18 - Number of receptions by Denver sophomore wide receiver Brandon Marshall against San Diego on Sunday. He set a franchise record in his first game of the 2008 season, after having served a one-game suspension. Those catches were good for 166 yards and a touchdown. If you had Marshall in a league that gives a point for every reception, you reaped big rewards Sunday.
158.3 - It's the highest passer rating a quarterback can receive, and it just happens to be the mark Kurt Warner received on Sunday. The Cardinals QB was nails, completing 19 of 24 passes for 361 yards, three touchdowns, and no interceptions. Warner got the ball to both Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin six times each for 153 and 140 yards, respectively. The Cardinals are 2-0 in what looks like an awful NFC West division. If Warner keeps this up, Arizona fans will be sporting signs that read, "In Kurt We Trust".
16 - Total points scored by the St. Louis Rams' offense in the first two weeks of the season. With the likes of Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, and Torry Holt, it makes sense why most folks out there expected a little bit more. And in the fact the Rams' defense has given up the second most points this season (79), you've got a serious recipe for disaster. No defense and no offense don't win championships.
8 vs. 4 - The number of 300-yard quarterbacks in Week Two compared to Week One. Two shootout games helped account for the double this week. Jay Cutler and Tony Romo were the only two QBs to have their names appear in both weeks.
41.3 vs. 89.9 - Carson Palmer's passer rating Sunday compared to that of Matt Cassel. Much has been made of the fact that Cassel hadn't started a football game since high school. Cassel even joked about the media's coverage, saying his last start as coming in seventh grade. With all that experience Palmer has, the former University of Southern California standout is 0-2 with a 37.1 passer rating this season, while his collegiate backup is 2-0.
14, 77, 2 - Rushes, yards, and touchdowns for Carolina rookie running back Jonathan Stewart (no, not the guy who has that cable talk show). Stewart showed this Sunday against the Bears defense that he's got the goods to be a big time running back in the NFL. His performance helped the Panthers mount a comeback and led them to a 2-0 start to the season. With Steve Smith on his way back, the Panthers have to be feeling good heading in to Week Three up in Minnesota.
60 - Yards recorded in the box score for DeSean Jackson's grab from Donovan McNabb in the second quarter of Monday night's contest in Dallas. McNabb connected with Philly's rookie on a deep ball. Jackson caught it about the five-yard line in stride and flipped the ball right before he crossed the goal line. Originally ruled a 61-yard touchdown catch, replays showed he "fumbled" it shy of the end zone. That one yard shifted fantasy points all around as Brian Westbrook took the pigskin in for the score on the very next play. Here's to hoping you didn't get screwed on that play.
10 vs. 9 - Number of NFL teams with a 2-0 record compared to the number of teams with an 0-2 record. While those numbers might not seem significant, some of the clubs that make up those totals are a bit eye-popping. In the NFC Arizona and Carolina are 2-0, while Seattle and Minnesota are winless. In the NFC Tennessee and Buffalo are undefeated, while the Chargers, Bengals, Browns, and Jaguars are all without a victory. Oh, yeah, don't forget the Tom Brady-less Patriots are 2-0 as well.
100 - Percent of home teams favored in Week Three. After throwing out the games with Pittsburgh at Philly and Dallas at Green Bay, where most oddsmakers haven't posted lines yet, the remaining host teams are all expected to win. In fact, four teams (the Bills, Patriots, Giants, and Seahawks) are favored by more than a touchdown. Do you really think it'll be a home team sweep in Week Three?
Got questions or comments? Send them to pete@petekhazen.com.