Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Prime Time NFL Football is peak television. It’s the only NFL game on, and the ratings are very good and very high. Every season, fans of all 32 teams anxiously await how many prime time games their teams will get. Five seems to be the magic number, with nine teams getting that number of prime time games this season. But this season, three teams have six prime time games.
In addition to prime time games, there are other standalone games that will happen during the NFL Season. These include the London and Germany games, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, the Saturday before Christmas, Christmas Day, the Saturday triple header in Week 17 and the Saturday doubleheader in Week 18.
Every week, I’ll preview all the prime time and standalone games for that particular week. That includes Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football as well as any other standalone games for that particular week. I’ll include the Top 12 Players for each matchups in addition to my unfiltered analysis.
In Week 3, we’ve got our first Monday Night Football doubleheader of the season. Trevor Lawrence the Jacksonville Jaguars head north to Western New York to battle Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Then, a pair of LSU Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks rumble in the Jungle when Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals host No. 2 overall pick, Jayden Daniels, and the Washington Commanders. Before Monday night, though, we have two other exciting prime time matchups. It starts on Thursday Night Football when Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets host the New England Patriots. Then on Sunday Night Football, the Atlanta Falcons play their first Sunday night home game in five seasons when they host Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs.
This is an incredible week of prime time NFL Football. I’m excited to watch Jayden Daniels play in person Monday night in Cincinnati, and prime time games at Paycor Stadium have become events. And as someone who was born in Atlanta, I’m really excited to see the Falcons play a prime time home game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Not just any home game, though. A home game against the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. So here we go, with our NFL Week 3 Prime Time Games Preview.
Thursday Night Football: New England Patriots @ New York Jets – 8:15 p.m. on Prime Video
Commentators: Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung Westwood One: Ian Eagle, Devin McCourty, Scott Graham
I’ll be quick with this game, since Chiefs-Falcons is the more appealing game. This is the Jets home-opener, and this is the first time Aaron Rodgers will take the MetLife Stadium turf since rupturing his Achilles in Week 1 last season.
While the Jets have more talent, this is not going to be a cakewalk win. The Patriots have shown a lot of fight through the first two weeks of the season. In addition, the Patriots have won eight straight games against the Jets in the Meadowlands.
Top 12 Players in Patriots-Jets
1. Quincy Williams
2. Quinnen Williams
3. Sauce Gardner
4. Garrett Wilson
5. Aaron Rodgers
6. Breece Hall
7. D.J. Reed
8. C.J. Mosley
9. Tyron Smith
10. Keion White
11. Rhamondre Stevenson
12. Marcus Jones
What to Watch for
Watch the battle in the trenches. The Jets bolstered their offensive line in the offseason, and it’s looked okay so far. But that Patriots defensive line is good, and they are well-coached. The Jets
need to get their running game going tonight, like they did against Tennessee on Sunday. That will help Aaron Rodgers not have to throw so many passes.
Game Pick: Jets 23 – Patriots 16
Sunday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs @ Atlanta Falcons – 8:20 p.m. on NBC
Commentators: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic, Scott Graham
When the Falcons take the field on Sunday to host the two-time defending Super Bowl Champions, it will be 2,786 days since Super Bowl LI. Since that night, there have been demons surrounding the Falcons organization. I mean, blowing a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl; I don’t think I know what the magnitude of that is like.
But that’s where Kirk Cousins comes into play. Everywhere Cousins has played in the NFL, he has helped stabilize the organization. Look what he did in Washington. Look what he did in Minnesota. That’s why the Falcons signed him to that massive free agent contract this past offseason.
When the Falcons lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, the Patriots were the dynasty of the NFL. Now, the Chiefs are the dynasty of the NFL. This is the biggest home game for the Falcons since the 2016 NFC Championship against the Green Bay Packers. This is the biggest home game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium history, since the stadium opened in 2017. This stadium has never hosted a game bigger than the one on Sunday night.
