NFL Week 3 grades: Lions earn 'A+' for Monday win over Ravens, Browns get high mark for beating Packers
Here are the Week 3 grades for every team
By
John Breech
•
19 min read
Welcome to the Week 3 grades!
The third week of the NFL season has turned into one of the wildest weeks of the year. During Sunday's action, there were NINE non-offensive touchdowns scored. If you're wondering how that happened, here's the breakdown:
- Four pick sixes
- Two blocked field goals returned for a touchdown
- Two punt return touchdowns
- One fumble return TD
This marks the first time in NFL history where there has been at least two blocked field goals returned for a touchdown, at least two punt return touchdowns and at least two pick sixes all on the same day.
One of those blocked field goals came in Cleveland, where the Browns pulled off the most stunning win of the day with a 13-10 upset win over the Green Bay Packers.
With that in mind, let's get to the Week 3 grades, starting with the Lions' huge win over the Ravens on Monday night.
Detroit 38-30 Baltimore (Monday)
| A+ |  |
| The Lions went into Baltimore and bullied the Ravens on their home field with a dominant performance on both sides of the ball. The Lions' pass rush not only contained Lamar Jackson, but sacked him seven times, led by Al-Quadin Muhammad, who got credited with 2.5 sacks. Offensively, the Lions simply beat up on the Ravens: They had two TD drives of at least 96 yards in the game. David Montgomery averaged 12.6 yards per carry on a night where the Lions totaled 225 yards on the ground. And let's not forget about Jared Goff, who outdueled Jackson. Dan Campbell continued to show why he's one of the best coaches in the NFL: The Lions went for it on fourth down on three different occasions and converted all three attempts. There was some question about whether the Lions could recover from losing both of their coordinator this offseason, but after this win, the Lions once again look like one of the best teams in the NFL. | |
| C+ |  |
| The Ravens officially have two problems; Their defense can't stop anyone and Derrick Henry suddenly can't hold on to the ball. Through the first three weeks, Henry has already lost two fourth-quarter fumbles, including a massive one against the Lions that led to a key field goal for Detroit. Henry, who finished with 50 yards, had just 14 of that after the first quarter. On the defensive side of the ball, the Ravens have a lot to fix. They couldn't stop a Lions offense that marched up and down the field on them in a game where Detroit had four TD drives of at least 60 yards. Through three weeks, the Ravens defense given up the most yards in the NFL and the most points. If Henry and the defense keep playing like this, not even Lamar Jackson will be able to save the team. | |
Cleveland 13-10 over Green Bay
| C- |  |
| This was an all-time collapse by a Packers team that blew a 10-0 lead over the final four minutes of the game. The fourth-quarter meltdown started with a Jordan Love interception that the Browns quickly turned into a touchdown. The Packers then got the ball back only to give up a blocked field goal with under 30 seconds left to play. The fourth quarter was filled with uncharacteristic errors from a team that doesn't usually make uncharacteristic errors. The Packers defense, which shut the Browns down for three quarters, surrendered 103 yards and 13 points in the fourth quarter. This loss is definitely going to sting for awhile. | |
| A |  |
| The Browns might have the best defense in the NFL. After holding both the Bengals and Ravens under 250 yards in the first two weeks, the Browns came out and did the same thing to the Packers on Sunday. The pass rush beat up on Jordan Love for four straight quarters, sacking the Packers QB five times. The Browns outscored the Packers 13-0 in the fourth quarter thanks in large part to several huge plays, including a Grant Delpit interception and a blocked field goal by Shelby Harris. Andre Szmyt then won the game with a 55-yard field goal as time expired. If not for a missed field goal in Week 1, this team could very easily be 2-1. This marked the first time since 2002 that the Browns came back to win after trailing by double digits in the final four minutes. The Browns might just be better than most people think. | |
Kansas City 22-9 over N.Y. Giants
| B- |  |
