NFL Week 3 Performance Recap
Atlanta Falcons at Green Bay Packers
Atlanta cashed as 4.5-point road underdogs and blew past the 43.5 total, rolling to a 35-14 win in Green Bay that handed the Falcons their first victory of the season and snapped the Packers' NFL-long 13-game home-opener winning streak. Bijan Robinson did most of the damage with 194 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 29 carries, including a 55-yard run that stands as the longest of the season, and finished with 213 scrimmage yards as Atlanta ripped off 27 straight points after falling behind early. Michael Penix Jr. shook off an interception on the fourth play of the game in his 2026 debut, going 18 of 25 for 256 yards and a touchdown to Austin Hooper, while Drake London posted a career-best 194 yards on nine catches. Green Bay was missing Micah Parsons and Josh Jacobs, lost right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele for the season, and never found a rhythm, with Jordan Love going 28 of 53 for 312 yards behind a line that allowed 23 pressures and a run game that managed 17 net yards. Atlanta climbs to 1-2 with a real reason for optimism, while Green Bay's first home-opener loss since 2012 leaves it at 1-2 and searching for answers up front.
Los Angeles Chargers at Buffalo Bills
Buffalo survived a five-turnover mess and covered as 7.5-point home favorites in a 24-16 win that stayed well under the 50.5 total. Josh Allen threw two first-half interceptions and James Cook fumbled on the opening possession, yet the Bills tied the game just before halftime and leaned on Cook down the stretch, with the Pro Bowl back rushing for 154 yards and a touchdown, 77 of those yards coming on 11 carries in the fourth quarter. Los Angeles turned three early takeaways into just 10 points, missing a field goal after one turnover and settling for a field goal after another, and gave the game away with a Justin Herbert interception near its own goal line and a turnover on downs in the fourth. Buffalo also committed 10 penalties and lost Dalton Kincaid to a fumble, yet earned its first win when committing five or more turnovers since 1997, after losing its previous 18 such games. Buffalo moves to 3-0 with plenty to clean up, while the Chargers fall to 0-3 in a season that keeps slipping away.
Carolina Panthers at Cleveland Browns
Cleveland pulled off the outright upset as 2.5-point home underdogs, winning 21-18 in a game that stayed under the 41.5 total. Deshaun Watson delivered again in the fourth quarter, rolling out on third-and-10 from the Carolina 14 to find Harold Fannin Jr. for the go-ahead touchdown, then hitting Denzel Boston on the two-point try to push the lead to three. The Browns' front was the story, pressuring Bryce Young on 51 percent of his dropbacks, with Jared Verse posting six pressures and Mason Graham adding two sacks, including a key one in the final two minutes. Young lost go-to receiver Jalen Coker to a quad injury and struggled under duress, though he did hit 3 of 3 for 42 yards to set up Carolina's late touchdown. Cleveland improves to 2-1 with back-to-back comeback wins, while Carolina drops to 1-2 and now has to protect its quarterback better.
New York Jets at Detroit Lions
Detroit covered by half a point as 6.5-point home favorites and cleared the 48.5 total with a 31-24 win, riding three second-half touchdowns from Jahmyr Gibbs. Gibbs finished with 99 rushing yards and two scores on 20 carries plus seven catches for 65 yards and the game-winning touchdown, passing Billy Sims for second on the Lions' career rushing touchdown list and posting his fifth career three-touchdown game. New York erased a 14-0 deficit behind Geno Smith, who threw for 321 yards and three touchdowns on 31 of 37 passing, and rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq caught seven passes for 105 yards and his first career receiving touchdown. The Jets tied it on a two-point conversion late, but a Chuck Clark strip-sack of Smith with New York driving sealed it for Detroit. Detroit moves to 2-1 with its defense still leaking yards, while New York falls to 1-2 after another close loss.
Houston Texans at Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis pulled off the outright upset as 1.5-point home underdogs, snapping a nine-game losing streak with a 19-17 win that stayed under the 42.5 total on a 53-yard Spencer Shrader field goal in the final seconds. Shrader tweaked a groin in warmups yet made all four of his kicks, and the Colts won despite three Daniel Jones turnovers and zero takeaways, the first time they have won with a minus-three turnover margin since 1999. Houston's defense did everything it could, with Will Anderson Jr. piling up 2.5 sacks and nine pressures, but the offense stalled repeatedly, and C.J. Stroud managed only 167 passing yards on a day Houston blew a lead it took late. The Texans are 0-3 for the second straight season, while Indianapolis climbs to 1-2 after finally ending a five-game skid against its division rival.
