Noteworthy nuggets from Week 9
Published: November 7th, 2010 | Tags: Andy Reid, Braylon Edwards, Brett Favre, Jay Cutler, Leroy Kelly, Mark Sanchez, Matt Ryan, Michael Vick, Ndamukong Suh, Peyton Hillis, Philip Rivers, Randall Cunningham, Rex Ryan, Ricky Williams, Seyi Ajirotutu, Steve Young
Week 9 of the NFL season brought us three overtime games, the most in the NFL since Week 2 of the 2006 season. That’s 11 overtime games on the season, the most at this juncture of any season since 2003.
With an assist from the research desk at NFL Network, here’s a look at some of the most interesting numbers and performances in Week 9:
Let’s recap the dominating day by Peyton Hillis and the Browns. Hillis had 29 rushes for 184 yards (both career highs), with two TDs. His 184 yards were the most by any player against the Patriots since Dec. 29, 2002 when Ricky Williams went for 185 yards. Hillis now has eight TDs through eight games, the first Browns RB to do that since Leroy Kelly in 1968. The Browns totaled 44 rushes for 230 yards and four TDs, just the second time since 1990 that they have scored 34-plus points in a game without a passing TD.
The Falcons have won 13 straight home starts with QB Matt Ryan, who improved to 17-1 career at home as the starter.
Is balance the answer for the Bears? They called 31 run plays and 31 pass plays against the Bills, just the second time this season they’ve had at least the same number of run plays as pass plays. The Bears have won both games. Bears QB Jay Cutler was sacked just once against the Bills after being sacked 19 times the previous three games.
Road Warriors: The Jets picked up their seventh straight road win (a franchise record), and have started 4-0 on road for first time since 2001. The Jets are 9-3 on road under Rex Ryan (11-4 including playoffs).
Mark Sanchez set career-bests in completions (22) and yards (323) and found Braylon Edwards for a 74-yard TD, the longest completion of his career.
Of course we have to mention the missed PAT attempt by Lions rookie DT Ndamukong Suh. He became the first defensive tackle since the 1970 merger to attempt PAT or FG in a game, and the fourth defensive lineman since 1970 to attempt PAT or FG in a game.
While picking up a win, the Chargers are creeping up this list: blocked punts allowed. That’s five this season, tied for second-most in a single season since 1970.
We got you, Seyi Ajirotutu: Four receptions, 111 yards, two TDs (all career highs).
Philip Rivers continues to light up the stat sheet. He now has 2,944 passing yards this season, putting him on pace for a NFL-record 5,234 yards. Rivers had his 22nd straight game with a passing TD, extending the longest active streak in NFL.
The Raiders have won three straight games for first time since their 2002 Super Bowl season, and their five wins is already tied for their most since the same season. It also marks the first time since 2002 the Raiders are above .500 in Week 9 or later.
The fact that Brett Favre is setting career highs at 41 years old is pretty amazing. Favre was 36-of-47 passing for 446 yards, with two TDs and two INTs. That’s his second career 400-yard game and sets a new single-game career high in passing yards. Favre’s last 400-yard game was on 12/5/1993, a span of 16 years, 337 days between games. That’s the longest ever.
The Eagles won the battle of streaks between these teams. The Eagles improved to 12-0 in games following a bye week under Andy Reid, the longest win streak in such games in the NFL since bye weeks were instituted in 1990. The loss by the Colts snaps their 13-game November winning streak, which was tied for the third-longest November winning streak in NFL history.
Eagles QB Michael Vick had 10 rushes for 74 yards and a TD, and joins Randall Cunningham and Steve Young as the only quarterbacks to rush for more than 4,200 career yards.