The way coach Aaron Glenn danced after the Jets’ shocking go-ahead touchdown return off a blocked field goal perfectly summarized how football fans felt watching the final minutes unfold of the early games on Sunday.
The Jets didn't get it done against the Buccaneers, who prevailed 29–27. But the Browns did at home against the Packers, 13–10, for the biggest upset of the young season. The Panthers also had a surprising 30–0 victory, but they had the Falcons beat well before the final quarter.
Finally, the underdogs barked back after two weeks of the betting favorites dominating games. Speaking of domination, there were some ugly ones, including the Vikings’ 38-point annihilation of the Bengals.
The Bears’ first win of the season had it all, with dominance and surprising offensive results over the Cowboys, 31–14. It just didn’t have the sideline dance moves that Ben Johnson’s former Detroit colleague had after one of many blocked field goals in a wild Week 3. Johnson didn’t even offer a smile during Chicago’s lopsided victory.
Here’s what else we learned.
49ers will continue to win regardless of who’s on the field
I’m done doubting these 49ers (3–0), regardless of how many of their best players get hurt.
Without Brock Purdy, George Kittle and Nick Bosa, the 49ers survived another close call. Eddy Pineiro, who joined the team 11 days ago, drilled the walk-off 35-yard field goal to defeat the Cardinals 16–15, allowing San Francisco to take sole possession of first place in the NFC West.
I know when I’m wrong, and it was a mistake to think coach Kyle Shanahan was going to endure back-to-back seasons without a playoff appearance. (I had the Cardinals and the Rams in the playoffs for my preseason predictions.) It hasn’t been pretty, but San Francisco has found a way to win three consecutive one-score games to start the season.
In Week 1, Purdy lifted the team with a game-winning drive in Seattle. In Week 2, the 49ers’ battle-tested veterans helped guide backup Mac Jones to a victory in New Orleans. On Sunday, Jones returned the favor, showing plenty of poise while operating the game-winning drive to set up Pineiro.
Jones (27-of-41, 284 yards, TD, INT) did what Kyler Murray (22-of-35 for 159 yards, TD) couldn’t for Arizona. There haven’t been enough heroics from Murray the past few seasons, and it might be time for the Cardinals to ask themselves why their expensive quarterback hasn’t delivered enough results despite being armed with tight end Trey McBride and second-year wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Changes might be needed for Arizona’s offense to wake up, finally.
However, the Cardinals’ defense came to play on Sunday. The unit has improved every year since coach Jonathan Gannon was hired in 2023. However, the offense remains stagnant, and more importantly, the unit has yet to find ways to win. That is not the case with Shanahan’s shorthanded team.
Caleb Williams shows signs of grasping Ben Johnson’s scheme
Eventually, we’ll stop overanalyzing how Caleb Williams operates in the pocket, or at least until Johnson flashes a smile on the sideline during blowout games in favor of the Bears (1–2).
Johnson won’t be happy until Williams is routinely playing as well as he did during Sunday’s victory over the Cowboys. Williams played fast, but not erratically. He often shuffled away from the pocket, but always knew where he wanted to go with the ball, displaying pinpoint accuracy while completing 19-of-28 passes for 298 yards and four touchdowns.
Three games into their partnership, Williams flashed a firm grasp of Johnson’s scheme, and the new Bears coach displayed a strong understanding of how to best utilize the skill set of his second-year quarterback. There were designed runs, bootlegs and flea flickers. Eight players registered a catch, and four different pass catchers found the end zone.
It’s best to hold off on giving the Bears’ offense a gold star for lighting up an atrocious Cowboys’ defense. However, signs of consistency and improvement could soon turn Chicago into a playoff contender.
What transpired Sunday was the best way for the Bears to move on from last week’s ugly 31-point beatdown against the Lions. It’s much better being on the right side of a blowout, even if the head coach isn’t smiling on the sideline.
Jalen Hurts does what it takes to win; Rams need secondary help
The Eagles (3–0) were bailed out by Jordan Davis’s blocked field goal and touchdown return, but it was Jalen Hurts’s arm that got them out of a 19-point deficit in the second half to give them a chance to complete the 33–26 comeback win vs. the Rams (2–1).
Enough with the narrative that Hurts is only successful because of his strong surroundings in Philadelphia. The tush push would not have become an unstoppable weapon without Hurts’s execution. Saquon Barkley would not have run for 2,000-plus yards last year without Hurts’s mobility, which often leaves defenses second-guessing themselves. And the Eagles would not have been as successful as they were against the Chiefs’ defense in two Super Bowls without Hurts, the dynamic passer who’s willing to do whatever it takes to win games.
