Needles From the Haystack - Week 7

Posted 10/16 by Jeff Haseley, Exclusive to Footballguys.com

Are you a fan of interesting stats or tidbits of information about what's happening in the NFL? I make it my goal to unearth the most useful and useless stats that you can or can't think of. If that kind of thing excites you, sit back, relax and read on, because in the haystack of the NFL, I have found some needles.

From the "In case you wondered" category

Attention Defensive Coordinators of the NFC North - Be wary of Aaron Rodgers and third down - Nine of Aaron Rodgers' eleven TD passes have come on third down this season.

Climbing up the ranks

Peyton Manning's QB rating last week was 79.2. After the breakout game against Baltimore, it's now 87.8

Breesing to the top of the ranks

17 QBs have fewer pass attempts than Drew Brees has completions (159).

And they won, go figure?

Rams WR Torry Holt reached 10 targets in a game for the first time this year. Way to go Jim Haslett.

35 and over club

Eight QBs are averaging 35.0 or more attempts per game

38.0 Jay Cutler, DEN
38.0 Matt Schaub, HOU
37.3 Drew Brees, NO
36.8 Brian Griese, TB
36.4 Peyton Manning, IND
35.5 Kurt Warner, ARI
35.2 Donovan McNabb, PHI
35.0 Gus Frerotte, MIN

Every QB in the above group has a yards per attempt of 7.1 or higher, with the exception of Brian Griese (5.5 YPA)

Thirteen QBs are averaging a first down on pass attempts 35% of the time or greater

40.4% Kurt Warner, ARI
39.5% Ben Roethlisberger, PIT
39.4% Philip Rivers, SD
37.7% David Garrard, JAC
37.6% Brett Favre, NYJ
37.5% Eli Manning, NYG
36.6% Drew Brees, NO
36.5% Chad Pennington, MIA
36.0% Tony Romo, DAL
35.7% Kerry Collins, TEN
35.5% Jay Cutler, DEN
35.5% Donovan McNabb, PHI
35.2% Trent Edwards, BUF

Seven players have 35 receptions or more this season

The only one without at least two TDs is Wes Welker, who has zero

35 and over - receptions

43 - Brandon Marshall, DEN
41 - Reggie Bush, NO
39 - Jason Witten, DAL
38 - T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN
36 - Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
36 - Wes Welker, NE
35 - Roddy White, ATL

Did You Know?

Lee Evans, BUF is the 11th ranked fantasy WR (non PPR) and has more FP than the likes of Calvin Johnson, DeSean Jackson and Laveranues Coles. Evans is also one of three WRs in the WR top 20 with 20 receptions or less. He has 16. The other two being Isaac Bruce (16) and Chris Chambers (11).
Antonio Gates is averaging only 5.3 targets per game. Compare that to 7.3 in 2007, 7.4 in 2006 and 9.3 in 2005.
Steve Smith and Roddy White are the only players in the league with 10 targets or more in each of the last three weeks.
The Saints, Panthers and Lions have allowed opposing defenses to score a league-high three defensive TDs against them this year. Carolina and New Orleans play each other this week. It should be a fun game. Detroit plays Houston, who has given up two defensive TD scores.

The Buccaneers have not allowed a rushing TD in six games.
The NFC South is the only division where all the teams in the division have played all six games (no byes).

Trivia Question of the Week

Who is the only kicker this season with five FGs in a game and his team lost the game? (see bottom for answer)

The week six that was

Five teams with 4-0 or 4-1 records lost last week - They can't all be bad. Average margin of defeat - 12 points

NY Giants 14, Cleveland 35
Carolina 3, Tampa Bay 27
Dallas 24, Arizona 30
Denver 17, Jacksonville 24
Washington 17, St. Louis 19

Six RBs had 23 FP or more in week six.

26.8 points - Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC against Denver, 148 total yards, 2 TDs
26.3 points - Clinton Portis, WAS against St. Louis, 143 total yards, 2 TDs
25.8 points - Patrick Cobbs, MIA against Houston, 138 receiving yards, 2 TDs
25.8 points - Thomas Jones, NYJ against Cincinnati, 78 total yards, 2 rushing TDs and 1 receiving TD
23.8 points - Correll Buckhalter, PHI against San Francisco, 178 total yards, 1 rushing TD
23.3 points - Marion Barber, DAL against Arizona, 173 total yards, 1 receiving TD

So much for offense?

