2021 What To Look For - Week 7

We are a third of the way through the 2021 NFL season. Teams are starting to stake their claims in the playoff standings, and the weekly matchups are getting more meaningful with divisional play ramping up.

One interesting matchup taking place this Sunday is the Detroit Lions traveling to California to face the Los Angeles Rams. Both starting quarterbacks will be facing the teams that drafted them for the first time.

Detroit’s Jared Goff was selected No. 1 overall by the Rams in 2016 and led them to a Super Bowl LIII appearance in 2018. Los Angeles’ Matthew Stafford was selected No. 1 overall by the Lions in 2009 and is the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards, touchdown passes and passer rating.

Here are other notable things to watch for this week:

THE BUC STOPS HERE: After leading the league in rushing defense (80.6 rushing yards allowed per game) during their Super Bowl season last year, the TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS again lead the league in the category through six weeks this season, limiting opponents to 54.8 rushing yards per game.

Since the beginning of last season, a span of 22 regular-season games, Tampa Bay has only had one opposing player eclipse the 100-yard rushing mark (Minnesota’s DALVIN COOK rushed for 102 yards in Week 14 of 2020).

If the Buccaneers continue this run-stopping pace, they can become the fifth team since 1950 to limit their opponents to fewer than 60 rushing yards per game through their first seven games of a season.

The teams to allow fewer than 60 rushing yards per game through their first seven games in a season since 1950:

Tampa Bay quarterback TOM BRADY enters Week 7 leading the league in passing yards (2,064) and completions (183) and ranks second in touchdown passes (17). He is also the only player this season with three games of at least four touchdown passes (Weeks 1-2, 5).

With 17 completions and three touchdown passes on Sunday against Chicago (4:25 PM ET, CBS), Brady will become the third player with at least 200 completions and 20 touchdown passes in his team’s first seven games of a season in NFL history, joining ANDREW LUCK (2018) and Pro Football Hall of Famer PEYTON MANNING (2013).

The players with at least 200 completions and 20 touchdown passes in their team’s first seven games of a season in NFL history:

Brady, the league’s all-time leader in both passing yards (81,268) and touchdown passes (598), can also become the first player in league history with 600 career touchdown passes.

REUNION IN L.A.: When the DETROIT LIONS visit the LOS ANGELES RAMS on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, FOX), both starting quarterbacks will be facing the teams that drafted them for the first time. Detroit’s JARED GOFF was selected No. 1 overall by the Rams in 2016 and passed for 18,171 yards and 107 touchdowns in 69 starts for the franchise and led them to a Super Bowl LIII appearance in 2018.

Los Angeles’ MATTHEW STAFFORD was selected No. 1 overall by the Lions in 2009 and is the franchise’s all-time leader in passing yards (45,109), touchdown passes (282) and passer rating (89.9). This season, Stafford ranks tied for third in the league with 16 touchdown passes and fourth with 1,838 passing yards.

In 171 career games, Stafford has 298 touchdown passes and on Sunday, can become the seventh-fastest player (172 games) to record 300 career touchdown passes in NFL history.

The players to reach 300 career touchdown passes in the fewest games in NFL history:

KING’S COURT: Tennessee running back DERRICK HENRY enters this week leading the league with 783 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He is the third player ever with at least 750 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in his team’s first six games of a season, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers JIM BROWN (1958) and ERIC DICKERSON (1983).

Henry has rushed for three touchdowns in each of the past two weeks and can join Pro Football Hall of Famer LADAINIAN TOMLINSON (three consecutive games in 2006) as the only players in NFL history with at least three rushing touchdowns in three consecutive games.

Additionally, Henry has recorded at least 125 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in each of his past three games. If he accomplishes the feat again on Sunday against Kansas City (1:00 PM ET, CBS), he will become the fifth player with at least 125 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in four consecutive games within a single season in the Super Bowl era.

The players with at least 125 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown in the most consecutive games within a single season in the Super Bowl era: