NFL week three recap
The Dolphins, the Eagles start of hot at 3-0
Lamar Jackson
September 28, 2022
The NFL season has begun to show where each team will end up, after around week three is when teams begin to show their true talent.
Lamar Jackson is just that good. The Ravens were able to beat the Patriots fairly easily 37-26. Jackson was able to complete 18 of 29 passes for 218 yards, four touchdowns, one interception, 11 rushes for 107 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown. Lamar Jackson looks like an MVP candidate again, coming off a hot game against the Dolphins too.Â
He is the first player in the Super Bowl Era to have three or more passing touchdowns and 100+ rushing yards in back-to-back games. No matter what you’re reading on Twitter about him being a running back, he is a superstar quarterback.Â
The Patriots weren’t able to do much and Mac Jones threw for three interceptions along with a high ankle sprain which will most likely keep him out for multiple weeks. But this was the showing of how Lamar Jackson deserves to get paid and how the Ravens can be Super Bowl contenders.Â
The tightest game of the week was Buffalo vs Miami. Miami was able to beat perhaps the best team in the league, Buffalo, 21-19. If you were to just look at the stats you would think the Bills won this game fairly easily. They outgained Miami 497 yards to 212. They had 16 more first downs and had more than 20 minutes more in time of possession.Â
Josh Allen threw 42/63 for 400 yards two touchdowns and led the team with 47 rushing yards. A main factor in this game was the Florida heat as well, many Bills players went down with cramps and having an impact on this game every player looked exhausted. This was a good job by the Miami defense and head coach Mike McDaniel to keep Miami in this game and to game plan well for this tough Bills team.Â
In the final seconds of the game, the Bills had a chance to take the game, but they had multiple offensive mistakes which led to the clock winding down to zero and losing the game. Here is the offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey reacting to that.Â
The Jaguars easily beat the Chargers, in a surprising domination, the Jags won 38-10. Trevor Lawrence looks like the guy that the Jags drafted, he looks like the Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck type. With a good offensive minded Doug Pederson at the helm in Jacksonville now, the offense is beginning to shine.Â
Lawrence threw 28/39 for 262 and three touchdowns. James Robinson rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown and Zay Jones had 10 receptions for 85 yards and a touchdown.Â
Justin Herbert could still be hurting from his rib injury just a week ago, so that may have been a factor in his performance or this loss. But Brandon Staley, the Chargers head coach is supposed to be a defensive mastermind. He was not able to shut down the Jags and it looks bad for the Bolts. The Jags are now 2-1 and could be playing for the playoffs, while the Chargers are 1-2 they will still bounce back and be contenders.Â
In a close game, the Titans were able to come on top of the Raiders 24-22. This game sort of decided each team’s season. Most of the time, when you are 0-3, you don’t make the playoffs. Since 1990, only 2.5% of teams that have started 0-3 have made the playoffs. However, 1-2 is totally possible, especially in this wide-open AFC.Â
Derrick Henry hasn’t been off to an incredible start like usual, but he is still playing well and is carrying the Titans. He had 20 rushes for 85 yards and one touchdown along with five catches for 58 yards. Ryan Tannehill doesn’t look very good this season and it may be winding down to the end of his career.
 Derek Carr is also not playing bad, but he isn’t playing great. You would think with as much talent that is on the offense they would be successful, but that’s just not the case. Josh Jacobs is too injury prone and only had 66 yards, Davante Adams only had five receptions for 36 yards and a touchdown and Darren Waller had three grabs for 22 yards. This isn’t enough production from those guys and as I said in the past, if the Raiders want to win they need to put the ball in their best players’ hands.Â
The final game we’ll go over is the Eagles versus Commanders. The Eagles are just such a good team, only them and the Dolphins remain as the undefeated teams in the NFL.Â
Jalen Hurts is everything I thought he was, the man can ball. He went 22/35 for 340 yards and three touchdowns also rushing for 40 yards.Â
DeVonta Smith and AJ Brown are a wide receiver tandem that any defensive coordinator is having nightmares about before the game. Smith had a career day and some of his highlights are insane, even though he isn’t exactly a big receiver he can high point any ball and his body control is very good. He ended his day with 8 receptions for 169 yards and a touchdown, along with one huge 45 yard reception he made while he was double teamed.Â
The Commanders look weak, they need to find an actual quarterback because Carson Wentz is done. Wentz went 25/43 for 211 yards. I do not think Ron Rivera, the Washington head coach, has much job security and should worry about losing his job.
It’s early but as fans we should start to begin to see who is really at the top of the league as Super Bowl contenders and who is at the bottom. The picture is beginning to form.Â