The Saints are in last place in the NFC South, but they have scored more points (172) than the Falcons (139), Buccaneers (141) and the Panthers (117). All of which are ahead of them in the division standings.

The Fabulous Fifteen

WRs averaging more than 10.0 FP per game (OK, there's really 17, but 15 sounded better)

16.6 Anquan Boldin, ARI
14.9 Greg Jennings, GB
14.2 Reggie Wayne, IND
14.1 Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
13.8 Brandon Marshall, DEN
12.5 Roddy White, ATL
12.2 Andre Johnson, HOU
11.5 Lee Evans, BUF
11.5 Terrell Owens, DAL
11.2 Laveranues Coles, NYJ
11.1 Calvin Johnson, DET
11.1 Hines Wards, PIT
10.9 Steve Smith, CAR
10.9 Plaxico Burress, NYG
10.8 Santana Moss, WAS
10.6 Chris Chambers, SD
10.2 Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ

The Elite Eight RBs

Eight RBs have reached 25 FP or more in a game with 100-yards rushing

Ronnie Brown, MIA
Michael Turner, ATL
DeAngelo Williams, CAR
Willie Parker, PIT
Larry Johnson, KC
Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC
Brandon Jacobs, NYG
Clinton Portis, WAS

The only one who has done it twice - Michael Turner. The only one who's team lost despite his performance - Clinton Portis

The Elite Eight QBs

Eight QBs are averaging 20 FP or more per game this season

24.9 Aaron Rodgers, GB
24.9 Drew Brees, NO
24.2 Tony Romo, DAL
23.5 Jay Cutler, DEN
22.9 Philip Rivers, SD
22.6 Kurt Warner, ARI
22.1 Brett Favre, NYJ
20.6 Matt Schaub, HOU

All QBs listed above have a YPA of 7.0 or greater. All have at least 11 TD passes, with the exception of Matt Schaub, who only has five TD passes.

Players with two weeks or more in the weekly fantasy top 20

Wide Receivers

5 Greg Jennings, GB
week two - 7th
week three - 12th
week four - 2nd
week five - 15th
week six - 11th
5 Larry Fitzgerald, ARI
week two - 9th
week three - 6th
week four - 17th
week five - 7th
week six - 12th
4 Brandon Marshall, DEN
week two - 4th
week three - 1st
week four - 16th
week six - 18th
4 Reggie Wayne, IND
week one - 6th
week two - 8th
week five - 12th
week six - 6th
4 Terrell Owens, DAL
week one - 5th
week two - 5th
week four - 13th
week five - 16th
4 DeSean Jackson, PHI
week one - 19th
week two - 19th
week four - 8th
week six - 17th
3 Roddy White, ATL
week three - 4th
week five - 2nd
week six - 7th
3 Hines Ward, PIT
week one - 2nd
week two - 16th
week five - 14th
3 Plaxico Burress, NYG
week one - 9th
week two - 11th
week six - 14th
3 Calvin Johnson, DET
week one - 16th
week two - 3rd
week six - 9th
3 Santana Moss, WAS
week two - 2nd
week three - 9th
week four - 12th
3 Andre Johnson, HOU
week one - 13th
week five - 3rd
week six - 1st
2 Kevin Walter, HOU
week four - 4th
week six - 20th
2 Steve Smith, CAR
week four - 10th
week six - 15th
2 Vincent Jackson, SD
week one - 18th
week six - 4th
2 Muhsin Muhammad, CAR
week four - 4th
week five - 18th
2 Randy Moss, NE
week one - 3rd
week five - 6th
2 T.J. Houshmandzadeh, CIN
week three - 2nd
week five - 1st
2 Santonio Holmes, PIT
week two - 20th
week four - 19th
2 Dwayne Bowe, KC
week one - 14th
week three - 14th
2 Anquan Boldin, ARI
week two - 1st
week four - 7th
2 Ike Hilliard, TB
week one - 20th
week three - 11th
2 Devery Henderson, NO
week one - 7th
week five - 8th
2 Steve Breaston, ARI
week four - 18th
week six - 8th
2 Marvin Harrison, IND
week three - 17th
week six - 3rd
2 Hank Basket, PHI
week one - 4th
week six - 19th
2 Lee Evans, BUF
week four - 11th
week five - 4th
2 Donald Driver, GB
week two - 18th
week five - 17th
2 Bernard Berrian, MIN
week five - 9th
week six - 5th
2 Jerricho Cotchery, NYJ
week one - 8th
week four - 6th
2 Laveranues Coles, NYJ
week three - 10th
week four - 1st
2 Chris Chambers, SD
week two - 6th
week three - 20th
2 Isaac Bruce, SF
week two - 10th
week five - 10th

