Three weeks into the NFL season, only two teams are unbeaten following the Giants’ loss Monday night, and only one has started the year 0-3.
That would be the incredibly disappointing Raiders, especially following their offseason acquisition of Aaron Rodgers’ longtime favorite target, stud receiver Davante Adams.
Week 3 featured a puzzling upset (Colts over Chiefs), a potential divisional power shift (Dolphins over Bills) and an ugly step-back game for the Jets following their stunning comeback the previous week.
But these are the five takeaways that jumped out to me as we prepare for the next slate of games beginning Thursday night with an intriguing AFC matchup between the rising Dolphins and the defending conference champs, the Bengals.
Not all is lost for the Giants
The Giants, surprisingly, were unbeaten through two games, but their revamped offensive line was completely overrun in pass protection throughout Monday night’s deserved 23-16 loss to the Cowboys.
Daniel Jones was under heavy pressure throughout, with rookie right tackle and first-round pick Evan Neal enduring an especially rough night against Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence, who recorded three of their five sacks.
Jones actually took care of the ball and toughed out several positive plays while under duress, running for 79 yards and throwing for 196. His late-game interception also was the result of David Sills falling down on a timing route.
The Giants at least can take another encouraging offensive performance by Saquon Barkley (126 total yards and a touchdown) into Sunday’s winnable home game against the Bears, although Sterling Shepard doesn’t look like he’ll be playing after he had to be carted off with what appeared to be a serious non-contact leg injury on the Giants’ final offensive play.
Dolphins are for real, but…
Admit it, you cringed watching Tua Tagovailoa have his head crashed into the turf Sunday and then stumble back toward the ground after getting to his feet late in the second quarter of the Dolphins’ 21-19 win in Buffalo to remain unbeaten.
The third-year QB was almost immediately allowed to continue to start the second half, but the NFLPA is absolutely right in initiating an investigation over whether head-injury protocols were properly followed.
Tagovailoa finished the game and helped the Fish pull out the impressive victory, but the former Alabama star also is dealing with ankle and back issues. He might not be ready with a short week of preparation time for Thursday’s visit to Cincinnati. (Veteran backup Teddy Bridgewater was on the field for three snaps Sunday in Tua’s absence).
Either way, the newly assembled receiver duo of Jaylen Waddle and trade pickup Tyreek Hill remains largely unstoppable, combining for 40 catches for 659 yards (16.5 per) and five touchdowns already.
Even the viral “butt punt” from Sunday — which fittingly caught the attention of ex-Jets QB Mark Sanchez — couldn’t prevent the Dolphins from upending the Bills, who many regarded as the Super Bowl favorites out of the AFC.
He bet on himself, too
Aaron Judge posted a historic season after turning down the Yankees’ spring contract offer, and Lamar Jackson appears intent on showing he’s worth the guaranteed money he sought throughout the offseason by thrusting himself back into the MVP conversation after three games. (Probably alongside Allen and Jalen Hurts).
Jackson accounted for five touchdowns (four passing) in Sunday’s rout of the Patriots, giving him an NFL-best 10 TDs through the air. He’s also exceeded 100 rushing yards in each of the past two games, and he ranks third in the AFC on the ground behind only star running backs Nick Chubb and Jonathan Taylor with a home clash against Allen and the 2-1 Bills on tap in Week 4.
The Chargers are in trouble
Justin Herbert was able to play Sunday despite fractured rib cartilage, but injuries to five other mainstays are threatening to torpedo the Chargers’ chances early in the deep AFC West.
Pro Bowl left tackle Rashawn Slater is done for the year after tearing his left biceps tendon in Sunday’s blowout loss to the improved Jaguars. And on Monday, it was revealed that receiver Jalen Guyton also is out for the season after tearing his ACL on Sunday. Those gut punches came after L.A. already was without its other Pro Bowler on the offensive line — center Corey Linsley, who missed the game with a knee issue — and No. 1 receiver Keenan Allen (hamstring). On the other side of the ball, the Chargers also could be without edge rusher Joey Bosa and $83 million cornerback J.C. Jackson (ankle) this week in Houston.
The Chiefs’ shocking loss in Indy kept the 1-2 Chargers within a game of the divisional lead, with the Broncos also winning their second game with a big performance by their defense in what turned out to be more of a slog-fest than a slugfest in a 12-11 win over Jimmy Garoppolo and the Niners.
Hurts so good
With apologies to John Mellencamp (nee Cougar), Hurts has been far better than good through three games in leading the Eagles to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2016 with a 24-8 win over the Commanders.
Hurts threw for over 300 yards for the second straight game, as the Eagles’ receiver tandem of DeVonta Smith and imported A.J. Brown has been the NFC version of the potent Hill-Waddle combo in Miami.
The Giants (2-1) won’t face Philly until Week 14 (at home on Dec. 11) and Week 18 (on the road on Jan. 8), but the Eagles so far have looked like the most complete team in the NFC East and maybe in the conference under second-year coach Nick Sirianni.
Today’s back page
(Intentionally) walk this way
The Blue Jays’ strategy to intentionally walk Aaron Judge with a base open in the 10th inning paid off Monday night, leading to a 3-2 win in the bottom half to deny the Yankees’ first chance to clinch the AL East title.
Judge’s quest to tie Roger Maris’ league and franchise record of 61 home runs will shift to Tuesday night after he finished 1-for-3 with two walks and two strikeouts — the sixth straight game in which he failed to go deep.
Toronto pitched to Judge throughout the game, but Jays manager John Schneider made the right call in electing to walk the Triple Crown candidate with runners on first and second to load the bases in the 10th before Anthony Rizzo grounded out to end the inning.
Judge, who has stated that he plans to remain in the lineup until the Yankees clinch the division title, will face Jose Berrios on Tuesday night. He is 6-for-18 with one homer in his career against the righty.
Hoop dreams
The Nets and the Knicks held their respective media days on Monday, with the former’s start of training camp noteworthy for who was there and the latter’s opening notable for who was not.
One of the craziest midsummer soap operas in New York basketball history ended with both Kevin Durant (trade request rescinded) and Kyrie Irving (opt-in) staying in Brooklyn, although I still contend that Ben Simmons is absolutely the key to whether the Nets return to contending status.
Kyrie, especially now that there are no longer COVID-19 vaccination restrictions, and KD are known commodities as long as they can remain healthy. Simmons didn’t play at all last year with a holdout and mental-health issues to start the season in Philadelphia and a back injury (that eventually required surgery) after the midseason James Harden blockbuster.
As for the Knicks, obviously they were unable to pull off their targeted trade for homegrown All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who instead was dealt from the Jazz to the Cavaliers. It’s certainly no lock that the return of most of last year’s core — RJ Barrett, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, etc. — and the addition of free-agent guard Jalen Brunson will be enough to vault Tom Thibodeau’s team back into a playoff position following last year’s 37-win, step-back campaign.
We’d also be remiss if we didn’t note the absence of longtime Post beat writer Marc Berman, who publicly announced on Monday his departure after 23 relentless seasons of coverage, most of which were operated within a circus-like atmosphere within the Knicks’ organization.