1. Thursday, December 22, 2022 CENTRAL VIRGINIA’S ONLY LOCAL NFL PUBLICATION GridironGoose@msn.com
OFFICIAL MEDIA MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE!
COMEBACKS: The JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS overcame a 17-point second-half deficit to defeat Dallas, 40-34, as safety
RAYSHAWN JENKINS registered the game-winning 52-yard interception return for a touchdown in overtime. It marked the seventh-
longest game-winning interception return for a touchdown in overtime since 1974 and the longest since ROBERT ALFORD on October
11, 2015 (59 yards).
Three teams – MINNESOTA (33-point deficit), CINCINNATI (17) and JACKSONVILLE (17) – each overcame deficits of at least 17
points to win in Week 15. It marks the first time in NFL history that three teams came back to win after trailing by 17-or-more points in a
single week. There have been 44 games in which a team has overcome a deficit of at least 10 points to win or tie this season, the most
such games through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time.
The LAS VEGAS RAIDERS defeated New England, 30-24, as defensive end CHANDLER JONES registered a game-winning 48-yard
fumble recovery for a touchdown on the final play of the fourth quarter. With Jenkins and Jones' game-winning defensive touchdowns
this week, it marks the first time since 1970 that there were two game-winning defensive scores on the final play in a single week.
Six teams – BUFFALO and MINNESOTA on Saturday along with DETROIT, JACKSONVILLE, KANSAS CITY and LAS VEGAS on
Sunday – came back to win after trailing in the fourth quarter. There have been 71 games in which a team has come back to win or tie
after trailing in the fourth quarter, the most such games through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time.
Seven teams – BUFFALO, DETROIT, JACKSONVILLE, KANSAS CITY, LAS VEGAS, the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS and
MINNESOTA – each recorded a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime in Week 15. There have been
56 games this season decided by a game-winning score in the final two minutes of regulation or in overtime, the most such games
through the first 15 weeks of a season all-time.
CLOSE GAMES: There have been 101 games decided by a touchdown (six points) or less, the most such games through the first 15
weeks all-time. 14 of 16 games (87.5 percent) in Week 15 have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter and there
have been 172 games within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter this season, the most such games through the first 15 weeks
in NFL history.
Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES completed 36 of 41 pass attempts (87.8 percent) for 336 yards and two touchdowns
with no interceptions for a 117.1 rating and added a rushing touchdown while tight end TRAVIS KELCE recorded 10 receptions for 105
yards in the Chiefs' 30-24 overtime win at Houston. Mahomes' 87.8 completion percentage is the highest single-game completion
percentage among players with at least 40 attempts in NFL history. Mahomes completed his final 20 pass attempts and is the first
player to finish a game with at least 20 consecutive completions since DREW BREES on December 16, 2019 (22 consecutive
completions). Mahomes leads the NFL with 35 touchdown passes in 2022 and is the fifth quarterback in NFL history to record at least
35 touchdown passes in four-or-more different seasons, joining TOM BRADY (six seasons), AARON RODGERS (six), DREW BREES
(four) and Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (four). (Continued next page)

2. Kelce has 10,150 career receiving yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer SHANNON SHARPE (10,060) for the fourth-most
receiving yards by a tight end in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer TONY GONZALEZ (15,127), JASON WITTEN (13,046)
and ANTONIO GATES (11,841) have more.
Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS recorded 376 total yards (315 passing, 61 rushing) and his second career game with three
rushing touchdowns while wide receiver A.J. BROWN registered nine receptions for 181 yards in the Eagles' 25-20 win at Chicago.
Last week, the Eagles became the first team to clinch a playoff berth this season. Hurts is the third quarterback ever with at least 300
passing yards and three rushing touchdowns in a single game, joining DAK PRESCOTT (September 20, 2020) and JACK KEMP
(October 26, 1963). Hurts is the fourth quarterback in NFL history with two career games of at least three rushing touchdowns, joining
DUANTE CULPEPPER, JOHNNY LUJACK and TOBIN ROTE.
Hurts has 13 rushing touchdowns this season, surpassing STEVE GROGAN (12 rushing touchdowns in 1976) and CAM NEWTON (12
in 2020) for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in a season in NFL history. Only Newton (14 in 2011) has more.
Hurts has 26 career rushing touchdowns and surpassed JOSH ALLEN (25) for the second-most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback
in his first three seasons in the Super Bowl era. Only CAM NEWTON (28 rushing touchdowns) has more. Hurts has eight career games
with at least two rushing touchdowns, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famers OTTO GRAHAM (seven games) and STEVE YOUNG
(seven), as well as JACK KEMP (seven) and STEVE MCNAIR (seven), for the second-most such games by a quarterback all-time.
Only CAM NEWTON (10 games) has more.
Since entering the NFL in 2019, Brown has seven career games with at least 150 receiving yards, the fifth-most such games by a
player in his first four career seasons in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers LANCE ALWORTH (10 games), RANDY MOSS
(eight) and JERRY RICE (eight) as well as JUSTIN JEFFERSON (eight) have more.
