FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 30, 2015 http://twitter.com/NFL345
WHAT TO LOOK FOR – WEEK 4
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIR: The 2015 International Series begins in Week 4, with the Miami Dolphins hosting the New York Jets at London’s Wembley Stadium in the first divisional contest played in the UK. It will be the first of three games to be played in London this season. The other two games, which will also be played at Wembley, feature the Buffalo Bills against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7 (October 25th) and the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Detroit Lions in Week 8 (November 1st).
The International Series has seen some very close contests. In the first 11 games, six have been decided by one score.
The 11 regular-season games played at Wembley Stadium:
DATE WEEK WINNING TEAM OPPONENT FINAL SCORE November 9, 2014 10 Dallas Cowboys Jacksonville Jaguars 31-17 October 26, 2014 8 Detroit Lions Atlanta Falcons 22-21 September 28, 2014 4 Miami Dolphins Oakland Raiders 38-14 October 27, 2013 8 San Francisco 49ers Jacksonville Jaguars 42-10 September 29, 2013 4 Minnesota Vikings Pittsburgh Steelers 34-27 October 28, 2012 8 New England Patriots St. Louis Rams 45-7 October 23, 2011 7 Chicago Bears Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24-18 October 31, 2010 8 San Francisco 49ers Denver Broncos 24-16 October 25, 2009 7 New England Patriots Tampa Bay Buccaneers 35-7 October 26, 2008 8 New Orleans Saints San Diego Chargers 37-32 October 28, 2007 8 New York Giants Miami Dolphins 13-10
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IT’S STILL EARLY: Through the first three weeks of the 2015 season, 28 of the 32 clubs (87.5 percent) earned one or more wins.
The 28 teams with at least one victory through Week 3 is tied for the third-most through three games since realignment in 2002. If three of the four remaining winless teams – BALTIMORE (at Pittsburgh), CHICAGO (vs. Oakland), DETROIT (at Seattle) and NEW ORLEANS (vs. Dallas) – win this week, 2015 will have the most teams with one or more victories through four games since realignment.
The most teams to win one or more games through three games and four games in a season since 2002:
TEAMS WITH ONE OR MORE WINS TEAMS WITH ONE OR MORE WINS YEAR THROUGH THREE GAMES YEAR THROUGH FOUR GAMES 2012 30 2014 30 2014 29 2012 30 2015 28 2005 30 2005 28 Two tied 29 Five tied 27 2015 28* * Through three games
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FAST STARTERS: The Denver Broncos, led by quarterback PEYTON MANNING, are off to a 3-0 start this season. Manning’s teams have often started strong as he has led his teams to a 4-0 start an NFL record six times in his career.
When Denver hosts Minnesota in Week 4, Manning looks to earn his seventh 4-0 start and extend his mark for the most in the Super Bowl era.
New England quarterback TOM BRADY and New Orleans quarterback DREW BREES are the only other active quarterbacks to have three 4-0 starts to a season. Brady and the 3-0 Patriots will travel to Dallas in Week 5 following their bye week.
The quarterbacks with the most 4-0 starts:
PLAYER 4-0 STARTS TO A SEASON Peyton Manning 6* Fran Tarkenton 4 Many tied 3 * 3-0 through Week 3 in 2015
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FLYING FALCON: Atlanta wide receiver JULIO JONES has 34 receptions for 440 yards and four touchdowns this season. His 34 receptions are the most by a player through his team’s first three games to start a season in NFL history.
With seven receptions on Sunday against Houston, Jones would surpass WES WELKER (40) for the most receptions through the first four games of a season in NFL history.
The players with the most receptions through the first four games of a season in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM YEAR RECEPTIONS Wes Welker New England 2011 40 T.J. Houshmandzadeh Cincinnati 2007 39 Many tied 36
Julio Jones Atlanta 2015 34* * Through three games
Jones, who is the first player in league annals to record at least 135 receiving yards in each of his team’s first three games, needs 177 receiving yards on Sunday to surpass WES WELKER (616) for the most receiving yards through the first four games of a season.
The players with the most receiving yards through the first four games of a season in NFL history:
PLAYER TEAM YEAR REC. YARDS Wes Welker New England 2011 616 Bob Boyd L.A. Rams 1954 555 Terry Glenn New England 1999 544 Charley Hennigan Houston 1963 543 Henry Ellard Washington 1994 536
Julio Jones Atlanta 2015 440* * Through three games
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BOOMING BECKHAM: New York Giants wide receiver ODELL BECKHAM JR. is set to play in his 16th career game on Sunday. Beckham, through 15 career games, already has the most catches by a player in his first 16 games.
With 20 receiving yards on Sunday at Buffalo, Beckham would surpass BILL GROMAN (1,593) for the most receiving yards through a player’s first 16 games.
The players with the most receiving yards in their first 16 games to begin a career:
PLAYER TEAM YEAR(S) RECEIVING YARDS Bill Groman Houston Oilers 1960-61 1,593 Odell Beckham Jr. New York Giants 2014-15 1,574* Billy Howton Green Bay 1952-53 1,500 Charley Hennigan Houston Oilers 1960-61 1,426 Lance Alworth San Diego 1962-63 1,399 *Through 15 games
With a 100-yard receiving game against Buffalo, Beckham would tie Groman (nine) for the most 100-yard receiving games through a player’s first 16 career games.
The players with the most 100-yard receiving games in their first 16 games to begin a career:
PLAYER TEAM YEAR(S) 100-YARD RECEIVING GAMES Bill Groman Houston Oilers 1960-61 9 Odell Beckham Jr. New York Giants 2014-15 8* Harlon Hill Chicago 1954-55 8 Charley Hennigan Houston Oilers 1960-61 7 Billy Howton Green Bay 1952-53 6 Julio Jones Atlanta 2011-12 6 *Through 15 games
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TOP CARDS: The ARIZONA CARDINALS have jumped out to a 3-0 start this season, amassing a league-high 126 points over the first three weeks. The Cardinals have scored 30+ points in each week, including 48 and 47 points in each of the past two weeks.
With 37 points on Sunday against St. Louis, Arizona would surpass the 2002 Oakland Raiders (162) for the fourth-most points scored through the first four games of a season in NFL history.
The teams with the most points scored through the first four games of a season in NFL history:
TEAM YEAR POINTS SCORED Dallas Cowboys 1966 183 Denver Broncos 2013 179 Chicago Bears 1941 175 Oakland Raiders 2002 162 Oakland Raiders 1968 160 St. Louis Rams 2000 160
Arizona Cardinals 2015 126* * Through three games
****************************************************************************************************************************************** SUPER BOWL REMATCHES AND HOMECOMINGS FEATURED THIS SEASON AS PART OF SUPER BOWL 50 CELEBRATION
WEEK 4: GIANTS AT BILLS
The 2015 NFL regular-season schedule features 19 Super Bowl rematches as part of the year-long celebration of Super Bowl 50, which will be played on Sunday, February 7, 2016 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.
The Giants will travel to take on the Bills Sunday in a rematch of Super Bowl XXV, won by the Giants 20-19. Rematches are part of the NFL’s On The Fifty platform, designed to link the past 49 Super Bowls with this year’s game and honor the teams, players, coaches, fans and communities that have been a part of those games.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers will also celebrate Homecomings this week as NFL Legends will return to be honored by their teams and will reconnect with former teammates, club personnel, and fans. The Buccaneers will induct MIKE ALSTOTT into the team’s Ring of Honor in Week 4 against Carolina.
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