NFL Game Previews: Week 3 Matchups, Picks & Fantasy Tips

nEARLY SUNDAY

Atlanta at Carolina (+5.5), o/u 43.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The frisky Falcons bounced back from giving away a winnable opener to lay a pretty thorough domination on the Vikings in Minnesota in Week 2. In his second season in charge, Raheem Morris may finally have the defense the way he likes it. Atlanta sacked J.J. McCarthy six times last week and generated four takeaways, which would have been about a month's worth of splash plays for previous iterations of the unit. The backfield has led the way for the offense, as expected, with Bijan Robinson busting out for 168 scrimmage yards in Minny and Tyler Allgeier adding 76 rushing yards and a TD. Michael Penix didn't have to do much, with his pass volume cut in half from Week 1 when he was trying to keep up with Baker Mayfield, but the most important number for the second-year QB is his zero INTs. If he can keep things clean on that front while only stepping up when necessary, and the running game and defense keep delivering, the Falcons could end up being one of 2025's surprise teams.

The Panthers kept things a bit closer last week against the Cardinals, but the result was still the same, and whatever moral victory they might have been able to take away got scrubbed by the attrition piling up along the offensive line. Starting center Austin Corbett and starting right guard Robert Hunt both went down to what could end up being season-ending injuries, potentially undoing the efforts to shore up Bryce Young's protection. Young got sacked 62 times as a rookie in 2023, and while that got scaled back to 33 sacks in his last 16 games, including the first two of 2025, he definitely seems set to face the suddenly dangerous Atlanta front seven at the wrong time. Tetairoa McMillan has been as advertised as he comes off the first many 100-yard performances, and Hunter Renfrow might be turning back the clock to 2021, but they better start getting used to scramble drills. It's Chuba Hubbard who could take the biggest hit from those O-line injuries, though. He's found the end zone twice in two games but both were receiving TDs, and on the ground he's averaging just 3.7 YPC — more than a full yard below his 2024 rate.

Key Info

ATL injury report: RT Kaleb McGary (IR, leg), CB A.J. Terrell (questionable, hamstring), S Jordan Fuller (IR, knee)

CAR injury report: WR Xavier Legette (questionable, hamstring), WR Jalen Coker (IR, quadriceps), C Austin Corbett (IR, knee), RG Robert Hunt (IR, biceps)

Strong lean: TE Kyle Pitts (CAR 31st in DVOA vs. TE in 2024, 32nd in DVOA vs. TE in 2025) 
Slight lean: WR Hunter Renfrow (ATL 23rd in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2024)

Slight fade: WR Ray-Ray McCloud (CAR sixth in passing yards/game allowed to WR3s in 2024)
Slight fade: QB Bryce Young (ATL second in passing DVOA in 2025, CAR 28th in offensive passing DVOA in 2024, 30th in offensive passing DVOA in 2025)

NFL weather report: 5-15 percent chance of rain

Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-5, average score 24-22 ATL, average margin of victory eight points. The last five season series have been split, with the road team winning both meetings in three of those five years

The Scoop: Robinson cranks out 110 yards and a score. Penix throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to Drake London. Hubbard gets held to 50 yards. Young throws for less than 200 yards, gets picked off twice and sacked four times, but he does find McMillan for his first NFL TD while running one in himself. Falcons 23-14

Green Bay at Cleveland (+7.5), o/u 41.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The Micah Parsons era in Green Bay has gone swimmingly so far. Not only are the Packers the only undefeated team in the NFC North, their plus-23 point differential is tops in the NFC, with only ... wait, the Colts lead the league??? Maybe I'll park that stat for a couple more weeks before looking at it again like it means something. Both wins have come against 2024 playoff teams to boot, and in nearly identical fashion, scoring exactly 27 points against the Lions and Commanders while holding last year's No. 1 and No. 5 offenses by PPG to less than 20 points each. Injuries are beginning to stack up on the offense, but what else is new? Jayden Reed's attempts to play through a foot issue got wrecked by a fractured clavicle, while Christian Watson is still at least a couple games away from being ready to return from ACL surgery. Josh Jacobs also picked up a minor ankle tweak last week, but the odds of him actually sitting because of it seem very low. The RB is trying to avoid his usual odd-year struggles, and while a 3.6 YPC isn't exactly encouraging on that front, he has found the end zone in every game. As for the defense, the Pack are tied for second in sacks and are fifth in pressure rate despite being 27th in blitz rate, which is exactly the combo you want from your pass rush. Parsons has 1.5 sacks to begin his Green Bay tenure, while Rashan Gary has taken advantage of less attention to grab 2.5 sacks and Devonte Wyatt has 2.0. The Packers lead the NFL with 3.7 yards per play allowed, and while it's still a small sample, it matches both expectations and the eyeball test.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is a Browns squad that's the only winless entry in the AFC North through two weeks. After missing a chance to steal a win against the Bengals in their opener, they got smoked by the Ravens last week, and in fairly weird fashion. The Cleveland defense held Derrick Henry to 23 rushing yards on 11 carries and the entire Baltimore team to just 45 rushing yards and 2.1 YPC ... and still gave up 41 points, as Lamar Jackson went off for one of those performances where he reminds you he's an elite QB even if he just stays in the pocket and slings it. Dillon Gabriel got some work late in the blowout, but Kevin Stefanski probably isn't ready to pull the plug on Joe Flacco just yet, even though the 40-year-old has four turnovers versus two TDs, and a meager 5.4 YPA. Quinshon Judkins made a big statement in his first NFL action, but it might still be another week or two before he's the true bell cow — he only got 19 snaps and 13 touches last week, compared to 35 and 11 for Jerome Ford and 17 and 7 for Dylan Sampson. Ford  likely will be the odd man out in the end, but for now assume this is a committee until Judkins is fully up to speed. The tight end situation is a little clearer — Harold Fannin is very much the real deal, but David Njoku isn't going anywhere, so the Browns figure to keep running a lot of 12 personnel. They're third in the league in that area so far, behind only the Falcons and Steelers, and airing it out nearly three-quarters of the time from that formation. That will scale back as Judkins gets comfortable, but Flacco knows a mismatch when he sees one. Fortunately the team will be playing from behind a lot, so there should still be some volume left over for Jerry Jeudy and Cedric Tillman. As long as Flacco's under center, Cleveland should be a sneaky-good passing attack for fantasy purposes, but who knows what it'll look like when Gabriel eventually gets his shot, and that could come sooner rather than later. The Browns' schedule to begin the season is simply brutal, and an 0-6 start seems entirely plausible at this point — after this week they get the Lions, Vikings and Steelers, two of those on the road, before finally facing a team that might even be more broken than they are when they play host to the Dolphins in Week 7.

