NFL Week 3: Everything You Need to Know for Sunday's Games
Don't look now, NFL fans, but we're already partway through the third week of the 2015 season.
If you've blinked at all over the past few weeks, you might have missed this.
The New York Giants kicked off Week 3 with a big divisional win over the Washington Redskins on Thursday night. The action will continue on Sunday with 14 more games and some exciting matchups.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens will continue their heated AFC North rivalry, the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins will face off in a physical AFC East throwdown, and the high-flying Pittsburgh Steelers offense will go against the stout St. Louis Rams defense.
We'll also get the year's first matchup between a pair of two-win teams when the Atlanta Falcons face the Dallas Cowboys.
Here's everything you need to know for the third Sunday of NFL football.
Biggest Questions
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Can Anyone Stop Tom Brady?
New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady appears hellbent on embarking on a single-finger-salute tour in 2015. The last time he looked this angry and focused, the Patriots went 16-0 in the regular season.
The Patriots probably don't have quite enough defensive talent to go undefeated through Week 17 again this year, but Brady looks virtually unstoppable right now.
He hasn't been the most efficient quarterback so far. According to Pro Football Focus, that title belongs to Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. However, Brady is on a tear that could become historic.
He's on pace for 56 touchdowns and 6,032 yards this season.
How Much has Brandon Weeden Really Improved Since He Was in Cleveland?
When the Cleveland Browns spent a first-round pick on quarterback Brandon Weeden back in 2012, he became the latest prospect to try his hand at steadying their quarterback position.
Like so many (so many!) quarterbacks before him, Weeden was a flop. His best season was in 2012, when he finished with a passer rating of just 72.6.
However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones saw enough in Weeden to make him a backup. Now he's going to be a starter, at least for the immediate future.
Weeden's biggest issue with the Browns was probably his poor pocket awareness and horrendous footwork. He can sling the ball, but setting up for the throw was often an issue. He couldn't even avoid being sacked by a flag.
Weeden made one start last year and finished the loss with a passer rating of just 55.5.
Given an extended period with which to work in Dallas, can Weeden be a better quarterback this season? This is a big question, but an even bigger one is whether Dallas can keep winning games if Weeden plays like the Cleveland disaster he once was.
Is Drew Brees Nearing His End in New Orleans?
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees hasn't played particularly well (passer rating of 82.0) to this point in the season and suffered a shoulder injury during last week's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Brees has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Carolina Panthers.
Brees is under contract through 2016, but it's fair to wonder if the Saints may soon decide to see what they have in rookie third-round pick Garrett Grayson. Backup Luke McCown will start on Sunday, but he clearly isn't a long-term answer.
If Brees cannot get healthy and find a way to rebound, he might not be the short-term answer.
Can the Eagles Offense Turn Things Around?
Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly is supposed to be an offensive genius. However, the Eagles offense is currently a mess—especially on the ground.
The Eagles rank 29th in scoring with an average of just 17.0 points per game. Philadelphia is currently averaging a pathetic 35 rushing yards per game, last in the league. That's 135.5 yards fewer than the top rushing team, the San Francisco 49ers.
The Eagles are in a hole in the NFC East with a 0-2 record. Even with division-leading Dallas losing its quarterback for an extended period, the Eagles are in serious danger of falling out of the division race early.
Their next challenge is a New York Jets team whose defense has been making opposing teams look silly. The Jets are allowing just 8.5 points per game.
Game of the Day
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What: Atlanta Falcons at Dallas Cowboys
When: 1:00 p.m. ET
Where: Fox
Now that we know the Dallas Cowboys are going to be without quarterback Tony Romo and star receiver Dez Bryant for the next couple of months, this might not seem like a marquee matchup.
However, the Cowboys are talented enough that there should still be plenty of intrigue at AT&T Stadium.
Plus, this is the only game on Sunday that features two division leaders (the Falcons are tied with the Carolina Panthers in the NFC South) and 2-0 teams.
