What To Look For NFL Week 3

OFFENSE IS KING

Through the first two weeks of the 2020 NFL season, there have been 186 total touchdowns and 1,611 total points scored, both the most in NFL history through Week 2.​

Quarterback play has also been at an unprecedented level, as 13 quarterbacks have a passer rating of 100 or higher (minimum 20 attempts) through two weeks, the most in NFL history through Week 2. Five of those quarterbacks are under the age of 26 – Buffalo’s JOSH ALLEN (122.9 rating), the Los Angeles Rams’ JARED GOFF (108.5), Baltimore’s LAMAR JACKSON (134.6), Kansas City’s PATRICK MAHOMES (104.0) and Jacksonville’s GARDNER MINSHEW (115.7). Overall, the league has a 96.2 passer rating, the highest in league annals through Week 2.

Last season, 11 quarterbacks had a passer rating of 100 or higher through the first three weeks, the most in league annals. This season has a chance to surpass that mark.

The seasons with the most quarterbacks with a passer rating of 100 or higher through the first three weeks in NFL history:

MVP MATCHUP

Baltimore quarterback LAMAR JACKSON, the 2019 NFL MVP, and Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES, the 2018 NFL MVP, will meet for the third time in their careers when the Ravens host the Chiefs on Monday Night Football (8:15 PM ET, ESPN) in a battle of unbeatens. It will mark the first game in NFL history featuring two former league MVPs under the age of 26.

Monday’s showdown will be the fifth game in the last six years featuring the two most recent MVPs. The more recent winner has been victorious in the past two such meetings. ​

The past five meetings featuring the two most recent NFL MVPs:

WILSON WOWS

Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON enters Week 3 as the league’s leader in touchdown passes (nine) and passer rating (140.0). He is the fourth quarterback with at least nine touchdown passes through the first two weeks of a season in league annals, joining DREW BREES (2009), PATRICK MAHOMES (2018) and PEYTON MANNING (2013). Both Mahomes and Manning would go on to win league MVP that season.

If Wilson, who had five touchdown passes in Week 2 and four touchdown passes in Week 1, has at least four touchdown passes on Sunday against Dallas (4:25 PM ET, FOX), he would become the first player with at least four touchdown passes in each of his team’s three games of a season in NFL history.

Additionally, Wilson would tie PATRICK MAHOMES (13 in 2018) for the most touchdown passes by a player through his team’s first three games of a season in league history.

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

DAK DASHES FOR SIX

Dallas quarterback DAK PRESCOTT passed for 450 yards with one touchdown and rushed for three touchdowns last week, becoming the first player with at least 400 passing yards and three rushing touchdowns in a single game in NFL history.

Prescott now has 24 career rushing touchdowns, the most among quarterbacks since he entered the league in 2016. With a rushing touchdown on Sunday at Seattle (4:25 PM ET, FOX), Prescott will become the fourth quarterback to rush for at least 25 touchdowns in his first five seasons in NFL history.

The quarterbacks with at least 25 rushing touchdowns in their first five seasons in NFL history:

CARSON TD CATCHER

Seattle running back CHRIS CARSON had 108 scrimmage yards (72 rushing, 26 receiving) and a touchdown catch last week after recording two touchdown receptions in Week 1. Entering Week 3, Carson leads all NFL running backs with three touchdown receptions this season.

With a touchdown reception on Sunday against Dallas (4:25 PM ET, FOX), Carson would become the fourth running back with a touchdown reception in each of their team’s first three games of a season in the Super Bowl era, joining GARY ANDERSON (1986), CURTIS MCCLINTON (1966) and BRIAN WESTBROOK (2005). McClinton had a touchdown reception in each of his team’s first four games of that season.

The running backs with touchdown reception in each of their team’s first three games of a season in the Super Bowl era:

TOP BILLING

Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN passed for a career-high 417 yards with four touchdowns and zero interceptions for a 147.0 passer rating in the Bills’ Week 2 victory. Allen, who has passed for 729 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions through the first two weeks, is the fourth quarterback with at least 700 passing yards, six touchdown passes and zero interceptions through his team’s first two games of a season in NFL history.

With at least 300 passing yards, two touchdown passes and zero interceptions on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Allen will become the third player with at least 300 passing yards, two touchdown passes and zero interceptions in each of his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history, joining PATRICK MAHOMES (2019) and PEYTON MANNING (2013). Mahomes won Super Bowl MVP and Manning won league MVP in those respective seasons.

The players with at least 300 passing yards, two touchdown passes and zero interceptions in each of their team’s first three games of a season in NFL history:

TANNEHILL CONTINUES TO THRILL

Tennessee quarterback RYAN TANNEHILL passed for four touchdowns and zero interceptions last week in the Titans’ victory and now has six touchdowns and zero interceptions on the season.

Since Week 10 of the 2019 season, Tannehill has passed for at least two touchdowns with one or fewer interceptions in all nine games.

With at least two touchdown passes and one or fewer interceptions on Sunday at Minnesota (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Tannehill will become the fourth player in NFL history with at least two touchdown passes and one or fewer interceptions in at least 10 consecutive regular season games, joining AARON RODGERS (13 consecutive games), TOM BRADY (11) and PHILIP RIVERS (10).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least two touchdown passes and one or fewer interceptions in NFL history:

RIDLEY ME THIS

Atlanta wide receiver CALVIN RIDLEY leads the NFL with four touchdown receptions through two weeks and ties for the league lead with 239 receiving yards.

After recording 130 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions in Week 1 and 109 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions in Week 2, Ridley became the first player since Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (1999) to record at least 100 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions in each of his team’s first two games of a season. ​

With at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception on Sunday against Chicago (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Ridley will become the fifth player 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, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISON (1999), RANDY MOSS (2007) and JERRY RICE (1989) and DWIGHT CLARK (1982),​

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:

NOT DRAFTED? NOT A PROBLEM

Jacksonville running back JAMES ROBINSON, who went undrafted in the 2020 NFL Draft, leads all rookies with 210 scrimmage yards through the first two weeks of the season.

With at least 90 scrimmage yards on Thursday Night Football against Miami (8:20 PM ET, NFL Network), a mark he has hit in each of the first two games of the season, Robinson will become the second undrafted player with at least 300 scrimmage yards through his first three career games in the common draft era, joining JAMES BRIM (318 scrimmage yards in 1987). ​

The undrafted players with the most scrimmage yards through their first three career games in the common draft era:

WATT FAMIILY REUINION

Pittsburgh linebacker T.J. WATT ties for the NFL lead with 2.5 sacks through the first two weeks of the season, while Houston defensive end J.J. WATT ties for third in the league with 2 sacks.

The two brothers will be meeting for the first time in their NFL careers when the Steelers host the Texans on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, FOX). Pittsburgh fullback DEREK WATT, who faced each of his brothers in 2019 with the Chargers, will also be on the field on Sunday.

J.J. enters the game with 98 career sacks in 10 seasons, while T.J. has 37 career sacks in four seasons. Their 135 combined sacks are the fourth-most among pairs of brothers or father-son duos since 1982, counting instances in which each player recorded at least one sack.

The pairs of brothers or father-son duos with the most combined sacks since 1982, counting players in which each player recorded at least one sack:

With at least two sacks on Sunday, J.J., playing in his 115th career game, will become the fourth-fastest player to reach 100 career sacks since 1982, when the individual sack became an official statistic. ​

The fastest players to reach 100 career sacks since 1982: