The Good, The Bad and The Ugly from Week 3

Week 3 was critical for nine teams week around the NFL because they entered their matchup with a 0-2 record and desperate for a season-saving win. Six of the teams facing this predicament responded with dominant, surprising, and shocking victories to keep their season alive. Since 2022, only the 2018 Houston Texans outright made the playoffs after starting 0-3, while the 2013 Pittsburgh Steelers would have made a 14-team playoff format. Week 3 also showed the superiority of three teams who remained perfect- the Kansas City Chiefs, the Buffalo Bills, and the Seattle Seahawks. However, let us discuss the highs and lows and everything in between from the action in week 3.

The Good

1. Sam Darnold Stellar Performance- Josh Allen was dominant on Monday Night Football by completing over 70 percent of his passes for 263 yards and four touchdowns in a flawless performance on Monday Night Football. However, I think Sam Darnold’s performance was more impressive because it came against the Houston Texans in a 34-7 rout in a matchup of unbeaten teams. Darnold completed 17 of 28 passes, 181 yards, and four touchdowns in an impressive showing. Darnold has built a good rapport with Justin Jefferson, who grabbed six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown. Darnold has six touchdowns this season in the red zone and just one incompletion, which is a ridiculous statistic. The Vikings appear to be a serious contender in the NFC North because Sam Darnold has resurrected his career in the North Star State.

2. Steel Curtain Defense- the city of Pittsburgh prides itself as a blue-collar city where working hard is embraced by the populace. The Steelers’ tradition of running the football and playing bruising defense embodies the city. The 2024 version of the hometown team has found its roots with Najee Harris in the backfield and the best defense in the league. The Steelers made life difficult for Justin Herbert and the Chargers by forcing five sacks, allowing 3 of 11 conversions on third down, and seven penalties. The Steelers have allowed only 26 points in three games, with T.J. Watt a menace for quarterbacks under center. The black and gold are the surprise leaders in the AFC North, and their defense has them believing this could be the year to win it all.

The Bad

1. 49ers collapse in the 4th quarter -San Francisco won their season opener in a dominant home win over the New York Jets. For the second straight year, they traveled to Minnesota and struggled offensively in two losses. However, in week three, they were facing their divisional rivals, the Los Angeles Rams, on the road and with a 10-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Instead, the Rams scored 13 unanswered points while the 49ers offense struggled with Jake Moody missing a 55-yard field goal and a quick 3-and-out the only possessions. It was a disastrous result for the 49ers against an offense missing Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. This loss is an early dent to their aspirations to return to the Superbowl, with the Seahawks enjoying a 2-game lead in the division.

2. Raiders and Bucs are disastrous at home after road wins-Las Vegas and Tampa Bay enjoyed big wins in week two on the road against the Baltimore Ravens and Detroit Lions. There was an expectation that they would ride the momentum into their home matchups in week 3. The Raiders faced a Carolina Panthers team that got destroyed in their first two games. The Panthers scored only 13 points in two games and allowed 73 points on defense. The Panthers took the drastic step of benching their first-round draft pick, Bryce Young, and starting Andy Dalton for the matchup. It felt like the Raiders underestimated the Panthers by allowing 36 points, 437 total yards, and Dalton throwing for three touchdowns. Pierce questioned the lack of effort of his team by stating, “As the game went on, I think there was definitely some individuals that made business decisions. And we’ll make business decisions going forward, as well.” As for the Buccaneers, they faced a Denver team that scored 6 points at home against the Steelers with rookie quarterback Bo Nix under center. It appears the Bucs underestimated the Broncos after their 2-0 start because the offense looked ill-prepared. The offensive line allowed seven sacks, and Baker Mayfield struggled uncharacteristically after a 4-touchdown performance in the home opener. These teams may rue these losses if they either miss the playoffs or lose the division by a one-game margin.

The Ugly

1. Putrid Cowboys Defense- the Cowboys got stomped last week by the Saints run game by allowing 190 rushing yards, and Alvin Kamara capped it with four total touchdowns. The whole world knew the Baltimore Ravens would test the defense’s ability to stop the run. The Cowboys’ defense failed to meet the challenge with Derrick Henry making 25 rushes for 151 yards and two touchdowns. The Ravens finished with 274 rushing yards, with Lamar Jackson showcasing the deadly duo. Dak led a torrid comeback attempt by scoring 19 points in the fourth quarter, but Lamar finished the game by making another big run to seal the game. Another concern for the Cowboys is the 51 yards on the ground, and Jerry Jones will rue the missed opportunity to sign Derrick Henry in the off-season. The Cowboys will have a quick turnaround because they face the Giants on Thursday Night football.

2. The winless and looking hopeless- the three winless teams left in the league are the Cincinnati Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Tennessee Titans. I think the Bengals have an outside chance of turning around their season after back-to-back close losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Washington Commanders. However, Jaguars and Titans fans can start preparing for the draft by watching more college football. The Jaguars allowed five straight touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills in the first half to trail 34-3. The final score of 47-10 is not a true reflection of how one-sided this game ended. On the other hand, the Titans got destroyed by a Green Bay Packers team missing starting Quarterback Jordan Love. Instead, backup Quarterback Malik Willis torched the defense by completing 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards and 73 rushing yards. The Packers also ran for 188 yards in total. It will be a long season for the two teams in the AFC South.