NFL Research spotlights the best nuggets from each slate of games. Here are the most eye-popping statistical accomplishments from Week 8 of the 2024 NFL season.
1) Tight ends make history on National Tight Ends Day
Happy National Tight Ends Day to all who celebrate.
On this extra special day, the biggest (literally) pass catchers in the league combined for 177 receptions, the most by tight ends on any single day in NFL history.
Their 1,965 receiving yards finished as the second-most in a single day, and the 16 combined receiving touchdowns cracked the top 10 (tied for eighth).
Holiday founder George Kittle capped off the day with 128 yards and a touchdown, the eighth game in his career with at least 125 yards and a score -- breaking a tie with Rob Gronkowski for the second-most by a tight end all time (and trailing Travis Kelce by one such game).
2) Captain Kirk delivers again against the Bucs
Kirk Cousins has shredded Todd Bowles’ defense since joining the Falcons this past offseason, with his two best performances of the year coming in Weeks 5 and 8, both against the Buccaneers. Cousins has eight touchdowns and one interception in two games versus Tampa Bay this season ... and six touchdowns against six interceptions in his other six games.
The 36-year-old quarterback became the fourth player in NFL history with at least 750 passing yards and eight touchdown passes against a single opponent in a season, joining Hall of Famers Joe Montana in 1990 (against the Falcons), Dan Marino in 1988 (against the Jets) and Y.A. Tittle in 1962 (against Washington).
3) Hurts shows off his rushing skills in win
Saquon Barkley may have been the Eagles' most important player in Week 8, but it was Jalen Hurts who enjoyed a historic rushing performance.
In a 20-point win over Joe Burrow and the Bengals, Hurts scored three rushing touchdowns (and threw for another). It was the third game of Hurts' career with at least three rushing touchdowns -- breaking the record for the most such games by a quarterback in NFL history.
It was also Hurts’ 14th career game with at least two rushing touchdowns. (Hurts is the only quarterback in NFL history with more than 10 such games.)
Hurts, who finished with 37 rushing yards, has had fewer than 70 rushing yards in all three of his three-touchdown games. That is tied with Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith for the most games with fewer than 70 yards and at least three touchdowns on the ground (since 1950).
4) Lions, Goff continue hot start to 2024 season
The Lions are 6-1, their best start to a season since 1956 (also started 6-1). They have outscored their opponents by 100 points, their most through seven games since 1954 (finished 9-2-1 and lost in the NFL Championship Game). The Lions also lead the NFL in scoring -- something they have not done since 1954, when there were only 12 teams in the league -- with an average of 33.4 points per game in 2024.
So yeah, this Detroit team is historic.
In the Lions' 52-14 dismantling of the Titans, Detroit scored five offensive touchdowns on drives that started inside of Tennessee's 30-yard line. Somewhat a result of this: Jared Goff finished with just 85 passing yards but still tossed three touchdown passes. Goff’s 85 passing yards are the fewest in a game by a player who also had at least three touchdown passes since Tony Eason in the 1985 AFC Championship Game against the Dolphins. (The Patriots quarterback finished with 71 passing yards and three touchdowns in a win.)
During the Lions’ current five-game win streak, Goff has a 146.5 passer rating, breaking Kurt Warner’s record for a five-game span in the Super Bowl era (144.8 in 1999) with a minimum of 100 pass attempts.
5) No. 2 overall pick Daniels makes memorable play
Jayden Daniels' status was in question all week heading into a highly anticipated matchup against the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Caleb Williams. Well, the No. 2 pick played despite his rib injury -- but neither the Commanders nor Bears had an impressive offensive showing for most of the game. In their first 21 offensive possessions combined, the two teams scored just one touchdown. On their final two possessions, they traded touchdowns -- but it was Daniels’ 52-yard scoring strike that will always be remembered.
Trailing by three points, from his own 48-yard line, Daniels dropped back to pass with two seconds on the clock. Twelve seconds later (the longest time from snap to throw on a touchdown pass since first tracked by Next Gen Stats in 2016), Daniels uncorked a true Hail Mary -- one that traveled 64 yards in the air, and another 4 yards after it was tipped and caught by Noah Brown.
The 52-yard touchdown from Daniels was the second-longest game-winning touchdown pass as time expired by a rookie in NFL history -- trailing only Tim Couch’s 56-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Johnson on Halloween of 1999 to beat the Saints.
That touchdown pass brought Daniels’ passing yards up over 300, making him the third rookie since 1950 with at least 300 yards passing, 50 yards rushing and zero interceptions thrown in a game -- joining Jalen Hurts (Week 15, 2020) and Justin Herbert (Week 7, 2020).
6) Nix joins elite Broncos QB in record books
The Broncos took down the Panthers, 28-14, earning their fifth win in six games. Rookie Bo Nix set career highs with 284 passing yards and three touchdown passes, with an additional rushing score. Nix became the first Broncos rookie quarterback with three touchdown passes and no interceptions in a game since Hall of Famer John Elway in 1983 against the Colts. Nix also joined Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts and Cam Newton as the only rookies since 1990 with at least three touchdown passes, one rushing touchdown and no interceptions.
The 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft also set a Broncos record for wins by a rookie starting quarterback (five, breaking a tie with Elway and Drew Lock).
Research shoutouts: Tony Holzman-Escareno (@FrontOfficeNFL), John Todd and Blake Warye (@bwaryeofblake)