Week three in the NFL is important. The results in this week can help a team in their playoff run or rule them out completely, as going 0-3 will put a massive dent in a team’s hopes. Last week gave us several unlikely winners, so what could the likes of the Los Angeles Rams, Washington Commanders, and New York Giants, among others, do this week?
Let’s look back at Week Three of the 2024 NFL Season.
San Francisco Lose Again
Last week, the San Franciso 49ers were humbled by the Minnesota Vikings in a game that the team struggled in. They were hoping that these struggles would end when they faced the Los Angeles Rams this week. The Rams have not had the best start to the season, and last week lost to Marvin Harrison Jr and the Arizona Cardinals. Who would win this game?
The 49ers had the game’s opening possession and could get points on the board early. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy would be able to bring his offense down into the Rams’ red zone, and then down to the 13-yard line. From here, Purdy found Jauan Jennings for the touchdown pass. In reply to this, the Rams were unable to do anything with the ball.
San Francisco would widen their lead on their next drive of the game. This time, they were down at the Rams’ 4-yard line, where just as before, Purdy found Jennings for the touchdown.
After two fairly long drives that ended in punts, the Rams would be the next to score. Starting from their 13-yard line, Rams QB Matthew Stafford was able to very slowly move the offense down the field. It took them 15 plays to reach the 49ers’ 15-yard line. However, on the 16th play of the drive, Stafford found Kyren Williams for the touchdown.
Things would soon get better for the Rams, as on the next drive of the game, Purdy would be sacked and then fumble the ball. This would be then scooped by the Rams defense at their 40-yard line. With under 30 seconds left in the half, getting into field goal territory would have been the plan. Unfortunately, they were unable to do this, meaning that at halftime, the 49ers had a 14-7 lead over the Rams.
After a lackluster drive from Los Angeles to open the second half, it would be San Francisco who would increase their lead at the beginning of the second half. Starting from their nine-yard line, Purdy and company would drive down the field and reach the Rams’ 31-yard line. From here, and for the third time in this game, Purdy found Jennings for the TD pass increasing their lead to 14 points.
But, very soon, the lead was halved. Aided by a large penalty against the 49ers, the Rams’ offense was able to make it down to the 49ers’ 23-yard line. Here, a mistake happened. Williams would fumble the ball, and this would be recovered by San Francsico. However, this play was reversed after the review found that Williams was not down by contract. This kept Los Angeles in possession, and from here moved down to the 49ers’ three-yard line. Williams then scored his second TD of the game after the three-yard run into the endzone.
There would then be a period of the game where kicking would take center stage. The first of these came from a 49ers drive, where the same thing that occurred in the Rams drive above happened. Purdy fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Rams. However, upon further inspection, Purdy was not down by contact, keeping possession. But, unlike the prior drive from the Rams, this did not end in a touchdown, but with a field goal. 49ers kicker Jake Moody successfully kicked a 26-yard field goal to widen the lead to 10 points.
On the game’s next drive, the Rams would then be faced with a field goal attempt after their drive stalled at the 15-yard line. Rams kicker Joshua Karty was successful from 33 yards out, reducing the gap to seven.
However, San Franciso had the opportunity to recover their lead on the next drive. This again resulted in a Moody field goal attempt, this time from 55 yards out. This was unsuccessful, handing the Rams back possession with under three minutes to play, and one score down.
The Rams very quickly made their way down to the San Fransico five-yard line, due to a 50-yard pass from Stafford to Tutu Atwell. Then, a few plays later, Williams found the endzone for another TD. This tied the game, and with time running out, what could each team do to win this?
The 49ers’ subsequent drive was poor, and they would now have to hope that the Rams would not be able to get into field goal territory. But, due to another large penalty against the 49ers defense on this drive, that is exactly where they were. The drive set up Karty with a 37-yard field goal attempt. He was successful with this, and the Rams had taken the lead with two seconds left on the clock.
The 49ers were able to have one play to win the game. They decided to play a streak of lateral passes down the field. But this did not get them that far, and fumbling the ball out of play is not the best way to end the game.
This meant that the Los Angeles Rams had defeated the San Fransico 49ers 27-24.
