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With nine of 18 weeks and 138 of 272 games (50.7 percent) completed, the 2024 regular-season has crossed the halfway point. The Kansas City Chiefs are the last remaining unbeaten team at 8-0 and became the sixth reigning Super Bowl champions to win each of their first eight games, joining the 2015 and 2019 New England Patriots, 2011 Green Bay Packers, 1998 Denver Broncos and 1990 San Francisco 49ers.
NOTE: Joseph Santoliquito can be followed on "X", formerly Twitter, @JSantoliquito.
The 2024 NFL season is the most competitive NFL season to date. Seventy-five games have been decided by seven points or fewer and 65 by six points or less, both the most through Week 9 in NFL history.
The Indianapolis Colts are the fourth team all-time to have each of their first nine games of a season decided by one score, joining the 2019 Indianapolis Colts, 2016 Detroit Lions and 2015 Baltimore Ravens.
EDITOR's NOTE: As of early afternoon on Friday (eastern time), five of this weekend's games have FanDuel.com NFL Sportsbook odds of 6.5 points or more. The spread on last night's Cincinnati-Baltimore game closed in favor of the Ravens at exactly 6 points, but the Ravens only prevailed by one, 35-34, after teh Bengals scored in the final minute but missed on the two-point conversion pass attempt.
These teams have a recent history of high-scoring games. Last year in week 5, Baltimore's 41-38 overtime defeat of Cincinnati was the highest-scoring game of the season.
With last night's victory, Baltimore extended its home winning streak to four.
The Congrove Computer Rankings computer picks have six opposite plays on the moneyline, though its underdog is less than a 1-point computer pick in half of those.
Through Week 9, six teams that missed the postseason in 2023 have a winning record: Denver (5-4) and the Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) in the AFC and Arizona (5-4), Atlanta (6-3), Minnesota (6-2) and Washington (7-2) in the NFC. Since 1990 – a streak of 34 consecutive seasons – at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before.
Arizona (NFC West) and Washington (NFC East) currently lead their respective divisions halfway through the season after finishing in last place in their divisions in 2023. Both teams have a chance to go “worst-to-first” in 2024 and in 19 of the past 21 seasons (2003-23), at least one team finished in first place the season after finishing in last or tied for last. Additionally, at least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 20 of the past 21 years.
Chicago (Caleb Williams, No. 1 overall), Washington (Jayden Daniels, No. 2), Arizona (Marvin Harrison Jr., No. 4) and the Los Angeles Chargers (Joe Alt, No. 5) each made a top five selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. In five consecutive seasons (2019-23) and in 20 of the past 22 seasons (2002-23), a team that chose in the top five of the NFL Draft has qualified for the postseason.
Five teams that began the season 0-2 have posted a winning record in the past seven weeks: Baltimore (6-1 since Week 3), Cincinnati (4-3), Denver (5-2), Indianapolis (4-3) and the Los Angeles Rams (4-2). In eight of the past 11 seasons (2013-23), at least one team has made the postseason after beginning 0-2.
With the introduction of the dynamic kickoff, there has been a 66 percent increase in the number of returns through Week 9 from a year ago (445 in 2024, 268 in 2023) and the kickoff return rate of 31.2 percent (445 of 1,424) is up from 19.8 percent (268 of 1,351) at this point last year and 22 percent for the entire 2023 season (587 of 2,698). Additional 2024 trends include:
45.4 points per game – the highest average through Week 9 since 2021 (46.8 points per game).
91.7 passer rating – the fifth-highest mark through Week 9 in NFL history, trailing only 2020 (95.1), 2018 (94.0), 2021 (93.4) and 2019 (92.7).
65.3 completion percentage – the third-highest percentage through Week 9 all-time, trailing only 2020 (65.8) and 2021 (65.6).
245.1 rushing yards per game – the most through Week 9 since 1990.
4.49 yards per rush attempt – the second-highest average through Week 9 in NFL history, trailing only 2022 (4.54).
The Baltimore Ravens lead the NFL with 445.9 total yards of offense per game. Only four previous teams in the Super Bowl era have averaged 440-or-more total yards of offense in a season: the 2011 New Orleans Saints (467.1), 2013 Denver Broncos (457.3), 1982 San Diego Chargers (449.8 in nine games) and 2000 St. Louis Rams (442.2).
The Los Angeles Chargers have allowed the fewest points per game (12.6) this season and became the sixth team since 1990 to allow 20-or-fewer points in each of its first eight games of a season. Since 2000, six teams have allowed 13-or-fewer points in a season: the 2000 Baltimore Ravens (10.3), 2000 Tennessee Titans (11.9), 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12.3), 2005 Chicago Bears (12.6), 2006 Baltimore Ravens (12.6), and 2001 Chicago Bears (12.7).
