NFL Week 3 grades delivered a Sunday full of surprises, with underdogs winning seven of the first 15 games. Several teams posted explosive offensive outings worthy of A+ marks, while others stumbled badly, including one traditional power that landed at the bottom of the report card.
NFL Week 3 grades: Upsets define the slate
Underdogs made noise across the league. Pittsburgh sealed a 30-27 win over Cincinnati by recovering a late Joe Burrow fumble.
Cleveland, getting 2.5 points, moved into a tie atop its division with a 21-18 victory over Carolina. Indianapolis edged Houston 19-17 on a last-minute 53-yard field goal.
Washington, a sizable 8.5-point underdog, shocked Seattle 33-31. The Raiders stayed perfect with a 35-27 win over New Orleans, Denver erased a 16-0 halftime deficit to stun the Rams 30-26, and Atlanta crushed Green Bay 35-14 on Thursday night.
Here is how the Week 3 scoreboard shook out, with results that fueled the full set of NFL Week 3 grades.
Ravens (2-1) 34-31 over Cowboys (1-2) in Rio
Baltimore survived a wild finish to hand Dallas a gutting loss after the Cowboys flirted with a late upset bid that unraveled in the final seconds.
Broncos (2-1) 30-26 over Rams (1-2)
Down 16-0 at halftime, Denver mounted a resilient comeback, flipping the script with timely stops and clutch second-half drives.
Vikings (3-0) 23-16 over Buccaneers (0-3)
Minnesota’s defense closed the door late as the Vikings stayed unbeaten behind steady quarterback play and red-zone efficiency.
49ers (3-0) 36-30 over Cardinals (1-2)
San Francisco’s offense kept rolling, piling up points in a back-and-forth game that showcased big plays on both sides.
Raiders (3-0) 35-27 over Saints (1-2)
Las Vegas remained undefeated with balanced production and a strong finish that kept New Orleans at arm’s length.
Bills (3-0) 24-16 over Chargers (0-3)
Buffalo handled business, leaning on a sturdy defense and efficient passing attack to stay perfect.
Jaguars (2-1) 35-6 over Patriots (1-2)
Jacksonville dominated from start to finish, overwhelming New England with explosive plays and a stifling defense in a lopsided result.
Steelers (2-1) 30-27 over Bengals (2-1)
Pittsburgh capitalized on a late Cincinnati miscue, turning a Joe Burrow fumble into the decisive sequence in a tight divisional clash.
Commanders (1-2) 33-31 over Seahawks (2-1)
Washington pulled the biggest surprise of the day, outlasting Seattle in a shootout to notch a much-needed first win.
Colts (1-2) 19-17 over Texans (0-3)
Indianapolis hit a 53-yarder in the final seconds to escape Houston, a gritty finish that punctuated a defensive battle.
Chiefs (3-0) 24-10 over Dolphins (0-3)
Kansas City’s defense set the tone while the offense controlled the tempo to keep Miami winless.
Giants (2-1) 12-7 over Titans (0-3)
New York won a defensive struggle, stringing together enough drives and key stops to outlast Tennessee.
Browns (2-1) 21-18 over Panthers (1-2)
Cleveland tightened up late and did just enough on offense to secure the road win and a share of first place.
Lions (2-1) 31-24 over Jets (1-2)
Detroit’s attack kept pressure on throughout, converting key third downs to fend off a late Jets push.
Falcons (1-2) 35-14 over Packers (1-2), Thursday
Atlanta jumped ahead early and never looked back, overwhelming Green Bay with a balanced offense on the week’s opening night.
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