5 NFL teams that must win in Week 3

PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 15: Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph (2) looks on during the NFL football game between the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers on September 15, 2019 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN – SEPTEMBER 15: Adam Thielen #19 of the Minnesota Vikings warms up before the game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field on September 15, 2019 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /

3. Minnesota Vikings

There was no team that had as big a gap between their Week 1 and Week 2 performances as the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings looked absolutely dominant to open the season, routing the Atlanta Falcons at home behind a dominant running game and defensive performance.

The script flipped in Week 2, with Kirk Cousins struggling mightily in a loss to the Green Bay Packers. That loss put the Vikings behind the eight ball in the NFC North, but they get a great opportunity to right the ship against the Oakland Raiders.

After a good performance in Week 1, the Raiders got embarrassed in the second quarter by the Kansas City Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes put up nearly 300 passing yards and four touchdowns in the second quarter, and the Raiders weren’t able to overcome that sudden offensive onslaught from Kansas City.

The Vikings need to put another good performance on the board, and Cousins needs a big effort to rebuild his psyche after a damaging Week 2. Cousins only attempted 10 passes in Week 1, and perhaps the Vikings use this matchup as an opportunity to give Cousins a huge game plan in order to right him.

Minnesota gets another NFC North showdown against the Bears next week, but they need to pick up this win over Oakland to put themselves at 2-1 entering the matchup. The Raiders are not a very good team, and those are the kind of teams contenders need to take advantage of at home.