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson leads the NFL with a 120.7 passer rating this season. There have only been three instances of a qualified passer finishing the regular season with a rating of 120-or-higher: Aaron Rodgers in 2011 (122.5 rating with Green Bay) and 2020 (121.5 with Green Bay), and Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning in 2004 (121.1 with Indianapolis).
Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley leads the league with 133.9 scrimmage yards per game (1,071 scrimmage yards in eight games) and is one pace for 2,276 scrimmage yards in a 17-game season. In the past 15 seasons (2009-23), only six players have registered 2,200-or-more scrimmage yards: Chris Johnson in 2009 (2,509 with Tennessee), Christian McCaffrey in 2019 (2,392 with Carolina), Adrian Peterson in 2012 (2,314 with Minnesota), DeMarco Murray in 2014 (2,261 with Dallas), Arian Foster in 2010 (2,220 with Houston) and Le’Veon Bell in 2014 (2,215 with Pittsburgh).
Baltimore running back Derrick Henry leads all players with 1,052 rushing yards in nine games this season and is on pace for 1,987 rushing yards over the course of a 17-game season. Since 2000, Henry is one of four players to reach 2,000 rushing yards in a season (2,027 rushing yards with Tennessee in 2020), along with Adrian Peterson in 2012 (2,097 rushing yards with Minnesota), Jamal Lewis in 2003 (2,066 with Baltimore) and Chris Johnson in 2009 (2,006 with Tennessee), and can become the first player in NFL history with multiple seasons of 2,000-or-more rushing yards.
Here’s a look at a few interesting storylines entering Week 10.
The Chiefs can become the fifth reigning Super Bowl champion to win its first nine games, joining the 2011 Green Bay Packers (began 13-0), 1998 Denver Broncos (began 13-0), 2015 New England Patriots (began 10-0) and 1990 San Francisco 49ers (began 10-0).
Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes has an .865 winning percentage (32-5) in 37 career starts against the AFC West, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning [.875 (28-4) against the AFC North] for the highest winning percentage by a quarterback against a division since 1970 (minimum 25 starts).
Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, with a regular-season career-high 14 receptions in Week 9 and 10 receptions in Week 8, has recorded at least 10 receptions in consecutive games for the third time in his career [2018 (Weeks 11 and 13) and 2020 (AFC Championship and Super Bowl LV)]. In the regular season, he has 959 career receptions and surpassed Antonio Gates (955 receptions) for the third-most regular-season receptions by a tight end in NFL history. Kelce enters Week 10 with 11,763 regular-season receiving yards and can surpass Gates (11,841 receiving yards) for the third-most regular-season receiving yards by a tight end all-time.
The Steelers, off a Week 9 bye, and Commanders both enter Week 10 on a three-game winning streak. Pittsburgh has the second-ranked scoring defense this season (14.9 points per game allowed) and has held their opponents to 20 points-or-fewer in seven of eight games. Washington ranks third in the NFL in scoring offense (29.2 points per game) and is 4-0 at home this season.
Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson is 2-0 with four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing) and no interceptions and a 111.9 rating in two starts this season. He has a touchdown pass in 21 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. Watt had two sacks in Week 8 and has 103 sacks since entering the NFL in 2017, the fourth-most sacks by a player in his first eight seasons since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famers Reggie White (124 sacks) and DeMarcus Ware (111) as well as Jared Allen (105).
Washington has won seven of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels’ first nine starts and with a win, Daniels can join Ben Roethlisberger (ten wins) and Dak Prescott (nine) as the only rookie quarterbacks ever to win at least eight of their first 10 career starts. Daniels is 4-0 at home and can become the fourth rookie quarterback since 1950 to win each of his first five career home starts, joining Chris Chandler (1988), Ben Roethlisberger (2004) and Russell Wilson (2012).
Commanders running back Austin Ekeler has 8,769 career scrimmage yards and can surpass Arian Foster (8,873 scrimmage yards) for the second-most scrimmage yards by an undrafted running back since 1967, trailing only Priest Holmes (11,134).
The Lions possess the league’s top scoring offense this season (32.3 points per game) and have won six consecutive games, the second-longest active streak in the NFL. The Texans are 4-0 at home in 2024 and have allowed the second-fewest yards per game (281.7) in the NFL this year. During their current six-game home winning streak, including the postseason, Houston has allowed 20-or-fewer points in each win.
Detroit quarterback Jared Goff has an 82.8 completion percentage (106 of 128) and 140.1 passer rating in his past six games, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning [78.3 percent (137 of 175) in 2008 with Indianapolis] for the highest completion percentage in a six-game span within a season in NFL history and Brock Purdy (138.1 rating in 2023 with San Francisco) for the highest passer rating in a six-game span within a season all-time, with a minimum 100 attempts in each category.
