The NFL Roundup - Week 3

Written by John Edward Betancourt

(Jim Rogash/Getty Images)

We're only a mere three weeks into the 2016 NFL Season and already, we are getting a solid idea of which teams are going to rise to the occasion, and which teams will soon be preparing for 2017, meaning that there will be a little more intensity from this weekend's games as some teams try to salvage their season, and others...hope to solidify their standing as the cream of the crop. Either way, it's going to lead to some fascinating stories and here are the ones we are keeping an eye on for Week 3 in the NFL.

Will Jacoby Brissett be able to lead the Patriots to 3-0?
​It is already quite the wild season for the New England Patriots. Despite the fact that their All Pro quarterback is suspended for two more games, and their heir apparent left the Miami game injured, they have hung on to a 2-0 record. But with #10 most likely sitting out tonight's game all eyes are now upon the Rookie; Jacoby Brissett and everyone is wondering if the Patriots luck is about to run out with their third string QB taking over the reins under center. If I had to guess, the key to whether or not the Patriots win again, is based upon how much of the game will rest upon his shoulders and how well the offensive line and defense play. If the D can shut down the Texans offense, and the line can keep the rookie safe from J.J. Watt, he should be able to do enough to put some points on the board and leave NRG Stadium with the win, but if they fall behind, or Watt finds a way to rattle the kid...it may be a long night for New England.

The Buffalo Bills are in a must win situation.
There's a lot on the line for the Buffalo Bills come this Sunday. After all, they collapsed against the New York Jets last week defensively and punished the offense for it by firing Greg Roman as Offensive Coordinator and they will host the Arizona Cardinals, a team well known for carving opposing defenses up by land and by air. Which means, if this team wants to have any shot at a decent season, or the playoffs for that matter, they have to come out and stun the Cardinals with a win, and a big one at that. This is a team that is absolutely doubting itself right now and another painful loss means confidence will continue to slide and things will only unravel for them from there. I can't stress enough that Rex Ryan needs to demonstrate to the fans, ownership, and quite frankly himself why he deserves to be a head coach in this league and this is the time to do it.

Which Jacksonville Jaguars team will take the field this week?
Jacksonville has played two games and shown us two completely different football personalities. They showed us a tough team willing to grind it out to the end in week one and then last week, they showed us the Jaguars of old...a squad that was unprepared and unwilling to do anything but the bare minimum. So who will show up this week? Honestly, I have no clue. But considering the fact that they were blown out in San Diego during week two, there's a good chance the hope and potential we witnessed in week one is all but gone. To lose 38-14 shows that Head Coach Gus Bradley is having trouble getting this team to build upon their skill set and they face a Baltimore squad this week that demonstrated they will be patient and wait for their opponents to make mistakes, something Blake Bortles excels at. This may be the ugliest game of the week to watch, if the same old mediocre Jaguars take the field.

Can Minnesota keep this momentum going with so many devastating injuries to the offense?
Yes, Sam Bradford was tough as nails and the man last week against the Green Bay Packers. But the injuries continue to mount and their star tailback Adrian Peterson is going to be out of action this week and for the foreseeable future. Sure, they were able to win against the Packers without a run game, but this week they face the powerful Panthers defense, one known for punishing offenses that are one dimensional, which means the Vikings are going to have to pull off some miracles when they have the ball to neutralize the D. But that's no easy task and despite the fact that they signed the Broncos leading rusher in 2015, Ronnie Hillman, to the squad on Wednesday, I have a bad feeling that the Panthers are going to control the game on both sides of the ball, and walk away with the win.

Can Kirk Cousins redeem himself? 
The twenty million dollar man in Washington may be enjoying his paychecks, but he's most certainly doing it alone when it comes to the locker room. His poor play has his teammates turning their backs on him and if it continues, the fans are next and after that...it's time to ride the pine while Colt McCoy takes the snaps and well...now would be a good time for Kirk to show that he isn't in this for the money and that he's the same fiery quarterback who went viral for shouting 'YOU LIKE THAT!?' But the only way to do that, is to bring forth some quality play. He needs to make sure the ball reaches his wide receivers. He can't turn it over and he has to once again inspire his teammates to be better when they take the field. Whether he does that or not has yet to be seen, but...we know he's fully capable of doing it, because all of those actions...earned him every penny of that incredible paycheck. 

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