'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Every few weeks throughout the National Football League season, I’m going to bring you statistics that hopefully will blow your socks off…or at the very least raise your eyebrows at least a couple of millimetres.
Today I bring you the second segment; an emerging look at NFL trends as we get deeper into the NFL season. At this halfway point in the season, statistics and projections are still relatively hollow but the flesh is starting to emerge week by week.
For the first segment of this series which was published after week 2 of the NFL season, click here:
Honouring the Manning family name
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – SEPTEMBER 15: Quarterback Peyton Manning #18 of the Denver Broncos and brother quarterback Eli Manning #10 of the New York Giants (Photo by Ron Antonelli/Getty Images)
After 7 games of the season, Peyton Manning has 25 TDs and 3 interceptions. Through the whole of 2012, RG3 had only 20 TDs and 5 INTs, Matt Stafford had 20 TDs and 17 INTs. In fact, 7 starting QBs including Jay Cutler and Cam Newton had less than 20 TDs. Manning is currently on pace for an NFL record-equalling 50 touchdown passes.
It is a much different story for little brother Eli. Eli had 15 INTs and 19 sacks total over the course of the entire 2012 season. He has 15 INTs and 18 sacks already through 7 games in 2013, and is on track for a total of 34 INTs and 41 sacks on the season. That’s bad, in case you didn’t know.
5,000 club
As of week two, there were three passers (Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, Aaron Rodgers) on pace to break Drew Brees’ record of 5,476 passing yards in a single season. After seven weeks, only one quarterback remains on pace to break the record. Guess who that is? Yep, you guessed it. Peyton Manning is averaging 366 yards per game, and is on pace for a 5856 yard season. The record requires a yards per game average of 342.25.
Drew Brees, Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers are just off the pace to break the record, but all three are on pace to throw for more than 5,000 yards.
Jimmy Graham’s historic pace
Despite being held without a single catch in his week 6 match up against New England, and having already had his bye this past week, New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham an historic pace with 37 catches for 593 yards (6th in the League) and 6 touchdowns (T2nd in the League).
If he continues his current production, Graham will end up with 99 catches for 1581 yards 16 touchdowns. That would break the NFL record for receiving yards for a tight end (currently 1,327—Rob Gronkowski) and would put Graham second all time for touchdown receptions in a single season behind Gronkowski, who caught 17 touchdowns in 2011.
True Red Zone Threats
Graham isn’t the only prolific tight end this season. There are 8 players in the NFL right now with 6 or more receiving touchdowns in 2013. Of those 8, 4 are tight ends. Jimmy Graham (6), Vernon Davis (6), Cameron Jordan (6) and Julius Thomas (8). Lions rookie tight end Joseph Fauria is right behind them with 5 touchdowns. What is most impressive about him is that he has only 8 receptions for 81 yards all season, meaning over half of his receptions have gone for touchdowns. Fauria had 3 touchdowns on 3 targets against the Browns in week 6.
Working with a fishy offensive line
Things haven’t gone smoothly for the Miami Dolphins this year. After a perfect 3-0 start, the ‘Phins have fallen to a 3-4 record, losing 4 straight in what can be perceived as a mid-season collapse. Perhaps part of the blame can be put on the Dolphins offensive line. Quarterback Ryan Tannehill is on pace to get sacked 69 times this year. The NFL record, set by the Texans’ David Carr in 2002, is 76.
MIAMI GARDENS, FL – OCTOBER 20: Ryan Tannehill #17 of the Miami Dolphins is sacked by Kiko Alonso #50 of the Buffalo Bills during a game at Sun Life Stadium on October 20, 2013 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Following week 2 I was quick to point out that St Louis quarterback Sam Bradford was the only quarterback in the league that had not been sacked in the first two regular season games, and credited what I believed to be an undervalued offensive line for the protection they had been providing.
