Now that two weeks of NFL action have been played and a few top quarterbacks have suffered injuries, the drama has reached a new crescendo.
The Week 3 matchups in the NFL feature two huge conference showdowns that could even be previews of the conference championship games. Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes have been two of the best quarterbacks this season, and they’ll square off against each other. Meanwhile, Teddy Bridgewater will have the tall task of facing the Seattle Seahawks, who barely scraped past another spot-starter for a future Hall-of-Fame quarterback last week.
Here’s a look at which games will be broadcasted in your area this week.
Thursday Night Football (NFL Network): Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Tennessee Titans
Surprisingly, Jalen Ramsey will be playing despite the risk of injury. But the Jaguars are 0-2 and starting Gardner Minshew, so they need all the help they can get. Both the Titans and Jaguars have already lost games to last year’s playoff teams from the AFC South.
CBS Early
Red: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Baltimore Ravens
Blue: New England Patriots vs. New York Jets
Green: Indianapolis Colts vs. Atlanta Falcons
Yellow: Buffalo Bills vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Aside from the Patriots vs. Jets game, which should be a third straight blowout victory for Tom Brady and company, these are all watchable games. But there’s a reason why the Ravens vs. Chiefs game is broadcast almost ubiquitously, and that’s because this is the matchup to watch. A duel between Jackson and Mahomes could be special.
CBS Late
Red: Seattle Seahawks vs. New Orleans Saints
Blue: San Francisco 49ers vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Green: Los Angeles Chargers vs. Houston Texans
The Texans vs. Chargers could have huge playoff implications, seeing as how both teams could also conceivably compete for a Wild Card spot in December.
But the Saints vs. Seahawks is the big-ticket matchup; all eyes will be on Bridgewater to see how he bounces back. Bridgewater could have a strong game, given his own ability and the fact that he’ll actually have time to prepare.
As for the 49ers vs. Steelers, there will also be attention paid to Mason Rudolph after his quietly encouraging work against the Seahawks. The 49ers are 2-0 and coming off of a blowout win over the Bengals, so Jimmy Garoppolo will be expected to take care of business in Week 3.
FOX
Red: Dallas Cowboys vs. Miami Dolphins
Green: Philadelphia Eagles vs. Detroit Lions
Yellow: Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos
Orange: Minnesota Vikings vs. Oakland Raiders
LATE Dark Blue: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. New York Giants
LATE Light Blue: Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers
Sadly, this is a relatively weak slate of games on FOX. Among the early games, the Packers vs. Broncos and Vikings vs. Raiders look the most intriguing. For the late games, Daniel Jones’s debut could be worth watching, though curious fans may want to check out Kyle Allen’s chops. Plus, Kyler Murray already looks like a player worth viewing as often as possible.
Sunday Night Football (NBC): Cleveland Browns vs. Los Angeles Rams
This could be a fun one, though Baker Mayfield’s protection against Aaron Donald and a Wade Phillips-coordinated defense will be a deciding factor in how enjoyable this game is. But even if Mayfield struggles and can’t get the ball out quickly enough, the Browns own elite defensive line could make things interesting for Jared Goff.
Monday Night Football (ESPN): Washington Redskins vs. Chicago Bears
Mitchell Trubisky’s woes have become one of the NFL’s biggest storylines, but this is a good “get right” matchup in primetime for the young quarterback.