The Falcons have had demons surrounding their organization since Feb. 5, 2017. Blowing a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots was a crushing blow to this franchise. In those seven years, a new dynasty has formed in the NFL. Knocking off Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Falcons first Sunday Night Football home game in five years could exorcise a lot of those demons that surround the organization.
Top 12 Players in Chiefs-Falcons
1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Chris Jones
3. Travis Kelce
4. Justin Simmons
5. Jessie Bates
6. Kirk Cousins
7. Chris Lindstrom
8. Bijan Robinson
9. Trent McDuffie
10. Rashee Rice
11. George Karlaftis
12. Drake London
What to Watch for
The Chiefs missing both Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire is going to be a problem. Samaje Perine and Carson Steele are the only healthy running backs the Chiefs have, and that’s in addition to missing Hollywood Brown at wide receiver.
Patrick Mahomes only threw for 151 yards in the Chiefs Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. If the Falcons defense can stop the Chiefs up front, their secondary has the ability to keep Mahomes and the passing game in check.
On the flip side, the Falcons offense is getting better. Kirk Cousins is fully capable of beating any quarterback and team in the NFL, and that includes Patrick Mahomes. The Falcons have the receiving corps to test the Chiefs secondary. Trent McDuffie is a great cornerback, but the Chiefs secondary beyond him is shaky.
If the Falcons can run the ball with Bijan Robinson, they will win this game. We saw what running the ball did for the Falcons on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons will have the Chiefs on the ropes on Sunday night if they can run the ball, and I think they will. This is my upset pick of the week.
Game Pick: Falcons 31 – Chiefs 28
Monday Night Football: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Buffalo Bills – 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Commentators: Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick, Laura Rutledge
Westwood One: John Sadak, Ross Tucker
I’m really praying for the Jaguars, and their fans, going into this game. It’s only two weeks in, and there’s still a lot of season remaining. But the Jaguars are entering a really difficult game in prime time, and they have not offered much hope in their first two games.
Over their last six combined quarters, the Jaguars have just 13 points. Has it been that bad? No. Trevor Lawrence hasn’t thrown an interception this season, but he hasn’t been prolific either. Keep in mind the Jaguars signed Lawrence to a $275 million contract extension this past offseason. This is a game that can make or break the Jaguars season. They have a talented enough roster to compete in the AFC South. Winning at Buffalo- they beat the Bills in London in Week 5 of last year- could be what gets this Jaguars season off the ground.
On the other side, the Buffalo Bills are still the Buffalo Bills. In Week 2, the Bills went into Miami and controlled the game from start to finish. Their 31-10 victory over the Dolphins sent a message that the Bills are still the team to beat in the AFC East and a serious contender in the AFC.
What makes the Bills dangerous is their ability to win without Josh Allen being Superman. The Bills can run the ball- James Cook had three total touchdowns last week- and their defense’s secondary is still really good despite losing three key members this offseason.
Top 12 Players in Jaguars-Bills
1. Josh Allen
2. Josh Hines-Allen
3. Trevor Lawrence
4. Dion Dawkins
5. James Cook
6. Christian Kirk
7. Travis Etienne Jr.
8. Arik Armstead
9. Foyesade Oluokun
10. Devin Lloyd
11. Dalton Kincaid
12. Taron Johnson
What to Watch for
I’m watching the Jaguars offensive line against the Bills defensive line. Buffalo has been getting after the quarterback in their first two games, and that’s a problem for a Jaguars offensive line that has not protected Trevor Lawrence well through the first two weeks. In addition, the Jaguars have not been able to run the ball. Running the ball will serve the Jaguars well in this game, especially after Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for 136 yards in last year’s win over the Bills.
If the Jaguars can run the ball, then that’s going to create opportunities for their receivers. Those receivers will test the Bills new-look secondary. That is where I think Jacksonville has a chance to win this game.
But I’m worried about where the Jaguars are at psychologically. Trevor Lawrence told the media after the game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 that “We suck right now” on offense. That’s not something you want to hear from your franchise quarterback. The Jaguars offense feels stale right now, and that’s not a good thing going into Buffalo for a Monday Night Football game.
