Welcome to another instalment of my weekly NFL Column. My goal is to watch everything so that you don’t have to. I will present to you the best games to watch back; the craziest moments; the best individual performances and the season-long stat leaders and records. I will also be previewing the upcoming gameweek, too.
If that sounds like something you’re interested in, check in each week.
Not everybody in the UK has the ability to watch almost 20 hours of live NFL every week, but I’ll make sure you don’t miss anything you’d wish you didn’t. Without further delay…
This is what happened This Week in the NFL.
Game of the Week
If you can only watch one full game in its entirety, watch this one:
Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots
Back-to-back entries for the Baltimore Ravens in our Game of the Week. What can I say? They’re exciting as hell.
Alright, spoiler time.
This time, the Ravens were able to come out on top in the shootout. Lamar Jackson went nuts once again, this time throwing 4 TD’s and rushing one in for himself. His five scores were accompanied by a respectable 218 passing yards and 107 yards rushing. Mac Jones did his best to keep up, throwing for 321 yards of his own, before getting injured.
At halftime, the game was separated by just one point, but the Baltimore offense locked in for a 17-point third quarter. The Ravens receiving threats continue to spread the load, but Mark Andrews was the major target leader, with 13. They won the game with a convincing 37-26 scoreline, preparing them for a massive game next week.
With Baltimore hosting Buffalo next week, we might be in for three Ravens Game of the Weeks in a row…
Other games to watch back
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins
Kansas City Chiefs @ Indianapolis Colts
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings
Upset of the Week – Two for One
Kansas City Chiefs 17 – 20 Indianapolis Colts
Yep. The team who tied with the Houston Texans and lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars just beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Colts fans will tell you, they really needed to get on the board soon, and there is no better opponent to turn it around against than the Chiefs, one of the top two favourites in the AFC. It wasn’t pretty, to be fair, but that means nothing to Matt Ryan and Indianapolis.
They entered the fourth quarter losing 17-13 and after a tense back and forth, they finally scored with just 24 seconds to go. The MVP of this win was Jelani Woods, a rookie TE who scored both of the TD’s in this narrow win. The Chiefs looked uncomfortable all day, but give credit to Indy for showing up and pulling out a tough win to take their first W of the year.
Honorable Mention: Jacksonville Jaguars 38 – 10 Los Angeles Chargers
I know the Chargers have injuries. I know that includes missing two or three of their most valuable players. I also know that Justin Herbert was playing through his injury. This win for Jacksonville still deserves this spot. Even if you were of the opinion that a banged-up LA would be likely to lose, I’m certain you wouldn’t have predicted a 28-point win. Trevor Lawrence balled out and the Jags looked genuinely solid on offense.
Winners and Losers
Winners
Cleveland Browns (2-1)
Chicago Bears (2-1)
Indianapolis Colts (1-1-1)
Miami Dolphins (3-0)
Minnesota Vikings (2-1)
Baltimore Ravens (2-1)
Tennessee Titans (1-2)
Cincinnati Bengals (1-2)
Philadelphia Eagles (3-0)
Carolina Panthers (1-2)
Jacksonville Jaguars (1-2)
Atlanta Falcons (1-2)
Los Angeles Rams (2-1)
Green Bay Packers (2-1)
Denver Broncos (2-1)
Dallas Cowboys (2-1)
Losers
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)
Houston Texans (0-2-1)
Kansas City Chiefs (2-1)
Buffalo Bills (2-1)
Detroit Lions (1-2)
New England Patriots (1-2)
Las Vegas Raiders (0-3)
New York Jets (1-2)
Washington Commanders (1-2)
New Orleans Saints (1-2)
Los Angeles Chargers (1-2)
Seattle Seahawks (1-2)
Arizona Cardinals (1-2)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)
San Francisco 49ers (1-2)
New York Giants (2-1)
Undefeated Watch!