This game was close, but the Rams were able to come hot just at the right time. This makes up for their disappointing performance last week and gives them an important win over a divisional rival. For the 49ers, it’s another loss. Most of their star players are out injured, and this can be seen. However, the same can be said about the Rams, and look at them. Both teams now have a 1-2 record. Next week, the Rams go to the Windy City to face the Chicago Bears, while the 49ers play the New England Patriots.
The Commanders and The Bengals have a High Scoring Thriller
The Cincinnati Bengals have had the usual 0-2 start to the season under quarterback Joe Burrow. While one could use these opening two games to speculate if this will be a year that he will struggle, it is now so common that it should just be expected. This week, the Bengals faced the Washington Commanders, who last week defeated the New York Giants without scoring a single TD. This game was also the first time in history that two Heisman Trophy-winning QBs from the same school went face to face.
The Bengals had the game’s opening drive and could take an early advantage. Burrow was able to bring his offense across the 50-yard line, before finding themselves at the Commanders’ 41-yard line. Here, he found JaMarr Chase with a deep pass that found the endzone.
In reply to this, the Commanders were to bring their offense down to the Bengals’ one-yard line. This was thanks to several strong throws from quarterback Jayden Daniels, who is only playing in his third game. Then from the one-yard line, Brian Robinson scored the rushing TD to level the scores.
Cincinnati tried to break away from this parity on their next drive. This started well but soon stalled at the Commanders’ 30-yard line, setting up a field goal attempt from Bengals kicker Evan McPherson. This was unsuccessful, keeping the scores level.
But, this did not last long. The Commanders were able to quickly move the ball down to the Bengals’ 24-yard line. Here, Austin Eckler would run the ball into the endzone and give Washington the lead.
As with their previous drive, the Bengals’ drive stalled, this time deep into the Commanders’ red zone. However, unlike the previous attempt, the subsequent field goal from McPherson was successful. In reply to this, the Commanders found the endzone again. This time, Daniels would score a four-yard rushing TD to only increase the Commanders’ lead.
Cincinnati’s next drive was similar to many others they have had in this game. Burrow brought the offense down to a good position, but could not find the endzone, resulting in another field goal from Evan McPherson.
As the teams went into the locker rooms at halftime, the Commanders had a 21-13 lead.
Washington had the opening drive of the second half and would be able to continue the strong form they showed in the first half. Daniels led the Commanders’ offense down to the Bengals one-yard line. From here, he found Trent Scott for the touchdown pass to increase the already large lead they had.
The Bengals then were finally able to score a touchdown during what was a very important drive for them in terms of the game. The Cincinnati offense made its way down to Commander’s two-yard line, where it looked like they would again struggle. However, on a fourth down attempt, Burrow found Andrei Iosivas for the TD pass.
In reply to this, the Commanders only increased their lead. While this time they were unable to score a touchdown a 42-yard field goal from Commanders kicker Austin Selbert would be enough.
But the Bengals would very quickly eat into this lead. A 31-yard touchdown pass from Burrow to Chase, and a failed two-point conversion made this a five-point game with 10 minutes left on the clock.
Washington then extended their lead, and took a large chunk of time off the clock, after Daniels found Terry McLaurin for a 27-yard TD. This put the game to bed, but there was still enough time for Cincinnati to score one more touchdown.
In the end, the Washington Commanders defeated the Cincinnati Bengals 38-33.
Every drive of this game ended in a scoring play. This shows the strong offenses that both of these teams have. It was Jayden Daniels who had the better day, showing that last week’s struggles were only temporary. As for the Bengals, going 0-3 does not help them, and their postseason chances are already slim.
Next week, the Commanders go to the Arizona Cardinals, while the Bengals will hope to finally get a win against the Carolina Panthers.
The Ravens Hold on
Both the Baltimore Ravens and the Dallas Cowboys have had mixed starts to the season. Baltimore lost their opening game by an inch and then suffered a surprise defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders last week. The Cowboys were heavily beaten by the Saints last week. Who would win here, in a game where both teams needed the win to help their season?
The Ravens were able to get the first score of the game. Starting from their 29-yard line, the offense that is led by quarterback Lamar Jackson was able to move down very quickly to the Cowboys’ 9-yard line. From here, Jackson found the endzone for the rushing touchdown to give Baltimore the early lead.
