What To Look For – Week 4

30 IN ‘20: Through the first three weeks of the 2020 NFL season, there has been an average of 51.0 points per game scored (both teams combined), the highest total through Week 3 since 1970. Six teams – the GREEN BAY PACKERS (40.7 points per game), SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (37.0), BUFFALO BILLS (31.0), BALTIMORE RAVENS (30.3), KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (30.3) and ATLANTA FALCONS (30.0) – are averaging at least 30 points per game this season, tied for the fourth-most teams in a single season through Week 3 since 1970.

Only two seasons have had six teams average at least 30 points through their first four games of a season, and 2020 has a chance to join or surpass them.

The seasons with the most teams averaging at least 30 points per game through their first four games:

SEASONTEAMS
20026
19686
Many5
  
20206*
*Through 3 games 

— NFL —

SLINGING IT IN SEATTLE: Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON enters Week 4 as the league’s leader in touchdown passes (14) and passer rating (139.0). His 14 touchdown passes are the most by a player in his team’s first three games of a season in league annals.

With at least three touchdown passes on Sunday at Miami (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Wilson will surpass PEYTON MANNING (16 touchdown passes in 2013) for the most touchdown passes by a player through his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history. Three of the previous five players with at least 14 touchdown passes through four games went on to win league MVP that season.

The players with the most touchdown passes through their team’s first four games of a season in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMSEASONTOUCHDOWN PASSES IN TEAM’S FIRST FOUR GAMES
Peyton Manning#Denver201316
Sammy BaughHOFWashington194314
Patrick Mahomes#Kansas City201814
Don MeredithDallas196614
Kurt WarnerHOF#St. Louis Rams199914
Russell WilsonSeattle202014*
*Through three games
#Won MVP that season

Last week, Wilson passed for five touchdowns and zero interceptions in Seattle’s Week 3 victory. Having also passed for four touchdowns in Week 1 and five touchdowns in Week 2, Wilson became the first player with at least four touchdown passes in each of his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history.

With at least four touchdown passes on Sunday, Wilson will become the third player in league annals with at least four touchdown passes in at least four consecutive games, joining PEYTON MANNING (five games in 2004) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (four games in 1984). ​

The players with the most consecutive games with at least four touchdown passes in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMSEASON (WEEKS)GAMES
Peyton Manning#Indianapolis2004 (Week 8-12)5
Dan MarinoHOF#Miami1984 (Weeks 13-16)4
Drew BreesNew Orleans2011 (Weeks 15-17)3
Patrick Mahomes#Kansas City2018 (Weeks 6-8)3
Russell WilsonSeattle2020 (Weeks 1-3)3*
*Active streak
#Won MVP that season

— NFL —

BUFFALO BRILLIANCE: Entering Week 4, Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN ranks second in the NFL in passing yards (1,038), touchdown passes (10) and passer rating (124.8). He is the fourth player with at least 1,000 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns and a passer rating of 120-or-higher through his team’s first three games of a season in league history.

With at least 300 passing yards and two touchdown passes on Sunday at Las Vegas (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Allen will become the third player with at least 300 passing yards and two touchdown passes in each of his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (six games in1998) and PEYTON MANNING (five games in 2013).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards and two touchdown passes to begin a season in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMSEASONGAMES
Steve YoungHOFSan Francisco19986
Peyton ManningDenver20135
    
Josh AllenBuffalo20203*
*Active streak 

Additionally, Allen can become the second quarterback with at least 300 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in each of his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history, joining PEYTON MANNING (five season-opening games in 2013).

— NFL —

CATCH MY DRIFT: Indianapolis quarterback PHILIP RIVERS leads all qualified passers with a 78.3 completion percentage this season, the third-highest mark through the first three weeks of a season in league history (minimum 50 attempts).