Miami Dolphins
Philadelphia Eagles
Winless Watch
Las Vegas Raiders
Houston Texans (0-2-1)
Standout Individual Performers
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
62% completion rate, 218 passing yards and 4 TD’s, plus 107 rushing yards and a TD.
As I previously mentioned, the Baltimore Ravens quarterback went nuts for the second week in a row, but this time locked in the W. Last week he admittedly had more yards, but his efficiency and scoring was even better this Sunday. Jackson attempted a very modest 29 passes, completing 18 of them for 218 yards. He also rushed 11 times, for 107 yards. He matched his career high, scoring five TD’s for the fourth time in his 51 starts.
Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
8 receptions on 13 targets for 89 receiving yards and 2 TD’s.
As is often the case when Jackson has a good game passing the ball, Mark Andrews also balled out. He pulled down 8 of his 13 targets, amassing 89 receiving yards while also scoring twice. Andrews really is the heart of this passing game and that role is well deserved.
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
63% completion rate, 340 passing yards and 3 TD’s.
Whenever there is a dual-threat quarterback, who is amazing at rushing, this happens. The aforementioned Lamar Jackson will vouch for that. People always question if they are good at actually playing Quarterback. Can they throw the ball well and run – not the other way round? Jalen Hurts faced these questions all of last year. On Sunday, he answered them. For the second week in a row, Hurts threw over 300 yards. This time the final number was 340, and he threw 3 TD’s, while not rushing the ball as much. These performances are the type that Eagles fans should be really excited about. Hurts could be the real deal.
DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
8 receptions on 12 targets, for 169 receiving yards and a TD.
Speaking of the real deal, wow. Week one was a very disappointing outing for DeVonta Smith – seeing 4 targets and catching none of them. Some fans questioned if Hurts’ shiny new toy (AJ Brown) would steal away the work from their QB’s college teammate. In Week 2 he bounced back with 7 for 7 and 80 yards. But, he was just getting started. This week he put up 169 yards on 8 receptions. The Alabama product grabbed attention when he made two incredible catches one after the other. The first one resulted in a huge gain with an airborne contested catch, he then scored in equally impressive fashion to top off that very same drive, attacking a high-point pass in the end zone.
Jalen Pitre, Houston Texans
8 combined tackles, 2 INT’s and a sack.
Man, I love it when I can put a defensive player this high up. The Houston Texans aren’t exactly a regular presence in this section of the column, to say it politely. However, rookie Safety Jalen Pitre may plan on changing that. In just his third NFL game he absolutely dominated, to the tune of two interceptions and a sack. He entered Week 3 with no sacks and no interceptions, which makes this performance even more notable. Houston fell just short in Chicago, but they will undoubtedly be satisfied with the performance of their second-round pick.
Khalil Herbert, Chicago Bears
20 carries for 157 rushing yards and 2 TD’s, plus 2 receptions for 12 yards.
A name that you probably didn’t expect to see in my column anytime soon, Khalil Herbert had himself a day this week. The Bears second-year half back saw 20 carries for the first time since week 8 of his rookie campaign – and he earned the reps. He started really strong, and as they fed him more, he continued to show his talent. Averaging almost 8 yards per carry, Herbert put up 169 scrimmage yards and scored multiple TD’s for the first time in his young career.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
72% completion rate, 262 passing yards and 3 TD’s.
You can’t beat the Los Angeles Chargers without playing a pretty damn good game of football. Trevor Lawrence did exactly that. It wasn’t the flashiest day, nor did he throw an insane number of yards or TD’s. But, the 2021 first overall pick did everything he had to. His 72% completion rate demonstrates his professional performance. He put up 262 passing yards, while throwing 3 TD’s in a comfortable 38-10 win.
Cordarrelle Patterson, Atlanta Falcons
17 carries for 141 rushing yards and a TD, plus 1 reception for 12 receiving yards.