| Whatever Andy Reid said at halftime, he might want to bottle some of that up for the future, because the Chiefs came out on fire in the third quarter after a sluggish first half. Patrick Mahomes went 10 of 14 for 124 yards in the second half as the Chiefs played smart, efficient football, but there are still definitely some concerns. The offense doesn't look explosive and every other play seems to rely on Mahomes making something out of nothing. One positive for the Chiefs is that Tyquan Thornton (five catches, 71 yards, TD) is slowly emerging as a legitimate receiving threat. On the other side of the ball, the defense, which has been getting better every week, deserves a lot of credit for the win. The unit's constant pressure on Russell Wilson led to two sacks and two interceptions. It might have been panic time in Kansas City if the Chiefs had fallen to 0-3, but that didn't happen. This was a huge win for a team that has the Ravens coming up in Week 4. | |
| C- |  |
| It might be time for the Giants to send Russell Wilson to the bench. The Giants defense kept New York in this game, but Wilson and the offense wasted the effort. Wilson missed on several deep balls, he threw two interceptions and he had a painful series near the end of the game where he got called for intentional grounding on a play where the Giants had the ball at Kansas City's 4-yard line (On that same series, he also threw a pass out of bounds on fourth down). The Giants have now been held under 10 points in two of their three games and unless something changes, it's hard to see things getting better. | |
Seattle 44-13 over New Orleans
| F |  |
| This game was a disaster from start to finish for the Saints. They were bad on offense, they were bad on defense and they were terrible on special teams. There's not much else to add to that. | |
| A+ |  |
| The Seahawks put the "special" in special teams in this win. You want a punt return TD? The Seahawks had that with a 95-yarder from Tory Horton. You want a blocked punt? The Seahawks also had that. And let's not forget about the 60-yard kickoff return from Dareke Young that set up a touchdown in the second half. It's still tough to tell how good the Seahawks might end up being this year, but their defense and special teams have both been impressive through two weeks. This is a team that should be competing for a playoff spot at the end of the year. | |
San Francisco 16-15 over Arizona
| B |  |
| This loss is mostly on the offense. The Cardinals had two chances to put the game away in the final five minutes, but they couldn't do it. Kyler Murray and the offense didn't convert a single third down in the fourth quarter. Defensively, the Cards came up with an interception along with a safety that gave Arizona a 15-13 lead and the ball with just 3:15 left to play, but they couldn't hold on. This was a painful as it gets for the Cardinals: They lost to a division rival on the final play and they might be without James Conner for the rest of the season after he suffered what appeared to be a devastating leg injury. | |
| B |  |
| The return of Robert Saleh might be the best thing that happened to the 49ers this year. Saleh's defense mostly shut down the Cardinals and the 49ers certainly needed that because their offense wasn't going to win a shootout on Sunday. With Mac Jones running the show, the 49ers struggled to put up points. However, Jones did come through on the game's final driving, throwing for 59 yards to set up Eddy Pineiro's game-winning field goals. For the 49ers, Christian McCaffrey continues to look like the team's MVP: He had 27 touches for 140 yards. Ricky Pearsall also came up a big: The former first-round pick topped the 100-yard mark for the second time in three games. The 49ers are winning ugly, but they're winning and that's all that matters. | |
Chicago 31-14 over Dallas
| D |  |
| After playing an overtime game in Week 2, the Cowboys looked like they had nothing left in the tank for Sunday's game against the Bears. The defense had no answers for a Bears offense that piled up nearly 400 yards. This is a game where the Cowboys certainly could have used an All-Pro pass rusher, but they traded that guy away before the start of the season. Of course, the bigger problem for Dallas is that the offense kept turning the ball over and that was mostly on Dak Prescott, who threw three interceptions with all of them coming in the fourth quarter. This was a demoralizing loss for a team that had a chance to move to 2-1. | |
| A- |  |
