The NFL Roundup 2022: Week 3 Preview

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Just like that football fans, we are in the thick of the 2022 NFL Season. Where teams are starting to find their groove and where others are beginning to panic at the results. And of course, as is apparently now tradition, we’ve been privy to some horrific beatdowns and some epic upsets. All of which, is life in the NFL now and it is most certainly music to our ears and a feast for our eyes and lo and behold, it’s time for more of the magic that is NFL football. For Week 3 awaits us all and with that in mind, it is time to preview the top stories and the top games to watch from this weekend’s upcoming slate of games.
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Will the Tampa Bay offense play well without Mike Evans in the lineup?
Regardless of the fact that the Buccaneers are 2-0 right now, they’re a team in turmoil. For Tom Brady is in a weird place mentally right now, and tempers continue to flare on the field for some reason. To the point where Mike Evans won’t be available this week and that does lead one to wonder if they’ll be okay without him in the lineup this Sunday and honestly… this might be a problem. Simply because they’re going up against Green Bay, a team that is solid through and through and can score often. Which means that Tampa has to respond in kind and having one less weapon, might make life difficult for #12. But then again, he has pulled off miracles with less on the field, so we really won’t know the answer to that question until the score is locked in with all zeroes on the clock.
 
Can the Jacksonville Jaguars make it two in a row?
It’s been a long time since Jacksonville has done anything meaningful in the regular season. To the point where something as simple as a two-game win streak seems like an impossibility. But Jacksonville has slowly been improving this season, leading us to wonder if maybe… they can actually pull off a tiny win streak by beating the Chargers this weekend. And it is possible, provided Trevor Lawrence can take to the air and torch the sometimes-soft Charger defense. But in reality… it is more than likely that Los Angeles is going to win the day come Sunday. For the Jaguars just aren’t ready to start to have that kind of success, simply because they are still working toward jelling together as an actual team for a change. 
 
Can the Bengals finally land a win this weekend?
Make no mistake about it, Cincinnati’s 2022 campaign has started off downright awful, with two ugly wins that have everyone wondering if last year was a fluke. Which means they are undoubtedly eager to fix that perception and they’ll need a big win to do so and well, they’re taking on the Jets this weekend, so there is hope. But perhaps not as much as usual. Since the Jets surprised everyone last week with their epic comeback, so they cannot be counted out here. But when one considers how hungry the Bengals are right now, they are likely going to feast this weekend and walk away with that all-important first win of the season. 

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The Most Interesting Games to Watch This Weekend

Thursday Night Football
Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1) at Cleveland Browns (1-1)
FirstEnergy Stadium – Cleveland, Ohio
8:15 p.m. EST – Prime Video

You always have to love a primetime AFC North matchup and this one looks as though it might be quite entertaining. Simply because these two teams have once again become bitter rivals in the past few years and of course, they’re in transition at quarterback and beatable. Which means the team that wants this one more and executes, will be the one that walks away with the win. The only question is… who? And honestly, there’s no good answer there. Because this really is an even matchup, one that features two so-so journeymen quarterbacks and two defenses that bend and sometimes break. But regardless of who wins in this game, it’s the fans that really benefit here. For being able to enjoy one wild ride. 

Buffalo Bills (2-0) at Miami Dolphins (2-0)
Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, Florida
Sunday, September 25, 2022 – 1:00 p.m. EST – CBS

A year ago, this is a game that no one would have paid any mind to. Because the Bills were very good and the Dolphins were very, very, bad. But a year does make a difference and just like that… we are now looking at a powerhouse divisional matchup between these two teams. For the Dolphins are aggressive and enjoying the thrill of winning in 2022 and the Bills, well they are even better than they were last year. Which means this will be an actual clash of the titans, where these two teams duke it out for early AFC East supremacy and that means we are in for one incredible treat. As to who wins, I think Buffalo has the edge because of depth and skill. But don’t count Miami out, since they came back from a huge deficit to beat the Ravens on the road. 

Sunday Night Football
San Francisco 49ers (1-1) at Denver Broncos (1-1)
Empower Field at Mile High – Denver, Colorado
8:20 p.m. EST – NBC

​This is a game of note, simply because two men involved in this game have a lot riding on it. Jimmy Garoppolo needs to have an amazing game to show the league that they were wrong in not trading for him in the offseason, preseason and at any point in this season. Because he wants to be a starter and putting on a show here will go a long way in potentially putting him into that role again, since he is clearly gone from San Fran in ’23. As for Denver, well the man with pressure on his shoulders in this game is Head Coach Nathaniel Hackett. Because he has been struggling with his new role this year and the fans have not been kind in the slightest. Which means, he needs a clean game from his players and a smooth offensive night to silence his critics and well, it will be interesting to see which of these two gents gets what they want in this evenly matched game.