By week’s end, every team in the National Football League will have played at least nine games. The Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Houston Texans, and the New York Giants are on their midseason vacations. And things in one particular conference are indeed fascinating. Here’s a glance at some interesting numbers when it comes to the NFL’s 102nd season.
11
It’s the number of teams in the AFC that own a winning record after nine weeks of play. All four clubs in both the AFC North and AFC West are above .500, along with the Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, and New England Patriots. It’s in stark contrast to the other conference, where the Arizona Cardinals (8-1) own the best record in the league and only five other teams (Dallas, Green Bay, Tampa Bay, New Orleans, and the Los Angeles Rams) are above .500.
72
Not surprisingly, John Harbaugh’s club is atop the AFC North with a 6-2 record. But it’s been a different kind of year so far for the Baltimore Ravens, who are usually amongst the NFL leaders when it comes to defensive numbers. But in eight games this season, the division leaders have already allowed 30-plus times on four occasions. And in the team’s last two games, a split with the Bengals and Vikings, the Ravens have allowed a combined 72 points.
0
As of now, it’s uncertain as to whether the Green Bay Packers will have veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers behind center at Lambeau Field on Sunday when Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks come to town. What is known is that Matt LaFleur’s team is coming off a 13-7 loss at Kansas City with their prolific signal-caller out of action. And since the head coach took over the team in 2019, the Pack has yet to lose back-to-back games during a season.
- Ep. 197: Fields to Pittsburgh, Still Available Free Agentsby Full Press Coverage on March 18, 2024 at 8:00 pm
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20
It has been an uneven year to date for Frank Reich’s club. But the Indianapolis Colts have an opportunity this Sunday against the suddenly-dangerous Jacksonville Jaguars to even their win-loss record at 5-5 with a victory at home. Matt Eberflus’ defense hasn’t been as stingy as a year ago in terms of yards allowed. But the Colts now lead the NFL with 20 takeaways – equally divided between interceptions (10) and opponent fumble recoveries (10).
20.5
Talk about a late bloomer? He was the 13th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft by Arizona. And after totaling 7.5 quarterback traps in his first three seasons (48 contests) in the league, current Carolina edge-rusher Hasson Reddick has totaled a combined 20.5 sacks in his last 25 outings with the Cardinals (12.5) and Panthers (8.0). This Sunday in the desert, the former Temple University product will face the club that brought him into the league.