (Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Diego, San Francisco) 1993 5 (Denver, Detroit, Green Bay, Los Angeles Raiders, New York Giants) 1994 5 (Chicago, Cleveland, Miami, New England, San Diego) 1995 4 (Atlanta, Buffalo, Indianapolis, Philadelphia) 1996 5 (Carolina, Denver, Jacksonville, Minnesota, New England) 1997 5 (Detroit, Kansas City, Miami, New York Giants, Tampa Bay) 1998 5 (Arizona, Atlanta, Buffalo, Dallas, New York Jets) 1999 7 (Detroit, Indianapolis, St. Louis, Seattle, Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Washington) 2000 6 (Baltimore, Denver, New Orleans, New York Giants, Oakland, Philadelphia) 2001 6 (Chicago, Green Bay, New England, New York Jets, Pittsburgh, San Francisco) 2002 5 (Atlanta, Cleveland, Indianapolis, New York Giants, Tennessee) 2003 8 (Baltimore, Carolina, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, New England, St. Louis, Seattle) 2004 5 (Atlanta, Minnesota, New York Jets, Pittsburgh, San Diego) 2005 7 (Carolina, Chicago, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, New York Giants, Tampa Bay, Washington) 2006 7 (Baltimore, Dallas, Kansas City, New Orleans, New York Jets, Philadelphia, San Diego)
2007 6 (Green Bay, Jacksonville, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, Tennessee, Washington) 2008 7 (Arizona, Atlanta, Baltimore, Carolina, Miami, Minnesota, Philadelphia) 2009 6 (Cincinnati, Dallas, Green Bay, New England, New Orleans, New York Jets) 2010 5 (Atlanta, Chicago, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Seattle) 2011 6 (Cincinnati, Denver, Detroit, Houston, New York Giants, San Francisco) 2012 4 (Indianapolis, Minnesota, Seattle, Washington) 2013 5 (Carolina, Kansas City, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Diego) 2014 5 (Arizona, Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Pittsburgh) 2015 4 (Houston, Kansas City, Minnesota, Washington) 2016 6 (Atlanta, Dallas, Detroit, Miami, New York Giants, Oakland) 2017 8 (Buffalo, Carolina, Jacksonville, LA Rams, Minnesota, New Orleans, Philadelphia, Tennessee) PASSING NFL QBs put together a historically proficient and prolific year in 2017. The league-wide completion percentage (62.1) and passer rating (86.9) both rank as the fourth-highest totals in league history. The league-wide interception percentage of 2.5 percent was the third-lowest of any season in NFL history. Eight quarterbacks passed for at least 4,000 yards in 2017: New England s TOM BRADY (4,577), Los Angeles Chargers PHILIP RIVERS (4,515), Detroit s MATTHEW STAFFORD (4,446), New Orleans DREW BREES (4,334), Pittsburgh s BEN ROETHLISBERGER (4,251), Atlanta s MATT RYAN (4,095), Washington s KIRK COUSINS (4,093) and Kansas City s ALEX SMITH (4,042). Brees (4,334) extended his NFL-record streak to 12 consecutive seasons with at least 4,000 passing yards, while Stafford (4,446) and Ryan (4,095) each recorded their seventh consecutive season with 4,000+ passing yards, tied for second-longest streak in league annals. Five quarterbacks finished the season with a passer rating of at least 100: Smith (104.7), Brees (103.9), Brady (102.8), Philadelphia s CARSON WENTZ (101.9) and Los Angeles Rams JARED GOFF (100.5). New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES led the NFL with 386 completions this season and has 6,222 career completions, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (6,300) and PEYTON MANNING (6,125) as the only players in NFL history with at least 6,000 completions. Brees reached the milestone in his 240th career game and is the fastest in NFL history to accomplish the feat (Manning, 259 games and Favre, 286). Brees completed 386 of 536 attempts this season for an NFL-record 72.0 completion percentage, surpassing SAM BRADFORD s record of 71.6 percent set in 2016. Brees owns three of the top four single-season completion percentages in NFL history. Brees, who has 70,445 career passing yards, joined Manning (71,940) and Favre (71,838) as the only players in league history with at least 70,000 career passing yards. Brees reached the milestone in his 248th career game and is the fastest in league history to accomplish the feat. New England quarterback TOM BRADY, who turned 40 years old earlier this year, led the NFL with 4,577 passing yards and is the oldest player in NFL history to lead the league in passing yards. The previous record was held by Pro Football Hall of Famer FRAN TARKENTON (38 years old), who led the NFL with 3,468 passing yards in 1978. Brady s 4,577 passing yards and 32 touchdown passes in 2017 are both the most by a quarterback in a single season at the age of 40 or older. Brady has 66,159 career passing yards and became the fourth player in NFL history to reach 65,000 career passing yards, joining PEYTON MANNING (71,940), Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (71,838) and DREW BREES (70,445). Brady, who has won 89 career regular-season road starts, surpassed Manning (85) for the most regular-season road victories by a starting quarterback in NFL history. Brady had four games with at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions in 2017. In 18 career seasons, Brady has 55 games with at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions, surpassing PEYTON MANNING (51) for the most such performances in NFL history.
