National Football League What To Look For – Week 3

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NEW YORK — Sports — Here is a list of players that can set historic marks or reach career milestones in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season, including:

  • QB Derek Carr
  • QB C.J. Stroud
  • QB Brock Purdy
  • RB J.K. Dobbins
  • RB Jordan Mason
  • WR CeeDee Lamb
  • QB Jayden Daniels
  • WR Malik Nabers
  • TE Brock Bowers
  • DL Aidan Hutchinson
  • LB Patrick Jones

SAINTS OFFENSE ON A ROLL

The New Orleans Saints (2-0) enter Week 3 leading the NFL in points scored (91) and touchdowns (11) and including Week 18 last season, became the third team since 1970 to score at least 44 points in three consecutive games, joining the 2018 New Orleans Saints (Weeks 9-11) and 2007 New England Patriots (Weeks 6-8).

The Saints, with 34 points against the Philadelphia Eagles (1 p.m. ET, FOX), can become fourth team since 1970 with at least 125 points scored in their first three games of a season, joining the 2023 Miami Dolphins (130 points), 2013 Denver Broncos (127) and 2015 Arizona Cardinals (126).

New Orleans can also become the fourth team in NFL history to score at least 40 points in four consecutive games, joining the 2004 Indianapolis Colts2000 St. Louis Rams and 1960 Los Angeles Chargers.

Quarterback Derek Carr leads the league in passer rating (142.4) and ranks tied for first in touchdown passes (five) through the first two weeks of the season. He has a passer rating of 100-or-higher in six consecutive starts, including a 125-or-higher rating in each of his past three, and has thrown at least two touchdown passes in seven consecutive starts.

On Sunday, Carr can become the fifth quarterback in NFL history to record seven consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 100-or-higher, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning (three times), Tom Brady (twice), Aaron Rodgers (twice) and Patrick Mahomes.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM GAMES
Aaron Rodgers Green Bay 12 (Sept. 8, 2011 – Dec. 4, 2011)
Tom Brady New England 10 (Nov. 14, 2010 – Sept. 18, 2011)
Peyton Manning HOF Indianapolis 9 (Oct. 10, 2004 – Dec. 12, 2004)
Aaron Rodgers Green Bay 8 (Oct. 25, 2020 – Dec. 13, 2020)
Tom Brady New England 8 (Sept. 9, 2007 – Oct. 28, 2007)
Peyton Manning HOF Indianapolis 8 (Oct. 17, 2005 – Dec. 11, 2005)
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 7 (Oct. 14, 2018 – Dec. 2, 2018)
Peyton Manning HOF Denver 7 (Dec. 23, 2012 – Oct. 6, 2013)
Derek Carr New Orleans 6 (Dec. 17, 2023 – current)

Carr can also become the third quarterback in NFL history to record four consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes and a passer rating of 125-or-higher, joining Russell Wilson (five consecutive games in 2015) and Ryan Tannehill (four in 2019).

STROUD STELLAR IN FIRST 20

Houston quarterback C.J. Stroud has recorded 5,051 passing yards with 29 touchdowns against five interceptions for a 102 rating in 19 career starts, including the postseason.

On Sunday at Minnesota (1 p.m. ET, CBS), Stroud can move into the top-five for most passing yards by a player in his first 20 career games, including the postseason, in NFL history.

The players with the most passing yards in their first 20 career games, including the postseason, in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM PASS YARDS
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 6,332
Justin Herbert L.A. Chargers 5,912
Kurt Warner HOF St. Louis Rams 5,455
Andrew Luck Indianapolis 5,366
Joe Burrow Cincinnati 5,333
C.J. Stroud Houston 5,051*
*in 19 career games

In his past nine starts, including the postseason, Stroud has thrown zero interceptions and at 22 years and 355 days old on Sunday, can become the first player under the age of 25 without an interception in 10 consecutive games, including the playoffs (min. 20 attempts in each game).

