Chargers QB Philip Rivers
Through the first five weeks of the 2010 season, passing yardage is at an all-time high.
Net passing yards for the first five weeks is 33,452, the most ever at this point in a season.
"More teams are emphasizing the throwing game now," says NBC analyst and former head coach TONY DUNGY. "More and more people think that throwing the ball is the way you've got to win now."
"It's a passing league," says NFL Network and CBS analyst SOLOMON WILCOTS. "It's now a pass-first league. Coaches and offensive coordinators want to showcase their best playmaker."
"This is the deepest pool of quarterbacks in the history of the league. Quarterbacks are given the green light to win games doing what they do best -- throwing the ball."
MOST NET PASSING YARDS THROUGH FIRST FIVE WEEKS
| Season | Yards |
|---|---|
| (Source: NFL) | |
| 2010 | 33,452 |
| 2009 | 33,275 |
| 2002 | 32,982 |
| 2007 | 32,551 |
| 2005 | 31,628 |
This season, there have already been seven individual 400-yard passing games, including two by San Diego's PHILIP RIVERS.
Rivers' two 400-yard performances are tied for the third-most in an entire season, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (four in 1984 and three in 1986).
NFL 2010 400-YARD PASSING GAMES
| Player | Team | Date | Yards |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Source: NFL) | |||
| Matt Schaub | Houston | 9/19/10 | 497 |
| Kyle Orton | Denver | 9/26/10 | 476 |
| Philip Rivers | San Diego | 9/26/10 | 455 |
| Peyton Manning | Indianapolis | 9/12/10 | 433 |
| Philip Rivers | San Diego | 10/10/10 | 431 |
| Donovan McNabb | Washington | 9/19/10 | 426 |
| Tony Romo | Dallas | 10/10/10 | 406 |
The seven individual 400-yard passing games are the most in NFL history through the first five weeks of a season. Not only is 2010 on pace for the most such performances in a single season, but with one more 400-yard passing game, it will already tie for the third-most in a season.
"There's no question there are more good quarterbacks in the league right now," says Chicago Bears offensive coordinator MIKE MARTZ. "When there are more elite players at that position, it opens up the offense."
For the first time in league history, there are three quarterbacks -- San Diego's Rivers (1,759), Denver's KYLE ORTON (1,733) and Indianapolis' PEYTON MANNING (1,609) -- with at least 1,600 passing yards through their teams' first five games. A fourth -- Dallas' TONY ROMO (1,346 through four games) -- can increase the record total this Sunday when the Cowboys visit the Minnesota Vikings.
QBs with 1,600 yards in first five team games
| Player | Team | Games | Yards | Yards / Game |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Needs 254 yards to become 4th QB with 1,600 yards in first five team games (Source: NFL) | ||||
| Philip Rivers | San Diego | 5 | 1,759 | 351.8 |
| Kyle Orton | Denver | 5 | 1,733 | 346.6 |
| Peyton Manning | Indianapolis | 5 | 1,609 | 321.8 |
| Tony Romo* | Dallas | 4 | 1,346 | 336.5 |
"It's a quarterback league now," says CBS analyst and Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback DAN FOUTS. "It's how the game has evolved. You've got coaches willing to the throw the ball more than ever, and you've got receivers who are the best athletes on the field. Why wouldn't a coach want to use weapons like that?"
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