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Home , Christian McCaffrey, Pat Haden, Torry Holt

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/18/19 http://twitter.com/NFL345

WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 16

PLAYOFF PUSH: Since the 12-team playoff format was adopted in 1990, at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs in every season after failing to make the postseason the year before. In 2019, the BUFFALO BILLS (10-4), GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-3) and SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (11-3) have each clinched playoff berths after missing the postseason last year.

If the (10-4) defeat Green Bay on (8:15 PM ET, ESPN) to clinch a playoff berth, 2019 would mark the 30th consecutive season in which at least four teams qualify for the playoffs after missing the postseason the previous year.

For the full Week 16 playoff scenarios, click here.

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MAKING IT LOOK EASY IN BIG BREESY: Last Monday night, New Orleans made history as he threw four passes to reach 541 in his career and surpass (539) for the most career touchdown passes in NFL history. In addition to passing Manning, Brees completed 29 of 30 pass attempts to set a single-game NFL record (min. 20 attempts) with a 96.7 completion percentage and completed his final 22 pass attempts of the game.

If Brees completes his first four pass attempts on Sunday at Tennessee (1:00 PM ET, FOX), he would set an NFL record for the most consecutive completions in league history.

The players with the most consecutive completions in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM DATE(S) COMPLETIONS Philadelphia 12/30/18 25 Tennessee 11/18/18-11/26/18 25 Chargers 11/25/18 25 Ryan Tannehill Miami 10/18/15-10/25/15 25 Donovan McNabb Philadelphia 11/28/04-12/5/04 24 Peyton Manning Indianapolis 12/14/08-12/18/08 23

Drew Brees New Orleans 12/16/19 22* *Active streak

In Week 15, Saints MICHAEL THOMAS recorded his eighth game this season with at least 10 receptions, the most such performances in a single season in NFL history. Thomas leads the NFL with 133 receptions and 1,552 receiving yards in 2019.

With at least 11 receptions on Sunday, Thomas would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer (143 receptions in 2002) for the most receptions in a single season in NFL history.

The players with the most receptions in a single season in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON RECEPTIONS Marvin HarrisonHOF Indianapolis 2002 143 Pittsburgh 2015 136 Atlanta 2015 136 Michael Thomas New Orleans 2019 133* *Entering Sunday

Additionally, Thomas – who owns the league record for the most receptions through a player’s first four seasons with 454 – needs 58 receiving yards on Sunday to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer (5,396 receiving yards) for the most receiving yards through a player’s first four seasons in NFL history.

The players with the most receiving yards in their first four seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM REC. YARDS Randy MossHOF Minnesota 5,396 Michael Thomas New Orleans 5,339* Torry Holt St. Louis Rams 5,088 Jerry RiceHOF San Francisco 4,881 *In fourth season

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WINNING IN CHIEFS KINGDOM: Kansas City quarterback passed for 340 yards and two in Week 15 to lead the Chiefs to their fourth-consecutive win. With his two touchdown passes, the 24-year- old quarterback now has 73 touchdown passes in 29 career games.

With two touchdown passes on Sunday Night Football against Chicago (8:20 PM ET, NBC), Mahomes would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (31 games) as the fastest player to reach 75 career touchdown passes in NFL history.

The players to reach 75 career touchdown passes in the fewest games in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM GAMES TO 75 TD PASSES Dan MarinoHOF Miami 31 Kurt WarnerHOF St. Louis Rams 35

Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 29* *Has 73 touchdown passes

Last week, Chiefs tight end TRAVIS KELCE – had 11 receptions for 142 yards in the win and became the first tight end in NFL history to record at least 1,000 receiving yards in four consecutive seasons. This season, Kelce leads all tight ends with 86 receptions and has 496 receptions in 94 career games.

With four receptions on Sunday Night Football, Kelce would surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer KELLEN WINSLOW SR. as the fastest tight end to reach 500 career receptions in NFL history.