In reply to this, the Cowboys’ offense struggled to get far and stalled at the Ravens’ 46-yard line. This set up Cowboys’ kicker Brandon Aubrey with a 65-yard field goal attempt, which he was successful with.
On the next drive of the game, Baltimore increased their lead. They were able to again exploit the Cowboys’ defense to quickly make it down into the red zone. Then, from the one-yard line, Derrick Henry found the endzone for the TD.
Dallas would be able to get an offense together on their next drive. However, once they reached the Ravens’ red zone, things did not go to plan. Cowboys’ QB Dak Prescott found CeeDee Lamb for a pass, but Lamb then fumbled the ball. This would then be scooped by the Ravens, defense. Luckily for the Cowboys, Baltimore was unable to get anywhere with the ball but did take over five minutes off the clock.
After a period of punts, the Ravens would add to their lead. Jackson was able to bring the offense down to the Cowboys’ 13-yard line. Then, he found Rashod Bateman for the touchdown pass. In reply to this, Dallas was able to set up a 51-yard field goal, mostly thanks to a large penalty against the Ravens’ defense. This kick was successful and meant that at halftime, the Ravens would have a 21-6 lead.
Baltimore had the opening possession of the second half and was immediately able to add to their lead. From the Cowboys’ 26-yard line, Henry would score his second rushing TD of the game.
However, in the fourth quarter, the Cowboys offense would finally wake up after three periods of being dormant at best. Taking advantage of a missed field goal from Justin Tucker, the Cowboys started a drive in a fairly generous field position. From here, Prescott was able to quickly bring the offense down into the Ravens’ red zone and then to the one-yard line. He would then find the endzone to score the Cowboys’ first TD of the game. Dallas did then try a two-point conversion, but this was unsuccessful.
The good luck continued for the Cowboys soon after. Taking advantage of a muffed punt return, Dallas again had the ball at around the 50-yard line. Then, Prescott drove down the field, reaching the Ravens’ 15-yard line. From here, he would find Jalen Tolbert for the TD pass. As with the previous drive, Dallas went for a two-point conversion, but this was again unsuccessful.
With time running out, the Cowboys again found the endzone. This drive started from their nine-yard line, and Prescott and company slowly moved down the field to reach the Ravens’ 16-yard line. Then, he found KaVontae Turpin for another TD pass.
This flurry of scoring made it a three-point game. However, with three minutes left of the clock, the Ravens had the possession and just sat on the ball until the time ran out, giving them a 28-25 victory.
For the first three-quarters of the game, the Ravens were the stronger team, This gave them enough points to prevent the Cowboys from launching a comeback. Things may need to improve for Dallas, who are now 1-2, and in a division like the NFC East, a single defeat could be the difference between a playoff spot and being on the outside looking in. Next week, the Ravens play the Buffalo Bills, while the Cowboys face the New York Giants.
And on the subject of the New York Giants.
Thank You Malik Nabers
The New York Giants have had a tough start to the season. They were dismantled by the Minnesota Vikings during the opening weekend, and last week lost the game on the last kick against the Washington Commanders. This week, they faced the Cleveland Browns, who were highly expected to win this game.
The game could not have gotten off to a worse start for the Giants. On the opening kickoff, they fumbled the ball, and this was recovered by the Browns. One play later, Browns’ QB DeShaun Watson found Amari Cooper for a 24-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring.
However, after a few drives, the Giants’ luck would change. It originally did not, as Giants quarterback Daniel Jones threw an interception on the first play of the drive. But, a penalty against the Browns wiped that interception off the board. After this, they slowly made their way down into the Browns’ red zone and then to the one-yard line. Here, Devin Singletary found the endzone for the rushing TD.
Then, the Giants would take the lead in this game. In another long drive, Jones was able to move his offense down from their seven-yard line to the Browns’ three-yard line. From here, he found Malik Nabers for the touchdown pass.
Things got even better for New York when Watson was sacked and then fumbled the ball in his own territory on the very next drive. This gave the Giants a good field position, and this was something they capitalized on. Jones found Nabers for a five-yard TD pass, to give the Giants a 21-7 lead at halftime.
