Fall is here and football season is getting into rhythm.
The early games on Sunday in Week 3 weren't particularly close for the most part, with five of the seven games decided by double digits. There were several upsets and a few surprising standouts, though, so let's get into it all.
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WATCH HEREHere are all the winners and losers from Sunday's action:
Winner: Malik Willis revenge game
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There wasn't much thought given to the Tennessee Titans trading Malik Willis to the Green Bay Packers for a seventh-round pick. But a month later, the outcast quarterback got his revenge.
Willis put together another strong performance in relief of Jordan Love. The third-year pro went 13 of 19 for 202 passing yards, 73 rushing yards and two total touchdowns in the dominant 30-14 road win. In limited action for Tennessee over his first two seasons, Willis had just one total touchdown with four fumbles and three interceptions.
The Packers are now in an excellent position with their starting quarterback seemingly on the verge of returning from a knee injury. Matt LaFleur's team is 2-1, with a home game against the undefeated Minnesota Vikings looming next Sunday.
NFL
Loser: Russell Wilson's job security
Russell Wilson hasn't played a snap this season due to a calf injury. It might be a while before he returns, and it's not because of the injury.
After another respectable showing, Justin Fields has Pittsburgh at 3-0. The former Chicago Bears quarterback hasn't been perfect, but he's done just enough to keep his team unbeaten. It'll be hard to bench the quarterback who hasn't lost a game, even if Wilson returns to full strength soon. The veteran was questionable going into Week 3, so it appears he could be healthy in the near future.
Sunday was perhaps Fields' best showing of the season, going 25 of 32 for 245 yards with a passing and rushing score in the 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. This is a situation to monitor as the year goes on.
Winner: Malik Nabers is a star
The New York Giants are finally in the win column, and it's mostly due to their first-round pick.
Malik Nabers was once again a standout for the Big Blue. He followed up his 10-catch, 127-yard Week 2 outing by amassing eight receptions for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Most of his damage came in the first half, as the Giants took a 21-7 lead over the Cleveland Browns and held on late for the 21-16 victory.
While the Giants might not win a ton of games this season, they can rest easy knowing they didn't miss on their top draft pick. Nabers has 23 receptions, 271 yards and three touchdowns through his first three games, making him the first player in NFL history with over 20 receptions, 250 yards and three touchdowns in his first three games (h/t Tony Holzman-Escareno).
Loser: Saints high-powered offense
Klint Kubiak's offense was unstoppable through two weeks. But on Sunday, the Philadelphia Eagles put an end to the New Orleans Saints' dominance.
The Eagles went down to Louisiana and secured a 15-12 win, though it wasn't pretty. Derek Carr and Co. led 3-0 through three quarters, with Philly passing up on two field goals and coming up empty on six straight possessions to open the game. Two Saquon Barkley touchdowns in the fourth quarter put the Eagles ahead 15-12, and Reed Blankenship sealed the deal with an interception in the final minute.
Carr had just 142 passing yards and the Saints mustered 3.1 yards per carry against a stout Eagles D-line. Now at 2-1, the Saints travel to Atlanta in Week 4 for a date with the rival Falcons -- a team that just beat the Eagles.
Winner: All of Minnesota
The first three games of 2024 couldn't have gone any better for the Minnesota Vikings.
Starting with the offense, Kevin O'Connell has turned Sam Darnold into an early MVP contender. The former first-round pick was stellar again in their Week 3 win over the Houston Texans -- 17 of 28, 181 yards and four touchdowns. He has 657 yards and eight touchdowns through three games for the undefeated Vikings.
Then there's the defense, which Brian Flores has completely transformed in his second season as coordinator. The unit held C.J. Stroud's offense to just seven points and two turnovers on Sunday. That was one week after limiting Kyle Shanahan's San Francisco 49ers to 17 points and two turnovers. It's still early, but Minnesota is looking like a legitimate contender with its combination of coaching, skill players and steady QB production.
Loser: Trap games
Fresh off a monster road win over the Detroit Lions, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were a no-show in Week 3.
The previously 0-2 Denver Broncos marched into Florida and left with a 26-7 win over the previously 2-0 Bucs. Rookie QB Bo Nix had his best game yet for Denver, completing 25 of 36 passes for 216 yards and adding a rushing touchdown. The Bucs offense had just 223 yards and two turnovers in the loss.
Winner: Avoiding 0-3 records
Multiple teams entered the day with 0-2 records, with some contenders in the mix, too. In the late window, the Carolina Panthers bested the Las Vegas Raiders 36-22 behind Andy Dalton's vintage performance, becoming the first QB this season to record at least 300 yards passing coupled with three-plus touchdowns. Carolina may not be a contender, but it's definitely an important result nonetheless.
Later, the Los Angeles Rams overcame a double-digit deficit to top the San Francisco 49ers with a late field goal. Matthew Stafford led the way for L.A. despite not having Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp available, while Brock Purdy combined superbly with Jauan Jennings for his career-best outing in the 27-24 loss. The Rams should be in the wild card mix, so ending their 0-2 skid against a divisional foe is a vital boost.
The final game of the late window saw the Baltimore Ravens hold off the Dallas Cowboys 28-25. Baltimore held a 28-6 lead but nearly saw it collapse in its entirety after a hot fourth quarter by Dallas. Both teams are now 1-2, but this was a game Lamar Jackson and Co. could not afford to lose, and they pulled off the win on the road.
Loser: Dolphins' QB situation
With Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve for the next few weeks, the Dolphins called upon QB2 Skylar Thompson to help keep the season afloat. But the Dolphins are starting to sink, as Thompson struggled against the Seattle Seahawks and left early due to a chest injury.
Tim Boyle, 29, took over but didn't do much, either. Miami lost 24-3 and fell to 1-2, with the running game not succeeding, too, as De'Von Achane led with just 30 yards on 11 carries. Mike McDaniel will have to sort things out quickly while Tagovailoa remains out, but it doesn't look promising.
Winner: Lions bounce back
After a disappointing home loss against the Bucs, Detroit turned it around on the road with a solid performance on all fronts. Jared Goff didn't light up the stat sheet but turned in a 198-yard, two-touchdown, one-pick outing as David Montgomery rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown with Jahmyr Gibbs adding 83.
Detroit's defense did will limiting the shifty Kyler Murray to 21 of 32 completions for 205 yards, one touchdown and one pick while James Conner mustered just 17 rushing yards on nine tries. Marvin Harrison Jr. caught Murray's sole touchdown throw, but logged just five catches for 64 yards on the day.
Loser: Bryce Young
The Bryce Young trade rumors may get louder heading into Week 4 after Dalton lit up the stat sheet. Time will have to tell if Dalton is just in a purple patch, but the 36-year-old isn't the long-term option for Carolina as QB1. Still, it's not a great look for Young if Dalton can step in and guide his team to a 30-burger right off the bat.
It'll be interesting to see how head coach Dave Canales and Co. plays this out. Do you keep benching your former No. 1 overall pick to play a quarterback for short-term gain or let the youngster play through it for more pain?