Among players with at least 400 pass attempts, Stroud – who enters Sunday with five career interceptions – can have the fewest interceptions thrown by a player in his first 20 career games, including the postseason, in NFL history, surpassing Jacoby Brissett (seven interceptions), Nick Foles (seven), Dak Prescott (seven) and Michael Vick (seven).

PURDY GOOD

San Francisco quarterback Brock Purdy recorded a 101.3 passer rating in Week 2 in his 23rd career regular-season start, his 15th regular-season start with a passer rating of 100-or-higher.

With a passer rating of 100-or-higher at the Los Angeles Rams (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Purdy, in 24 starts, will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Kurt Warner (16 games) for the second-most such games by a player in his first 25 career regular-season starts in NFL history. Only Patrick Mahomes (18 games) has more.

The players with the most games with a passer rating of 100-or-higher in their first 25 career regular-season starts:

PLAYER TEAM STARTS WITH 100+ RATING
Patrick Mahomes Kansas City 18
Kurt Warner HOF St. Louis Rams 16
Carson Palmer Cincinnati 15
Dak Prescott Dallas 15
Brock Purdy San Francisco 15*
Tony Romo Dallas 15
*in 23 starts

DOBBINS & MASON OFF TO STRONG STARTS ON THE GROUND

Through the first two weeks of the 2024 season, Los Angeles Chargers running back J.K. Dobbins leads the NFL with 266 rushing yards while San Francisco running back Jordan Mason ranks second with 247 rushing yards. Both players have rushed for at least 100 yards and a touchdown in each of their team’s first two games this season.

On Sunday, Dobbins (at Pittsburgh, 1 p.m. ET, CBS) and Mason (at the Los Angeles Rams, 4:25 p.m. ET, FOX) can become the seventh and eighth players in NFL history with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in each of his team’s first three games of a season.

The players with at least 100 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the most consecutive team games to begin a season in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON GAMES
Jim Brown HOF Cleveland 1958 6
O.J. Simpson HOF Buffalo 1975 5
DeMarco Murray Dallas 2014 4
Emmitt Smith HOF Dallas 1995 4
Dalvin Cook Minnesota 2019 3
Curtis Martin HOF N.Y. Jets 2004 3
J.K. Dobbins L.A. Chargers 2024 2*
Jordan Mason San Francisco 2024 2*
*active streak

CEEDEE RIGHT AT HOME

In the Cowboys’ home opener last week, Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb recorded his first touchdown reception of the season, his eighth-consecutive regular-season home game with at least one touchdown catch.

Against Baltimore on Sunday (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Lamb can become the sixth player in NFL history to record a touchdown reception in nine consecutive regular-season home games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Cris Carter (10 consecutive home games from 2000-01), Bob Hayes (10 from 1965-66), Raymond Berry (nine from 1958-60), Tommy McDonald (nine from 1957-59) and Jerry Rice (nine from 1989-90).

The players with the most consecutive regular-season home games with a touchdown reception in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM SEASONS GAMES
Cris Carter HOF Minnesota 2000-01 10
Bob Hayes HOF Dallas 1965-66 10
Raymond Berry HOF Baltimore Colts 1958-60 9
Tommy McDonald HOF Philadelphia 1957-59 9
Jerry Rice HOF San Francisco 1989-90 9
CeeDee Lamb Dallas 2023-24 8*
*active streak

ROOKIE SUCCESS

Washington rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels, in his first two career starts, has completed 40 of 53 pass attempts (75.5 percent) with a 97.2 passer rating, with a completion percentage above 70 and a passer rating above 90 in each start.

On Monday night in Cincinnati (8:15 p.m. ET, ABC), Daniels can become the fourth rookie quarterback in NFL history to record a completion percentage of 70-or-higher and a passer rating of 90-or-higher in three consecutive games (minimum 20 attempts in each game), joining Dak Prescott (four consecutive games in 2016), Mac Jones (two separate three-game streaks in 2021) and Ben Roethlisberger (three in 2004).