| When Ben Johnson took over as head coach, the hope in Chicago was that he would help Caleb Williams take a big step forward and that step might have finally happened. Williams torched the Cowboys defense: The Bears QB threw for 298 yards and a four touchdowns. Rookie wide receiver Luther Burden was almost as impressive as Williams, hauling in three catches for 101 yards, including a 65-yard TD grab. Williams stole the show from a Bears defense that terrorized the Cowboys. This was a strong all-around performance from the Bears and if they can play like this every week, they can beat anyone on their schedule. | |
L.A. Chargers 23-20 over Denver
| B |  |
| It's starting to feel like Bo Nix might be in the early stages of a sophomore slump. Nix is now averaging just 178.3 passing yards per game through three weeks after throwing for just 153 against the Chargers. Nix, who completed just 14 of 25 passes, was off the mark on multiple throws (He was just 1 of 4 went targeting Marvin Mims). J.K. Dobbins helped keep the offense afloat with 83 rushing yards, but 66 of that came on one drive. The offense went 0-for-4 on third down in the fourth quarter, which allowed the Chargers to get back in the game. Defensively, the Broncos sacked Justin Herbert five times, but they were unable to slow him down during a fourth quarter where the Chargers totaled 141 yards. The Broncos are a good team, but they need to start winning these close games. This is the second straight week where they've lost on a field goal that came on the final play of the game. | |
| B+ |  |
| If the MVP award was handed out after three weeks, it would probably have to go to Justin Herbert. With the Chargers trailing 20-13 in the fourth quarter, Herbert turned into a magician and made the lead disappear. During the game's final quarter, he was nearly perfect, completing 12 of 15 passes for 123 yards and a touchdown. The addition of Keenan Allen is also looking like one of the more underrated signings of the offseason. Allen caught seven passes for 65 yards and a TD. With the win, the Chargers are now the first team in 19 years to start 3-0 by winning three straight divisional games. At this point, they definitely feel like the favorite in the AFC West. | |
Indianapolis 41-20 over Tennessee
| A |  |
| When Jonathan Taylor is running the ball well, the Colts are almost impossible to beat and Jonathan Taylor was running the ball well on Sunday. Not only did Taylor top the 100-yard mark for the second straight week, but he also scored three touchdowns. Daniel Jones completed 72% of his passes for a suddenly very dangerous Colts offense. The Colts defense abused Cam Ward, who was sacked four times with two of those coming from Tyquan Lewis. The suddenly unstoppable Colts continue to look like the biggest surprise in the NFL. | |
| D |  |
| Titans coach Brian Callahan has been under fire this year for his decision-making and things aren't going to get any better after this game. In the first half alone, Callahan had his kicker attempt a 64-yard field goal with five minutes left and after the kick missed, the Colts got good field possession. Just before halftime, Callahan basically wrote a book on what not to do before halftime: the Titans were trying a 57-yard field goal that turned into a 62-yard attempt after Tennessee got called for a delay of game. It's a penalty that shouldn't have happened since the Titans had two timeouts. After the 62-yarder missed, the Colts took over possession and got a field goal before the end of the half. If you have to overcome your coaching to win games in the NFL, you're usually not going to win. | |
Minnesota 48-10 over Cincinnati
| F |  |
| If this is what the offense is going to look like without Joe Burrow, the Bengals might not win another game this season. Not only did Jake Browning throw two interceptions, but the team also lost a total of three fumbles. It was a sloppy performance and things might only get uglier from here with the Broncos, Lions and Packers on deck over the next three weeks. | |
| A |  |
| This win was all about Minnesota's defense. Isaiah Rodgers led the way with a historical performance that saw him become the first player in NFL history to return a fumble for a TD while also adding a pick six and TWO forced fumbles in the same game. The Vikings forced a total of five turnovers in the game while hold the Joe Burrow-less Bengals to just 171 yards. The defense was absolutely dominant, which was exactly what Minnesota needed with Carson Wentz making his first start ever for the Vikings. If the defense continues to play like this, the Vikings will be able to survive any shaky play they might get from the QB position. | |
Pittsburgh 21-14 New England
| B- |  |
