49ers Achieve Rare Feat with Four 1,000-Yard Rushers; Dolphins and Lions on Brink

49ers Achieve Rare Feat with Four 1,000-Yard Rushers; Dolphins and Lions on Brink

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The San Francisco 49ers and their wide variety of playmakers have accomplished a rare feat. They may soon be joined by the Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions. Tight end George Kittle became the latest Niners player to eclipse 1,000 yards rushing this season, joining Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuki and Deebo Samuel.

It made San Francisco the sixth team ever to have four players reach the mark in a single season, joining the 2020 Carolina Panthers, 2004 Indianapolis Colts, 1995 Atlanta Falcons, 1990 Houston Oilers and 1989 Washington. McCaffrey leads the way with 2,023 yards, fifth most in franchise history. It’s the second time he’s surpassed 2,000 yards since doing it with Carolina in 2019.

He joins Erik Dickerson and Marshall Faulk as the only players to do so in two games. San Francisco also has 4,000 yards passing, with Brock Purdy setting the franchise record with 4,280 — two more than Jeff Garcia in 2000. Of the previous four 1,000-yard rushing teams, only the Colts, Falcons and Oilers had a 4,000-yard passer. The Dolphins could join that group if rookie Deand#039;Von Achane rushes for 64 yards next week to join teammates Tyreek Hill, Raheem Mostert and Jaylen Waddle with at least 1,000 yards.

Tua Tagovailoa already has over 4,000 yards. The Lions also have a kicker, but will need rookie Sam LaPorta to gain 136 yards to join Amon-Ra St. With Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery at least 1,000 yards from the starting spot. Jared Goff has also already reached the 4,000-yard mark.

The Kansas City Chiefs wrapped up their eighth straight AFC West title with a win over Cincinnati on Sunday. It is the second-longest streak in NFL history, trailing only New England’s 11 consecutive division championships from 2009-2019. Kansas City’s nine consecutive playoff berths are tied with Indianapolis (2002-10) and Dallas (1975-83) for the longest streak, trailing only the Patriots’ 11-year streak.

 

 

 

 

While the Chiefs dominated the AFC West, no one could do the same in the NFC East. If the Cowboys win on Sunday or if the Eagles lose, it will mark the 19th straight season the team has not repeated as division champions.

Philadelphia last did it in the 2003-2004 season. Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin continued his impressive undefeated streak after the Steelers beat Seattle for their ninth win of the season. The Steelers went 20 consecutive undefeated seasons, one shy of Dallasand#039; record 1965-85. Tomlin coached 17 of those seasons, behind only Tom Landry (21 consecutive seasons) and Bill Belichick (19) for the longest coaching streaks. The New England Patriots close the season against their recent favorite and are looking for their 16th straight win over the New York Jets.

Only four teams have beaten their opponent 16 times in a row in the regular season. Kansas City’s 16-game hitting streak against Denver ended earlier this season. Washington had a 16-game winning streak over Detroit from 1968-1997, San Francisco beat the Rams by 17 from 1990-1998, and Miami had a 20-game winning streak against Buffalo from 1970-1979. If the Patriots lose, there’s more at stake than just the streak.

It would also be Belichickand 177th career loss, including the playoffs, which would tie Landry for the most all-time. A loss on Sunday would also tie Jeff Fisher and Dan Reeves’ record of 165 regular season losses. Joe Flacco’s journey from the couch to the Cleveland Browns crowd led to one of the most productive months ever for a quarterback. Flacco made his Cleveland debut on Dec. 3 after sitting out the entire season and threw for 1,616 yards and 13 TDs to help the Browns win four of five games in December and make the playoffs. Flacco threw more TD passes in December than the Jets (11), Titans (12) and Steelers (12) combined all season.

It was just the FIFTH time in NFL history that a quarterback threw for at least 1,600 yards and 13 TDs in a calendar month, Patrick Mahomes in October 2018, Peyton Manning in November 2014 and December 2013 and Jim Kelly in September 1991.

 

 

 

 

During Cleveland#039’s four-game hitting streak, Flacco threw for at least 300 yards with two or more TDs in each of those games. The only players since 2000 to do so in a four-game hitting streak are Manning (twice), Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees and Kurt Warner. For the second straight season, the Chicago Bears received the No. 1 pick in the draft, although this time they didn’t have to endure all the losses to get it.

The Carolina Panthers posted the NFL’s worst record less than 10 months after trading their 2024 first-round pick to Chicago as part of a package to move up from nine last year to No. 1 and No. 039; The last time a team traded a preseason number pick was in 1983, when Cincinnati traded quarterback Jack Thompson to Tampa Bay. The pirates went 2-14 in 1983 and had to send the top choice in the draft (1984) to Cincinnati.

The Bengals then traded the pick to New England. Irving Fryar was selected first overall by the Patriots. The same thing happened five years earlier when San Francisco traded the #1 overall pick to Buffalo for O.J. Simpson. The Bills used the pick on Tom Cousineau, who went to Canada instead of signing with Buffalo and was then traded to Cleveland on his return to the NFL. The 1979 draft worked out great for San Francisco even without a top pick. The Niners drafted Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana in the third round.