5 things to look for in Week 3 of the NFL regular season
By Andy Scholes and Ben Morse, CNN
(CNN) — After more shocking upsets in Week 2 of the NFL season, the pressure has been ramped up on some teams, with this week’s games becoming must-win – even this early into the campaign.
Since the NFL expanded to a 14-team playoff format in 2020, 32 teams have started a season 0-2 with only two (6%) of those making the playoffs: the Cincinnati Bengals in 2022 and the Houston Texans last season.
Here are five things to watch out for heading into Week 3 of the NFL season.
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens desperately need a win in Texas
Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens were shocked at home by the Las Vegas Raiders this past Sunday 26-23, dropping them to 0-2 on the season (remember that stat above…).
Baltimore was one of the favorites to win the Super Bowl before opening day, but those hopes are in some serious trouble: no team in NFL history has ever started a season 0-3 and gone on to win the Super Bowl.
After Sunday’s defeat, head coach Jim Harbaugh said his team will rebound from the disappointing loss to the Raiders, adding: “We’re not going to be defined by everybody that’s going to say that we’re not any good. That we’re done. That the season’s over after two games. That’s what’s going to be said, but they’re not here. They’re not inside. No one inside is going to say that.”
The schedule is not doing the Ravens any favors though. They travel to Arlington, Texas, to take on the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
Dallas is coming off a blowout 44-19 loss to the red-hot New Orleans Saints in Week 2, having been on the end of an offensive masterclass from Derek Carr and Alvin Kamara in the defeat.
Dak Prescott and company will be highly motivated to avoid suffering a third straight home defeat, having now lost two in a row at AT&T Stadium with the heavy defeat by the Saints coming after a rout at the hands of the Green Bay Packers in the playoffs in January.
Whoever loses on Sunday will have the pressure piled on them, as both had the goal of reaching the Super Bowl ahead of the season.
‘Who Dat’ going to beat the Saints?
After thrashing the lowly Carolina Panthers in Week 1, not many took the Saints as serious contenders.
But after completely dominating the Cowboys in Week 2, that has certainly changed.
New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has quarterback Derek Carr playing arguably the best football of his career. The Saints scored on their first 15 possessions this season with Carr under center – 15!
“The efficiency that he’s operating, that is really impressive and really that goes back to the end of last year,” Saints head coach Dennis Allen said. “I think he’s been really playing exceptional football for us and we’re going to need him to continue to do that.”
The Saints will now host the Philadelphia Eagles – who are looking to bounce back from a disappointing, last-minute 22-21 loss to the Atlanta Falcons – at the Superdome on Sunday in what will surely be a rowdy atmosphere.
Right now, the Saints are still considered long shots to lift the Vince Lombardi trophy at 26-1 odds. But if they beat the Eagles and move to 3-0, that number will likely start dropping very quickly.
Dolphins turn to Skylar Thompson
The Miami Dolphins officially put quarterback Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve on Tuesday after he suffered the third diagnosed concussion of his career against the Buffalo Bills in Week 2.
As a result, Tagovailoa will miss at least Miami’s next four games and the earliest we could see him is October 27 against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Dolphins, meanwhile, will start Skylar Thompson at quarterback on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks. Thompson, who was a seventh round pick in 2022, did not play during the 2023 season.
He does have experience though as he started three games as a rookie in 2022, including a playoff loss on the road to the Buffalo Bills.
Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel expressed his confidence in Thompson’s ability to step in and lead the team proficiently.
“I think his game has developed since he’s had a starting opportunity in the National Football League,” McDaniel told reporters on Monday. “I think all his teammates can feel his command and his growth, and I think he put together some winning football as a rookie.
“Rookies have a hard enough time digesting anything, let alone being a quarterback in this offense, so there’s a lot of reasons that his teammates have to fully believe in him and his ability which is why he was the No. 2 named from the end of preseason.”
Can Mahomes and the Chiefs keep it going in Atlanta?
Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Bengals 26-25 in another tight one on Sunday.
