2024 NFL Season: 5 key statistics for Week 14 that you must know

There are only 13 games this week, but almost half (6) are divisional showdowns. There are rematches in Detroit, Pittsburgh, Arizona, and Kansas City, where the Packers, Steelers, Cardinals, and Chargers are looking to split their season series.

A win by the first-place Lions on Thursday night means a playoff berth for Dan Campbell’s squad. A victory by Andy Reid’s Chiefs on Sunday gives the reigning Super Bowl champions their ninth straight AFC West title.

Here’s more about those clubs and some other facts when it comes to Week 14.

5

Talk about a reversal of fortunes? There was a stretch from 2019-21 when the Green Bay Packers won five consecutive games vs. the rival Detroit Lions. That includes a 35-17 victory in ’21 in Dan Campbell’s first outing vs. the Packers as the Lions’ head coach. Later that year, Detroit came away with a wild 37-30 win at Ford Field on the final Sunday of the season.

Including that win, Campbell owns a 5-2 record vs. Green Bay, and earlier this season his club came away with a 24-14 victory at Lambeau Field in Week 9. With a victory on Thursday night, Campbell’s 11-1 team will clinch a playoff berth for the second straight season.

81

A season ago, in a total of 272 regular-season contests, there were a mere 82 individual rushing performances of 100 or more yards. That was the fewest in the league since the 1994 campaign when there were only 28 teams and a total of 224 regular-season games.

Now just 195 into contests into NFL 2024, there have already been 81 individual 100-yard rushing games. In his first year with Philadelphia, Saquon Barkley leads the league with eight games of 100-plus yards—six in the Birds’ last seven contests. It’s a career-high for Barkley, who had seven such performances as a rookie with the Giants in 2018.

1

Last week, one of the topics when it comes to this weekly staple was the Las Vegas Raiders’ failures in terms of forcing turnovers. That held up last week at Kansas City, as Antonio Pierce’s team finished with zero takeaways in a 19-17 loss. The Raiders remain dead last in the NFL in terms of taking away the football (5).

The 2018 San Francisco 49ers own the league mark for fewest takeaways in a season (8). That club picked off just two passes, also the fewest in a season in NFL annals. These days, Giants’ linebacker Darius Muasau is the answer to a trivia question. Who has the only interception for Big Blue this season?

10

Last Friday’s narrow escape vs. the Raiders raised the Kansas City Chiefs’ record to 11-1 this season. Andy Reid’s club became the first team in the league to secure a postseason berth in 2024 (although the Bills then won the AFC East last Sunday).

The reigning Super Bowl champions are in the playoffs for the 10th consecutive time, one year short of the NFL record (11) owned by the New England Patriots from 2009-19. Speaking of the number 11, the Chiefs have already equaled their victory total from a year ago with five games to play. They look to top that this week at Arrowhead Stadium vs. the improved Chargers.

38

Mike McCarthy’s team will look to make it three straight wins when the Cowboys host the explosive Bengals on Monday night. The statistical similarities between these teams are very disappointing but quite remarkable. Dallas is ranked 26th in total defense (5th in 2023), and Cincinnati is 27th in total yards per game allowed.

Both defensive units have allowed 38 offensive touchdowns. The Bengals have given up 340 points, while the Cowboys have allowed 339 points. McCarthy’s team is 5-7, Zac Taylor’s club is 4-8. Both teams are 2-2 in interconference action and are sitting in third place in their respective divisions.