The rookie quarterbacks with the most consecutive games with a completion percentage of 70-or-higher and a passer rating of 90-or-higher in NFL history:

PLAYER TEAM GAMES
Dak Prescott Dallas 4 (Week 2-5, 2016)
Mac Jones New England 3 (Weeks 10-12, 2021)
Mac Jones New England 3 (Weeks 4-6, 2021)
Ben Roethlisberger Pittsburgh 3 (Weeks 5-6, 8, 2004)
Jayden Daniels Washington 2* (Weeks 1-2, 2024)
*active streak

New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers has 15 catches for 193 yards and one touchdown in his first two career games. In Week 2, at 21 years and 49 days old, he became the youngest player in NFL history with at least 10 receptions, 100 receiving yards and a touchdown catch in a game.

On Sunday at Cleveland (1 p.m. ET, FOX), Nabers can become the sixth player in the Super Bowl era with at least 300 receiving yards in his first three career games.

The players with the most receiving yards in their first three career games in the Super Bowl era:

PLAYER TEAM SEASON REC. YARDS
Anquan Boldin Arizona 2003 378
Puka Nacua L.A. Rams 2023 338
Louis Lipps Pittsburgh 1984 337
Stefon Diggs Minnesota 2015 324
Charlie Wade Chicago 1974 315
Malik Nabers N.Y. Giants 2024 193*
*in two career games

Las Vegas rookie tight end Brock Bowers has 15 receptions for 156 yards this season and last week, became the first tight end in NFL history with at least five receptions and 50 receiving yards in each of his first two career games.

This Sunday against Carolina (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS), Bowers can become the fourth rookie tight end in NFL history with at least five receptions and 50 receiving yards in three consecutive games, joining Dalton Kincaid (four consecutive games in 2023), John Carlson (three in 2008) and Bob Tucker (three in 1970).

In Week 3, Nabers and Bowers can move into the top-five for most receptions by a player in his first three career games in NFL history. With four catches, Bowers can surpass Sam LaPorta (18 receptions in 2023) for the most receptions by a tight end in his first three career games all-time.

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

PLAYER TEAM SEASON RECEPTIONS
Puka Nacua L.A. Rams 2023 30
Anquan Boldin Arizona 2003 23
Jaylen Waddle Miami 2021 22
Three tied 21
Brock Bowers Las Vegas 2024 15*
Malik Nabers N.Y. Giants 2024 15*
*in two career games

THE NORTH BRINGS PRESSURE

Detroit defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson recorded a career-high 4.5 sacks in Week 2 and has registered 10.5 sacks in his past four regular-season games, since Week 17 of the 2023 season.

With two sacks at Arizona (4:25 p.m. ET, FOX), Hutchinson can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Strahan(12.5 sacks in 2001) for the most sacks by a player in a five-game span since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic.

The players with the most sacks in a five-game span since 1982:

PLAYER TEAM SPAN SACKS
Michael Strahan HOF N.Y. Giants Weeks 3-7, 2001 12.5
Richard Dent HOF Chicago Weeks 8-12, 1984 12
Aldon Smith San Francisco Weeks 7-8 & 10-12, 2012 12
Aldon Smith San Francisco Weeks 8 & 10-13, 2012 12
Aldon Smith San Francisco Weeks 10-14, 2012 12
Derrick Thomas HOF Kansas City Weeks 14-17, 1997 & Week 1, 1998 12
Aidan Hutchinson Detroit Weeks 17-18, 2023 & Weeks 1-2, 2024 10.5*
*in past four games

The Minnesota Vikings lead the NFL with 11 sacks this season, after recording five sacks in Week 1 and six sacks in Week 2. With five sacks against Houston (1 p.m. ET, CBS), the Vikings can become the third team since 1990 with at least five sacks in each of their first three games of a season, joining the 2001 New Orleans Saintsand 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Vikings linebacker Pat Jones has recorded two sacks in each of the first two weeks and can become the third player since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic, to record two sacks in each of his team’s first three games of a season, joining Mark Gastineau (1984 with the New York Jets) and Pro Football Hall of Famer Kevin Greene (1998 with Carolina).

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