NFL Fun Stats is put together to provide a wide range of number-oriented morsels for those who crave the delicacy and geek-dom of NFL statistics, news and notes. If you’re not quoting one note each week, I’m not doing my job. Here are your water cooler nuggets.

87

Combined sacks taken by the top five most sacked quarterbacks after five weeks in the NFL. The list includes the Seattle Seahawks Russell Wilson (22), the Kansas City Chiefs Alex Smith (21), the San Francisco 49ers Colin Kaepernick (16), the Buffalo Bills Tyrod Taylor (14) and the San Diego Chargers Philip Rivers (14). Ironically, three of those quarterbacks are considered the most elusive in the NFL (Wilson, Kaepernick and Taylor) and run with the football better than some running backs in the league. The perception is that immobile quarterbacks were the lame ducks in the pocket, but goes to show if the offensive lines are lousy or you can’t read a defense, the defense will find you before you find your intended receiver.

405

 Rushing yards by Tampa Bay Buccaneers Doug Martin places him in a three-way tie with the Arizona Cardinals Chris Johnson and Atlanta Falcons Devonta Freeman for second place in the NFL.  Martin has seen a revival in his production which coincides with being healthy for the first time since his rookie season (2012). In his previous two seasons, Martin rushed for just 456 yards in 2013 and 494 yards in 2014 since his breakout rookie season when he had 1,454 rushing yards. With back-to-back 100-yard performances over the last two weeks it should not take long for Martin to pass his previous two single season totals as he re-establishes himself as the featured back for the Buccaneers.

2

Running backs currently are averaging over 100-yards rushing per game this season. Last week New York Jets Chris Ivory sat alone in the category, but St. Louis Rams rookie Todd Gurley has now joined him atop the list of the most productive running backs per game. Each is averaging exactly 104.7 yards per game.

5

Quarterback sacks are the most by any player in the NFLthis year. Detroit Lions Ezekiel Ansah and Cincinnati Bengals Carlos Dunlap each have five sacks on the season and lead the league. Sticking with the magical No. 5 the Bengals are a perfect 5-0 while the underachieving Lions are 0-5.

4

Comeback wins by Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan leads the NFL and has helped the team remain unblemished in the win/loss column (5-0). It also raises a few concerns that playing in that many close games can ‘come back’ to haunt you down the road.

7

Interceptions thrown by Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie quarterback Jameis Winston after five weeks of NFL action. Due to his lack of experience he is scrutinized for his miscues, but in fact Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning and Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck, two of the most respected in the league, have matched Winston with each throwing seven ill-advised passes to the defense. All three quarterbacks are presumably delighted to be behind Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford who leads the NFL with eight.

2

Touchdown passes thrown by Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater this season. That is the lowest team total in the league and covers four games (16 quarters) of football.  Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer reached that total (2) in the first half alone against the Detroit Lions in Week 5. Palmer and Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers are tied at 13 touchdown passes a piece to lead the NFL.

1

Lone rushing touchdown by the Seattle Seahawks takes them off the list of teams with zero. Against the Cincinnati Bengals, Seahawks rookie running back Thomas Rawls reached pay dirt for the first time in his NFL career and also the first time the team recorded a single rushing touchdown this season. Two other teams remain scoreless in the category, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Miami Dolphins.

78.4

Yards allowed per game against the run are tops in the NFL by the Atlanta Falcons. First year head coach Dan Quinn, who was hired away from the Seattle Seahawks where he served as their defensive coordinator, is putting his stamp on a defense that ranked 12^th last year in the same category.

89.6

Targets is the projected average by Seattle Seahawks tight end Jimmy Graham in his first season with the team. Those targets are light years away from the targets he received during his time with the New Orleans Saints, where he averaged 137.7 targets over the last four years.  Last season, Seattle targeted their tight ends 84 times with the passes distributed to four different tight ends that include Zack Miller (40), Cooper Helfet (24), Tony Moeaki (13) and Zach Miller (7). This season, the Seahawks have targeted their tight ends 39 times with 28 going to Graham and 11 aimed at Miller.  Graham caught 64% of the passes thrown his way in New Orleans the four previous years. If that average remains the same in Seattle he’ll reach roughly 59 catches with the Seahawks. Not bad by industry standards, but definitely not the numbers that have made Graham special.