James Jones’ three TD pass reception game puts Packers on top
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a sports statistics blog published with a focus on stats that go beyond the numbers.
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Green Bay receiver James Jones jumped to the head of the list of receivers with the most TD receptions in 2012 with a three-TD performance in yesterday’s win over the Bears. (He now has 12 TD receptions for the season.)
Jones became the sixth receiver this season (and second Packers receiver) to catch three touchdown passes in a game. Jordy Nelson had a three-TD pass reception game in October against the Houston Texans.
Jones’ three TD game also put the Packers in a tie for most games with three TD receptions by a receiver since 1966. The Packers have had 15 such games, which now ties them with the New York Jets and San Francisco 49ers. Here’s a look at how many games since 1966 each team has had where one receiver caught three or more TD passes.
Games with a player with three-plus TD receptions, teams
15: Green Bay, New York Jets, San Francisco
14: Dallas, Indianapolis, Oakland
13: Minnesota, San Diego, St. Louis, Washington
11: Cincinnati, Miami, Philadelphia, Tennessee
10: Denver, New England, New York Giants, Pittsburgh
9: Arizona, Buffalo
7: Chicago, Detroit
6: Atlanta, Cleveland, Kansas City
5: Baltimore, Seattle
4: Carolina, New Orleans
2: Tampa Bay
1: Jacksonville
0: Houston
Of the Packers 15 such games, Sterling Sharpe leads the club with three games with three TD receptions. Jordy Nelson, James Lofton and Antonio Freeman each had two games with three TD receptions.
Looking at the league totals since 1966, it’s no surprise that Jerry Rice leads the league with 11 games with three or more TD receptions. He is followed by Marvin Harrison and Randy Moss (nine each), Wesley Walker and Terrell Owens (five each) and Kellen Winslow and Carl Pickens (four each).
Here’s another interesting stat from Jones’ game yesterday: Jones had three TDs but only 60 yards total in receiving yards. This was the 25th time since 1966 that a player had 60 or less receiving yards with three or more receiving TDs. Fewest yards receiving in a game with three receiving touchdowns? Houston Oiler Mack Alston had three receptions, all for touchdowns and only 22 yards receiving in a game versus the Cleveland Browns on October 12, 1975.
Follow Jerry on Twitter @StatsonTapp
Bears challenge NFL record for ‘return’ TDs
Chicago's Devin Hester... Image via Wikipedia
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a biweekly blog published every Wednesday and Sunday with a bonus “SIX STATS…” posting every Friday.
Last Sunday the Chicago Bears offense watched as the defense and special teams put up three TDs on the scoreboard in their 37-13 win over the Lions. (Devin Hester returned a punt for TD; Major Wright and Charles Tillman each returned interceptions for a touchdown.) The three return touchdowns upped the Bears total for the season to seven, tops in the NFL. It also put them on pace to challenge for the all-time record of return TDs in a season, 13, set by the 1998 Seattle Seahawks.
Following are the number of return TDs for each NFL team this season:
7: Chicago
5: Green Bay
4: Baltimore, Cincinnati, Detroit, New York Jets
3: Arizona, Buffalo, Denver, Houston, New Orleans, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Tennessee
2: Indianpolis, Kansas City
1: Atlanta, Dallas, Minnesota, New England, New York Giants, Oakland, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Seattle, St. Louis, Tampa Bay, Washington
0: Carolina, Cleveland, Jacksonville, Miami
The 1998 Seahawks, who went 8-8 that season, scored eight TDs via interceptions, two by punt return, two by fumble recovery return and one by kickoff return. Last year’s Arizona Cardinals team had 12 return TDs putting them second all-time in this category.
Following are the teams that scored the most TDs via interception, fumble recovery, punt return, kickoff return, blocked kick or missed field goal return in an NFL season.
Team, Season… Return TDs
Seattle-1998… 13
Arizona-2010… 12
St. Louis-1999, Kansas City-1999, Kansas City-1992… 11
Buffalo-2004, New Orleans-1998, Denver-1997, San Diego-1997, Kansas City-1986, Denver-1976… 10
SIX STATS you might not know about… Aaron Rodgers’ numbers during the Packers current 13-game winning streak
“SIX STATS…” is a bonus feature of Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ and is published every Friday.
- Aaron Rodgers leads the Packers offense… Image via Wikipedia
During the Green Bay Packers current 13-game winning streak that includes the last two games of the 2010 regular season, four 2010 playoffs wins and seven straight wins to start this season, quarterback Aaron Rodgers has compiled some very impressive numbers. Here’s a look at some of those stats.
