What to Look For - Week 4

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The early season scoring frenzy in the National Football League shows no sign of slowing down.

Through three weeks, teams are combining for 51 points per game, the most since the NFL’s merger with the AFL in 1970.

Meanwhile, several quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers are poised to put their names atop all-time leaderboards for production through four game with their prolific statistics.

Here are some players and teams to watch in Week 4 of the 2020 season:

30 IN ‘20: Through the first three weeks of the 2020 NFL season, there has been an average of 51.0 points per game scored (both teams combined), the highest total through Week 3 since 1970. Six teams – the GREEN BAY PACKERS (40.7 points per game), SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (37.0), BUFFALO BILLS (31.0), BALTIMORE RAVENS (30.3), KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (30.3) and ATLANTA FALCONS (30.0) – are averaging at least 30 points per game this season, tied for the fourth-most teams in a single season through Week 3 since 1970.

Only two seasons have had six teams average at least 30 points through their first four games of a season, and 2020 has a chance to join or surpass them.

The seasons with the most teams averaging at least 30 points per game through their first four games:

SEASON	TEAMS
2002	6
1968	6
Many	5

*2020*	6*
*Through 3 games

SLINGING IT IN SEATTLE: Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON enters Week 4 as the league’s leader in touchdown passes (14) and passer rating (139.0). His 14 touchdown passes are the most by a player in his team’s first three games of a season in league annals.

With at least three touchdown passes on Sunday at Miami (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Wilson will surpass PEYTON MANNING (16 touchdown passes in 2013) for the most touchdown passes by a player through his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history. Three of the previous five players with at least 14 touchdown passes through four games went on to win league MVP that season.

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

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON	TOUCHDOWN PASSES IN TEAM’S FIRST FOUR GAMES
Peyton Manning^#	Denver	2013	16
Sammy Baugh^HOF	Washington	1943	14
Patrick Mahomes^#	Kansas City	2018	14
Don Meredith	Dallas	1966	14
Kurt Warner^HOF#	St. Louis Rams	1999	14
*Russell Wilson*	*Seattle*	*2020*	14*
*Through three games
^#Won MVP that season

Last week, Wilson passed for five touchdowns and zero interceptions in Seattle’s Week 3 victory. Having also passed for four touchdowns in Week 1 and five touchdowns in Week 2, Wilson became the first player with at least four touchdown passes in each of his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history.

With at least four touchdown passes on Sunday, Wilson will become the third player in league annals with at least four touchdown passes in at least four consecutive games, joining PEYTON MANNING (five games in 2004) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (four games in 1984).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least four touchdown passes in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON (WEEKS)	GAMES
Peyton Manning^#	Indianapolis	2004 (Week 8-12)	5
Dan Marino^HOF#	Miami	1984 (Weeks 13-16)	4
Drew Brees	New Orleans	2011 (Weeks 15-17)	3
Patrick Mahomes^#	Kansas City	2018 (Weeks 6-8)	3
*Russell Wilson*	*Seattle*	*2020 (Weeks 1-3)*	3*
*Active streak
^#Won MVP that season

BUFFALO BRILLIANCE: Entering Week 4, Buffalo quarterback JOSH ALLEN ranks second in the NFL in passing yards (1,038), touchdown passes (10) and passer rating (124.8). He is the fourth player with at least 1,000 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns and a passer rating of 120-or-higher through his team’s first three games of a season in league history.

With at least 300 passing yards and two touchdown passes on Sunday at Las Vegas (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Allen will become the third player with at least 300 passing yards and two touchdown passes in each of his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (six games in1998) and PEYTON MANNING (five games in 2013).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least 300 passing yards and two touchdown passes to begin a season in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON	GAMES
Steve Young^HOF	San Francisco	1998	6
Peyton Manning	Denver	2013	5

*Josh Allen*	*Buffalo*	*2020*	3*
*Active streak

Additionally, Allen can become the second quarterback with at least 300 passing yards and a passer rating of 100-or-higher in each of his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history, joining PEYTON MANNING (five season-opening games in 2013).

CATCH MY DRIFT: Indianapolis quarterback PHILIP RIVERS leads all qualified passers with a 78.3 completion percentage this season, the third-highest mark through the first three weeks of a season in league history (minimum 50 attempts).

With a completion percentage of 75-or-higher on Sunday at Chicago (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Rivers will become the sixth quarterback with a completion percentage of 75-or-higher in four consecutive games (minimum 20 attempts) in NFL history.