The New York Giants ELI MANNING (51,682), Pittsburgh s BEN ROETHLISBERGER (51,065) and the Los Angeles Chargers PHILIP RIVERS (50,348) each reached 50,000 career passing touchdowns during the season, becoming the seventh, eighth and ninth quarterbacks in NFL history, respectively, to reach the mark. Manning, Rivers and Roethlisberger, who were all selected in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft, are the first trio from the same draft class to each record 50,000 career passing yards. Rivers (4,171) and Roethlisberger (4,164) became the eighth and ninth players in league annals, respectively, to reach 4,000 career completions. Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS (313) became the 11th player in NFL history to record 300 career touchdown passes and reached the mark on his 4,742nd career attempt, the fewest attempts at the time of a player s 300th touchdown pass in NFL history. Los Angeles Chargers quarterback PHILIP RIVERS ranked second in the NFL with 4,515 passing yards and reached the 3,500-yard mark for the 10th consecutive season (2008-17). Rivers is the third quarterback in NFL history to pass for at least 3,500 yards in 10 consecutive seasons, joining PEYTON MANNING (13, 1998-2010) and DREW BREES (13, 2005-17). Kansas City quarterback ALEX SMITH finished the season with 4,042 passing yards, five interceptions and a league-best 104.7 passer rating. Smith is the first quarterback in NFL history to pass for at least 3,000 yards and throw fewer than 10 interceptions in five consecutive seasons. New England s TOM BRADY, who finished the season with an NFL-best 4,577 passing yards with eight interceptions, joined Smith as the only players to accomplish the feat in four consecutive seasons. Atlanta quarterback MATT RYAN has 41,796 career passing yards and passed PEYTON MANNING (41,626) for the most passing yards by a player in his first 10 seasons in NFL history. Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON led the NFL with 34 touchdown passes and threw 19 fourth-quarter touchdowns, surpassing ELI MANNING (15 in 2011) for the most in a single season in NFL history. Philadelphia quarterback CARSON WENTZ, who set a single-season franchise record with 33 touchdown passes, became the third quarterback in NFL history to have at least 25 touchdown passes (28) and five or fewer interceptions (five) through his team s first 11 games, joining TOM BRADY (2007, 2015, 2017) and AARON RODGERS (2011, 2014). Minnesota quarterback CASE KEENUM posted a passer rating of at least 100 in four consecutive games from Weeks 10-13, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (2009) and DAUNTE CULPEPPER (2000 and 2004) for the longest streak in franchise history. San Francisco quarterback JIMMY GAROPPOLO won each of his five starts with the 49ers and is one of five quarterbacks since 1970 to win each of his first seven NFL starts. RUSHING Several running backs enjoyed historic seasons in 2017: Nine players registered at least 1,000 rushing yards this season Kansas City s KAREEM HUNT (1,327), Los Angeles Rams TODD GURLEY (1,305), Pittsburgh s LE VEON BELL (1,291), Buffalo s LE SEAN MC COY (1,138), New Orleans MARK INGRAM (1,124), Chicago s JORDAN HOWARD (1,122), Los Angeles Chargers MELVIN GORDON (1,105), Jacksonville s LEONARD FOURNETTE (1,040) and Denver s C.J. ANDERSON (1,007). Two players registered at least 10 rushing touchdowns in 2017 Gurley (13) and Ingram (12). Kansas City running back KAREEM HUNT led the NFL with 1,327 rushing yards and was the second rookie not selected in the first round to lead his league in rushing yards in the common draft era (since 1967). Cincinnati s PAUL ROBINSON led the AFL with 1,023 rushing yards in 1968. Hunt is the sixth rookie since 1970 to lead the league in rushing. Indianapolis running back FRANK GORE (14,026) surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famers ERIC DICKERSON (13,259), JEROME BETTIS (13,662) and LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (13,684) to move into fifth place on the
