An undesirable ‘full circle’ moment, a ‘butt punt’ and a near ‘scorigami’ make up a parenthetically great NFL Week 3 Recap.
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2022 NFL Week 3 Recap
1/16
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – SEPTEMBER 26: DeMarcus Lawrence #90 of the Dallas Cowboys sacks Daniel Jones #8 of the New York Giants during the second quarter in the game at MetLife Stadium on September 26, 2022 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)
Cowboys 23
Giants 16
Washington fans … Dallas Week is going to be a Rush: Cooper and Pass.
Believe it or not, Cooper Rush is the first player since the 1970 merger to lead three fourth-quarter/overtime game-winning drives in his first three NFL starts. And given what Philly just did to the Commanders on a short week following a win on MNF, that Cowboys defense that sacked Daniel Jones five times and had him under siege all night might feast on Carson Wentz Sunday. Buckle up, y’all.
2/16
DENVER, COLORADO – SEPTEMBER 25: Russell Wilson #3 of the Denver Broncos rushes during the first half against the San Francisco 49ers at Empower Field At Mile High on September 25, 2022 in Denver, Colorado.
(Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
Broncos 11
49ers 10
In only the second NFL game ever to end with this weird score, two things in Denver are painfully obvious: Nathaniel Hackett is in no way ready to be an NFL head coach and Russell Wilson needs Seattle more than Seattle needs him. Yes, the Broncos are 2-1 but they can’t ask the defense for a herculean effort every week — that’s supposed to be on the $250 million QB.
Speaking of highly-paid QBs … I don’t get why so many of my media brethren were out here talking about how San Francisco has a better shot at making a Super Bowl run with Jimmy Garoppolo than with the now-injured Trey Lance. I mean, there’s a reason Jimmy G. got replaced — and this is a pretty compelling reason:
Jimmy just threw a safety and a pick 6. pic.twitter.com/N92hLj4UDj
— Billy M (@BillyM_91) September 26, 2022
3/16
Green Bay Packers’ Aaron Rodgers throws while being hit by Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ William Gholston during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Tampa, Fla.
(AP Photo/Jason Behnken)
Packers 14
Bucs 12
Because of course the NFL runs counter to expectations, the so-called “Battle of the Bays” was a defensive struggle in which the two first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterbacks were held to pedestrian numbers that looked like they were pulled out of a 1980s box score printed in the Washington Post on a Monday morning. If there’s a postseason rematch, look for Vita Vea to get some reps at safety.
https://twitter.com/FieldYates/status/1574148955625209857?s=20&t=EC-RJ7UeTNemFf8hRZeVNQ
4/16
Defensive tackle (99) Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams against the Arizona Cardinals in an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Glendale, AZ. Rams won 20-12.
(AP Photo/Jeff Lewis)
Rams 20
Cardinals 12
Arizona has lost 11 of the last 12 meetings with the L.A. Rams so the closest thing to the Cardinals winning is losing without it being a total embarrassment.
Of course, Aaron Donald has been making people look silly for years, becoming the fastest in NFL history to 100 career sacks and joins John Randle as the only interior D-lineman to reach that milestone. Donald’s greatness can’t be overstated.
5/16
Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Drake London, center, scores a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Seattle.
(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
Falcons 27
Seahawks 23
Atlanta’s stay out west paid big dividends, getting their first win of the season in a notoriously difficult stadium to play in. Enjoy this win, Falcons fans (both of you). These figure to be few and far between.
6/16
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA – SEPTEMBER 25: Marvin Jones Jr. #11 of the Jacksonville Jaguars catches a touchdown over Michael Davis #43 of the Los Angeles Chargers during the fourth quarter at SoFi Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Inglewood, California.
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
Jaguars 38
Chargers 10
Look, I know Justin Herbert was banged up, but at what point do we stop predicting great things for the Chargers and just accept that they’re … the Chargers?
But for now, props to the Jacksonville defense that’s given up only 10 points in the last two games. This is definitely the best that unit’s looked since the “Sacksonville” days.
7/16
Washington Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz (11) is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) and defensive end Brandon Graham (55) during the first half of NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Landover, Md.
(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Eagles 24
Commanders 8
Since none of Washington’s selections for a mascot are any good, how about a late entry: A sack. A plain, burlap sack to represent the boring, bland ideas to promote a team that let their quarterback get wrapped up nine times by the team that drafted him and ditched him.
I’m sure Carson Wentz didn’t appreciate the way in which his first meeting against the Eagles came full circle, and he’s got himself at least partially to blame for that stinker at FedEx Field (and no, I’m not referencing the latest sewage spill, this time anyway). The Commanders are trending in the wrong direction while Philly — 3-0 for the first time since 2016, when Wentz was a rookie — seems poised to run away with the NFC East.