The quarterbacks with the most consecutive games with a completion percentage of 75-or-higher in NFL history (min. 20 attempts):

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON(S)	GAMES
Alex Smith	Kansas City	2016-17	4
Aaron Rodgers	Green Bay	2014-15	4
Tom Brady	New England	2007	4
Carson Palmer	Cincinnati	2004-05	4
Kurt Warner^HOF	St. Louis Rams	2001-02	4

*Philip Rivers*	*Indianapolis*	*2020*	3*
*Active streak

20 YEARS APART: Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY passed for 297 yards and three touchdowns in the Buccaneers’ Week 3 victory, the 286th regular season start of his career, the second-most in NFL history. Los Angeles Chargers rookie quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT passed for 330 yards in his second career start last week and became the fifth quarterback with at least 300 passing yards in each of his first two career starts in league annals.

If Herbert (22 years and 209 days old on Sunday) and Brady (43 years and 63 days old on Sunday) meet as starting quarterbacks when the Buccaneers host the Chargers on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), it will mark the first game since at least 1950 featuring an age gap of at least 20 years between opposing starting quarterbacks. The older quarterback won the three most recent meetings featuring the largest age gaps between opposing quarterbacks.

The games with the largest age gaps between opposing starting quarterbacks since 1950:

QUARTERBACKS (AGES)	AGE GAP	DATE OF GAME
*Tom Brady (43 years, 63 days) vs. Justin Herbert (22 years, 209 days)*	*20 years, 219 days*	*Oct. 4, 2020*
Tom Brady (42 years, 79 days) vs. Sam Darnold (22 years, 138 days)	19 years, 306 days	Oct. 21, 2019
Tom Brady (41 years, 149 days) vs. Sam Darnold (21 years, 208 days)	19 years, 306 days	Dec. 30, 2018
Tom Brady (42 years, 68 days) vs. Daniel Jones (22 years, 136 days)	19 years, 297 days	Oct. 10, 2019
Warren Moon^HOF (44 years, 8 days) vs. Ryan Leaf (24 years, 195 days)	19 years, 179 days	Nov. 26, 2000

LIGHTS, KAMARA, ACTION: New Orleans running back ALVIN KAMARA leads the league with 438 scrimmage yards and six scrimmage touchdowns (three rushing, three receiving), and has scored two touchdowns in each game this season.

With at least two touchdowns on Sunday at Detroit (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Kamara will become the third player with at least two scrimmage touchdowns in each of his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM BROWN (five games in 1958) and CALVIN JOHNSON (four games in 2011).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least two touchdowns to begin a season in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON	GAMES
Jim Brown^HOF	Cleveland	1958	5
Calvin Johnson	Detroit	2011	4

*Alvin Kamara*	*New Orleans*	*2020*	3*
*Active streak

Kamara also scored two touchdowns in his final two regular-season games in 2019. With at least two touchdowns on Sunday, he will become the sixth player with at least two touchdowns in six consecutive games in NFL history.

The players with the most consecutive games with at least two touchdowns in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON(S)	GAMES
LaDainian Tomlinson^HOF	San Diego Chargers	2006	8
John Riggins^HOF	Washington	1983	7
Priest Holmes	Kansas City	2003-04	6
Larry Johnson	Kansas City	2004-05	6
Emmitt Smith^HOF	Dallas	1994	6

*Alvin Kamara*	*New Orleans*	*2019-2020*	5*
*Active streak

TWO IS BETTER THAN ONE: Cleveland running backs NICK CHUBB (292 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns) and KAREEM HUNT (204 rushing yards and three total touchdowns) are the only pair of running-back teammates each with at least 200 rushing yards this season. The pair has also combined for seven scrimmage touchdowns through three games.

If Hunt scores a touchdown on Sunday at Dallas (1:00 PM ET, FOX), the pair will become the third set of running-back teammates each with at least four scrimmage touchdowns through their team’s first four games of a season in the Super Bowl era.

The running-back teammates each with at least four touchdowns through their team’s first four games of a season in the Super Bowl era:

TEAMMATES (TDs)	TEAM	SEASON
James Brooks (5) & Larry Kinnebrew (4)	Cincinnati	1985
Jim Braxton (7) & O.J. Simpson^HOF(5)	Buffalo	1975

Nick Chubb (4) & Kareem Hunt (3)*	*Cleveland*	*2020*
*Through three games

DK MORE THAN OK: Seattle wide receiver DK METCALF ranks third in the league with 297 receiving yards and is one of three players with a touchdown reception in each of the first three weeks of the season.

With at least 90 receiving yards and a touchdown reception on Sunday at Miami (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Metcalf will become the third player with at least 90 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in each of his team’s first four games of a season in NFL history, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISON (1999) and RANDY MOSS (2007).

The players with the most consecutive games with at least 90 receiving yards and a touchdown reception to begin a season in NFL history:

PLAYER	TEAM	SEASON	GAMES
Marvin Harrison^HOF	Indianapolis	1999	4
Randy Moss^HOF	New England	2007	4

*DK Metcalf*	*Seattle*	*2020*	3*
*Active streak

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