The National Football League enters the third week with a slate defined by injuries, unbeaten teams, and the opening of a series of international games in South America. As teams prepare for kickoff, the league must handle the immediate fallout of a bruising weekend that left several starting quarterbacks sidelined.
The Injury Situation and Unbeaten Contenders
Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and Jaxson Dart are all dealing with injuries that threaten to keep them off the field for the upcoming slate, forcing coaching staffs to adjust their game plans. Despite the physical toll on rookie and young signal-callers, four teams across the league maintain unblemished records. In the American Football Conference, the Buffalo Bills and the Kansas City Chiefs both chase a third 3-0 start across three seasons. Meanwhile, in the National Football Conference, the Seattle Seahawks eye a similar three-game opening surge.
Steelers Host Bengals in AFC North Clash
The Pittsburgh Steelers and Cincinnati Bengals meet Sunday at 19:00 UTC in Pittsburgh, carrying familiar division rivalry stakes into Week 3. The Bengals arrive with a 2-0 record following a 20-6 victory over the Houston Texans. Despite quarterback Joe Burrow passing for 461 yards and three touchdowns through two games, Cincinnati’s defensive unit has driven their early success, limiting Houston to six points after forcing four turnovers against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers behind Dexter Lawrence. The Steelers enter at 1-1 following a 20-3 road loss to the New England Patriots that highlighted offensive struggles. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has totaled 408 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while Pittsburgh’s ground game averages just 3.4 yards per carry, yielding only 20 total points across their first two contests.
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Cowboys Face Ravens in Rio de Janeiro
Sunday night features a landmark matchup as the Dallas Cowboys and Baltimore Ravens square off at 22:25 UTC in Rio de Janeiro, marking the first regular-season NFL game played in Rio de Janeiro. Dallas enters at 1-1 after rebounding from an opening loss to the New York Giants with a 37-20 win over Washington, a game in which quarterback Dak Prescott threw four touchdowns to set a franchise record. However, the Cowboys’ defense faces questions and will play without Cobie Durant and P.J. Locke, while Malik Hooker’s status remains uncertain following limited practice participation. The Ravens also sit at 1-1, looking to bounce back from a 24-17 loss to the New Orleans Saints where a 14-6 lead slipped away and running back Derrick Henry received only five carries in the second half.
Saints and Raiders Seek to Validate Fast Starts
The New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders meet Sunday at 22:25 UTC in a surprising matchup of early-season momentum. The Saints sit at 1-1 after upsetting Baltimore and narrowly missing a 2-0 mark against the Detroit Lions by a failed two-point conversion, now returning home to host their first game of the year in the NFC South. Las Vegas carries a 2-0 record under Klint Kubiak following victories over the Miami Dolphins and the Los Angeles Chargers. The Raiders could receive a significant boost with tight end Brock Bowers returning to practice this week after missing the first two games following knee surgery.
Teams will return to practice ahead of Sunday’s international and domestic kickoffs as final injury reports dictate active rosters for Week 3. Share your predictions for the weekend matchups in the comments below.
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