7 Most Important NFL Stats of Week 8

2

Matt Ryan fumbled twice in the rain against the Jets, pushing his season total to three. He had three all of last season (when he was the MVP). Ryan threw seven interceptions last season; he has six this season. Sunday wasn’t totally terrible for Ryan – he did throw the game-winning TD pass to Mohammad Sanu to complete a 4th quarter comeback and save Atlanta’s season.

4

Juju Smith-Schuster, the youngest player in the NFL, caught his 4th touchdown pass Sunday night against the Lions – it went for 97 yards – and in the process set a record: The most touchdowns in NFL history before the age of 21. He’s likely going to expand on that record because he doesn’t turn 21 until November 22nd.

6

Derek Carr had another two-interception game in the loss to Buffalo, his third of the season. He’s got six interceptions in just 240 pass attempts. Last season, when he was a star, Carr was picked off just six times in 560 passes. He didn’t have one multi-interception game.

If it feels like I’m beating up Matty Ice and Derek Carr on a regular basis in this space, it’s because both are struggling to live up to last year’s expectations. They are undoubtedly good QBs, but consistency is very difficult, and you had to feel regression was coming.

6.7

Even though the Chargers lost to the Patriots 21-13, it felt like Los Angeles was the better team, as it averaged 6.7 yards per play against a porous defense. Sure, things might have been skewed by the fact that Melvin Gordonhad an 80-yard touchdown run, but the Chargers also had two touchdowns called back on account of penalties. That Patriots defense remains very bad – no Donta Hightower for the rest of the season and expensive cornerback Stephon Gilmore didn’t play, either – which is why I believe a healthy Steelers with home field advantage will get to the Super Bowl.

7

Remember when the knock on Will Fuller from so-called draft pundits was that he had small hands? The former Notre Dame star leads the NFL in TD receptions with seven after Sunday’s 2-TD effort against the Seahawks (and mostly, Richard Sherman). The best part? Fuller has seven TD catches in just four games, as he missed the first three due to injury.

19

Deshaun Watson threw four TD passes in Seattle during another masterful performance, even though his coach blew the game again, and the Texans lost to the Seahawks 41-38. Watson was magnificent: 19-of-30 for 402 yards and four TDs. He was intercepted off three times, though the last one was on a Hail Mary-type attempt.

The four TDs give Watson a staggering 19 for the season, pushing him past Kurt Warner for most for a QB through the first seven games of his career. Warner went on to win a Super Bowl, two MVP awards, and is in the Hall of Fame. No pressure, Deshaun!

482

The number of yards the Lions accumulated Sunday night against the Steelers. A staggering number. And they didn’t score a touchdown! It’s the 3rd most yards in a game in NFL history without a touchdown. The Lions failed badly inside the 10-yard line twice, costing them the game. The 1986 San Francisco 49ers hold the record – 501 yards against the Redskins. A quick look at the box score shows four turnovers ruined a monster game from Joe Montana (441 yards, three INT) and Jerry Rice (204 yards receiving).