NFL Takeaways: Week 3
Photo by Kim Klement Neitzel from Imagn Images
What began as quite a boring weekend of football, in my opinion, turned into quite an exciting one!
Here’s what we learned from the third week of NFL football.
Bills defeat Dolphins 31-21
I remember in week one of the college football season, many people on Twitter chastised college football for not being very exciting or enjoyable.
But on Thursday night, the Bills and Dolphins played a game where the quarterbacks combined to average 1.5 air yards per completion.
It was a dink and dunk party, and it was not fun.
This game could have been an email.
Vikings defeat Bengals 48-10
This was a terrible performance by the Bengals offense, and that is being put on backup quarterback Jake Browning.
But Joe Burrow played for 1.5 of the Bengals games this season, and the offense still looked a little rough.
Better than Sunday, mind you, but still rough.
Maybe this Bengals team just isn’t good.
Colts defeat Titans 41-20
Brian Callahan is not a good coach.
That is clearly obvious through three weeks, and I’d frankly be amazed if he lasted the full season.
Steelers defeat Patriots 21-14
The Patriots turned the ball over 5 times, and it still came down to one final stop for the Steelers defense to clinch the win.
Good for the Steelers defense to have a get right game, but a bad sign for the Steelers offense.
Jaguars defeat Texans 17-10
The Texans have done a woeful job protecting C.J. Stroud, and it’s leading to C.J. Stroud regressing massively in the Texans “Super Bowl window” that we believed they had after Stroud’s rookie season.
It’s just getting worse and worse, and it’s a problem.
Panthers defeat Falcons 30-0
Yikes, Atlanta.
Yikes…
But hey, at least you have your first round pick next year!
Eagles defeat Rams 33-26
I love the Eagles.
I know many people hate them, but I love them.
Not because of how they play. God the tush push is boring.
But I love them because they do it. And then when things look terrible, and it looks like everyone was correct that they can’t move the ball, the just decide to unleash the downfield passing game because they need to and comeback and win.
They play the way they want to play, and they don’t give a damn what people think about it.
Most of the time, it bores me. But I do love it.
Buccaneers defeat Jets 29-27
The Bucs are a good team.
The Bucs aren’t a Super Bowl team.
Not as long as they keep letting teams significantly worse than them continue to hang around like they have in all three games this year.
Granted, they won those games, but at some point they need to just have an easy win.
I thought that’s what Sunday would be, but the Jets came roaring back and even took the lead on a blocked field goal touchdown with under two minutes left before the Bucs went down and won on a game winning field goal.
Side note: Lots of blocked kicks this weekend.
Weird.
Commanders defeat Raiders 41-24
Last week, the Raiders defense was good but Geno Smith was putrid, and the Raiders lost.
This week, Geno Smith was fantastic but the Raiders defense was putrid, and the Raiders lost.
They have to get more consistent if they want to get some wins.
Browns defeat Packers 13-10
The only question mark on this Packers team is Jordan Love.
The first two weeks he was excellent, and the Packers got easy wins.
But Sunday, he struggled. And because of that, the Packers let the Browns hang around, and one terrible Love pick led to a tied game, before the Browns won on a game winning field goal.
He is far too streaky for what the Packers need if they want to be true contenders.
Chargers defeat Broncos 23-20
Bo Nix missed on a few wide open passes in a game that the Broncos defense did a great job keeping Justin Herbert from having a great game.
But the more throws Nix missed, the more the Chargers could hang around.
And Herbert had an excellent 4th quarter to lead the comeback and get the win.
Nix has had a tough start to his second year which, again, is why the term “sophomore slump” exists.
Or maybe people just took one step too far with the Broncos expectations this season.
Seahawks defeat Saints 44-13
The Seahawks are 1st in DVOA, which I am not taking to mean anything right now, because it’s been three games.
But it does show with what is on the field.
The defense is excellent. Special teams have been fantastic, which was a huge issue last season, and the offense, outside of week 1, has been nothing flashy but extremely efficient.
If it continues, this is a good team.
And the Saints just aren’t.
49ers defeat Cardinals 16-15
The Niners came back and won again and are 3-0.
But they lost Nick Bosa to a torn ACL, as if their injury woes couldn’t possibly get any worse.
But they keep winning. So who knows anymore?
And the Cardinals offense, which hasn’t impressed me at all this year as is, now lost James Conner for the season to a terrible injury.
I just don’t see it.
Bears defeat Cowboys 31-14
The Bears needed Caleb to have a big game against a weak Cowboys defense, and he did. That’s huge for the Bears.
But the Cowboys needed a good game from their offense against a weak Bears defense, and they just didn’t show up.
In fact, they’re a 64 yard field goal from Brandon Aubrey in week 2 away from being 0-3.
Concerning, to say the least.
Chiefs defeat Giants 22-9
J.P. Crawford is insanely good with the bases loaded, and Cal Raleigh is the AL MVP.
What?
You think I would pass up watching the Mariners in a playoff push on Sunday Night Baseball and would rather watch the Chiefs not overexert themselves in a close but easy win against a team they’re much better than?
I’ve seen that same game 8000 times.
Not interested.
Lions defeat Ravens 38-30
7 sacks by the Lions.
No sacks by the Ravens, a they allowed 218 total rushing yards.
The Lions absolutely dominated this game in the trenches, and that is not what the norm is for the Ravens.
A huge statement by the Lions, and a giant question mark going forward for the Ravens.
