Biggest Stories and Best Highlights from NFL Week 3

On the field, exciting upsets, last-minute comebacks and a game featuring two undefeated squads highlighted the NFL action in the season's third week.

Off the field, President Donald Trump's comments about the league, specifically regarding players who protest social injustice during the national anthem, caused an ardent response.

Here's a look around the league at the biggest storylines and the notable highlights from Week 3 in the NFL.

Players Kneel, Lock Arms, Refuse to Leave Locker Room During National Anthem

While campaigning for U.S. Sen. Luther Strange at a rally in Huntsville, Alabama, on Friday night, Trump spoke out against NFL players' protests. An excerpt is below, per Bryan Armen Graham of the Guardian:

The speech elicited strong statements from the NFL community, which included but was not limited to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, the NFL Players Association and numerous team owners and players.

The Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off in London's Wembley Stadium at 9:30 a.m. ET, and many players either knelt or locked arms during "The Star-Spangled Banner."

Of note, Jaguars owner Shahid Khan, who donated $1 million to Trump's inauguration committee, locked arms with tight end Marcedes Lewis and linebacker Telvin Smith, via Adam Schefter of ESPN:

Protests were widespread at the beginning of the games throughout the league.

Of note, Pittsburgh Steelers players stayed in the locker room during the anthem prior to their matchup with the Chicago Bears, with the exception of left tackle and Army veteran Alejandro Villanueva, who stood outside the tunnel:

The Tennessee Titans and Seattle Seahawks took the same approach, as both teams stayed in their locker rooms prior to their meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.

According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, teams that skip the anthem are subject to fines from the league, but none of the teams that skipped Sunday's anthems are expected to be punished.

Also, per Pro Football Talk, the Miami Dolphins wore T-shirts in support of former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who started the wave of protests during the 2016 preseason.

Following his second touchdown catch against the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. raised his right fist in the air.

Games of the Day

In one of the best comebacks of the season, Aaron Rodgers worked his magic on Sunday afternoon, leading the Green Bay Packers to an overtime victory over the winless Cincinnati Bengals. 

Cincinnati never trailed throughout the entire four quarters of regulation, but a Rodgers touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson tied it up with 21 seconds remaining, and a Mason Crosby kick won it in overtime. Amazingly, it was the first overtime victory of Rodgers' career, and the first for the Packers since 2007 when Brett Favre was still leading the offense in Green Bay.

The Houston Texans were 13.5-point underdogs against the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots, per OddsShark, but they hung tough before losing 36-33.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady found wide receiver Brandin Cooks for the game-winning 25-yard touchdown with 23 seconds remaining:

The Giants overcame a 14-0 deficit and even took a 21-14 lead on Beckham's two touchdowns and Sterling Shepard's 77-yard score, but the Eagles came back and won on a game-ending 61-yard field goal by kicker Jake Elliott, who had nailed a 46-yarder less than a minute earlier:

The Bears pulled off an upset of the visiting Steelers, defeating them 23-17 in overtime on a 19-yard touchdown run by Jordan Howard, who finished with 164 yards from scrimmage and two scores:

The Detroit Lions hosted the Atlanta Falcons in the only game between undefeated teams. Atlanta held on for a 30-26 win, but the game ended controversially.

Down four points, Detroit was driving and had 1st-and-goal at the 1-yard line with just 19 seconds left. After two incomplete passes, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford found wide receiver Golden Tate on a crossing route for what was initially called a touchdown.

Upon further review, however, the officials ruled Tate had not reached the goal line. There were still eight seconds left on the clock, but the officials called for a 10-second runoff, which ended the contest.

As Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press noted, "NFL rules call for a 10-second runoff during late stoppages of play with a running game [clock]."

With the win, the Falcons remained the NFC's only undefeated team.

Underdogs Shake Up NFL Standings

One of the major storylines of the day has been underdogs rising up and pulling off shocking upsets.

Perhaps the most surprising outcome was the previously winless New York Jets taking down the Dolphins 20-6. The Jets defense, which gave up 45 points to the Oakland Raiders a week ago, pitched a shutout until the Dolphins scored on the final play of the game.

