With only three undefeated teams remaining after week three NFL action, the true Super Bowl contenders are beginning to come into light. This week brought unexpected wins, a dominating performance the league has not seen in almost 60 years, and a rare celebrity sighting worth talking about. As this season becomes more and more exciting by the minute, it would be a shame for anyone to miss the action.
As we get closer and closer to the heart of the season, here’s everything you need to know from week three of the NFL:
Thursday Night Football
New York Giants 12 – San Francisco 49ers 30
The hottest team in the league continued to prove their dominance Thursday night, after earning almost 300 more offensive yards than their opponents. After an impressive week two comeback, the New York Giants entered Thursday’s matchup with confidence, but left with a result similar to their week one catastrophe.
49er’s quarterback Brock Purdy’s amazement has been uninterrupted, as he tossed for 310 yards and two touchdowns, now having an 8-0 regular season record. As for the rest of the offense, the usual stars seemed to shine, with running back Christian McCaffrey earning 85 yards and a touchdown, and wide receiver Deebo Samuel acquiring 129 yards and a touchdown. The Giants will play a winnable game in week four against a precarious Seattle Seahawks, and will look to not drop too behind in the standings.
Sunday
Indianapolis Colts 22 – Baltimore Ravens 19 (OT)
The Colts achieved their first 2-1 start in three seasons after an electrifying matchup against the Ravens. The game remained even throughout, with a different leader after each quarter. Raven’s kicker Justin Tucker missed a 61 yard field goal with six seconds remaining, sending the game to an extra frame.
Meanwhile, The Raven’s offense struggled, as they fumbled the ball four times and lost possession on two of them. They were unable to achieve a first down in overtime, ultimately leading to a 53 yard Matt Gay field goal for the Colts with just over a minute remaining. Gay scored all five field goal attempts made, contributing big time for his team and earning the right to outscore a legendary kicker in Tucker. Indianapolis leaves Baltimore with what is seemingly a stolen victory, and their first win over the Ravens since 2014.
Tennessee Titans 3 – Cleveland Browns 27
The Cleveland Browns limited their opponents to just six first downs on Sunday, while they earned 27 in the process of tyrannizing the Tennessee Titans. Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson made bold decisions throughout, completing 27 of 33 passes and two touchdowns. Brown’s running back Jerome Ford, who has stepped in for the injured Nick Chubb, earned his first rushing and receiving touchdowns of his NFL career.
As for the Titans, they accumulated just 26 rushing yards while quarterback Ryan Tannehill tossed for just 104 yards. They will play an eager Cincinnati Bengals in week four, as they hope to avoid falling two games behind an even record.
Atlanta Falcons 6 – Detroit Lions 20
The Atlanta Falcons only obtained 44 rushing yards against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, making the difference in the sides and handing the Lions a victory. Falcon’s quarterback Desmond Ridder played a solid game, passing 201 yards, but failed to find a teammate in the end zone and lost the ball in a late game fumble.
The team’s kicker Younghoe Koo accumulated the entirety of their points, but missed his first field goal of the season midway through the third quarter. Lion’s quarterback Jared Goff tossed an interception late in the same quarter, but it failed to matter as he contributed with a passing and rushing touchdown. The Lions will look to begin making a statement this season in their week four divisional matchup against Green Bay.
New Orleans Saints 17 – Green Bay Packers 18
Speaking of the Packers, they trailed their opponents 17-0 after three quarters, and had plenty of home fans heading for the exits early. The Saints obtained the whole of their scoring before the first half, and suffered a blow after losing quarterback Derek Carr to a shoulder injury early in the third quarter. Failing to score again left a little wiggle room for the Packers and their quarterback Jordan Love to work with.
Love, who tossed an interception on the first drive of the second half, experienced a resurgence late in the game. He leaped over the defensive line for a rushing touchdown midway throughout the final quarter, and found Packer’s wide receiver Romeo Doubs in the end zone with three minutes remaining. After the Packers gained a one point lead, the Saints had one more drive, but it resulted in a missed 46 yard field goal attempt, handing the Packers a comeback victory.
