Below are teams and players that can set historic marks or reach career milestones in Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season, including:
• Miami (Tyreek Hill)
• Philadelphia (A.J. Brown)
• Cleveland (Myles Garrett)
• Detroit (Jared Goff)
• Buffalo (Stefon Diggs)
• San Francisco (Christian McCaffrey)
• Kansas City (Travis Kelce & Chris Jones)
• LA Rams (Red Nacua & Aaron Donald)
• L.A. Chargers (Austin Ekeler)
TOP OFFENSES & TOP RECEIVERS MEET ON SNF
The MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-1) and PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-1) tie for the best record in the NFL entering Week 7, while owning the top-two offenses in the league. Miami ranks first with 498.7 yards per game, with the Eagles ranking second with 395.0 yards per game.
When the two clubs meet in Philadelphia on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC), it will mark the first game since 2016 to feature the top-two offenses in the league in Week 7 or later, when the Falcons hosted the Saints in Week 17 of that season.
Miami’s offense continues on a historic pace, as its 2,992 total yards are the second-most by a team through its first six games of a season in NFL history. With 282 yards on Sunday night, the Dolphins will move into the top-three for the most total yards of offense ever by a team through its first seven games of a season.
The teams with the most total yards of offense in their first seven games of a season in NFL history:
TEAM, TOTAL YARDS OF OFFENSE
2000 St. Louis Rams, 3,484
2013 Denver Broncos, 3,285
2018 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 3,273
2023 Miami Dolphins, 2,992*
*Through six games
Sunday night’s matchup will also feature the top-two receiving leaders in the league this season – Miami’s TYREEK HILL (814 receiving yards in 2023) and Phialdelphia’s A.J. BROWN (672).
With 86 receiving yards on Sunday, Hill will become the first player in 62 years and fourth player in NFL history to reach 900 receiving yards through his team’s first seven games of a season, joining CHARLIE HENNIGAN (1,044 receiving yards in 1961), and Pro Football Hall of Famers ELROY “CRAZY LEGS” HIRSCH (961 in 1951) and DON HUTSON (915 in 1942).
The players with at least 900 receiving yards in their team’s first seven games of a season all-time:
PLAYER, TEAM, SEASON, RECEIVING YARDS
Charlie Hennigan, Houston Oilers, 1961, 1,044
Elroy Hirsch (HOF), L.A. Rams, 1951, 961
Don Hutson (HOF), Green Bay, 1942, 915
Tyreek Hill, Miami, 2023, 814*
*Through six games
Hill has totaled at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in four games this season (Weeks 1, 3, 5 and 6) and became the first player ever to record 150 receiving yards in four of his team’s first six games of a season.
On Sunday, Hill can become the first player in NFL history with 150 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in five games within a season and the fourth player since 1970 to record 150 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in three consecutive games, joining JOSH GORDON (2013), Pro Football Hall of Famer JAMES LOFTON (1984) and ANDRE RISON (1990).
Hill can also become the fifth player ever with 150 receiving yards in five games within a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers TIM BROWN (1997) and JERRY RICE (1995) as well as ANTONIO BROWN (2017) and ROY GREEN (1984).
Since entering the NFL in 2016, Hill has 15 career games with 150 receiving yards. With another 150-yard performance, he will tie JULIO JONES – who signed with Philadelphia this past week and can make his Eagles debut on Sunday – for the fourth-most such games all-time. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (30 games), LANCE ALWORTH (17) and TERRELL OWENS (17) have more.
The players with the most games with at least 150 receiving yards all-time:
PLAYER, TEAM(S), GAMES
Jerry Rice (HOF), San Francisco, Oakland, 30
Lance Alworth (HOF), San Diego Chargers, 17
Terrell Owens (HOF), San Francisco, Philadelphia, Dallas, Buffalo, Cincinnati, 17
Julio Jones, Atlanta, 16*
Tyreek Hill, Kansas City, Miami, 15*
Calvin Johnson (HOF), Detroit, 15
Don Maynard (HOF), N.Y. Titans/Jets, 15
*Active
A.J. BROWN has totaled over 125 receiving yards in each of the past four games, the longest streak within a season in franchise history. With 125 receiving yards on Sunday night, Brown will become the third player in NFL history to reach 125 receiving yards in five consecutive games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer CALVIN JOHNSON (2012) and PAT STUDSTILL (1966).
Both Brown and Hill were acquired by their current teams prior to the 2022 season and Sunday night will mark their 24th regular-season game with their respective club. Each player has among the most receiving yards by a player in his first 25 games with a new team in the Super Bowl era.
