THE WEEK THAT WAS - WEEK 5

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THE WEEK THAT WAS – WEEK 5

CLOSE GAMES, ROAD WINS & MORE: Ten of 14 games (71.4 percent) in Week 5 were decided by six points or fewer, tied for the highest percentage of games decided by six or fewer points in a single week in the past 25 seasons.

The highest percentage of games decided by six or fewer points in a single week in the past 25 seasons:

SEASON WEEK PERCENTAGE OF GAMES DECIDED BY 6 OR FEWER POINTS 2017 5 71.4 2001 5 71.4 1999 5 71.4 1993 15 71.4

In Week 5, the average margin of victory was 7.93 points, the fifth-lowest average margin of victory in a single week in the past five seasons.

The lowest average score margin in a single week since 2013:

​SEASON WEEK AVERAGE MARGIN OF VICTORY 2013 1 7.63 2013 2 7.63 2016 1 7.63 2016 8 7.85 2017 5 7.93

Ten teams – BALTIMORE, CAROLINA, GREEN BAY, JACKSONVILLE, KANSAS CITY, the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS, MINNESOTA, NEW ENGLAND, the NEW YORK JETS and SEATTLE – were victorious on the road in Week 5, the most road wins in a single week since Week 13, 2015 (11) and the highest road winning percentage (.714) in a single week since Week 10 of the 2015 season (.786).

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ROCKING ROOKIES: Rookies across the league continued to make an impact in Week 5. Through the first five weeks of the season, rookies have accumulated 7,176 yards from scrimmage, the most by rookies through Week 5 since 1970.

The seasons with the most yards from scrimmage by rookies through Week 5 since 1970 (excluding 1987 season):

SEASON MOST SCRIMMAGE YARDS BY ROOKIES THROUGH WEEK 5* 2017 7,176 2014 6,100 1983 5,711 2015 5,671 1971 5,429 *Excludes 1987 season

Rookies have also totaled 51 touchdowns through Week 5, the most through the first five weeks of a season since 1970.

The seasons with the most touchdowns by rookies through Week 5 since 1970 (excluding 1987 season):





SEASON MOST TOUCHDOWNS BY ROOKIES THROUGH WEEK 5* 2017 51 1983 45 2014 42 2008 40 2015 39 1980 39 *Excludes 1987 season

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SMITH’S SPOTLESS START: Kansas City quarterback ALEX SMITH completed 29 of 37 passes (78.4 percent) for 324 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 130.2 passer rating in the Chiefs’ 42-34 win over Houston on Sunday Night Football.

Smith, who has 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions this season, joined STEVE BARTKOWSKI (1983) and ROMAN GABRIEL (1969) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions through their team’s first five games of a season.

The quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes without an interception in their team’s first five games of a season:

PLAYER TEAM YEAR TD PASSES INTs Alex Smith Kansas City 2017 11 0 Steve Bartkowski Atlanta 1983 11 0 Roman Gabriel Los Angeles Rams 1969 11 0

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ELEMENTARY FOR WATSON: Houston rookie quarterback DESHAUN WATSON passed for 261 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions for a 119.8 passer rating in the Texans’ loss to Kansas City in Week 5.

Watson became the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to pass for five touchdowns in a single game and the third to accomplish the feat without throwing an interception.

The rookie quarterbacks with at least five touchdown passes in a single game in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM DATE TOUCHDOWNS INTERCEPTIONS Deshaun Watson Houston October 8, 2017 5 0 Jameis Winston Tampa Bay November 22, 2015 5 0 Matthew Stafford Detroit November 22, 2009 5 2 Ray Buivid Chicago December 5, 1937 5 0

Watson, who was 22 years, 24 days old on Sunday, became the third youngest quarterback in NFL history with five touchdown passes in a single game, trailing only MATTHEW STAFFORD (21 years, 288 days) and JAMEIS WINSTON (21, 320).

Watson, who ranks second in the NFL with 12 touchdown passes, has the most touchdown passes by a rookie quarterback in his team’s first five games of a season, surpassing MARCUS MARIOTA, who had nine TD passes in his team’s first five games in 2015.

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ON THE HUNT: Kansas City rookie running back KAREEM HUNT had 116 scrimmage yards (107 rushing, nine receiving) in the Chiefs’ win over Houston in Week 5.