Houston Texans 37 – Jacksonville Jaguars 17
The Jaguars never held the lead once on Sunday, as CJ Stroud and the Houston Texans captured their most dominant performance of the season. The second overall pick earned his first NFL win on Sunday, after putting up 280 yards and two touchdowns. The Jaguars actually led their opponents in passing and rushing yards combined, but only by 38, and were affected by an interception and fumble.
Jacksonville kicker Brandon McManus also failed to make two field goals while Texan’s kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn went a perfect 3/3. Stroud will look to keep the momentum going against an increasingly confident Steelers team in week four while the Jaguars will play a bitter Falcons team during the first NFL game in London this season, at Wembley Stadium
Denver Broncos 20 – Miami Dolphins 70
There have only been two other teams to score 70 points or more in an NFL game, and the last time was in 1966. The Dolphins added their name to a prestigious list after earning 10 touchdowns, along with 350 passing and rushing yards, against the Broncos, making their win look easy. The team earned five passing and five rushing touchdowns, with four coming from Tua Tagovailoa passes and three from running back Raheem Mostert.
Bronco’s wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. did end up returning a punt for 99 yards and a touchdown late in the game, but his team was already losing by more than 40 points. Meanwhile, a Denver fumble and interception did not help their case, as they also trailed in first downs 30-16. The Dolphins want to be recognized this season and seem to have earned that recognition in the most malice way possible.
Los Angeles Chargers 28 – Minnesota Vikings 24
For the third week in a row, it appeared that a powerful Minnesota Viking’s offense was let down by their team’s poor defense. Charger’s quarterback Justin Herbert threw an insane 405 yards and three touchdowns, while wide receiver Keenan Allen also joined the action, tossing a touchdown pass of his own. They reached the end zone once per quarter, proving to be enough to stop the Vikings for the first time since 2011.
Minnesota quarterback Kirk Cousins tossed three passing touchdowns, but hurled an interception with just 12 seconds remaining in the game and only six yards away from the end zone. The pass was intercepted by Charger’s linebacker Kenneth Murray in the end zone, as they were just inches away from winning the game. The Vikings only have a differential of 13 points this season, and have played three very winnable games, while Cousins still leads the league in passing yards and touchdowns. His team will look to finally achieve a win when facing an 0-3 Carolina Panthers in week four.
New England Patriots 15- New York Jets 10
The Patriots avoided starting their season 0-3 for the first time since 2000 after defeating the Jets by five points. Jet’s quarterback Zach Wilson stands closer and closer to the cutting room, after tossing just 157 yards and failing to find a receiver in the end zone. Wilson was also tackled in the end zone, giving the Patriots a safety. Meanwhile, the Jets earned just 38 rushing yards as their early season struggle continues.
Patriot’s quarterback Mac Jones tossed for 201 yards and a touchdown, while running back Ezekiel Elliot earned 80 yards across 16 carries. The Patriots win could have easily been more points, but kicker Chad Ryland only made two of four field goal attempts. Either way, a win is a win as they face an annoyed Dallas Cowboys in week four.
Buffalo Bills 37 – Washington Commanders 3
Every chance given to Washington by the Bills on Sunday seemed to be spoiled in one way or another, and led to a blowout victory for Buffalo. The Commanders only earned five less first downs than their opponents, but quarterback Sam Howell tossed four interceptions while running back Antonio Gibson fumbled the ball early in the fourth quarter. The Bills capitalized on these mistakes, as Bill’s defensive lineman A.J. Epenesa returned an interception for a touchdown, and the team amassed offensive touchdowns of their own.
With an insignificant interception, quarterback Josh Allen earned a passing and rushing touchdown while Bill’s kicker Tyler Bass remained perfect on the season, completing three field goals. Safe to say, this is a weekend the Commanders and their fans will want to forget before facing a challenging Philadelphia Eagles in week four.
Carolina Panthers 27 – Seattle Seahawks 37
After first overall draft pick and Panthers quarterback Bryce Young was injured in week two, backup quarterback Andy Dalton earned his first start of the season. Unfortunately, his two touchdown passes and 361 yards was not enough to earn his side their first victory this year. A missed Eddy Pineiro field goal attempt for the Panthers combined with 19 successful tackles by Seattle’s defense led to Carolina’s downfall.