Key Info

GB injury report: RB Josh Jacobs (questionable, ankle), WR Jayden Reed (out, collarbone/foot), WR Christian Watson (PUP, knee), LG Aaron Banks (questionable, ankle), RT Zach Tom (questionable, oblique)

CLE injury report: LG Joel Bitonio (questionable, back), RT Jack Conklin (questionable, elbow), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (PUP, neck)

Strong lean: WR Romeo Doubs (CLE 31st in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024)
Slight lean: RB Dylan Sampson (GB 30th in receptions, 30th in receiving yards allowed to RBs in 2024)

Slight fade: TE Tucker Kraft (CLE sixth in DVOA vs. TE in 2024, fourth in DVOA vs. TE in 2025)
Strong fade: QB Joe Flacco (GB ninth in passing DVOA, t-ninth in passing TDs allowed in 2024, first in passing DVOA in 2025)

NFL weather report: 30-40 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Jacobs gains 80 yards and a TD. Jordan Love follows in Lamar's footsteps, throwing for 300 yards and three scores, one each to Doubs (who tops 100 yards), Dontayvion Wicks and Matthew Golden. Sampson leads the CLE backfield with 60 scrimmage yards, while Judkins adds 50 and his first NFL touchdown. Flacco throws for less than 200 yards and gets sacked five times before being replaced by Gabriel again late, but not before chucking a pick-six to Keisean Nixon. Packers 35-7

Houston (+1.5) at Jacksonville, o/u 44.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

For the record, I'm still a believer in C.J. Stroud. The Texans' offensive line issues have kneecapped him the last year-plus, but quarterbacks don't pull out as many wins as he did as a rookie without having real talent. Unfortunately, Houston's O-line rebuild is still a work in progress, and one that had a setback with new starting center Jake Andrews missing last week's loss to the Bucs. There's still plenty to like about this roster, from the Stroud-Nico Collins connection to Danielle Hunter and Will Anderson leading the pass rush to Derek Stingley in the secondary, and while the Texans are 0-2, the losses were a combined six points. Nick Chubb's even looking a little more spry than he did last year, though his workload's being carefully managed. Until the offensive line gets fixed, though, the best the team can probably hope for is inconsistency.

Speaking of inconsistency ... the Jaguars looked great in stomping the Panthers in Week 1, and then lost to a backup QB in Week 2 when Jake Browning led the Bengals to a comeback in the second half. Trevor Lawrence did his usual two steps forward, two steps back routine, throwing three TDs against Cincy but also two interceptions, and the offense as a whole is still trying to get settled in Liam Coen's scheme. Travis Etienne at least seems to be getting the hang of it quickly, piling up 245 scrimmage yards and a TD through two games with a 7.1 YPC. New DC Anthony Campanile's squad leads the NFL with six takeaways, and Travis Hunter began to be unleashed on that side of the ball last week, recording his first career pass breakup and having a second snatched away from him on a very chintzy PI call on fourth down to bail out the Bengals during their game-winning drive at the end of the game. The second overall pick in the 2025 draft hasn't had a breakout performance yet as a receiver or corner, but you can tell it's coming.

Key Info

HOU injury report: RB Joe Mixon (NFI, foot), WR Christian Kirk (questionable, hamstring), C Jake Andrews (questionable, ankle), EDGE Denico Autry (PUP, knee), CB Kamari Lassiter (questionable, knee), CB Jalen Pitre (questionable, ribs), CB Jaylin Smith (questionable, hamstring)

JAC injury report: RB Bhayshul Tuten (questionable, shoulder), LG Ezra Cleveland (questionable, ankle), CB Jarrian Jones (questionable, back)

Strong lean: QB C.J. Stroud (JAC 32nd in passing DVOA, 31st in QB rating against, 32nd in passing yards allowed in 2024)
Slight lean: WR Travis Hunter (HOU 30th in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2025)

Strong fade: WR Christian Kirk (JAC second in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2025) 
Slight fade: TE Brenton Strange (HOU fifth in DVOA vs. TE in 2024, third in DVOA vs. TE in 2025)

NFL weather report: 40-50 percent chance of rain

Head-to-head record, last five years: 8-2 HOU, average score 25-19 HOU, average margin of victory 11 points. HOU has won seven straight "road" meetings in this rivalry by an average score of 25-13, although one of those came in London and not Jacksonville. The Jags' last home win came in Week 15 of the 2017 season, when Doug Marrone's squad routed Bill O'Brien's Texans 45-7 on the strength of three Blake Bortles TD passes, and the only two rushing TDs of fullback Tommy Bohanon's career

The Scoop: Chubb picks up 60 yards. Stroud throws for 220 yards and two touchdowns, one each to Collins and Harrison Bryant. Etienne bangs out 90 yards and a score. Lawrence throws for 240 yards and two TDs, one each to Brian Thomas and Dyami Brown, and Hunters's first career trip to the end zone comes on a pick-six. Jaguars 28-20

Cincinnati (+3) at Minnesota, o/u 41.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

It's the Battle of the Backups, as long-time Bengals second stringer Jake Browning leads his offense into this one while journeyman ginger Carson Wentz is at the helm for the Vikings as he suits up for his sixth team in the last six seasons. Cincinnati's going to be leaning on Browning a lot longer than the home side, though, as Joe Burrow isn't expected back until December after undergoing surgery to address turf toe. Browning led his team to a comeback win last week, producing three TDs but also throwing three INTs, which is the same kind of roller coaster he was on when he was pressed into duty in 2023. Ja'Marr Chase had a huge game in the win, but investors might want to consider shopping him now — over six games with Browning under center in '23, he averaged about five catches for 64 yards with only one touchdown, which isn't quite what you're looking for in an elite WR1. By contrast, Tee Higgins averaged 3.5 catches for 77.3 yards in the four games he was fully healthy for during that time while snagging three TDs. (That was also the only time Tanner Hudson was ever fantasy-relevant, so Mike Gesicki and Noah Fant could get occasional chances to flash too.) The Bengals are 2-0, but the wins have been by a combined five points against less than stellar competition, and their schedule's about to get a lot harder, with the Broncos, Lions, Packers and Steelers coming up after this week. If Browning can navigate through to the other side of that with the team still something like 4-3, it should probably be considered a success.

J.J. McCarthy's high-ankle sprain could sideline him into October — holding him out until after the Vikings' European vacation in Weeks 4 and 5 makes sense — but he's also not Joe Burrow. Sure, the kid looked pretty good for one half in putting together that comeback win against the Bears, but he was a big reason why they needed to come back in the first place, and he got shut down by the Falcons last week before getting hurt late in the third quarter. McCarthy did play the entire fourth quarter, but he was clearly limited by the ankle. Wentz, who's probably best known at this point for not being Nick Foles, has seen little action the last two years for Kansas City and the Rams, but those are at least two coaching staffs worth sponging up knowledge from. Over his four years since leaving Philly, Wentz has a 62.6 percent completion rate, 6.7 YPA and 40:17 TD:INT in 30 games, which are perfectly respectable numbers. McCarthy isn't the only big absence for the Vikes, though — Aaron Jones also landed on the IR after Week 2 with a hamstring injury, though Jordan Mason was already looking like the team's best backfield option. The entire left side of the O-line is banged up, Jordan Addison is suspended for one more game and the team's two best pass rushers probably won't be 100 percent healthy if they suit up. This is still a winnable game for the Vikings given the circumstances, but the deck seems stacked against them.