Running Backs

6 Frank Fore, SF
week one - 6th
week two - 11th
week three - 6th
week four - 16th
week five - 13th
week six - 8th
6 Matt Forte, CHI
week one - 7th
week two - 19th
week three - 8th
week four - 20th
week five - 7th
week six - 9th
5 Clinton Portis, WAS
week two - 4th
week three - 20th
week four - 13th
week five - 3rd
week six - 2nd
5 Marion Barber, DAL
week one - 4th
week two - 2nd
week three - 7th
week five - 19th
week six - 6th
4 Le'Ron McClain, BAL
week one - 20th
week three - 14th
week four - 11th
week five - 15th
4 Reggie Bush, NO
week one - 3rd
week three - 3rd
week five - 18th
week six - 7th
4 LaDainian Tomlinson, SD
week one - 19th
week three - 10th
week four - 3rd
week six - 17th
4 Earnest Graham, TB
week one - 18th
week two - 8th
week four - 8th
week six - 18th
3 Marshawn Lynch, BUF
week one - 12th
week two - 14th
week three - 4th
3 Brian Westbrook, PHI
week one - 5th
week two - 1st
week five - 11th
3 Brandon Jacobs, NYG
week one - 16th
week five - 2nd
week six - 15th
3 Ronnie Brown, MIA
week three - 1st
week five - 5th
week six - 10th
3 Correll Buckhalter, PHI
week three - 19th
week four - 10th
week six - 5th
3 Warrick Dunn, TB
week two - 13th
week four - 19th
week six - 13th
3 Chris Johnson, TEN
week one - 8th
week two - 16th
week four - 5th
3 Maurice Jones-Drew, JAC
week three - 5th
week five - 20th
week six - 1st
3 Michael Turner, ATL
week one - 1st
week three - 2nd
week five - 8th
3 Steve Slaton, HOU
week three - 15th
week four - 7th
week five - 4th
3 Adrian Peterson, MIN
week one - 9th
week two - 10th
week four - 4th
2 Chris Perry, CIN
week two - 18th
week three - 18th
2 Willie Parker, PIT
week one - 2nd
week two - 20th
2 Steven Jackson, STL
week four - 2nd
week six - 19th
2 Edgerrin James, ARI
week four - 6th
week five - 12th
2 Sammy Morris, NE
week one - 13th
week six - 12th
2 Joseph Addai, IND
week three - 9th
week five - 14th
2 Jamal Lewis, CLE
week four - 9th
week six - 11th
2 Michael Bush, OAK
week two - 12th
week four - 14th
2 Thomas Jones, NYJ
week one - 10th
week six - 4th
2 Julius Jones, SEA
week two - 5th
week three - 11th
2 Felix Jones, DAL
week one - 17th
week five - 10th
2 Larry Johnson, KC
week three - 16th
week four - 1st
2 Jonathan Stewart, CAR
week two - 6th
week four - 17th
2 Kevin Smith, DET
week one - 14th
week five - 17th
2 Michael Pittman, DEN
week one - 15th
week six - 16th
2 LenDale White, TEN
week two - 17th
week three - 17th

Trivia Answer

Week two, Ryan Longwell, MIN vs. IND (MIN 15, IND 18)

Two others kicked four FGs and lost their games

Week six, Joe Nedney, SF vs. PHI (SF 26, PHI 40)
Week four Matt Prater, DEN at KC (DEN 19, KC 33)

Thanks as always - Enjoy the games!

Please feel free to send any comments to haseley@footballguys.com.