NFL Week 14 That Was

COMEBACK RECORD IN REACH: The 2014 season has featured many close games and great comeback victories.

Three teams – Baltimore, Indianapolis and New England – overcame deficits of 10+ points to win this week. There have been 37 comeback victories of 10+ points this season, tied for the most through Week 14 in NFL history (2013).

The most comeback wins of 10+ points through Week 14 in NFL history:

TOUCHDOWN PASSES AT AN ALL-TIME HIGH: There have been 687 touchdown passes this season, the most through the first 14 weeks in NFL history (662 in 2013).

THE PATRIOT WAY- A WINNING MODEL: On Sunday, the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-3) defeated the San Diego Chargers, 23-14, and reached 10 regular-season wins for the 12th consecutive season. The Patriots joined the San Francisco 49ers (1983-1998; 16) as the only teams in NFL history to record 12 consecutive 10-win seasons.

The teams with the most consecutive seasons with 10+ regular-season wins in NFL history:

HOME NEST SUCCESS: The ARIZONA CARDINALS defeated Kansas City 17-14 and improved to 7-0 at home. The Cardinals’ seven home wins are the most for the franchise in a single season since 1925, when the team won 11 of its 13 home games. 

ST. LOUIS BACK TO BACK SHUTOUTS: The ST. LOUIS RAMS defeated Washington 24-0, the team’s second consecutive shutout win (52-0 vs. Oakland in Week 13). The Rams have recorded back-to-back shutout wins for the first time since 1945 (September 30 and October 7). St. Louis is the first team to post consecutive shutout victories since 2009 (Dallas, December 27 andJanuary 3). 

RINGING THE BELL: Pittsburgh running back LE’VEON BELL had 235 scrimmage yards (185 rushing, 50 receiving) and three total touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) in the Steelers’ 42-21 win at Cincinnati. Bell, who had at least 200 scrimmage yards in each of the past two games, joins Pro Football Hall of Famer WALTER PAYTON (1977) as the only players in NFL history with 200+ scrimmage yards in three consecutive games.

ookie wide receiver milestones that were reached in Week 14:

• New York Giants rookie wide receiver ODELL BECKHAM, JR. had 11 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown in the Giants’ 36-7 win at Tennessee. Beckham, who had at least 90 receiving yards in each of the previous five games, is the first rookie in NFL history to record at least 90 receiving yards in six consecutive games.

Beckham has 723 receiving yards in his past six games and joined BILL GROMAN (1960) as the only rookies in NFL history with at least 700 receiving yards in a six-game span.

• Steelers rookie wide receiver MARTAVIS BRYANT had four catches for 109 yards and one touchdown against Cincinnati. Bryant, who has seven touchdown catches in seven career games, is one of four NFL players with at least seven TD receptions in his first seven career games, joining HARLON HILL (eight), MAX MC GEE (seven) and BILLY HOWTON (seven). Bryant is the first player to accomplish the feat since Hill and McGee in 1954.

• Tampa Bay rookie wide receiver MIKE EVANS caught two touchdowns against Detroit, bringing his season total to 10. Evans, who was the seventh overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, is only the fourth player in the last 30 seasons with at least 10 touchdown catches in his rookie season.

The players with the most touchdown catches as a rookie since 1985:

POWERFUL WATT: Houston defensive end J.J. WATT had three sacks in the Texans’ 27-13 win at Jacksonville. Watt, who now has 51 career sacks, is only the fifth player to record at least 50 sacks in their first four seasons since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Watt joins Pro Football Hall of Famers REGGIE WHITE (70) and DERRICK THOMAS(58), DE MARCUS WARE (53.5) and DWIGHT FREENEY (51) as the only players to accomplish the feat.

ACTION JACKSON: Buffalo running back FRED JACKSON had 72 scrimmage yards (35 rushing, 37 receiving) against Denver. Jackson now has 5,507 career rushing yards and 2,516 receiving yards and joins PRIEST HOLMES and CLEM DANIELS as the only undrafted players in NFL history with at least 5,000 rushing yards and 2,500 receiving yards.

YOUNG RECEIVERS CATCHING ON: Below is a sampling of the rookie wide receiver milestones that were reached in Week 14:

• New York Giants rookie wide receiver ODELL BECKHAM, JR. had 11 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown in the Giants’ 36-7 win at Tennessee. Beckham, who had at least 90 receiving yards in each of the previous five games, is the first rookie in NFL history to record at least 90 receiving yards in six consecutive games.

Beckham has 723 receiving yards in his past six games and joined BILL GROMAN (1960) as the only rookies in NFL history with at least 700 receiving yards in a six-game span.

• Steelers rookie wide receiver MARTAVIS BRYANT had four catches for 109 yards and one touchdown against Cincinnati. Bryant, who has seven touchdown catches in seven career games, is one of four NFL players with at least seven TD receptions in his first seven career games, joining HARLON HILL (eight), MAX MC GEE (seven) and BILLY HOWTON (seven). Bryant is the first player to accomplish the feat since Hill and McGee in 1954.

• Tampa Bay rookie wide receiver MIKE EVANS caught two touchdowns against Detroit, bringing his season total to 10. Evans, who was the seventh overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft, is only the fourth player in the last 30 seasons with at least 10 touchdown catches in his rookie season.

The players with the most touchdown catches as a rookie since 1985:

POWERFUL WATT: Houston defensive end J.J. WATT had three sacks in the Texans’ 27-13 win at Jacksonville. Watt, who now has 51 career sacks, is only the fifth player to record at least 50 sacks in their first four seasons since sacks became an official statistic in 1982. Watt joins Pro Football Hall of Famers REGGIE WHITE (70) and DERRICK THOMAS(58), DE MARCUS WARE (53.5) and DWIGHT FREENEY (51) as the only players to accomplish the feat.