Hunt, who has at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his first five games this season, joined ADRIAN PETERSON (2007) as the only rookies in NFL history with at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his team’s first five games of a season. Hunt’s 755 scrimmage yards are the third-most scrimmage yards by a rookie in his team’s first five games of a season, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON (787 in 1983) and ADRIAN PETERSON (782 in 2007).

The rookies with the most scrimmage yards in their team’s first five games to start a season:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON SCRIMMAGE YARDS IN TEAM’S FIRST 5 GAMES Eric Dickerson^ Los Angeles Rams 1983 787 Adrian Peterson Minnesota 2007 782 Kareem Hunt Kansas City 2017 775 Billy Sims Detroit 1980 761 ^Pro Football Hall of Famer

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FIVE FOR FOURNETTE: Jacksonville rookie running back LEONARD FOURNETTE rushed for 181 yards with two touchdowns, including a 90-yard touchdown run, in the Jaguars’ 30-9 win at Pittsburgh last week.

Fournette, who has scored a touchdown in each of his first five games this season, is the fifth rookie to score at least one touchdown in each of his team’s first five games of a season.

The rookies with at least one touchdown in each of their team’s first five games of a season:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON Leonard Fournette Jacksonville 2017 Robert Edwards New England 1998 Joe Cribbs Buffalo 1980 Alan Ameche Baltimore Colts 1955 Billy Howton Green Bay 1952

Fournette (22 years, 263 days old) is the youngest player in NFL history with a touchdown run of at least 90 yards and is the fifth rookie in league annals with a 90+ yard rushing touchdown.

The rookies with a touchdown run of at least 90 yards in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM DATE YARDS Bobby Gage Pittsburgh December 4, 1949 97t DeMarco Murray Dallas October 23, 2011 91t Bo Jackson Los Angeles Raiders November 30, 1987 91t Sid Blanks Houston Oilers December 13, 1964 91t Leonard Fournette Jacksonville October 8, 2017 90t

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DOMINATING DEFENSE: The JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS recorded five interceptions, including interception-return touchdowns by linebacker TELVIN SMITH (28 yards) and safety BARRY CHURCH (51), in the team’s victory at Pittsburgh.

Jacksonville, which leads the NFL with 20 sacks, 10 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns, is the fourth team in NFL history and the first since the 1984 Seahawks with at least 20 sacks, 10 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in their first five games of a season.

The teams with at least 20 sacks, 10 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in their first five games of a season:

TEAM SEASON SACKS INTERCEPTIONS DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS Jacksonville 2017 20 10 4 Seattle 1984 22 11 4 Cincinnati 1976 20 10 4 Washington 1973 26 11 5

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200 AND COUNTING: Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD had six catches in the Cardinals’ loss at Philadelphia in Week 5.

Fitzgerald, who has a reception in 200 consecutive games, joined Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (274) and TONY GONZALEZ (211) as the only players in NFL history with at least one catch in 200 consecutive games.

The most consecutive games with a reception in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM(S) SEASONS CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION Jerry Rice^ San Francisco, Oakland 1985-2004 274 Tony Gonzalez Kansas City, Atlanta 2000-2013 211 Larry Fitzgerald Arizona 2004-present 200* Marvin Harrison^ Indianapolis 1996-2008 190 Hines Ward Pittsburgh 1998-2010 186 *Active streak ^Pro Football Hall of Famer

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VICTORIOUS VINATIERI: Indianapolis kicker ADAM VINATIERI converted all four of his field-goal attempts, including the game-winning 51-yard field goal in overtime, in the Colts’ 26-23 victory over San Francisco last week.

Vinatieri has 24 game-winning field goals in the regular season in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime and 10 game-winners in overtime, both the most in NFL history.

The kickers with the most regular-season game-winning field goals in overtime in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM(S) GAME-WINNING FIELD GOALS IN OVERTIME Adam Vinatieri New England, Indianapolis 10 Jim Breech Oakland, Cincinnati 9 Steve Christie Tampa Bay, Buffalo, San Diego, New York Giants 9 Jason Elam Denver, Atlanta 9 Jason Hanson Detroit 9

Vinatieri, who scored 14 points on Sunday, has 2,413 career points and became the third player in NFL history to score 2,400 career points, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer MORTEN ANDERSEN (2,544) and GARY ANDERSON (2,434).

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