Key Info

CIN injury report: QB Joe Burrow (IR, toe), RG Lucas Patrick (IR, calf), EDGE Shemar Stewart (out, ankle), CB Cam Taylor-Britt (doubtful, hamstring)

MIN injury report: QB J.J. McCarthy (out, ankle), RB Aaron Jones (IR, hamstring), WR Jordan Addison (out, suspension), LT Christian Darrisaw (questionable, knee), LT Justin Skule (questionable, concussion), LG Donovan Jackson (questionable, wrist), C Ryan Kelly (questionable, concussion), EDGE Andrew Van Ginkel (questionable, concussion), LB Blake Cashman (IR, hamstring), S Harrison Smith (questionable, illness)

Slight lean: TE Mike Gesicki (MIN 19th in receptions allowed, 18th in receiving yards allowed to TEs in 2024)
Slight lean: RB Jordan Mason (CIN 27th in rushing DVOA, 30th in passing DVOA vs. RBs, t-26th in rushing TDs allowed to RBs in 2024)

Slight fade: QB Jake Browning (MIN first in passing DVOA in 2024)
Strong fade: WR Jalen Nailor (CIN second in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2024, third in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2025)

NFL weather report: indoors

The Scoop: Chase Brown grinds out 60 yards and a score. Browning throws for 220 yards and a touchdown to Higgins. Mason hits for 80 yards and a TD. Wentz throws for less than 200 yards and a score to T.J. Hockenson. Bengals 20-14

Pittsburgh at New England (+1.5), o/u 44.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Aaron Rodgers got his revenge game against the Jets in his Steelers debut but couldn't do the same for DK Metcalf in Week 2 against the Seahawks, though he at least got his new top wideout at TD. The early signs are that the Week 1 win owed a little more to the Jets not being competitive than it did to Pittsburgh being good, but this is the most dangerous time of the season to be making sweeping conclusions about what a team truly "is," and Mike Tomlin's track record of making sure his team at least has a high floor speaks for itself. I will admit that I'm very tempted to write off completely Kaleb Johnson, who I thought was being wildly overhyped in the preseason as it was. It's not just that he forced Tomlin to use his disappointed dad voice when discussing his kickoff flub. The rookie has also earned just four offensive snaps, and netted minus-one yards on his two carries. He was buried on the depth chart before gifting Seattle a touchdown.

Like the Steelers, the Patriots come into this one at 1-1, getting ambushed by the Raiders in their opener before outlasting the Dolphins last week. In both cases, the secondary looked very vulnerable — it's hard to draw any other conclusions from allowing a combined 75.8 percent completion rate and 10.3 YPA to Geno Smith and Tua Tagovailoa — but Christian Gonzalez hasn't played a snap yet. The fact that Drake Maye was able to out-score a rough day for the defense is encouraging, though. Last year's third overall pick has had an impressive start to the season, and he's done it with Stefon Diggs not being all the way back from ACL surgery yet, as he has yet to play 30 snaps in a game. In Diggs' place, 2023 sixth-round pick Kayshon Boutte has stepped up, topping 100 yards in Week 1 and finding the end zone in Week 2. TreVeyon Henderson's been a disappointment, but there's a lot of that going around with the 2025 RB class. The Pats don't quite look like a Mike Vrabel team yet, but things are trending in the right direction.

Key Info

PIT injury report: EDGE Alex Highsmith (out, ankle), EDGE Derrick Harmon (questionable, knee), CB Joey Porter (questionable, hamstring), S DeShon Elliott (questionable, knee)

NE injury report: LG Jared Wilson (questionable, thigh), RT Morgan Moses (questionable, foot), EDGE Harold Landry (questionable, foot), LB Jahlani Tavai (IR, undisclosed), CB Christian Gonzalez (questionable, hamstring), CB Carlton Davis (questionable, Achilles)

Slight lean: WR DK Metcalf (NE 25th in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024, 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2025)
Slight lean: QB Drake Maye (PIT 26th in passing yards allowed in 2024, 27th in passing DVOA in 2025, t-29th in rushing TDs allowed to QBs in 2025)

Slight fade: WR Roman Wilson (NE sixth in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2024)
Slight fade: TE Hunter Henry (PIT sixth in DVOA vs. TE in 2025)

NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Jaylen Warren collects 80 scrimmage yards and a score. Rodgers throws for 240 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Metcalf and Calvin Austin. Rhamondre Stevenson leads the NE backfield with 60 yards. Maye throws for 230 yards and a TD to Diggs while also running in a score, but his late attempt at a comeback drive falls short. Steelers 21-20

L.A. Rams (+3.5) at Philadelphia, o/u 44.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The NFC West is staking an early claim to being the toughest division in the NFL, with a combined 7-1 record through two weeks and all four teams in the black in point differential. The Rams have been beating up on the AFC South, though, sleepwalking past the Texans before finally pulling away from the Titans late last week, which isn't the most impressive way to go 2-0. Matthew Stafford has looked sharp, but it's the defense that's been carrying the load for the most part, holding C.J. Stroud and Cam Ward to less than 200 passing yards each while racking up a total of eight sacks. Puka Nacua's also off to a hot start with an 18-221-0 receiving line plus last week's 45-yard rushing TD. Facing the defending champs on the road just provide a much better check on just how competitive Sean McVay's squad will be this season.

Much like the visitors, the Eagles have done just enough to go 2-0, but no more. They've just done it against what, on paper, is a higher class of opposition. Dallas has a top-heavy roster, but Philly also played that entire game without Jalen Carter, who luckily avoided missing any further time for his flagrant brain cramp. Last week the Eagles just nosed past KC in a Super Bowl rematch despite getting almost nothing from their passing attack. Jalen Hurts' quiet start to the year has been masked for fantasy purposes by his three rushing scores, but Mac Jones has more passing yards in one game than he does in two, and he sits below Spencer Rattler and Sam Darnold in QB rating. (To be fair to Hurts, so does Patrick Mahomes. It's very, very early.) Saquon Barkley is also on pace for a "disappointing" 1,258 rushing yards, but if he keeps making at least one trip to the end zone a week, no one's going to mind much. The defense also hasn't been making that big an impact, collecting two sacks and two takeaways while sitting firmly middle of the pack in things like yards per play. As they march their way through a stretch of games against four straight 2024 playoff teams (the Bucs and Broncos are next), it would be nice to see them flip the switch on at least one side of the ball.

