Key NFL statistics courtesy of NFL Communications as Week 3 of the 2024 season wraps up.
Six teams – the Baltimore Ravens, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Rams, and New York Giants – got their first win of the season in Week 3. With three games left that week, 29 teams have at least one win, while the Jacksonville Jaguars (at Buffalo Bills) and Cincinnati Bengals (vs. Washington Commanders) are still searching for their first win on Monday night.
Three teams – the Minnesota Vikings, Pittsburgh Steelers, and Seattle Seahawks – are now 3-0. The defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs (playing Sunday Night Football at Atlanta Falcons) and Buffalo Bills (playing Monday against Jacksonville Jags) can also reach 3-0.
Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald became the fifth head coach under age 40 since 2000 to win his first three games, joining Mike McDaniel (2022), Matt LaFleur (2019), Josh McDaniels (2009), and Mike Tomlin (2007).
The Minnesota Vikings went 3-0 for the first time since 2016, beating Houston 34-7, with five sacks and touchdown catches by wide receivers Justin Jefferson and Jalen Nailor.
The Vikings – with five sacks in Week 1, six in Week 2, and five in Week 3 – are the third team since 1990 to achieve at least five sacks in each of their first three games, joining the 2001 New Orleans Saints and 2000 Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Jefferson and Nailor are the first teammates to have a touchdown reception in each of their team's first three games since 2018, following Bucs wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
The Pittsburgh Steelers improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2020 after a 20-10 win against Jim Harbaugh's Los Angeles Chargers. They allowed 10 points in Week 1, six in Week 2, and 10 in Week 3, making them the fifth team since 2000 to win their first three games while allowing 10 or fewer points each time, alongside the 2009 Denver Broncos, 2005 Indianapolis Colts, 2004 Seattle Seahawks, and 2001 Green Bay Packers.
The Green Bay Packers beat Tennessee, 30-14, with former Titans quarterback Malik Willis (filling in for the injured Jordan Love) totaling 275 yards (202 passing, 73 rushing) and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing) for a 120.9 rating. Safety Xavier McKinney had his third straight game with an interception to start the season.
The Packers have 612 rushing yards this season, making them the fifth team since 1990 to reach at least 600 rushing yards in their first three games. The teams include the 2006 Atlanta Falcons (675 yards), 2019 Baltimore Ravens (650), 2013 Philadelphia Eagles (627), and 2008 Atlanta Falcons (609).
Willis has a 126.8 rating in Week 2 and 120.9 in Week 3, becoming the fifth player since 1970 to achieve a passer rating of 120 or higher in his first two starts, joining Brad Johnson (1999), Jeff George (1994), Jim Plunkett (1980), and John Hadl (1973). McKinney is the first to have an interception in each of his first three games with a team since Cortland Finnegan in 2012.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley totaled 156 scrimmage yards (147 rushing, nine receiving) and two rushing touchdowns, while tight end Dallas Goedert had 10 receptions for 170 yards in the Eagles' 15-12 win at New Orleans. This marks the fifth time since 1970 that a running back and tight end duo each had at least 150 scrimmage yards in the same game, joining notable pairs like Shannon Sharpe and Terrell Davis, Rodney Holman and James Brooks, Mickey Shuler and Freeman McNeil, and Rich Caster and John Riggins.
Barkley is the third player in the past 20 seasons to achieve at least 125 scrimmage yards and two rushing touchdowns in two of his team's first three games, alongside Chris Johnson and Raheem Mostert. Goedert is among the fifth tight ends with at least 10 receptions and 170 receiving yards in a game in the past 20 seasons, joining Jimmy Graham, Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Darren Waller.
New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers had eight catches for 78 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-15 win over the Cleveland Browns.
The Giants became the fourth team since 1982 to have nine players record at least half a sack in a game, following the Buffalo Bills (Oct. 30, 2011), Dallas Cowboys (Sept. 29, 1985), and Kansas City Chiefs (Dec. 8, 1985). Nabers has 23 receptions for 271 yards and three touchdowns this season, making him the first player in NFL history with at least 20 catches and three touchdown receptions in his first three games.
His 23 receptions tie with Anquan Boldin (2003) for the second-most by a player in his first three games, only behind Puka Nacua (30 receptions in 2023). At 21 years and 56 days old, Nabers is the youngest wide receiver in NFL history with two touchdown catches in a game, surpassing Mike Evans (21 years and 73 days old on Nov. 2, 2014).
Current Baltimore Ravens running back Derrick Henry (formerly of Tennessee Titans) recorded 174 scrimmage yards (151 rushing, 23 receiving) and two rushing touchdowns in the Ravens' 28-25 victory over Dallas.
Henry has 12 career games with at least 150 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, tied with LaDainian Tomlinson for the second-most in NFL history. Jim Brown holds the record with 13 games.
Henry has 19 career games with at least 100 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns, tied with Shaun Alexander for the fourth-most in the first nine NFL seasons. Jim Brown (25), LaDainian Tomlinson (25), and Emmitt Smith (21) have more.
- Additional notes from Sunday include:
- San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy passed for 292 yards with three touchdowns and a 137.1 passer rating in Week 3. He has nine career games with a passer rating of 130-or-higher, surpassing Lamar Jackson for the most such games by a quarterback in his first three NFL seasons. In 24 career regular-season starts, Purdy has 16 games with a passer rating of 100-or-higher, tied with Kurt Warner for the second-most in history. Only Patrick Mahomes has more.
- Carolina Panthers wide receiver Adam Thielen recorded his 60th career touchdown reception, becoming the third undrafted player with at least 60 career touchdown receptions, joining Antonio Gates and Rod Smith.
- Denver Broncos linebacker Dondrea Tillman recorded two sacks in his first career game, becoming the fourth undrafted player with at least two sacks in their debut, joining Ryan Delaire, Howard Jones, and Kendrick Office.
- Dallas Cowboys kicker Brandon Aubrey converted a 65-yard field goal, surpassing Matt Prater for the second-longest made field goal in NFL history. Only Justin Tucker has a longer made field goal. Aubrey is the eighth kicker in NFL history with multiple made field goals of at least 60 yards.
Check out our interview with Chicago Bears legend Tommie Harris:
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