2021 What To Look For - Week 5
In Week 5, wide receivers across the National Football League can set career milestones.
Veterans Odell Beckham, Jr., Antonio Brown, Tyreek Hill and DeAndre Hopkins, along with rookie Ja’Marr Chase, can rewrite the record books with solid performances for their respective teams.
The Arizona Cardinals also look to remain undefeated and attempt to accomplish something only five other teams have done in NFL history.
Here are achievements to watch for with this week’s slate of games:
CALLING CARDS: The ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-0) are the last undefeated team and have scored at least 30 points in each of their first four games of the 2021 season.
With at least 30 points against the 49ers (4:25 PM ET, FOX), the Cardinals would become the sixth team to score at least 30 points in each of their first five games to start a season in NFL history. Four of the previous five teams to accomplish the feat advanced to the Super Bowl.
The teams with the most consecutive games of at least 30 points to start a season:
|
TEAM |
SEASON |
CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH 30 POINTS TO START SEASON |
|
Denver Broncos# |
2013 |
8 |
|
New England Patriots# |
2007 |
8 |
|
St. Louis Rams |
2000 |
8 |
|
Los Angeles Rams# |
2018 |
5 |
|
New England Patriots# |
2011 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
Arizona Cardinals |
2021 |
4* |
|
*Active streak |
||
|
#Advanced to Super Bowl |
||
Arizona quarterback KYLER MURRAY leads all qualified passers with a 76.1 completion percentage (102 of 134) and ranks third in the NFL with 1,273 passing yards.
On Sunday, he can become the third quarterback in NFL history with at least 1,500 passing yards and a completion percentage of 75-or-higher through his team’s first five games of a season, joining DREW BREES (2018) and Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING(2013).
The players with at least 1,500 passing yards and a completion percentage of 75-or-higher through their team’s first five games of a season in NFL history:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
SEASON |
PASS YARDS |
COMP. PCT. |
|
Drew Brees |
New Orleans |
2018 |
1,658 |
77.9 |
|
Peyton ManningHOF |
Denver |
2013 |
1,884 |
75.8 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Kyler Murray |
Arizona |
2021 |
1,273* |
76.1* |
|
*Through first four games |
||||
CHAMPIONSHIP REMATCH: The BUFFALO BILLS (3-1) visit the KANSAS CITY CHIEFS(2-2) on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC) in a rematch of last season’s AFC Championship.
Buffalo enters Week 4 with the top-ranked scoring defense (11.0 points allowed per game) and is tied for second with Kansas City in scoring offense (33.5 points per game). The Bills lead the league in point differential ( 90) and became the third team since 1990 to record two shutouts in their first four games of a season, joining the Ravens in 2000 and Washington in 1991. Both Baltimore and Washington advanced to the Super Bowl in those seasons.
On Sunday night, Buffalo can become the fifth team since 2000 with a point differential of 100-or-higher through its first five games of a season.
The teams with the highest point differential through their first five games since 2000:
|
TEAM |
SEASON |
POINT DIFFERENTIAL |
|
New England Patriots |
2019 |
121 |
|
Chicago Bears# |
2006 |
120 |
|
New England Patriots# |
2007 |
117 |
|
Arizona Cardinals |
2015 |
100 |
|
|
|
|
|
Buffalo Bills |
2021 |
90* |
|
*In first four games |
||
|
#Advanced to Super Bowl |
||
Kansas City quarterback PATRICK MAHOMES, who leads the league with 14 touchdown passes, threw five touchdown passes last week and became the fifth quarterback in NFL history to register at least three touchdown passes in each of his first four games of a season.
This week, Mahomes can join TOM BRADY (first 10 games in 2007) and Pro Football Hall of Famer STEVE YOUNG (first five games in 1998) as the only quarterbacks with at least three touchdown passes in each of their first five games of a season.
Mahomes, who has 28 career games with at least 300 passing yards since entering the NFL in 2017, has at least 300 passing yards in two of his first four games this season and can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (29) for the most 300-yard passing games by a player in his first five seasons in NFL history.