The players with the most receiving yards in their first 25 games with a new team in the Super Bowl era:
PLAYER, TEAM, SEASONS, RECEIVING YARDS
Odell Beckham, Jr., N.Y. Giants, 2014-15, 2,625
Tyreek Hill, Miami, 2022-23, 2,524*
Brandon Marshall, Chicago, 2012-13, 2,294
Stefon Diggs, Buffalo, 2020-21, 2,285
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota, 2020-21, 2,175
Wes Chandler, San Diego Chargers, 1981-83, 2,172
A.J. Brown, Philadelphia, 2022-23, 2,168*
*Through 23 games
BROWNS LOOK TO CONTINUE HISTORIC PACE ON DEFENSE
The CLEVELAND BROWNS lead the league in total defense this season, allowing 200.4 yards per game. Their 1,002 total yards allowed in their first five games this season are the fewest in 52 years and the third-fewest yards allowed by a team in its first five games of a season since 1970.
By allowing 198-or-fewer yards at Indianapolis on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Cleveland will become the fourth team since 1970 to allow fewer than 1,200 yards through its first six games of a season, joining the Baltimore Colts in 1971 (989 yards allowed), Minnesota in 1970 (1,045) and Washington in 1974 (1,176).
Defensive end MYLES GARRETT leads the team with 5.5 sacks this season and ranks second in the NFL with 80 sacks since entering the league in 2017.
With a sack on Sunday, Garrett, who turns 28 later this season, can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (80 sacks) for the most NFL sacks by a player prior to his 28th birthday since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.
The players with the most NFL sacks prior to their 28th birthday since 1982:
PLAYER, TEAM, SACKS
Myles Garrett, Cleveland, 80*
Reggie White (HOF), Philadelphia, 80
Derrick Thomas (HOF), Kansas City, 77
*Turns 28 on Dec. 29, 2023
LIONS CAN CONTINUE HOT START
The DETROIT LIONS (5-1) have won four consecutive games and 10 of their last 12 overall. Since beginning the 2022 season 1-6, Detroit has compiled a 13-3 record.
With a win at Baltimore on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Detroit will be off to its best start since 1956 and will become the second team in the past 10 years to begin a season 6-1 the year after beginning a season 1-6, joining San Francisco in 2019.
The Lions have won each of their past four games by at least 14 points. The Lions can become the fifth team since 2000 to win five consecutive games within a season by at least 14 points, joining the 2019 Baltimore Ravens, 2009 New Orleans Saints, 2007 New England Patriots and 2005 Indianapolis Colts.
Quarterback JARED GOFF ranks fifth in the league with 1,618 passing yards this season and last week recorded his 17th-career game with at least 350 passing yards since entering the NFL in 2016.
With his next 350-yard performance, Goff will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (18 games) and MATTHEW STAFFORD (18) for the second-most such games by a player in his first eight seasons in NFL history. Only PATRICK MAHOMES (21 games, currently in his seventh season) has more.
The players with the most games with at least 350 passing yards in their first eight seasons in NFL history:
PLAYER, TEAM(S), GAMES
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City, 21#
Dan Marino (HOF), Miami, 18
Matthew Stafford, Detroit, 18
Jared Goff, St. Louis/L.A. Rams, Detroit, 17*
Andrew Luck, Indianapolis, 17
#In seventh season
*In eighth season
DIGGS DOMINATING THROUGH SIX GAMES
Buffalo wide receiver STEFON DIGGS ranks tied for second in the NFL with five touchdown receptions this season, third with 620 receiving yards and tied for third with 49 receptions. He has recorded at least six receptions in each of his first six games and over 100 receiving yards in five of six games.
With 100 receiving yards at New England on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Diggs will become the fourth player in the Super Bowl era to record 100 receiving yards in six of his team’s first seven games of a season, joining ADAM THIELEN (first seven games in 2018) and Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISON (six games in 2000) and MICHAEL IRVIN (six games in 1995).
With six receptions, Diggs will become the sixth different player in the Super Bowl era to record at least six catches in each of his team’s first seven games of a season, joining JIMMY SMITH (2001), STEVE SMITH (2006), ADAM THIELEN (2018), HINES WARD (2004) and WES WELKER (2008 and 2009).
The players with at least six receptions in the most consecutive games to begin a season in the Super Bowl era:
PLAYER, TEAM, SEASON, GAMES
Wes Welker, New England, 2009, 11
Wes Welker, New England, 2008, 11
Jimmy Smith, Jacksonville, 2001, 8
Adam Thielen, Minnesota, 2018,
Steve Smith, Carolina, 2006, 7
Hines Ward, Pittsburgh, 2004, 7
Stefon Diggs, Buffalo, 2023, 6*
*Active streak
MCCAFFREY CAN EXTEND HISTORIC TOUCHDOWN STREAK
San Francisco running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY leads the NFL with 553 rushing yards this season and ranks second with nine scrimmage touchdowns and seven rushing touchdowns. He is the only player in the league with a touchdown in each of the first six weeks.