One of the most unique players in the NFL right now, Cordarrelle Patterson continues to prove himself to be an incredibly versatile weapon. Previously a wide receiver who saw the vast majority of his work on special teams, he is now a genuinely talented running back on a team who finally picked up a win this week. The Falcons half back saw 17 carries and converted them into 141 yards. He also scored a rushing touchdown, his second of the season. He added a 12-yard catch for good measure, on his only target, just to remind us he can do it all.
Mack Hollins, Las Vegas Raiders
8 receptions on 10 targets, for 158 yards and a TD.
Of the 53 Las Vegas Raiders who played football this weekend, there is only one who deserves any positive mention. That player is Mack Hollins. Hollins showed some flashes in Week 2 with 13.2 yards per reception, earning more looks this week. Derek Carr targeted him 10 times, connecting 8 times. The 29-year-old wideout was even more efficient on his targets, with 158 yards – 19.8 per reception. He also scored the touchdown that the Raiders failed to convert, when going for 2 to tie the game, going up and Moss’ing the defender.
DeVante Parker, New England Patriots
5 receptions on 10 targets for 156 receiving yards.
I wasn’t sure on this one, because 5 of 10 isn’t particularly inspiring, but I have to respect the yardage that DeVante Parker put up. He has always been a yards-per-reception type of receiver, but this was an impressive game even by his standards. He caught just five passes, but produced 156 yards (31.2 per reception).
Jelani Woods, Indianapolis Colts
2 receptions, 2 Touchdowns, a much-needed win.
This is something a little bit different, but it feels right. The Indianapolis Colts entered Week 3 with a record of 0-1-1, and their toughest opponent yet. They managed to hold it together and gut out a very hard-fought win against the Kansas City Chiefs, winning 20-17 in dramatic fashion. The Colts only scored two touchdowns in the game, both courtesy of Jelani Woods. The rookie tight end hadn’t seen a single target through the first fortnight, and then this week he saw 3 and caught two, both in the end zone. A pretty great way to earn some more play time, if you ask me.
Stat Leaders Through Week 3
Passing Yards – Josh Allen BUF, 1,014
Passing TD’s – Lamar Jackson BAL, 10
Rushing Yards – Nick Chubb CLE, 341
Rushing TD’s – Jamaal Williams DET and Nick Chubb CLE, 4
Receiving Yards – Stefon Diggs BUF, 344
Receiving TD’s – Stefon Diggs BUF, 4
Total TD’s – Jamaal Williams DET, Nick Chubb CLE and Stefon Diggs BUF, 4
Tackles (combined) – Jonathan Owens HOU and Roquan Smith CHI, 36
Sacks – Alex Highsmith PIT, 4.5
Interceptions – Marcus Williams BAL, 3
Week 4 Preview – What to watch
Week 4 Best Games
Buffalo Bills @ Baltimore Ravens
Kansas City Chiefs @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Miami Dolphins @ Cincinnati Bengals
Tyler’s Bold Week 4 Prediction
The only 0-3 team, the Raiders, put their first win on the board against the 2-1 Broncos.
Week 4 Storylines
NFL London begins!!! MIN @ NO, Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, 2pm
Do the Dolphins continue their incredible start, or does the Bengals resurgence continue? MIA @ CIN, TNF
A huge SB 55 rematch, with both teams in need of a quick bounce-back game. KC @ TB, SNF
Two elite AFC teams with amazing QB’s and Super Bowl aspirations facing off, BUF @ BAL, 6pm
Will the Raiders finally win their first game, against their divisional rivals? DEN @ LVR, 9:25pm
Two teams who earned their first W in week 3 look to build on it. TEN @ IND, 6pm
Could Houston take advantage of a banged-up Chargers team? LAC @ HOU, 6pm
Will the streaking Jaguars have any hope of stopping the high-flying Eagles? JAX @ PHI, 6pm
An NFC West divisional clash on prime time. LAR @ SF, MNF