8/16
FOXBOROUGH, MASSACHUSETTS – SEPTEMBER 25: Quarterback Lamar Jackson #8 of the Baltimore Ravens runs the ball during the second half against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
(Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
Ravens 37
Patriots 26
If Lamar Jackson stays healthy this season, there’s no better pick for MVP. He’s destroying teams with his arm (especially those dumb enough to blitz him) and his legs, becoming the first player in the Super Bowl era with at least three touchdown passes and over 100 rush yards in consecutive games while forcing us to add the term “double-triple” to our sports vernacular. This man is revolutionizing the quarterback position and I’m just grateful to be alive to witness it.
Bill Belichick probably isn’t though, now a 100-loss coach who figures to get plenty more in New England — especially if Mac Jones misses significant time. If only Cam Newton and/or Colin Kaepernick were available …
9/16
Carolina Panthers safety Jeremy Chinn (21) celebrates after a sack of New Orleans Saints quarterback Jameis Winston (2) during an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C.
(AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman)
Panthers 22
Saints 14
The only thing more insane than the “coaching malpractice” happening in Carolina is this insane stat:
make that 1-25 pic.twitter.com/rvsFhbWr9P
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) September 20, 2022
Yet New Orleans lost to this Panthers team that went the last six games without a take-away and nine games without a win, losing the turnover battle 3-0 to commit eight turnovers over their last six quarters of football. This was always how the Saints would undermine its talented roster. (That, and settling on Dennis Allen as the head coach.)
10/16
Cincinnati Bengals’ Ja’Marr Chase (1) celebrates with Tee Higgins (85) after Chase caught a pass for a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in East Rutherford, N.J.
(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Bengals 27
Jets 12
The Cincinnati Bengals are making fantasy football owners happy and the Jets are disappointing New York. All is right with the world again.
11/16
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 25: Thomas Morstead #4 of the Miami Dolphins has his punt blocked by his own player in the fourth quarter of the game against the Buffalo Bills at Hard Rock Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Miami Gardens, Florida.
(Photo by Eric Espada/Getty Images)
Bills 19
Dolphins 21
What is it about the AFC East sticking its butt where it doesn’t belong?
is this the greatest photo of all time pic.twitter.com/QhSZ2BiA2o
— NFL (@NFL) September 25, 2022
A decade after the Jets introduced the football world to “The Butt Fumble,” Miami shrugged off “The Butt Punt” to make a statement by outlasting their hated rival and Super Bowl front-runner. It sucks that this victory was tainted by controversy.
Meanwhile, Buffalo’s statement is they can’t win unless they blow people out. And with injuries mounting on their vaunted defense, that’s a tough ask moving forward.
12/16
Indianapolis Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (28) leaps over the pile on fourth down during an NFL football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Indianapolis.
(AP Photo/Zach Bolinger)
Colts 20
Chiefs 17
Kansas City did a bunch of fluky stuff because their kicker is hurt and legends like Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce missed on plays they normally make in their sleep. Nothing to see here, folks.
13/16
Tennessee Titans cornerback Kristian Fulton (26) break up a pass intended for Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Keelan Cole (84) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Nashville.
(AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)
Titans 24
Raiders 22
Las Vegas is the only team in the NFL to lose all three of their games. What are the odds? (You see what I did there.)
14/16
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA – SEPTEMBER 25: Wide receiver Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings runs with the ball as safety JuJu Hughes #33 of the Detroit Lions tries to catch him during the game at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 25, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
(Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Vikings 28
Lions 24
Though this could be considered a predictable outcome — Kirk Cousins usually plays well when it’s not a prime-time game with stakes and Detroit is winless in their last 11 road games — but the fourth quarter of this game was the first of 2022 in which the Lions were held out of the end zone. I know Dan Campbell is taking flak for this loss but there’s definitely a different vibe in Motown this year.
15/16
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS – SEPTEMBER 25: Khalil Herbert #24 of the Chicago Bears rushes for a first down in the second half against the Houston Texans at Soldier Field on September 25, 2022 in Chicago, Illinois.
(Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)
Bears 23
Texans 20
At a time when Lovie Smith’s tenure in Chicago comes under a microscope, the Texans failed to deliver him the proper measure of revenge he deserves — but even in victory, the Bears (rightfully) acted like this was a loss. Consider this a brief reprieve from what’s likely to be a loooong season in the Windy City.
Steelers 14
Browns 23
No words. Just George Pickens.
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