Kansas City wide receiver TYREEK HILL had 11 receptions for 186 yards and three touchdowns last week, his 15th career game with at least two total touchdowns.
With two touchdowns against Buffalo, Hill can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer BOB HAYES(16 games) for the third-most games with at least two touchdowns by a wide receiver in his first six seasons in NFL history.
The wide receivers with the most games with at least two touchdowns in their first six seasons in NFL history:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
GAMES |
|
Jerry RiceHOF |
San Francisco |
19 |
|
Randy MossHOF |
Minnesota |
18 |
|
Bob HayesHOF |
Dallas |
16 |
|
|
|
|
|
Tyreek Hill |
Kansas City |
15* |
|
*In sixth season |
||
SECOND & TWENTY: Second-year quarterback JUSTIN HERBERT is slated to make his 20th career start as the LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (3-1) host the CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-1) at SoFi Stadium (4:05 PM ET, CBS). Last week, Herbert registered his 500th career completion and became the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to reach 500 career completions prior to his 20th NFL start.
In Week 5, Herbert, who has 40 career touchdown passes, can surpass TONY ROMO (43 touchdown passes) for the fourth-most by a quarterback in his first 20 career starts in NFL history.
The quarterbacks with the most touchdown passes in their first 20 career starts in NFL history:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
TOUCHDOWN PASSES |
|
Patrick Mahomes |
Kansas City |
60 |
|
Kurt WarnerHOF |
St. Louis Rams |
51 |
|
Dan MarinoHOF |
Miami |
47 |
|
Tony Romo |
Dallas |
43 |
|
|
|
|
|
Justin Herbert |
L.A. Chargers |
40* |
|
*In 19 starts |
||
ROOKIE SUCCESS: The NFL returns to London for the first of two international games on the 2021 schedule when the NEW YORK JETS (1-3) meet the ATLANTA FALCONS (1-3) at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium (9:30 AM ET/2:30 PM in the UK, NFL Network).
Jets rookie quarterback ZACH WILSON, the No. 2 overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft, earned his first-career win last week after passing for a career-high 297 yards. This week, he looks to become the first rookie quarterback to win a game in London and can become the first rookie quarterback to register multiple touchdown passes in an international game.
The rookie quarterbacks to start an international game since 2005:
|
DATE |
PLAYER |
TEAM |
SITE |
STADIUM |
TD PASSES |
RESULT |
|
Nov. 3, 2019 |
Gardner Minshew |
Jacksonville |
London |
Wembley |
0 |
HOU 26, JAX 3 |
|
Oct. 29, 2017 |
Deshone Kizer |
Cleveland |
London |
Twickenham |
0 |
MIN 33, CLE 16 |
|
Nov. 9, 2014 |
Blake Bortles |
Jacksonville |
London |
Wembley |
0 |
DAL 31, JAX 17 |
|
Sept. 28, 2014 |
Derek Carr |
Oakland Raiders |
London |
Wembley |
1 |
MIA 38, OAK 14 |
|
Dec. 1, 2013 |
EJ Manuel |
Buffalo |
Toronto |
Rogers Centre |
1 |
ATL 34, BUF 31 |
|
Dec. 16, 2012 |
Russell Wilson |
Seattle |
Toronto |
Rogers Centre |
1 |
SEA 50, BUF 17 |
|
Dec. 3, 2009 |
Mark Sanchez |
N.Y. Jets |
Toronto |
Rogers Centre |
1 |
NYJ 19, BUF 13 |
Two other rookie quarterbacks square off in Week 5, as MAC JONES and the New England Patriots visit DAVIS MILLS and the Houston Texans (1:00 PM ET, CBS).
Jones leads all qualified rookie quarterbacks in passing yards (1,012) and passer rating (84.7) through the first four weeks and his 112 completions are the second-most by a rookie quarterback in his first four career starts and third-most by any player in his first four starts all-time.