Detroit quarterback JARED GOFF passed for 252 yards, including the game-winning 51-yard touchdown pass with 1:49 remaining the
fourth quarter, while rookie linebacker JAMES HOUSTON recorded a sack in the Lions' 20-17 win at the New York Jets. Goff has
25,020 passing yards in 97 career games and tied Pro Football Hall of Famers PEYTON MANNING (97 games) and KURT WARNER
(97) as the third-fastest player ever to reach 25,000 career passing yards. Only MATTHEW STAFFORD (90 games) and Pro Football
Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (92) reached the mark in fewer games.
Houston is the third rookie since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record at least one sack in each of his
first four career games, joining SANTANA DOTSON (1992) and TERRELL SUGGS (2003). Houston is the second player since 2000
with at least five sacks in his first four career games, joining ELVIS DUMERVIL (five sacks in his first four games in 2006).
Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT recorded 1.5 sacks in the Steelers' 24-16 win at Carolina. Watt has 76 sacks in 84 career games and
became the third-fastest player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to reach 75 career sacks. Only Pro
Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (65 games) and J.J. WATT (82) reached the mark in fewer games.
Los Angeles quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT passed for 313 yards in the Chargers' 17-14 win over Tennessee. Herbert has 4,019
passing yards this season and is the first player in NFL history with at least 4,000 passing yards in each of his first three career
seasons.
Appearing in his 40th career game, Cincinnati quarterback JOE BURROW recorded four touchdown passes in the Bengals' 34-23 win
at Tampa Bay. Burrow has 78 career touchdown passes and became the fifth player since 1970 with at least 75 touchdown passes in
his first 40 career games, joining PATRICK MAHOMES (101 touchdown passes) and JUSTIN HERBERT (82), as well as Pro Football
Hall of Famers DAN MARINO (90) and KURT WARNER (86). Burrow, who also has 10 career rushing touchdowns, joined ANDREW
LUCK (86 passing, 12 rushing) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 75 touchdown passes and 10 rushing touchdowns
in their first three seasons.
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3. Chicago quarterback JUSTIN FIELDS had 95 rushing yards on Sunday and leads all quarterbacks with 1,000 rushing yards this
season. Fields is the third quarterback ever with at least 1,000 rushing yards in a season, joining LAMAR JACKSON (1,206 rushing
yards in 2019 and 1,005 rushing yards in 2020) and MICHAEL VICK (1,039 in 2006).
Appearing in his 100th career game, Tennessee running back DERRICK HENRY totaled 163 scrimmage yards (104 rushing, 59
receiving) and a rushing touchdown on Sunday. Henry has 77 rushing touchdowns in 100 career games, the sixth-most rushing
touchdowns by a player in his first 100 career games in the Super Bowl era. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers EMMITT SMITH (103
rushing touchdowns), LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (102) and ERIC DICKERSON (80) as well as SHAUN ALEXANDER (91) and ADRIAN
PETERSON (86) had more.
Dallas linebacker MICAH PARSONS registered his 13th sack of the season and had a fumble recovery on Sunday. Parsons, who led
all rookies with 13 sacks in 2021, is the third player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, with at least 13
sacks in each of his first two seasons, joining ALDON SMITH and Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE.
CONFERENCE PASSING LEADERS MEET: Last week, the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-3) clinched their seventh consecutive AFC
West division title, tied for the second-longest streak of division titles in NFL history. With a win against Seattle on Saturday (1:00 PM
ET, FOX), Kansas City would become the third team ever to record at least 12 regular-season wins in five consecutive seasons, joining
the 2010-17 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (eight consecutive seasons) and 2003-09 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (seven consecutive
seasons).
Quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES enters Week 16 leading the league with 35 touchdown passes, while Seattle quarterback GENO
SMITH leads the NFC with 26 touchdown passes this season. Saturday’s game in Kansas City will mark the fourth meeting ever in
Week 15 or later between the passing touchdown leaders in each conference. Mahomes also leads the league with 4,496 passing
yards in 2022 and can reach 4,500 passing yards for the third consecutive season and fourth time in his career. He would become the
fourth quarterback all-time with four career seasons of 4,500 passing yards and 35 touchdown passes, joining TOM BRADY (five
seasons), DREW BREES (four) and Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (four). He would become the fifth player in league
history to record at least 4,500 passing yards in three consecutive seasons. Mahomes has totaled 1,962 passing yards (327 per game)
in six home games this season, including at least 315 passing yards in each of his past four in Kansas City. With 315 passing yards on
Saturday, he can join DREW BREES (2008 and 2013) as the only players ever to reach the mark in five consecutive home games
within a single season.
Smith, meanwhile, has recorded a passer rating of 100-or-higher in each of his past six road games. He can become the fourth player
ever with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in seven consecutive road games within a single season, joining NICK FOLES (2013),
AARON RODGERS (2011) and TONY ROMO (2014). The 10th-year quarterback has recorded a career-high 3,671 passing yards this
season with Seattle. With 329 passing yards on Saturday, Smith can become the eighth player in NFL history and first since ALEX
SMITH (2017) to record his first-career season with at least 4,000 passing yards in his 10th-career season or later.
