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THE WEEK THAT WAS – WEEK 8

FANTASTIC FINISHES: Three teams – BALTIMORE, MINNESOTA and NEW ORLEANS – won on game-winning scores in the fourth quarter as time expired in Week 8, the first time there have been three such game-winning scores on the same day since 1970.

The games decided on a game-winning score as time expired in the fourth quarter in Week 8:

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OVERTIME EXCITEMENT: Week 8 continued the trend of close games, as two games were decided in overtime. Eleven games have gone to overtime this season, the fifth-most through Week 8 in NFL history.

The most overtime games through Week 8 in NFL history:

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​FAST STARTERS: Four teams – CAROLINA, CINCINNATI, DENVER and NEW ENGLAND – have started the season 7-0, the most in a single season in NFL history.

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HEAD START: Denver head coach GARY KUBIAK has led the Broncos to a 7-0 start in his first season with the team, becoming the fourth head coach to lead his team to a 7-0 record in his first season with a new team since the AFL-NFL Merger.

The head coaches to lead their teams to a 7-0 record in their first season with a new team since 1970:

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SENSATIONAL SCORING: The NEW ORLEANS SAINTS defeated the New York Giants 52-49 in Week 8 on kicker KAI FORBATH’s game-winning 50-yard field goal as time expired.

The teams’ combined total of 101 points tied for the third-highest single-game total ever and was the most since November 28, 2004, when the Bengals (58) and Browns (48) combined for 106 points.

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QB MILESTONES: Below is a sampling of the quarterback milestones that were reached in Week 8:

• Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING completed 21 of 29 passes for 340 yards in the Broncos’ 29-10 victory over Green Bay on Sunday night. The game marked Manning’s 186th regular season victory, tying BRETT FAVRE for the most of any starting quarterback in NFL history.

The quarterbacks with the most regular season wins:

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• New Orleans’ DREW BREES passed for seven touchdowns, tying the single-game NFL record for touchdown passes, while the Giants’ ELI MANNING posted a career-high six touchdowns. The 13 combined touchdown passes are the most in NFL history in a single game.
  
  The performance marked Brees’ 10th career game with at least five touchdown passes, eclipsing PEYTON MANNING (nine) for the most such games in NFL history.
  
  
• Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER passed for 262 yards and a touchdown against Cincinnati in Week 8, reaching 40,000 career passing yards (40,231). Roethlisberger is the fifth active quarterback to reach 40,000 career passing yards, the most active quarterbacks ever to have 40,000+ passing yards at one time. PEYTON MANNING (71,555), DREW BREES (58,409), TOM BRADY (55,668) and ELI MANNING (41,881) are the four other active quarterbacks to reach the milestone.
  
  Roethlisberger reached the feat in his 163rd game, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer WARREN MOON (165 games) for the fifth fewest games to reach the milestone.

 
The quarterbacks to reach 40,000 career passing yards in the fewest games in NFL history:

• Cincinnati quarterback ANDY DALTON threw for 231 yards and one touchdown in the Bengals’ 16-10 win at Pittsburgh in Week 8. The victory marked Dalton’s 23rd career road victory, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO, BEN ROETHLISBERGER and MATT RYAN for the most road wins by a starting quarterback in his first five seasons during the Super Bowl era (since 1966).

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MEGATRON MILESTONE: Detroit wide receiver CALVIN JOHNSON had five receptions for 85 yards against Kansas City in the third and final game of the NFL’s 2015 International Series in London.

Johnson surpassed 11,000 career receiving yards (11,064) in his 127th game, the fewest needed to reach the milestone in NFL history.

The players to reach 11,000 career receiving yards in the fewest games:

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GREAT GURLEY: St. Louis rookie running back TODD GURLEY rushed for 133 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown, in the Rams’ 27-6 victory against San Francisco.Gurley has rushed for 575 yards in his first five games, the third-most yards by a player in his first five games in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON (645) and ADRIAN PETERSON (607) gained more yards in their first five NFL games.

The players to rush for the most yards in their first five NFL games:

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WONDERFUL WOODSON: Oakland safety CHARLES WOODSON had an interception in the Raiders’ 34-20 victory against the New York Jets in Week 8.

Woodson now has 65 career interceptions, tying KEN RILEY for fifth-most in NFL history.

The players with the most career interceptions in NFL history: