CLOSE GAMES, ROAD WINS & MORE: Ten of 14 games (71.4 percent) in Week 5 were decided by six points or fewer, tied for the highest percentage of games decided by six or fewer points in a single week in the past 25 seasons.
The highest percentage of games decided by six or fewer points in a single week in the past 25 seasons:
SEASON
WEEK
PERCENTAGE OF GAMES DECIDED BY 6 OR FEWER POINTS
2017
5
71.4
2001
5
71.4
1999
5
71.4
1993
15
71.4
In Week 5, the average margin of victory was 7.93 points, the fifth-lowest average margin of victory in a single week in the past five seasons.
The lowest average score margin in a single week since 2013:
SEASON
WEEK
AVERAGE MARGIN OF VICTORY
2013
1
7.63
2013
2
7.63
2016
1
7.63
2016
8
7.85
2017
5
7.93
Ten teams – BALTIMORE, CAROLINA, GREEN BAY, JACKSONVILLE, KANSAS CITY, the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS, MINNESOTA, NEW ENGLAND, the NEW YORK JETS and SEATTLE – were victorious on the road in Week 5, the most road wins in a single week since Week 13, 2015 (11) and the highest road winning percentage (.714) in a single week since Week 10 of the 2015 season (.786).
— NFL —
ROCKING ROOKIES: Rookies across the league continued to make an impact in Week 5. Through the first five weeks of the season, rookies have accumulated 7,176 yards from scrimmage, the most by rookies through Week 5 since 1970.
The seasons with the most yards from scrimmage by rookies through Week 5 since 1970 (excluding 1987 season):
SEASON
MOST SCRIMMAGE YARDS BY ROOKIES THROUGH WEEK 5*
2017
7,176
2014
6,100
1983
5,711
2015
5,671
1971
5,429
*Excludes 1987 season
Rookies have also totaled 51 touchdowns through Week 5, the most through the first five weeks of a season since 1970.
The seasons with the most touchdowns by rookies through Week 5 since 1970 (excluding 1987 season):
SEASON
MOST TOUCHDOWNS BY ROOKIES THROUGH WEEK 5*
2017
51
1983
45
2014
42
2008
40
2015
39
1980
39
*Excludes 1987 season
– NFL —
SMITH’S SPOTLESS START: Kansas City quarterback ALEX SMITH completed 29 of 37 passes (78.4 percent) for 324 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for a 130.2 passer rating in the Chiefs’ 42-34 win over Houston on SundayNight Football.
Smith, who has 11 touchdown passes and no interceptions this season, joined STEVE BARTKOWSKI (1983) and ROMAN GABRIEL (1969) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 11 touchdown passes and zero interceptions through their team’s first five games of a season.
The quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes without an interception in their team’s first five games of a season:
PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR
TD PASSES
INTs
Alex Smith
Kansas City
2017
11
0
Steve Bartkowski
Atlanta
1983
11
0
Roman Gabriel
Los Angeles Rams
1969
11
0
— NFL —
ELEMENTARY FOR WATSON: Houston rookie quarterback DESHAUN WATSON passed for 261 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions for a 119.8 passer rating in the Texans’ loss to Kansas City in Week 5.
Watson became the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to pass for five touchdowns in a single game and the third to accomplish the feat without throwing an interception.
The rookie quarterbacks with at least five touchdown passes in a single game in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
DATE
TOUCHDOWNS
INTERCEPTIONS
Deshaun Watson
Houston
October 8, 2017
5
0
Jameis Winston
Tampa Bay
November 22, 2015
5
0
Matthew Stafford
Detroit
November 22, 2009
5
2
Ray Buivid
Chicago
December 5, 1937
5
0
Watson, who was 22 years, 24 days old on Sunday, became the third youngest quarterback in NFL history with five touchdown passes in a single game, trailing only MATTHEW STAFFORD (21 years, 288 days) and JAMEIS WINSTON (21, 320).
Watson, who ranks second in the NFL with 12 touchdown passes, has the most touchdown passes by a rookie quarterback in his team’s first five games of a season, surpassing MARCUS MARIOTA,who had nine TD passes in his team’s first five games in 2015.
— NFL —
ON THE HUNT: Kansas City rookie running back KAREEM HUNT had 116 scrimmage yards (107 rushing, nine receiving) in the Chiefs’ win over Houston in Week 5.