NFL s all-time rushing list. The only players with more career rushing yards are Hall of Famers EMMITT SMITH (18,355), WALTER PAYTON (16,726), BARRY SANDERS (15,269) and CURTIS MARTIN (14,101). Arizona running back ADRIAN PETERSON rushed for 159 yards on a career-high 37 carries in Week 9. Peterson has 19 career games with at least 150 rushing yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famers ERIC DICKERSON (18) and EMMITT SMITH (18) for the fourth-most games with at least 150 rushing yards in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers BARRY SANDERS (25), JIM BROWN (22) and WALTER PAYTON (20) have more such games in their careers. Peterson, at 32 years old, became the third-oldest player in NFL history with at least 150 rushing yards in a game, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers JOHN RIGGINS (35 years old) and JOHN HENRY JOHNSON (34 years old). Buffalo running back LE SEAN MC COY reached 10,000 career rushing yards on his 2,145th carry and became the fifth-fastest player in NFL history to achieve the milestone. The only players to reach 10,000 career rushing yards in fewer attempts are JIM BROWN (1,936), ADRIAN PETERSON (2,004), BARRY SANDERS (2,020) and O.J. SIMPSON (2,085). Brown, Sanders and Simpson are all enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. RECEIVING Five players registered at least 100 receptions in 2017: Miami s JARVIS LANDRY (112), Arizona s LARRY FITZGERALD (109), New Orleans MICHAEL THOMAS (104), Los Angeles Chargers KEENAN ALLEN (102) and Pittsburgh s ANTONIO BROWN (101). Six players recorded at least 1,200 receiving yards in 2017: Brown (1,533), Atlanta s JULIO JONES (1,444), Allen (1,393), Houston s DE ANDRE HOPKINS (1,378), Minnesota s ADAM THIELEN (1,276) and Thomas (1,245). Three players had at least 10 touchdown catches in 2017: Hopkins (13), Green Bay s DAVANTE ADAMS (10) and Seattle s JIMMY GRAHAM (10). Pittsburgh wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN led the NFL with 1,533 receiving yards and has 7,848 receiving yards since 2013, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (7,594 from 1999-2003) for the most receiving yards by a player over any five-year span in NFL history. Brown, who has 582 receptions since 2013, also surpassed Harrison (563 from 1999-2003) for the most catches by a player over any five-year span in NFL history. Brown ranked fifth in the NFL with 101 catches and is the first player in league history with at least 100 catches in five consecutive seasons. Brown, who has 733 career catches since entering the league in 2010, reached 700 career receptions in the fewest games in NFL history (111). Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD, who has 15,545 career receiving yards, moved into third place in NFL history in receiving yards. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (22,895) and TERRELL OWENS (15,934) have more career receiving yards in league history. Fitzgerald, who has played his entire career with Arizona, and Rice (19,247 with San Francisco) are the only players in NFL history to reach 15,000 career receiving yards with a single team. Fitzgerald, who was 34 years, 70 days old when he reached 15,000 receiving yards, became the second-youngest player in NFL history to accomplish the milestone, trailing only Rice (33 years, 72 days old). Fitzgerald has five career seasons with at least 100 catches, tied for the second-most in NFL history behind BRANDON MARSHALL (six). Fitzgerald, who recorded his 14th consecutive season with 50+ catches, tied ANQUAN BOLDIN (14 consecutive seasons from 2003-16) for the longest such streak to begin a career. Miami wide receiver JARVIS LANDRY led the NFL with 112 catches and has 400 catches since entering the league in 2014, the most by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history.
