Sixteen teams currently own or share a division lead, the most in one season through Week 3 since realignment in 2002.  Twelve of those teams did not reach the postseason in 2010, including six – Buffalo (3-0), Dallas (2-1), Detroit (3-0), Houston (2-1), Tennessee (2-1) and Washington (2-1) – that finished in or tied for last place in their divisions.
At least one team has gone from "worst-to-first" in an NFL-record eight consecutive seasons, with the Kansas City Chiefs most recently accomplishing the feat by winning the AFC West in 2010 after finishing last the year before.
The most teams to hold or share a division lead through Week 3 and Week 4:

THROUGH WEEK 3
 
THROUGH WEEK 4
SEASON
NO. TEAMS
 
SEASON
NO. TEAMS
2011
16
 
2010
16
2010
15
 
2002
13
2002
14
 
2008
11
2003
13
 
2006
11
2008
12
 
2004
11


FOUR THE RECORD
: Three teams, including the Super Bowl XLV champion Green Bay Packers, boast perfect 3-0 records through Week 3. 
The Buffalo Bills and the Detroit Lions, whose records also remain unblemished this year, look to become the fifth and sixth clubs since the 12-team playoff format was adopted in 1990 to open a season 4-0 one year after a 0-4 start. 
Three of the four teams to accomplish the feat qualified for the playoffs, with two reaching the Divisional Playoffs.
Teams to begin a season 4-0 following a 0-4 start the previous year:

TEAM
YEAR
PREV YEAR'S START
SEASON'S START
PLAYOFFS
Tampa Bay
1997
0-5
5-0
Advanced to Divisional Playoffs
Minnesota
2003
0-4
6-0
Did not qualify
NY Jets
2004
0-4
5-0
Advanced to Divisional Playoffs
Tampa Bay
2005
0-4
4-0
Advanced to Wild Card
 


 
 
Buffalo
2011
0-8
3-0
???
Detroit
2011
0-4
3-0
???


OFFENSES ARE ON
NFL clubs in 2011 registered the most points (2,157), net passing yards (23,560) and passing touchdowns (153) through the first three weeks of any season in NFL history. 
Ten teams are averaging 400 or more yards of total offense, the highest such total through three games of a season since 1970.  The previous best was six (1989).
If at least six teams reach 1,600 offensive yards through Week 4, it will mark the most teams to average 400+ yards of total offense through their first four games of a season since 1970.

2011 OFFENSIVE YARDS/GAME LEADERS
THROUGH WEEK 3
 
MOST TEAMS AVG. 400+ OFFENSIVE YARDS/GAME
THROUGH FIRST FOUR GAMES
TEAM
AVERAGE
 
SEASON
NO. OF TEAMS
New England Patriots
540.3
 
2009
5
New Orleans Saints
437.7
 
2008
4
Buffalo Bills
431.0
 
2010
4
San Diego Chargers
417.3
 
Many tied
3
Dallas Cowboys
412.3
 
 
 
Philadelphia Eagles
408.7
 
 
 
Carolina Panthers
405.7
 
 
 
Green Bay Packers
403.3
 
 
 
Houston Texans
400.7
 
 
 
Detroit Lions
400.0
 
 
 


BR-EAKING THROUGH
:  Quarterbacks TOM BRADY of the New England Patriots and DREW BREES of the New Orleans Saints rank in the top two of multiple passing categories this year. Among those, Brady leads the league in completions (93), and passing yards (1,327) while Brees (89 completions for 1,059 pass yards) ranks second in both.
Both passers are on pace to record top-five totals in each category among a quarterback’s first four games to start a season since 1970.  Brady previously set the mark for the most completions (129) through a player’s first four games in 2002 while KURT WARNER passed for the most yards (1,557) in the St. Louis Rams‘ first four games of 2000.
Quarterbacks to register the most completions and passing yards through their teams‘ first four games:

