NFL – 2024 WEEK 3 – STATS THAT STICK OUT

PASSING – DAK PRESCOTT (QB – COWBOYS) BAL 28 at DAL 25

It was probably hard for Dallas fans to see their quarterback top the passing stats leaderboard after a tough loss in Week 3 to the Ravens.  But that’s just how the season has been going for the Cowboys.  There have been some bright spots, but many more low ones.  In Week 3, Dak Prescott’s performance was one of the better showings as he completed 28 of 51 passes for 379 yards, had 2 TDs, no interceptions and a 91.9 rating.  Even better, through Week 3, the Cowboys lead the league in total passing yards (857 passing yards).  However, Prescott’s completion percentage is only running about 60.7% to this point and his QBR sits at a very low 45.5 (the leader Josh Allen has a 92.6 QBR).  The offense has also struggled to score in the last 2 weeks – only 19 total points in Week 2 against the Saints and 6 points through three quarters of Week 3.  These problems on offense stem from a combination of mistakes, inconsistencies but mostly, the serious lack of a running game. Through Week 3, the Cowboys only successfully ran the football a total of 221 yards (30^th ranked).  For perspective, Ravens RB Derrick Henry has 281 rushing yards this season alone.  But if Dallas can get the rushing attack going even marginally better, it should help them open the offense more by putting pressure on opposing defenses, control the time of possession (and line of scrimmage), and use the play action scheme more effectively.  And, this could help them score more points the next three games that will feature stout opposing defenses (Giants, Steelers, Lions).  

RUSHING – DERRICK HENRY (RB – RAVENS) BAL 28 at DAL 25

I have a hard time understanding the disrespect running backs get in the NFL when it comes to salary.  I’ve been preaching about it for years.  Why the league feels these workhorses should get paid much less than wide receivers- it just doesn’t make sense to me.  Running backs take on more workload, put their bodies through more impact and ultimately provide the foundation which makes offenses run smoothly.  Let’s look at the comparison of Ravens 9-yr veteran running back Derrick Henry to Cowboys 5-yr wide receiver CeeDee Lamb to see the massive discrepancy.  Henry’s 17-game average scrimmage touches (or rushing attempts plus receptions) is 313 for 1571 total scrimmage yards and 14 total RRTDs.  Lamb’s 17-game ave scrimmage touches are 112 for 1406 total scrimmage yards and 9 RRTDs.  So, Henry has literally caught/carried the football 64% more of the time than Lamb for more yardage and helped his team accumulate more scoring, yet Lamb makes $34mil per year ($64mil Total Guaranteed) while Henry makes $8mil per year ($9mil Total Guaranteed)… That figures out to Lamb making 76% more money than Henry this season for doing less.  To take it a step farther (and why not), for each “touch” of the football Lamb makes on average based on his salary, he’s currently 92% less effective than Derrick Henry…  Meanwhile, in Week 3 Henry became the rushing leader with 151 yards in 25 attempts for 2 rushing TDs, plus 1 reception for 23 yards.  In the very same game, Lamb only had 4 receptions for 67 yards and 0 TDs.  In fact, Lamb has only 1 TD through 3 games this season compared to Henry’s 4.  I’ll say it again:  The league’s disrespect shown to running backs doesn’t make sense.

RECEIVING – JAUAN JENNINGS (WR – 49ERS) SF 24 at LAR 27

There were some question marks about how the 49ers would perform offensively in Week 3’s contest  against their NFC Division rival without several of their key starters who were out due to injury (WR Deebo Samuel, last year’s OPY RB Christian McCaffrey and TE George Kittle, plus rookie WR Ricky Pearsall).  But San Fran’s third string receiver Jauan Jennings stepped up in their absence and not only met the challenge but had a career day.  In Week 3, the 27-year-old native Tennessean caught 11 of his 12 targets for a league-leading 175 yards and 3 TDs.  With this historic performance, Jennings became just the second player in franchise history to have 10+ receptions, 150+ receiving yards and 3+ TDs in a single game.  The other player to do this? Hall of Famer Jerry Rice. Jennings also became the first wide receiver to win a FedEx Air & Ground Player of the Week award.  Interesting to note is how underutilized this player has been, having spent all three prior years of his young career with the Niners but only starting in 7 total games.  Now, due to his breakout performance in Week 3 and with the possibility of lingering injuries to the other starting offensive weapons, Jennings has become a fantasy football darling before Week 4.  Did you get him before he was scooped up, fantasy players?

