Week 3 of the NFL season was filled with impressive wins: some big comebacks, teams earning their first win of the season, and much more.
There were plenty of storylines to follow heading into Sunday. Could Sean McVay get the better of his nemesis, Kyle Shanahan? Which Cowboys team would show up? What would happen in a battle of undefeated teams in Minnesota? And what would the Panthers look like without Bryce Young?
Here are the teams that had the biggest wins this week.
Panthers win thanks to Andy Dalton
The Carolina Panthers justified their decision to replace former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young with veteran Andy Dalton as the offense opened up in a 36-22 win over the Las Vegas Raiders.
Dalton was terrific. He completed 26 of 37 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. Diontae Johnson had eight receptions for 122 yards and a touchdown. And Chuba Hubbard was a threat, rushing for 114 yards and catching 55 more.
The Raiders had a dismal home performance a week after beating the Ravens. Las Vegas scored 15 points in the fourth period, making the game seem closer than it actually was.
Dalton’s performance doesn’t just save Carolina’s season; it raises even more questions about Young’s poor performance over the first two weeks. Is Young truly incapable of running an NFL offense? Or was Dalton’s performance just a one-week blip?
Rams return to face 49ers
No Cooper Kupp, no Puka Nacua, no problem. The Los Angeles Rams came from behind to beat the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday, kicking a late field goal to win 27-24.
The Rams trailed by 10 points in the fourth quarter before scoring the game’s final 13 points. Quarterback Matthew Stafford led two huge drives late in the game: a touchdown after a missed field goal by Jake Moody, then a three-play, 50-yard drive for the game-winning kick.
Stafford finished with 221 passing yards, while running back Kyren Williams ran for 89 yards and two scores.
Niners signal-caller Brock Purdy had an impressive stat line – 22 of 30 for 292 yards and three scores – but couldn’t put the game away late in the game.
The two teams are now at 1-2.
Vikings remain undefeated
The Minnesota Vikings continue their progression.
Sam Darnold threw four touchdowns in a 34-7 victory over the Texans. The Vikings are 3-0 despite starting quarterback JJ McCarthy being sidelined with an injury before the season began. Darnold threw for just 181 yards but was helped by Aaron Jones’ 102 rushing yards.
The story of the game was Minnesota’s defense, which stifled C.J. Stroud. The Texans quarterback threw for 215 yards, was intercepted twice and sacked four times. Houston was ineffective on third down and couldn’t run the ball at all.
The Vikings have found a formula for success. Darnold plays to the team’s strengths and plays relatively clean football, making big passes in key moments. And the defense is a gritty unit, stopping the Texans a week after beating the 49ers.
Ravens hold on to first win of the year
The Baltimore Ravens can breathe a sigh of relief after picking up a 28-25 victory over the Dallas Cowboys.
Everything seemed to indicate that the game was going to be a real thrashing. The Ravens took a 28-3 lead, thanks in large part to a dominant performance on the ground. Baltimore ran for 276 yards on 45 carries, scoring three times on the ground.
But Dallas fought back in the second half, going on a 22-7 run to cut the score to 3 late in the fourth half. The Cowboys’ offense finally came alive, and special teams even recovered a kickoff. But that late surge wasn’t enough to make up for a sluggish start on both ends of the ball. The defense was pushed around and the offense couldn’t sustain its attacks.
This is the second week in a row that the Cowboys have been beaten on defense. One more example and it will be more than fair to start questioning one of the most feared units in football heading into the season.
The Ravens were desperate for this win. They are now 1-2 after their first win of the year.
