Packers showcase NFL’s only four-headed weapon in 2014
One-half of Green Bay’s four-headed weapon
Imagine an NFL team with a QB who throws for 4,000 yards, a running back who reaches the 1,000-yard mark for the season, and two (not one, but two) receivers who gain 1,000 or more yards in the same season. That would be a pretty impressive offensive unit.
The 2014 Green Bay Packers were the only team to have four players reach these milestones together. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers had 4,381 yards passing; running back Eddie Lace gained 1,139 yards rushing for the season; and receivers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb each went over the 1,000-mark in receiving yards for the season. They became the 22nd team since 1966 to have a 1,000-yard running back, two 1,000-yard receivers and a 4,000-yard QB. For the Pack, it was the fifth time since ’66 that they had four players reach these numbers in a season, most in the NFL.
Here are the Green Bay players who reached these milestones for the Packers in those five seasons.
2014: Aaron Rodgers, Eddie Lacy, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb
2009: Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Greg Jennings and Donald Driver
2008: Aaron Rodgers, Ryan Grant, Greg Jennings and Donald Driver
2004: Brett Favre, Ahman Green, Javon walker and Donald Driver
1998: Brett Favre, Dorsey Levens, Antonio Freeman and Bill Schroeder
Following is a look at the teams that had a season with a QB with 4,000-plus passing yards, a running back with 1,000-plus rushing yards, and two receivers each with 1,000-plus receiving yards.
5: Green Bay (2014, 2009, 2008, 2004, 1999)
4: St. Louis (2006, 2001, 1999, 1989)
2: Denver (2013, 2004)
2: Indianapolis (2006, 2004)
1: Atlanta (1995)
1: Buffalo (2002)
1: Cincinnati (2006)
1: Detroit (1995)
1: Minnesota (1994)
1: Pittsburgh (2009)
1: San Diego (1981)
1: San Francisco (1998)
1: Washington (1986)
Four of the above teams made it to the Super Bowl that season: St. Louis, 1999; St. Louis, 2001; Indianapolis, 2006; Denver, 2013.
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Packers Numbers Notebook: Stats from their win over Tampa Bay
Here are a few stats you may not know from the Packers 20-3 win over the Bucs.
1. The Packers now hold a 31-21-2 advantage over Tampa Bay. They are, however, only 3-4 against the Bucs since 2002, and have only beaten Tampa Bay twice in the last nine trips into Tampa Bay.
2. Eddie Lacy has now gained 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons. It is the first back-to-back 1,000-yard rushing season for a Packers running back since Ryan Grant did it in consecutive seasons in 2008 and 2009. Other Green Bay running backs (in addition to Lacy and Grant) with consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons: Jim Taylor, John Brockington and Ahman Green.
3. Aaron Rodgers had one TD pass yesterday (a pass to Jordy Nelson in the fourth quarter). Why was it important for Rodgers to get that TD pass in the fourth quarter? Aaron has never had two straight games without a TD pass as the Packers starting QB. (He had 0 TD passes in the previous week’s loss to Buffalo.)
4. Randall Cobb had 11 catches for 131 yards in the contest. It was the 29th game where a Packers player had 10+ catches and over 100 yards receiving in a game. It was his second career game with these numbers, making him the eighth Packers receiver to have multiple 10 catch/100 yards receiving games. Donald Driver and Sterling Sharpe each had six such games in their careers. Others with multiple games: Robert Brooks, Antonio Freeman, James Lofton, Jordy Nelson and Javon Walker.
5. The Packers defense held Tampa Bay to only 109 total yards in the game. The Packers have now won nine straight games when they hold the opposition to under 150 total yards in a game. In the Super Bowl era the Packers have held opponents under 150 yards 20 times, compiling a 16-3-1 record.
6. Green Bay had seven sacks against the Bucs, the 28th time in history that have reached the seven-sack mark in a game; they are 26-2 in such games. The Packers are 28-9-1 since 2000 when they have five or more sacks in a game.
7. The Packers have now reached the playoffs in six straight seasons, matching the 1993-98 Packers for the longest streak of consecutive post-season appearances.
8. Yesterday’s game was the 15th time since 2000 that the Packers have held opponents to three or fewer points in a game. The Pittsburgh Steelers lead the league with 20 games holding the opposition to three or fewer points this century. Baltimore has 19, Seattle and San Francisco are tied with 16 each. The Packers are tied with New England and Tampa Bay for fifth on this list.
