A look at seven statistical highlights from games played at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 26, the third week of the 2021 season.
- In Week 3, five teams advanced to 3-0:Ā ARIZONA,Ā CAROLINA,Ā DENVER,Ā LAS VEGASĀ and theĀ LOS ANGELES RAMS. San Francisco (2-0) faces Green Bay onĀ Sunday Night FootballĀ and can begin a season 3-0 for the second time in the past three seasons (2019).
For the 10th time ever and first time since 2018, a game has gone to overtime in each of the first three weeks of the season. Las Vegas overcame a 14-point deficit to defeat Miami, 31-28, in overtime and became theĀ fourth team to win two overtime games within their first three games of a season, joining the 1995 Atlanta Falcons, 1995 Kansas City Chiefs and 1994 Detroit Lions. Minnesota also overcame a 10-point deficit to defeat Seattle in Week 3.
With two games remaining in Week 3, 10 of 14 games (71.4 percent) have been within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter, with four games being decided by a game-winning score in the final minute of regulation or in overtime.
- Baltimore quarterbackĀ LAMAR JACKSONĀ recorded one touchdown pass and kickerĀ JUSTIN TUCKERĀ converted a game-winning 66-yard field goal as time expired, theĀ longest made field goal in NFL history, in the Ravens’ 19-17 win at Detroit.
In 40 career starts, Jackson has 90 touchdowns (70 passing, 20 rushing) and joinedĀ PATRICK MAHOMESĀ (107 touchdowns) and Pro Football Hall of FamersĀ DAN MARINOĀ (95) andĀ KURT WARNERĀ (91) as theĀ only quarterbacks with at least 90 combined passing and rushing touchdowns in their first 40 career starts.
Tucker, who also converted a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter, has seven career games with multiple 50-yard field goals,Ā tied withĀ BRANDON MCMANUSĀ (seven games) andĀ MATT PRATERĀ (seven) for the most such games in NFL history.
- Buffalo quarterbackĀ JOSH ALLENĀ passed for 358 yards and four touchdowns and added one rushing touchdown in the Bills’ 43-21 win over Washington.
Allen is theĀ fourth player in NFL history to record multiple career games with at least 300 passing yards, four touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown, joiningĀ DREW BREESĀ (four games),Ā AARON RODGERSĀ (three) and Pro Football Hall of FamerĀ PEYTON MANNINGĀ (two). He registered 311 passing yards with four touchdown passes and one rushing touchdown in Week 3 of the 2020 season.
Allen is theĀ fifth player ever to record five games with at least 300 passing yards and four touchdown passes in his first four seasons, joiningĀ PATRICK MAHOMESĀ (nine games), Pro Football Hall of FamersĀ DAN MARINOĀ (nine) andĀ KURT WARNERĀ (six), andĀ ANDREW LUCKĀ (six).
- Los Angeles Chargers quarterbackĀ JUSTIN HERBERTĀ passed for 281 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 125.0 rating, including the game-winning touchdown pass with 32 seconds remaining, in the team’s 30-24 win at Kansas City.
Herbert is theĀ fifth player in the Super Bowl era to record five games with at least three touchdown passes and zero interceptions in his first two seasons, joiningĀ LAMAR JACKSONĀ (six games), Pro Football Hall of FamerĀ DAN MARINOĀ (six),Ā PATRICK MAHOMESĀ (five) andĀ DAK PRESCOTTĀ (five).
Kansas City quarterbackĀ PATRICK MAHOMES, appearing in his 49th career game, registered 260 passing yards and three touchdown passes in Week 3.
Mahomes has 15,092 career passing yards and became theĀ first quarterback in league annals to reach 15,000 passing yards in 50-or-fewer games.
- Las Vegas quarterbackĀ DEREK CARRĀ passed for 386 yards and two touchdowns with one interception for a 95.7 rating in the Raiders’ 31-28 overtime win against Miami. Las Vegas is 3-0 for the first time since 2002.
Carr has 1,203 passing yards andĀ became the fourth player with at least 1,200 passing yards through his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history, joiningĀ TOM BRADYĀ (1,327 passing yards in 2011),Ā RYAN FITZPATRICKĀ (1,230 in 2018) and Pro Football Hall of FamerĀ KURT WARNERĀ (1,221 in 2000).
Dating back to Week 16 of the 2020 season, Carr has recorded at least 325 passing yards in five consecutive games andĀ joinedĀ RICH GANNONĀ (six games in 2002),Ā DREW BREESĀ (five games in 2011) and Pro Football Hall of FamerĀ KURT WARNERĀ (five games in 2000 and five games in 2008) as the only players to record 325 passing yards in five consecutive games in NFL history.
- Los Angeles Rams wide receiverĀ DESEAN JACKSONĀ recorded a 75-yard touchdown reception in the team’s 34-24 win over Tampa Bay.
Jackson is theĀ fifth player in the Super Bowl era to register 10 career touchdowns of at least 75 yards, joiningĀ DEVIN HESTERĀ (14 touchdowns),Ā DANTE HALLĀ (11),Ā JOSH CRIBBSĀ (10) andĀ TYREEK HILLĀ (10).
Tampa Bay quarterbackĀ TOM BRADYĀ passed for 432 yards and one touchdown and added a rushing touchdown on Sunday. Brady has 80,291 career passing yards andĀ joinedĀ DREW BREESĀ (80,358) as the only players with at least 80,000 career passing yards in NFL history.
- Cincinnati rookie wide receiverĀ JA’MARR CHASEĀ registered touchdown receptions of 9 yards and 34 yards in the Bengals’ 24-10 win at Pittsburgh.
Chase, who had a 50-yard touchdown catch in Week 1 and a 42-yard touchdown reception in Week 2, is theĀ third rookie in NFL history with a touchdown reception of at least 25 yards in each of his first three career games, joiningĀ DONTE STALLWORTHĀ (2002) andĀ BILLY HOWTONĀ (1952).
Pittsburgh rookie running backĀ NAJEE HARRISĀ totaled 14 receptions for 102 yards on Sunday.
Harris’ 14 catches areĀ tied withĀ SAQUON BARKLEYĀ (September 16, 2018) andĀ ROY HELUĀ (November 6, 2011) for the most receptions by a rookie running back in a single game all-time.
- Other notable performances from Sunday include:
- Arizona quarterbackĀ KYLER MURRAYĀ passed for 316 yards and added a rushing touchdown in the Cardinals’ 31-19 win at Jacksonville. Arizona improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2015.
Murray hasĀ rushed for a touchdown in each of his team’s first three games for the second season in a row. The only other quarterbacks with a rushing touchdown in each of their team’s first three games of a season since 1970 are Pro Football Hall of FamerĀ TERRY BRADSHAWĀ (1972) andĀ CHARLIE FRYEĀ (2006).
- Jacksonville wide receiverĀ JAMAL AGNEWĀ returned a missed field goal on Sunday for a 109-yard touchdown,Ā tied withĀ CORDARRELLE PATTERSONĀ (109-yard kick return touchdown on October 27, 2013) andĀ ANTONIO CROMARTIEĀ (109-yard missed field goal return on November 4, 2007) for the longest return touchdown in NFL history.
Agnew, who had a 102-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in Week 2, is theĀ first player in NFL history to register a touchdown of at least 100 yards in consecutive games.
- Arizona quarterbackĀ KYLER MURRAYĀ passed for 316 yards and added a rushing touchdown in the Cardinals’ 31-19 win at Jacksonville. Arizona improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2015.