Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie tight end O.J. Howard had three receptions for 52 yards on Sunday at Atlanta, which happens to be the exact same totals he had the previous week in Miami. That's nothing more than a statistical coincidence, but Howard's per-catch average of 17.3 yards over those two games does have some significance.

On the season as a whole, Howard now has 331 yards and four touchdowns on 20 catches, which is an average of 16.6 yards and 0.2 touchdowns per reception. Though his overall receptions total isn't particularly high, he is showing signs of being one of the league's best down-the-field targets. In fact, of all the players in the NFL – not just tight ends – who have at least 20 receptions, Howard's 16.6 yards per catch ranks 10th.

Highest Yards-Per-Catch Average, NFL (min. 20 receptions)

As is quite noticeable in the above chart, Howard is the only tight end in the top 10. Obviously, that means he leads all NFL tight ends with at least 20 catches this season in yards per reception. Even if we relax that qualifier all the way down to a minimum of 10 receptions, Howard still ranks second.

Highest Yards-Per-Catch Average, NFL Tight Ends (min. 10 receptions)

Howard has also found the end zone at a high per-catch rate. In fact, among all NFL players (not just tight ends) who have at least 20 receptions, the Buccaneers' rookie ranks first in touchdowns per catch.

Howard's biggest play in Atlanta on Sunday was a 29-yard reception on a seam pass between zones in the Falcons' defense late in the third quarter. That was the Bucs' longest gain of the game and it was the key play in an 80-yard touchdown drive that temporarily pulled the visitors within one score of the lead.

The Buccaneers have done a good job this season of getting both of their pass-catching tight ends, Howard and Cameron Brate, down the field. In fact, both Howard and Brate rank in the top three in the NFL among tight ends in average yards-at-the-catch (Y@C). Howard tops the list.

Average Y@C, NFL Tight Ends (min. 20 receptions)

Howard's downfield ability recalls that of Jimmie Giles, a Buccaneers Ring of Honor member and the best tight end in franchise history. Should Howard maintain his current average through the end of the season, it would rank fourth in franchise history, with the three superior seasons all belonging to Giles.

Highest Per-Catch Average, Single Season, Tight Ends, Buccaneers History

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Second-year RB Peyton Barber scored both of the Buccaneers' touchdowns in Atlanta, getting one in the third quarter on a two-yard sweep to the left pylon and one in the fourth quarter on a one-yard dive over the pile. He is the first Buccaneer to have two rushing touchdowns in a single game since Doug Martin did it at Jacksonville on Oct. 11, 2015. Barber was mostly used as a goal-line weapon; he had only three other carries in the game and finished with seven rushing yards. In another statistical oddity from Sunday's game, Barber became the only running back in the NFL this season to score two rushing touchdowns while gaining 10 or fewer rushing yards. (Washington quarterback Kirk Cousins also did it against Minnesota in Week 10, but that's not as odd of an outcome for a passer.)

According to Pro Football Reference, Barber is the first running back in Buccaneers history to score twice on the ground in one game while gaining 10 or fewer total rushing yards. Quarterback Josh McCown also did that against St. Louis on Sept. 14, 2014.

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WR Mike Evans led the Buccaneers with 78 receiving yards on Sunday, catching a total of six passes. That reception total didn't lead the team – DeSean Jackson hauled in a season-high eight passes – but it was significant in that it moved Evans up two spots on the team's career list in that category. Evans jumped over Kevin House and Michael Pittman to land at sixth, and he has a good chance to move all the way up to third by season's end.

Most Receptions, Buccaneers History

Evans was already fifth on the club's all-time receiving yardage list before Sunday's game and he stayed in that spot despite the addition of 78 yards. However, he is now within striking distance of third place on that list. Evans has a per-game average of 70.2 yards this season and 76.4 yards in his career. If he were to match either of those averages next Sunday in Green Bay he would move up two spots on the Bucs' all-time list.

Most Receiving Yards, Buccaneers History

As noted above, Evans has recorded an average of 76.4 receiving yards per game through his career, which now spans most of four seasons and a total of 56 outings. If Evans can maintain anything close to that average through the end of the year, he would join an exclusive list. Only 11 other players have averaged at least 75 receiving yards per game through the first four seasons of their careers. Evans and the Giants' Odell Beckham, who has been hurt most of this season, can make that a group of 13. Note that this list only include players who played four consecutive seasons to start their careers. Cleveland's Josh Gordon maintained a 78.7-yard per-game average through his first three seasons (2012-14) but has not played in the league since. Two replacement players during the 1987 players' strike (James Brim and Al Williams) had per-game averages in excess of 75 yards but those three games constituted their entire NFL careers.

Players with 75+ Receiving Yards Per Game Through Their First Four NFL Seasons

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Kicker Patrick Murray scored eight of the Buccaneers' 20 points on Sunday by making field goals of 36 and 27 yards and both of his extra points. Murray, who was also Tampa Bay's kicker during the 2014 season, has made 12 of his 14 field goal attempts since rejoining the team in Week Six of this season. In his two Buccaneer stints combined he is 32 of 38 on field goal attempts.

That makes Murray the most accurate kicker in franchise history. That is true whether or not one sets a minimum number of field goal attempts, but to weed out the kickers who were only very briefly Buccaneers, the list below requires at least 10 tries.

Best Field Goal Percentage, Buccaneers History (min. 10 attempts)

Murray has also made all 41 of his extra point attempts as a Buccaneer, including eight this year from the NFL's new longer PAT distance. Murray is one of six kickers in franchise history with at least 10 extra point tries without a miss, and he's got the second-most attempts of the players on that list.

Best Extra Point Percentage, Buccaneers History (min. 10 attempts)