Game Pick: Bills 41 – Jaguars 10
Monday Night Football: Washington Commanders @ Cincinnati Bengals – 8:15 p.m. on ABC
Commentators: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner
We should be used to the Bengals starting 0-2. But this 0-2 is different than the last two seasons… in a good way. The Bengals are coming off a really good showing against Kansas City in Week 2, and all signs show Joe Burrow is looking like his old self and the Bengals pushed the ball down the field. Despite being 0-2, the Bengals have shown they can play with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals schedule gets lighter starting with this game on Monday night, and they need to take advantage of that and stack some wins.
Top 12 Players in Commanders-Bengals
1. Joe Burrow
2. Ja’Marr Chase
3. Jonathan Allen
4. Bobby Wagner
5. Trey Hendrickson
6. Terry McLaurin
7. Tee Higgins
8. Jayden Daniels
9. Evan McPherson
10. Sam Hubbard
11. Cam Taylor-Britt
12. Logan Wilson
What to Watch for
The Commanders have two running backs that could give the Bengals defense trouble on Monday night. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler are two very different running backs, and they’re facing a Bengals defense that could be down two defensive tackles in B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankings. Lawrence Guy, who the Bengals signed this week, should come in and help shore up the defense’s ability to stop the run. If the Bengals are able to stop it, they should be in good shape.
On the flip side, the Commanders have two stout defensive tackles that could make it difficult to run the ball: Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. Zach Moss and Chase Brown have the potential to be a good running back tandem. If the Bengals can impose their will on the Commanders defensive line, they will win this game comfortably.
Game Pick: Bengals 34 – Commanders 20
Prime Time NFL Football is peak television. It’s the only NFL game on, and the ratings are very good and very high. Every season, fans of all 32 teams anxiously await how many prime time games their teams will get. Five seems to be the magic number, with nine teams getting that number of prime time games this season. But this season, three teams have six prime time games.
In addition to prime time games, there are other standalone games that will happen during the NFL Season. These include the London and Germany games, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, the Saturday before Christmas, Christmas Day, the Saturday triple header in Week 17 and the Saturday doubleheader in Week 18.
Every week, I’ll preview all the prime time and standalone games for that particular week. That includes Thursday Night Football, Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football as well as any other standalone games for that particular week. I’ll include the Top 12 Players for each matchups in addition to my unfiltered analysis.
In Week 3, we’ve got our first Monday Night Football doubleheader of the season. Trevor Lawrence the Jacksonville Jaguars head north to Western New York to battle Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. Then, a pair of LSU Heisman Trophy winning quarterbacks rumble in the Jungle when Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals host No. 2 overall pick, Jayden Daniels, and the Washington Commanders. Before Monday night, though, we have two other exciting prime time matchups. It starts on Thursday Night Football when Aaron Rodgers and the New York Jets host the New England Patriots. Then on Sunday Night Football, the Atlanta Falcons play their first Sunday night home game in five seasons when they host Patrick Mahomes and the two-time defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs.
This is an incredible week of prime time NFL Football. I’m excited to watch Jayden Daniels play in person Monday night in Cincinnati, and prime time games at Paycor Stadium have become events. And as someone who was born in Atlanta, I’m really excited to see the Falcons play a prime time home game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Not just any home game, though. A home game against the two-time defending Super Bowl champions. So here we go, with our NFL Week 3 Prime Time Games Preview.
Thursday Night Football: New England Patriots @ New York Jets – 8:15 p.m. on Prime Video
Commentators: Al Michaels, Kirk Herbstreit, Kaylee Hartung Westwood One: Ian Eagle, Devin McCourty, Scott Graham
I’ll be quick with this game, since Chiefs-Falcons is the more appealing game. This is the Jets home-opener, and this is the first time Aaron Rodgers will take the MetLife Stadium turf since rupturing his Achilles in Week 1 last season.
While the Jets have more talent, this is not going to be a cakewalk win. The Patriots have shown a lot of fight through the first two weeks of the season. In addition, the Patriots have won eight straight games against the Jets in the Meadowlands.
