Next Gen Stats continues to evolve how we can quantify what we see on Sundays (and Mondays, Thursdays, an occasional Friday or Saturday and some other days). Senior NFL Researcher Tony Holzman-Escareno tried to uncover some hidden gems using NFL Pro data.
Here are 11 insane Next Gen Stats entering Week 14…
NOTE: Data from NFL Pro and Next Gen Stats.
1. Dak Prescott’s Efficient Targets
Dak Prescott leads the NFL with 271.8 passing yards per game this season, while also trailing only Matthew Stafford (32) with 25 pass touchdowns. He’s also been hyper efficient with two of his targets. Prescott has a 122.2 passer rating targeting George Pickens, the second highest in the NFL (minimum 80 targets). Prescott also has a 114.7 passer rating targeting Jake Ferguson, the highest among quarterback-tight end duos and the fourth-highest in the NFL. The four highest in the NFL are below:
- Sam Darnold to Jaxon Smith-Njigba (128.4)
- Dak Prescott to George Pickens (122.2)
- Matthew Stafford to Puka Nacua (114.9)
- Dak Prescott to Jake Ferguson (114.7)
2. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens vs Lions Man Coverage
How ‘bout them Cowboys again. There could be one decisive advantage for the Cowboys against the Lions in Week 14. The Lions play man coverage at the highest rate (44.6 percent) in the NFL. Dak Prescott leads the NFL in passing yards (1,071) against man coverage, while each of his top two receivers rank in the top six in receiving yards against man. George Pickens leads the league with 29 receptions and 504 receiving yards against man, while CeeDee Lamb has the sixth-most receiving yards (296). This with the latter missing three games and playing six snaps in another this season.
3. Quinnen Williams in Big D(efense)
The Cowboys trade for Quinnen Williams has paid immediate dividends. Dallas has allowed 21.7 points per game since Williams made his debut in Week 11. They allowed 30.8 points per game in their 9 games prior. Williams has more total pressures in three games with the Cowboys (19) than he had in eight games with the Jets (16). He has five-plus pressures in each of his three games with Dallas. He had no such games with the Jets. Since Week 11, the Cowboys defense has a 43.9 pressure rate with Williams on the field, which would be the highest in the NFL this season. It drops to 22.0 percent with him off the field, which would be the lowest.
4. Jahmyr Gibbs Sonic-ism
Another player in the Thursday Night Football game this week, Jahmyr Gibbs has continued to make history. He joined Barry Sanders as the only players to have at least 1,200 scrimmage yards and 10 rush touchdowns in three career seasons before turning 24. Gibbs speed has lived up to his Sonic moniker: he has three of the six carries that reached 22-plus miles per hour and has accounted for three of the four highest ball carrier speeds this season. Number 0 has accounted for three of the four fastest ball carrier speeds this season.
5. Drake Maye’s Second-Season Excellence
Drake Maye leads the NFL with a 71.5 completion percentage this season, which makes his NFL-best 35 tight-window completions even more impressive. The 23-year-old MVP candidate has been elite in so many different situations. Maye leads the NFL in passer rating in the following categories: deep passes (136.5), under pressure (104.4), outside the numbers (127.9), past the sticks (125.6), vs zone coverage (114.9), vs two-high safeties (111.1), and vs sub packages (111.8). He ranks second on tight-window throws (80.4) and against the blitz (124.9).
NGS Definition: Tight Window (less than 1 yard of separation when the pass arrives).
6. Davante Adams: Coverage Beater
Davante Adams leads the NFL with 14 receiving touchdowns this season. He’s one shy of becoming the fifth player in NFL history with 15+ receiving touchdowns in multiple career seasons. The other four to do so are in the Pro Football Hall of Fame (Jerry Rice Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, and Marvin Harrison Sr.). There’s always talks of man beaters and zone beaters. Adams is a coverage beater: he leads the NFL in touchdown catches against both man coverage (8) and zone coverage (6) this season.
7. The Micah Parsons 20/20 Club
Micah Parsons leads the NFL with 70 total pressures and 33 quick pressures despite facing a 21.4 double team percentage, the highest among edge rushers with at least 225 pass rush snaps. Parsons has two games with ten-plus pressures this season, including ten against the Lions on Thanksgiving. The rest of the NFL has three such games combined. This might embody Parsons’ greatness best; there have only been two players to generate a 20-plus pressure percentage and face a 20-plus double team rate in the same season in the Next Gen Stats era (minimum 100 pass rush snaps):
- Micah Parsons in 2023.
- Micah Parsons in 2025.
NGS Definition: Quick Pressures (under 2.5 seconds)
8. Clutch Pass Rushers: Will Anderson Jr. and Aidan Hutchinson
Aidan Hutchinson and Will Anderson Jr. have some things in common. Both were top three picks in their respective drafts, and both rank in the top three in quarterback pressures this season. Hutchinson is second with 65 this season, while Anderson is third with 62. However, it’s when they’ve affected the passer that has mattered most. Anderson has 36 pressures on third down this season, nine more than the next closest player, Myles Garrett (27). Anderson also leads the NFL with 3.5 sacks on third down in the fourth quarter. Hutchinson leads the NFL with 32 pressures in the fourth quarter this season, only five shy of the most in a season in the Next Gen Stats era (Trey Hendrickson, 37 in 2024).
9. Patrick Mahomes against the Texans Zone Coverage
Patrick Mahomes has averaged 8.6 pass yards per attempt against zone coverage this season, the third highest in the NFL. However, he’s only averaged 5.2 pass yards per attempt against man coverage, the fifth lowest in the NFL. With the Chiefs season likely on the line, they draw the Texans number-one scoring and total defense in Week 14. The Texans defense allows an NFL-low 6.2 yards per attempt in zone coverage and has the best zone coverage defender in the NFL (see below).
10. The Derek Stingley Jr. Zone (Coverage)
Presenting the best zone coverage defender in the NFL: Derek Stingley Jr.. He leads all cornerbacks with 13 interceptions since being selected third-overall in 2022. He’s developed into one of the game’s best at his position, especially in zone coverage. He’s allowed a 40.0 completion percentage and a 21.1 passer rating in zone coverage, both the lowest in the NFL (minimum 25 targets). His 4.6 yards per target allowed and 114 pass yards allowed are both the lowest among cornerbacks. Stingley has also made plays when he has been tested, posting an NFL-high 28.0 ball hawk percentage in zone coverage.
11. J.J. McCarthy Targeting Justin Jefferson
It’s been a less-than-ideal start to the J.J. McCarthy era in Minnesota. This has been highlighted most by his connection with star receiver Justin Jefferson. Jefferson has averaged the most career receiving yards per game (92.5) in NFL history. He’s averaged just 53.0 in McCarthy’s six starts. The former Michigan quarterback has six interceptions and a 47.4 passer rating when targeting Jefferson, both the worst among 88 quarterback-receiver duos with at least 40 targets this season.