Key Info

LAR injury report: LG Steve Avila (doubtful, ankle), EDGE Braden Fiske (questionable, oblique), CB Ahkello Witherspoon (IR, collarbone)

PHI injury report: TE Dallas Goedert (questionable, knee), LB Nakobe Dean (PUP, knee)

Slight lean: WR Puka Nacua (PHI 24th in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024)
Slight lean: TE Dallas Goedert (LAR t-29th in receptions, 29th in receiving yards allowed to TEs in 2024)

Strong fade: TE Tyler Higbee (PHI first in DVOA vs. TE in 2025)
Slight fade: WR Jahan Dotson (LAR second in passing yards per game allowed to WR3 in 2024)

NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Kyren Williams picks up 60 yards. Stafford throws for 240 yards and two TDs, both to Nacua. Barkley busts out for 120 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. Hurts throws for less than 200 yards and tosses a second score to A.J. Brown. Eagles 27-20

N.Y. Jets (+6.5) at Tampa Bay, o/u 43.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

The Jets have already gotten the full Justin Fields experience through two weeks, as the QB looked like a Lamar Jackson clone at times as they tried to exact some organization revenge on Aaron Rodgers in their opener. Then Fields played terribly last week against the Bills, then he got hurt, completing the trifecta in record time. He'll miss at least one game with a concussion, and given his playing style, that could be a lingering issue all year. The front office did at least make sure to have a quality backup on hand in Tyrod Taylor, who even at 36 still offers some mobility, and while he doesn't have Fields' ceiling, his floor is arguably a bit higher. Putting the ball in the hands of the backfield and defense isn't the worst idea new coach Aaron Glenn could have to get that first New York win. Breece Hall followed up one big performance with one poor one against Buffalo, but instead of losing touches to Braelon Allen, the whole offense just sagged in that one. This could be a case of the whole roster still being in an adjustment phase as everyone learns new schemes on both sides of the ball — the Jets are second in the league in missed tackles (behind the Steelers, funnily enough), but Will McDonald and the QWilliams brothers are bringing pressure, and nobody wants to throw anywhere near Sauce Gardner if they can help it.

While chaos reigns elsewhere in the world, all is right in the NFC South as the Bucs are already alone in first place as they look for their fifth consecutive division title. The two wins were by a combined four points, though, and in both cases a touchdown in the last minute of the fourth quarter was required to pull it off — Emeka Egbuka caught a 25-yard strike from Baker Mayfield with 59 seconds left in Week 1, then Rachaad White finished off a literal two-minute drill (the Texans took the lead with 2:10 left) in Week 2 with a two-yard plunge nearly as time expired. Tampa Bay's games have been remarkably clean — TB and Washington are the only clubs in the league who have neither a giveaway nor a takeaway — but they've also been quiet outside of Egbuka's immediate impact, as Mike Evans hasn't made a splash yet and Bucky Irving has just 3.5 yards per carry. This is a team that's only going to go as far as Mayfield and the offense carry it, but a turbo boost is coming when Chris Godwin gets cleared to play.

Key Info

NYJ injury report: QB Justin Fields (out, concussion), WR Josh Reynolds (out, hamstring), RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (IR, triceps), CB Michael Carter (questionable, shoulder), S Tony Adams (questionable, hip)

TB injury report: WR Chris Godwin (out, ankle), WR Emeka Egbuka (questionable, hip), WR Jalen McMillan (IR, neck), LT Tristan Wirfs (out, knee), RG Cody Mauch (IR, knee), RT Luke Goedeke (IR, foot), EDGE Calijah Kancey (IR, pectoral)

Strong lean: WR Sterling Shepard (NYJ 31st in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2024)
Slight lean: TE Mason Taylor (TB 27th in DVOA vs. TEs, 31st in receiving yards allowed to TEs in 2024)

Slight fade: WR Emeka Egbuka (NYJ fourth in in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2024)
Slight fade: WR Arian Smith (TB sixth in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2024)

NFL weather report: 35-45 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Hall bangs out 70 yards and a touchdown. Taylor throws for less than 200 yards but does find his namesake Mason for his first NFL score. Irving romps for 140 combined yards and a TD. Mayfield throws for 320 yards and three touchdowns, one each to Evans (who tops 100 yards), Shepard and Cade Otton. Buccaneers 34-14

Indianapolis at Tennessee (+4), o/u 43.5 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Confirmation bias is so insidious. I think Brian Daboll is a bad head coach, so I'm not inclined to give the Giants the benefit of the doubt on anything as long as he's on the sideline, and that includes personnel decisions. When I see Daniel Jones playing well for the Colts and leading them to a 2-0 start, my brain tells me, "Oh, that's probably legit, he's finally free of Daboll," not "that has to be a fluke. It's Daniel Jones. C'mon now." To his credit, Jones has looked like a completely new man, and while torching the Dolphins may not mean very much, his performance against a tough Broncos defense just might, even if it did take a sneakily achieved leverage penalty on the final field goal attempt to steal a win. The Indy offense as a whole has looked sharp, with Jonathan Taylor leading the league in rushing and scrimmage yards through two weeks, and DC Lou Anarumo's unit has at least been opportunistic with four takeaways. Indy hasn't made the playoffs since 2020, but the early returns on 2025 are promising.

The same cannot be said for the early returns on Cam Ward. It's hardly his fault, but a 50.8 percent completion rate, 4.7 YPA and 11 sacks through two games paint a picture of one of the worst offenses in the league. Ward has had a challenging start to his career, though, facing the Broncos and Rams, so we might get a better idea of just how NFL-ready he was in this one. Tony Pollard's been at least adequate as the lead back, which under the circumstances is actually kind of impressive, and the rookie QB has at least shown flickers of chemistry with rookie WR Elic Ayomanor, though Calvin Ridley has yet to really get going. The Titans defense gave Bo Nix fits in the opener before Matthew Stafford took it to school, and both the team's boundary corners (L'Jarius Sneed and Jarvis Brownlee) might be coming into Week 3 at less than 100 percent, which doesn't bode well against a deep and diverse Colts wide receiver room. Assuming Jones doesn't turn into a pumpkin, of course.