9. This will be Mike McCarthy’s seventh post-season appearance as Packers head coach. He is now only one post-season behind Curly Lambeau, who had eight playoff seasons as Green Bay coach. Other Green Bay coaches who made it to the post-season: Mike Holmgren (six seasons), Vince Lombardi (six seasons), Mike Sherman (four seasons), Dan Devine (one season), Bart Starr (one season).
10. Lacy had exactly 99 yards rushing in the contest, missing the 100-yard mark by a single yard. It was his second 99-yard rushing game in his short career with the Packers. He is now tied with Dorsey Levens for most 99-yard rushing games as a Packer with two.
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Packers trio nears TD milestone
With his first quarter rushing TD versus the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night, Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy scored his 10th TD of the season (he later scored #11 on a pass from Aaron Rodgers). Lacy joined fellow Packers Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb as Green Bay players who have scored 10 or more TDs this season. (Nelson now has 12 for the year, Cobb has 10.)
This Packers trio joined an elite group of players/teams that have had three players score 10-plus TDs in a season, becoming the 13th team in football history to do so. The Denver Broncos joined this club last year, but they did it in record fashion: The Broncos had five players who scored 10 or more TDs last season (Eric Decker, 11; Knowshon Moreno, 13; Demaryius Thomas, 14; Julius Thomas, 12 and Wes Welker, 10).
Here’s a look at the teams that have had three (or more) players score 10-plus TDs in a season.
San Francisco, 1948: Alyn Beals (14), Joe Perry (12), Johnny Strzykalski (11)
Houston (AFL), 1961: Billy Cannon (15), Bill Groman (18), Charley Hennigan (12)
Cleveland, 1969: Gary Collins (11), LeRoy Kelly (1)0, Paul Warfield (10)
Miami, 1986: Mark Clayton (10), Mark Duper (11), Lorenzo Hampton (12)
Denver, 1998: Terrell Davis (23), Ed McCaffrey (10), Shannon Sharpe (10)
Minnesota, 1998: Cris Carter (12), Leroy Hoard (10), Randy Moss (17)
Minnesota, 1999: Cris Carter (13), Leroy Hoard (10), Randy Moss (12)
Indianapolis, 2004: Marvin Harrison (15), Brandon Stockley (10), Reggie Wayne (12)
Indianapolis, 2007: Joseph Addai (15), Dallas Clark (11), Reggie Wayne (10)
Arizona, 2008: Anquan Boldin (11), Larry Fitzgerald (12), Tim Hightower (10)
Indianapolis, 2009: Joseph Addai (13), Dallas Clark (10), Reggie Wayne (10)
Denver, 2013: Eric Decker (11), Knowshon Moreno (13), Demaryius Thomas (14), Julius Thomas (12), Wes Welker (10)
Green Bay, 2014: Randall Cobb (10), Eddie Lacy (11), Jordy Nelson (12)
With three games remaining this season, the Packers trio of Cobb, Lacy and Nelson could establish some new marks for TDs. If each player gets 12-plus TDs for the season, they would become only the third team to have three players with 12-plus TDs in a season (joining 1961 AFL Houston and the 2013 Denver Broncos). Should they each reach 13 touchdowns, they would become the first team in NFL history to have three players on a team reach 13 or more TDs in a season.
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Week #14, Packers vs. Falcons: Stats you may not know about the Packers
With the Packers hosting the Falcons tonight, here’s a look at a few stats you may not know about the Pack:
1. Running back Eddie Lacy is one of four players that have 700 yards rushing and 300 yards receiving after 12 games.
2. Randall Cobb and Jordy Nelson each have 10 TDs this season. The only other team to have two players with 10 or more TDs are the Denver Broncos (Demaryius Thomas and Julius Thomas). Eddie Lacy’s next TD will give him 10 for the season.
3. Aaron Rodgers is one of only two QBs this season with 25 or more sacks and a QB Rating over 100 (Rodgers has 25 sacks and a QBR of 118.6). The other QB? Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers.
4. Through 12 games, the Packers have had the fewest number of offensive drives with 126. However, they have scored on the highest percentage of their drives, 48.4%.
5. Green Bay has scored nine TDs of 50 yards or more (six offensive TDs, two interceptions for TD and a punt return for TD). They have given up only two TDs of 50-plus yards… a kick-off return to the Bears and a 50-yard pass play to the Saints.
6. The Packers have had only one turnover since their bye week (Week #9). They have had no turnovers in the last three games. Until they played in the turnover-less game against the Patriots last week, the Packers had a takeaway in 11 straight games.
7. The Packers opponent tonight, the Atlanta Falcons, have 32 overall TDs this season. The Packers have 32 passing TDs of their 46 overall touchdowns.