PLAYER
TEAM
SEASON
COMP.
PLAYER
TEAM
SEASON
PASS YARDS
Tom Brady
New England
2002
129
Kurt Warner 
St. Louis 
2000 
1,557 
Peyton Manning
Indianapolis
2010
120
Kyle Orton 
Denver 
2010 
1,419 
Tony Romo
Dallas
2010
119
Drew Bledsoe 
New England 
1994 
1,417 
Drew Brees
New Orleans
2010
118
Steve Young 
San Francisco 
1998 
1,382 
Kyle Orton
Denver
2010
118
Dan Marino 
Miami 
1994 
1,370 
Drew Bledsoe
Buffalo
2002
116
Peyton Manning 
Indianapolis 
2010 
1,365 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Tom Brady
New England
2011
93*
Tom Brady
New England
2011
1,327*
Drew Brees
New Orleans
2011
89*
Drew Brees
New Orleans
2011
1,059*
*Through three games
 
 
*Through three games
 
 


SACKS AT THE CENTURY MARK
Dallas Cowboys linebacker DE MARCUS WARE, who has been selected to five consecutive Pro Bowls (2007-2011), will play in his 100th career game against Detroit.  Ware has registered the second-most sacks (85) in NFL history through a player’s first 100 games, trailing only Pro Football Hall of Fame defensive end REGGIE WHITE (105).

Players to accrue the most sacks through first 100 games:

PLAYER
SACKS
Reggie White
105
DeMarcus Ware
85*
Bruce Smith
84.5
Derrick Thomas
81.5
Leslie O'Neal
80.5
*Through 99 Games
 

RAPID RECEPTIONS: Houston Texans wide receiver ANDRE JOHNSON, who last year became the first player in NFL history to record at least 60 receptions in each of his first eight seasons, has 694 receptions through his first 118 career games.
With six receptions against Pittsburgh, Johnson will reach 700 receptions in the second-fewest games (119) in NFL history. 


The receivers to reach 700 receptions in the fewest games:

PLAYER
TEAM(S)
SEASONS
GAMES TO 700 REC.
Marvin Harrison
Indianapolis
1996-2003
114
Torry Holt
St. Louis
1999-2006
125
Chad Ochocinco
Cincinnati
2001-2010
139
Terrell Owens
San Francisco/Philadelphia
1996-2005
139
Jerry Rice
San Francisco
1985-1993
139
 
 
 
 
Andre Johnson
Houston
2003-2011
118*
*694 career receptions


STREAKING FOR SEVEN
Last week on Sunday Night Football, Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver MIKE WALLACE registered a career-best 144 receiving yards with one touchdown on five catches (28.8 average) to record his sixth consecutive 100-yard receiving effort in regular-season games dating back to 2010. 
Wallace is currently tied with four players, including Pro Football Hall of Famer RAYMOND BERRY (six, 1960), for the third-longest 100-yard receiving game streak in league annals.  If Wallace totals 100 receiving yards or more at Houston, he will tie Pro Football Hall of Famer MICHAEL IRVIN (seven, 1995) and CHARLEY HENNIGAN (seven, 1961) for the most consecutive 100-yard receiving games ever.

Receivers with the most consecutive 100-yard games in NFL history:

PLAYER
TEAM
YEAR(S)
CONSEC 100-YRD REC.GAMES
Michael Irvin
Dallas
1995
7
Charley Hennigan
Houston Oilers
1961
7
Mike Wallace
Pittsburgh
2010-2011
6*
Isaac Bruce
St. Louis
1995
6
Pat Studstill
Detroit
1966
6
Bill Groman
Houston Oilers
1961
6
Raymond Berry
Baltimore Colts
1960
6
*Active
 
 
 

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NFL SUPPORTS BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH WITH "A CRUCIAL CATCH" CAMPAIGN
The NFL and NFL Players will support October’s National Breast Cancer Awareness Month with their largest on-field presence and a national screening reminder and fundraising campaign. In collaboration with the American Cancer Society, the initiative, called "A Crucial Catch: Annual Screening Saves Lives," encourages annual mammograms for women over 40. 
Beginning on October 2 and continuing throughout the month, NFL Breast Cancer Awareness games will feature footballs with pink ribbon decals, on-field pink ribbon stencils, and many pink items, including cleats, wristbands, gloves, chin straps, sideline caps, pins, helmet decals, eye shield decals, captains‘ patches, sideline towels and quarterback towels.
To learn more about the campaign, go to www.NFL.com/pink.

***********************************************************************

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