The NFL Roundup 2021: Week 3

Written by John Edward Betancourt

It is definitely safe to say, that the first two weeks of the NFL season have flown by. Because it seems like yesterday that we were celebrating Kickoff Weekend and the return of fans and everything in between. But alas, we’ve been so immersed in the wonder of the sport and the majesty of the great games taking place, that we’ve lost track of time and are now preparing to enjoy what Week 3 has to offer and boy, is this weekend’s slate of games shaping up to be something special. For there are juicy storylines everywhere to be found and big games on the horizon and with that in mind… let’s dive right in and spotlight those stories and the most fascinating games to watch in Week 3.

Will Justin Fields make waves in his rookie debut?
Out of all the rookie quarterbacks that were selected in the 2021 Draft, none seem to have more buzz surrounding them quite like Justin Fields does. For his dropping to #12 overall made waves in Denver and brought cheers in Chicago and everyone has been clamoring for him to start over Andy Dalton in the Windy City and well, on Sunday… Bears fans get their wish. For #1 gets his #1 start in the league and well, is he going to wow the football world when he takes the field? Honestly, likely not. He’s a rookie and outright needs time to learn what playing in the NFL is all about. So… expect Fields to just do okay and likely offer up some glimpse of what he will look like when he’s had a little more experience under center.
 
Is this the weekend that the Jaguars win their first game of the season?
We’ve talked a lot about Jacksonville over the past couple of weeks and rightfully so. Because the hype train surrounding this franchise has been loud and boisterous all postseason and preseason long and we simply expected better than this result and keep anxiously awaiting to see when Trevor Lawrence will finally put it together and when Urban Meyer will show everyone his X’s and O’s prowess and sadly, I don’t think we are going to get any of that this weekend. Because Arizona is legit and their offense is terrifying, but this game is of note simply because… it might help Urban, and Trevor gain a little confidence. For the Cardinals secondary is uh, meh… at best and if Trevor can take advantage of that, Jacksonville might be able to hang in this game and that would definitely be something worth celebrating for a team that has little to cheer about.

Will Jared Goff finally lead the Lions to victory?
So far, the performance of Jared Goff in Detroit, has made Sean McVay look like an outright football mastermind. For his Rams are thriving with Matthew Stafford under center, and Stafford looks comfortable at quarterback and is making some incredible plays. Meanwhile… it’s basically the opposite in Detroit since Goff looks so uncomfortable and nervous when he takes the field. Which could be related to learning a new playbook and finding synergy with a new team, but also… if Stafford can quickly assimilate… why can’t Goff? Either way, the only way that all the questions surrounding Goff can be silenced or set aside is with a win on Sunday and sadly… me thinks the questions will persist. For the Lions are taking on Baltimore, who are playing aggressive and downright angry football right now and that likely means they will feast upon the Lions come Sunday.

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The Most Interesting Games to Watch This Weekend

Los Angeles Chargers (1-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (1-1)
GHEA Field at Arrowhead Stadium – Kansas City, Missouri
Sunday, September 26, 2021 – 1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

​Normally this is a game that wouldn’t be worth spotlighting since Patrick Mahomes would make mincemeat of the Chargers without breaking a sweat. But after last week’s Sunday Night Football debacle, this game is suddenly of note. For the Ravens exposed to the world how vulnerable the Kansas City secondary is and of course, the Bucs showed the world how to beat Mahomes in the Super Bowl and you know damn well… Los Angeles studied all of that in the film room this week. Which means they are going to take to the sky on offense and play contain on defense to make the Chiefs pay and honestly, there is a fair chance the Chargers will win this game. Because if KC gets into another epic shootout, that secondary will cost them dearly.

New York Jets (0-2) at Denver Broncos (2-0)
Empower Field at Mile High – Denver, Colorado
Sunday, September 26, 2021 – 4:05 p.m. EST – CBS

This is another game that shouldn’t on our radar because of how lopsided it is, but believe it or not, this is a game that is worth spotlighting. Simply because… this is a huge litmus test for Zach Wilson. For he has been downright terrible in his first two weeks of the regular season and he and his teammates need to do something drastic to show the NFL world that the Jets aren’t a joke and that they made the right offseason decisions and the best way to do that, is to shock the Broncos at home. But truth be told, the rookie isn’t ready to start, he should be riding the bench behind a seasoned veteran and more than likely, the Denver defense is going to feast upon him, and the O will find holes to exploit. But if the kid prepares and the team does indeed put a little pride into this one, they might make it interesting, and that possibility is what makes this game worth watching.

Sunday Night Football
Green Bay Packers (1-1) at San Francisco 49ers (2-0)
Levi’s Stadium – Santa Clara, California
8:20 p.m. – EST – NBC

​Thanks to a resurgent Green Bay Packers squad, this game should be a good one. Because Green Bay pulled together and bounced back last weekend, after letting the drama of the offseason stun them in ways no one thought possible in Week 1, and now that they seemingly have their heads clear, a great opponent awaits them. For the 49ers have come to play this season and have been stellar in all phases of the game. Which means that this one has the potential to be a shootout for certain, since Rodgers has found his mojo and Jimmy G is lighting up the sky with great throws as well, or it could be a battle of attrition, if the defenses decide to step up and make life difficult for each QB. Either way, it’s the fans that win here because this should be a delightful prime time game… one that will likely come down to the wire.