New England Patriots at Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville covered with ease as 2.5-point home favorites, rolling to a 35-6 win that stayed under the 45.5 total and buried the reigning AFC champions. Trevor Lawrence threw touchdown passes to three different players, moving past Blake Bortles for second on the franchise's career list with 105, and the Jaguars never trailed after a first-quarter Drake Maye fumble set up an early score. Maye had a nightmare afternoon with two interceptions and a lost fumble, one of the picks Travis Hunter's first career interception, and the Patriots' seven turnovers through three games are the most in New England's first three games in 30 years. Mike Vrabel pulled Maye late for Tommy DeVito with the game out of reach. Jacksonville improves to 2-1 with a statement win, while New England falls to 1-2 and heads to Buffalo next.
Kansas City Chiefs at Miami Dolphins
Kansas City covered as 9.5-point road favorites in a 24-10 win that stayed well under the 45.5 total, though the Dolphins hung around until the last three minutes. Patrick Mahomes went 20 of 24 for 246 yards and two touchdowns with a tipped interception, and Kenneth Walker III scored twice, once on a 10-yard run and once on a shovel-pass reception. Miami played keep-away for much of the day despite losing De'Von Achane to a knee injury on its first drive, winning time of possession by nearly nine minutes before Chris Jones tipped a Malik Willis pass that George Karlaftis intercepted to end the comeback hopes. Mahomes notched his 98th career win, tying Tom Brady for third most by a quarterback in his first 10 seasons. Kansas City moves to 3-0 with a workmanlike win, while Miami falls to 0-3 despite showing real fight.
Tennessee Titans at New York Giants
New York covered as 2.5-point home favorites in a 12-7 win that stayed far under the 37.5 total, grinding out a victory without Jaxson Dart, who is out for the year with a knee injury. Jameis Winston was not sharp, going 14 of 22 for 118 yards, but he avoided turnovers, and Dominic Zvada connected on four field goals while Cam Skattebo and Najee Harris combined for 112 rushing yards to keep Tennessee's offense on the sideline. Cam Ward and the Titans had more first downs and yards but scored only seven points, with Ward skying two passes from the 7-yard line before Jevon Holland intercepted him on first-and-goal in the final minutes. Brian Burns was a force before suffering what is believed to be a torn ACL in the fourth quarter. New York improves to 2-1 for the first time since 2022, while Tennessee falls to 0-3 and continues to struggle in the red zone.
Cincinnati Bengals at Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh pulled off the outright upset as 3.5-point home underdogs in a shootout that flew over the 42.5 total, winning 30-27 on a Derrick Harmon strip-sack of Joe Burrow in the final minutes. Aaron Rodgers threw for 292 yards and three touchdowns on 19 of 34 passing, and Jaylen Warren carried 17 times for 127 yards as the Steelers scored two first-quarter touchdowns for the first time since 2018, ending a streak of 20 straight drives without an offensive touchdown. Burrow went 28 of 37 for 282 yards and three scores with Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins each reaching the end zone, but a roughing-the-punter penalty and a muffed punt return turned into 10 Pittsburgh points. Pittsburgh improves to 2-1 in the AFC North, while Cincinnati falls to 2-1 after another road loss driven by special teams mistakes.
Seattle Seahawks at Washington Commanders
Washington pulled off the outright upset as 8.5-point home underdogs, beating the defending Super Bowl champions 33-31 in a game that sailed over the 40.5 total. Without Jayden Daniels, Marcus Mariota went 19 of 31 for 183 yards and three touchdowns with no turnovers, and linebacker Kain Medrano's 50-yard pick-six with under four minutes left gave Washington a 33-24 lead. Sam Darnold returned from injury to throw for 379 yards and four touchdowns, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba added 128 yards and two scores, but Seattle turned it over three times and outgained Washington 437-258 yet still lost. Sonny Styles was everywhere for Washington's defense with a pick, a forced fumble and two passes defended. Washington finally gets in the win column at 1-2, while Seattle falls to 2-1 after a rare self-inflicted loss for Mike Macdonald's team.
Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco won 36-30 but failed to cover as 7.5-point home favorites in a game that sailed over the 48.5 total, with Arizona covering behind a strong second half. Brock Purdy threw for a season-high 297 yards and four touchdowns without an interception, still the only qualified quarterback yet to be sacked in 2026, and the 49ers opened the scoring on an 82-yard lateral from Mike Evans to Deebo Samuel. George Kittle caught two touchdowns, but San Francisco lost Evans to a rib injury and Trent Williams to a stinger, and it missed two extra points on a day the special teams unit struggled. Jacoby Brissett threw 52 times for 280 yards and two scores while rookie Jeremiyah Love logged his first 100-scrimmage-yard game, and Arizona outscored San Francisco 24-19 after halftime. The 49ers move to 3-0 for the second straight year, the first time they have done that since 1989-1990, but their injury list keeps growing.