| The Steelers defense struggled through the first two weeks, but the unit came to play against the Patriots. The Steelers forced five turnovers, which they turned into 14 points and that ended up being the difference in the game. T.J. Watt bullied the Patriots' offensive line on a day where he racked up two of Pittsburgh's five sacks. Offensively, the Steelers weren't exactly impressive, but they did score a touchdown on all three of their trips to the red zone. Aaron Rodgers also led an impressive game-winning drive in the fourth quarter that ended with a 17-yard TD pass to Calvin Austin. This wasn't a pretty win, but it puts Pittsburgh in a first-place tie at the top of the AFC North and that's all that matters. | |
| C- |  |
| This was a nightmare performance by a Patriots offense that couldn't get out of its own way. The Patriots outgained the Steelers by more than 150 yards, but they lost because they turned the ball over five times. That total includes a goal-line fumble by Rhamondre Stevenson and an interception by Drake Maye that came on a play from Pittsburgh's 2-yard line. The bottom line is that you can't turn the ball over five times and expect to win in the NFL. Mike Vrabel isn't going to be a happy camper this week. | |
Philadelphia 33-26 over L.A. Rams
| B- |  |
| The Rams led this game 26-7 with 12 minutes left to play in the third quarter, but everything after that was a nightmare, which is why they ended up losing. In the fourth quarter alone, the Rams had the ball three times and here's how those three possessions ended: Failed fourth down, blocked field goal, blocked field goal. Kyren Williams totaled over 100 yards, Puka Nacua went off (11 catches, 112 yards) and the defense held Saquon Barkley under 50 yards rushing, but none of that was enough, because the Rams got let down by their special teams. This was a deflating loss, but the Rams proved they can play with anyone. | |
| B- |  |
| Nick Sirianni better make sure he gives a game ball to special teams coach Michael Clay, because the Eagles won this game thanks to their special teams. The Eagles blocked TWO field goals in the final nine minutes as part of a 19-point comeback in the second half. The Eagles looked to be left for dead in the third quarter while trailing 26-7, but Jalen Hurts finished the game by throwing for 204 yards and three touchdowns in the second half. A.J. Brown had his biggest game of the year with six catches for 106 yards. Good teams always find a way to win and right now, no one is better than the Eagles at finding wild ways to win. Philly is 3-0 with three one-score wins. | |
Tampa Bay 29-27 over N.Y. Jets
| B- |  |
| The Jets could have won this game if the offense had shown up before the fourth quarter. Tyrod Taylor threw for 117 yards and two touchdowns during a wild fourth quarter where the Jets also returned a blocked field goal for a touchdown. The problem is that the offense was nonexistent during the game's first three quarters. The Jets have now scored exactly zero touchdowns during the first three quarters over the past two weeks and when you start slow like that, that will doom you in the NFL. | |
| B |  |
| The Buccaneers have definitely mastered the art of the heart-pounding win this season. Tampa Bay is 3-0 and all three wins have come by three points or less. This week they needed a dramatic fourth-quarter drive by Baker Mayfield that set up a game-winning field goal by Chase McLaughlin. They never do it the easy way, but this might be the most battle-tested team in the NFL through three weeks. They also have an emerging star, Emeka Egbuka, who looks like one of the best young receivers in the NFL. The rookie led the team with six catches for 85 yards against a tough Jets defense. | |
Washington 41-24 over Las Vegas
| C- |  |
| The Raiders offense is definitely still a work in progress and became clear in this game. With Vegas trailing 20-10 at halftime, the Raiders had a chance go get back in the game, but that chance went out the window during a third quarter where the offense totaled just 37 yards. One problem is that Ashton Jeanty just hasn't been able to find very much room to run (He averaged just 3.7 yards per carry against the Commanders). It also didn't help things that the Raiders got burnt by several big plays on both defense and special teams. This was just a sloppy performance from a coach (Pete Carroll) who usually has his team ready to play. | |
| A |  |
