NFL Week 3 closed with two Monday night games and an emotional news: safety Damar Hamlin, who suffered a cardiac arrest in a game two years ago and was close to death, got his first career interception in the 47-10 thrashing that the Buffalo Bills gave to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Where they have nothing to laugh about is in Cincinnati, as the Bengals, a team that appeared as a contender to threaten the dominance of the Kansas City Chiefs in the American Conference, are 0-3 in the season, with two worrying losses at home against the Patriots and the Commanders.
On Monday night, the "Bengals" witnessed the great performance of Washington's rookie quarterback, Jayden Daniels, who was nearly perfect with 21 completions on 23 attempts, two touchdowns, 254 yards, and no interceptions.
This is what the third week of the 2024 NFL season left us.
In Dallas they suffer because of their defense
Minutes before the start of the current campaign, the Cowboys reached an agreement to renew with Dak Prescott and make him the highest-paid player in the NFL with an average annual salary of $60 million.
But solving one of the conflicts that weighed on them during the preseason doesn't seem to have brought relief to the team that is considered the most popular in the United States, as after three games they only have one win and two losses at home.
The latest defeat was against the Ravens. The final score of 28-25 may seem close, but it is a game that the Baltimore team had secured by the start of the last quarter with a 28-6 lead thanks to a strong ground game and a very poor defense from Dallas.
The Cowboys have the worst defense of the season against the ground attack, having allowed 557 yards in three games. For this reason, in a press conference, Prescott asked for more professionalism from his teammates and to spend more time training and reviewing.
Minnesota fills with praises
After losing veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins in free agency and betting on J.J. McCarthy in the Draft, 2024 was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Vikings. Even more so after McCarthy was ruled out for the entire season due to a knee injury.
But Sam Darnold, who was a backup in San Francisco in 2023, has become one of the surprises of the season by leading his team to three victories in the same number of games. Darnold had one of the best games of his life on Sunday by throwing four touchdowns in the 34-7 victory against the Houston Texans.
Alongside Darnold, the work of coach Kevin O'Connell has also stood out, as after three games he emerges as a candidate for NFL Coach of the Year.
Another player who seems to be on track to be among the award winners at the end of the season is the receiver Justin Jefferson, one of the best in the NFL, who has scored a touchdown in each of the three Minnesota games.
The NFC North Division, which was supposed to be contested by the Packers and Lions, is currently led by the undefeated Vikings.
Justin Fields earned the starting position in Pittsburgh
The Steelers are experiencing a situation similar to the Vikings, but this time in the AFC North Division: on paper, the fight was supposed to be between the Ravens (1-2) and Bengals (0-3), but the undefeated Pittsburgh team is leading.
Although the strength of the "Steelers" lies in their defense, on the other side of the ball, the performance of Justin Fields has stood out, who arrived discarded from Chicago and even to be a backup for Russell Wilson. With the veteran quarterback's injury, Fields has performed well as a starter in these three games, which could secure him the position for the upcoming matches.
Interestingly, now Justin Fields is missed in Chicago, as the Bears have had a rough start to the season (1-2) with growing doubts about the true level of Caleb Williams, the first pick in the last Draft.
The Panthers’ change turned out.
During the days leading up to Week 3, the NFL conversation revolved around the decision of the Carolina team to bench quarterback Bryce Young, the first overall pick of the 2023 Draft, and opt for veteran Andy Dalton as the starter.
To secure the first selection in last year's Draft, the Panthers made a strong bet by having to send star receiver D.J. Moore to the Chicago Bears in exchange for the first-round picks in the 2023 and 2024 Drafts.
The decision made by the Panthers caused such surprise that even LeBron James appeared on social media to send his support to Bryce Young.
But coach Dave Canales’ decision paid off, as Carolina went to Las Vegas and defeated the Raiders 36-22 to secure the first victory of the season. At the same time, Dalton had a great game with 319 yards and 3 touchdowns.