The New Orleans Saints also picked up their first victory of the season with an upset of the Carolina Panthers. Quarterback Drew Brees picked apart the Panthers secondary for three touchdowns en route to a convincing 34-13 win over their division rivals.

Other upsets included the Bears snagging their first win over the Steelers, the Buffalo Bills taking down the previously unbeaten Denver Broncos 26-16 and the Jacksonville Jaguars annihilating the previously undefeated Baltimore Ravens 44-7 in London.

Performances of the Day

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Stefon Diggs continued his breakout season with a dominant day against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This 59-yard reception gave him an eight-catch, 173-yard, two-touchdown stat line in a 34-17 win:

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Jacoby Brissett and wide receiver T.Y. Hilton dominated in the first half against the Cleveland Browns. Brissett rushed for two touchdowns, and he found Hilton five times for 145 yards, including a 61-yard score:

Brissett finished with 259 passing yards and a touchdown and also rushed for two scores in a 31-28 win. Hilton finished with seven catches and 153 yards.

Brady threw for five touchdowns and 378 yards.

Two went to Cooks, who caught five passes for 131 yards. Two others went to Chris Hogan, who hauled in four receptions for 68 yards. Tight end Rob Gronkowski caught the other score during an eight-catch, 89-yard day.

Kansas City Chiefs rookie running back Kareem Hunt continued his tear through the league, rushing for 172 yards in a win over the Chargers. His day was capped off by a 69-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the victory for the Chiefs. According to ESPN Stats & Info, Hunt is the first rookie to account for at least 100 yards in each of his first three games since Matt Forte in 2008 with the Bears. 

Plays of the Day

One of the more bizarre plays in recent memory took place at the end of the first half of the Steelers-Bears matchup.

With just six seconds remaining in the second quarter, Chicago blocked a 35-yard field-goal attempt by Pittsburgh kicker Chris Boswell.

Bears cornerback Marcus Cooper Sr. picked up the loose ball and looked like he was about to coast in for a touchdown. However, he slowed down before the goal line and was caught by Steelers tight end Vance McDonald, who knocked the ball out:

Per Jason LaCanfora of CBS Sports, the officials made the following ruling after reviewing the play:

Chicago decided to go for a touchdown from the half-yard line, but a false start forced it back five yards.

The Bears then changed course, and kicker Connor Barth knocked home a 24-yard field goal to give his team a 17-7 halftime advantage.

Beckham made two acrobatic touchdown catches to help erase the 14-0 deficit against the Eagles.

First, he got both feet in bounds—barely—as he caught a 10-yard score from quarterback Eli Manning:

After an Eagles turnover, Beckham capped a four-play drive with a one-handed touchdown grab. The ensuing extra point tied the game:

Injury Report

Panthers wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin left a matchup with the Saints at the end of the first quarter with a left knee injury.

After he caught a four-yard pass from quarterback Cam Newton, his leg got caught underneath him when he was tackled. Benjamin limped off the field and was ruled out for the rest of the game.

Benjamin suffered a torn ACL in the same knee prior to the 2015 season but, according to Rapoport, avoided serious injury on Sunday and will be "fine." 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Lavonte David was carted off the field with an ankle injury, per Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times. He also had his leg rolled up during a tackle attempt.

Per Pro Football Talk, the Bucs "also had defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, defensive end Noah Spence, defensive end Robert Ayers, cornerback Vernon Hargreaves and cornerback Ryan Smith out at various times with injuries."

According to ESPN.com's Jenna Laine, both David and Spence will each undergo an MRI after returning to Tampa to determine the extent of their injuries. Meanwhile, McCoy was seen in the locker room in a walking boot. 

Still To Come: Oakland Raiders Look To Continue Undefeated Season in Washington

The Silver and Black's offensive attack has been on fire to start the year, scoring 71 points in victories over the Tennessee Titans and Jets.

The Raiders seemingly have no weaknesses on offense: The passing and running attacks are crisp, the offensive line is one of the best in the game, and rookie kicker Giorgio Tavecchio has made all 13 of his field-goal and extra-point attempts.

A cross-country trip to Washington, D.C., to face the Redskins, who are coming off a 27-20 road win over the Los Angeles Rams, should be a tough and exciting test on Sunday Night Football. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.