Key Info

IND injury report: TE Tyler Warren (questionable, toe), LT Bernhard Raimann (questionable, illness), CB Charvarius Ward (questionable, concussion)

TEN injury report: RB Tyjae Spears (IR, ankle), RG Kevin Zeitler (questionable, biceps), RT JC Latham (out, hip), NT T'Vondre Sweat (questionable, ankle), CB L'Jarius Sneed (questionable, back), CB Jarvis Brownlee (questionable, ankle)

Strong lean: RB Jonathan Taylor (TEN 31st in rushing DVOA in 2025, 32nd in passing DVOA vs RBs in 2024, 32nd in receiving TDs allowed to RBs in 2024)
Strong lean: TE Chig Okonkwo (IND 29th in DVOA, 26th in receiving yards allowed, 26th in receptions allowed, t-29th in TDs allowed to TEs in 2024)

Strong fade: WR Josh Downs (TEN third in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2024 and 2025)
Slight fade: WR Elic Ayomanor (IND third in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2024)

NFL weather report: 25-35 percent chance of rain

Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-5, average score 26-25 TEN, average margin of victory nine points. IND has swept the last two season series, but all four games were decided by a single score

The Scoop: Taylor thunders for 120 yards and two touchdowns. Jones throws for 270 yards and two TDs, one each to Michael Pittman and Warren. Pollard manages 60 yards. Ward throws for 210 yards and two scores, one each to Ridley and Okongwo, but he also gets picked off twice. Colts 28-17

Las Vegas (+3.5) at Washington, o/u 44.0 – Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

He had a great start to his Raiders tenure in Week 1, but Geno Smith crashed back to earth hard last week against the Chargers. After tossing 15 picks in 2024 — his highest mark since his rookie 2013 campaign with the Jets a lifetime ago — Smith's 1:4 TD:INT through two games seems ominous. Chip Kelly's offenses weren't exactly known for its ball security the last time he ran an NFL offense, so this may just be something the team has to live with, but the veteran QB also doesn't have a lot of options to throw to. Jakobi Meyers is reliable, and even a less-than-100 percent Brock Bowers caught five of eight targets last week (albeit for minimal yardage), but that's about it. Vegas really needs Ashton Jeanty to start living up to his hype and taking pressure off the passing attack. The surprise for the Raiders has been the defense, particularly against the run — they're one of a handful of teams remaining who have yet to give up a rushing TD, and they sit fourth in both rushing yards per game allowed and YPC. Early days, of course, and that performance came largely against another couple of struggling rookie RBs in TreVeyon Henderson and Omarion Hampton, but it's at least something on which to build.

It's perhaps fitting for the Great Bust 2025 Running Back Draft Class that the most impressive member has been a seventh-round pick. Jacory Croskey-Merritt has a 7.1 YPC on his first 14 NFL carries, and he was already claiming a bigger role in the Commanders' backfield before Austin Ekeler was lost for the year. Now the pressure's really going to be on the Arizona product, as Jayden Daniels sprained his knee last week against the Packers and will be out at least one game. At least Marcus Mariota offers a credible backup who won't require the game plan to change drastically — in 92 snaps for Washington last year as Daniels' understudy, he ran for 92 yards and a touchdown. The Commanders' other big issue is trying to get the defense to play like a Dan Quinn defense. Trey Amos is looking like a potential steal in the second round, but the unit has zero takeaways and four sacks through two weeks, and it just lost one a key member of its pass rush rotation for the year. Daniels better not miss much time if the team's going to be able to consistently out-score its opponents.

Key Info

LV injury report: TE Brock Bowers (questionable, knee), RG Jackson Powers-Johnson (questionable, concussion), S Jeremy Chinn (questionable, pectoral)

WAS injury report: QB Jayden Daniels (out, knee), RB Austin Ekeler (IR, Achilles), WR Noah Brown (questionable, groin), EDGE Deatrich Wise (IR, quadriceps), CB Trey Amos (questionable, shoulder)

Slight lean: WR Deebo Samuel (LV 28th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight lean: RB Ashton Jeanty (WAS 26th in rushing DVOA, 28th in YPC allowed, 29th in rushing yards per game allowed and t-26th in rushing TDs allowed to RBs in 2024)

Slight fade: RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (LV seventh in rushing DVOA in 2025)
Strong fade: WR Tre Tucker (WAS first in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2025)

NFL weather report: 5-15 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Jeanty puts together 80 scrimmage yards. Smith throws for 230 yards and two TDs, finding Meyers and Bowers, but he gets picked off twice, one of which is a pick-six by Amos. JCM churns out 70 yards. Mariota throws for 200 yards and two touchdowns, one each to Samuel and Zach Ertz. Commanders 24-20

LATE SUNDAY

Denver (+3) at L.A. Chargers, o/u 46.0 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

The Broncos should be coming into this one at 2-0, but they somehow managed to lose a game they were winning by two points when the Colts' Spencer Shrader missed a 60-yard field goal attempt as time expired. That's impressive, even for Denver. Bo Nix bounced back from a shaky Week 1 to put together a clinical performance through two-plus quarter to build a 28-20 lead after the first drive of the second half, but the offense went into the tank down the stretch. Rookie RJ Harvey has looked like the more dangerous back, but J.K. Dobbins' 4.6 YPC and two TDs will keep him heavily involved. This is kind of par for the course with Sean Payton, though — Alvin Kamara had just 92 scrimmage yards through his first two NFL games while working alongside Mark Ingram, before things began to tilt in the favor of the younger, more dynamic RB. (Not to say Harvey is the next Kamara, but he's got 93 scrimmage yards so far... hmmm.) Perhaps more concerning is that the secondary couldn't contain Daniel Jones last week, but Patrick Surtain was powering through a minor ankle issue he picked up during the contest. The Broncos are second in the league behind the surprising Seahawks in pressure rate and sit in the top 10 in yards per play allowed in the early going, so there's no real cause for alarm yet.

After taking down both KC and LV in fairly convincing fashion, the Chargers sit all alone atop the AFC West at 2-0. This game figures to be a tougher test, though, especially of the Rashawn Slater-less offensive line. Joe Alt has held up just fine in pass protection at left tackle, but the Bolts' running game got completely derailed by consistent forays off the edge that had Omarion Hampton dealing with defenders in his face before he had a chance to blink — or, in the case of a late-game fumble caused by Maxx Crosby, before he had a chance to secure the ball. Najee Harris' 3.7 YPC only looks good compared to Hampton's 3.1 mark, and while OC Greg Roman's lengthy track record indicates the issues will get solved fairly quickly, for now the offense seems to be running through Justin Herbert's arm, which is a pretty solid Plan B. Herbert has a 5:0 TD:INT and a 9.2 YPA that's second only to, you guessed it, Frank Stallone Daniel Jones, and Quentin Johnston has three of those scores while Keenan Allen has the other two. (Ladd McConkey should be getting some love from Herbert any second now.)