Landry had at least five receptions in all 16 of Miami s games this season and joined ANTONIO BROWN (2013, 2014), PIERRE GARÇON (2013) and JIMMY SMITH (2001) as the only players in league annals to accomplish the feat. Landry, who entered the league as a second-round pick in 2014, is the only player in NFL history with at least 80 catches in each of his first four seasons. Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES, who has 585 career receptions, reached 500 catches in his 80th career game, tying ANQUAN BOLDIN for the fewest games to reach the milestone in NFL history. Jones had 12 catches for 253 yards and two touchdowns in the Falcons Week 12 win. Jones has three career games with at least 250 receiving yards and is the only player in NFL history to have multiple 250+ yard receiving games. Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver KEENAN ALLEN recorded at least 10 catches, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in Weeks 11-13 and became the first player in NFL history to have at least 10 catches, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in three consecutive games. Dallas tight end JASON WITTEN (12,448 receiving yards) joined TONY GONZALEZ (15,127) as the only tight ends in NFL history with at least 12,000 career receiving yards. Witten, who has spent the entirety of his 15 career seasons with the Cowboys, passed Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (11,904) for the most career receiving yards in franchise history. Los Angeles Chargers tight end ANTONIO GATES has 114 career touchdown catches and passed TONY GONZALEZ (111) for the most receiving touchdowns by a tight end in NFL history. Patriots tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI led all NFL tight ends with 1,084 receiving yards and joined TONY GONZALEZ (four) and JASON WITTEN (four) as the only tight ends in NFL history with at least four seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards. Cincinnati wide receiver A.J. GREEN had 1,078 receiving yards this season and became the first player in NFL history with at least 950 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons. New York Giants wide receiver ODELL BECKHAM, JR. recorded his 300th career reception in his 45th career game and became the fastest player in NFL history to reach 300 career receptions (ANQUAN BOLDIN, 47 games). New Orleans wide receiver MICHAEL THOMAS ranked third in the NFL with a franchise-record 104 catches this season and has 196 catches since entering the league in 2016, the most by any player in his first two career seasons. Thomas, who had 92 catches as a rookie in 2016, joined ODELL BECKHAM, JR. as the only players in NFL history to record at least 90 receptions in each of their first two seasons. Tampa Bay wide receiver MIKE EVANS had 1,001 receiving yards and has at least 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first four seasons. Evans joined RANDY MOSS (six) and A.J. GREEN (five) as the only players in NFL history with at least four consecutive 1,000-yard seasons to begin a career. VERSATILE PERFORMANCES Los Angeles Rams running back TODD GURLEY led the NFL with 2,093 scrimmage yards and 19 touchdowns (13 rushing, six receiving), becoming the third different player in NFL history to have at least 2,000 scrimmage yards, 10 rushing touchdowns and more than five touchdown catches in a single season. The other two players to accomplish the feat are enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame: O.J. SIMPSON (1975) and MARSHALL FAULK (2000 and 2001).