Dating back to Week 13 of the 2022 season and including the postseason, McCaffrey has recorded at least one scrimmage touchdown in 15 consecutive games. With a touchdown on Sunday, he would become the first player in NFL history to score a scrimmage touchdown in 16 consecutive games. He can also join Pro Football Hall of Famer LENNY MOORE (17 consecutive games from 1963-64) as the only players all-time with a touchdown of any kind in 16-or-more straight games, including the postseason.
The players with the most consecutive games with a scrimmage touchdown, including the postseason, in NFL history:
PLAYER, TEAM, GAMES (DATES)
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco, 15* (Dec. 4, 2022 – current)
Lenny Moore (HOF), Baltimore Colts, 15 (Oct. 27, 1963 – Nov. 29, 1964)
John Riggins (HOF), Washington, 15 (Jan. 15, 1983 – Nov. 27, 1983)
O.J. Simpson (HOF), Buffalo, 15 (Dec. 12, 1974 – Dec. 20, 1975)
*Active streak
The players with the most consecutive games with a touchdown of any kind, including the postseason, in NFL history:
PLAYER, TEAM, GAMES (DATES)
Lenny Moore (HOF), Baltimore Colts, 17 (Oct. 27, 1963 – Dec. 13, 1964)
Christian McCaffrey, San Francisco, 15* (Dec. 4, 2022 – current)
John Riggins (HOF), Washington, 15 (Jan. 15, 1983 – Nov. 27, 1983)
O.J. Simpson (HOF), Buffalo, 15 (Dec. 12, 1974 – Dec. 20, 1975)
*Active streak
KELCE MOVING UP TOUCHDOWN LIST, JONES LOOKS TO EXTEND SACK STREAK
Last week, Kansas City tight end TRAVIS KELCE recorded his 36th-career game with 100 receiving yards, the most such games by a tight end in NFL history. Since entering the league in 2013, Kelce ranks second among all players with 850 receptions and fourth with 10,690 receiving yards and 72 touchdown receptions.
With two touchdown receptions against the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Kelce will tie JASON WITTEN (74 touchdown receptions) for the fifth-most touchdown receptions by a tight end in NFL history.
The tight ends with the most receptions in NFL history:
PLAYER, TEAM(S), TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS
Antonio Gates, San Diego/L.A. Chargers, 116
Tony Gonzalez (HOF), Kansas City, Atlanta, 111
Rob Gronkowski, New England, Tampa Bay, 92
Jimmy Graham, New Orleans, Seattle, Green Bay, Chicago, 86
Jason Witten, Dallas, Las Vegas, 74
Travis Kelce, Kansas City, 72
Defensive tackle CHRIS JONES has recorded a sack in each of his five games this season and in each of his past eight regular-season games overall.
With a sack on Sunday, Jones will become the first player since CLAY MATTHEWS in 2019 to record a sack in each of his first six games of a season. It will also mark the fifth occurrence since 2000 in which a player has recorded a sack in nine-or-more consecutive games in which he appeared. Jones recorded a sack in 11 consecutive games in 2018, the longest such streak within a season since 1982.
The players with the most consecutive games with a sack in which they appeared since 2000:
PLAYER, TEAM, GAMES (DATES)
Chris Jones, Kansas City, 11 (Oct. 7 – Dec. 23, 2018)
DeMarcus Ware (HOF), Dallas, 10 (Dec. 16, 2007 – Oct. 19, 2008)
Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis, 9 (Dec. 12, 2008 – Nov. 8, 2009)
Trey Hendrickson, Cincinnati, 9 (Oct. 10 – Dec. 12, 2021)
Chris Jones, Kansas City, 8* (Dec. 24, 2022 – current)
*Active streak
WATT CAN REACH SEVERAL MARKS WITH 2+ SACKS
Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT enters Week 7 tied for the league lead with eight sacks this season. He has recorded a sack in four of five games in 2023, with multiple sacks in three games.
With two sacks at the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, FOX), Watt will become the third player to record at least two sacks in four of his team’s first six games of a season since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, joining ELVIS DUMERVIL (2009) and Pro Football Hall of Famer KEVIN GREENE (1998).
With two sacks, Watt will also become the first player since Dumervil in 2009 and the fourth since 2000 to total at least 10 sacks through his team’s first six games of a season.
