During a recent game against Tampa Bay, Lamar Jackson showcased an exceptional passing performance, throwing five touchdown passes, completing 77.3% of his passes for 281 yards, with no interceptions. Despite this stellar display, Jackson narrowly missed achieving a perfect passer rating of 158.3, falling short by two-tenths of a point in completion percentage. The elusive perfect rating has only been achieved 60 times in the last 75 seasons, with Kyler Murray being the sole player to accomplish it this season.
The intricacies of the NFL's passer rating formula, which grades players based on completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdown pass percentage, and interception percentage, remain a mystery to many fans. To achieve the highest attainable rating, a player must meet specific thresholds in each of these metrics, a feat Jackson nearly accomplished in his recent game.
Shifting focus to the Kansas City Chiefs, the team has been on an impressive 12-game winning streak since a Christmas Day upset against the Las Vegas Raiders. Notably, the Chiefs have managed this streak without scoring more than 28 points in any game, a unique achievement in NFL history. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes has defied expectations by winning the first six games of the season despite throwing more interceptions than touchdowns, a rare occurrence in recent years.
Meanwhile, Jared Goff of the Detroit Lions has been a model of efficiency, completing all his passes in the first half of several games this season. Goff's consistent performance has propelled the Lions to success, with the team scoring more touchdown drives than incomplete passes in their last four games.
On the flip side, the Philadelphia Eagles have struggled to start games on offense, failing to score on their opening drive this season. The team's first-quarter woes have persisted, with a lack of points in the opening quarter becoming a recurring issue for the Eagles.
Lastly, the New York Jets and Giants have struggled in prime-time games, amassing a combined 4-31 record since the start of the 2019 season. Both teams have faced challenges in these high-profile matchups, with the Giants holding the worst win percentage in prime-time games.