Hunt, who has at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his first five games this season, joined ADRIAN PETERSON (2007)as the only rookies in NFL history with at least 100 scrimmage yards in each of his team’s first five games of a season. Hunt’s 755 scrimmage yards are the third-most scrimmage yards by a rookie in his team’s first five games of a season, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer ERIC DICKERSON (787 in 1983) and ADRIAN PETERSON (782 in 2007).
The rookies with the most scrimmage yards in their team’s first five games to start a season:
PLAYER
TEAM
SEASON
SCRIMMAGE YARDS IN TEAM’S FIRST 5 GAMES
Eric Dickerson^
Los Angeles Rams
1983
787
Adrian Peterson
Minnesota
2007
782
Kareem Hunt
Kansas City
2017
775
Billy Sims
Detroit
1980
761
^Pro Football Hall of Famer
— NFL —
FIVE FOR FOURNETTE: Jacksonville rookie running back LEONARD FOURNETTE rushed for 181 yards with two touchdowns, including a 90-yard touchdown run, in the Jaguars’ 30-9 win at Pittsburgh last week.
Fournette, who has scored a touchdown in each of his first five games this season, is the fifth rookie to score at least one touchdown in each of his team’s first five games of a season.
The rookies with at least one touchdown in each of their team’s first five games of a season:
PLAYER
TEAM
SEASON
Leonard Fournette
Jacksonville
2017
Robert Edwards
New England
1998
Joe Cribbs
Buffalo
1980
Alan Ameche
Baltimore Colts
1955
Billy Howton
Green Bay
1952
Fournette (22 years, 263 days old) is the youngest player in NFL history with a touchdown run of at least 90 yards and is the fifth rookie in league annals with a 90+ yard rushing touchdown.
The rookies with a touchdown run of at least 90 yards in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM
DATE
YARDS
Bobby Gage
Pittsburgh
December 4, 1949
97t
DeMarco Murray
Dallas
October 23, 2011
91t
Bo Jackson
Los Angeles Raiders
November 30, 1987
91t
Sid Blanks
Houston Oilers
December 13, 1964
91t
Leonard Fournette
Jacksonville
October 8, 2017
90t
— NFL —
DOMINATING DEFENSE: The JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS recorded five interceptions, including interception-return touchdowns by linebacker TELVIN SMITH (28 yards) and safety BARRY CHURCH (51), in the team’s victory at Pittsburgh.
Jacksonville, which leads the NFL with 20 sacks, 10 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns, is the fourth team in NFL history and the first since the 1984 Seahawks with at least 20 sacks, 10 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in their first five games of a season.
The teams with at least 20 sacks, 10 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns in their first five games of a season:
TEAM
SEASON
SACKS
INTERCEPTIONS
DEFENSIVE TOUCHDOWNS
Jacksonville
2017
20
10
4
Seattle
1984
22
11
4
Cincinnati
1976
20
10
4
Washington
1973
26
11
5
— NFL —
200 AND COUNTING: Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD had six catches in the Cardinals’ loss at Philadelphia in Week 5.
Fitzgerald, who has a reception in 200 consecutive games, joined Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (274) and TONY GONZALEZ (211) as the only players in NFL history with at least one catch in 200 consecutive games.
The most consecutive games with a reception in NFL history:
PLAYER
TEAM(S)
SEASONS
CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH A RECEPTION
Jerry Rice^
San Francisco, Oakland
1985-2004
274
Tony Gonzalez
Kansas City, Atlanta
2000-2013
211
Larry Fitzgerald
Arizona
2004-present
200*
Marvin Harrison^
Indianapolis
1996-2008
190
Hines Ward
Pittsburgh
1998-2010
186
*Active streak
^Pro Football Hall of Famer
— NFL —
VICTORIOUS VINATIERI: Indianapolis kicker ADAM VINATIERI converted all four of his field-goal attempts, including the game-winning 51-yard field goal in overtime, in the Colts’ 26-23 victory over San Francisco last week.
Vinatieri has 24 game-winning field goals in the regular season in the final minute of the fourth quarter or overtime and 10 game-winners in overtime, both the most in NFL history.
The kickers with the most regular-season game-winning field goals in overtime in NFL history:
