As confident as he is, Tyrone Tracey admitted he didn't expect this.
He never expected to team up with Malik Nabors to accomplish what has been done twice before in the NFL, where all data and statistics are carefully controlled.
With Sunday's 45-33 win over the Colts at MetLife Stadium, Tracy and Nabors became the third rookie duo in NFL history to each surpass 1,000 yards from scrimmage in their first year.
“I'm not going to lie,” Tracy said. “I've been doing this for a long time. I've been playing football since I was 3 years old. I never thought I would be a part of NFL history. What am I saying? Do you understand?''You said that even when I was doing well, I didn't really understand the magnitude of it until now. People say you're literally one of only three people in NFL history to accomplish that, but for something like that to cement my name is amazing. ”
Nabors reached 1,000 receiving yards with a 31-yard touchdown catch in the first quarter.
Tracy had a 40-yard burst in the second quarter to surpass 1,000 yards from scrimmage.
They became the first rookie teammates to reach 1,000 yards from scrimmage since 2006, when Reggie Bush and Marquise Colston accomplished the feat with the Saints.
The only other teammates to accomplish that were Dallas Texans running backs Abner Haynes and Johnny Robinson in 1960.
“Kudos to him and me for coming out here, going to practice, doing our job, and then going out and helping our team win and doing everything we can to win.” Nabers said. “It's just amazing to see Tyrone come out to practice every day and do what he does. Me and him have been building each other up all season. Things didn't go our way at the beginning of the season. There were times when we weren’t, but we put each other down and we lifted each other up, and it paid off.”
Nabers has 104 receptions for 1,140 yards.
Tracy had 780 rushing yards and 277 receiving yards from scrimmage for a total of 1,057 yards.
DL Armon Watts was removed from the field with 9:49 left in the second quarter.
Watts, who recently returned from injured reserve, tried to put his weight on his left leg but was unable to do so as he fell off the turf with help from teammate Rakeem Nunez-Roches.
Watts was sidelined with a knee injury.
Nunez-Roches recorded his first full sack of the season.
He recorded two half-sacks in his first 13 games.
Second-year center Jon-Michael Schmitz (ankle) missed the first game of the season after starting the first 15 games.
He was replaced by veteran Greg van Roten, who had started every game at right guard up until Sunday.
The loss eliminated the Colts (7-9) from AFC playoff contention. It was no surprise that they conceded 45 points to a team averaging 14.3 points per game, the lowest in the league.
“It was extremely disappointing,” Colts head coach Shane Steichen said.
