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During the game between the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football, one specific stat caught the attention of the fans: Mac Jones threw 19 straight completions, the most by a rookie in the last 30 years.
Even though Jones and the Patriots are operating on a quick-strike offense that emphasizes quicker and shorter passes, it's still an incredible feat to achieve, especially against a pass-rush as ferocious as the Buccaneers'. Jones' efforts fell short as his team lost in a close 19-17 game, but his exhibition received praise from all sides in a unique game for New England.
Who has the NFL record of most consecutive completions?
Many fans wondered how far Jones was from the NFL record for most consecutive completions. It turns out, even though he achieved a significant milestone with more completions for a rookie in 30 years, there was still a way to go for the NFL record.
The NFL record for most straight completions belongs to two quarterbacks who are still active today and another who just recently retired from the league.
Ryan Tannehill threw 25 completed straight passes as the Miami Dolphins quarterback in 2015. He completed his last seven pass attempts against the Tennessee Titans in Week 6 and then started the game against the Houston Texans the following week with 18 straight completions, setting an NFL record.
Philip Rivers, who retired this offseason following a stint with the Indianapolis Colts, tied Tannehill's record after completing 25 straight passes in Week 12 of the 2018 NFL season against the Arizona Cardinals. He also completed 28 of 29 passes that day for an NFL-record 96.55% completion percentage.
Nick Foles tied Tannehill's and Rivers' record when he completed 25 straight passes against the Washington Football Team in Week 17 of the 2018 NFL season. It was crucial for the Foles' Philadelphia Eagles, as they needed to win that game to book a playoff spot, and the quarterback's fantastic game helped them do so.
Mac Jones' completions weren't enough for the Patriots win
The Patriots were tremendous against the Buccaneers, but they could not beat the reigning Super Bowl champions in Tom Brady's first game back in Foxboro.
Brady's return was a mix of emotions, from the standing ovation and the crowd chanting his name pregame to the boos and the cheers when he was sacked or made a bad throw.
Ultimately, Bill Belichick's poor decision to kick a 56-yarder field goal in the rain made the difference in the final score. Even with Mac Jones completing 19 passes in a row at a point in the second half, the coach didn't trust his rookie quarterback in the most important decision of the game, and this ultimately backfired against him.
Also Read: Who is Philip Rivers' wife, Tiffany Rivers?
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