8 unbelievable stats from the NFL season's 1st half
The NFL is rarely predictable, and the 2018 season has been no different. A number of fascinating trends have emerged in an exciting campaign to date. Here are eight shocking stats from the first half of the NFL season that will make you look twice.
Mahomes threw a TD on 9.1 percent of his passes
In Patrick Mahomes' first full campaign as a starter, the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback owns the highest scoring rate since Peyton Manning threw a touchdown on 9.9 percent of his passes in 2004. Mahomes leads the league with an absurd 26 passing touchdowns on 285 attempts.
Todd Gurley > 6 entire offenses?
The Los Angeles Rams' star running back is arguably the league's most productive offensive player. This season, he's accumulated 15 touchdowns, which is more than six entire offenses - the Arizona Cardinals, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, Tennessee Titans, and Buffalo Bills are the unlucky qualifiers here. Gurley's 800 rushing yards also exceed more than 15 teams' totals.
League's WRs have more passing TDs than Bills QBs
Emmanuel Sanders, Danny Amendola, Odell Beckham Jr., and Albert Wilson have each thrown a touchdown pass in 2018. Bills quarterbacks Josh Allen, Nathan Peterman, and Derek Anderson, meanwhile, have combined to throw for three scores.
Joe Flacco rushed for as many 1st downs as LeSean McCoy
The Baltimore Ravens quarterback isn't known for game-breaking speed or incredible athleticism, but somehow, both players have 10 rushing attempts that earned their teams a first down.
The Bills running back has more career carries that earned a first down (513) than Flacco has career rushing attempts (345).
Colts' O-line goes from 32nd to 2nd
Who would have thought Indianapolis' offensive line would be one of its major strengths after a tumultuous 2017? Under new head coach Frank Reich, however, the team's blocking unit has excelled in pass protection.
The Colts' line surrendered just 10 sacks in eight games, tied for second-fewest in the NFL, and none in the last three contests. The unit allowed 56 sacks last season, the most in the league. Unheralded free-agent addition Mark Glowinski has yet to give up a sack, while rookies Quenton Nelson and Braden Smith have surrendered just three between them.
David Johnson's 1 explosive run
The Cardinals running back has been one of the biggest disappointments this season - especially for fantasy football owners.
Though he's had to endure inefficient quarterback play and poor run blocking, Johnson has just one rush of 20-plus yards. During the first half of his breakout 2016 campaign, he averaged nearly one per game. Making matters worse, Johnson's been targeted just twice in the red zone since Week 2. Arizona must find a way to give its star rusher more touches in order to lighten rookie signal-caller Josh Rosen's load.
Raiders recorded about 1/2 as many pressures as next-worst team
Do the Oakland Raiders miss Khalil Mack or something? Their defense has accumulated just 56 total pressures through eight weeks, by far the lowest mark in the NFL. Rookie defensive end Arden Key leads the way with 16.
The Detroit Lions, a spot above the Raiders at 31st, have 100 total pressures. Oakland's pass-rush issues are a primary factor in the team allowing 31.1 points per game (second-most in the league).
To match Hue Jackson's winning percentage, Bill Belichick would have to lose 867 straight games
For the New England Patriots head coach to match Jackson's lowly career winning percentage, he'd have to lose 867 more games. That's almost 55 straight 0-16 seasons. At the helm of the Patriots and Cleveland Browns, Belichick's gone 256-120 for a .681 mark.
Jackson, recently fired by the Browns, is 11-44-1 over his coaching career, which translates to a .205 winning percentage.