Inside Week 18 NFL numbers: Jets exorcise Foxborough demons

Using Stathead from Pro Football Reference, Yardbarker shines a spotlight on key names and numbers from Sunday's NFL action:

The best a win can get: The New York Jets' 17-3 win at the New England Patriots toppled several longstanding streaks. It was the Jets' first win over the Patriots since head coach Todd Bowles and quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick defeated Bill Belichick and Tom Brady on Dec. 27, 2015. It was the Jets' first win in Foxborough since Jan. 16, 2011 when head coach Rex Ryan and QB Mark Sanchez shocked Belichick and Brady in the Divisional Round. Finally, it was the Jets' first regular-season win at Gillette Stadium since head coach Eric Mangini and QB Brett Favre beat Belichick and Matt Cassel in overtime on Nov. 13, 2008.

First Love: In his first season as starting quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, Jordan Love is headed to the playoffs. Green Bay clinched a wild-card berth with a 17-9 win over the Chicago Bears. Love has reached the postseason more quickly than either of his two legendary predecessors. For both Hall-of-Famer Brett Favre and future Hall-of-Famer Aaron Rodgers, it took until year two as starters to make their first playoff appearances.

Saints offense breaks through: The New Orleans Saints made the most of a last-ditch attempt at the playoffs with a 48-17 throttling of the Atlanta Falcons. New Orleans hadn't scored that many points since dropping 52 on Minnesota on Dec. 25, 2020, making this the Saints' highest points total since the 2021 retirement of quarterback Drew Brees. It was also the most points New Orleans has ever scored against arch-rival Atlanta, breaking the previous record of 45 set on Oct. 19, 2003 and Dec. 26, 2011.

Bucs play small ball: Three field goals were all the Tampa Bay Buccaneers needed to beat the Carolina Panthers 9-0 and clinch the NFC South for a third straight season. This was only the fourth time in Buccaneers history that they won a game despite a single-digit point total (first time since Oct. 24, 1999).

Cowboys make capital statement: The Dallas Cowboys cruised to become NFC East champions with a dominant 38-10 victory at the Washington Commanders. Dallas' 28-point margin of victory was its largest in a game at Washington since Nov. 4, 1962. That was also a 38-10 win and the Cowboys' first of 35 wins in the nation's capital.