NFL 2011 Week 3 - What to Look For

What to Look For
NFL 2011 Week 3

IT'S STILL EARLY

History shows that 0-2 teams advance to the playoffs more often than people might think.

Since the current playoff format was instituted in 1990, 22 teams started 0-2 and still qualified for the postseason.

The 1993 Dallas Cowboys started 0-2 before winning Super Bowl XXVIII. The 0-2 New England Patriots of 1996 played in Super Bowl XXXI, and in 2001, the 0-2 Patriots won Super Bowl XXXVI. The 2007 New York Giants started 0-2 before winning Super Bowl XLII.

The 0-2 teams since 1990 to qualify for the playoffs:

Year	Team	Winless Start	Advanced To
Source: NFL
1990	Houston Oilers	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1990	Philadelphia Eagles	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1990	New Orleans Saints	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1991	Atlanta Falcons	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1992	San Diego Chargers	0-4	Divisional Playoffs
1993	Pittsburgh Steelers	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1993	Dallas Cowboys	0-2	Won Super Bowl XXVIII
1994	New England Patriots	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
1995	Detroit Lions	0-3	Wild Card Playoffs
1996	New England Patriots	0-2	Lost Super Bowl XXXI
1998	Arizona Cardinals	0-2	Divisional Playoffs
1998	Buffalo Bills	0-3	Wild Card Playoffs
1998	New York Jets	0-2	Championship Game
2001	New England Patriots	0-2	Won Super Bowl XXXVI
2002	Atlanta Falcons	0-2	Divisional Playoffs
2002	Pittsburgh Steelers	0-2	Divisional Playoffs
2003	Philadelphia Eagles	0-2	Championship Game
2006	Kansas City Chiefs	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
2007	New York Giants	0-2	Won Super Bowl XLII
2008	Miami Dolphins	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
2008	Minnesota Vikings	0-2	Wild Card Playoffs
2008	San Diego Chargers	0-2	Divisional Playoffs

FRESH START

Seven teams are undefeated through the first two weeks of the season -- Buffalo, Detroit, Green Bay, Houston, New England, the New York Jets, and Washington.

Two of these clubs, the Bills and the Lions, look to begin this season at 3-0 after starting 0-3 last season. And while no guarantee of future success, a strong start to the season is a good omen -- 75.9 percent of teams (82 of 108) that started 3-0 since 1990 made the playoffs.

Of the seven teams since realignment in 2002 to begin a season 3-0 after starting the previous season 0-3, four have qualified for the postseason. Most recently, the Kansas City Chiefs started 3-0 in 2010 en route to an AFC West title on the heels of an 0-5 start in 2009.

The teams since realignment in 2002 to begin a season at 3-0 after starting the previous season 0-3:

Team	Year
*Qualified for postseason (Source: NFL)
Minnesota Vikings	2003
Seattle Seahawks*	2003
New York Jets*	2004
Jacksonville Jaguars	2004
Tampa Bay Buccaneers*	2005
Buffalo Bills	2008
Kansas City Chiefs*	2010

PASS TIME

There have been 23 individual 300-yard passing performances so far in 2011, the most ever though the first two weeks of a season. Net passing yards are at 15,771, also the most ever through the first two weeks.

In addition to being a record through Week 2, the 23 individual 300-yard passing games are already the most through the first three weeks of any NFL season with a full slate of games still to play. Teams can add to this already record-setting total this weekend.

YARD SALE

New England Patriots quarterback TOM BRADY leads the league with 940 passing yards. Brady's total is the most by a quarterback in the first two weeks of a season and he became the first player in NFL history to follow a 500-yard passing performance with a 400-yard game (517 yards in Week 1; 423 yards in Week 2).

With 282 passing yards this weekend against the Buffalo Bills, Brady can surpass KURT WARNER (1,221 in 2000) for the most passing yards in NFL history through a team's first three games.

Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback CAM NEWTON has thrown for 854 yards this season and can also challenge Warner's mark.

The players with the most passing yards through their team's first three games:

Player	Team	Year	Passing Yards thru 1st 3 Games
Source: NFL
Kurt Warner	St. Louis Rams	2000	1,221
Drew Bledsoe	New England Patriots	1994	1,166
Frank Tripucka	Denver Broncos	1962	1,098
Philip Rivers	San Diego Chargers	2010	1,087
Peyton Manning	Indianapolis Colts	2000	1,080

CAM-DO

Last week, Carolina Panthers rookie quarterback CAM NEWTON became the first player in NFL history to record back-to-back 400-yard passing games to begin a career. Newton followed his 422-yard NFL debut on Kickoff Weekend by setting the single-game rookie record with 432 passing yards last week. His 854 passing yards are the most ever by player in his first two NFL games.

Newton became the first rookie to pass for at least 300 yards in consecutive games. He can add to that total with a 300-yard performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars this Sunday.

With 400 passing yards this weekend, Newton could also become the first player with three consecutive games of at least 400 yards passing in NFL history. New England Patriots quarterback TOM BRADY can also accomplish the feat in Week 3.

The players in NFL history to record consecutive 400-yard passing games:

Player	Team	Game 1	Game 2
Source: NFL
Dan Fouts	Chargers	12/11/82 vs. 49ers (444 yards)	12/20/82 vs. Bengals (435 yards)
Dan Marino	Dolphins	12/2/84 vs. LA Raiders (470 yards)	12/9/84 vs. Colts (404 yards)
Phil Simms	Giants	10/6/85 vs. Cowboys (432 yards)	10/13/85 vs. Bengals (513 yards)
Billy Volek	Titans	12/13/04 vs. Chiefs (426 yards)	12/19/04 vs. Raiders (492 yards)
Matt Cassel	Patriots	11/13/08 vs. NY Jets (400 yards)	11/23/08 vs. Dolphins (415 yards)
Tom Brady	Patriots	9/12/11 vs. Dolphins (517 yards)	9/18/11 vs. Chargers (423 yards)
Cam Newton	Panthers	9/11/11 vs. Cardinals (422 yards)	9/18/11 vs. Packers (432 yards)

COOL BREES

New Orleans Saints quarterback DREW BREES has thrown a touchdown pass in 29 consecutive games, including the first two games in 2011.

With a touchdown pass against the Houston Texans this Sunday, Brees can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (30) for the third-most consecutive games with a touchdown pass in NFL history. Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHNNY UNITAS holds the record, passing for a touchdown in 47 consecutive games from 1956-1960.

The most consecutive games with a touchdown pass in NFL history:

Player	Team	Years	Consecutive Games
*Active streak (Source: NFL)
Johnny Unitas	Baltimore Colts	1956-1960	47
Brett Favre	Green Bay Packers	2002-2004	36
Dan Marino	Miami Dolphins	1985-1987	30
Drew Brees	New Orleans Saints	2009-present	29*
Dave Krieg	Seattle Seahawks	1983-1985	28

TEXANS TWO STEP

Houston Texans running back BEN TATE has recorded 219 rushing yards thus far in 2011.

He has rushed for over 100 yards in each contest this season, gaining 116 yards on the ground in Week 1 and adding 103 last weekend, helping the Texans to a 2-0 start.

With 100 rushing yards against the New Orleans Saints this weekend, Tate can join current St. Louis Rams running back CADILLAC WILLIAMS as the only running backs in NFL history to gain at least 100 yards in each of their first three career games. In his first three games of 2005 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Williams recorded 148, 128, and 158 rushing yards, respectively.