Week 3 opens Thursday night with Green Bay trying to build on a narrow escape in New York, then rolls through a Sunday slate loaded with unbeaten teams, quarterback injuries and an international matchup in Brazil. Buffalo, Kansas City, San Francisco and Seattle have early opportunities to strengthen their positions, while Houston and Indianapolis face the urgency of an 0-2 AFC South meeting.
Week 3 predicted winners
| Game | Projected winner | Key storyline |
|---|---|---|
| Falcons at Packers | Packers | Green Bay’s battered offensive line faces Atlanta’s active front. |
| Bills at Chargers | Bills | Josh Allen’s hot start meets a struggling Los Angeles offense. |
| Browns at Panthers | Panthers | Bryce Young and Carolina’s receivers are off to a fast start. |
| Jets at Lions | Lions | Aaron Glenn returns to Detroit with a dramatically improved Jets defense. |
| Colts at Texans | Texans | Two 0-2 division rivals face a potentially damaging third loss. |
| Patriots at Jaguars | Jaguars | Interior line play and several New England injuries could decide it. |
| Chiefs at Dolphins | Chiefs | Kansas City looks rejuvenated while Miami is searching for an identity. |
| Titans at Giants | Titans | New York is dealing with major injury losses after a painful defeat. |
| Bengals at Steelers | Bengals | Dexter Lawrence has transformed Cincinnati’s defensive front. |
| Seahawks at Commanders | Seahawks | Washington could again be without Jayden Daniels against a dominant defense. |
| Cardinals at 49ers | 49ers | San Francisco has opened with two lopsided wins. |
| Buccaneers at Vikings | Vikings | Kyler Murray’s expected return gives Minnesota a needed offensive boost. |
| Raiders at Saints | Saints | New Orleans seeks its first home win behind Tyler Shough. |
| Ravens vs. Cowboys in Brazil | Cowboys | Dak Prescott’s receiving weapons could test Baltimore’s secondary. |
| Broncos at Rams | Rams | Los Angeles’ two-headed running attack is positioned to control the game. |
| Bears at Eagles | Eagles | Chicago’s quarterback availability clouds Monday night. |
Thursday night: Packers look to protect Jordan Love
- Green Bay returns to Lambeau Field after avoiding an 0-2 start with a win in New York. The Packers have won 13 straight home openers.
- Protection is the central concern. Starting right tackle Zach Bako-Bewele is out for the season, while Aaron Banks, Anthony Belton and reserve lineman Donovan Jennings are also dealing with injuries.
- Jordan Love has been sacked seven times, tied for the third-highest total in the league. He has seen pressure on 42.3% of his dropbacks and has endured 12 unblocked pressures.
- Atlanta’s defense enters ranked first against the run and ninth in both third-down defense and red-zone defense. The Falcons have produced pressure on 41.5% of opposing dropbacks.
- Cornerback A.J. Terrell’s absence hurts Atlanta against Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, but Michael Penix Jr. should give the Falcons a more stable operation and could create more opportunities for Bijan Robinson, Drake London and Kyle Pitts.
- Green Bay’s confident defense, led by emerging pass rusher Lukas Van Ness, and its home-field advantage give the Packers the edge if they avoid costly penalties.
Sunday early window: AFC contenders and desperate division rivals
Bills over Chargers
Buffalo has scored at least 36 points in each of its first two games, with Josh Allen responsible for nine touchdowns: five through the air and four on the ground. The Bills still have defensive questions, but the Chargers have had difficulty adapting to Mike McDaniel’s offense. Justin Herbert has looked uneasy, his pass catchers have dropped key balls and dealt with injuries, and running back Omarion Hampton has lost a fumble in both games. Los Angeles may struggle to generate enough offense to match Buffalo’s pace.
Panthers over Browns
Cleveland’s weather-delayed win over Tampa Bay included a sharp performance from Deshaun Watson, an impressive showing by rookie Denzel Boston and a composed defensive finish after a 132-minute delay. But Carolina has played better football through two weeks. Bryce Young is averaging 324 passing yards and has thrown three touchdown passes in each game, with Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker becoming a productive receiver pairing. Cleveland’s defense remains in its first season without Myles Garrett, while Carolina’s main uncertainty is which defense arrives: the unit that gave up 59 points to Chicago or the group that held Atlanta to three.
Lions over Jets
Aaron Glenn returns to Detroit after five successful seasons as Dan Campbell’s defensive coordinator. His rebuilt Jets defense ranks first in yards allowed per game at 197.0, third in yards per play at 4.0 and second on third down at 23.8%. New York has injuries among its veteran defenders, though Joseph Ossai is expected back.
