PASSING HISTORY: Entering Week 3 of the 2021 NFL season, passing numbers are at an all-time high. The league has a combined 96.5 passer rating and 67.2 completion percentage, both the highest through the first two weeks of a season in NFL history.

A total of 14 quarterbacks have a season passer rating of 100-or-higher (among qualified passers), the most since 1970 through Week 2. Last season, 12 quarterbacks had a season passer rating of 100-or-higher through the first three weeks, the most in league annals. This year has a chance to surpass that mark.

Seattle quarterback RUSSELL WILSON leads all quarterbacks with a 146.9 rating this season. If he continues at that pace on Sunday at Minnesota (4:25 PM ET, FOX), he can surpass TOM BRADY (141.8 rating in 2007) for the highest passer rating by a player through his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history, among qualified passers.

Cleveland quarterback BAKER MAYFIELD leads the league with an 81.6 completion percentage (40 of 49), while Denver quarterback TEDDY BRIDGEWATER ranks second, completing 77.1 percent of his passes (54 of 70). Both players have a chance to have one of the highest completion percentages ever by a player through his team’s first three games of a season.

Las Vegas quarterback DEREK CARR leads the league with 817 passing yards entering Week 3. With 383 passing yards against Miami on Sunday (4:05 PM ET, CBS), he will become the fourth player with at least 1,200 passing yards through his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history.

Dating back to Week 16 of the 2020 season, Carr has recorded at least 325 passing yards in four consecutive games. If he reaches the mark this week, he will become the fourth player to record 325 passing yards in at least five consecutive games in NFL history.

LAMAR’S 40TH START: In Baltimore’s Sunday Night Football victory over Kansas City last week, quarterback LAMAR JACKSON passed for 239 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 107 yards and two touchdowns. It marked his 10th-career game with both a passing and rushing touchdown.

In 39 career starts, Jackson has totaled 89 touchdowns (69 passing, 20 rushing). With three touchdowns at Detroit on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Jackson will surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer KURT WARNER (91 touchdowns) for the third-most combined passing and rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in his first 40 career starts in NFL history. Only PATRICK MAHOMES (107 touchdowns) and Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (95) have more.

PACK IN PRIMETIME: Green Bay wide receiver DAVANTE ADAMS had eight catches for 121 yards in last week’s Monday Night Football victory over Detroit. Adams and the Packers return to primetime in Week 3, as they travel to San Francisco to meet the unbeaten 49ers on Sunday Night Football (8:20 PM ET, NBC). 

Adams has recorded a touchdown reception in nine consecutive games on Sunday Night Football, the longest such streak in NFL history.

Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS completed 22 of 27 passes (81.5 pct.) for 255 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions for a 145.6 rating in last week’s win. He enters Week 3 with 416 career touchdown passes and with four more in San Francisco can tie Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (420 touchdown passes) for the sixth-most in NFL history.

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WIDEOUTS OUT WEST: Entering Week 3, Seattle wide receiver TYLER LOCKETT ranks second in the league with 278 receiving yards, while Los Angeles Rams wide receiver COOPER KUPP ranks third with 271. Each player also has three receiving touchdowns this season and they are the only two players in the league with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in each of the first two weeks.

If Lockett records at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception on Sunday at Minnesota (4:25 PM ET, FOX), or Kupp does so against Tampa Bay (4:25 PM ET, FOX), either would join Pro Football Hall of Famers MARVIN HARRISON (1999), RANDY MOSS (2007) and JERRY RICE (1989), as well as DWIGHT CLARK (1982) as the only players with at least 100 receiving yards and a touchdown reception in each of his team’s first three games of a season in NFL history.

TERRIFFIC TIGHT ENDS: Kansas City tight end TRAVIS KELCE leads all tight ends with 185 receiving yards this season and ranks second with three touchdown receptions. Dating back to Week 13 of the 2020 season, Kelce has recorded a receiving touchdown in six consecutive regular-season games.

With a touchdown reception on Sunday against the Los Angeles Chargers (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Kelce will become the second tight end to record a receiving touchdown in seven consecutive games in NFL history, joining ANTONIO GATES (nine consecutive games from 2009-10).

Tampa Bay tight end ROB GRONKOWSKI leads all players with four touchdown receptions this season and joined BEN COATES (1994) and DEE MACKEY (1962) as the only tight ends in league annals with at least two touchdown receptions in each of their team’s first two games of a season.

If Gronkowski records two touchdown receptions on Sunday against the Rams (4:25 PM ET, FOX), he will join Pro Football Hall of Famer CALVIN JOHNSON (2011) as the only players in NFL history with at least two receiving touchdowns in each of their team’s first three games of a season. He can also become the first tight ever with six receiving touchdowns through his team’s first three games of a season.

Detroit tight end T.J. HOCKENSON ties for the league lead with 16 receptions this season, after recording eight receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown in Week 1 and eight receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown in Week 2.

Against Baltimore on Sunday (1:00 PM ET, CBS), Hockenson can become the first tight end in NFL history with at least eight receptions and a touchdown reception in each of his team’s first three games of a season.

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RUNNING THROUGH THE SOUTH: Tennessee running back DERRICK HENRY enters Week 3 leading the league with 240 rushing yards. This Sunday in Indianapolis (1:00 PM ET, CBS) will mark his first game of the season against an AFC South division rival.

In each of his past five games against the AFC South, Henry has rushed for at least 100 yards. In each his past three games against the division, he has totaled at least 175 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, the longest such streak against a division rival since 1970.

COURTESY NFLmedia.com