Seven From Sunday – Week 4

A look at seven statistical highlights from games played at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, October 3, the fourth week of the 2021 season.

• The ARIZONA CARDINALS defeated the Los Angeles Rams, 37-20, and advanced to 4-0 for the first time since 2012. The LAS VEGAS RAIDERS, who visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football, can also improve to 4-0 this week.

  With two games remaining in Week 4, there have been 15 games with a game-winning score in the final minute of regulation or in overtime, the most such games through the first four weeks of a season since at least 1970.

  With two overtime games in Week 4, at least one game has gone to overtime in each of the first four weeks of the season for the fifth time in NFL history (2021, 2018, 2002, 1983 and 1979). The New York Giants overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat New Orleans, 27-21, in overtime while the New York Jets defeated Tennessee, 27-24, in overtime this week.

  Chicago Bears rookie quarterback JUSTIN FIELDS and New York Jets rookie quarterback ZACH WILSON earned their first career victories in Week 4. It marks the first time since Week 3 of the 2019 season (DANIEL JONES and GARDNER MINSHEW) that two rookie quarterbacks each earned their first career win in the same week.

• The BUFFALO BILLS defeated Houston, 40-0, in Week 4 and have scored at least 35 points in three consecutive games.

  The Bills, who registered a shutout in Week 2, are the third team since 1990 to record two shutouts in their first four games of a season, joining the BALTIMORE RAVENS (2000) and WASHINGTON (1991).

  The BALTIMORE RAVENS rushed for 102 yards in their Week 4 win at Denver. Baltimore has rushed for at least 100 yards in 43 consecutive regular-season games, tied with the PITTSBURGH STEELERS (43 consecutive games from 1974-77) for the longest such streak in NFL history.

• Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS recorded three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) with no interceptions in the Packers’ 27-17 win over Pittsburgh.

  Rodgers has 420 career touchdown passes, tied with Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (420 touchdown passes) for the sixth-most all time.

  Pittsburgh quarterback BEN ROETHLISBERGER threw his 400th career touchdown pass on Sunday and became the eighth quarterback all-time with 400 career touchdown passes.

  Roethlisberger, who had 232 passing yards in Week 4, has 61,381 career passing yards and surpassed Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (61,361) for the sixth-most passing yards in NFL history.

• Making his 50th career start, Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES recorded five touchdown passes while wide receiver TYREEK HILL totaled 11 receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns in the Chiefs’ 42-30 win over Philadelphia.

  With the Chiefs’ victory, head coach ANDY REID became the first head coach in NFL history to record at least 100 wins with multiple teams, including the playoffs. Reid has 100 wins in nine seasons (2013-current) with Kansas City after registering 140 victories in 14 seasons (1999-2012) with Philadelphia.

  With the Chiefs’ win, Mahomes has a 40-10 record (.800) as a starting quarterback and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer KEN STABLER (40-9-1) as the only quarterbacks whose career began in the Super Bowl era to win 40 of their first 50 career starts.

  With five touchdown passes in Week 4, Mahomes became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to register at least three touchdown passes in each of his first four games of a season, joining TOM BRADY (first 10 games in 2007) and Pro Football Hall of Famers STEVE YOUNG (first five games in 1998), DAN MARINO (first four games in 1987) and KURT WARNER (first four games in 1999).

  Mahomes became the first player with four games of at least five touchdown passes in his first 50 career starts and tied Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (four games) for the most such games by a player in his first five seasons all-time.

  Mahomes has 25 career games with at least three touchdown passes and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (33 games) as the only players with at least 25 such games in their first five seasons in NFL history.

  Hill, who recorded his fifth-career game with at least 180 receiving yards, is the fifth player with five games with at least 180 receiving yards in his first six seasons in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer LANCE ALWORTH (eight games), CHARLEY HENNIGAN (seven), Pro Football Hall of Famer ISAAC BRUCE (six) and ANTONIO BROWN (five).

• Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON had three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing) with no interceptions and a 116.0 rating in the Seahawks’ 28-21 win over San Francisco.

  Wilson earned his 100th career regular-season win and joined Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (105 wins) as the only quarterbacks with at least 100 regular-season wins in their first 10 seasons in NFL history.

  Wilson has a passer rating of 110-or-higher and no interceptions in each of his first four games this season and joined JOHN HADL (1973) and MILT PLUM (1960) as the only players in NFL history with a rating of 110-or-higher and no interceptions in each of his team’s first four games of a season.

• Dallas running back EZEKIEL ELLIOTT rushed for 143 yards and one touchdown while cornerback TREVON DIGGS recorded two interceptions in the Cowboys’ 36-28 win over Carolina.

  Elliott, who has 50 rushing touchdowns and 10 touchdown receptions in 75 career games, is the fifth player in NFL history with at least 50 rushing touchdowns and 10 receiving touchdowns in his first 75 career games, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARCUS ALLEN and JIM BROWN, as well as ARIAN FOSTER and TODD GURLEY.

  Diggs, who recorded one interception in each of the first three weeks of the season, is the fourth player since 1990 and first Cowboy all-time to record an interception in each of his team’s first four games of a season, joining DEVIN MCCOURTY (2019), BRIAN RUSSELL (2003) and OTIS SMITH (1995).

• Arizona wide receiver DEANDRE HOPKINS had four receptions for 67 yards in the Cardinals’ 37-20 win at the Los Angeles Rams.

  Hopkins, who is 29 years and 119 days old, has 764 receptions, tied with LARRY FITZGERALD (764 receptions) for the most receptions by a player prior to his 30th birthday.

• Other notable performances from Sunday include:
  • Carolina quarterback SAM DARNOLD passed for 301 yards and totaled four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing) on Sunday.

    Darnold is the first quarterback in NFL history to record five rushing touchdowns in his team’s first four games of a season.

    Darnold, who also had two rushing touchdowns in Week 3, is the sixth quarterback since 1970 to record multiple rushing touchdowns in consecutive games.

  • Minnesota wide receiver JUSTIN JEFFERSON recorded six receptions for 84 yards and one touchdown on Sunday.

    Jefferson has 114 receptions for 1,738 yards and 10 touchdowns in 20 career games and joined ODELL BECKHAM JR. and A.J. GREEN as the only players with at least 100 receptions, 1,500 receiving yards and 10 touchdown catches in their first 20 games in NFL history.