What To Look For – NFL Week 16

NEW YORK –– Dec. 20, 2023 –– Below are teams, players and coaches that can set historic marks or reach career milestones in Week 16 of the 2023 NFL season, including:

• San Francisco (Brock Purdy & Christian McCaffrey)
• Kansas City (Andy Reid & Patrick Mahomes)
• Detroit (Sam LaPorta)
• Philadelphia (Jalen Hurts)
• Buffalo (Josh Allen)
• Cincinnati (Jake Browning)
• Tampa Bay (Mike Evans)
• Baltimore (Justin Madubuike)
• Pittsburgh (T.J. Watt)
• Dallas (Micah Parsons)

TOP SEEDS IN EACH CONFERENCE MEET ON CHRISTMAS NIGHT

Entering Week 16, the BALTIMORE RAVENS (11-3) hold the top seed in the AFC playoff race, while the SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (11-3) hold the top spot in the NFC. Last week, San Francisco clinched its second-consecutive NFC West division title and Baltimore secured a postseason appearance for the fifth time in the past six seasons.

When the two clubs meet on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC), it will mark the third regular-season matchup between teams with the best outright record in each conference in December or later since the 1970 merger.

The regular-season matchups between teams with the best outright records in each conference in December or later in since the 1970 merger:

San Francisco quarterback BROCK PURDY leads the NFL with a 119.0 passer rating in 2023 and last week marked his sixth game this season with a passer rating of 130-or-higher. With another such performance, he will become the first player in league history to record a passer rating of 130-or-higher in seven games in a season.

The players with the most games with a passer rating of 130-or-higher in a season in NFL history:

Purdy can also become the fifth player ever to record a passer rating of 120-or-higher in eight-or-more games in a season, joining AARON RODGERS (10 games in 2020), TOM BRADY (eight in 2007), PHILIP RIVERS (eight in 2008) and MATT RYAN (eight in 2016). Brady, Rodgers and Ryan each won Associated Press Most Valuable Player in their respective seasons.

The players with the most games with a passer rating of 120-or-higher in a season in NFL history:

San Francisco running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY leads the NFL with 1,801 scrimmage yards (1,292 rushing, 509 receiving) and ties for the league lead with 20 touchdowns (13 rushing, seven receiving).

With two rushing touchdowns on Monday, McCaffrey can become the fifth player in NFL history with at least 15 rushing touchdowns and five touchdown receptions in a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARSHALL FAULK (2000) and O.J. SIMPSON (1975) as well as AHMAN GREEN (2003) and ALVIN KAMARA (2020).

Last week marked McCaffrey’s fourth game this season and 15th career game with both a rushing touchdown and receiving touchdown. With another such performance, he will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (15 games) for the most such games in NFL history.

Since entering the league in 2017, McCaffrey has totaled 499 receptions in 89 career games, the most receptions among all running backs in that span. With his next reception, he will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer MARSHALL FAULK (112 games) as the fastest running back to reach 500 receptions all-time.

CHIEFS CAN CLINCH ANOTHER DIVISION TITLE

With a win against Las Vegas on Christmas Day (1 p.m. ET, CBS), the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-5) can clinch their eighth consecutive AFC West division title, surpassing the LOS ANGELES RAMS (seven consecutive NFC West titles from 1973-79) for the second-longest streak of division titles in NFL history. Only the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (11 consecutive AFC East titles from 2009-19) have a longer streak.

The teams with the most consecutive division titles in NFL history:

It would also mark Kansas City’s ninth consecutive playoff appearance, tying the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (nine seasons from 2002-10) and DALLAS COWBOYS (nine from 1975-83) for the second-longest streak of playoff appearances in NFL history. Only the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (11 seasons from 2009-19) have a longer streak.

The teams with the most consecutive playoff appearances in NFL history:

Kansas City can also secure its ninth consecutive regular season with at least 10 wins, tying the INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (nine seasons from 2002-10) for the third-longest streak of 10-win seasons all-time. Only the NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (17 seasons from 2003-19), and SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (16 seasons from 1983-98) have longer streaks.

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

This would also mark head coach ANDY REID’s 18th season with at least 10 regular-season wins. He has done so in nine of 10 seasons with the Chiefs, as well as in eight seasons with the Eagles. The only head coaches all-time with more 10-win seasons are BILL BELICHICK (20 seasons) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DON SHULA (20).

Quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES ranks fourth in the league with 3,703 passing yards in 2023. With 297 passing yards on Monday, he will join Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING as the only players ever with at least 4,000 passing yards in six of their first seven seasons.

Since entering the league in 2017, Mahomes has 217 touchdown passes in 94 career games. With his next touchdown pass, he will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (217 touchdown passes) for the most touchdown passes by a player in his first 100 career games in NFL history.

ROOKIES CATCHING RECORDS

Entering Week 16, nine rookies have at least 50 receptions in 2023, the most in a season in NFL history: the Los Angeles Rams’ PUKA NACUA (87 receptions), Detroit’s SAM LAPORTA (71), Kansas City’s RASHEE RICE (68), Baltimore’s ZAY FLOWERS (65), Minnesota’s JORDAN ADDISON (62), Buffalo’s DALTON KINCAID (61), Indianapolis’ JOSH DOWNS (57), Green Bay’s JAYDEN REED (54) and Seattle’s JAXON SMITH-NJIGBA (53).