Seahawk’s running back Kenneth Walker III shined, earning two touchdowns and 97 rushing yards, while wide receiver DK Metcalf averaged 18.7 yards across six receptions. The Seahawks will look to keep up the pace against the Giants next week, while the Panthers will be begging for a win against the Vikings.
Dallas Cowboys 16 – Arizona Cardinals 28
The Cardinals made a statement against the Cowboys on Sunday, earning what was undoubtedly the most unexpected win of the weekend. This game was not even as close as it should have been, as Arizona led throughout the entire contest. Cardinal’s quarterback Joshua Dobbs picked his passes wonderfully, completing 17 of 21 attempts and a touchdown in the process.
The Cardinal’s offense was also helped by running back James Conner and wide receiver Rondale Moore who each earned rushing touchdowns. On their last chance to gain any momentum, the Cowboys were intercepted by Cardinal’s linebacker Kyzir White late in the fourth quarter, ending their perfect season. They will look for vengeance against New England in week four, while the Cardinals will look to end another perfect record in the 49ers.
Chicago Bears 10 – Kansas City Chiefs 41
With the presence of global phenomenon Taylor Swift at Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday, it was clear what the Chiefs had to do. They did not disappoint, defeating the Bears by the largest margin in history, and scoring 34 points by halftime. The man who Swift may have been there for, Chief’s tight end Travis Kelce, earned a touchdown and led his team in receiving yards with 69. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes tossed three touchdowns and 272 yards as his team surmounted a total of 456 offensive yards,
Problems continue to amass for Justin Fields, who will continue to lose faith from the city of Chicago unless he can find a way to turn his season around. He tossed just 99 yards against the Chiefs, along with an interception. He will get another chance to prove himself against the 0-3 Broncos in week four.
Pittsburgh Steelers 23 – Oakland Raiders 18
Even though Sunday night’s rivalry matchup between the Steelers and Raiders happened in Las Vegas, nearly 60% of the crowd was there to see the away team. This may have helped the momentum of the Steelers greatly, as after conceding the first touchdown they scored 23 unanswered points. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo attempted to shape a late comeback for the Raiders, finding wide receiver Davante Adams in the end zone with just under six minutes remaining, but their efforts fell short.
Raiders Kicker Daniel Carlson scored a field goal with two minutes to go, making it a five point game, but the Steelers had done enough to secure the victory. Perhaps the Raiders could have achieved victory if it were not for three Garoppolo interceptions. They look to snap their losing streak in week four against the Chargers.
Monday Night Football
Philadelphia Eagles 25 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 11
Even though Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts tossed two interceptions, the Eagles limited their opponents to just 41 rushing yards, allowing them to beat the Buccaneers for the first time since 2013. Tampa Bay never led once and were limited to just 174 total offensive yards to the Eagles 472. Hurts tossed for 277 yards and earned a passing and rushing touchdown, while Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield passed a touchdown and an interception.
Eagle’s kicker Jake Elliot also played a significant role, completing all three field goal attempts given. The Eagles are just one of three undefeated teams which remain, and will look to stay that way after their matchup against Washington in week four. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay travels to New Orleans for a divisional matchup.
Los Angeles Rams 16 – Cincinnati Bengals 19
The Bengals just narrowly avoided starting their season 0-3 for the first time since 2019 and the signing of Joe Burrow against the Rams, as neither team’s quarterback played their best game. Burrow failed to toss a touchdown, and instead threw an interception, while Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford tossed two interceptions. Bengals running back Joe Mixon earned his team’s only touchdown, while kicker Evan McPherson scored four of five field goal attempts.
Meanwhile, Ram’s wide receiver and rookie Puka Nacua led his team in receiving yards for the third week straight while fellow receiver Tutu Atwell earned a touchdown. The Rams scored a touchdown with a Matthew Stafford pass in the final minutes, but still trailed by three, ultimately losing a close game throughout. They will play the Colts in week four, while the Bengals matchup against the Titans.