Key Info

DEN injury report: TE Evan Engram (questionable, back), LB Dre Greenlaw (questionable, quadriceps)

LAC injury report: TE Will Dissly (questionable, knee), LT Rashawn Slater (IR, knee), EDGE Khalil Mack (IR, elbow), LB Daiyan Henley (questionable, illness), CB Cam Hart (questionable, hip)

Slight lean: WR Troy Franklin (LAC 29th in DVOA vs. WR2)
Slight lean: RB Omarion Hampton (DEN 32nd in passing DVOA vs. RB in 2025)

Slight fade: QB Bo Nix (LAC fourth in passing DVOA in 2025)
Strong fade: TE Tyler Conklin (DEN first in DVOA vs. TE in 2024)

NFL weather report: indoors

Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-5, average score 22-22 (21.8-21.6 DEN), average margin of victory nine points. Five of the last six meetings have been decided by a single score

The Scoop: Harvey leads the DEN backfield with 80 combined yards, while Dobbins adds 60 yards and a score. Nix throws for 230 yards and a TD to Courtland Sutton. Hampton gains 70 scrimmage yards and a touchdown, while Harris also punches in a score. Herbert stays hot, throwing for 260 yards and two TDs, hitting Allen and McConkey. Chargers 28-23

New Orleans (+7.5) at Seattle, o/u 41.5 – Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

The Saints have kept things close against a couple credible opponents in the Cards and Niners, but they're still 0-2 to begin the year, right where they were expected to be. Spencer Rattler may not be a long-term solution at QB, but the 2024 fifth-round pick has thrown three TDs so far without committing a turnover, although his 5.3 YPA falls into "it is what it is" territory. His inability stretch the field hasn't made a huge difference for Chris Olave or Alvin Kamara, and it's definitely been a boon for Juwan Johnson, but Rashid Shaheed has seen his aDOT crater from 17.4 in 2024 to 9.0 to begin 2025, and Brandin Cooks has seen a decline almost as bad from what he was getting in Dallas last year. As long as Rattler isn't making any glaring mistakes, though, Kellen Moore will likely stick with him and try to tailor the offense to his strengths, rather than auditioning Tyler Shough.

Sam Darnold came out of his shell in Week 2 to lead the Seahawks to a big win over the Steelers, but he also threw two INTs, so the jury's still very much out on whether he salvaged his career in Minnesota last year, or just took a scenic detour on the way to Backupsville. If Seattle could get a consistent ground game going it would help take the pressure off, but after Zach Charbonnet threatened to take the top job in Week 1, he hurt his foot and handed the reins back to Kenneth Walker, who responded with his first 100-yard performance since Week 1 of last season. Walker's the kind of back who can thrive with a higher workload (when he can stay healthy himself), so a bell-cow role in Charbonnet's absence might be just what he needs. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has been the clear top downfield option for Darnold with back-to-back 100-yard games, but reports of Cooper Kupp's demise may have been exaggerated after his 7-90-0 line on nine targets against the Steelers. Mike Macdonald's defense isn't getting consistent sacks yet, but Seattle leads the NFL in pressure rate and is getting some turnovers, so the Seahawks becoming the west-coast Ravens is inching closer to reality.

Key Info

NO injury report: "TE" Taysom Hill (PUP, knee), LG Trevor Penning (questionable, toe), RT Taliese Fuaga (questionable, knee), EDGE Chase Young (questionable, calf)

SEA injury report: RB Zach Charbonnet (questionable, foot), WR Tory Horton (questionable, groin), CB Devon Witherspoon (questionable, knee), S Julian Love (questionable, hamstring)

Slight lean: RB Alvin Kamara (SEA 18th in passing DVOA vs. RB in 2024, 26th in 2025) 
Strong lean: RB Kenneth Walker (NO 30th in rushing DVOA, 27th in rushing yards allowed to RBs, t-29th in rushing TDs allowed to RBs in 2024)

Strong fade: WR Chris Olave (SEA second in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024 and 2025)
Strong fade: WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (NO first in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024)

NFL weather report: 25-45 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Kamara compiles 80 scrimmage yards. Rattler throws for less than 200 yards and a touchdown to Johnson, while Kendre Miller returns a kickoff to the house. Walker rumbles for 90 yards and a score. Darnold throws for 220 yards and two TDs, hitting Kupp and Elijah Arroyo. Seahawks 24-14

Dallas at Chicago (+1), o/u 50.5 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

I'm not sure I can overstate how bad the Cowboys' defense looked last week against the Giants, especially the secondary. This is shaping up less to be a Matt Eberflus (Dallas' new DC) revenge game and more of a resounding confirmation for Bears fans that the organization is headed in the right direction. Yes, sure, Brandon Aubrey saved the Cowboys' bacon in that wild 40-37 overtime win, and guys like Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and Javonte Williams put up numbers, but the offense just lost its starting center and the defense has players like Reddy Steward stepping in off the street and playing major snaps. None of their corners could handle Malik Nabers and Wan'Dale Robinson, and now you want them to cover DJ Moore and Rome Odunze? Eep.

The Bears are 0-2 after blowing their opener against the Vikings and getting smoked by the Lions, but those are legit playoff contenders. This game is sort of the mirror image of the litmus tests we're seeing for some undefeated teams this week — if Chicago can take care of business against a badly hobbled team like Dallas, maybe things aren't so bleak after all. Then again, if Ben Johnson brought the Dan Campbell script with him from Detroit, he's headed for a three-win season. Caleb Williams is still a work in progress and is still making too many mistakes, but Odunze's emergence may calm him down a little and let him know he doesn't have to try to make something special happen on every play. The defense's numbers are skewed by that shellacking last week, but the unit didn't look great in letting J.J. McCarthy engineer a comeback either, and it's got key players banged up at all three levels. The potential for this to be a second straight Cowboys barn burner is high, but this time around they won't be facing Brian Daboll.

Key Info

DAL injury report: C Cooper Beebe (IR, ankle), LB DeMarvion Overshown (PUP, knee), CB DaRon Bland (questionable, foot)

CHI injury report: RB D'Andre Swift (questionable, quadriceps), DT Grady Jarrett (questionable, knee), LB T.J. Edwards (questionable, hamstring), CB Jaylon Johnson (doubtful, groin), CB Kyler Gordon (questionable, hamstring)

Strong lean: RB Javonte Williams (CHI 31st in rushing DVOA, 31st in rushing yards allowed to RBs, t-29th in rushing TDs allowed to RBs in 2024) 
Strong lean: RB D'Andre Swift (DAL 29th in rushing DVOA, 32nd in rushing TDs allowed in 2024)
Strong lean: WR Rome Odunze (DAL 30th in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2025)
Strong lean: WR Olamide Zaccheaus (DAL 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2025)
Strong lean: QB Caleb Williams (DAL 29th in passing DVOA in 2025)

Slight fade: WR CeeDee Lamb (CHI fifth in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024)
Slight fade: TE Colston Loveland (DAL first in catches/game allowed to TEs in 2024)

NFL weather report: 25-35 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Williams grinds out 60 yards. Prescott throws for 280 yards and three TDs, one each to Lamb, George Pickens (who tops 100 yards) and Jake Ferguson. Swift plays, but it's Kyle Monangai who surprisingly leads the CHI backfield with 70 yards and a score. Williams throws for 260 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Odunze and Zaccheaus. A Montez Sweat strip sack leads to an Andrew Billings fumble recovery TD that proves to be the difference. Bears 31-24

Arizona (+2) at San Francisco, o/u 44.5 – Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

The Cardinals are 2-0, but given the quality of their opposition, it should probably be more like 1.5-0. One-score wins over the Saints and Panthers are nothing to brag about, especially when in both games, the other guys racked up more yards on offense. It's not that the offense has been terrible — Kyler Murray's healthy and productive, James Conner and Trey Benson may be forming one of the more effective backfield tandems in the league, and Trey McBride is still Trey McBride. There hasn't been much sign of a Year 2 breakout from Marvin Harrison yet, though, and the unit probably needs him to live up to his draft hype to really soar. The defense hasn't come up with a lot of splash plays, but Arizona sits in the top seven in yards per play and top 10 in points per game, which is at least a formula for staying competitive just about every week, even if it means you sometimes play down to the level of your competition.

