The NFL Minute

20+ Interesting Statistics and Facts You Haven’t Heard

Nov 8th 2007
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Some of these numbers might help you out in fantasy football, others might just make you crack a smile. Either way, here are 20-odd interesting statistics that no one is talking about (but should be):

Do you want to know the most amazing thing about Adrian Peterson’s accomplishments? He actually gets better as the game wears on. Through his first 10 carries, Peterson averages around 5.8 yards per carry — an exceptional number — but through carries 11-20 his average improves to 6.6. And once he breaks the 20 carry barrier, watch out: he averages 10.7 yards every time he takes a handoff.

Randy Moss has caught at least one pass 45 yards or greater in 4 games this season. He’s also caught at least one touchdown pass in 8 of the Patriots 9 games this season.

David Garrard is the only quarterback who has averaged at least 14 passes per game with no interceptions yet this season. His rating: an eye-opening 102.9.

Among that same group of quarterbacks, Derek Anderson has thrown 17 touchdowns to rank behind only four other passers.

Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are the only two NFL quarterbacks with double digit touchdowns and fewer than 5 interceptions.

Ben Roethlisberger has fewer attempts per game — 26.0 — than any other quarterback with double digit touchdowns, but he’s thrown 20 touchdown passes this season. That’s enough to put him in second place in the NFL. In fact, his touchdown per attempt rate (1 touchdown per 10.4 attempts) isn’t far behind Tom Brady (1 touchdown per 9.1 attempts), though the latter’s numbers are simply stratospheric.

While we all know that the Packers throw the ball a lot, which of you knew that Drew Brees has thrown an average of 41.9 passes per game. More amazing? He’s completed 67.2% of those passes, second only to Tom Brady among quarterbacks averaging at least 30 passes per game.

Brett Favre is the only quarterback in the NFL averaging over 300 yards passing per game.

Derek Anderson’s completion percentage — a low 57.6% — is worst among quarterbacks with a quarterback rating of at least 75.

Remember how awful Cleveland’s offensive line used to be? This season they’ve allowed Derek Anderson to be sacked only 8 times, that’s fewer than Tom Brady and the same number as Peyton Manning.

Other quarterbacks haven’t been so lucky this season: Jon Kitna has been taken to the turf 33 times this year. But, against the odds, his quarterback rating — 94.3 — is among the best in the NFL.

Kevin Kolb hasn’t thrown a pass yet this season, but he’s been sacked twice.

2 running backs are actually perfect passers this season, but not necessarily in rating. LaDainian Tomlinson completed one pass on his only throw of the season for a 15 yard touchdown. Marshawn Lynch did the same thing, but his throw covered only 8 yards so his rating sits at 139.6.

Adrian Peterson actually leads the NFL in every significant rushing category — yards, yards per game, yards per carry, touchdowns, runs of 20 yards or more, runs of 40 yards or more, and longest run — except carries and carries per game. Amazing.

His yard per carry average — 6.6 — is one full point higher than Brandon Jacobs’ 5.6 mark. Jacobs is second in the NFL among backs with at least 15 carries this season.

Vince Young has run the ball 47 times this season, but don’t go looking for Michael Vick numbers. He averages 3.5 yards per carry.

Travis Henry is the only runner in the NFL averaging at least 70 yards per game to score only once this season. In fact, he’s one of three NFL backs to have scored 1 or fewer times on the ground this season, despite having 100 carries. The other two: Fred Taylor (109 carries, 0 scores) and Thomas Jones (160 carries, 0 scores).

No Titans wide receiver is on pace to have 50 or more catches this season.

With 71 carries this season, Rudi Johnson is averaging 2.8 yards per. That makes him one of two NFL backs with at least 25 carries who average less than 3 yards. The other is Green Bay’s Brandon Jackson, averaging 2.7 on 43 carries.

Wes Welker and Randy Moss rank 3 and 4 this season in total catches. They are the only teammates in the top 15.

Randy Moss is only receiver in the NFL to average 100 yards per game receiving, with at least 15 total receptions on the season.

Jason Hanson has had two extra points blocked this season, putting him in a group of 5 kickers who have had one or more extra points blocked.


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2 Comments

  1. Hammer of Truth

    tom what happened to all the cool site features such as “”expert”" pick em, mvp rankings, team rankings, and start em sit em.

  2. Tom

    The MVP Rankings (and midseason awards) are up in a recent post.

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