Research & Doug Week 9: Interesting football facts from Doug Franz and elsewhere
Nov 10, 2015, 11:00 AM | Updated: Jul 26, 2024, 11:46 am
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) warms up prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Denver Broncos, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015, in Denver. (AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
(AP Photo/Joe Mahoney)
Every week as part of my show prep (and because I’m genuinely interested), I read through as many research notes I can find. Sometimes I research my own stats to see if there’s a statistical trend that backs up what I think I’m seeing when I watch games. Unfortunately for my time-efficiency, occasionally those stats show me nothing and I throw them out.
Here are the stats (or interesting tidbits) from the NFL and college football that I’m using on the show this week.
1) The only quarterback in NFL history to throw for 350 yards, 4 TD’s and no INT’s in a single game during his rookie year is Marcus Mariota.– Elias
2) On all punts that are not punted out-of-bounds to the Chargers, San Diego averages 1.8 inches in returns.– ESPN Monday Night Football broadcast and me
3) In the last four games under Ken Whisenhunt, the Titans had four touchdowns which is the same amount they scored in their first game without him.– Me
4) Green Bay became the first team to face back-to-back undefeated teams after Week 6.– FOX TV broadcast
5) 2015 is the first year in NFL history with three 8-0 teams.– NFL press release
6) The Steelers became the first team in history to have one player earn 300 yards from scrimmage (Antonio Brown) and another with 200 yards from scrimmage (DeAngelo Williams). — NFL press release
7) Marcus Mariota is the only quarterback in NFL history to throw for four touchdowns without an interception in two different games during his rookie year. — NFL press release
8) Andrew Luck needed 55 games to throw for 100 touchdowns, only Dan Marino, Kurt Warner and Johnny Unitas did it faster. — NFL press release
9) Only five players have rushed for 125 yards in a game more often than Adrian Peterson: Barry Sanders, Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson and Emmitt Smith. — NFL press release
10) Andy Dalton had zero play-action touchdown passes against actual NFL teams but two against the Browns. — ESPN Stats and Info
11) Andy Dalton went 8-for-8 with 126 yards and two touchdowns against Cleveland’s blitz. –ESPN Stats and Info
12) Cam Newton had 3 pass completions where the ball traveled 30 yards downfield in his first seven games and three in the first half against Green Bay. — ESPN Stats and Info
13) The only tight ends with five touchdown receptions per year for 8 straight years are Antonio Gates, Tony Gonzalez and Greg Olsen. — ESPN Stats and Info
14) If the Patriots score in the first quarter against the Giants, New England will become the first team in NFL history to score in 32 straight quarters. — ESPN Stats and Info
15) The only quarterbacks who haven’t thrown in interception versus the blitz are Marcus Mariota, Bryan Hoyer, Tyrod Taylor and Andy Dalton. — ESPN Stats and Info
16) Against Miami, Buffalo had a 100-yard receiver and two 100 yard rushers for the first time in Bills history. — ESPN Stats and Info
17) Eric Dickerson and Adrian Peterson are the only players with more yards rushing in their first 6 games than Todd Gurley. — ESPN Stats and Info
18) Nick Foles completed 27% of his passes against the Vikings blitz for his worst performance against extra pressure in his career. — ESPN Stats and Info
19) DeAngelo Williams is the oldest player in the Super Bowl era to rush for 150 yards and two touchdowns. — ESPN Stats and Info
20) Derek Carr threw three touchdown passes last year of at least 15 air yards and nine this year. — ESPN Stats and Info
21) Antonio Brown had 284 yards receiving, the most in a single game in Steeler history.– Elias
22) Matt Ryan threw for 137 yards when targeting Julio Jones and 17 yards when targeting any other Falcon. — ESPN Stats and Info
23) Devonta Freeman entered the 49er game leading the NFL with 470 before contact yards but San Francisco held him to -6 yards before contact. — ESPN Stats and Info
24) Blaine Gabbert won his first game in 37 months. — ESPN Stats and Info
25) Peyton Manning missed passing Brett Favre on the all-time passing yards list by two yards in his return to Indianapolis. — ESPN Stats and Info
26) Jay Cutler had only one touchdown pass between the numbers in 2015 with three interceptions before facing the Chargers defense and hit two TD’s without a pick against San Diego. — ESPN Stats and Info
27) Jay Cutler went 0-for-3 targeting Alshon Jeffrey and following the pick-6 went 10-for-10 targeting Jeffrey. — ESPN Stats and Info
28) In the years Jeff Fisher has been a head coach, his teams have 236 more penalties than their opponents for 1,937 more yards and Oilers/Titans/Rams’ opponents against Jeff Fisher have 116 more first downs via penalty.– Bernie Miklasz
29) Since Jay Cutler entered the NFL, he has the same number of 4th quarter comebacks as Peyton Manning. — ESPN Stats and Info
30) In Peyton Manning’s first half against Indianapolis, he completed 41% of his passes, his lowest “one-half” percentage in seven years. — ESPN Stats and Info
31) Since 2004, Carson Palmer has the most losses as a starting QB when throwing for 250 yards, with at least one TD pass and no interceptions. — ESPN Stats and Info