Detroit has not yet delivered a complete 60-minute performance, nearly losing to New Orleans in Week 1 before a second-half rally fell short against Buffalo. The Lions are also banged up on defense, but the Jets’ receiver group is depleted as well. Geno Smith has not thrown an interception, though he has faced pressure on 43.4% of dropbacks, second only to injured Washington quarterback Jayden Daniels. Aidan Hutchinson and Detroit’s pass rush could force the turnover that swings the game.
Texans over Colts
The only matchup of winless teams carries unusual early-season stakes. Since 1990, only five of 171 teams that began 0-3 reached the postseason, a 2.9% rate. Houston was one of those exceptions last season.
The Texans defense was exposed by Buffalo in Week 1 but held Joe Burrow and Cincinnati largely in check last week. That unit now faces an Indianapolis offense heavily dependent on Jonathan Taylor. Daniel Jones is still working his way back from the Achilles injury he sustained last December, and Indianapolis has placed its $114 million deep-threat receiver on injured reserve.
The Colts have surrendered 1,029 yards, the second-highest total through two games in league history. Only the 2016 Raiders allowed more, at 1,035. The 1967 Falcons and 2017 Saints each yielded 1,025 yards. Indianapolis will need a dramatic turnaround to avoid a sixth straight loss to C.J. Stroud and Houston.
Jaguars over Patriots
Jacksonville and New England both exceeded expectations in 2025, making Sunday a significant early measuring stick in the AFC. The Jaguars need stronger play inside their offensive line after losing a lead against Denver. Patriots defensive tackles Milton Williams and Christian Barmore are positioned to challenge that weakness.
New England has injury concerns of its own. Edge rusher Dre’Mont Jones and safety Craig Woodson missed Wednesday’s practice with shoulder issues, while right guard Mike Onwenu is out with an ankle injury. Jacksonville’s home field and those Patriots absences provide a narrow advantage.
Chiefs over Dolphins
Kansas City has quickly erased doubts created by its first losing season under Andy Reid and Patrick Mahomes’ return from knee surgery. The Chiefs and their quarterback have looked like contenders again through two weeks.
Miami’s rebuild has been far more difficult. The Dolphins are carrying $183.7 million in dead money and have little established offensive firepower beyond De’Von Achane. Their defense was overwhelmed by Raiders running back Ashton Jeanty in Week 1 and nearly allowed San Francisco’s Brock Purdy to produce a perfect passing game in Week 2. Miami’s home opener and Kansas City’s first road trip are not likely to be enough to reverse the matchup.
Titans over Giants
Tennessee enters with confidence despite a 24-20 loss to Philadelphia, a game in which the Titans pushed a Super Bowl contender to the finish. The Giants arrive under much darker circumstances after losing by 22 points to the Rams and losing quarterback Jaxson Dart to knee surgery.
New York also expects edge rusher Brian Burns to miss time with an ankle injury. Head coach John Harbaugh must regroup quickly after the optimism generated by an opening-week win over Dallas disappeared. Tennessee offensive coordinator Brian Daboll gets a chance to face the franchise that dismissed him last November, while Titans coach Robert Saleh returns to MetLife Stadium seeking his first victory as Tennessee’s head coach.
Sunday: defense, quarterback health and a Brazil showcase
Bengals over Steelers
Cincinnati’s defensive investment has paid off early, particularly with tackle Dexter Lawrence. With Lawrence on the field, the Bengals have registered a 45.2% pressure rate, allowed 2.9 yards per rush and stopped ball carriers at or behind the line on 58.3% of attempts. Without him, those figures fall to a 35.1% pressure rate, 5.6 yards allowed per carry and 21.4% of rushes stopped at or behind the line.
Pittsburgh could regain Michael Pittman from a foot injury, but its offense has not found consistency. The Steelers defense ranks eighth in both total defense and scoring defense, yet it may not be able to contain Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase and Cincinnati’s explosive passing attack.
One pivotal trench matchup features Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown against Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith. In 13 career games against Pittsburgh, including the playoffs, Brown has allowed pressure on 13% of his pass-blocking snaps, his highest rate against any opponent with at least 100 such snaps. His rate is 15.1% in six Bengals-Steelers games. Highsmith has logged 24 pressures against Brown, including 16 quick pressures, while Nick Herbig has added 13 pressures and three sacks in 78 matchups with Brown.