Once coach Nick Sirianni and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo made their halftime adjustments to unleash Hurts (21-of-32 for 226 yards, 3 TDs), the passer, the Eagles exposed the lack of talent in the Rams’ secondary. This offense that doesn’t care for style points must be maddening for A.J. Brown, but he’s still an All-Pro-caliber wide receiver, one who made the Rams’ cornerbacks look like high schoolers every time the ball went his way.
Similar to the Eagles making their in-game adjustments, the Rams are going to need to tweak their blueprint of relying heavily on skill players and pass rushers. Philly has L.A.’s number, and the Rams will probably have similar results against the other contenders in the NFC if they don’t find better cornerbacks before the playoffs roll around. The NFL trade deadline falls on Nov. 4 this season.
Packers’ offense not doing its part; expect more Browns upsets
There were subtle signs of Jordan Love & Co. potentially riding the coattails of a dominant Packers defense during the first two games of the season. Cleveland’s stout defense made it clear that was the case during Sunday’s shocking victory over Green Bay (2–1).
The jury is still out on whether Love has what it takes to guide the Packers to the Super Bowl, especially with an underwhelming group of skill players that will play most of the season without versatile receiver Jayden Reed, who underwent surgery last week due to injuries to his left foot and clavicle. Green Bay only generated 230 total yards vs. Cleveland, and rookie receiver Matthew Golden had a team-high four catches for 52 yards.
Reed hinted that he could be back later this season after boldly predicting his team would make the Super Bowl. That won’t occur unless Love elevates his game and running back Josh Jacobs does more than he has through three games this season, averaging only 3.6 yards per carry. On Sunday, Love went 18-of-25 for 183 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and Jacobs produced only 30 yards on 16 carries.
Jacobs also caught a break when officials ruled that he didn’t fumble in the fourth quarter. But in a ball-don’t-lie moment, the Browns blocked a field goal to give themselves new life with 21 seconds left in regulation.
These Browns might not be playoff contenders due to the offense having a handful of issues. Still, this angry defense will likely keep them in games to potentially deliver more upsets. The offense may improve after the impressive output from rookie running back Quinshon Judkins, who had 18 carries for 94 yards and the game-tying touchdown with 3:01 left in regulation.
Bengals need to wake up, reconstruct the roster A.S.A.P
I’ve been saying it for more than a year, but I’ll repeat it again for the nonbelievers: The Bengals are the most overrated team in the NFL.
And save the counterargument of Joe Burrow not being on the field for the extremely embarrassing 48–10 loss against the Vikings. Even with a healthy Burrow, Cincinnati still would have lost by double digits because of how poorly the team’s front office has built this roster over the past few seasons.
You don’t average nearly a fumble on every other play like the Bengals did in the first half just because the starting quarterback wasn’t on the field. You don’t allow one opposing defensive player to score two touchdowns and produce two forced fumbles like the Bengals did in the first half just because Burrow wasn’t available. And I’ll highlight defensive back Isaiah Rodgers and the Vikings’ defense more in a bit because they deserve it, and it’s tiring writing about all the holes on Cincinnati's roster.
Burrow’s significant injuries that have occurred during games since he entered the league in 2020 aren’t a coincidence. Cincinnati's horrendous offensive line gave backup Jake Browning zero chance to compete on Sunday.
Also, I’m well aware that the Bengals started 2–0, but let’s not forget that they were held to 17 points against the Browns and won by a point. They barely survived the following week at home against the Jaguars, a talented team but far from being a legitimate contender, similar to Cincinnati.
Again, I don’t understand the preseason hype the Bengals (2–1) generate annually despite the holes on the offensive line and throughout the defense. Even with Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins at the height of their powers, this is a fringe wild-card team at best. Without Burrow, the Bengals have slim odds to make the postseason.
After Sunday’s debacle, perhaps the only people left who truly believe this roster, when healthy, is capable of competing for a Super Bowl might be owner Mike Brown and team executive Duke Tobin.
As for the Vikings (2–1), they’ll continue to remain playoff contenders, regardless of who’s starting at quarterback. Backup Carson Wentz (14-of-20 for 173 yards, 2 TDs) benefited from quality protection, competent coaching and a dominant defense. Cincinnati should take notes on how to build a proper roster for when Burrow returns to health.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Five Things We Learned in NFL Week 3: These 49ers Will Survive Injury Onslaught.