| When you win a game with your backup QB in the NFL, that's impressive and when you win by 17 points, you get an "A." With Jayden Daniels on the sideline, the Commanders turned the ball over to Marcus Mariota and all he did was lead Washington's offense to 400 yards. Terry McLaurin, who's been quiet through two weeks, finished with 74 receiving yards. It was a highlight-reel day for the Commanders, who got a 90-yard punt return TD from Jaylin Lane and a 60-yard TD run from Jeremy McNichols. This team looks as dangerous as ever. | |
Carolina 30-0 over Atlanta
| F |  |
| This was the sixth start of Michael Penix Jr.'s career and it was definitely his ugliest. The Falcons QB completed just 50% of his passes on an erratic day where he threw two interceptions, including a pick six. Things got so bad that he was benched in the fourth quarter. It wasn't just Penix, though, it was an ugly all-around performance for the Falcons offense. To add insult to injury, John Parker Romo missed two field goals and the Falcons ended up getting shut out for the first time since 2021. The Falcons lost this game by 30 points despite outgaining the Panthers by more than 100 yards. That pretty much sums up how things went for Atlanta on Sunday. | |
| A |  |
| Well, well, well, look at the Panthers. Carolina was able to pull off the upset here thanks to a defense that came up with a big play whenever the team needed one. In the first half, they Panthers held the Falcons to just 1 of 7 on third down, which is a big reason why the Falcons weren't able to score any points in the first two quarters. In the second half, the Panthers picked off Penix twice, including a pick six by cornerback Chau Smith-Wade. The offense definitely could have been better, but when you win your home opener by shutting out a division rival, that's a reason to celebrate. This was the first time the Panthers had shut out an opponent since 2020. | |
Jacksonville 17-10 over Houston
| C- |  |
| Houston, we have a problem and that problem is the Texans offense. CJ Stroud's sophomore slump is now bleeding into his third year, but it's hard to totally blame him because he's not getting great protection from his offensive line and he doesn't have a rushing attack that can take pressure off of him. The Texans' offensive woes were especially bad during a fourth quarter where Houston turned the ball over three times with two of those coming on Stroud interceptions. This team is now averaging just 12.7 points per game through three weeks and if the offense doesn't fix things soon, the Texans' two-year reign at the top of the AFC South might soon be coming to an end. | |
| B- |  |
| The Jaguars defense struggled last week against the Bengals, but the unit bounced back with a strong game against the Texans. Jourdan Lewis and Antonio Johnson both picked off Stroud in the fourth quarter to help Jacksonville hold on for a wild win. Tyson Campbell also forced a Nico Collins fumble that set up the Jags' game-winning touchdown. The offense is slowly improving under Liam Coen, and with the defense playing like this, the Jaguars could be a threat to win quite a few games they're not expected to win this year. | |
Buffalo 31-21 over Miami (Thursday)
| B- |  |
| The Dolphins went toe to toe with the Bills and had a chance to steal this one, but their upset bid fell apart with two ugly mistakes in the fourth quarter. First, Zach Sieler gave the Bills a free first down when he got called for a roughing the punter on a fourth-and-7 on a drive where Buffalo would eventually score a TD. Despite that mistake, the Dolphins were still in it until Tua Tagovailoa threw an interception with just over three minutes left to play. When you're playing one of the best teams in the NFL, those are mistakes you can't afford to make. | |
| B- |  |
| The Bills' decision to give James Cook a contract extension is definitely looking like a brilliant investment. For the second straight week, Cook carried the offense. After going off for 132 yards against the Jets in Week 2, Cook rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown in this game. Stopping Josh Allen is hard enough, but when you also have to deal with Cook, it makes the Bills offense almost impossible to slow down. Although the offense was impressive, the same can't be said for a Bills defense that gave up too many big plays. The biggest problem was that the Bills simply couldn't stop Miami on third down (The Dolphins converted 10 of 15). Playing a division opponent on three days' rest is never easy, so this might not be a big deal, but if the Bills continue to struggle with their third-down defense, that could be something that comes back to haunt them later in the season. | |
