NFL Week 3: An Early Primer From Around the League
Sep 18, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco (5) completes a pass against the Cleveland Browns during the second quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports
Here’s an early look at NFL Week 3. As usual, there have been some surprises and disappointments early on.
The first two weeks of the 2016 NFL season are already in the books. But you can’t wait to get ready for Thursday Night Football—as well as Sunday and Monday—to get NFL Week 3 underway, right?
You have come to the right place.
As it’s Week 3, that means that this will be the last slate of games before the bye weeks begin for the 32 clubs. The Green Bay Packers and Philadelphia Eagles will be the first teams to take an early vacation.
Each week we’ll drop a little early knowledge on the next round of games a few days in advance.
This Thursday night at Foxborough, it’s a battle of the unbeatens as the New England Patriots host the Houston Texans. There’s also the undefeated clash for Keystone State bragging rights as the Philadelphia Eagles clash with the Pittsburgh Steelers. And let’s not forget that very intriguing contest in Carolina as the defending NFC champion Panthers, off a 46-27 victory over the San Francisco 49ers, host the 2-0 Minnesota Vikings.
All told, eight clubs have started the season unbeaten while eight more are looking for their first win of 2016. Which teams stay perfect and which will be celebrating for the first time this year?
Meanwhile, here are a few more interesting notes when it comes to NFL Week 3.
Sep 11, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Willie Snead (83) makes a catch while defended by Oakland Raiders defensive back Sean Smith (21) in the second quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Refund in Order?
This week, the Oakland Raiders travel to Tennessee to face quarterback Marcus Mariota and the Titans. A year ago, the Silver and Black rallied for a road win in Nashville courtesy of a 24-21 victory.
Mike Mularkey’s Titans have scored exactly 16 points in each of their first two games, a nine-point home loss to the Minnesota Vikings and a one-point comeback victory at Detroit.
But no doubt Mariota and company can’t wait to face this Raiders defense, a unit many felt would be much-improved from past seasons. Free agency brought outside linebacker Bruce Irvin, cornerback Sean Smith, and free safety Reggie Nelson. The first round of April’s draft saw general manager Reggie McKenzie add strong safety Karl Joseph to the mix.
Two games into 2016, Jack Del Rio’s squad has scored a hefty 63 points and eight touchdowns. But the Raiders have also allowed a whopping 69 points and eight touchdowns—seven of those scores coming through the air.
To date, quarterback Derek Carr and the Oakland offense has lived up to its end of the bargain. No team has gained more total yards in the first two games and the Raiders are one of three clubs to play turnover-free football. But it’s been a shaky start for a defensive unit that was supposed to be a whole lot better. This is a group that had better turn the corner soon if the franchise has serious expectations of getting back to the playoffs for the first time since 2002.
Sep 18, 2016; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick watches from the sideline as they take on the Miami Dolphins in the second quarter at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Super Bowl Aspirations
Here’s to early perfection.
The New England Patriots, Denver Broncos, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings—all playoff teams in 2015—have opened the season 2-0. Three other clubs that finished with losing records a year ago, the Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles (with rookie quarterback Carson Wentz at the controls), have also won their first two games.
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So what are the odds that one of these eight clubs will wind up in Super Bowl LI in early February? Pretty damn good.
Here’s a little history when it comes to the Big Game, now a robust 50 years old. Of the 100 teams to go to the Super Bowl from 1966-2015, 70 teams started 2-0, four teams started 0-2, 21 teams started 1-1, and five teams started 1-0-1. In fact, only twice in the game’s history has a Super Bowl not featured at least one squad that won its first two contests of the season.
In 1987 (Super Bowl XXII), the 1-1 Washington Redskins and the 1-0-1 Denver Broncos would eventually square off in San Diego. Just two years ago, the 1-1 New England Patriots and 1-1 Seattle Seahawks would collide in Arizona. Other than that, there’s been a previously 2-0 team involved.
So it won’t be a super shock if one or two teams that have begun the season in perfect fashion will be playing for a Lombardi Trophy. It’s nearly a certainty.
Sep 18, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) and Redskins head coach Jay Gruden (R) walk off the field after their game against the Dallas Cowboys at FedEx Field. The Cowboys won 27-23. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Hope for the Winless?
The news is not as good for the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins—all winless after two weeks.
Since the current 12-team playoff format began in 1990, there have been a total of 214 instances where a club dropped its first two contests in a season. Only 26 times, a team has rallied from that kind of start to reach the postseason. It’s safe to say that the odds are against those aforementioned teams playing some extra football in 2016.
But this is quite interesting.
All told, four of those 26 occasions have come in the past three seasons. That’s quite a turnaround considering that, from 2009-12, a total of 32 teams opened 0-2 or worse and none reached the playoffs. But in 2013, the Carolina Panthers turned the trick, rebounding to win the NFC South. In 2014, the Indianapolis Colts bounced back from a 0-2 start and would reach the AFC title game. Last season, both the Seattle Seahawks and Houston Texans lost their first two games and each reached the postseason.
And let’s not also forget that four times in NFL history, a team has overcome a 0-2 start and reached the Super Bowl. That would be the ’93 Dallas Cowboys (won), ’96 New England Patriots (loss), ’01 Patriots (won) and ’07 New York Giants (won).
Never say never.
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