What we learned in Week 3: Answering big questions and sizing up every single matchup

The New York Jets kicked off Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season with a big win over the New England Patriots. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 281 yards and two touchdowns to move to 2-1 on the season.

On Sunday, the Pittsburgh Steelers downed the Los Angeles Chargers, the Philadelphia Eagles‘ defense handling the New Orleans Saints‘ high-powered offense, and the Bo Nix-led Denver Broncos handing Baker Mayfield and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers their first loss of the season.

Our NFL Nation reporters reacted to all the action, answering lingering questions coming out of each game and detailing everything else you need to know for every team. Let’s get to it.

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NE-NYJ | GB-TEN | LAC-PIT
DEN-TB | PHI-NO

Eagles

What is going on with coach Nick Sirianni’s decision-making? He went for it on fourth-and-short late in the second quarter and early in the third. The offense didn’t convert either attempt, and the Eagles walked away without points in a close game. When he finally did opt for a field goal attempt, it was from 60 yards out midway through the fourth quarter. Jake Elliott could not convert, and the Saints proceeded to mount a go-ahead touchdown. His game management has been suspect the past two weeks, hindering the Eagles’ chances of winning the game.

Eye-popping stat: RB Saquon Barkley hit a max speed of 21.66 MPH on his 65-yard rushing touchdown, according to NFL Next Gen Stats. That’s the third-fastest max speed on a TD in Barkley’s career and his fastest since 2019 Week 17 against the Eagles. Barkley was a force for the Eagles ending the day with 147 yards and two touchdowns.

Describe the game in two words: Defensive dominance. Credit Vic Fangio’s unit for stepping up against the top-ranked offense through two weeks. The run defense entered the game allowing a league-high 6.4 yards per carry but largely kept RB Alvin Kamara in check (he finished with a season-low 3.3 yards per carry). DT Jalen Carter broke out after a couple quiet weeks, registering a pair of pass deflections and two tackles for loss. — Tim McManus

Next game: at Buccaneers (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Saints

How do the Saints respond after being tested for the first time this season? The Saints responded when things didn’t go their way against the Eagles for almost four quarters, but New Orleans lost in the final minute after Philidelphia’s 61-yard passing play set up the go-ahead touchdown. The Saints talked about managing success just as well as managing failure this season. With a divisional game against the rival Atlanta Falcons coming up, how will they learn from this moving ahead to next week?

Biggest hole in the game plan: There’s no easy way to account for a team losing its best offensive lineman, and the Saints clearly floundered a bit when Erik McCoy went out after three snaps with a groin injury. Lucas Patrick moved from LG to C and Olisaemeka Udoh slotted in at LG from the bench. The Saints averaged 3.1 rushing yards per carry against the Eagles’ run defense, which is seventh worst in the NFL.

Describe the game in two words: Late mistakes. This was a matchup of two scoring offenses, but both teams ran into roadblocks and failed to score until the fourth quarter. The Saints defense carried the offense early with two sacks, an interception, a forced fumble and a key fourth down stop in the first half. They weren’t able to maintain that all game, allowing two plays of 60+ yards that ultimately doomed them. — Katherine Terrell

Next game: at Falcons (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

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DeVonta Smith heads to the medical tent after taking huge hit vs. Saints

DeVonta Smith takes a brutal hit over the middle of the field and heads to the medical tent in the fourth quarter.

Broncos

Did rookie QB Bo Nix turn a corner with this performance? After Nix’s struggles in the first two weeks, Broncos coach Sean Payton said he was going to take a long look at his playcalling. Payton’s answer was to keep Nix winging it. Including penalty snaps, Nix had 26 dropbacks in the first half, mostly executing the type of snap-to-throw plays that he was successful with at Oregon. Nix feasted on Tampa Bay’s defense, throwing for 70 passing yards on the Broncos’ opening drive. Still, he showed the same hobbles he had the first two games, including two near-interceptions and a lost fumble that was negated by a Bucs penalty. So, we’ll need to see a bit more.

Eye-popping stat: One. As in one reception (for eight yards) for Buccaneers WR Mike Evans with Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II in man coverage. Surtain was in Evans’ kitchen plenty and deprived QB Baker Mayfield of his go-to playmaker. In training camp, DC Vance Joseph promised to consider matching Surtain on an opponents’ best receiver more often so quarterbacks couldn’t avoid the two-time Pro Bowl selection. Surtain executed that gameplan extremely well Sunday after holding Seattle’s DK Metcalf to three receptions for 29 yards in Week 1.