Seahawks over Commanders
Washington may once again have to start Marcus Mariota because Jayden Daniels is dealing with another left-elbow dislocation. Mariota would draw one of the league’s toughest defenses. Seattle has allowed fewer than 20 points and fewer than four yards per play over its first two games, joining only four other teams since 2010 to reach both marks. Every prior team in that group won at least 11 games.
Seattle could also be using a backup quarterback, but Drew Lock has played well while filling in for Sam Darnold. The Seahawks are 7-0 in road games kicking off at 1 p.m. ET under coach Mike Macdonald, making the cross-country trip less concerning.
49ers over Cardinals
San Francisco has begun the season with convincing victories over the Rams and Dolphins. Arizona opened with an upset of the Chargers but was brought back to reality by Seattle in Week 2. The Cardinals face a similar problem against the 49ers, whose offense is rolling with Brock Purdy. San Francisco should seize control early, though Arizona’s Trey McBride and Michael Wilson could make the final margin more respectable.
Vikings over Buccaneers
Tampa Bay is still trying to find comfort in Zac Robinson’s offense. Baker Mayfield has handled blitzes better than he did last season, posting a 68.8% success rate against pressure packages after managing 39.3% in 2025. Still, Brian Flores’ aggressive Minnesota defense presents a difficult test.
Minnesota expects Kyler Murray to return, offering a clearer look at Kevin O’Connell’s offense near full strength. Tampa Bay’s defense has struggled, allowing Deshaun Watson to produce his best performance in years last week, and pass rusher Rueben Bain Jr. has an uncertain status. The teams are heading in different directions entering the NFC matchup.
Saints over Raiders
New Orleans is one successful two-point conversion in overtime away from a 2-0 record and welcomes an unbeaten Las Vegas team that may have tight end Brock Bowers back from a knee injury. The Raiders have received six touchdown passes from Kirk Cousins and rank fifth in scoring defense, while their 45.6% pressure rate leads the league.
Those results came against Miami and a Chargers team in a slump. The Saints’ comeback win over Baltimore and overtime loss to Detroit make for a more convincing early résumé. Tyler Shough has established chemistry with Chris Olave, Devaughn Vele and Juwan Johnson, rallying from 21 points down against Detroit and from an eight-point fourth-quarter deficit against Baltimore. Keeping Shough upright is the major concern, as left tackle Kelvin Banks Jr. is out indefinitely with an ankle injury and Maxx Crosby leads a dangerous Raiders pass rush.
Cowboys over Ravens in Brazil
Dallas and Baltimore bring two high-powered offenses to the Maracanã for the league’s second game in Brazil. Dak Prescott and the Cowboys rebounded in Week 2 after a quiet Sunday night outing against Washington. Baltimore will try to control possession with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and its ground game.
The Ravens could again be limited in the passing game if Zay Flowers is not fully healthy. Dallas’ defense is still finding its footing under coordinator Christian Parker, but Prescott has the stronger collection of available perimeter weapons. CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens could create the same type of problems Chris Olave caused Baltimore late in Week 2.
Rams over Broncos
Both teams suffered narrow losses in last season’s conference championship games, then opened 2026 with embarrassing road defeats before responding with home wins in Week 2. Their Sunday night meeting features two Super Bowl-winning coaches and deep rosters, but the Rams’ rushing attack could define the game.
Kyren Williams has 126 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries, averaging 5.5 yards per attempt. Blake Corum has 133 yards on 22 attempts, a 6.0-yard average. Denver improved its tackling after the Week 1 performance against Kansas City’s Kenneth Walker III, but its front remains vulnerable to the run following John Franklin-Myers’ free-agent departure.
Monday night: Eagles favored as Bears quarterback situation worsens
- Chicago quarterback Caleb Williams is managing the hamstring injury he suffered last week.
- Backup Tyson Bagent is in the concussion protocol.
- If neither quarterback is cleared, 38-year-old Case Keenum would be in position to start against Philadelphia.
- Keenum has not appeared in a regular-season game since 2023, when he threw one touchdown and three interceptions across two starts for Houston.
- Philadelphia is 2-0 but owns the smallest point differential among unbeaten teams at plus-six and labored to put away Tennessee.
- Even with the Eagles short of their best form, Vic Fangio’s defense would have a major advantage against a Chicago offense led by a third-string quarterback. The Bears would need a dramatic turnaround from the team that was overpowered by Philadelphia on Black Friday last season.
