Updates

Success for young quarterbacks highlighted the 2019 regular season as 208 games featured at least one starting quarterback under the age of 27, the most in a single season in NFL history. Quarterbacks under the age of 27 started 287 games and recorded 144 wins in those starts this season, both single-season highs since 1970. Three quarterbacks under the age of 25 — Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes and Houston’s Deshaun Watson —led their teams to division titles in each of the past two seasons.

Competitiveness was a constant theme throughout the regular season as 68% of games (174 of 256) were within one score — eight or fewer points — in the fourth quarter, tied for the fifth-most in a single season, while 52.3% of games (134 of 256) were decided by eight or fewer points, also tied for the fifth-most in a single season. Additionally, 57 games saw a team come back to win or tie after trailing in the fourth quarter.

The 2019 season saw two playoff spots and two division titles — the NFC East and NFC West — decided on the last day of the season. The week 17 excitement is due in part to having all 32 teams playing divisional games on the season’s final day, a tradition instituted in 2010.

Five of the 12 playoff teams in 2019 — Buffalo, Green Bay, Minnesota, San Francisco, and Tennessee — returned to the playoffs after missing them last season. In every season since 1990, at least four teams have earned playoff berths after not making the postseason the year before.

Both the Green Bay Packers (NFC North) and San Francisco 49ers (NFC West) won their division after missing the postseason in 2018. At least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 16 of the past 17 years.

Teams to win their division a season after missing the postseason since 2003:

*Worst to first

The 2019 season will go down as one of the most prolific offensive seasons in league history.

Teams combined to score 1,332 total touchdowns, the third-most in a single season. The 11,680 total points were tied for the third-most.

Five teams — Baltimore (33.2 points per game), San Francisco (29.9), New Orleans (28.6), Tampa Bay (28.6) and Kansas City (28.2) — averaged at least 28 points per game this season. 2019 joins 2014 (six teams) as the only seasons with five-or-more teams averaging at least 28 points per game since 1970.

The Ravens, who scored at least 40 points in five games this season, led the NFL with 3,296 rushing yards, surpassing the 1978 New England Patriots (3,165) for the most rushing yards by a team in a single season.

In 2019, league-wide passing numbers continued to trend at a historic pace. Overall, the 90.4 passer rating (second), 63.5 % completion percentage (second), 11,331 total completions (fourth) and 797 touchdown passes (fifth) all ranked in the top five for highest in a single season in NFL history.

Eleven quarterbacks passed for at least 4,000 yards in 2019, including four with at least 4,500 passing yards:

• Jameis Winston, TB - 5,109
• Dak Prescott, DAL - 4,902
• Jared Goff, LAR - 4,638
• Philip Rivers, LAC - 4,615

Twelve quarterbacks threw at least 25 touchdown passes, including four with at least 30:

• Lamar Jackson, BAL - 36
• Jameis Winston, TB - 33
• Russell Wilson, SEA - 31
• Dak Prescott, DAL - 30

Three rookie quarterbacks each passed for at least 20 touchdowns this season:

• Daniel Jones, NYG
• Gardner Minshew, JAX
• Kyler Murray, ARZ

2019 is the second season in which at least three rookie quarterbacks each passed for 20-or-more touchdowns; in 2012, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson each passed for 20-or-more touchdowns.

Nine quarterbacks had a passer rating of 100 or higher in 2019, including three with a rating of at least 110:

• Ryan Tannehill, TEN - 117.5
• Drew Brees, NO - 3
• Lamar Jackson, BAL - 113.3

The nine quarterbacks with a passer rating of 100 or higher were tied with the 2018 season for the most in a single season.

Sixteen players rushed for at least 1,000 yards. Four with at least 1,300 yards:

• Derrick Henry, TEN - 1,540
• Nick Chubb, CLV - 1,494
• Christian McCaffrey, CAR - 1,387
• Ezekiel Elliott, DAL - 1,357

Seven players recorded at least 10 rushing touchdowns in 2019:

• Derrick Henry, TEN - 16
• Aaron Jones, GB - 16
• Christian McCaffrey, CAR - 15
• Dalvin Cook, MIN - 13
• Ezekiel Elliott, DAL - 12
• Todd Gurley, LAR - 12
• Mark Ingram, BAL - 10

Twenty-six running backs totaled at least 1,000 scrimmage yards, including eight with at least 1,500:

• Christian McCaffrey, CAR - 2,392
• Ezekiel Elliott, DAL - 1,777
• Nick Chubb, CLV - 1,772
• Derrick Henry, TEN - 1,746
• Leonard Fournette, JAX - 1,674
• Dalvin Cook, MIN - 1,654
• Aaron Jones, GB - 1,558
• Austin Ekeler, LAC - 1,550

Three running backs each recorded at least 18 scrimmage touchdowns this season:

• Aaron Jones, GB - 19
• Christian McCaffrey, CAR - 19
• Derrick Henry, TEN - 18

2019 was the third season in NFL history with three players totaling at least 18 scrimmage touchdowns each, joining 2005 (Shaun Alexander, Larry Johnson and LaDainian Tomlinson) and 1962 (Jim Brown, Jim Taylor and Abner Haynes).

Twenty-nine players had at least 1,000 receiving yards, including five with at least 1,200 yards:

• Michael Thomas, NO - 1,725
• Julio Jones, ATL - 1,394
• Chris Godwin, TB - 1,333
• Travis Kelce, KC - 1,229
• Devante Parker, MIA - 1,202

Five players had at least 100 receptions in 2019:

• Michael Thomas, NO – 149 (single-season NFL record)
• Christian McCaffrey, CAR - 116
• Keenan Allen, LAC - 104
• Deandre Hopkins, HST - 104
• Julian Edelman, NE - 100

Three players had at least 10 touchdown catches this season:

• Kenny Golladay, DET - 11
• Mark Andrews, BAL - 10
• Cooper Kupp, LAR - 10

Five rookies recorded at least seven touchdown receptions in 2019:

• J. Brown, TEN - 8
• Darius Slayton, NYG - 8
• Marquise Brown, BAL - 7
• Terry McLaurin, WAS - 7
• DK Metcalf, SEA - 7

Rookies combined for 110 touchdown receptions in 2019, which surpassed 2014 (109) for the most touchdown receptions by rookies in a single season since 1970.

Eighteen players recorded at least 10 sacks, including five with at least 14 sacks, in 2019:

• Shaquil Barrett, TB - 19.5
• Chandler Jones, ARZ - 19
• Cameron Jordan, NO - 15.5
• Danielle Hunter, MIN - 14.5
• J. Watt, PIT - 14.5

Five players registered at least five forced fumbles this season:

• Chandler Jones, ARZ - 8
• J. Watt, PIT - 8
• Shaquil Barrett, TB - 6
• Ryan Anderson, WAS - 5
• Khalil Mack, CHI - 5

2019 was the first season since 2002 where two players (Dwight Freeney and Leonard Little) had at least eight forced fumbles in a season.

Ten players recorded at least five interceptions, including three with six interceptions, this season:

• Stephon Gilmore, NE - 6
• Anthony Harris, MIN - 6
• Tre’Davious White, BUF - 6