Though there are going to be some questions about how well the Dallas offense can operate, the defense should be sturdy. Pro Football Focus rates the Dallas defense fifth overall among all NFL teams.
There shouldn't be many questions about the Atlanta offense. Quarterback Matt Ryan and receiver Julio Jones have been putting on quite the display thus far in the 2015 season. They have already hooked up 22 times for 276 yards and two touchdowns.
We'll be seeing Brandon Weeden under center for the Cowboys, but Dallas owner Jerry Jones doesn't seem to believe that this is going to spell disaster.
"[Weeden is] a thing of beauty throwing the football," Jones recently told 105.3 The Fan, per Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News. "Frankly, you won't see a more gifted passer."
Whether you agree with Jones or not, the fact remains that a 3-0 team will exit this game.
Stats of the Week
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The number of rushing yards Eagles running back DeMarco Murray is on pace to accumulate this season. He led the NFL with 1,845 yards last season but has just 11 yards on 21 carries this year.
Yards-per-pass average by Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning. This is 2.8 yards per completion less than what he produced last year and the lowest average of his career.
The number of times the Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders all won on the same day. It happened last Sunday. Could this be a sign of change in the NFL?
The number of Times the Jacksonville Jaguars have beaten the Patriots. Their lone victory came at home in a 1999 playoff game. The Jaguars will be trying for their second victory over New England in Foxborough on Sunday.
The number of times Saints quarterback Drew Brees has missed a game due to injury since arriving in New Orleans back in 2006. He will make way for Luke McCown on Sunday.
The number of times quarterback brothers Josh and Luke McCown have started an NFL game on the same day. Backups Brandon Weeden and Jimmy Clausen will also be making starts on Sunday.
Somewhere, Terrelle Pryor is trying to make a roster as a wide receiver.
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Who Is Favored?
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Here are the odds for Sunday's games, via Odds Shark.
| Game Time (ET) | Away Team | Home Team | Favorite |
| 1 p.m. | Cincinnati | Baltimore | Baltimore -2.5 |
| 1 p.m. | New Orleans | Carolina | Carolina -3 |
| 1 p.m. | Oakland | Cleveland | Cleveland -3.5 |
| 1 p.m. | Atlanta | Dallas | Even |
| 1 p.m. | Tampa Bay | Houston | Houston -7 |
| 1 p.m. | San Diego | Minnesota | Minnesota -1 |
| 1 p.m. | Jacksonville | New England | New England -14.5 |
| 1 p.m. | Philadelphia | NY Jets | NY Jets -1 |
| 1 p.m. | Pittsburgh | St. Louis | Even |
| 1 p.m. | Indianapolis | Tennessee | Indianapolis -3 |
| 4:05 p.m. | San Francisco | Arizona | Arizona -7 |
| 4:25 p.m. | Buffalo | Miami | Miami -2.5 |
| 4:25 p.m. | Chicago | Seattle | Seattle -15.5 |
| 8:30 p.m. | Denver | Detroit | Denver -3 |
Matchups to Watch
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The Cowboys Offensive Line vs. Atlanta's Pass Rush
The Atlanta Falcons haven't exactly been dominant on defense, but the team does have a handful of capable pass-rushers—including O'Brien Schofield, Adrian Clayborn and rookie Vic Beasley. You can bet the Falcons try their best to unleash the pass rush on Sunday against the Cowboys.
Quarterback Brandon Weeden will be making only his second start in two years, and he's no escape artist in the backfield. If the Falcons can rattle him, they can likely throw off Dallas' entire offensive game plan.
It won't be easy, though. The Cowboys have one of the better offensive lines in the league. Pro Football Focus ranks Dallas 11th overall in pass protection.
Matthew Stafford vs. the Denver Defense
If the Detroit Lions are going to have any offensive success against the Denver Broncos, it probably is going to come through the air. Right now, the Lions are second-worst in the NFL at running the ball, with an average of just 53.5 yards per game.
However, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford isn't likely to have an easy time trying to move the ball with his arm, either. Denver's pass defense has been one of the top units through the first two weeks of the season.
Pro Football Focus ranks the Broncos first overall in pass rushing and first overall in pass coverage. Stafford has been battered already this year and is listed as questionable with chest and rib injuries.
More bruises could be coming Sunday.
Josh McCown vs. the Raiders Defense
The Raiders vs. Browns tilt isn't likely to excite a lot of people, but it is worth seeing how things play out with Browns quarterback Josh McCown.
He is out of concussion protocol and will get the start over Johnny Manziel, who got his first win as an NFL starter last week.
McCown has a favorable matchup against the Raiders defense, which is rated fourth-worst overall by Pro football Focus. However, he has only been on the field for one drive this season and went 1-10 as a starter last year.
If he struggles and the Browns lose the game, everyone is going to question Cleveland's decision to go back to the journeyman.
Le'Veon Bell vs. the Rams Defensive Front
Steelers running back Le'Veon will be playing in his first game of the season after serving a two-game suspension for violation of the league's substance-abuse policy.
The first opponent he draws is the St. Louis Rams, who have a stout defensive line. In fact, the Rams are rated first overall in run defense by Pro Football Focus. This doesn't mean Bell cannot find success, though.
Washington Redskins running back Matt Jones gashed the Rams for 123 yards and two touchdowns a week ago.
This is going to be a fun matchup to watch and an important one for St. Louis. The Rams defense is also going to have its hands full with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who has 720 yards and four touchdowns this season.
Injury Report
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Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys (IR)
The Cowboys have placed Romo on short-term injured reserve, so he won't appear on the field for at least another two months.
Arian Foster, RB, Houston Texans (doubtful)
It doesn't look like star Texans running back Arian Foster will make his 2015 debut this weekend. According to ESPN.com's Tania Ganguli, head coach Bill O'Brien doesn't expect Foster to play. However, this does mark progress for Foster, who is recovering from a groin injury.
DeMarco Murray, RB, Philadelphia Eagles (questionable)
Murray is officially listed as questionable with a hamstring issue. According to NFL Media's Ian Rapoport, however, Murray is expected to play.
Matthew Stafford, QB, Detroit Lions
Stafford is listed as questionable with chest and rib injuries, but it appears that he will play. According to Mike O'Hara of DetroitLions.com, Stafford was a full participant in Wednesday's practice and looked normal.
Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans Saints (out)
Drew Brees won't play Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. Luke McCown will replace him in the lineup.
Darrelle Revis, CB, New York Jets (questionable)
Revis is listed as questionable, but according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, he is expected to play through his groin injury.
LeSean McCoy, RB, Buffalo Bills (questionable)
McCoy has been dealing with a hamstring issue and only saw a limited role in last week's game against New England. According to Mike Rodak of ESPN.com, though, he did practice on Thursday and is expected to play this week against the Dolphins.
Todd Gurley, RB, St. Louis Rams (questionable)
St. Louis first-round rookie Todd Gurley is officially listed as questionable, but it's looking like he will make his NFL debut on Sunday against the Steelers, according to Joe Lyons of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. He was a game-time decision a week ago.
Alshon Jeffery, WR and Jay Cutler, QB Chicago Bears (out)
The Chicago Bears will be without starting quarterback Jay Cutler and wide receiver Alshon Jeffery. They will both miss Sunday's game in Seattle, according to Kevin Patra of NFL.com.
Ladarius Green, TE, San Diego Chargers (questionable)
Green has suffered two separate concussions this month but is only listed as questionable. According to Eric D. Williams of ESPN.com, he has been practicing in a limited capacity. Green should be a game-time decision.
Expert Predictions
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Each week, we'll take a look at picks and predictions from some of the top Bleacher Report NFL writers. We'll also spotlight the experts' results on a week-to-week basis.
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