The second half did not open in the best way for the Giants. After their good performance in the first half, this was a reality shock for them. On their 41-yard line, Singletary would fumble the ball, which was scooped by the Browns. However, Watson and company would be unable to do anything with this possession, forcing Dustin Hopkins to make a 53-yard field goal attempt. This was unsuccessful.
However, after a host of drives that ended in punts, Cleveland was then able to make this game a one-possession game in the fourth quarter. The Browns offense was able to make it down to the Giants’ six-yard line. Then, Watson for Cooper for his second touchdown of the day. Additionally, the Browns then attempted a two-point conversion, which was successful, giving the Giants a seven-point lead.
But, this is how the game stayed until the end. Both teams struggled to get anything going on offense, with the Giants missing a field goal that would have put the game to bed earlier than it did. In the end, the New York Giants had defeated the Cleveland Browns 21-15
This was a good performance from the Giants after a terrible start. Daniel Jones has recovered from his poor start to the season and has found a good target in Malik Nabers. While this team is unlikely to make the playoffs in this form, they could do better than many expected. So, how did the New York Giants ruin my weekend? They did not.
Next week, the Giants host the Cowboys on Thursday Night, and the browns play the Las Vegas Raiders.
What Happened in the Other Games?
Aaron Rodgers played his first game at home since his season-ending injury as the New York Jets faced the New England Patriots. Both of these teams have had semi-decent starts to the season, but it was Rodgers who shined in this game. He threw for two TDs as the Jets recorded a 24-3 victory
The Green Bay Packers faced the Tennessee Titans in what was the revenge game for Maalik Willis. Titans QB Will Levis again made mistakes that cost his team the game, as the Packers cruised to a 30-14 victory
In a battle of two teams with younger quarterbacks, the Chicago Bears faced the Indianapolis Colts. Caleb Williams threw for 363 yards in this game, but it was the Bears’ defense that was unable to deal with the Colts’ run game. Three rushing TDs gave the Colts a 21-16 win
The Houston Texans and the Minnesota Vikings met in what could have been a close game between two high-scoring teams. It was anything but this. Minnesota dominated the Texans showing us that maybe they are contenders this year, with a 34-7 win
The New Orleans Saints had scored on most of their drives in their first two games of the season. They faced the Philadelphia Eagles in what was a low-scoring thriller. It took until the fourth quarter for the game to liven up, and two TDs from Saquon Barkley gave Philadelphia a 15-12 victory
In a game featuring two undefeated teams, the Los Angeles Chargers faced the Pittsburgh Steelers. It was all tied going into the final quarter, but two scores from the Steelers then them a 20-10 win over the Chargers
Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos gave us an upset victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccs have had a good first two weeks of the season, but it was almost like they did not show up in this game. Broncos kicker Will Lutz scored four field goals as the Broncos won 26-7
It was the beginning of a new era in Carolina, as Bryce Young was benched last week and replaced by experienced QB Andy Dalton. This week, they faced the Las Vegas Raiders, where the change in QB was clear to see. The Panthers were a strong team this week, with Dalton throwing for 319 yards and scoring three touchdowns in their 36-22 win. This is the most amount of points they have scored in a game since December 24, 2022, where they scored 37 against the Detroit Lions.
The Miami Dolphins face the Seattle Seahawks this week. The Dolphins are again coping with an injury to Tua Tagovailoa and struggled in this game. Seattle cruised to a simple 24-3 win.
After their convincing win over the LA Rams last week, the Arizona Cardinals had a tougher challenge this week in the Detroit Lions. The Lions were able to stop Marvin Harrison Jr and be strong enough offensively to record a 20-13 victory.
The Kansas City Chiefs faced the Atlanta Falcons in the Sunday Night Football game this week. Both of these teams are coming off a high, but it would be the Chiefs who would continue to good form. Pat Mahomes threw two TDs in the Chiefs 22-17 win to keep their undefeated season alive.
Finally, the Buffalo Bills were able to dismantle the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday night. Josh Allen threw for four TDs in their 47-10 victory.
So, that was week three of the 2024 NFL season. Next week we’ll see if the Giants or Cowboys can take the advantage in the NFC East, if the quarterback change can help the Carolina Panthers, and if the Chiefs can remain undefeated.