Top 12 Players in Patriots-Jets
1. Quincy Williams
2. Quinnen Williams
3. Sauce Gardner
4. Garrett Wilson
5. Aaron Rodgers
6. Breece Hall
7. D.J. Reed
8. C.J. Mosley
9. Tyron Smith
10. Keion White
11. Rhamondre Stevenson
12. Marcus Jones
What to Watch for
Watch the battle in the trenches. The Jets bolstered their offensive line in the offseason, and it’s looked okay so far. But that Patriots defensive line is good, and they are well-coached. The Jets
need to get their running game going tonight, like they did against Tennessee on Sunday. That will help Aaron Rodgers not have to throw so many passes.
Game Pick: Jets 23 – Patriots 16
Sunday Night Football: Kansas City Chiefs @ Atlanta Falcons – 8:20 p.m. on NBC
Commentators: Mike Tirico, Cris Collinsworth, Melissa Stark Westwood One: Ryan Radtke, Mike Golic, Scott Graham
When the Falcons take the field on Sunday to host the two-time defending Super Bowl Champions, it will be 2,786 days since Super Bowl LI. Since that night, there have been demons surrounding the Falcons organization. I mean, blowing a 28-3 lead in the Super Bowl; I don’t think I know what the magnitude of that is like.
But that’s where Kirk Cousins comes into play. Everywhere Cousins has played in the NFL, he has helped stabilize the organization. Look what he did in Washington. Look what he did in Minnesota. That’s why the Falcons signed him to that massive free agent contract this past offseason.
When the Falcons lost to the Patriots in Super Bowl LI, the Patriots were the dynasty of the NFL. Now, the Chiefs are the dynasty of the NFL. This is the biggest home game for the Falcons since the 2016 NFC Championship against the Green Bay Packers. This is the biggest home game in Mercedes-Benz Stadium history, since the stadium opened in 2017. This stadium has never hosted a game bigger than the one on Sunday night.
The Falcons have had demons surrounding their organization since Feb. 5, 2017. Blowing a 28-3 lead to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots was a crushing blow to this franchise. In those seven years, a new dynasty has formed in the NFL. Knocking off Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the Falcons first Sunday Night Football home game in five years could exorcise a lot of those demons that surround the organization.
Top 12 Players in Chiefs-Falcons
1. Patrick Mahomes
2. Chris Jones
3. Travis Kelce
4. Justin Simmons
5. Jessie Bates
6. Kirk Cousins
7. Chris Lindstrom
8. Bijan Robinson
9. Trent McDuffie
10. Rashee Rice
11. George Karlaftis
12. Drake London
What to Watch for
The Chiefs missing both Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire is going to be a problem. Samaje Perine and Carson Steele are the only healthy running backs the Chiefs have, and that’s in addition to missing Hollywood Brown at wide receiver.
Patrick Mahomes only threw for 151 yards in the Chiefs Week 2 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. If the Falcons defense can stop the Chiefs up front, their secondary has the ability to keep Mahomes and the passing game in check.
On the flip side, the Falcons offense is getting better. Kirk Cousins is fully capable of beating any quarterback and team in the NFL, and that includes Patrick Mahomes. The Falcons have the receiving corps to test the Chiefs secondary. Trent McDuffie is a great cornerback, but the Chiefs secondary beyond him is shaky.
If the Falcons can run the ball with Bijan Robinson, they will win this game. We saw what running the ball did for the Falcons on Monday night against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Falcons will have the Chiefs on the ropes on Sunday night if they can run the ball, and I think they will. This is my upset pick of the week.
Game Pick: Falcons 31 – Chiefs 28
Monday Night Football: Jacksonville Jaguars @ Buffalo Bills – 7:30 p.m. on ESPN
Commentators: Chris Fowler, Dan Orlovsky, Louis Riddick, Laura Rutledge
Westwood One: John Sadak, Ross Tucker
I’m really praying for the Jaguars, and their fans, going into this game. It’s only two weeks in, and there’s still a lot of season remaining. But the Jaguars are entering a really difficult game in prime time, and they have not offered much hope in their first two games.
