By Dean Michaels, NFL Writer

Three For 3-0

Three NFL teams -- Arizona, Atlanta and Houston -- are undefeated through Week 3. Since 1990, 75.7 percent of teams (84 of 111) that started 3-0 made the playoffs.

With a 27-6 win over Philadelphia, Arizona improved to 3-0 for the first time since 1974. Dating back to last season, Arizona has won 10 of its past 12 games.

The Falcons and Texans both claimed their second road victory of the season in Week 3. Atlanta, which won 27-3 at San Diego, started 3-0 for the first time since 2004 (4-0 start), while Houston reached 3-0 for the first time in franchise history with a 31-25 win at Denver.

It's Still Early

In the first three weeks of 2012, 30 of the 32 clubs (93.8 percent) earned one or more wins, including 27 (84.4 percent) which own a 2-1 or 1-2 record. Both are the highest such totals in a season through three games since realignment in 2002.

Scores Galore

NFL teams scored 731 points in Week 3 to bring the season total to 2,287 points, the most scored in any three-week span of an NFL season.

Teams combined to score more than 725 points in three consecutive weeks (791, Week 1; 765, Week 2) for the second time in NFL history (Weeks 10-12, 2010) and the only time to begin a season.

Lead Manning

Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING passed for 330 yards in the Broncos' 31-25 loss to Houston.

The performance marked Manning's 64th career 300-yard game, passing Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback DAN MARINO (63) for the most in NFL history.

Larry Legend

Arizona wide receiver LARRY FITZGERALD had nine receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Cardinals' 27-6 win over Philadelphia.

Fitzgerald now has 707 career receptions and became the youngest player in NFL history (29 years, 23 days) to reach the 700-catch mark. He surpassed the previous record (JASON WITTEN, 30 years, 133 days) by more than a year.

Fitzgerald also reached 700 receptions in the fifth-fewest games in NFL history (127). Former Indianapolis wide receiver Marvin Harrison holds the record, recording his 700th catch in his 114th game.

Fine Finishes

Three games -- Detroit at Tennessee (Titans win, 44-41), Kansas City at New Orleans (Chiefs win, 27-24) and the New York Jets at Miami (Jets win, 23-20) -- were decided in overtime. It marked the first day with three overtime games since November 7, 2010. The NFL record for the most overtime games in a single day is four.

All three games featured scores in the final 16 seconds of the fourth quarter to force overtime. The Lions, who trailed the Titans 41-27, became the first team in NFL history to score two touchdowns in the final 18 seconds of regulation to either take the lead or force overtime. Detroit quarterback SHAUN HILL threw a three-yard touchdown pass to CALVIN JOHNSON with 18 seconds remaining and then connected with TITUS YOUNG on a 46-yard TD as time expired to force overtime.

In addition to the overtime games, two kickers converted game-winning field goals on the final play of regulation last week. Oakland kicker SEBASTIAN JANIKOWSKI made a 43-yard field goal as time expired to give the Raiders a 34-31 win over Pittsburgh, while Baltimore rookie kicker JUSTIN TUCKER converted a 27-yard attempt as the game ended to lift the Ravens to a 31-30 victory over New England on Sunday Night Football.

Thursday Night Notes

Notes from the New York Giants' 36-7 win at Carolina on NFL Network's Thursday Night Football:

Carolina's CAM NEWTON registered his 16th career rushing touchdown on a one-yard run in the third quarter, surpassing STEVE GROGAN (15, 1975-76) for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in his first two seasons.

With his fourth-quarter interception, New York linebacker MICHAEL BOLEY became the fourth NFL linebacker since 1970 to record at least one interception in each of his team's first three games of a season. He joins Green Bay's JOHN ANDERSON (1978), Tampa Bay's DERRICK BROOKS (2002) and Oakland's KIRK MORRISON (2007).

Boley is the first Giants player to accomplish the feat since cornerback TERRY JACKSON in 1978.

The TENNESSEE TITANS became the first team in NFL history to score five touchdowns of at least 60 yards in a game in their 44-41 overtime win over Detroit: TOMMIE CAMPBELL, 65-yard punt-return TD; JARED COOK, 61-yard TD reception from JAKE LOCKER; DARIUS REYNAUD, 105-yard kick-return TD; NATE WASHINGTON, 71-yard TD reception from Locker; and ALTERRAUN VERNER, 72-yard fumble-return TD.

Kansas City running back JAMAAL CHARLES rushed for 233 yards and a touchdown (91 yards) in the Chiefs' 27-24 overtime win over New Orleans. Charles, who also had six receptions for 55 yards, joined Pro Football Hall of Famer JIM BROWN (November 19, 1961) as the only players in NFL history to record at least 225 rushing yards and 50 receiving yards in the same game.

Charles, who rushed for 259 yards on January 3, 2010, has two career games with at least 230 rushing yards. Only Brown (three) has more.

The DETROIT LIONS became the first team in NFL history to score two touchdowns in the final 18 seconds of regulation to either take the lead or force overtime. Detroit quarterback SHAUN HILL threw a three-yard touchdown pass to CALVIN JOHNSON with 18 seconds remaining and then connected with TITUS YOUNG on a 46-yard TD as time expired to force overtime.

Three games -- Detroit at Tennessee, Kansas City at New Orleans and the New York Jets at Miami -- were decided in overtime. Today marked the first day since November 7, 2010 with three overtime games. The NFL record for the most overtime games in a single day is four, which has been done twice before (October 8, 1995 and October 20, 2002).

Minnesota's BLAIR WALSH kicked a 52-yard field goal in the Vikings' 24-13 win over San Francisco. Walsh, who had a 55-yarder in Week 1 and a 51-yarder in Week 2, is the first rookie in NFL history to kick a 50-yard field goal in each of his team's first three games.

 

NFL 2012 Week 3 Wrap-Up - The Week That Was