Purdy hit 100, McCaffrey passed Faulk, and Walker kept scoring

Three games, three sets of numbers

Week 9 belonged to the record-chasers. In three games on the same weekend, players reached marks that will sit in the record books: a quarterback reached 100 career passing touchdowns, a running back passed Marshall Faulk's mark, a receiver crossed 1,000 yards, and a running back scored three touchdowns in one game. None of it decided a championship. All of it is the kind of weekend that gets remembered when the season is over. m:…3251 m:…5812 m:…0141

San Francisco: two marks in one game

San Francisco supplied two of the marks against Las Vegas. Brock Purdy threw two passing touchdowns to reach 101 in his career, in his 57th game. Christian McCaffrey passed Marshall Faulk for the most career touchdown receptions by a running back in the Super Bowl era. The 49ers also improved to 5-0 at home this season, their first such start since 1998, and to 9-7 all time against the Raiders with a third straight win in the series. Jordan Watkins caught four passes for 86 yards and a touchdown, the first touchdown of his career. m:…3251

Seattle: the quiet milestone

Seattle's milestone was quieter but just as durable. The Seahawks beat the Cardinals, their 11th consecutive win against Arizona. Jaxon Smith-Njigba reached 1,036 receiving yards after nine games. Tight end AJ Barner scored twice, once receiving and once rushing. Zach Charbonnet ran for 77 yards on 16 carries, and Jadarian Price led the team in receiving with 54 yards on four catches. m:…5812

Kansas City: Walker's run continues

Kansas City's milestone belonged to Ken Walker. The Chiefs beat the Jets 35-12 behind Walker's three touchdowns, moving to 6-2 on the season. Walker has now scored 10 total touchdowns in his first eight games of the season. The win came with costs the team will be watching: Xavier Worthy left early with a hamstring injury, Jaylon Moore left with an ankle injury, and Patrick Mahomes is set for more testing on his elbow. m:…0141

Carolina: the mark that was not a record

Carolina's number was not a record, but it mattered just as much to the standings. The Panthers lost 26-21 to Denver on 8 November, yet remained tied for first place in the NFC South. The story inside the loss, as the team's own account tells it, was head coach Canales' calm approach: players credit his next-play mentality for keeping the team focused, and tight end Tommy Tremble believes the composure helps the team win games. Canales, who has more than 15 years of coaching experience in the NFL, pulled Princely Umanmielen aside after a frustrating play to help him reset, and stood with Bryce Young when the quarterback argued with officials. The Panthers were assessed 13 penalties in the game, which suggests the composure has not yet shown up as discipline on the field. m:…0624

Why the weekend sticks

Put together, the weekend rewarded players who have been building toward a number for weeks. Purdy and McCaffrey reached theirs in the same game. Smith-Njigba reached his. Walker is on a pace, 10 touchdowns in eight games, that will put his name in the same conversations if it holds. And Carolina, with no record to show for its weekend, kept the only number that decides a season: a share of first place. m:…3251 m:…5812 m:…0141 m:…0624