Over their last six combined quarters, the Jaguars have just 13 points. Has it been that bad? No. Trevor Lawrence hasn’t thrown an interception this season, but he hasn’t been prolific either. Keep in mind the Jaguars signed Lawrence to a $275 million contract extension this past offseason. This is a game that can make or break the Jaguars season. They have a talented enough roster to compete in the AFC South. Winning at Buffalo- they beat the Bills in London in Week 5 of last year- could be what gets this Jaguars season off the ground.
On the other side, the Buffalo Bills are still the Buffalo Bills. In Week 2, the Bills went into Miami and controlled the game from start to finish. Their 31-10 victory over the Dolphins sent a message that the Bills are still the team to beat in the AFC East and a serious contender in the AFC.
What makes the Bills dangerous is their ability to win without Josh Allen being Superman. The Bills can run the ball- James Cook had three total touchdowns last week- and their defense’s secondary is still really good despite losing three key members this offseason.
Top 12 Players in Jaguars-Bills
1. Josh Allen
2. Josh Hines-Allen
3. Trevor Lawrence
4. Dion Dawkins
5. James Cook
6. Christian Kirk
7. Travis Etienne Jr.
8. Arik Armstead
9. Foyesade Oluokun
10. Devin Lloyd
11. Dalton Kincaid
12. Taron Johnson
What to Watch for
I’m watching the Jaguars offensive line against the Bills defensive line. Buffalo has been getting after the quarterback in their first two games, and that’s a problem for a Jaguars offensive line that has not protected Trevor Lawrence well through the first two weeks. In addition, the Jaguars have not been able to run the ball. Running the ball will serve the Jaguars well in this game, especially after Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. rushed for 136 yards in last year’s win over the Bills.
If the Jaguars can run the ball, then that’s going to create opportunities for their receivers. Those receivers will test the Bills new-look secondary. That is where I think Jacksonville has a chance to win this game.
But I’m worried about where the Jaguars are at psychologically. Trevor Lawrence told the media after the game against the Cleveland Browns in Week 2 that “We suck right now” on offense. That’s not something you want to hear from your franchise quarterback. The Jaguars offense feels stale right now, and that’s not a good thing going into Buffalo for a Monday Night Football game.
Game Pick: Bills 41 – Jaguars 10
Monday Night Football: Washington Commanders @ Cincinnati Bengals – 8:15 p.m. on ABC
Commentators: Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Lisa Salters Westwood One: Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner
We should be used to the Bengals starting 0-2. But this 0-2 is different than the last two seasons… in a good way. The Bengals are coming off a really good showing against Kansas City in Week 2, and all signs show Joe Burrow is looking like his old self and the Bengals pushed the ball down the field. Despite being 0-2, the Bengals have shown they can play with the two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. The Bengals schedule gets lighter starting with this game on Monday night, and they need to take advantage of that and stack some wins.
Top 12 Players in Commanders-Bengals
1. Joe Burrow
2. Ja’Marr Chase
3. Jonathan Allen
4. Bobby Wagner
5. Trey Hendrickson
6. Terry McLaurin
7. Tee Higgins
8. Jayden Daniels
9. Evan McPherson
10. Sam Hubbard
11. Cam Taylor-Britt
12. Logan Wilson
What to Watch for
The Commanders have two running backs that could give the Bengals defense trouble on Monday night. Brian Robinson Jr. and Austin Ekeler are two very different running backs, and they’re facing a Bengals defense that could be down two defensive tackles in B.J. Hill and Sheldon Rankings. Lawrence Guy, who the Bengals signed this week, should come in and help shore up the defense’s ability to stop the run. If the Bengals are able to stop it, they should be in good shape.
On the flip side, the Commanders have two stout defensive tackles that could make it difficult to run the ball: Daron Payne and Jonathan Allen. Zach Moss and Chase Brown have the potential to be a good running back tandem. If the Bengals can impose their will on the Commanders defensive line, they will win this game comfortably.
Game Pick: Bengals 34 – Commanders 20
