National Football League

Week 3 in review: Of the three unbeaten teams, will Bengals be last one standing?

Published Sep. 23, 2014 12:00 p.m. ET

Alex Marvez

And then there were three at 3-0.

NFL parity is alive and well. For the second time in three seasons, 29 franchises have failed to make it through the first three weeks of the season without suffering at least one loss.

The league’s only undefeated squads are Arizona, Cincinnati and Philadelphia. Since the NFL adopted a 12-team postseason format in 1990, 75.2 percent of the teams that opened the season at 3-0 qualified for the playoffs.

The Cardinals, Bengals and Eagles all have a ways to go for the 1972 Miami Dolphins to begin sweating their standing as the NFL’s only perfect team. But what this trio has accomplished so far is impressive nonetheless. Here’s a look at how Arizona, Cincinnati and Philadelphia have remained undefeated and the challenges ahead.

Arizona

Among the three 3-0 squads, Arizona’s mark is the most surprising. The Cardinals were forced to play their past two games with unheralded backup quarterback Drew Stanton after Carson Palmer suffered a nerve injury in his throwing shoulder. The defense also continues to take a beating with defensive end Darnell Dockett (knee) and outside linebacker John Abraham (concussion) among the casualties on injured reserve.

But overcoming adversity has become the trademark of the 2014 Cardinals. Arizona recovered from second-half deficits to win all three games. The first rally came in the season opener against San Diego when the Cardinals trailed by 11 points entering the fourth quarter.

With a shortened week of preparation, Stanton won his first start since 2010 on the road in Week 2 against the New York Giants. And then the most impressive win of all came last Sunday -- a 23-14 takedown of NFC West rival San Francisco, which had won nine of the past 10 meetings between the two squads.

All of this has shown the groundwork for success was laid last season when the Cardinals won seven of their final nine games under first-year head coach Bruce Arians.

“Last year we got the confidence we needed,” Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell told FOX Sports in a Monday telephone interview. “We understood that if we bought into the program and the coaching that we could be successful. This year, we know what we can do.”

Campbell is a key part of a Todd Bowles-coached defense that hasn’t allowed a point in the fourth quarter this season despite fielding a markedly different front seven than in 2013.

“You’ve got to take your hat off to the coaching,” Campbell said. “Guys who are filling in know what’s required of them and what we want to do.”

The Cardinals might not remain undefeated for much longer. After this weekend’s bye comes an Oct. 5 matchup in Denver. Arizona also has two games remaining against defending Super Bowl champion Seattle and a Week 17 rematch at San Francisco in what could decide the NFC West.

Campbell believes the Cardinals are mentally prepared for the challenge.

“We just have to remember and respect the process,” he said. “I know it sounds simple and cliché. But every week we just have to prep the right way. Make sure we know what the game plan is, what your role is and what’s required of you.”

Cincinnati

These cubs have become full-grown Bengals.

That’s the take from one of the longest-tenured players on Cincinnati’s roster about why the Bengals enter this week’s bye at 3-0 for the first time since 2006.

“The biggest difference this year has been the way we’ve done it,” left tackle Andrew Whitworth told FOX Sports in a Monday telephone interview. “Overall, our team atmosphere is real calm. No situation seems too big.

“We’re not up-and-down like in the past at times. From youth we’ve had a little bit of that. Certain games would seem bigger than others and that type of thing.”

The steady play of quarterback Andy Dalton is encouraging, as well. Dalton’s erratic performances made Cincinnati fans wonder from week to week whether they would be getting “good Andy” or “bad Andy” and raised questions about whether it was wise of Bengals management to sign him to a lucrative contract extension during the preseason.

It’s all good so far in 2014. Dalton has completed at least 65 percent of his passes in each of the first three games with just one turnover. The Paul Alexander-coached offensive line has helped keep Dalton from getting sacked. Dalton even caught a touchdown pass on a gadget play in last Sunday’s 33-7 shredding of Tennessee.

“He’s only in his fourth season, and it’s one of those deals where there have been a lot of expectations on him since he got here,” Whitworth said. “The truth of the matter is he’s just now hitting the prime of his career. This is the part where he’s really starting to accelerate. He understands the game and is starting to take control of it.”

The Bengals have reached the playoffs for three straight seasons only to lose decidedly in each appearance. That’s one of the reasons Whitworth said internal enthusiasm about the fast start is being kept in check.

“I think with the 3-0 thing there’s probably more excitement outside the building,” he said. “All three games we really expected to win. We just feel as a team that if we execute our game plan we can win.

“We understand this is a long year and a long process. There’s much more ahead. We’ve got a long streak of 13 straight games now (without a bye) and a lot of them are away at the end of the season. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Philadelphia

A post from the team’s Twitter account best encapsulates the 2014 Eagles.

“Very simply, we’re from Philadelphia and we fight.”

Though the Eagles did engage in a hearty on-field scrap during last Sunday’s wild 37-34 victory over Washington, Philadelphia’s scrappiness goes far beyond brief fisticuffs. The Eagles are the first team in NFL history to overcome double-digit deficits in three consecutive games and win.

Much of that stems from the lightning-quick way in which Philadelphia’s offense can score. But there is something to be said for remaining calm and composed in the face of adversity.

“We stick together and there’s a great camaraderie,” Eagles quarterback Nick Foles said in his postgame news conference. “In the locker room during games like that, we lean on each other instead of blaming each other. That’s what football should be about. It should be a family feel.”

