Following are highlights from the first quarter of the 2014 NFL season:
NFL MILESTONES
· IT’S STILL EARLY: In the first four weeks of 2014, 30 of the 32 clubs (93.8 percent) earned at least one win. The 30 teams with at least one victory through Week 4 ties 2005 and 2012 (30 teams) for the most through four games since realignment in 2002.
· SCORING: Through Week 4, teams have combined to score 46.2 points per game, the second-most ever through the first four weeks of a season since 1970 (47.4 in 2012).
· EFFICIENT TIMES: Through Week 4, the league-wide passer rating is 91.5, on pace for the highest of any season in NFL history (86.0 in 2013). The mark is also the highest of any NFL season through four weeks.
Through Week 4, the league-wide interception percentage is 2.39 percent, the lowest ever at this point in a season and on pace for the all-time best (2.63 in 2012).
· COMEBACKS GALORE: There were four teams through Week 3 – Chicago, Dallas, Green Bay and Philadelphia – to overcome deficits of at least 17 points to win, tied for the most through the first three weeks of a season since 1970 (2011). This marked the first time each of the first three weeks of a season has had at least one 17+ point comeback win since 1982.
· YOUTH IS SERVED: 2014 marks the fourth consecutive season (2011-14) in which at least three rookies started at quarterback in a September game, the longest such streak in the Super Bowl era. Rookie quarterbacks BLAKE BORTLES of Jacksonville and TEDDY BRIDGEWATER of Minnesota each made his first NFL start in Week 4, while Oakland’s DEREK CARR made his debut on Kickoff Weekend.
TEAMS
· UNDEFEATED: Two NFL teams – ARIZONA (3-0) and CINCINNATI (3-0) – are undefeated through Week 4.
· OVERCOMING RETURNS: In Week 4, the San Francisco 49ers surrendered touchdowns on a blocked punt, an interception return, and a punt return in their 26-21 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles, becoming only the second team in NFL history to win after allowing three or more return-TDs in a regular-season game (Dallas Cowboys, October 8, 2007 against Buffalo).
· LANDMARK WINS: The DALLAS COWBOYS earned their 500th total victory in Week 4, defeating New Orleans 38-17 on Sunday Night Football. Including the playoffs, the Cowboys now have a 500-374-6 all-time record.
The GREEN BAY PACKERS topped Chicago 38-17 in Week 4, becoming the second team in NFL history with 700 regular-season victories. The Packers (700-539-37) joined the Bears (732-536-45) as the only teams in NFL history to accomplish the feat.
The teams with the most regular-season wins in NFL history:
|
TEAMS
|
RECORD
|
WIN PERCENTAGE
|
|
Chicago Bears
|
732-536-42
|
.577
|
|
Green Bay Packers
|
700-539-37
|
.565
|
|
New York Giants
|
663-549-33
|
.547
|
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
571-521-20
|
.523
|
|
Washington Redskins
|
566-549-27
|
.508
|
PLAYERS
· CLIMBING THE CHARTS: In Week 1, Denver quarterback PEYTON MANNING passed for 269 yards and three touchdowns in the Broncos’ 31-24 win against Indianapolis, joining BRETT FAVRE(71,838) as the only players in NFL history with 65,000 career passing yards. Manning has passed for 65,778 yards in his career.
New England quarterback TOM BRADY passed for 249 yards and one touchdown in Week 1 at Miami, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer WARREN MOON (49,325) for sixth on the all-time passing yards list. Brady has passed for 49,940 yards in his career.
New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES passed for 237 yards and two touchdowns in Week 2 against the Cleveland Browns, surpassing Pro Football Hall of Famer JOHN ELWAY (51,475) for fourth-most all-time. Brees has now passed for 52,284 yards in his career.
The top 10 NFL players with the most career passing yards:
|
PLAYER
|
YEARS
|
PASSING YARDS
|
|
Brett Favre
|
1991-2010
|
71,838
|
|
Peyton Manning*
|
1998-present
|
65,778
|
|
Dan Marino
|
1983-1999
|
61,361
|
|
Drew Brees*
|
2001-present
|
52,284
|
|
John Elway
|
1983-1998
|
51,475
|
|
Tom Brady*
|
2000-present
|
49,940
|
|
Warren Moon
|
1984-2000
|
49,325
|
|
Fran Tarkenton
|
1961-1978
|
47,003
|
|
Vinny Testaverde
|
1987-2007
|
46,233
|
|
Drew Bledsoe
|
1993-2006
|
44,611
|
|
*Active
|
· RISING RODGERS: Green Bay quarterback AARON RODGERS completed 22 of 28 passes (78.6 percent) for 302 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 151.2 passer rating in the Packers’ 38-17 win at Chicago.
Rodgers reached 25,000 yards in his 98th career game, becoming the fourth fastest quarterback to reach the 25,000-yard mark. Pro Football Hall of Famer DAN MARINO (92), PEYTON MANNING(97) and KURT WARNER (97) accomplished the feat in the fewest number of games in NFL history.
The fastest players to reach 25,000 career passing yards:
|
PLAYER
|
TEAM(S)
|
# GAMES TO 25,000 PASSINGYARDS
|
CAREER PASSING YARDS
|
|
Dan Marino
|
MIA
|
92
|
61,361
|
|
Peyton Manning
|
IND, DEN
|
97
|
65,778
|
|
Kurt Warner
|
STL, NYG, ARI
|
97
|
32,344
|
|
Aaron Rodgers
|
GB
|
98
|
25,196
|
Rodgers, who now has 25,196 career passing yards, also reached 25,000 passing yards in 3,065 attempts, the fewest attempts in NFL history to reach the mark. Warner, who previously held the mark, reached 25,000 yards in 3,076 attempts.
· BETTER WITH AGE: Baltimore wide receiver STEVE SMITH, SR. had seven catches for 139 yards and two touchdowns in the Ravens’ 38-10 win over Carolina. Smith has 429 receiving yards this season, the most ever by a 35+ year old player through the first four games of a season.
Smith, who is the Panthers’ all-time leading receiver with 12,197 yards, became the second player in NFL history to have 100+ receiving yards in his first game against a franchise for which he had 10,000+ receiving yards (TORRY HOLT, October 18, 2009 against St. Louis).
· WAYNE’S WORLD: Indianapolis wide receiver REGGIE WAYNE had seven catches for 119 yards and a touchdown in Indianapolis’ 41-17 victory over Tennessee. With 1,029 career receptions, Waynepassed ISAAC BRUCE (1,024) for the seventh-most receptions in NFL history.
· GREAT LUCK: Indianapolis quarterback ANDREW LUCK completed 29 of 41 passes (70.7 percent) for 393 yards with four touchdowns and one interception for a 123.3 passer rating in the Colts’ 41-17 win over Tennessee in Week 4. Luck, who last week completed 31 of 39 passes (79.5 percent) for 370 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions for a 140.4 rating in a 44-17 win over Jacksonville, is the first player in NFL history to post consecutive games with at least 370 passing yards, four or more touchdown passes, a completion percentage above 70 percent and one or no interceptions.
· POWERFUL WATT: Houston defensive end J.J. WATT had an 80-yard interception-return touchdown in the Texans’ 23-17 win over Buffalo. It marked the first interception-return touchdown for Watt in the regular season; he also had a 29-yard INT-TD in a Wild Card win over Cincinnati (January 7, 2012).
Watt is the only player in NFL history with at least 35 sacks (38.5), an interception-return touchdown and a receiving touchdown in his first four NFL seasons.
