NFL Research offers the best nuggets from each week of games in the NFL. Here are the most eye-popping statistical accomplishments from Week 6 of the 2023 NFL season.
1) Dolphins have another record-breaking performance
This week it's all about Tyreek Hill and Raheem Mostert’s historic performances against the Carolina Panthers.
Hill torched the Panthers for 163 yards in Week 6, bringing his 2023 total to 814 receiving yards, the most in the first six games of a season in the Super Bowl era. Hill was already the only Dolphins player with 700-plus receiving yards in the team’s first six games of a season (he had 701 receiving yards in his first six games of 2022).
It was Hill’s 12th career game with at least 150 receiving yards and a touchdown, tied with Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson for the third-most such games in a player’s first eight seasons.
Now, Mostert, who entered Week 6 tied with Christian McCaffrey for the most touchdowns this season (eight), added another three against the Panthers.
The only player since the 1970 merger with more touchdowns in the first six games of a season than Mostert is Shaun Alexander, who scored 12 times through six games in 2005 en route to winning MVP.
Mostert’s career high in touchdowns entering this season was 10, set in 2019 with the 49ers. He has already eclipsed that total. At age 31, Mostert is on pace to become the oldest player to lead the NFL in touchdowns (outright) in a season since Hall of Famer John Riggins in 1983.
Also, a note on how well-balanced this Dolphins team has been: They have exactly 15 rushing touchdowns and 15 passing touchdowns this season (both pace the NFL).
The only other team in NFL history with at least 15 touchdowns, both passing and rushing, through six games was the 1958 Colts, who went on to win the NFL Championship that season.
The Dolphins also lead the NFL in rushing and passing yards, something no team has done since 1941 when the Bears led the other nine NFL teams in both categories and capped the season off with an NFL Championship win.
One parting note, the Dolphins are the only team in the NFL averaging over 150 rushing yards per game (181.8). They are also the only team averaging 300-plus passing yards per game (316.8).
2) Christian McCaffrey can't stop scoring
McCaffrey’s day, unfortunately, ended early due to an oblique injury, but not before he found the end zone for the 15th consecutive game.
McCaffrey’s streak of 15 straight games scoring a scrimmage touchdown is tied for the longest such streak in NFL history, including playoffs. The most recent player prior to McCaffrey with a scrimmage touchdown in 15 consecutive games was Hall of Famer John Riggins back in the early 1980s.
3) A.J. Brown makes plays happen amid loss
The Eagles were held to just 14 points and took their first loss of the season in Week 6 against the Jets, but Brown still had a productive day, one that puts him in rare company.
This was Brown’s fourth consecutive game totaling at least 125 receiving yards, the longest streak in Eagles franchise history.
The only player since the 1970 merger to have a longer streak of games with 125-plus yards receiving is Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, who did so for five straight games in 2012 when he set the NFL record for receiving yards in a season (1,964 in 2012).
4) Browns defense does more than take down Mr. Irrelevant
The Browns became the first team in NFL history to defeat Brock Purdy in a regular season game that he started. But that is not why they landed in the Week 6 Stats and Records article.
The Browns' defense did something no team has done in over 50 years. Through five games, the Browns have allowed just 1,002 total yards. That’s right, they are allowing an average of 200.5 yards per game.
That is the fewest yards allowed through five games by any team since the 1971 Baltimore Colts (836 yards).
5) Ja’Marr Chase keeps racking up yards
The Bengals got back to .500 this week, and Chase added another 80 yards to his résumé.
Through 35 career games, Chase has amassed 3,057 receiving yards. That is the fifth-fewest games required to reach 3,000 receiving yards all-time, trailing just Odell Beckham Jr., Charley Hennigan, Justin Jefferson and Lance Alworth.
6) Adam Thielen makes new record for Carolina
Strange but true: Thielen already has more games with at least 10 receptions, 100 receiving yards, and a touchdown this season (three) than any other player has in a season in Panthers history.
In total, Thielen has 24 games with at least 100 receiving yards in his career, the third-most 100-yard receiving games by an undrafted player in the common draft era (since 1967).
Only Rod Smith (30 games) and Wes Welker (28) have more.
7) Josh Allen joins elite group
It wasn’t pretty, but the Bills defeated the Giants 14-9 on Sunday Night Football, and Allen added two more passing touchdowns to his resume.
Allen’s first touchdown of the night was the 150th of his career, and it came in his 83rd career game. Only four players in NFL history have reached the 150 passing touchdown milestone faster than Allen -- Dan Marino (62 games), Patrick Mahomes (63), Aaron Rodgers (76) and Andrew Luck (77).