The Niners are also 2-0 and also have two one-score wins, and while one of those victories did come against the Saints, they did it with seemingly half their roster on the shelf, so they get extra points of difficulty. Mac Jones calmly stepped up and chucked three TDs in last week's win, but he might be headed back to the bench as Brock Purdy does his best to come back from shoulder and toe injuries in incredibly quick fashion. The offense will continue leaning heavily on Christian McCaffrey either way with George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk still out, and Jauan Jennings at less than 100 percent. DC Robert Saleh's unit has been much the same as Arizona's, stingy without being dominant, but Nick Bosa is showing signs of returning to elite form off the edge, which could change the equation.

Key Info

ARI injury report: LT Paris Johnson (questionable, knee), CB Will Johnson (questionable, groin), CB Sean Murphy-Bunting (NFI, knee), CB Max Melton (questionable, knee)

SF injury report: QB Brock Purdy (questionable, toe/shoulder), WR Jauan Jennings (questionable, ankle/shoulder),WR Brandon Aiyuk (PUP, knee), WR Demarcus Robinson (out, suspension), TE George Kittle (IR, hamstring), LT Trent Williams (questionable, knee), LG Ben Bartch (IR, ankle), S Malik Mustapha (PUP, knee)

Slight lean: RB James Conner (SF 23rd in rushing DVOA, t-29th in rushing TDs allowed to RBs) 
Slight lean: WR Kendrick Bourne (ARI 32nd in DVOA vs. WR3 in 2024)

Strong fade: WR Marvin Harrison (SF fourth in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024)
Slight fade: TE Jake Tonges (ARI fourth in DVOA vs. TE in 2024)

NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain

Head-to-head record, last five years: 5-5, average score 27-22 SF, average margin of victory 15 points. The last four season series have been sweeps, with ARI winning both the 2024 meetings by a combined score of 71-47

The Scoop: Conner rumbles for 90 yards and a touchdown, while Benson adds 50 yards and a score. Murray throws for 240 yards and two TDs, finding McBride and Harrison. McCaffrey collects 90 scrimmage yards. Purdy returns and throws for 280 yards and two touchdowns, one each to Ricky Pearsall and Bourne. Cardinals 28-20

SUNDAY NIGHT

Kansas City at NY Giants (+6), o/u 45.0 – Sunday, 8:20 p.m. EDT

Is the mighty Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes dynasty finally about to come crashing down? Kansas City has never been 0-2 to start a season since Mahomes took over as the QB, and you have to go all the way back to 2014 to find the team winless through two weeks. That 2014 squad won its next two games and finished 9-7 — it was Travis Kelce's first big season, and Jamaal Charles' last. There are certainly players who can step up to help Mahomes steady the ship, though, and one could be back this week as Xavier Worthy tries to play with a shoulder harness keeping his shoulder in place. That doesn't sound like fun to me, and it also sounds like the 5-foot-11, 169-pound speedster is going to effectively have a bullseye painted on his torso for defenders, but KC is still a month away from Rashee Rice making his season debut, so the team will have to make do. It would help if the running game could do, well, anything, but Isiah Pacheco is averaging 3.1 yards a carry and Kareem Hunt's hasn't really been any better.

It kind of sums up the state of the Giants that Russell Wilson delivered his once-a-year ridiculous performance, and they still lost. Wilson's 450 yards and three TDs topped the 414 yards and three TDs he rang up against the Bengals in Week 13 last season, but in both cases the numbers owed an awful lot to the tragic state of the defense he was facing. Malik Nabers is a legit WR1 and Wan'Dale Robinson is a useful possession guy, but they're not enough to build a strong passing game around. The backfield might be in good hands, though. Tyrone Tracy is banged up, but he'd already lost his grip on the starting job as Cam Skattebo looked emphatically like the best running back on the team against Dallas. The rookie looks like he can contribute as a pass-catcher too, so there would seem to be true bell-cow potential here. As for the defense ... it surrendered 23 points in the final 20 minutes last week, including 10 in the final minute of regulation. That's, well, wow.

Key Info

KC injury report: WR Xavier Worthy (questionable, shoulder), WR Rashee Rice (out, suspension), RT Jawaan Taylor (questionable, knee)

NYG injury report: RB Tyrone Tracy (questionable, calf), WR Wan'Dale Robinson (questionable, foot), WR Darius Slayton (questionable, groin), LT Andrew Thomas (questionable, foot), LG Jon Runyan (questionable, back), C John Michael Schmitz (questionable, toe), LB Micah McFadden (IR, foot)

Strong lean: WR Hollywood Brown (NYG 32nd in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024) 
Slight lean: WR Malik Nabers (KC 26th in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024)

Slight fade: TE Travis Kelce (NYG second in catches, fourth in receiving yards allowed to TEs in 2024)
Slight fade: RB Cam Skattebo (KC third in rushing yards allowed to RBs, third in passing DVOA vs. RBs in 2024)

NFL weather report: 1-10 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Pacheco perks up with 80 yards and a TD. Mahomes throws for 270 yards and two scores, finding Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster. Skattebo gets bottled up for 60 combined yards. Wilson throws for 250 yards and a touchdown to Theo Johnson. Kansas City 21-16

MONDAY NIGHT

Detroit (+4.5) at Baltimore, o/u 52.5 – Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

Week 3 is probably too early to call a game a potential Super Bowl matchup, but I'm sure more than a few people had these two meetings in February in their preseason prognostication. The Lions shook off their season-opening malaise to rout the Bears last week, with Jared Goff posting an absurd 5:0 TD:INT and an 82.1 percent completion rate. The offense is already stacked, but 2025 third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa has arguably the most impressive first two catches of a career with a couple one-handed snags for 42 yards and a TD. Imagine what he might do if he saw multiple targets in the same game. No offense to Kalif Raymond, but he should not be working above the rookie, and I'm not sure Jameson Williams' spot is safe, shiny new contract or no. Purely in terms of talent, TeSlaa looks like this year's Puka Nacua — the only question is when he gets a real chance to prove it.

