The Saddest Stats Of NFL Week 4 - Bo Nix Fails Upward, Trevor Lawrence Fails, And Laremy Tunsil's Penalty Record Quest
And just like that. We're already a quarter into the NFL season if you don't count the encore 17th game. At this point - there's probably not much mystery left for sad fans of bad teams looking at the little number in the wins column. It's time to face that fact: Your team is what it isn't. And by now we have reached the acceptance phase of the NFL season. It's the "hey honey, would you like to go apple picking on this fine Sunday afternoon?" season that leads your special someone immediately wondering what you did wrong to pursue gaining such relationship points.
We'll never learn how to properly massage making such an offer, but if there's one thing we should have learned this week from watching football it's that Raheem Morris is absolutely correct.
Stats are for losers. And that's what brings you here today. You are here quite literally to bathe in loser stats. You are here to get involved in that stuff. Just like last Tuesday morning. And the one before that. And the one before that. And you'll be here next week too. But for today…
Here are your sad stats for Week 4:
Sad Stat #1 - Bo Nix is the only quarterback on record to throw for negative passing yards on combined completed passes in the first half.
Well I guess stats really are for losers.
Hi Jets fans. Just so we're clear this is really a Jet's sad stat. Welcome back! What an absolute kick to the nuts to go from watching the Jets finally pull together a fantastic, organized, in-sync offense on National TV last week to getting instant Zach Wilson PTSD. The Jets were certainly no fountain of offense themselves seeing as how they couldn't even beat a team with 60 total passing yards. Are we sure that wasn't really Zach under that towel? We know for a fact he was at the game. I think it's fair to say he has some real anti-jet aura. Even being in the vicinity of the Jets breaks them (and maybe whatever his team is too). Wouldn't be surprised if Boeing picks up the phone at some point to offer him a job.
Looking at the numbers here - this is the only game I show on record with a negative passing output in the first half for any team. And that's on completed passes, so yards lost on sacks aren't involved here. This tops a 3-yard output from Davis Mills (also in Week 4) in 2021 as the Texans were bull rushed by the Bills 40-0. And you know what? That's what's supposed to happen when you generate three yards passing in a half.
Just a cruel turn of events for Jets fans. Was the Patriots game just a Lucy with the football moment? I know the weather was awful Sunday, so you can chalk it up to the weather gods. And maybe that's right. But we all know how damaged you all are. Rodgers was supposed to cure you of your usual ineptitude on offense. All you can do right now is try to hang tight and keep it together and not let bad memories continue to haunt you. Certainly next week promises to allow you to move on with your lives so you can quit looking back.
Sad Stat #2 - Trevor Lawrence has the same record as Tim Couch (21-35) in their first 56 career games
We pivot to another struggling quarterback in Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence and the Jags are now 0-4 with a worse record than the Carolina Panthers. Yikes. I've been thinking about this last season and I'm ready to call it. He ain't it. There's been too much of a plateau in Lawrences' development and he just has too many moments where he turns into Will Levis. Some plays look like he has no interest in reading a defense and he just forces the ball to his first read. I'm getting close to calling Trevor Lawrence TL;DR. Not exactly the nickname you want from your #1 overall pick.
But I guess you could still say there's hope. Here's a list of every quarterback drafted #1 overall in order of win percentage in their first 56 games played (including playoffs).
There he is tied with Tim Couch, Jameis Winston, and Jim Plunkett - who will act as the official "maybe it'll work out, look at how Plunkett turned it around" last gasp hope for Lawrence. And Stafford isn't too far ahead but let's have a little more respect for how abysmal the Lions were when he arrived - even for a #1 overall draft pick.
Sad Stat #3 - Laremy Tunsil is on pace for 46.75 penalties this season
I always took Laremy for a guy who understood the gravity of situations requiring him to wear a mask. But it appears there might be some short-term memory loss in remembering the rules of his full time job. After just four weeks, Tunsil has summoned the yellow tinsel an astounding eleven times.
As shown, Brandon Browner is your total season penalties leader with just 20. Meaning Tunsil is already over half-way there. This will be a developing story throughout the season so I'll be sure to track and update this graph as the season tokes on.
Sad Stat #4 - Josh Jacobs is now your OFFICIAL "Most catches in NFL History without scoring a receiving touchdown" leader
I'll keep this short since I bring this stat up enough already but 204 catches without a receiving touchdown is absurd for a player who's as skilled in both rushing and passing as Jacobs is. And we covered Alexander Mattison getting a receiving touchdown on his first catch as a Raider earlier as the twist of the knife in this all-time bizarre sad stat.
I really hope he ends this soon once and for all. The only thing left now is to break Riggs' total scoreless receiving yards. Jacobs has reached 1,500 on the nose and trails by just 16-yards. The only other non-touchdown catch scorer close in NFL history is Eric Bieniemy at 1,223 career receiving yards.
Side note - Icky Woods is an all-time name
Sad Stat #4 - The Saints allowed 26-points despite giving up zero touchdowns on defense
26 points is the most points given up without allowing an opposing offense to score a touchdown since at least 1999 when public drive result data exists. And in that very year, the Vikings gave up 25 to the Lions in a Week 6 loss. Shoutout my Chicago Bears for doing Chicago Bears things to start off 2024 with an effort of their own winning 24-17 vs the Titans with zero offensive touchdowns.
Sad Stat #5 - Josh Johnson now has two game career passing slash lines of 1/1/1 (attempts/completions/yards)
It's rare to have a quarterback throw no incompletions in an entire game so I think Josh Johnson deserves some spotlight to celebrate his 1/1/1 Sunday Night outing.
1/1/1 slash lines are great. Sometimes it's for a receiver. Other times for a quarterback. Many non-quarterbacks get a 1/1/1 or even a 1/1/1/1 (adding a touchdown to the mix), but the last quarterback to go 1/1/1/1 was Tim Rattay in 2007. Unfortunately, we have not had the pleasure of seeing a devil's 1/1/1/1 (sub INT for TD) so I'm putting this on my list of random things to keep an eye out for. At the time of this writing, I'm watching this Dolphins/Titans game on the plane because I'm a sicco and let me tell you - the talent is there to make this stat happen. I believe.
But back to Josh Johnson. As the stat reads, this is actually his second career 1/1/1 silly slash stat. And you have to go way back to Week 15 2010 to find the match. Yes - this dude has been around for a minute. While he's only played in 41 games, he's been on a team for 193 games.
Sad Stat #6 - Jared Goff didn't get the game ball after completing 18/18 passes in Monday Night's victory
Have we not learned yet? Stats are for losers.
And that's why you'll be back for more next week.
Got a sad stat tip? Let me know: @StatholeSports
Catch up on last Week: