NFL quarterbacks are racking up flight miles

The NFL lockout and compressed off-season didn’t do much to throw off the rhythm of quarterbacks and receivers.

We can be relatively sure of that after two weeks, as there have been 23 individual 300-yard passing performances so far, the most ever through the first two weeks of the season. The net passing total of 15,771 yards -- almost nine miles -- is the most through the first two weeks.

In fact, those 23 performances are the most through the first three weeks of a season.

New England quarterback Tom Brady already has a league-leading 940 yards passing. That’s the most by any quarterback in the first two weeks of a season, and in performances against Miami and San Diego he became the first player in NFL history to follow a 500-yard passing game with a 400-yarder.

“It’s not one guy doing it,” Brady said. “All these guys are able to find matchups and then when they get the opportunity, they’re making the catches, they’re running the right routes, they’re in the right spots. We’ve had a lot of good years here.”

That Brady is having a big season isn’t shocking. But the breakout of Carolina rookie Cam Newton has been stunning. Although the Panthers have yet to notch a victory, Newton has become the first player to record consecutive 400-yard passing games to start his career.

What’s more, he’s the first rookie to pass for at least 300 yards in consecutive games. Were he to throw for at least 400 against Jacksonville on Sunday, he would do something no other player has done: throw for 400 in three consecutive games (That mark also is within reach for Brady, who plays at Buffalo.)

On the mark

New Orleans quarterback Drew Brees knows how to find the end zone. He has thrown a touchdown pass in 29 consecutive games. If he throws for one against Houston on Sunday, he will tie Hall of Famer Dan Marino for third on the all-time list.

Brees still would have a long way to go, however, to surpass the record of the great John Unitas, who threw touchdown passes in 47 consecutive games from 1956 to ’60.

The most consecutive games with a touchdown pass in NFL history (*active streak):

PLAYER, TEAM, YEARS, NO
John Unitas, Colts, 1956-1960, 47
Brett Favre, Packers, 2002-2004, 36
Dan Marino, Dolphins, 1985-1987, 30
Drew Brees, Saints, 2009-present, 29*
Dave Krieg, Seahawks, 1983-1985, 28
Source: NFL

Hope for the winless

It’s been two years since a team that started 0-2 has made the playoffs.

The Dolphins, Vikings and Chargers qualified for the 2008 postseason despite losing their first two games.

Sometimes, one of those slow-starting teams regroups and goes all the way. Since 1990, three teams have won the Super Bowl after starting 0-2: the 1993 Cowboys, 2001 Patriots and 2007 Giants.

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