Seven From Sunday
2017
Regular
Week 16
English
SEVEN FROM SUNDAY – WEEK 16
A look at seven
statistical highlights from games played at 1:00 p.m. ET and 4:00 p.m. ET
on Sunday, December 24, the 16th week of the 2017 season.
- The NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS, who have already won the AFC East and
defeated Buffalo 37-16, secured a
first-round bye with today’s win combined with Jacksonville’s loss at
San Francisco. The Patriots can lock
up home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs with a Pittsburgh loss
tomorrow at Houston.
The LOS ANGELES RAMS,
who defeated Tennessee 27-23, clinched
the NFC West division title for the first time since 2003.
The KANSAS CITY
CHIEFS, who knocked off Miami 29-13, secured
the AFC West division title for the second consecutive season.
The JACKSONVILLE
JAGUARS, who had already clinched a playoff berth, locked up the AFC South division title with Tennessee’s loss
to the Rams. It marks Jacksonville’s first division title since 1999 (AFC
Central).
The NEW ORLEANS
SAINTS, who defeated Atlanta 23-13, and the CAROLINA PANTHERS, who knocked off Tampa Bay 22-19, both clinched a playoff berth.
The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES, who host Oakland tomorrow night, have already
won the NFC East and secured a first-round bye. With a win over the Raiders, the Eagles will lock up home-field
advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.
The PITTSBURGH
STEELERS, who visit Houston tomorrow, have already won the AFC North
division title. The Steelers can
clinch a first-round bye with a victory over the Texans.
- The NEW ENGLAND
PATRIOTS improved to 12-3 with today’s win over Buffalo. The Patriots
have won at least 12 games in eight consecutive seasons (2010-17),
surpassing the 2003-09 Indianapolis Colts for the longest such streak in
NFL history.
- Los Angeles Rams running back TODD GURLEY had 118 rushing yards, 158
receiving yards and two touchdown receptions in the Rams’ win at Tennessee.
Gurley is the third player in NFL
history to have at least 100 rushing yards and 150 receiving yards in a single
game, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer OLLIE MATSON (1954) and HERSCHEL
WALKER (1986).
Gurley, who has 2,093 scrimmage yards, 13 rushing touchdowns
and six receiving touchdowns this season, is 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).
- New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES passed for 239 yards and a
touchdown in the Saints’ win over Atlanta. Brees has 70,200 career passing
yards and joined PEYTON MANNING
(71,940) and Pro Football Hall of Famer BRETT FAVRE (71,838) as the only
players in NFL history to reach 70,000 passing yards. Brees reached the
milestone in his 248th career game and is the fastest in league history to accomplish the feat.
Brees, who has 4,089 passing yards this season, reached 4,000 passing yards for a 12th
consecutive season, extending his NFL record.
- Kansas
City quarterback ALEX SMITH threw a touchdown pass to tight end TRAVIS
KELCE, wide receiver TYREEK HILL had 109 receiving yards and
rookie running back KAREEM HUNT rushed for a score in the Chiefs’
win against Miami.
The Chiefs are the second
team in NFL history with a 4,000-yard passer (Smith, 4,042), 1,000-yard rusher
(Hunt, 1,292) and both a wide receiver (Hill, 1,183) and tight end (Kelce,
1,038) with at least 1,000 receiving yards each in a single season.
The 1981 San Diego
Chargers – with Pro Football Hall of Famers DAN FOUTS (4,802 passing yards), CHARLIE
JOINER (1,188 receiving yards) and KELLEN WINSLOW (1,075 receiving
yards) and CHUCK MUNCIE (1,144 rushing yards) – are the only other team
to accomplish the feat.
- Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD had nine catches for 119
yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 23-0 win against the New York Giants.
This season, Fitzgerald has 101 catches for 1,101 yards and six touchdowns.
Fitzgerald has five
seasons with at least 100 catches, tied for the second-most in NFL history.
Only BRANDON MARSHALL (six) has more
such seasons.
Fitzgerald has nine
seasons with at least 1,000 receiving yards, tied for the third-most in NFL
history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (14) and RANDY MOSS
(10) have more such seasons.
- Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver KEENAN ALLEN had five catches for 63 yards and added an
interception in the team’s 14-7 win at the New York Jets. Allen, who has 93
catches for 1,260 yards this season, is the first player in NFL history to record at least 90 catches and an
interception in the same season. He is also the third player in NFL history to have at least 1,000 receiving yards
and an interception in the same season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer DON
HUTSON (1942) and RANDY MOSS (2009).
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