NFL 2021: Five Key Statistics for Week Three

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When it comes to the game of football, there are lots of numbers to consider. Some of them are the historical variety and some have to do with what we may see this season. In any case, here are some statistics that may or may not open some eyes as the National Football League is off and running in 2021.

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Seven teams (Jets, Colts, Jaguars, Giants, Vikings, Lions and Falcons) have opened 2021 with two straight losses. Dating back to realignment in 2002, only 10.0 percent (16-of-160) of teams that began the season with a pair of losses reached the playoffs. From 2013-18, at least one team that started 0-2 reached the playoffs – six clubs over that span. But from 2019-20, there were 20 instances of a 0-2 start and no team reached the postseason.

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Still, have faith if you are one of those seven 0-2 clubs. There have been four occasions in which a team dropped its first two games of the season and three of those went on to win a Lombardi Trophy. The 1993 Dallas Cowboys won Super Bowl XXVIII, the 2001 New England Patriots captured Super Bowl XXXVI, and the 2007 New York Giants went on to win Super Bowl XLII. However, the 1996 Patriots reached Super Bowl XXXI but lost to the Green Bay Packers.

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The chances are good that Super Bowl LVI will include one or two of these teams – the AFC’s Broncos or Raiders and the NFC’s Buccaneers, Panthers, Cardinals, Rams, or 49ers. There have been 55 Super Bowls and 52 times at least one 2-0 team reached the “Big Game.” The exceptions? Super Bowl XXII: Denver (1-0-1) vs. Washington (1-1), Super Bowl XLIX: New England (1-1) vs. Seattle (1-1), and Super Bowl LII: Philadelphia (1-1) vs. New England (1-1).

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First-time NFL head coach Nick Sirianni has the Philadelphia Eagles off to a 1-1 start. The Birds routed the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1, 32-6, and then fell to the San Francisco 49ers, 17-11. The Eagles are one of two teams in the NFL, along with the Jaguars, which has yet to force a turnover in their first two games. But perhaps what is more interesting is that Sirianni’s squad is the only club in the league (and it’s early) not to commit a turnover in 2021.

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It has been an exciting start to this season. Two weeks into 2021, there have already been three overtime games. On the other hand, there were only nine OT contests during the 2020 season. There were 10 games determined by one point last season. But after two weeks this year, there have already been four such results. In Week 2 alone, the Washington Football Team (30-29), Cardinals (34-33), and Ravens (36-35) all prevailed by a single point.