NFL 2021: Five Key Statistics for Week 4

When it comes to the game of football, there are lots of numbers to consider. Some of them are of 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 approaches October.

5

The Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, and Los Angeles Rams are the lone remaining unbeaten teams and all sport 3-0 win-loss records. Sean McVay’s team is the only club on this list that managed a winning record (10-6) in 2020. The Cardinals and Raiders finished 8-8 and the Panthers and Broncos sported 5-11 marks. Last season, seven teams won their first three games last season and all reached the playoffs.

6

It’s happened only six times in NFL history. But it was just three years ago (2018) that the Houston Texans dropped their first three games of the season and still won the AFC South. It marked the sixth instance in which a club was 0-3 to start the year and still managed a playoff appearance. The remainder of the list includes the 1981 New York Jets, ’82 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, ’92 San Diego Chargers (opened 0-4), ’95 Detroit Lions and the ’98 Buffalo Bills.

30

A year ago, the Carolina Panthers concluded Matt Rhule’s first season as head coach with a 33-7 home loss to the rival New Orleans Saints. That afternoon, the team surrendered 347 total yards and four offensive touchdowns. In the club’s 3-0 start in 2021, the Panthers have allowed a combined 30 points, four offensive TDs and only 573 total yards (191.0 average). And a club that managed just 29 sacks in 2020 has totaled 14 QB traps in three contests.

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17

Remember when Cincinnati Bengals’ rookie wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was having his issues seeing an NFL football because it was different from the college version? The fifth overall pick in April has put that behind him. He’s made the most out of his 11 receptions this season, totaling 220 yards and reaching the end zone four times. The NFL rookie record for TD catches in a season is held by Hall of Famer Randy Moss (17 with the Vikings in 1998).

8

A moral victory? When last the Los Angeles Rams hosted the Arizona Cardinals, the home team came away with an 18-7 victory in Week 17 a year ago. That made it eight straight wins in the series for the Rams under head coach Sean McVay dating back to his hiring by the franchise in 2017. In each of the previous seven encounters, the Cards had allowed at least 31 points. All told, the Rams’ eight straight wins have come by a combined score of 251-91.