Research & Doug – October 1, 2013

This is a generic bibliography because there’s no way I can track where I get these from. Some are from the TV broadcasts of the games, some are from reading through the game notes prepared by the teams, some are from my own notes I keep during the games, some are from reading through generic stat pages and pulling out what I find interesting, and some are from ESPN Stats & Info.

1) Ole Miss and Alabama began their rivalry in 1894. The Rebels have won in Tuscaloosa once.

2) Denver has won 15-straight regular season games by at least seven points. The record is 16.

3) Taylor Kelly’s 351 yards passing last Saturday were the most by an ASU QB in the history of the ASU/USC rivalry.

4) Cleveland is averaging 40 more rushing yards per game since the Richardson trade.

5) Peyton Manning’s throws average only 7.9 yards away from scrimmage, the shortest of his career, however, Broncos receivers are averaging 180 yards after the catch (record for a season is 162).

6) Phillip Rivers has the highest completion percentage on passes over 10 yards. He went 9-for-11 vs. Dallas.

7) The 1954 Cardinals and Redskins were the only two teams in NFL history to give up 30 points and turn the ball over at least 3 times in their first four games until the 2013 N.Y. Giants.

8) The 1980 Detroit Lions and the 2013 K.C. Chiefs are the only teams to lose 14 games one year and start the next season 4-0.

9) The first rookie QB in NFL history to knock off the defending Super Bowl Champion in the first month of the season is E.J. Manuel.

10) Adrian Peterson has 12 60+ yard TD runs, most in NFL history and three more than Jim Brown in second place.

11) Bart Starr in 1967 is the only Super Bowl winning quarterback to throw more picks in his first four games the following season than Joe Flacco.

12) Geno Smith is tied with the Giants in turnover ratio for third place (only Pittsburgh and his team have a poorer ratio).

13) Since the trade of Trent Richardson, the Cleveland Browns are 2-0 and the Indians are 10-0.

14) Frank Gore ran for 88 yards between the tackles in San Francisco’s first three games and 115 yards between the tackles vs. the Rams.

15) Robert Mathis has 99 sacks. Only 29 players in NFL history have 100.

16) Marion Grice has scored 72 points this year. No one else has over 55 yet.

17) The last time the Cardinals won in Tampa was 1988.

18) Drew Brees has ten 400+ yard games as a Saint, no one else has more than half that in that time (2006).

19) Before Sunday, the Cardinals hadn’t come back from a 10-point 4th quarter deficit to win in regulation since right after Christmas 10 years ago.

20) Matt Schaub has thrown eight INTs in the last three minutes of a game while at Houston. The Texans are 0-8 in those games, and six of them ended in a one possession game.

21) Seattle is 4-0 for the first time in franchise history.

22) The Washington Huskies have never trailed this year.

23) Blaine Gabbert is 3-2 vs. the Colts and 2-19 vs. the rest of the league.

24) Andre Johnson leads the NFL with 34 receptions, none of them have went for a TD.

25) The Chiefs’ average starting field position is their own 37 yard line.

26) Over the last six years, there have been 36 different games where a QB was off-target 14+ times. Peyton Manning has been off-target 14 times total in four games.

27) The Broncos’ 52 points vs. the Eagles is a franchise record. They were two points away from setting a new high in Week 1 against the Ravens.

28) London Fletcher has played in more consecutive games than any defensive player since the merger (244).

29) Atlanta has lost two straight. Mike Smith has never lost three straight as a head coach.

30) Tom Brady has a TD pass in 52 straight games, two behind Drew Brees’ record.

31) The Cardinals have allowed zero fourth quarter points in their two wins.

32) One-third of Doug Martin’s carries went for negative yards.

33) If you take out the fake punt, Tampa Bay averaged fewer than 2 YPC.

34) Reggie Wayne, Tony Gonzalez and Larry Fitzgerald are the only active players with 10,000 receiving yards and 80 TD receptions.

35) Joe Thomas has played in 100 games at left tackle for the Cleveland Browns and has played every snap (6,125 consecutive snaps).

36) Evan Longoria had two HRs in the last game of the year in 2011, three HRs in the last game of the year in 2012 and one HR in the last game of the year in 2013.

37) The Chicago Bears have committed only one false start penalty.

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