Pittsburgh running back LE VEON BELL ranked second in the NFL with 1,946 scrimmage yards, the third-most in a single season in franchise history. Bell recorded 6,286 scrimmage yards in his first 50 career games, trailing only EDGERRIN JAMES (6,506) and Pro Football Hall of Famers LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON (6,425) and ERIC DICKERSON (6,294) for the most by a player in his first 50 games in NFL history. New Orleans ALVIN KAMARA (1,554) and MARK INGRAM (1,540) became the first running back teammates in NFL history to each record at least 1,500 scrimmage yards in the same season. Indianapolis running back FRANK GORE, who finished the season with 1,206 scrimmage yards (961 rushing, 245 receiving) is the only player in NFL history to record at least 1,200 scrimmage yards in 12 consecutive seasons. Gore (77 rushing, 17 receiving) became the sixth player in NFL history with at least 75 rushing touchdowns and 15 receiving touchdowns in his career, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARCUS ALLEN, JIM BROWN, MARSHALL FAULK, WALTER PAYTON and LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON. Kansas City wide receiver-return specialist TYREEK HILL led the NFL with six touchdowns of at least 50 yards (five receiving, one punt return). Since entering the league in 2016, Hill has 11 touchdowns of 50+ yards (five receiving, three punt return, two rushing and one kick return), tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer GALE SAYERS (11) for the second-most in a player s first two seasons in NFL history. Only DEVIN HESTER (13) had more such touchdowns in his first two seasons. Chicago rookie running back TARIK COHEN became the first player since TERRY METCALF (1975) and the first rookie since Pro Football Hall of Famer GALE SAYERS (1965) to have a punt-return touchdown, rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown and passing touchdown in a single season. Carolina quarterback CAM NEWTON recorded his sixth career game with at least three touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown in Week 4, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG, DREW BREES, JACK KEMP, TOBIN ROTE and BILLY WADE for the most such games in NFL history. Newton, who threw four touchdown passes and rushed for 95 yards in Week 10, is the only quarterback in NFL history with two career games with at least four touchdown passes and 95 rushing yards. Newton, who has 4,320 career rushing yards, became the fourth quarterback in NFL history with at least 4,000 rushing yards, joining MICHAEL VICK (6,109), RANDALL CUNNINGHAM (4,928) and Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (4,239). Newton has 54 career rushing touchdowns and is the only quarterback in NFL history with 50 rushing touchdowns. New York Jets quarterback JOSH MC COWN, who turned 38 years old in July, became the third player in NFL history with at least two rushing touchdowns in a single game at the age of 38 or older. Washington quarterback KIRK COUSINS had 4,093 passing yards and rushed for four touchdowns, becoming the only player in NFL history to have at least 4,000 passing yards and four rushing touchdowns in three consecutive seasons. Cleveland tackle JOE THOMAS extended his consecutive snaps played streak to 10,363 before leaving the Browns Week 7 game with an injury. KICKING There were 107 field goals of at least 50 yards converted in 2017, the most in a single season in NFL history. Indianapolis kicker ADAM VINATIERI scored 109 points in 2017 and has 2,487 career points, surpassing GARY ANDERSON (2,434) for the second-most points scored in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer MORTEN ANDERSEN (2,544) has more career points. Vinatieri is the only player in NFL history to score 100+ points in 20 different seasons.
Vinatieri has 24 game-winning field goals in the regular season in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime and 10 game-winners in overtime, both the most in NFL history. Buffalo s STEPHEN HAUSCHKA and Detroit s MATT PRATER both converted four field goals of at least 55 yards in 2017, tied for the most in a single season in NFL history. Hauschka converted an NFL-record 13 consecutive 50+ yard field-goal attempts dating back to 2015. Los Angeles Rams kicker GREG ZUERLEIN converted all seven of his field-goal attempts and both of his PAT attempts in the team s win at Dallas in Week 4. Zuerlein became the eighth player to make at least seven or more field goals in a single game, and his 23 total points scored are tied for the third-highest single-game total by a kicker in NFL history. San Francisco kicker ROBBIE GOULD converted all 15 field-goal attempts from Weeks 13-15 and is the first player in NFL history to make at least 15 field goals over a three-game span. Oakland kicker GIORGIO TAVECCHIO converted all four of his field-goal attempts in the Raiders victory at Tennessee on Kickoff Weekend. Tavecchio, who connected on two 52-yard field goals in the contest, became the first player in league history to make two field goals of at least 50 yards in his NFL debut. DEFENSE With all that offense, defenses were heard from as well. Four of the top five NFL teams in scoring defense