The tight ends to reach 500 receptions in the fewest games in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM(S) GAMES TO 500 RECEPTIONS Kellen Winslow Sr.HOF San Diego 101 Zach Ertz Philadelphia 102 Jimmy Graham New Orleans, Seattle 106

Travis Kelce Kansas City 94* *Has 496 receptions

Additionally, with four receptions, Kelce would join JASON WITTEN (523) and ZACH ERTZ (521) – who reached 500 career receptions in Week 12 – as the only tight ends with at least 500 receptions in their first seven seasons in NFL history.

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20 IN 25: San Francisco quarterback JIMMY GAROPPOLO has 19 wins in his first 24 career starts under center.

With a win on Saturday night against the (8:15 PM ET, NFLN), Garoppolo would tie Pro Football Hall of Famers ROGER STAUBACH (20 wins) and (20), as well as PAT HADEN (20) for the third-most wins through a quarterback’s first 25 starts in the Era.

The with the most wins through their first 25 career starts in the Super Bowl Era:

PLAYER TEAM(S) SEASONS WINS Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh 2004-05 22 Dan MarinoHOF Miami 1983-84 21 Pat Haden Los Angeles Rams 1976-78 20 Roger StaubachHOF Dallas 1969-73 20 Kurt WarnerHOF St. Louis Rams 1999-2000 20

Jimmy Garoppolo New England, San Francisco 2016-19 19* *In 24 starts

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BY AIR AND C-MC: After recording the most receptions by a in a single season with 107 in 2018, Panthers running back CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY – who leads all running backs and ranks third overall in the league with 94 receptions in 2019 – joined LARRY CENTERS (1995 and 1996) as the only running backs with at least 90 receptions in multiple seasons in NFL history.

With at least six receptions on Sunday at Indianapolis (1:00 PM ET, FOX), McCaffrey would become the fourth player to record at least 100 receptions in two of his first three seasons in NFL history. He would also become the first running back to accomplish the feat.

The players with at least 100 receptions in two of their first three seasons in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASONS Anquan Boldin Arizona 2003, 2005 Brandon Marshall Denver 2007-08 Michael Thomas New Orleans 2017-18

Christian McCaffrey Carolina 2018* *Has 94 receptions in 2019

In Week 15, McCaffrey recorded 175 scrimmage yards (88 receiving, 87 rushing) and two rushing touchdowns, marking his sixth career game with at least 75 rushing yards and 75 receiving yards, tying Pro Football Hall of Famer WALTER PAYTON (six games) for the third-most such games since 1970.

McCaffrey – who leads the NFL with 2,121 scrimmage yards and 18 total touchdowns in 2019 – now has 14 rushing and four receiving touchdowns on the season. With both a rushing and receiving touchdown on Sunday, he would become the fourth player with at least 15 rushing and five receiving touchdowns in a single season in NFL history.

The players with at least 15 rushing touchdowns and five receiving touchdowns in a single season in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON RUSHING TDs REC. TDs Ahman Green Green Bay 2003 15 5 Marshall FaulkHOF St. Louis Rams 2000 18 8 O.J. SimpsonHOF Buffalo 1975 16 7

Christian McCaffrey Carolina 2019 14* 4* *Entering Sunday

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FIRST TO 12,000: Last week, Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES had 13 receptions for 134 yards and two touchdowns in the Falcons’ 29-22 win over San Francisco. In the win, Jones – who has 11,881 receiving yards since entering the NFL in 2011 – surpassed TORRY HOLT (11,864) and Pro Football Hall of Famer (11,776) for the most receiving yards by a player in his first nine seasons in NFL history.

Appearing in his 125th career game on Sunday against Jacksonville (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Jones needs at least 119 receiving yards to surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (142 games) as the fastest player to reach 12,000 career receiving yards in NFL history.

The players to reach 12,000 receiving yards in the fewest games in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM GAMES TO 12,000 REC. YARDS Jerry RiceHOF San Francisco 142 Torry Holt St. Louis Rams 146 Houston 146 Marvin HarrisonHOF Indianapolis 151

Julio Jones Atlanta 125* *Has 11,881 receiving yards in 124 games

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