Week 3 of the NFL season is complete. For me, i do not remember a more exciting first three weeks of a NFL season than we have seen so far in the 2020 season. Week 3 certainly delivered with the Buffalo Bills beating the Los Angeles Rams, despite the comeback from the Rams.
We also saw the Atlanta Falcons blow another lead, this time to the Chicago Bears despite being 26-10 up in the fourth quarter. It was certainly another exciting game week in the NFL.
Is Dan Quinn On Borrowed Time after week 3?
I have gone on record in previous articles that I do not feel that the Atlanta Falcons have truly recovered from their heartbreaking Super Bowl 51 loss to the New England Patriots and the same goes for head coach Dan Quinn.
Falcons fans have been the subject to much laughter from opposition fans after their loss in Super Bowl 51 after being 28-3 up in the third quarter and have now been subject of back to back collapses. As much as the defensive coordinator can be blamed for the defensive collapses, you also have to point the blame on Quinn. Something has to be going on behind closed dooors for the franchise to suffer back to back losses in such heartbreaking fashion.
Dan Quinn was fighting for his job last season and will have an even bigger task on his hands to keep his job after just week 3 of the 2020 season.
Lamar Jackson Forever In Mahomes’ Shadow?
The Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs played the final game of week 3 in easily the most anticipated game of week 3 and arguably of the whole season so far. It was seen as a great quarterback duel but did not live up to it’s billing.
Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson had contrasting nights and apart from Devin Duvernay’s 93 yard kickoff return touchdown, the Baltimore Ravens failed to threaten the Kansas City Chiefs too much.
Mahomes ran for a rushing touchdown as well as throwing for 385 yards, four touchdowns as well as a 73.8% completion percentage (31 from 42) in the Chiefs’ 34-20 win in Baltimore. Meanwhile, Jackson threw for just 97 yards and only ran for 83 rushing yards.
After the game, Lamar Jackson called the Chiefs their kryptonite as the Ravens number 8 is now 0-3 against Patrick Mahomes. There has to be something in this. Im not sure if Jackson and head coach John Harbaugh changed their game plan against the Chiefs but they simply cannot get the better of Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Until Jackson can win a play off game, this will always be mentioned when it comes to the quarterback’s career and the same will be in place with his record against Patrick Mahomes.
In sport, fans can be very unforgiving and unfortunately for Lamar Jackson, he will always have this tag on his back. Until Jackson wins a game against Mahomes, he will always be in Mahomes’ shadow. Should the Chiefs win the Super Bowl this season, this will put Jackson further in Mahomes’ shadow.
Player Of Week 3- Josh Allen (Buffalo Bills)
Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen certainly has always had the talent but has often been criticised for his inconsistencies in his relatively early NFL career.
However, Josh Allen has started the season in excellent form and continued this against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday. Allen threw for four passing touchdowns, 311 yards and had a 72.7% completion percentage (24 of 33) along with one rushing touchdown in the 35-32 week 3 win.
The Bills and Josh Allen came up against the New York Jets and Miami Dolphins in weeks 1 and 2, which not many took much notice of considering the Jets and Dolphins’ combined record this season is 1-6. The Los Angeles Rams were 2-0 and in good form. This was a real test for Allen. Excluding the interception, Allen was rarely phased. This is despite the Rams’ comeback as Los Angeles came back from 17-3 down to lead the game 32-28.
Josh Allen made the crucial passes on Sunday that he perhaps has lacked in previous years. With just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and the Bills on 3rd and 22, Josh Allen found receiver Cole Beasley for the first down. Crucially, with 20 seconds left, the ball was snapped and Allen found tight end Tyler Kroft for the end zone and the Buffalo win.
It feels at times that i should change the name of the award to ‘Quarterback Of The Week’ but this goes to show the quality of quarterback play we have seen so far this season. From Russell Wilson to Dak Prescott. From Cam Newton to Kyler Murray and from Aaron Rodgers to Patrick Mahomes. We are seeing some elite quarterback play as we are entering the new era of the NFL.
Elsewhere In The League in Week 3
Cincinnati Bengals Quarterback Joe Burrow had a ‘Welcome To The NFL’ moment after the tackle by Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Malik Jackson in the game that eventually ended as a tie.
Russell Wilson once again showed his MVP credentials with 5 touchdown passes and 315 passing yards in the 38-31 Seattle Seahawks win over the Dallas Cowboys, as did Aaron Rodgers who threw for three touchdowns and 283 passing yards in the Green Bay Packers’ 37-30 win over the New Orleans Saints. Russell Wilson would have had 6 touchdowns had wide receiver D.K. Metcalf not celebrated too early.
Finally, Tampa Bay Buccaneers Quarterback Tom Brady showed that the week 1 loss to the Saints was just a one off in the 28-10 week 3 win over the Denver Broncos, with three touchdowns and 297 passing yards.
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