Houston running back Joe Mixon rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown in Week 9 and became the fifth player in NFL history with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in five of his first six games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Jim Brown (six games in 1958), O.J. Simpson (five in 1975) and Emmitt Smith (five in 1995) as well as DeMarco Murray (five in 2014).
The 2024 NFL international slate concludes in Munich, Germany, at Allianz Arena – home of FC Bayern Munich in Week 10. This marks the fourth regular-season NFL game in Germany and second in Munich (Tampa Bay 21, Seattle 16 on Nov. 13, 2022). The Giants are 3-0 in previous international regular-season games, with all three games occurring in London (wins at Wembley Stadium, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and Twickenham Stadium). They are one of four teams with multiple international wins and no losses, along with Minnesota (4-0), Kansas City (3-0) and Philadelphia (2-0).
Week 10 will mark the Panthers second regular-season international game. Carolina defeated Tampa Bay, 37-26 on Oct. 13, 2019, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London.
New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers has 55 receptions in seven career games and can surpass Puka Nacua (61 receptions) and Saquon Barkley (58) for the most receptions by a player in his first eight career games in NFL history.
The Maxwell Football Club has honored excellence at all levels of football since 1935 and the Club's outreach programs provide educational opportunities for student-athletes and coaches. With members in over 40 states the Maxwell Football Club is one of the largest football organizations in America. Become a member by visiting maxwellfootballclub.org.
NOTE: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is member of the Maxwell Football Club.
by Joseph Santoliquito, MaxwellFootballClub.org
LAS VEGAS — Patrick Mahomes and Brock Purdy were both in elementary school the last time an NFL team won consecutive Super Bowls.
When New England defeated Philadelphia on Feb. 6, 2005, to secure a second straight title in Super Bowl XXXIX, Andy Reid was on the Eagles’ sideline in a 24-21 loss. This time, Reid, Mahomes and the Chiefs have an opportunity to break the longest stretch of seasons without a repeat champion in NFL history. There were eight repeat winners over the first 39 Super Bowls, but none over the last 18.
Nineteen years ago, Kyle Shanahan had just ended his first season as an NFL assistant coach with Tampa Bay. And after watching his father, Mike, win consecutive Super Bowls (1997-98) as head coach of the Denver Broncos, the younger Shanahan with a victory this week would make that father-son tandem the first such duo in NFL annals to win Super Bowls as head coaches.
Christian McCaffrey’s dad, Ed, was a wide receiver on each of those Broncos teams and he also earned a ring in the last Super Bowl-winning season for the San Francisco 49ers. That happened in 1994 when Mike Shanahan was the 49ers’ offensive coordinator. Could the Shanahans and McCaffreys create a remarkable generational milestone this week?
Not if Chris Jones and the vaunted Chiefs defense has their way. And not if Mahomes can capture his third Super Bowl victory, something only four previous quarterbacks have accomplished: Tom Brady (seven) and Pro Football Hall of Famers Terry Bradshaw (four), Joe Montana (four) and Troy Aikman (three).
So stock up that pantry, don’t forget ice for the coolers, dust off your favorite Super Bowl recipes and join more than 100 million of your closest friends watching on CBS.
Super Bowl LVIII is here, and live betting will be off the rails.
Kansas City moved quickly to hire Andy Reid as head coach on Jan. 7, 2013. Since that day, over 11 seasons, the Chiefs have not experienced a losing campaign. No other NFL team has an active streak of winning seasons longer than five years. Reid has led his team to Super Bowls in four of the past five seasons after the franchise went 49 straight years (1970-2018) without a Super Bowl berth.
Since Allegiant Stadium opened in 2020, the Chiefs and 49ers are a combined 5-0 at the facility. Kansas City is 4-0 all-time in Las Vegas, including a Week 12 victory over the Raiders earlier this season. The 49ers, meanwhile, won their only regular-season game at the stadium, a 37-34 overtime triumph over Las Vegas in Week 17 of the 2022 season.
The number of Pro Bowl selections, including 2023, earned by 49ers tackle Trent Williams prior to playing in his first Super Bowl this week. Only three other players – Pro Football Hall of Famers Champ Bailey (12), Bruce Matthews (12) and Reggie White (11) – earned as many Pro Bowl selections prior to playing in their first Super Bowls.
Joseph Santoliquito can be followed on "X", formerly Twitter, @JSantoliquito.
The Maxwell Football Club has honored excellence at all levels of football since 1935 and the Club's outreach programs provide educational opportunities for student-athletes and coaches. With members in over 40 states the Maxwell Football Club is one of the largest football organizations in America. Become a member by visiting maxwellfootballclub.org.
NOTE: CollegeFootballPoll.com's Dave Congrove is member of the Maxwell Football Club.