Minnesota Vikings at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Minnesota covered as 1.5-point road favorites in a 23-16 win that stayed under the 42.5 total, with Brian Flores' defense and special teams doing the heavy lifting. The Vikings sacked Baker Mayfield six times with 12 quarterback hits, and Myles Price returned a punt 86 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, while Will Reichard hit two big fourth-quarter field goals. Kyler Murray was uneven in his return from concussion, throwing for 168 yards, and Justin Jefferson left after six plays with an ankle injury. Mayfield finished 17 of 34 for 217 yards but exited late with a dislocated thumb on his throwing hand after banging it on a defender. Minnesota moves to 3-0, while Tampa Bay falls to 0-3 with an offense that has no answers and now a hand injury for its quarterback.
Baltimore Ravens at Dallas Cowboys
Baltimore won 34-31 on a 56-yard Tyler Loop field goal as time expired but failed to cover as 3.5-point favorites in a game that easily cleared the 53.5 total. Lamar Jackson found Zay Flowers for 27 yards with one second left to set up the winning kick, the longest walk-off in NFL international game history, after a Dallas defense that had just held the Ravens to a goal-line field goal allowed the late drive. Jackson hit Matthew Hibner for a go-ahead touchdown earlier in the fourth, but Dallas kept battling behind Dak Prescott and a ground game that ran for 148 yards, tying it at 31 with seven seconds left. Baltimore's defense allowed over 400 yards and missed 13 tackles, and it committed nine penalties, though it now sits at 2-1. Dallas falls to 1-2 with another gut punch decided by its defense.
Las Vegas Raiders at New Orleans Saints
Las Vegas pulled off the outright upset as 3.5-point road underdogs and cleared the 43.5 total in a 35-27 win that moved the Raiders to 3-0. Four fourth-quarter takeaways turned the game after New Orleans built a 27-16 lead late in the third quarter, with Jeremy Chinn's strip-sack of Tyler Shough on fourth-and-1 ending the Saints' last hope. Brock Bowers returned from a knee procedure with 10 catches for 116 yards and the go-ahead 4-yard touchdown, and Kirk Cousins threw three touchdowns for the third straight game. New Orleans lost three fumbles and threw an interception on its four fourth-quarter drives, a stunning collapse for a team that had rallied late in each of its first two games. Las Vegas has matched its 2025 win total and hosts Kansas City next week, while the Saints fall to 1-2.
Los Angeles Rams at Denver Broncos
Denver pulled off the outright upset as 1.5-point home underdogs, rallying from a 16-0 halftime deficit to beat the Rams 30-26 in a game that flew over the 43.5 total, sealed by Talanoa Hufanga's interception of Matthew Stafford in the end zone as time expired. Hufanga had two interceptions, including a 66-yard pick-six, plus a sack and three pass breakups, and Stafford's 390 yards on 30 of 55 passing weren't enough on a night that gave him the most pick-sixes in league history. Bo Nix threw two touchdown passes with each followed by a successful two-point conversion to tie it, then sneaked in from the 1-yard line after a controversial pass interference call for the game-winner, his 12th career game-winning drive. Denver was outgained 482-257 but won the turnover battle and made the late plays, while Los Angeles missed Puka Nacua badly and drops to 1-2. Denver moves to 2-1 after a wild finish that capped a Sunday with 12 one-score games, the most in NFL history.
Monday Night Preview: Philadelphia Eagles at Chicago Bears
Philadelphia closes out Week 3 as a 3.5-point road favorite with the total sitting at 41.5 in a game that flipped on injury news: Chicago was a 1.5-point home favorite in the look-ahead market before Caleb Williams strained his hamstring, and the line has since swung by five points. Williams is out with what is reportedly a Grade 2 strain that could keep him sidelined three to four weeks, and the Bears are expected to start 38-year-old Case Keenum, who has not thrown a regular-season pass since December 2023, though Tyson Bagent cleared concussion protocol and is available. The Eagles are 2-0 but winless against the spread, needing a last-minute drive to beat Tennessee 24-20 after failing to cover in a 24-22 escape against Washington, and Saquon Barkley says he will play after last week's stinger. Chicago leads the NFL in rushing at 212.5 yards per game and Ben Johnson has the play-calling chops to protect a fill-in quarterback, but Philadelphia's defense has held opponents under 300 yards and has the pass rush to pressure a rusty Keenum. With Chicago's offense leaning on the run and both teams grinding, this shapes up as a spot where the under and the Bears getting points both have a case if Keenum can simply avoid mistakes.
