The end of September is rapidly approaching and we are starting to see the solidification of some trends in the NFL. While some surprise teams appear to be for real, other early contenders had the wind taken out of their sails with disappointing efforts in Week 3.
Who are the biggest losers of the week? Let's take a look back at Sunday's action, starting with a very disappointing showing from the Bengals in the battle of the backups.
NFL Week 3 Winners And Losers
Loser: Cincinnati Bengals
We cited the Bengals' AFC North title hopes as a loser last week after Joe Burrow went down with a turf toe injury that required surgery, but a 2-0 start offered reasonable hope that Jake Browning could keep them in the wild card hunt. That may be too much to ask from this group as Cincinnati was run off the field by a Vikings' team starting its own backup quarterback as the Bengals fell 48-10 in a sloppy and disjointed effort in all phases.
While Browning had a tough day at the office, the Bengals' defense didn't do much to slow down a Carson Wentz-led offense, giving up 352 yards of offense and somehow failing to stay close to a team that went 4-of-12 on third down and committed 13 penalties for 105 yards. With a tough trip to Denver looming in Week 4, the ods are high that Cincinnati may be cooked long before Burrow even thinks about trying to come back.
Winner: Kevin Stefanski
Anyone tempted to put Stefanski on the hot seat with Cleveland this season got a reminder of how good a coach he is as the Browns pulled off the stunner of the day with a 13-10 upset of the Green Bay Packers, who looked like a juggernaut through the first two weeks of the season. Much like in Cleveland's near-upset of the Burrow-led Bengals in Week 1, the defense led the way, holding the Packers to just 230 yards of offense despite losing the time of possession battle by nearly eight minutes.
The Browns' pass rush was a big problem for Jordan Love, who was sacked five times and threw a pick as he was running for his life most of the day. Stefanski's game plan was perfect to keep the game close and his formula of strong defense and a power running attack should give Cleveland a shot at more wins than we thought at the start of the campaign.
Loser: Michael Penix Jr
After facing two strong defenses to start the year, Week 3's game against Carolina looked like a good spot for Michael Penix Jr to really take off. That didn't happen as Penix was dreadful, completing just 18-of-36 passes for 172 yards and two picks before getting benched for Kirk Cousins when the game was well out of hand.
The fact that Atlanta hasn't traded Cousins to a quarterback-needy team has created a potential distraction for Penix, who will have to look over his shoulder every time he has a bad game. While head coach Raheem Morris said that the job is still Penix's right now, it will be hard to look a talented locker room in the face if Penix's growing pains cost Atlanta, which is now 0-2 in the NFC South, key games.
Winner: Caleb Williams
No passer from the 2024 draft class entered Week 3 under a bigger microscope than Williams, who has been inconsistent since he entered the league and struggled to master Ben Johnson's complex offensive system early on. Seeing an average defense in the form of Dallas was a godsend for Williams, who put together one of his best games as a pro in a 31-14 blowout victory.
Williams was extremely efficient, completing 19-of-28 passes for 298 yards with four touchdowns and no picks as he moved Chicago's offense up and down the field with ease. There is a reason Williams was considered the no-brainer No. 1 pick in last year's draft and his performance on Sunday offered beleaguered Bears fans some hope that the Johnson/Williams pairing can finally solve the team's long-revolving quarterback carousel.
Loser: Ashton Jeanty
After entering the league with the expectation of being the next elite running back, Jeanty's slow start for Las Vegas continued. Pete Carroll remains committed to giving Jeanty the football, with the rookie receiving 17 carries in Week 3, but he turned those into only 63 yards, averaging just 3.7 yards a carry.
There are certainly questions about the strength of the Raiders' offensive line, but Jeanty has only one touchdown in three games and is averaging only 3.1 yards a carry. The Raiders had plenty of needs they could have addressed before opting to spend a premium draft pick on a running back, and if Jeanty doesn't start producing, it is fair to wonder if Las Vegas got enough value out of that asset.
Winner: Philadelphia Eagles
Things looked dicey for the Eagles, who found themselves trailing the Los Angeles Rams 26-7 in the third quarter, but they showed tremendous resolve by rallying for 26 unanswered points in a 33-26 victory. Special teams played a huge role in the win as the Eagles blocked two field goals down the stretch, including a potential game-winner at the gun that was returned for a touchdown by Jordan Davis.
The Eagles were also huge beneficiaries of Green Bay's loss in Cleveland, giving them an early leg up for the top seed in the NFC as they are now tied atop the standings with Tampa Bay and San Francisco at 3-0. Taking a big punch and getting off the mat with such effectiveness also showcases the character of Philadelphia, which remains a tremendous threat to repeat as Super Bowl champs.
Loser: Houston Texans
It's getting late early in Houston, which is now 0-3 after losing 17-10 to the Jacksonville Jaguars. While it was easy to excuse a Week 1 defeat to Los Angeles' elite defense, offense is officially a concern for Houston, which has averaged just 12.7 points per game over the first three weeks of the year.
The offensive line is still a work in progress, which has hampered C.J. Stroud's ability to rebound from a disappointing sophomore season. The Texans are now staring up at the 3-0 Colts and 2-1 Jaguars, making Sunday's home game against Tennessee a must-win if Houston has any hopes of salvaging its season.
Winner: San Francisco 49ers
It wasn't always pretty, but the 49ers improved to 3-0 with a tight 16-15 win over Arizona, which entered the game undefeated and much healthier than San Francisco. Brock Purdy sat for a second straight game, leaving Mac Jones to run the offense and do just enough (completing 27-of-41 passes for 284 yards with one touchdown and one pick) to help the 49ers improve to 2-0 in the division.
Combining that result with the Rams' loss in Philadelphia means San Francisco is in sole possession of first place in the NFC West despite having only one game with Purdy and less than that with George Kittle, who will miss at least the next two games on injured reserve. The return of Robert Saleh as the defensive coordinator has revitalized the unit, which held Kyler Murray to 159 yards passing, and given them a chance to re-assert their dominance as an NFC super power as their key players start getting healthy in the coming weeks.