What To Look For – Week 3

LIGHTING IT UP: Three of the top four scoring offenses through the first two weeks are set to visit a divisional opponent in Week 3.

The BUFFALO BILLS (2-0) lead the NFL in total points scored (72) and rank second in scoring defense, allowing only 17 points in their first two games of the season.

On Sunday in Miami (1:00 PM ET, CBS), the Bills can become the fifth team since 2000 to score 100-or-more points and allow 40-or-fewer points in their first three games of a season.

The teams to score 100-or-more points and allow 40-or-fewer points in their first three games of a season since 2000:

TEAMSEASONPOINTS SCOREDPOINTS ALLOWED
New England201910617
L.A. Rams#201810236
New England#200711435
Miami200210037
 
Buffalo202272*17*
*Through two games
#Advanced to Super Bowl

The DETROIT LIONS (1-1) are tied for second in scoring offense (35.5 points per game) and have scored at least 35 points in each of their first two games for the first time since 1970. The Lions are one of five teams to average 400-or-more yards of total offense per game (405.5) through the first two weeks.

When Detroit visits Minnesota on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX), they can become the fifth team since 2000 to score at least 35 points and record at least 375 total yards of offense in each of their first three games of a season. Each of the previous four teams to accomplish the feat made the postseason, with two advancing to the Super Bowl.

The teams to score at least 35 points and recorded at least 375 total yards of offense in each of their first three games of a season since 2000:

TEAMSEASON
Seattle2020
Denver2013**
New England2007**
St. Louis Rams2000
Detroit2022*
*Through two games
**Advanced to Super Bowl

The PHILADELPHIA EAGLES are off to a 2-0 start with quarterback JALEN HURTS under center, one of two quarterbacks (LAMAR JACKSON) with at least 500 passing yards (576) and 100 rushing yards (147) through the first two weeks. The Eagles recorded 455 total yards of offense in Week 1 and 486 total yards of offense in Week 2. On Sunday at Washington (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Philadelphia can become the fourth team since 2000 to begin a season 3-0 and register at least 450 total yards of offense in each game.

The teams to begin a season 3-0 and register at least 450 total yards of offense in each game since 2000:

TEAMSEASONGAME ONE YARDSGAME TWO YARDSGAME THREE YARDS
Dallas2019494474476
Kansas City2019491467503
St. Louis Rams2000513476529
     
Philadelphia2022455486??

— NFL —

SECOND-YEAR STARS: Dallas linebacker MICAH PARSONS has recorded two sacks in each of his first two games of the season and can become the third player to record at least two sacks in each of his team’s first three games of a season since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer KEVIN GREENE (1998) and MARK GASTINEAU (1984).

Parsons, who has 17 sacks in 18 career games and is one of six players since 1982 with at least two sacks in five of his first 20 career games, needs two sacks against the New York Giants on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN/ABC) to tie JOEY BOSA (19 sacks) for the most sacks by a player in his first 20 games since 1982.  

The players with the most sacks in their first 20 career games since 1982:

PLAYERTEAMSEASONSSACKS 
Joey BosaL.A. Chargers2016-1719 
Aldon SmithSan Francisco2011-1218.5 
Clay MatthewsGreen Bay2009-1017 
Micah ParsonsDallas2021-2217* 
*In 18 career games

Detroit wide receiver AMON-RA ST. BROWN has registered at least eight receptions in eight consecutive games, tied for the longest such streak in NFL history, while Miami wide receiver JAYLEN WADDLE registered 11 receptions in Week 2 and his four games with at least 10 receptions since the beginning of the 2021 season rank as the fourth-most among all players.

When St. Brown faces the Vikings in his 20th career game and Waddle welcomes the Bills in his 19th career game, each player can join ODELL BECKHAM JR. as the only players to record at least seven receptions in 10 of their first 20 career games in NFL history.

The players with the most games with at least seven receptions in their first 20 games in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMSEASONSGAMES 
Odell Beckham Jr.N.Y. Giants2014-1513 
Amon-Ra St. BrownDetroit2021-229* 
Jaylen WaddleMiami2021-229** 
*In 19 career games
**In 18 career games

Waddle, who set the NFL rookie record with 104 receptions last season and has 15 catches through his first two games of 2022, needs three receptions on Sunday to surpass ANQUAN BOLDIN (121 receptions) and MICHAEL THOMAS (120) for the second-most receptions by a player in his first 20 career games in NFL history.

The players with the most receptions in their first 20 career games in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMRECEPTIONS 
Odell Beckham Jr.N.Y. Giants141 
Anquan BoldinBaltimore121 
Michael ThomasNew Orleans120 
Jaylen WaddleMiami119* 
*In 18 career games  

Last season, New England quarterback MAC JONES led all rookie quarterbacks with a 67.6 completion percentage and tied an NFL rookie record for most games (nine) with a completion percentage of 70-or-higher. Jones, who has a 67.2 completion percentage through his first 19 career starts, can surpass CHAD PENNINGTON (67.3 percent) for the highest completion percentage by a quarterback in his first 20 career starts in NFL history (minimum 200 attempts).

The quarterbacks with the highest completion percentage in their first 20 career starts in NFL history (minimum 200 attempts):

PLAYERTEAM(S)COMPLETION PERCENTAGE
Chad PenningtonN.Y. Jets67.3
Jimmy GaroppoloNew England, San Francisco67.2
Patrick MahomesKansas City66.8
   
Mac JonesNew England67.2*
*In 19 career starts  

— NFL —

KEEPING IT CONSISTENT: Through the first two weeks of the season, Buffalo wide receiver STEFON DIGGS ranks second in the league with 270 receiving yards, while Los Angeles Rams wide receiver COOPER KUPP ranks fourth with 236 receiving yards. Diggs and Kupp are the only two players with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in each of the first two weeks of the season.

If Diggs records at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception against Miami on  Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), or Kupp does so at Arizona (4:25 PM ET, FOX), they would join Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISON (1999), RANDY MOSS (2007) and JERRY RICE (1989), as well as DWIGHT CLARK (1982) as the only players with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in each of his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history.

The players with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in each of their team’s first three games of a season in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMSEASON
Randy MossHOFNew England2007
Marvin HarrisonHOFIndianapolis1999
Jerry RiceHOFSan Francisco1989
Dwight ClarkSan Francisco1982
  
Stefon DiggsBuffalo2022*
Cooper KuppL.A. Rams2022*
*Through first two games

 — NFL —

BRADY/RODGERS: The back-to-back reigning Associated Press MVP AARON RODGERS faces off against the seven-time Super Bowl champion TOM BRADY when Green Bay visits Tampa Bay on Sunday (4:25 PM ET, FOX). Both players have had continued success in their later years, as Brady led the league in passing touchdowns (43) in 2021 while Rodgers led the league in passer rating (111.9). It’s the fifth time in the last 15 seasons the passing touchdown leader and the passer rating leader from the previous season go head-to-head.

The matchups of the passing touchdown leader and the passer rating leader from the previous season in the last 15 years:

PASSING TD LEADER, TEAMPASSER RATING LEADER, TEAMSEASON
Tom Brady, TBAaron Rodgers, GBWeek 3, 2022
Lamar Jackson, BALRyan Tannehill, TENWeek 11, 2020
Aaron Rodgers, GBMatt Ryan, ATLWeek 2, 2017
Tom Brady, NERussell Wilson, SEAWeek 10, 2016
Drew Brees, NOAaron Rodgers, GBWeek 4, 2012