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Seven from Sunday | NFL Kickoff Weekend

Posted at 12:53 AM, Sep 10, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-10 01:04:44-04

Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. (Photo by Wesley Hitt/Getty Images)

NEW YORK – Courtesy of NFL Communications, a look at seven statistical highlights from games played at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 9, the first week of the 2018 season.
  • ​There were several notable Kickoff Weekend records set and milestones reached on Sunday:
    • The 88 combined points by Tampa Bay (48) and New Orleans (40) are the most points scored in a single game on Kickoff Weekend in NFL history. The previous record was held by the Philadelphia Eagles (45) and Washington Redskins (42) who combined for 87 points on September 28, 1947.
    • New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES passed for three touchdowns against Tampa Bay and has 37 career touchdown passes in season-opening games, the most in NFL history, surpassing the previous record of 34 held by PEYTON MANNING.
    • New Orleans wide receiver MICHAEL THOMAS recorded a career-high 16 catches for 180 yards and one touchdown against Tampa Bay. Thomas’ 16 catches are the most by a player on Kickoff Weekend in NFL history, surpassing the previous record of 15 held by KEENAN ALLEN (September 13, 2015 vs. Detroit).
    • Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD had 76 receiving yards against Washington. Fitzgerald (1,068 receiving yards and eight touchdown catches) is one of five players with at least 1,000 career receiving yards and eight touchdown catches in season-opening games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (1,385 yards, nine touchdowns), ANDRE REED (1,225, 10), RANDY MOSS (1,194, 10) and DON MAYNARD (1,025, nine).
  • Tampa Bay quarterback RYAN FITZPATRICK passed for 417 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions and rushed for a touchdown in the Buccaneers’ 48-40 win at New Orleans. With his performance, Fitzpatrick joined Washington’s MARK RYPIEN (November 10, 1991 against Atlanta) as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to pass for at least 400 yards, four touchdowns and zero interceptions and rush for a touchdown in a single game.
    Buccaneers wide receiver DE SEAN JACKSON had 146 receiving yards and two touchdowns, including a 58-yard touchdown catch, in the win. Jackson has 27 career touchdowns of at least 50 yards, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famers LANCE ALWORTH and TERRELL OWENS for the third-most in NFL history. Only Pro Football Hall of Famers JERRY RICE (36) and RANDY MOSS (29) have more in league annals.
  • New England quarterback TOM BRADY passed for 277 yards with three touchdowns and one interception for a 102.2 passer rating in the Patriots’ 27-20 win over Houston. Brady, who is 41 years, 37 days old, became the third quarterback in NFL history to throw a touchdown pass in a season-opening game at the age of 41 or older, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers GEORGE BLANDA (45 years, 0 days) and WARREN MOON (41 years, 292 days).

    Running back Adrian Peterson of the Washington Redskins. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

  • Washington running back ADRIAN PETERSON rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown and had 70 receiving yards in the Redskins’ 24-6 win at Arizona. Peterson, who has 12,372 career rushing yards and 100 career rushing touchdowns, became the seventh player in NFL history to record at least 12,000 rushing yards and 100 rushing touchdowns. The six other players to accomplish the feat – MARCUS ALLEN, JIM BROWN, MARSHALL FAULK, WALTER PAYTON, EMMITT SMITH and LA DAINIAN TOMLINSON – are all enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.  ​
  • Kansas City wide receiver/punt returner TYREEK HILL had seven catches for 169 yards and two touchdowns, including a 58-yard touchdown catch, and a 91-yard punt-return touchdown in the Chiefs’ 38-28 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers.Hill joined Pro Football Hall of Famer BOB HAYES (December 8, 1968 vs. Pittsburgh) and TAVON AUSTIN (November 10, 2013 at Indianapolis) as the only players in NFL history to record a 50+ yard touchdown catch and a 90+ yard punt-return touchdown in a single game.Hill has 13 career touchdowns of at least 50 yards (six receiving, four punt-return, two rushing, one kick-return) in 32 career games and is tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer GALE SAYERS and DEVIN HESTER for the most 50+ yard touchdowns in a player’s first 35 career games in NFL history.
  • Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD recorded seven catches for 76 yards in the Cardinals’ loss to Washington. Fitzgerald has recorded at least one reception in 212 consecutive games and surpassed TONY GONZALEZ (211) for the second-longest streak of consecutive games with a catch in NFL history. Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE holds the record with at least one catch in 274 consecutive games from 1985-2004.
  • The CLEVELAND BROWNS and PITTSBURGH STEELERS played to a 21-21 tie at FirstEnergy Stadium. Sunday’s game marked the first Kickoff Weekend game to end in a tie since September 19, 1971, when the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos played to a 10-10 tie.

Cleveland rookie cornerback DENZEL WARD recorded two interceptions in his NFL debut. Ward, who is 21 years, 134 days old, became thefourth-youngest player in NFL history with at least two interceptions in a single game. Only DICKY MOEGLE (21 years, 39 days on October 23, 1955), MARCUS WILLIAMS (21 years, 114 days on December 31, 2017) and CHAMP BAILEY (21 years, 117 days on October 17, 1999) accomplished the feat at a younger age.

Antonio Brown of the Pittsburgh Steelers. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Ward became the first rookie to record multiple interceptions in a season-opening game since Indianapolis’ EUGENE DANIEL on September 2, 1984 against the New York Jets.​

Pittsburgh wide receiver ANTONIO BROWN had nine catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. Brown has 10,003 receiving yards in 116 career games and tied TORRY HOLT (116) for the second-fewest games to reach 10,000 receiving yards in NFL history. Only CALVIN JOHNSON (115 games) reached the milestone in fewer career games.