A look at seven statistical highlights from games played at 1:00 p.m. ET and 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 10, the first week of the 2017 season.
Atlanta tight end AUSTIN HOOPER had two catches for 128 yards, including an 88-yard touchdown reception in the Falcons’ 23-17 win at Chicago. Hooper’s 88-yard touchdown is the longest TD catch by a tight end in a season opener in NFL history
Los Angeles Rams cornerback TRUMAINE JOHNSON and safetyLAMARCUS JOYNER each had an interception-return touchdown and defensive end MORGAN FOX recorded a safety in the team’s 46-9 win over Indianapolis.
The RAMS are the first team in NFL history to record two interception-return touchdowns and a safety in a season opener.
The Rams’ two interception-return touchdowns are tied for the most ever in a season opener and Los Angeles is the first team to accomplish the feat on Kickoff Weekend since the 2007 Minnesota Vikings (September 9, 2007 vs. Atlanta).
The Jacksonville Jaguars, led by defensive ends CALAIS CAMPBELL (four sacks) and DANTE FOWLER, JR. (one sack, 53-yard fumble-return touchdown), defeated Houston 29-7 at NRG Stadium.
The JAGUARS, who had 10 sacks and a defensive touchdown in the contest, are the second team in NFL history with at least 10 sacks and a defensive touchdown in a season-opening game. The Los Angeles Raiders recorded 10 sacks and had a 76-yard interception-return touchdown in the team’s 31-0 victory against the New York Jets on September 8, 1985.
Detroit quarterback MATTHEW STAFFORD passed for 292 yards with four touchdowns and one interception for a 113.1 passer rating in the Lions’ 35-23 win over Arizona. Stafford, who led the Lions back from a 17-15 fourth-quarter deficit, has 27 game-winning drives in the fourth quarter or overtime since 2011, the most such drives by a quarterback in the NFL over the span.
Last year, the Lions won eight games when trailing in the fourth quarter, the most by a team in a single season in NFL history.
Cleveland rookie quarterback DE SHONE KIZER passed for 222 yards with a touchdown and rushed for a TD against Pittsburgh in his first career start. Kizer’s start marks the 10th consecutive season a rookie quarterback has started on Kickoff Weekend, the longest streak since at least 1950
Pittsburgh rookie linebacker T.J. WATT had two sacks and an interception in the Steelers’ 21-18 win at Cleveland. Watt is the first player to record at least two sacks and an interception in an NFL debut on Kickoff Weekend since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.
Oakland kicker GIORGIO TAVECCHIO converted all four of his field-goal attempts in the Raiders’ 26-16 victory at Tennessee. Tavecchio, who connected on two 52-yard field goals in the contest, is the first player in league history to make two field goals of at least 50 yards in his NFL debut. He also joins SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI as the only players in team history to convert multiple 50-yard field goals in a single game.