That’s two wins against preseason AFC contenders in two weeks for Kansas City, further cementing them as favorites to win an unprecedented third straight Super Bowl. The team though will now be without starting running back Isiah Pacheco for a considerable amount of time after he fractured his fibula in Sunday’s victory.
To add depth to the running back room, the Chiefs signed Kareem Hunt to their practice squad; Hunt was drafted by the Chiefs and had an incredible rookie season in 2017.
However, he was cut by the team the following year after video surfaced of him kicking and shoving a woman at a Cleveland hotel. Hunt played with the Cleveland Browns for the last five seasons.
The Chiefs will travel to face Atlanta in Week 3 – Mahomes’ first ever game in the city – with the Falcons flying high after beating the Eagles in Philadelphia on Monday night.
Can Atlanta quarterback Kirk Cousins, who used to get a bad rap for his record in primetime games, beat Mahomes on Sunday Night Football?
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said the last-minute victory against the Eagles helped to build confidence among his players.
“For me, it’s not as emotionally driven as it is for some of the players, but for some of the players, it pumps more belief in them,” Morris told reporters.
“You know for us, we go around saying it all the time, but when players actually go out and execute it and do it, it’s just something for those guys that just creates this energy for those guys to be able to get out there, knowing that they can do anything at any time, like they proved last night.
“For us, I kind of walk around with that kind of belief that they can do it at all times, but when they can go out there and actually show it to themselves and do it for themselves, I think that’s just a little bit more special when those guys go do it together and how they went to do it last night.”
Fans in attendance at Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be treated to free food at Sunday’s game as the team honors owner Arthur Blank who will be inducted into the franchise’s Ring of Honor this weekend.
Blank is famed for his decision to offer reasonable prices for concessions, so the decision to offer every fan – yes, that includes those that will be rooting for the Chiefs (Taylor Swift too, perhaps?) – two complementary hot dogs, two free bags of chips and unlimited Coca-Cola in a give-away souvenir cup.
Monday Night doubleheader
This Monday night with see the first primetime doubleheader of the 2024 season.
First, the Bills will host the Jacksonville Jaguars, with the Bengals kicking off against the Washington Commanders shortly afterwards.
It is the first of four primetime doubleheaders this season after Disney increased its number of games from 17 to 23 in the latest media rights deal.
Next week will also have a doubleheader on Monday with the Dolphins hosting the Tennessee Titans and the Detroit Lions hosting the Seattle Seahawks.
After winless starts to the season, Monday’s games hold extra importance for the Jaguars and Bengals.
Week 3’s full slate of games
Away vs. home
Thursday
New England Patriots (1-1) @ New York Jets (1-1) – 8:15 p.m. ET
Sunday
New York Giants (0-2) @ Cleveland Browns (1-1) – 1:00 p.m. ET
Chicago Bears (1-1) @ Indianapolis Colts (0-2) – 1:00 p.m. ET
Houston Texans (2-0) @ Minnesota Vikings (2-0) – 1:00 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Eagles (1-1) @ New Orleans Saints (2-0) – 1:00 p.m. ET
Los Angeles Chargers (2-0) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (2-0) – 1:00 p.m. ET
Denver Broncos (0-2) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) – 1:00 p.m. ET
Green Bay Packers (1-1) @ Tennessee Titans (0-2) – 1:00 p.m. ET
Carolina Panthers (0-2) @ Las Vegas Raiders (1-1) – 4:05 p.m. ET
Miami Dolphins (1-1) @ Seattle Seahawks (2-0) – 4:05 p.m. ET
Detroit Lions (1-1) @ Arizona Cardinals (1-1) – 4:25 p.m. ET
Baltimore Ravens (0-2) @ Dallas Cowboys (1-1) – 4:25 p.m. ET
San Francisco 49ers (1-1) @ Los Angeles Rams (0-2) – 4:25 p.m. ET
Kansas City Chiefs (2-0) @ Atlanta Falcons (1-1) – 8:20 p.m. ET
Monday
Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) @ Buffalo Bills (2-0) – 7:30 p.m. ET
Washington Commanders (1-1) @ Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) – 8:15 p.m. ET
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