In the three weeks following, Bradford averaged over 4 sacks per game, and was tied for 11th worst in the NFL with 13 sacks. His season is now over after he tore his ACL taking the 15th sack of his short season. My praise for the offensive line, it seems, was premature.
Perfect start for an imperfect team
The pessimists don’t want to anoint the Kansas City Chiefs as superbowl contenders or even a serious playoff team just yet.
Despite their perfect 7-0 start, the Chiefs opponents have combined for a 15-33 record this season, including the Jacksonville Jaguars, who have yet to win a game.
Two of the Chiefs opponents so far (New York Giants and Jacksonville Jaguars) rank as the bottom two teams in the league for points allowed. The only Chiefs opponent with a winning record so far is the Dallas Cowboys.
Two of the wins for the Chiefs, the Titans and the Texans, are less impressive than at first glance.
The Titans would have been a challenge with the improved Jake Locker under centre, but with Locker sidelined by injury they faced back-up quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick instead. That changes the whole dynamic of the game, and with that the weight attached to the victory is significantly lessened.
The victory over the Texans wasn’t impressive either. These are not your 2012 Texans. They are a bad football team right now. Case Keenum, an undrafted rookie last year, stared for his first ever NFL start. Star running back Arian Foster got hurt in this game, as did the Texans defensive captain Brian Cushing. And it was in the formidable Arrowhead noise.
And they won by one point.
It is also important to note that the Chiefs haven’t yet won a game in their own division, which could be crucial when it comes to a tie breaker scenario. Keep things in perspective.
Slowing down the run game
Last season, 4 of the top 10 rushers in the NFL had a yards-per-carry average of 5.0 or higher. So far in 2013, Washington’s Alfred Morris is the only running back in the League with a YPC higher than 5.0 (5.2).
Eagles running back LeSean McCoy is the leading rusher in the league so far with 685 yards. That is over 100 yards more than the next highest rusher, Marshawyn Lynch.
Sack Race
It is still only week 7, so things will change of course. But right now three players are on course to break Michael Strahan’s sack record, which stands at 22.5 sacks. Robert Mathis leads the league with 11.5 sacks. He is on pace for 26 sacks, while Justin Houston and Mario Williams (who each have 10 sacks through 7 games) are on pace for 23 sacks. All three should be in contention for Defensive Player of the Year.
Robert Mathis #98 of the Indianapolis Colts (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
Not-So-Terrific-Tom
Tom Brady is still on pace for the worst completion percentage (55.4%) and quarterback rating (75.3) of his entire career as a starter in the National Football League. Mike Glennon, EJ Manual, Brian Hoyer, Christian Ponder and Geno Smith all have a higher completion percentage at this point in the season.
Kicking the Cheeseheads
Green Bay’s Mason Crosby went a perfect 9-9 to start the season after finishing last season as the 31st ranked kicker with 63.6% conversion rate on Field Goals. After week 7 he has hit 14 of 16 including 2 kicks from over 50 yards. Many believed he should have been cut before the start of the current campaign.
Throwing it like a Texan
Matt Schaub set an NFL record by giving up a pick-six for a fourth consecutive week. The near no-look toss against the Seahawks that Richard Sherman took back to tie the game late in the fourth quarter in week 4 was the crowning jewel of the collection. TJ Yates then added to the streak in week 6, tossing yet another pick six in what has been a terrible time for Texans fans.
It must be some comfort to the Texans faithful that Case Keenum, who started for Houston in a loss to the Chiefs last week, not only managed to not throw a pick six but didn’t throw a single interception. The Texans still lost.
Stick a fork in them
At 0-7 and 0-6 respectively, the Jaguars and the Buccaneers have no real hope of making the playoffs. Neither do the 1-6 Giants.
No team has yet done enough to confidently say they will win their division. However, the Chiefs (7-0), Broncos (6-1), Seahawks (6-1) and Saints (5-1) have probably done enough to make sure they will be heading to the playoffs from here.
*Unless hyperlinked, all stats and info taken from ESPN.go.com