SACKS – JONATHAN GREENARD (LB – VIKINGS) HOU 7 at MIN 34

The Vikings’ defense is a large part of why Minnesota remains undefeated through Week 3.  They’ve only allowed 214 total rush yards (T-second best), rank second in points allowed per game (10), rank second in interceptions (5) and lead the league in total sacks (16).  One major contributor for this success has been LB Jonathan Greenard who in Week 3 recorded a career-high 3 of the 5 sacks against Houston and had 4 tackles, 3 for a loss.  For this outstanding performance the former Louisville Cardinal and Florida Gator earned an NFC Defensive Player of the Week award.  He also won the week’s NFL’s Way to Play Award, given to players each week during the season who “lead by example and impact the game by demonstrating proper playing technique.”  This NFL recognition was set up to honor pro, high school and flag football players who avoid unnecessary risk and exhibit good practice to protect other players across the sport.  Former NFL player Michael Robinson (who announces these award winners on NFL Network’s Good Morning Football) lauded Greenard’s technique for a sack he put on the Texans QB during Week 3, “Look at that way-to-play technique right there as he drives the tight end into the ground. And this is what you love about it. He did not hit the quarterback in the head or neck area. And watch how we just lay C.J. Stroud down right here. He didn’t fall on him. Lays him down. Plays over you got the sack. That is a perfect technique on the way to play.” It’s nice to see the NFL take a proactive approach in helping to keep players safe in this dangerous sport we love to watch.

FIELD GOALS – BRANDON AUBREY (K – COWBOYS) BAL 28 at DAL 25

The only thing that seems to be working consistently well for the Cowboys right now after losing back-to-back games and falling to a 1-2 record is their sophomore kicker, 29-year-old Brandon Aubrey.  So far this season, the Notre Dame alum is 5 for 5 on PATs and 10 for 10 on field goals including a 65-yarder in Week 3, which broke a franchise record and was 1 yard shy of the league record (66- made by Tucker in 2021).  He also had a 51-yard FG in the first half of Week 3’s contest with the Ravens making it his 14^th in a row without a miss beyond 50 yards.  In his rookie year in the league (2023), Aubrey only missed two kicks all season long for the Cowboys and finished the season with the league’s-best record of 36 field goals made.  This all begs the following questions: How much will the Cowboys need Aubrey to continue to stretch his kicking prowess (i.e.: yardage), and will he break the field goal league record by season’s end?

DUBIOUS DISTINCTION – THE DEFENSE OF THE JAX JAGUARS 10 JAX at BUF 47

There’s only 1 defense in the NFL so far this season that has 0 interceptions and 0 fumbles and that’s the Jacksonville Jaguars.  This is the same team that in Week 3 allowed Buffalo to score 47 points, get 4 scores, and let QB Josh Allen complete passes to 10 different receivers for 266 yards.  Jacksonville’s defense was also so bad in Week 3 that the Bills scored TDs on their first five drives and didn’t punt until the fourth quarter. The Jags also did not sack Allen in the game at all and only had 1 QB hit.  And while the offense also sputtered and contributed towards one of the worst losses in Jags history on Monday night, big changes were made in the offseason to ensure the Jags defense would compete at a higher level than finishing basically middle of the pack like they did in 2023.  They brought in new DC Ryan Nielsen, an experienced respected coach.  They also brought in newcomers to help improve the corps like DT Arik Armstead from the 49ers, S Darnell Savage, among others.  But so far this season, the Jags defense has let the team down and is a major part of their current 0-3 status.  Next up for Jax is a road game in Houston.  The Texans are coming off a bad loss themselves and will want redemption.  Oh, and they have one of the best passing offenses in the league which may not bode well for the Jags’ quest to avoid starting the season 0-4.

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