qualified for the playoffs MINNESOTA (15.8), JACKSONVILLE (16.8), PHILADELPHIA (18.4) and NEW ENGLAND (18.5). Those four clubs combined for a winning percentage of.766. Ten players recorded at least 12 sacks in 2017: Arizona s CHANDLER JONES (17), Jacksonville s CALAIS CAMPBELL (14.5), Dallas DEMARCUS LAWRENCE (14.5), Minnesota s EVERSON GRIFFEN (13), New Orleans CAMERON JORDAN (13), Washington s RYAN KERRIGAN (13), Los Angeles Chargers JOEY BOSA (12.5), Detroit s EZEKIEL ANSAH (12), Pittsburgh s CAMERON HEYWARD (12) and Jacksonville s YANNICK NGAKOUE (12). Eleven players had at least five interceptions this season: Tennessee s KEVIN BYARD (eight), Detroit s DARIUS SLAY (eight), Jacksonville s A.J. BOUYE (six), Baltimore s ERIC WEDDLE (six), Arizona s ANTOINE BETHEA (five), Los Angeles Chargers TRE BOSTON (five), Buffalo s MICAH HYDE (five), New Orleans MARSHON LATTIMORE (five), Kansas City s MARCUS PETERS (five), Buffalo s JORDAN POYER (five) and Minnesota s HARRISON SMITH (five). Carolina defensive end JULIUS PEPPERS had 11 sacks in 2017 and moved into fourth place on the NFL s alltime sack list with 154.5 career sacks. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers BRUCE SMITH (200), REGGIE WHITE (198) and KEVIN GREENE (160) have more. Peppers is the fourth player in NFL history to have at least 10 seasons with 10+ sacks, joining Smith (13 seasons), White (12) and Greene (10). Peppers, at 37 years old, became the third player with at least 10 sacks in a single season at the age of 37 or older since the sack became an official statistic in 1982, joining Smith (10 sacks in 2000) and Greene (12 sacks in 1999). San Francisco linebacker ELVIS DUMERVIL, who led the 49ers with 6.5 sacks this season, has 105.5 career sacks and is the fourth active player to record at least 100 career sacks. Minnesota defensive end EVERSON GRIFFEN recorded at least one sack in each of the Vikings first eight games this season and became the third player to record a sack in each of his team s first eight games of a season since the individual sack became an official statistic in 1982, joining Indianapolis DWIGHT FREENEY (2009) and ROBERT MATHIS (2005). Arizona linebacker CHANDLER JONES had a franchise-record 17 sacks in 2017 and has 40.5 sacks since 2015, the most in the NFL over the span.
Los Angeles Chargers defensive end JOEY BOSA recorded 19 sacks in his first 20 career games, the most sacks by a player in his first 20 games to begin a career since the individual sack became an official statistic in 1982. Tennessee safety KEVIN BYARD recorded five interceptions over a two-game span in Weeks 7 and 9 (Titans had a bye in Week 8), tied for the most by an NFL player in consecutive games since the 1970 merger. Atlanta defensive end ADRIAN CLAYBORN set a single-game franchise record with six sacks in the Falcons Week 10 game, tied for the second-most in a game since the individual sack became an official statistic in 1982. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer DERRICK THOMAS (seven on November 11, 1990) had more sacks in a single game. REMARKABLE ROOKIES In 2017, rookies accumulated 22,219 yards from scrimmage, the second-most in a single season since 1970, excluding the 1987 season. SEASON MOST SCRIMMAGE YARDS BY ROOKIES* 2014 25,944 2017 25,787 2012 23,244 2013 22,651 2015 21,887 *Excludes 1987 season Rookies also totaled 177 touchdowns this season, tied for the second-most in a single season since 1970, excluding the 1987 season. SEASON MOST TOUCHDOWNS BY ROOKIES* 2014 184 2017 177 2013 177 2010 163 2012 157 1983 157 *Excludes 1987 season Four rookies recorded at least 1,000 scrimmage yards this season: Kansas City s KAREEM HUNT (1,782), New Orleans ALVIN KAMARA (1,554), Jacksonville s LEONARD FOURNETTE (1,342) and Carolina s CHRISTIAN MC CAFFREY (1,086). Four rookies had at least eight total touchdowns in 2017: Kamara (14), Hunt (11), Fournette (10) and Pittsburgh s JU JU SMITH-SCHUSTER (eight). Houston rookie quarterback DESHAUN WATSON threw 19 touchdown passes in his first seven games this season, the most by a player in his first seven games in NFL history, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (18). Watson became the first rookie quarterback to throw at least three touchdown passes in four consecutive games (Weeks 4-8, Texans had a bye in Week 7) and his 16 touchdown passes from Weeks 4-8 were the most in league history by a rookie in any four-game span. In Week 8, Watson became the first player in league annals with at least 400 passing yards (402), four touchdown passes (four) and 50 rushing yards (67) in a single game. Kansas City rookie running back KAREEM HUNT scored a touchdown of at least 50 yards in three consecutive games to start his career, becoming the only player in NFL history to accomplish the feat. Hunt had at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his first seven games this season and became the only rookie in NFL history with 100 or more scrimmage yards in each of his team s first seven games of a season. Hunt became the only rookie in NFL history to have two games with at least 200 scrimmage yards, a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown, accomplishing the feat in Weeks 1 and 15.