It could be this week, as this figures to be an all-hands-on-deck situation for both offenses. The Ravens have topped 40 points in back-to-back games to begin the year, but they're only 1-1 thanks to Josh Allen. Baltimore apparently drew the wrong lesson from becoming the first team in history to lose a game while scoring 40-plus points and and 235-plus rushing yards, as last week they let Derrick Henry get shut down completely but still destroyed the Browns on the strength of four Lamar Jackson TD passes. Jackson's good for a couple of those performances a year, but Henry should be fighting mad after being held to 25 yards or less on double-digit totes for the first time as a Raven. The improvement the defense showed in the back half of 2024 hasn't carried forward into 2025 either. Giving up nearly 500 yards of offense to Buffalo is one thing, but when a Joe Flacco-led Cleveland team tops three bills against you, it might be time to look in the mirror.

Key Info

DET injury report: LT Taylor Decker (questionable, shoulder), LB Jack Campbell (questionable, ankle), CB D.J. Reed (questionable, knee), S Kerby Joseph (questionable, knee)

BAL injury report: TE Isaiah Likely (questionable, foot), EDGE Nnamdi Madubuike (questionable, neck), EDGE Kyle Van Noy (questionable, hamstring), CB Nate Wiggins (questionable, groin)

Slight lean: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (BAL 29th in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2024)
Slight lean: WR Rashod Bateman (DET 31st in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2025)

Slight fade: RB Jahmyr Gibbs / David Montgomery (BAL fourth in rushing DVOA, first in rushing yards allowed to RBs, first in YPC allowed in 2024)
Strong fade: TE Mark Andrews (DET second in DVOA vs. TE in 2024)

NFL weather report: 5-15 percent chance of rain

The Scoop: Gibbs leads the DET backfield with 70 yards, while Montgomery scores a short touchdown. Goff throws for 330 yards and three TDs, two to St. Brown and one to TeSlaa. Henry erupts for 160 yards and two scores. Jackson throws for 220 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins while also running in a TD of his own. Ravens 38-34

THURSDAY NIGHT

Miami (+12) at Buffalo, o/u 49.5 – Thursday, 8:15 p.m. EDT

The Dolphins didn't look quite as ramshackle last week as they did in their opener, but then again, they allowed the Patriots to score more than 30 points for the first time since Week 6 of the 2022 season, so I wouldn't go so far as to say the Fish are out of the woods, so to speak. The offense at least perked up, with De'Von Achane and Tyreek Hill both topping 100 scrimmage yards while Jaylen Waddle contributed a 5-68-1 line, but Miami is still one Tua Tagovailoa concussion away from potential disaster on that side of the ball. (Although now that I think about it, if you need to gamble on a QB to become surprisingly useful out of nowhere long after everyone has given up on them, grabbing an ex-New York signal-caller seems to be the way to go. I'm not saying Zach Wilson will be the next Sam Darnold, or Daniel Jones, or Geno Smith, but I'm not not saying it either.) The defense, meanwhile, let Drake Maye produce nearly as many TDs as incompletions and turnovers combined, one week after Jones lit it up too. Through two games Miami has a 126.1 QB rating against, which doesn't even include the three rushing TDs it's given up to the position. To put that in perspective, the record for the lowest QB rating against in history over a full season belongs to the 2015 Saints at 116.2. To get there, they had to allow a 68.4 percent completion rate (league average that year was 63.0 percent), more than 4,500 passing yards in 16 games and a 45:9 TD:INT. It's only two games, sure, but the Dolphins are on track to be significantly worse than that, and they have none of the usual excuses: a really tough early schedule, adjusting to a new defensive coordinator and scheme, or lots of key injuries.

Josh Allen's probably looking at those rushing TD numbers and wondering if he can match or beat them in one night. The Bills are already threatening to pull away in the AFC East — that New England win over Miami last week is the only game another team in the division has won so far — and after that stunning comeback win against the Ravens in their opener, they successfully avoided a letdown against the Jets in Week 2. Allen took a back seat to James Cook last week, but Keon Coleman and Dalton Kincaid both showed early flashes of taking a leap forward in 2025, and this team had already finished in the top six in PPG in five consecutive ears. The last thing Allen needs is more weapons. The Buffalo defense throttled Justin Fields last week before finally knocking him out of the game in the fourth quarter, and while the unit will come into this one a bit shorthanded, it still boasts what looks like a strong secondary, and Greg Rousseau and Joey Bosa coming off the edge. That's probably more than enough against a patchwork Dolphins offensive line.

Key Info

MIA injury report: WR Jaylen Waddle (questionable, shoulder), TE Darren Waller (out, hip), LG Liam Eichenburg (PUP, undisclosed), RG James Daniels (IR, pectoral), RT Austin Jackson (IR, toe), K Jason Sanders (IR, hip), EDGE Chop Robinson (questionable, knee), CB Storm Duck (out, ankle), CB Kaden Kohou (IR, knee), S Ifeatu Melifonwu (out, calf)

BUF injury report: K Tyler Bass (IR, hip), DT Ed Oliver (out, ankle), DT Larry Ogunjobi (out, suspension), LB Matt Milano (out, pectoral), CB Taron Johnson (questionable, quadriceps), CB Maxwell Hairston (IR, knee)

Slight lean: WR Jaylen Waddle (BUF 30th in DVOA vs. WR2 in 2024)
Strong lean: QB Josh Allen (MIA 30th in passing DVOA in 2025, 32nd in rushing TDs allowed to QBs in 2025)
Strong lean: TE Dalton Kincaid (MIA 28th in DVOA vs. TE, 25th in receptions allowed to TEs in 2024, 29th in DVOA vs. TE in 2025) 

Slight fade: WR Tyreek Hill (BUF fourth in DVOA vs. WR1 in 2025)
Slight fade: RB James Cook (MIA t-seventh in rushing TDs allowed, seventh in passing DVOA allowed to RBs in 2024)

NFL weather report: 5-10 percent chance of rain

Head-to-head record, last five years including playoffs: 10-1 BUF, average score 33-20 BUF, average margin of victory 14 points. BUF has won nine straight meetings at Highmark Stadium by an average score of 36-22, although three of the last four victories have been by only a field goal

The Scoop: Achane pieces together 60 combined yards and a receiving touchdown. Tagovailoa throws for 230 yards and a second TD to Waddle. Cook collects 80 yards but watches Allen scoop up two rushing scores in the red zone. Allen also throws for 290 yards and two more touchdowns, finding Coleman and Kincaid. Bills 34-17

Last week's record: 13-3, 11-5 ATS, 5-11 o/u
2025 record: 24-8 (.750), 21-10-1 ATS (.677), 11-21 o/u (.344)