Since entering the league in 2017, Watt leads all players with 85.5 sacks in 92 games. With two sacks on Sunday, Watt will tie his brother J.J. WATT (87.5 sacks) for the second-most sacks by a player in his first 100 career games since 1982. Only Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE (105) has more.
Watt’s 19 career games with at least two sacks are also the most in the NFL since 2017. With his next two-sack performance, he will tie JARED ALLEN (20 sacks) and Pro Football Hall of Famer BRUCE SMITH (20) for the fourth-most such games by a player in his first 100 games since 1982.
The players with the most games with at least two sacks in their first 100 NFL games since 1982:
PLAYER, TEAM(S), GAMES
Reggie White (HOF), Philadelphia, 29
Richard Dent (HOF), Chicago, 23
J.J. Watt, Houston, 23
Jared Allen, Kansas City, Minn., 20;
Bruce Smith (HOF), Buffalo, 20
T.J. Watt, Pittsburgh, 19*
*In 92 career games
NACUA’S FIRST SEVEN GAMES & DONALD AIMS FOR 10 TFL
Los Angeles Rams rookie wide receiver PUKA NACUA ties for the NFL lead with 50 receptions this season and ranks fourth with 598 receiving yards. His 50 receptions (in six games) are already the most-ever by a player in his first seven career games, surpassing SAQUON BARKLEY (49 in 2018).
With 102 receiving yards against Pittsburgh on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, FOX), Nacua will become the second player in NFL history to reach 700 receiving yards in his first seven career games, joining JA’MARR CHASE (754 receiving yards in 2021).
The players with the most receiving yards in their first seven career games in NFL history:
PLAYER, TEAM, SEASON, RECEIVING YARDS
Ja’Marr Chase, Cincinnati, 2021, 754
Harlon Hill, Chicago Bears, 1954, 685
Billy Howton, Green Bay, 1952, 667
Red Nature, LA Rams, 2023, 598*
*Through six games
Defensive tackle AARON DONALD ranks tied for fourth in the NFL with eight tackles for loss this season. With two tackles for loss on Sunday, he will become the second player since 2000 to record at least 10 tackles for loss in each of his first 10 seasons, joining JARED ALLEN.
EKELER CLOSING IN ON 400 RECEPTIONS, 7,500 YARDS
Since entering the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2017, Los Angeles Chargers running back AUSTIN EKELER has totaled 7,401 scrimmage yards, leads all running backs with 29 touchdown receptions and ranks third among running backs with 397 receptions.
With 99 scrimmage yards at Kansas City on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Ekeler will become the fourth undrafted running back in the common-draft era to record at least 7,500 career scrimmage yards, joining PRIEST HOLMES (11,134 scrimmage yards), ARIAN FOSTER (8,873) and FRED JACKSON (8,643).
The undrafted running backs with at least 7,500 career scrimmage yards in the common-draft era:
PLAYER, TEAM(S), SCRIMMAGE YARDS
Priest Holmes, Baltimore, Kansas City, 11,134
Arian Foster, Houston, Miami, 8,873
Fred Jackson, Buffalo, Seattle, 8,643
Austin Ekeler, L.A. Chargers, 7,401*
*Entering Sunday
Ekeler also has 397 receptions in his first 91 career games. With three receptions, Ekeler will surpass LARRY CENTERS (94 games) as the fourth-fastest running back in NFL history to reach 400 career receptions. Only CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY (66 games), ALVIN KAMARA (79) and ROGER CRAIG (85) reached the mark in fewer games.
The running backs to reach 400 career receptions in the fewest games in NFL history:
PLAYER, TEAM, GAMES
Christian McCaffrey, Carolina, 66
Alvin Kamara, New Orleans, 79
Roger Craig, San Francisco, 85
Larry Centers, Arizona, 94
Austin Ekeler, L.A. Chargers, 91*
*Has 397 receptions in 91 games
Ekeler has 29 career touchdown receptions and can also become the sixth running back in the Super Bowl era with at least 30 career touchdown receptions, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (36 touchdown receptions), DARREN SPROLES (32), KEITH BYARS (31), JAMES BROOKS (30) and BRIAN WESTBROOK (30).
The running backs with the most touchdown receptions in the Super Bowl era:
PLAYER, TEAM(S), TOUCHDOWN RECEPTIONS
Marshall Faulk (HOF), Indianapolis, St. Louis Rams, 36
Darren Sproles, San Diego Chargers, New Orleans, Philadelphia, 32
Keith Byars, Philadelphia, Miami, New England, N.Y. Jets, 31
James Brooks, San Diego Chargers, Cincinnati, 30
Brian Westbrook, Philadelphia, San Francisco, 30
Austin Ekeler, L.A. Chargers, 29
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