8. Green Bay has punted only 39 times this season. The only team with fewer punts this season through 12 games were the Baltimore Ravens with 38.
9. The Packers defense is one of six teams in the NFL this year with three interceptions returned for TD.
10. The Pack have had only 6.3% of their offensive drives this season end with a turnover. Only the Seattle Seahawks have a lower percentage (5.4%).
11. Through 12 games, NFL placekickers have made 940 of 945 extra points (99.5%). Green Bay’s Mason Crosby is one of the five kickers to have a failed extra point.
12. While the Packers rank third in the league with 32 TD passes, they rank 23rd in the NFL with most pass attempts.
13. Green Bay ranks first in the league through 12 games in turnover ratio (takeaways/turnovers). The last seasons where the Packers led the league in this category were 2009, 2002 and 1965.
14. A great stat courtesy of ESPN: If the Packers win tonight against the Falcons in Aaron Rodgers’ 100th career start, Rodgers will have a 68-32 record in his first 100 starts. Former Packers QB Brett Favre was 68-32 in his first 100 starts.
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Packers Numbers Notebook: Stats from the Packers win over Philadelphia
Following are some stats you may not know from the Packers 53-20 win over the Eagles.
1. Jordy Nelson had his fifth play for 50 yards or more in the contest. It was his fifth such play of the season. He is tied with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin for most plays of 50 yards or more this season. Since 2010, Nelson has had 10 such plays, tied for second in the NFL.
2. The Packers scored 10 or more points in the first quarter for the fifth time this year. They are 4-1 in such games. Since 2010, Green Bay is 18-3 when they score 10 or more points in the first quarter.
3. The Pack had a 30-6 lead at halftime in the game. They are now 20-0 since 1966 in games where they have a lead of 24 or more points at halftime.
4. Green Bay held the Eagles scoreless in the first quarter, the fourth time they have done so this season. The Packers have now won 14 of their last 15 when they hold their opponents scoreless in the first quarter.
5. Dom Capers defense had three sacks in the game. They are 20-5-1 in games since 2011 when they have three or more sacks in a contest.
6. Green Bay scored 30 points in the first half. They are now 17-0 in games when they score 30-plus points in the first half (since 1966).
7. Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb each had over 100 yards receiving in the game. It was the fourth time this pair has reached this milestone in a game together. For Cobb, he had 10 receptions, the 34th time a Packers receiver has had 10 or more catches in a game. The Packers have won their last eight games where they have a receiver with 10 or more catches in a game.
8. The Packers 53 points keep them on a pace to break the all-time record for most points scored at Lambeau Field in a season. The record is 321 points (40.1 pts./game). In the first five games at Lambeau this season the Packers have now scored 219 points (43.8 pts./game). They will need to score 103 points in the final three games (average 34.3) at home to break the record.
9. The Packers scored 50-plus points in consecutive games for the first time in franchise history. The Packers last scored 40-plus points in consecutive games in 2011 when they scored 45 in both Week #9 and Week #10. They have never scored over 40 points in three consecutive games.
10. Eddie Lacy had a rushing and receiving TD in yesterday’s game. He became the first player to have one of each since John Kuhn did it in 2010. He became the 22nd Packer to accomplish this feat. Ahman Green holds the record with nine games with at least one rushing and one pass receiving TD in the same game.
11. The 33-point victory was the fourth win by 30 or more points in a season, tying a team mark. The last time they won four games by a margin of 30 points or more in a season was 1996. If I’m not mistaken, something special happened at the end of that season… a Super Bowl win!
12. Aaron Rodgers has three TD passes against the Eagles, the 24th team he has had three or more TD passes in a game against. It was also his 42nd game in 104 career games where he had three-plus TD passes. For you trivia buffs, can you name the seven teams that Rodgers has not had a game where he threw for three or more TDs? (Answer at the end of the column.)
13. Rodgers has three TDs and over 300 yards passing in the contest. It was the 26th game of his career with three or more TD passes and 300 or more yards passing. He is seventh on the all-time list in this stat; Peyton Manning has had 51 games in his career with three-plus TD passes and 300-plus yards in the same contest.
14. The Packers had a fumble return for TD, an interception return for TD and a punt return for TD. It was the first time since 1983 when they scored by those three ways in the same game. It was in a game versus Tampa Bay.
Trivia answer: The seven teams that Aaron Rodgers has not had a game with three or more TD passes are Buffalo, Cincinnati, Jacksonville, Kansas City, New England, Oaklad and Seattle.
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