With a completion percentage of 75-or-higher on Sunday at Chicago (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Rivers will become the sixth quarterback with a completion percentage of 75-or-higher in four consecutive games (minimum 20 attempts) in NFL history. ​

The quarterbacks with the most consecutive games with a completion percentage of 75-or-higher in NFL history (min. 20 attempts):

PLAYERTEAMSEASON(S)GAMES
Alex SmithKansas City2016-174
Aaron RodgersGreen Bay2014-154
Tom BradyNew England20074
Carson PalmerCincinnati2004-054
Kurt WarnerHOFSt. Louis Rams2001-024
    
Philip RiversIndianapolis20203*
*Active streak 

— NFL —

20 YEARS APARTTampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY passed for 297 yards and three touchdowns in the Buccaneers’ Week 3 victory, the 286th regular season start of his career, the second-most in NFL history. Los Angeles Chargers rookie quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT passed for 330 yards in his second career start last week and became the fifth quarterback with at least 300 passing yards in each of his first two career starts in league annals.​

If Herbert (22 years and 209 days old on Sunday) and Brady (43 years and 63 days old on Sunday) meet as starting quarterbacks when the Buccaneers host the Chargers on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), it will mark the first game since at least 1950 featuring an age gap of at least 20 years between opposing starting quarterbacks. The older quarterback won the three most recent meetings featuring the largest age gaps between opposing quarterbacks. ​

The games with the largest age gaps between opposing starting quarterbacks since 1950:

QUARTERBACKS (AGES)AGE GAPDATE OF GAME
Tom Brady (43 years, 63 days) vs. Justin Herbert (22 years, 209 days)20 years, 219 daysOct. 4, 2020
Tom Brady (42 years, 79 days) vs. Sam Darnold (22 years, 138 days)19 years, 306 daysOct. 21, 2019
Tom Brady (41 years, 149 days) vs. Sam Darnold (21 years, 208 days)19 years, 306 daysDec. 30, 2018
Tom Brady (42 years, 68 days) vs. Daniel Jones (22 years, 136 days)19 years, 297 daysOct. 10, 2019
Warren MoonHOF (44 years, 8 days) vs. Ryan Leaf (24 years, 195 days)19 years, 179 daysNov. 26, 2000

 
— NFL —

LIGHTS, KAMARA, ACTION: New Orleans running back ALVIN KAMARA leads the league with 438 scrimmage yards and six scrimmage touchdowns (three rushing, three receiving), and has scored two touchdowns in each game this season. ​

With at least two touchdowns on Sunday at Detroit (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Kamara will become the third player with at least two scrimmage touchdowns in each of his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM BROWN (five games in 1958) and CALVIN JOHNSON (four games in 2011).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least two touchdowns to begin a season in NFL history:​

PLAYERTEAMSEASONGAMES
Jim BrownHOFCleveland19585
Calvin JohnsonDetroit20114
    
Alvin KamaraNew Orleans20203*
*Active streak 

Kamara also scored two touchdowns in his final two regular-season games in 2019. With at least two touchdowns on Sunday, he will become the sixth player with at least two touchdowns in six consecutive games in NFL history.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least two touchdowns in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMSEASON(S)GAMES
LaDainian TomlinsonHOFSan Diego Chargers20068
John RigginsHOFWashington19837
Priest HolmesKansas City2003-046
Larry JohnsonKansas City2004-056
Emmitt SmithHOFDallas19946
    
Alvin KamaraNew Orleans2019-20205*
*Active streak 

— NFL —

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE: Cleveland running backs NICK CHUBB (292 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns) and KAREEM HUNT (204 rushing yards and three total touchdowns) are the only pair of running-back teammates each with at least 200 rushing yards this season. The pair has also combined for seven scrimmage touchdowns through three games.

If Hunt scores a touchdown on Sunday at Dallas (1:00 PM ET, FOX), the pair will become the third set of running-back teammates each with at least four scrimmage touchdowns through their team’s first four games of a season in the Super Bowl era.

The running-back teammates each with at least four touchdowns through their team’s first four games of a season in the Super Bowl era:​

TEAMMATES (TDs)TEAMSEASON
James Brooks (5) & Larry Kinnebrew (4)Cincinnati1985
Jim Braxton (7) & O.J. SimpsonHOF (5)  Buffalo1975
   
Nick Chubb (4) & Kareem Hunt (3)*Cleveland2020
*Through three games

— NFL —

DK MORE THAN OK: Seattle wide receiver DK METCALF ranks third in the league with 297 receiving yards and is one of three players with a touchdown reception in each of the first three weeks of the season.

With at least 90 receiving yards and a touchdown reception on Sunday at Miami (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Metcalf will become the third player with at least 90 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in each of his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISON (1999) and RANDY MOSS (2007).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least 90 receiving yards and a touchdown reception to begin a season in NFL history:

PLAYERTEAMSEASONGAMES
Marvin HarrisonHOFIndianapolis19994
Randy MossHOFNew England20074
    
DK MetcalfSeattle20203*
*Active streak   

— NFL —