RUSHING TO THE FINISH LINE: Chicago’s JUSTIN FIELDS leads all quarterbacks this season with 1,000 rushing yards, while
Buffalo’s JOSH ALLEN ranks fourth with 705. When the Bears host the Bills on Saturday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), it will mark the first
matchup in NFL history in which both starting quarterbacks enter the game with at least 700 rushing yards on the season. Fields is the
third quarterback ever with at least 1,000 rushing yards in a season and can surpass MICHAEL VICK (1,039 rushing yards in 2006) for
the second-most rushing yards by a quarterback in a single season in NFL history. Only LAMAR JACKSON (1,206 in 2019) has more.
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4. Allen ranks third among quarterbacks this season in both touchdown passes (30) and rushing touchdowns (six). Since entering the NFL
in 2018, Allen has totaled 170 combined passing and rushing touchdowns (133 passing, 37 rushing). With two touchdowns on
Saturday, Allen will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (171 touchdowns) for the most combined passing and rushing
touchdowns by a player in his first five seasons in NFL history.
Allen’s top target this season has been wide receiver STEFON DIGGS, who ranks third in the league with 99 receptions and can reach
the 100-catch mark for the third-consecutive year. Since entering the NFL in 2015, he has totaled 694 receptions. With six catches on
Saturday, Diggs will become the sixth player ever with 700 receptions in his first eight career seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of
Famer MARVIN HARRISON (759 receptions), DEANDRE HOPKINS (747), ANTONIO BROWN (733), TORRY HOLT (712) and
BRANDON MARSHALL (712).
PURPLE REIGN: Last week, Minnesota defeated Indianapolis, 39-36 in overtime, and overcame a 33-point deficit to mark the largest
comeback in NFL history. With the win, the Vikings clinched the NFC North division title for the first time since 2017. The victory marked
their 10th win of the season decided by one score (eight points or fewer), as Minnesota became the third team ever to win 10 games
within a single season by eight points or fewer, joining the 2019 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS and 1978 HOUSTON OILERS. Minnesota can
become the first team ever with 11 one-score victories within a single season.
Quarterback KIRK COUSINS earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors last week, recording 460 passing yards and four
touchdown passes in the comeback victory. He now has 24 touchdown passes on the season. With a touchdown pass against the New
York Giants on Saturday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Cousins will become the fifth player ever to record at least 25 touchdown passes in at
least eight consecutive seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (13 seasons), DREW BREES (11), PHILIP
RIVERS (11) and TOM BRADY (10).
Wide receiver JUSTIN JEFFERSON recorded 12 receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown last week, marking his 23rd-career game
with at least 100 receiving yards. With 100 receiving yards on Saturday, Jefferson – currently in his third season – will surpass Pro
Football Hall of Famer RANDY MOSS (23 games) for the most such games by a player in his first four seasons in NFL history.
SURGING LIONS: The DETROIT LIONS have won three consecutive games and six of their past seven, as they enter Week 16 only
one game out of an NFC playoff position. AMON-RA ST. BROWN ranks fourth among wide receivers with 89 receptions this season
and ranks ninth with 974 receiving yards. He needs one catch at Carolina on Saturday (1:00 PM ET, FOX) to join MICHAEL THOMAS
and ODELL BECKHAM JR. as the only players ever with at least 90 receptions and 900 receiving yards in each of their first two
seasons. St. Brown enters Week 16 with 179 career receptions and can surpass Beckham (187 receptions) and CHRISTIAN
MCCAFFREY (187) for the fourth-most catches by a player in his first two seasons in NFL history.
Rookie linebacker JAMES HOUSTON has recorded a sack in each of his first four career games and can become the first player with a
sack in each of his first five career games since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.
RELEASE AND CATCH: Since entering the NFL in 2017, San Francisco’s CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY (431 receptions), New Orleans’
ALVIN KAMARA (426) and the Los Angeles Chargers’ AUSTIN EKELER (377) lead all running backs in receptions. On Saturday,
McCaffrey and Kamara can surpass ROGER CRAIG (434 receptions) for the most receptions by a running back in his first six seasons
in NFL history while Ekeler needs eight receptions to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (384) for the fifth-most
receptions by a running back in his first six seasons all-time. Ekeler leads all running backs with a career-high 95 receptions this season
and can become the fifth running back in NFL history with at least 100 receptions in a season.
RELIABLE ROOKIE RECEIVER: New York Jets wide receiver GARRETT WILSON leads all rookies this season with 67 receptions
and 966 receiving yards, both the most by a rookie in franchise history. He has surpassed 75 receiving yards in four consecutive
games, the longest active streak in the league. With 75 receiving yards against Jacksonville on Thursday Night Football (8:15 PM ET,
Prime Video), Wilson will become the fourth rookie in the Super Bowl era to record at least 75 receiving yards in five consecutive
games.
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