2021 NFL Week 3 Recap

Eagles 21
Cowboys 41

However you feel about Dallas — and I hate their stinkin’ guts — it was good to see Dak Prescott have such a triumphant return to the same field on which he suffered that horrific ankle injury last year. And it was good to see Philly’s hubris rewarded so richly.

Packers 30
49ers 28

Aaron Rodgers worked his late game magic, Davante Adams notched his NFL-record 10th straight Sunday Night Football game with a touchdown and Green Bay held on after blowing a 17-point lead in San Fran. All is well in Titletown again.

Bucs 24
Rams 34

Tom Brady missed out on winning at the 42nd different stadium of his career, but do we really think he’s not going to be back at SoFi Stadium on Super Bowl Sunday?

We know for sure he’ll be in New England for a highly-anticipated reunion with the Patriots — and that’s why I’m not reading into Sunday’s result. The Bucs’ injuries at corner made the Rams a bad matchup and I suspect Tampa was peeking ahead at the Pats game. Brady will break the NFL passing yardage record in his old stomping grounds in a blowout victory. Book it.

Seahawks 17
Vikings 30

Seattle gave up 23 unanswered points to a Minnesota squad that hadn’t beaten them in 12 years, proving yet again the Legion of Boom days are a distant memory. The NFC West is way too tough for the Seahawks to blow games like this, and with the Niners and undefeated Rams next up on the schedule, Seattle may already be in trouble.

Dolphins 28
Raiders 31 (OT)

If you had Derek Carr on a red hot start to the season to stand at the forefront of the MVP race … congrats on your insanity paying off. Because I sure didn’t see this coming.

Nor did I see Miami again thriving with a backup QB wearing No. 14 in Tua’s stead, but there was Jacoby Brissett leading a comeback in Vegas like Ryan Fitzpatrick before him. It’s starting to feel inevitable that Deshaun Watson will take his talents to South Beach.

Jets 0
Broncos 26

Denver is 3-0 for the first time in five years but it bears pointing out their early-season schedule has been marshmallowey soft. With games against the rival Raiders and the AFC North sans Cincinnati, we’re about to find out how good these Broncos really are.

But after 12 straight September losses, we know how bad the Jets are — and they’re about to match the NFL record of 13 straight losses in the month when Tennessee comes and takes a bite out of New York in the Big Apple.

Washington 21
Bills 43

In the meeting of disappointing entities, Josh Allen torched the Washington defense in historic fashion and the Burgundy and Gold’s measuring stick game showed us this Football Team is nowhere ready to take the next step — and Heineken apparently knew it all along.

Ravens 19
Lions 17

I don’t know what Justin Tucker has against Detroit, but eight years after his best NFL game he came back to Ford Field and hit an NFL-record 66-yarder — he lined up beyond the midfield logo! — to beat the Lions and keep Jared Goff winless without Sean McVay.

DID THAT JUST HAPPEN?!?!

JUSTIN TUCKER 66-YARD FIELD GOAL FOR THE WIN! #RavensFlock pic.twitter.com/LyHkSUiwk9

— NFL (@NFL) September 26, 2021

Bengals 24
Steelers 10

Bomani said it perfectly so I’m just going to leave this tweet right here and simply say, “co-sign.”

i'm really not sure why more of us weren't calling the steelers fools for running it back with roethlisberger. qb-heavy draft and they've got a ghost at qb and no apparent plan to replace him.

— bomani (@bomani_jones) September 26, 2021

Falcons 17
Giants 14

For years, I’ve been screaming this like Kenny Golladay on the sideline: Eli Manning is the most overrated quarterback in NFL history — so it’s kinda fitting Big Blue laid a big No. 2 on the day the Giants retired his No. 10. It’s going to be a long year in Gotham.

Saints 28
Patriots 13

There was a Pick 6 in New England and it actually wasn’t thrown by Jameis Winston.

Mac Jones had his first real “Welcome to the NFL, rookie” moment and New Orleans showed they have a solid winning recipe: Less Jameis and more letting the rest of this talented team carry the day.

Chargers 30
Chiefs 24

How big a deal is this result? Before this game, Kansas City hadn’t had a losing record since 2015 and Patrick Mahomes had a 16-2 record against AFC West foes. Both ended after Mahomes was thoroughly outdueled by Justin Herbert even though Clyde Edwards-Helaire somewhat rebounded from an awful start to the season. This Chiefs defense is a problem (in a bad way) and these Chargers are going to be a problem in 2021 (in a good way).

Bears 6
Browns 26

Cleveland gave up one net passing yard. ONE.

Justin Fields took more sacks (9) than he completed passes (6) and lost about as many passing yards as he gained. Either the Browns defense is the second coming of the ’85 Bears or Chicago needs to fire Ryan Pace and Matt Nagy yesterday and start over.

Colts 16
Titans 25

So … about this Carson Wentz era.

The 0-3 Indianapolis Colts are off to their worst start in a decade, found a way to lose the game despite winning the turnover battle and lost in Tennessee for the first time in four years. Wentz doesn’t look any better than he did when he flamed out in Philly last year and this year, 0-5 is starting to look like a real possibility.

Cardinals 31
Jaguars 19

It’s fitting that in the same week Urban Meyer said the NFL is like playing Alabama every week, he gets a thrilling Kick 6 (that made Gus Johnson go viral again) and loses just like the Crimson Tide did on a similar play a few years ago. Meyer never lost three games in any one season at Ohio State but he’s about to lose a whole lot more in Jacksonville.

Panthers 24
Texans 9

Carolina is 3-0 for the first time since the 15-1 Super Bowl season six years ago. I’ll go ahead and concede I was dead wrong about the 2021 Panthers.