Photo credit: Associated Press
Week three of the NFL season is in the books. Here are two teams/players who shined this week and two teams/players who disappointed. Please note that this article was written before Monday Night Football.
Up: Aaron Rodgers
Rodgers is 40 years old, and will never be what he was in Green Bay. But he still has a chance to be a productive quarterback, and he showed that in a 24-3 win over the Patriots. He completed 27/35 pass attempts for 281 yards and two touchdowns. He also displayed the mobility that always made him hard for anyone in the league to stop.
Down: The Las Vegas Raiders
Allowing the lowly Carolina Panthers to rack up 437 yards of total offense and 36 points on your home field is downright pathetic. I thought to myself throughout this game, are they even trying? Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce seemed to feel the same way, putting his team on blast in his postgame media availability.
“As the game went on, I think there were definitely some individuals that made business decisions, and we’ll make business decisions going forward, as well.”
The Raiders now sit at 0-3 and look like they will be picking near the top of the 2025 draft.
Up: Andy Dalton
Dalton still deserves credit for his performance, even if the Raiders may not have been completely invested in winning.
He completed 26/37 pass attempts for 319 yards and three touchdowns, helping Carolina pick up their first win of the season. Provided he stays healthy and continues to not turn the ball over, he will likely be QB1 for the rest of the season. Bryce Young may have played his last snap as a Panther.
Down: The Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys did make things interesting in the fourth quarter, turning a 28-6 deficit into a one-possession game before ultimately falling to the Ravens 28-25. But this is the second week in a row they have looked dysfunctional for large parts of the game. They spent so much money this off-season, but they still look like a team that isn’t ready to compete for a championship. Mike McCarthy may be putting his house up for sale in the coming months.