The 2023 class of rookies already has the most receptions by rookies in a season in the Super Bowl era (1,443) and the fourth-most receiving yards (15,292).

The seasons with the most receptions by rookies in the Super Bowl era:

The seasons with the most receiving yards by rookies in the Super Bowl era:

Rookies have accounted for 92 touchdown receptions in 2023 and can become the third rookie class in the Super Bowl era to account for at least 100 touchdown receptions, joining 2019 (110 touchdown receptions) and 2014 (109).

The seasons with the most touchdown receptions by rookies in NFL history:

Detroit’s SAM LAPORTA has already complied one of the best seasons ever by a rookie tight end and he will look to continue making history this week. With four receptions at Minnesota on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, FOX), he will surpass JEREMY SHOCKEY (74 receptions in 2002) for the second-most receptions by a rookie tight end in NFL history. Only KEITH JACKSON (81 in 1988) has more.

The rookie tight ends with the most receptions in NFL history:

With a touchdown reception, LaPorta will become the third rookie tight end in NFL history to record at least 10 touchdown receptions, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer MIKE DITKA (12 touchdown receptions in 1961) and ROB GRONKOWSKI (10 in 2010).

The rookie tight ends with the most touchdown receptions in NFL history:

ALLEN & HURTS RUSHING INTO HISTORY

Philadelphia quarterback JALEN HURTS ranks second in the league with 14 rushing touchdowns this season, while Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN ranks tied for fourth with 11. Each player has recorded a rushing touchdown in 10 games this season and they can become the first quarterbacks in NFL history with a rushing touchdown in 11 games in a season.

The quarterbacks with a rushing touchdown in the most games in a season in NFL history:

If Hurts records a rushing touchdown against the New York Giants on Christmas Day (4:30 p.m. ET, FOX), he will become the first quarterback ever with 15 rushing touchdowns in a season. With two rushing touchdowns, he will become the first quarterback in NFL history with multiple rushing touchdowns in five games in a season.

Allen (49 career rushing touchdowns) and Hurts (40) are two of five quarterbacks all-time with at least 40 career rushing touchdowns. With a rushing touchdown at the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, Peacock), Allen will join CAM NEWTON (75 rushing touchdowns) as the only quarterbacks in league history with 50 career rushing touchdowns.

BROWNING’S FIRST FIVE

Since becoming Cincinnati’s starting quarterback in Week 12, JAKE BROWNING has led the Bengals to three wins in four starts, with a 76.0 completion percentage and 109.3 passer rating. He has recorded a passer rating of 95-or-higher in each start.

At Pittsburgh on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, NBC), Browning can become the second quarterback since 1950 to record a passer rating of 95-or-higher in each of his first five career starts, joining BROCK PURDY.

Browning also has an opportunity to surpass CHAD PENNINGTON (74.3 completion percentage) for the highest completion percentage by a quarterback in his first five career starts since 1950.

The quarterbacks with the highest completion percentages in their first five career starts since 1950:

EVANS AIMING FOR 12 TOUCHDOWNS

Tampa Bay wide receiver MIKE EVANS ranks second in the league with 11 touchdown receptions and has recorded a touchdown reception in five of his past six games.

Evans has totaled at least 12 touchdown receptions in four career seasons – as a rookie in 2014 (12), in 2016 (12), in 2020 (13) and in 2021 (career-high 14).

With a touchdown reception against Jacksonville on Sunday (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS), Evans will become the fifth player in NFL history to record at least 12 touchdown receptions in five-or-more seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (eight seasons), TERRELL OWENS (seven), MARVIN HARRISON (six) and RANDY MOSS (six).

The players with the most seasons with at least 12 touchdown receptions in NFL history:

MADUBUIKE, WATT & PARSONS CAN EACH HIT SACK MILESTONES

Baltimore defensive tackle JUSTIN MADUBUIKE has a career-high 12 sacks in 2023 and has recorded at least a half sack in each of his past 11 games.

With a half sack at San Francisco on Monday Night Football (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC), Madubuike will become the second player to record at least half a sack in 12 consecutive games since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, joining JEVON KEARSE (12 consecutive games from 1999-2000). It would also mark the longest streak with at least a half sack in a single season since 1982.

The players with at least half a sack in the most consecutive games since 1982:

Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT leads the NFL with 16 sacks this season. Last week marked his fifth game this season with multiple sacks and 21st career game with at least two sacks since entering the league in 2017.

With two sacks against Cincinnati on Saturday (4:30 p.m. ET, NBC), Watt will tie JARED ALLEN (22 games) for the fourth-most games with at least two sacks by a player in his first seven seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. T.J. is currently tied with his brother, J.J. WATT (21 games).

The players with the most games with at least two sacks in their first seven seasons in NFL history:

Dallas linebacker MICAH PARSONS ranks tied for eighth in the NFL with 12.5 sacks this season. Since entering the league in 2021, his 39 sacks are the fourth-most among all players.

With a half sack at Miami on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Parsons – who had 13 sacks as a rookie in 2021 and 13.5 sacks in 2022 – will join Pro Football Hall of Famer REGGIE WHITE as the only players to record at least 13 sacks in each of their first three NFL seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.

With a full sack on Sunday, Parsons will become the fifth player since 1982 with at least 40 sacks in his first three seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers REGGIE WHITE (52 sacks) and DERRICK THOMAS (43.5) as well as ALDON SMITH (42).

The players with at least 40 sacks in their first three NFL seasons since 1982: