10 NFL records that could be broken in 2023 season

The NFL’s 2023 regular season is drawing to a close. And while the primary focus might be on the upcoming playoffs and whichever teams will – and won’t – qualify, there’s certainly plenty at stake individually for several players aside from the elusive quest for Super Bowl glory.

With three weeks (and 47 league-wide games) to go until the postseason commences, there’s still time for a few records to be broken – including one very significant one that wouldn’t even necessarily carry the asterisk now easily attached to the current 17-game season.

Here are 10 marks that could fall before the final snap of Week 18:

1. Highest passer rating

San Francisco 49ers sophomore QB Brock Purdy has been a paragon of efficiency thus far in his brief career. And that’s been especially true in 2023, when he leads the league with a 119.0 passer rating, currently the fifth-highest mark in NFL history. Purdy has finished above 130.0 in six games this season – do that again, and he will enter uncharted territory. Push his final figure beyond 122.5, and “Mr. Irrelevant” will make Aaron Rodgers’ 12-year-old standard irrelevant.

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2. Most sacks

It’s been two years since Pittsburgh Steelers star T.J. Watt tied Michael Strahan’s “official” – since 1982 – sack record by finishing with a flourish (5 in the last 2 games) to reach 22½. Now, Watt has a league-high 16, but three other star pass rushers – the Minnesota Vikings’ Danielle Hunter, Los Angeles Chargers’ Khalil Mack and Cincinnati Bengals’ Trey Hendrickson – have at least 15. Getting to 23 will be no easy feat for any of them, yet few stats come in bunches quite like sacks. Watt has 26 multi-sack games in his seven-year career, including five this season. Hendrickson is on a mini-heater, with 6½ sacks over his past five outings. And Mack certainly eats in bunches, with 22 career-multi-sack games, including six Oct. 1. Certainly an opportunity for one of these QB hunters – maybe multiple – to get hungry.

3. Most times sacked

Maybe the Washington Commanders won’t let second-year QB Sam Howell, who didn't finish last weekend's game against the Los Angeles Rams, suffer the requisite abuse to break David Carr’s dubious 21-year-old mark of getting bagged 76 times. Howell, who’s been taken down 59 times, would have to suffer an average of six over the final three weeks – which seems like a lot. But it must be noted he’s been sacked at least six times on three occasions this season and five times on three others. And Washington finishes up against three nasty defenses (New York Jets, 49ers, Dallas Cowboys), so … happy holidays, Sam?

4. Most passing yards by a rookie

Until very recently, this almost seemed like a fait accompli for the Houston Texans’ C.J. Stroud, who was on the cusp of becoming the first rookie in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) to pace the league in passing yards. But then he had a 91-yard clunker against the Jets’ near-airtight pass defense on Dec. 10 and, worse, suffered a concussion well after the game had been decided. Stroud was forced to sit in Week 15 and may not play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns’ top-ranked D, either. Currently stuck on 3,631 yards, Stroud needs 744 more to beat out Andrew Luck’s 11-year-old standard (4,374).

5. Most receptions by a rookie

The Rams’ Puka Nacua has gone from unheralded fifth-rounder to needing nine catches to take down Jaylen Waddle’s two-year-old record (104) after snaring nine balls in Thursday night's victory.

6. Most receiving yards by a rookie

This seemed like a longer shot for Nacua, who’s currently sharing more targets with now-healthy wingman Cooper Kupp – but then he went off for 164 yards Thursday. Now Nacua needs 147 total over the last two games to best Bill Groman’s freshman benchmark of 1,473 – which was set in the American Football League in 1960. Of note, since 2020 alone, the Vikings’ Justin Jefferson (1,400 yards in 2020) and Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase (1,455 in 2021) have recently upped the mark during the Super Bowl era. Nacua, who has 1,327 yards, has topped the century mark six times.

7. Most receiving yards by a rookie tight end

Sam LaPorta has a tougher climb than Nacua. But with 319 more receiving yards, the Detroit Lions’ second-rounder would top Hall of Famer Mike Ditka, who had 1,076 yards in 1961. LaPorta needs 242 to join Ditka and the Atlanta Falcons’ Kyle Pitts (2021) as the only 1,000-yard rookie tight ends.

8. Most receptions by a rookie tight end

LaPorta, Detroit’s second-leading pass catcher, ought to get this one. He’s got 71 grabs and requires just 11 more to erase Keith Jackson’s 35-year-old achievement.

9. Most defensive touchdowns

The Cowboys’ DaRon Bland already etched his name into the record book this season, returning five of his league-best eight interceptions for scores. If he finds the end zone one more time, he’ll surpass Hall of Famer Ken Houston’s 1971 record for defensive touchdowns in a single season (Houston had four pick-sixes and returned one fumble for a score).

10. Most receiving yards

This is the chase that should be most fun to watch – and one that’s taken on a more dramatic flair after dynamic Miami Dolphins WR Tyreek Hill’s tender ankle rendered him a spectator in Week 15. Currently sitting on 1,542 yards, “Cheetah” would have to average 152.7 yards per game to reached his avowed goal of becoming the league’s first 2,000-yard receiver – and in just 16 games. However Hill needs a slightly more modest 141 a week to overtake Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson, who fell just short of 2K (1,964) in 2012. Hill has eclipsed 146 yards in six games this year – five of those outputs more than 150 yards. And with the Fins in a scrape for the AFC East crown and, possibly, home-field advantage, he might need a big burst at the end to earn a week off once the playoffs start.

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Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.