But while the Eagles can happily sing Kumbaya together, the fact Philadelphia has needed to climb out of sizeable holes is reflective of a flawed team. Injuries continue to decimate the offensive line, with center Jason Kelce (sports hernia) the latest starter sidelined. Plus, a defense that has yielded the NFL’s second-highest total of penalty yards with 256 isn’t nearly as impressive as Philadelphia’s offense.

“It’s three games now where the guys keep scrapping and fighting, and when we need it the most they make plays,” Eagles defensive coordinator Billy Davis told reporters after the Redskins game. “We just have to get the other (bad) ones off of us. We have to put one complete game together where we stop the run and the pass.”

Otherwise, toughness will only take the Eagles so far.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THIS WEEK

Ray Rice

A comprehensive ESPN report accused the Ravens of a cover-up in the aftermath of Rice’s domestic-violence arrest and exerting influence toward Roger Goodell’s initial flimsy two-game suspension of the running back. Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti fired back during a Monday news conference and disputed the claims. As the Rice storm still swirls with more thunder and lightning to come, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh has done a masterful job keeping his team from crumbling. Baltimore takes a two-game winning streak into Sunday’s game at Carolina, where another story line will generate headlines: Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith playing his first game against the Panthers since being released in the offseason after 13 seasons with the franchise.

Blake Bortles and Teddy Bridgewater

Make space, Derek Carr. Bortles and Bridgewater are set to become the second and third members of the 2014 rookie quarterback class to make their NFL starting debuts.

Jacksonville’s patience in letting Bortles learn behind veteran quarterback Chad Henne lasted all of 2 1/2 games. The Jaguars were outscored 105-10 in 10 quarters before head coach Gus Bradley replaced Henne with Bortles in the second half of last Sunday’s 44-17 loss to Indianapolis. Beginning with Sunday’s game against San Diego, we’ll learn how many of Jacksonville’s offensive woes were because of Henne’s inferior quarterbacking or whether the problems stemmed primarily from a weak supporting cast riddled by injuries.

Bridgewater’s chance is the result of Matt Cassel suffering a broken foot in last Sunday’s 20-9 loss to New Orleans. Although Bridgewater led only two scoring drives that resulted in field goals, his mobility gave fits to a Saints defense that had game-planned for the statuesque Cassel. The visiting Atlanta Falcons should be much better prepared for Sunday’s game.

The Vikings also must take some pressure off Bridgewater by establishing a ground game even in the absence of Adrian Peterson. A wide receiver (Cordarrelle Patterson) has Minnesota’s only rushing touchdown and leads the team with 95 yards on four reverse/end-around carries.

Are the 49ers collapsing?

Lest we forget that San Francisco also opened last season 1-2 before finishing 12-4 and reaching the NFC Championship game. For a similar rebound, the 49ers must stop second-half folds like they had in consecutive losses to Chicago and Arizona. A defense that has clearly taken a step back without standout linebackers Aldon Smith (suspension) and NaVorro Bowman (knee) also faces its toughest challenge to date Sunday against visiting Philadelphia.

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin is one of almost 1,700 active players feeling the collateral damage caused by the off-field actions of a handful of his peers along with subsequent disciplinary mishaps by league and team management. Being cast in such a negative light doesn’t sit well with Baldwin. He pointed to the example being set by Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson -- who is active in support of Make-A-Wish and Seattle Children’s Hospital – as being far more representative of how NFL players act socially.

“It’s saddening to me,” Baldwin told FOX Sports. “There’s so much good done throughout the NFL. If you look throughout our entire locker room, there are guys doing so much stuff. We have a few guys throughout the league who are screwing it up for the rest of us.”

HOT SEAT

The most damaging kinds of quarterback controversies emanate from teams themselves. That’s why Miami head coach Joe Philbin did himself no favors when refusing to endorse Ryan Tannehill as his starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against Oakland in London. Tannehill played poorly the past two weeks in the Dolphins’ blowout losses, but being given a vote of no-confidence by Philbin isn’t going to motivate him to perform better.

It just places even more pressure on Tannehill both internally and externally with backup Matt Moore now seemingly a viable option to play. Even stranger: If Philbin were trying to send a message to Tannehill, he should have told offensive coordinator Bill Lazor. Just minutes after Philbin spoke to the media Monday, Lazor said he had “no doubt” that Tannehill will start this week. Lazor also claimed “there is no panic” about Tannehill’s development through his first 35 NFL games. It sure doesn’t sound that way from Dolphins headquarters.

NUMBERS TO NOTE

-- As if starting 0-3 isn’t bad enough, the Raiders have spent more time in the air so far than any other team. A schedule that calls for Oakland to travel a league-high 36,078 miles in 2014 continues with Sunday’s game at Wembley Stadium. The Raiders headed overseas after last Sunday’s 16-9 loss at New England that marked a 15th consecutive defeat on the East Coast. Oakland has only one more East Coast game scheduled, Oct. 26 in Cleveland, but the lessening of the travel grind may come too late for head coach Dennis Allen if the Raiders don’t start winning ASAP.

--The scandals rocking the NFL aren’t affecting New England’s local popularity. The Patriots-Raiders game was the most-watched of the season in the Boston market with a 66 percent ratings share of all televisions in use.

THURSDAY NIGHT PICK: Washington 27, New York Giants 17. Which will be more entertaining – a matchup between these 1-2 clubs or the Wednesday night debut of the South Park episode skewering Redskins owner Daniel Snyder for his insistence on keeping the franchise nickname? I’ll take the latter.