7 NFL records that could be broken this weekend — thanks to the extra game

Another year, another chance for Thomas Edward Patrick Brady Jr. to break an NFL record. On Sunday, Brady will have an opportunity to break two records.

The first is the single-season completions record. Brady needs to complete just 16 passes to break Drew Brees’ record of 471, set in 2016. Brady has recorded at least 18 completions in every game this season. While the Bucs don’t have much to play for this Sunday, other than playoff seeding, it’s hard to think of a scenario where Brady won’t complete at least 16 passes.

The other record Brady could break this weekend is the single-season passing-yards record. However, that record will be much harder to achieve. Brady needs 488 yards through the air to break Peyton Manning’s all-time record of 5,477 set in 2013. Throughout his 22-year career, Brady has surpassed 488 passing yards only once. The most passing yards he’s had in a single game the last three years was 411. That’s a long ways away from what Brady needs.

It is possible, but, as I said before, given that the only thing Tampa Bay is playing for this weekend is playoff positioning, it’s unlikely that Tampa Bay will go all out in an effort to keep some of their plays hidden before heading into the playoffs. Furthermore, with the pitiful Carolina Panthers on the docket, there’s a very small chance the game script will call for Brady having to throw for nearly 500 yards. The completions record is very doable, but the yards record is damn near impossible.