Describe the game in two words: Much needed. The Broncos had just one touchdown in seven red zone trips entering Sunday, but they scored a touchdown on their first possession and just kept rolling. The Broncos scored on four of their first six possessions and had their best rushing day on the season (136 yards). On defense, they had seven sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery. The victory was an ideal way to start their 10-day road trip, a journey Payton believes can be good for his team. — Jeff Legwold

Next game: at Jets (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Buccaneers

What happened to the Bucs’ hot start? Everything negative you can think of. Without defensive linemen Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey, the Bucs’ defense struggled to get any pass rush or containment on Nix. Cornerbacks Jamel Dean and Zyon McCollum both got beat deep early and Mayfield threw a first-quarter interception, which Broncos’ safety Brandon Jones returned to the Tampa Bay 9-yard line. These plays helped put the Bucs in an early 17-0 hole that they couldn’t dig out of. The one bright spot was Mayfield’s six-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin in the second quarter, which was set up by a Logan Hall fumble recovery.

Most surprising performance: The Bucs’ defense. One week after the unit held the Lions to just one touchdown on seven red zone drives, they surrendered 216 passing yards and 45 rushing yards to Nix, who had just a 36.4 QBR in the first two games. Dean had a particularly rough day, surrendering eight catches on 10 targets for 84 yards as the nearest defender, per NFL Next Gen Stats.

Describe the game in two words: Gut check. All week long, the Bucs said they weren’t overlooking the Broncos as they sought a 3-0 start for just the fifth time in franchise history. And as linebacker K.J. Britt said, “Anything less than a Super Bowl would be a disappointment.” They did not play up to that standard at all and need to come up with a better performance against the Eagles next week. — Jenna Laine

Next game: vs. Eagles (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Steelers

Is the dam breaking for the Steelers offense? All week, members of the Steelers offense reiterated that the dam was about to break despite scoring just one touchdown in two weeks. While the Steelers didn’t flood their home opener with touchdowns, they did score a season-high 20 points with two field goals by Chris Boswell and a rushing touchdown by QB Justin Fields to go with his fourth-quarter TD strike to Calvin Austin III. Still, the Steelers struggled to convert in the red zone with two drives stalling at the 10-yard line and 12-yard line. Fields also had the first interception of his Steelers career but threw for 245 yards, the most in his three-game stint as the starter.

Most surprising performance: Broderick Jones. With rookie first-round pick Troy Fautanu injuring his knee Friday and going on IR Saturday, Jones was thrust back into the starting lineup a week after being benched for three penalties in a six-play series. But against the Chargers, Jones wasn’t called for a single penalty. Fields was also only sacked two times, which appeared to be more on him than his offensive line.

Eye-popping stat: The run defense held Chargers’ RB J.K. Dobbins to an average of 1.53 yards per attempt before contact on 15 carries. He entered the game averaging 5.8 yards per carry before contact. Dobbins, who began Week 3 as the league’s leading rusher, had just 44 yards. The Steelers defense has now allowed 26 points, their fewest through three games since 2007, per ESPN Research. — Brooke Pryor

Next game: at Colts (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Chargers

How will the Chargers adjust if QB Justin Herbert misses time? The Chargers experienced life without Herbert when he missed two weeks of training camp with a plantar fascia injury to his right foot. The offense then was so abysmal that the team traded for quarterback Taylor Heinicke. After Herbert exited the game in the third quarter Sunday, the results were similarly poor. Heinicke was sacked three times, and the Chargers offense didn’t get a first down. The Chargers will likely lean even more on running backs J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards if Herbert is out next week.

Describe the game in two words: Injury-laden afternoon. Sunday’s game brought the Chargers’ momentum to a screeching stop and prompted concerns about this team moving forward. OLB Joey Bosa, OT Joe Alt, OT Rashawn Slater and Herbert were all injured during the game. The Chargers will face the Chiefs next week with a lengthy injury list.

Most surprising performance: Quentin Johnston. He scored the Chargers’ only touchdown of the day, hauling in a 27-yard wide open reception. Johnston has continued to blossom after an underwhelming rookie season and has become one of Herbert’s favorite targets. He finished with two catches for 44 yards. He has three touchdowns this season, more than he had all of last year. — Kris Rhim

Next game: vs. Chiefs (Sunday, 4:25 p.m. ET)

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Justin Herbert exits game with injury in 3rd quarter

Justin Herbert leaves the game for the Chargers in the third quarter vs. the Steelers.

Packers

Who says the Packers can’t trust QB Malik Willis to throw it? A week after coach Matt LaFleur limited Willis to five first-half pass attempts (and 14 overall for 122 yards), he trusted Willis to throw it early Sunday. The opening drive forced the Titans to respect the passing game after Willis threw 30-yard completions to both Jayden Reed and Christian Watson. Willis topped last week’s passing yards in the first half with 158 yards (9-of-11), which was more than he’s had in any game in his career. While it appears Jordan Love is on track to return against the Vikings, Willis has shown he can handle one more game.