1. Rodgers has completed 304 of 435 passes, a completion rate of 69.8%, in his last 13 games. He has completed 60% or more of his passes in 12 of the 13 games. The lone under 60% game was a 56.7% completion rate versus the Bears in last year’s NFC Championship Game.
2. The Rodgers-led Packers have averaged 31.2 points per game during the streak.
3. Rodgers has had a passer rating of 110 or more in 11 of the 13 contests. The two games under 110 were both against the Chicago Bears: 89.7 in the last regular season game of 2010; 55.4 in the 2010 NFC title game.
4. During the 13-game winning streak Rodgers has thrown 34 touchdown passes and had only six interceptions. He has thrown two or more TDs in 11 of the 13 games; the only games where he threw only one or no TDs were against… you guessed it… the Bears. Four of his six interceptions in these 13 games have come against… you guessed it… the Bears.
5. He has scored four rushing touchdowns in the 13 games. He has rushed 52 times for 176 yards.
6. Rodgers has thrown for over 4,000 yards in the 13 games (4,093 to be exact), an average of about 315 yards per game. He has thrown for 300 or more yards in eight of the 13 games. His lowest number of passing yards during the streak was 180 against the… Philadelphia Eagles in the 2010 Wild Card Game… (thought it was the Bears, didn’t ya?).
One yard to go: Run or Pass for the score?
Image via Wikipedia
Sports Stats ‘on Tapp’ is a biweekly blog published every Wednesday and Sunday with a bonus “SIX STATS…” posting every Friday.
Imagine your favorite NFL team is on the one-yardline and is ready to punch it in for a score. Does your team run for that tough yard or do they implement some sort of play action and pass for those precious three feet?
Last season in the NFL, there were 172 offensive touchdowns of one yard during the regular season. Of those 172, 126 (73.3%) were rushing TDs and 46 were TDs via a one-yard pass play. Before we talk about how the game has evolved to more passing TDs from one yard out, here’s a look at each NFL team last season and how many one-yard TDs they had rushing and passing. The Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers topped the list with 10 one-yard TDs; the Pack also tied with the New England Patriots for most passing one-yard scores; Seattle had the most running one-yard TDs with eight.
Team, one-yard running TDs/one-yard passing TDs
Arizona 2/0
Atlanta 4/1
Baltimore 6/0
Buffalo 2/0
Carolina 1/0
Chicago 3/0
Cincinnati 5/3
Cleveland 3/1
Dallas 4/3
Denver 6/1
Detroit 3/1
Green Bay 6/4
Houston 5/1
Indianapolis 3/3
Jacksonville 2/3
Kansas City 4/2
Miami 3/0
Minnesota 5/1
New England 4/4
New Orleans 5/2
New York Giants 2/1
New York Jets 4/1
Oakland 4/1
Philadelphia 2/1
Pittsburgh 7/0
San Diego 6/0
San Francisco 3/2
Seattle 8/0
St. Louis 3/1
Tampa Bay 3/3
Tennessee 4/3
Washington 4/3
WE INTERRUPT THIS BLOG FOR A TRIVIA QUESTION: Who was the oldest player to score a one-yard TD last season? Hint: It was an NFC quarterback. Answer at end of the blog.
Here’s a look at the players who had the most one-yard touchdowns in 2010:
6: Rashard Mendenhall, Pittsburgh; Mike Tolbert, San Diego
5: Cedric Benson, Cincinnati; Marshawn Lynch, Seattle; Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
4: Arian Foster, Houston; BenJarvis Green-Ellis, New England; Chris Johnson, Tennessee
Did you know… the most one-yard passing TDs came in the second quarter (17 of the 46, 37%).
Did you know… there were 10 one-yard TDs in last year’s playoffs, nine rushing and only one passing.
As we mentioned above, 73.3% of the one-yard TDs in 2010 were rushing. In 2000 the percentage of one-yard TDs via the run was 81.2%; in 1990 it was 88.1%; in 1980 it was 94.4%; in 1970 it was 95.2%; in 1960 it was 94.4%. It’s safe to say that the one-yard passing TD has become more prevalent in today’s NFL!
TRIVIA ANSWER: Former Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck last season was the oldest player to score a one-yard TD. He was 35 and 92 days.
Sports Stats 'on Tapp' 