Jacksonville rookie running back LEONARD FOURNETTE rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns, including a 90-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, in Week 5. Fournette (22 years, 263 days old) became the youngest player in NFL history with a touchdown run of at least 90 yards and the fifth rookie in league annals with a 90+ yard rushing touchdown. Fournette, who scored a touchdown in each of his first five games this season, became the fifth rookie to score at least one touchdown in each of his team s first five games of a season. Saints rookie running back ALVIN KAMARA had 826 receiving yards and 728 rushing yards and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer CHARLEY TAYLOR (1964) as the only rookies in NFL history to have at least 700 rushing yards and 700 receiving yards. Kamara, who had eight rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns this year, is the fourth rookie in NFL history with at least five rushing and five receiving touchdowns, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers DOAK WALKER (1950), Taylor (1964) and GALE SAYERS (1965). Kamara, who had a 106-yard kickoff-return touchdown in Week 17, joined Sayers (1965) as the only rookies in NFL history to have at least five rushing touchdowns, five receiving touchdowns and a kickoff-return touchdown. New Orleans ALVIN KAMARA (81 catches, five receiving touchdowns) and Carolina s CHRISTIAN MC CAFFREY (80 catches, five receiving touchdowns) are the only rookie running backs in NFL history with at least 80 receptions and five touchdown catches. Kamara (81) and McCaffrey (80) rank third and fourth among rookie running backs in NFL history, respectively, in receptions. Pittsburgh rookie wide receiver JU JU SMITH-SCHUSTER (20 years old) became the youngest player to score a touchdown in the NFL since 1964 (Chicago s ANDY LIVINGSTON) and the youngest NFL player to catch a touchdown pass since 1930 (Green Bay s ARNIE HERBER). Smith-Schuster finished the season with 1,157 all-purpose yards (917 receiving, 240 kickoff-return) and is the youngest player in NFL history to record 1,000 all-purpose yards in a season. Cleveland rookie defensive end MYLES GARRETT, who was the No. 1 overall selection in the 2017 NFL Draft, became the only player selected first overall to record multiple sacks in his NFL debut since the sack became an official statistic in 1982. Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT had two sacks and an interception in the Steelers Kickoff Weekend win at Cleveland. Watt is the first player to record at least two sacks and an interception in an NFL debut on Kickoff Weekend since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. New Orleans MARSHON LATTIMORE (Weeks 14-16) and Indianapolis MALIK HOOKER (Weeks 2-4) both recorded an interception in three consecutive games. Lattimore led all rookies with five interceptions and tied with Buffalo s TRE DAVIOUS WHITE for the rookie lead with 18 passes defensed. Philadelphia rookie kicker JAKE ELLIOTT converted a 61-yard game-winning field goal as time expired in the Eagles Week 3 win. Elliott s 61-yard field goal is the longest by a rookie in NFL history and tied for the thirdlongest game-ending field goal in league annals, trailing only TOM DEMPSEY (63 yards, November 8, 1970) and MATT BRYANT (62, October 22, 2006). # # #