Describe the game in two words: Defense delivers. The Packers couldn’t have asked for much more from their defense over the past two weeks. On Sunday, Jaire Alexander set the tone with his first-quarter pick-six that allowed Willis to play from ahead all game. With seven interceptions this season (including three by Xavier McKinney), the Packers matched their season interception total from all of last season. Throw in eight sacks, the Packers’ second most in a game since 2005, and the defense did its part.

Most surprising performance: RB Emanuel Wilson. He might not have made the Packers’ opening day roster if not for injuries to AJ Dillon and MarShawn Lloyd. Now, as Josh Jacobs‘ backup, Wilson keeps making plays, taking a screen pass 30 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. He totaled 85 yards scrimmage on 14 touches for the game. — Rob Demovsky

Next game: vs. Vikings (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Titans

How much will turnovers continue to hurt the Titans? The Titans can’t overcome turnovers on offense or the lack of takeaways by the defense. The Packers loss was more of the same. Will Levis‘ three turnovers pushed his season total to eight, the most by any quarterback through the first three games in the past three seasons. Tennessee’s minus-8 turnover ratio is the worst in the NFL. The Titans will need to correct this issue to avoid being embarrassed next week in prime time against the Dolphins.

Biggest hole in the game plan: The Titans struggled to protect the quarterback, especially on third downs. The Packers got two big sacks to force a couple of punts late in the game by overloading the left side, then the right side. Tennessee had no answer for it. Green Bay’s pressure package was too much, resulting in seven sacks for the Packers, the most they’ve had in a game since 2020.

Describe the game in two words: Revenge game. Entering this week, Malik Willis firmly said he has no bad feelings toward the Titans after being cast away for a seventh-round pick. But Willis showed the Titans what he’s capable of today by posting career highs with 202 passing yards and 73 rushing yards in a lopsided win over his former team. — Turron Davenport

Next game: at Dolphins (Monday, 7:30 p.m. ET)

Jets

Is QB Aaron Rodgers all the way back? Rodgers certainly didn’t look like a 40-year-old quarterback coming off Achilles surgery, playing his third game in 11 days. Not only was his accuracy sharp (27-for-35), but his mobility was outstanding. He escaped pressure and made off-platform throws. He was like a point guard, distributing quickly and effectively. He connected with eight different receivers. When Rodgers plays like this, all things seem possible in the Jets’ universe.

Most surprising performance: The pass rush. It was supposed to fade away without Jermaine Johnson (season-ending Achilles injury) and Haason Reddick (holdout), but the Jets registered seven sacks Thursday. They now have 14 sacks on the season; the last time they had 14 through three games was 1966. Will McDonald IV (4.5) has emerged in his second season, reducing the pressure on the Jets to reach a resolution with Reddick, who demanded a trade in August. They will face better offensive lines in the coming weeks, so it would help to bring in a reinforcement.

Eye-popping stat: According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Rodgers traveled 714.8 yards on Thursday. He combined to travel 730 yards in his first two games. The offense faced little to no resistance from the Patriots’ defense. — Rich Cimini

Next game: vs. Broncos (Sunday, 1 p.m. ET)

Patriots

Is coach Jerod Mayo considering a QB change? No. Mayo thought it was simply a good opportunity for rookie Drake Maye to get some repetitions with the starting offense and experience regular-season action for the first time. Maye was 4-of-8 for 22 yards and sacked twice, while adding 12 yards on two rushes. Maye ultimately had just one drive, which started at the Patriots’ 42-yard line and ended on the Jets’ 7. Another factor Mayo has to consider when it comes to potentially turning to Maye is what type of protection he will receive. Veteran Jacoby Brissett was sacked five times and hit 15 times in the game. It’s hard to imagine the Patriots want to subject Maye to that right now.

Biggest hole in the game plan: Blocking and tackling. It sounds simple, but Mayo said that Thursday games usually come down to which team plays with better fundamentals. That had been an area of strength through the first two games, but there were too many free rushers allowed on offense, and too many missed tackles and bad angles on defense.

Eye-popping stat: The Jets pressured the Patriots on 17 of their 35 dropbacks (49%), the highest pressure percentage in a game this season. The offensive line has been solid in the running game, but their struggles pass-blocking continue. Third-round pick Caedan Wallace started at left tackle, fourth-round pick Layden Robinson started at right guard and practice-squad call-up Michael Jordan got the nod at left guard for the third straight week. Quarterbacks were in harm’s way often. — Mike Reiss

Next game: at 49ers (Sunday, 4:05 p.m. ET)

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