Inside the Numbers offers an analytical look into NFL statistics, trends, and streaks each week. Here’s the latest analysis.
In a stunning performance, Lamar Jackson showcased his skills as a passer by throwing for five touchdowns with only five incompletions and zero interceptions in a game where he amassed 281 passing yards, leading Baltimore to a victory over Tampa Bay. Despite these impressive numbers, Jackson’s performance fell short of achieving a perfect passer rating due to the official NFL passer rating formula.
He missed the highest possible rating of 158.3 by a narrow margin—just two-tenths of a point. This perfect rating has been achieved only 60 times over the last 75 years by players who made 15 or more attempts in a game. The only player to reach it this season so far is Kyler Murray, who accomplished this feat in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams.
The passer rating system is a somewhat complex metric that evaluates quarterbacks based on four key aspects: completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown pass percentage, and interception rate. These metrics are then converted into a score ranging from 0 to 158.3. This formula, derived from quarterback performances between 1960 and 1970, was implemented in the NFL in 1973.
To achieve the so-called “perfect” passer rating, a quarterback must complete a minimum of 77.5% of their passes, average a minimum of 12.5 yards per attempt, register touchdowns on at least 11.875% of their attempts, and avoid throwing any interceptions. Jackson completed 17 out of 22 attempts, resulting in a completion percentage of 77.3%. One more completion for at least 7 yards could have secured him this honor for the fourth time in his career.
Jackson’s previous accomplishments include achieving this mark last season against Miami and twice in 2019 against Miami and Cincinnati. He is now tied with notable quarterbacks such as Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady for the most perfect ratings in regular-season history. Notably, Manning also recorded a perfect rating during a postseason game.
Switching the focus to the Kansas City Chiefs, this team hasn’t tasted defeat since being surprisingly beaten at home by the Las Vegas Raiders last Christmas. They are on an impressive streak of 12 consecutive wins across both regular season and playoffs, just one win shy of the franchise record set during the 2019-20 season.
If the Raiders manage to secure a win against the Chiefs this Sunday, it will mark only the second time in NFL history that a team has experienced a winning streak of 12 or more games, losing only to the same opponent. The only prior instance of this type of streak occurred between 1933 and 1934, when the Chicago Bears had an 18-game winning streak disrupted by losses to the New York Giants.
In a notable twist, the Chiefs have achieved their current streak without once scoring more than 28 points in any of their wins, a record previously held by the 1927-28 Giants and 1928-29 Packers. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City’s quarterback, has struggled this season by throwing only six touchdowns opposed to eight interceptions, making him the sixth QB in history to begin the first six games of a season in such a manner since 1950.
On the upside, Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions continues to impress. In the recent game against Minnesota, Goff had a flawless first half, completing all 12 of his passes, marking the third time this season he achieved perfection in the first half of a game. Previously, he completed 12 out of 12 in Week 3 against Arizona and 18 out of 18 in Week 4 against Seattle.
Goff’s consistency puts him in rare company; since 1991, only 16 quarterbacks have achieved a perfect completion percentage with a minimum of 12 attempts in the first half. Noteworthy is that Eli Manning is the only other quarterback to have caught this lightning in a bottle twice during this period. Following his performance against the Vikings, Goff registered a passer rating of 140, joining legends like Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Warner in having at least three consecutive games with a rating of 140 or more.
Moving on to the Philadelphia Eagles, while they hold a solid 4-2 record, their offensive struggles in starting games are evident. They are the only NFL team that has failed to score on their opening drive this season, resulting in three three-and-outs, one turnover, and two additional punts out of six first drives, collectively gaining a mere 39 yards. This shooting drawn-out slump extends into a streak of nine consecutive regular-season and playoff games without scoring on first drives.
Additionally, the Eagles have become the 13th team in Super Bowl history to shut out the first quarter across their initial six games of the season—an unfortunate pattern reminiscent of the 2021 Jets, the 2008 Lions, and the 2005 Texans.
Finally, the New York Jets and Giants have been notable for their struggles on prime-time television. Since the start of the 2019 season, these teams possess a dismal combined record of 4-31 in such games. The Jets have posted a .125 win percentage at 2-14, with their latest loss to Pittsburgh, while the Giants, with a 2-17 record heading into a game against the Steelers, are currently the worst team in prime-time matchups.
In summary, as teams navigate their seasons, statistics and individual performances continue to reveal much about the dynamics in the NFL, from streaks to struggles, highlighting both triumphs and challenges as the league progresses.