This week, Jones, who has at least 25 completions in three of his first four starts, can surpass JOE BURROW (135 completions in 2020) for the most completions by a rookie quarterback in his first five career starts in NFL history.
The rookie quarterbacks with the most completions in their first five career starts in NFL history:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
SEASON |
COMPLETIONS |
|
Joe Burrow |
Cincinnati |
2020 |
135 |
|
Kyler Murray |
Arizona |
2019 |
126 |
|
Justin Herbert |
L.A. Chargers |
2020 |
124 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mac Jones |
New England |
2021 |
112* |
|
*Through first four starts |
|
||
Cincinnati rookie wide receiver JA’MARR CHASE leads all rookies with 297 receiving yards and four touchdown receptions and has recorded at least 50 receiving yards in each of his first four career games.
On Sunday against Green Bay (1:00 PM ET, FOX), Chase can become the fifth rookie in NFL history with at least 50 receiving yards in each of his first five career games. It would also mark the third-consecutive season that a rookie has accomplished the feat [CEEDEE LAMB (2020) and TERRY MCLAURIN (2019)].
The rookies with the most consecutive games with at least 50 receiving yards to begin their careers in NFL history:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
SEASON |
GAMES |
|
|
Earl McCullouch |
Detroit |
1968 |
7 |
|
|
CeeDee Lamb |
Dallas |
2020 |
6 |
|
|
Terry Glenn |
New England |
1996 |
5 |
|
|
Terry McLaurin |
Washington |
2019 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Ja’Marr Chase |
Cincinnati |
2021 |
4* |
|
|
*Active streak |
||||
RECEIVER RECORDS: In Week 5, wide receivers across the league can set career milestones:
- Cleveland’s ODELL BECKHAM JR. has 494 receptions and 6,934 receiving yards in 84 career games. On Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers (4:05 PM ET, CBS), he can join JULIO JONES (531 receptions and 8,076 receiving yards) as the only players ever with at least 500 receptions and 7,000 receiving yards in their first 85 career games.
- Tampa Bay’s ANTONIO BROWN has 899 receptions for 11,947 yards in 142 career games. On Sunday against Miami (1:00 PM ET, CBS), he can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer MARVIN HARRISON (149 games) as the fastest player (143 games) to reach 900 career receptions in NFL history.
Brown can also become the fifth player in league annals to reach 12,000 career receiving yards in fewer than 150 games, joining JULIO JONES (125 games), Pro Football Hall of Famer JERRY RICE (142), TORRY HOLT (146) and ANDRE JOHNSON (146).
- Arizona’s DEANDRE HOPKINS, who will be 29 years and 126 days old on Sunday, has 764 career receptions and needs one catch against San Francisco (4:25 PM ET, FOX) to surpass LARRY FITZGERALD (764) for the most receptions ever by a player prior to his 30th birthday.
CAN YOU DIGGS IT?: Dallas cornerback TREVON DIGGS leads the NFL with five interceptions this season, having recorded at least one interception in each of the Cowboys’ first four games.
With an interception on Sunday against the New York Giants (4:25 PM ET, FOX), Diggs would become the third player in the Super Bowl era to record at least one interception in his each of his team’s first five games of a season.
The players with an interception in each of their team’s first five games of a season in the Super Bowl era:
|
PLAYER |
TEAM |
SEASON |
GAMES WITH INTERCEPTION TO BEGIN SEASON |
|
Brian Russell |
Minnesota |
2003 |
6 |
|
Lemar Parrish |
Washington |
1979 |
5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Trevon Diggs |
Dallas |
2021 |
4* |
|
*Active streak |
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A member of the Hall of Fame’s Class of 1991, Jan Stenerud is featured this week in the Gold Jacket Spotlight.
Stories From The Hall of Fame Archives: Lions on Wrong Side of Two Historic Field Goals
Justin Tucker converted a game-winning 66-yard field goal as time expired, the longest made field goal in NFL history.