Biggest Winners and Losers of the NFL: Week 3
Three undefeated teams get the nod for the winners, while crushing losses are the theme for the losers in Week 3.
Winners
Buffalo Bills
The big question for the Buffalo Bills coming into 2020 circled around Josh Allen’s success and if he would take the next step. So far in 2020, Allen has, and he helped the Bills make a statement in Week 3, defeating the Los Angeles Rams. Allen led the Bills to a 75-yard game-winning drive, resulting in a touchdown to Tyler Kroft. It was a big win after blowing a lead against a good NFC opponent in the Rams. Week 4 will be another test for Buffalo, taking on the Raiders (2-1). If Buffalo can win this game, they would move to a convincing 4-0 before they even played their division.
Green Bay Packers
Keep counting out Aaron Rodgers. All he has done in the first three games is throw 9 TD for 887 yards, completing 67% of his passes. More importantly, the Packers are 3-0 and look like the best team in the NFC right now. Green Bay took down the New Orleans Saints in an important Week 3 matchup by a score of 37-30. Green Bay will take on the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football in Week 4, a game they should win. The biggest reason for their success is their defense and running game. Led by RB Aaron Jones and LB Z’Darius Smith, the pressure is off Rodgers when these two aspects are clicking. The NFC should fear Green Bay, as they have proved that their 2019 season was not a fluke.
Kansas City Chiefs
Almost every week you can consider the Kansas City Chiefs winners, but this week they deserve to be here. QB Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs dominated the Baltimore Ravens in an elite AFC matchup. Once again, Mahomes showed us why he is the best, scoring 5 TD (4 passing) on over 400 total yards of offense coming from him. Kansas City was considered underdogs in this game but come out of Monday night with a record of 3-0 and have made it clear to the world that they are still the best. Look for Kansas City to continue to dominate, no matter who steps foot on the field next to them.
Losers
Atlanta Falcons
The blown lead in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys seemed to be rock bottom for the Atlanta Falcons. In Week 3, seemed to suffer an even more crushing loss, blowing yet another lead in a 30-26 loss to the Chicago Bears, a game where they led 26-10. Atlanta has quickly become a mess, and it seems inevitable to fire head coach Dan Quinn. WR Calvin Ridley has come into his own, but that has been the only positive for Atlanta in a winless three weeks. The running game is non-existent and the defense cannot close the door on games. The Falcons will face the Green Bay Packers in Week 4, a tough matchup coming at the absolute worst time for the Falcons.
Minnesota Vikings
To start 2020, the Minnesota Vikings have started as bad as possible, going 0-3. The biggest part of their struggles has been their defense, totaling for a bottom-three defense. The corners have not produced, and DE Danielle Hunter’s injury has proven to be a bigger loss than expected. On a positive note, the Vikings are still a talented team and were able to get their offense going in a 31-30 loss to the Titans in Week 3. RB Dalvin Cook got going, along with rookie WR Justin Jefferson exploding for the Vikings. Minnesota is too talented to struggle for the entire year and Week 4 is a big opportunity to get a win against a winless Texans team to get momentum going in 2020.
Houston Texans
People questioned the trade of star WR DeAndre Hopkins and so far, those people were right. The Texans are 0-3 and keep making mistakes at the biggest parts of the game. To be fair, their three losses have come against teams with a total record of 8-1, but Houston has not looked good so far besides this. QB Deshaun Watson has played like he always does but does not have a lot of help on either side of the ball to support him. For Houston to get going, they are going to need Watson to play like an MVP and that may start in Week 4 against a struggling Minnesota Vikings squad.
Info from profootballreference.com
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