Top 50 Most Important Things We Learned from the NFL's Week 3

Weeks 1 and 2 were arguably equally as entertaining as each other, but Week 3 truly topped the two previous ones. 

Week 3 was filled with a bunch of surprises and loads of solid football action—what much more could you ask for? 

Allow me to start off your work week with a quick recap of the 50 most important things that we learned from the NFL's Week 3. 

Frank Gore Is Having a Down Year

Could it get much worse for Frank Gore? 

Entering Week 3, Gore averaged a pitiful 2.5 years on the ground and finished the game with an average of 2.5—at least he's consistent. 

Gore ran for a total of 42 yards of 17 carries while fumbling once. 

Alex Smith May Not Have Flashy Numbers but Is Efficient

It's certainly hard to believe, but Alex Smith and the San Francisco 49ers are winners entering Week 4 after their 13-8 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals.

Smith may not have thrown a touchdown but was efficient as he completed 20 of his 30 passes for 201 yards. 

Andy Dalton Finally Plays Like a Rookie After All

Throughout the first two weeks of the season, Andy Dalton looked like a seasoned veteran with a solid completion percentage of 66.1 and zero interceptions— unfortunately that changed Sunday against the 49ers. 

Dalton completed only 53.1 percent of his passes for a total of 157 yards while being picked off twice and throwing no touchdowns.  

San Francisco Can Win the NFC West

Winning the NFC West may not be an impressive accomplishment, but it guarantees a playoff berth and a home playoff game. 

As of right now, Jim Harbaugh and the San Francisco 49ers are the winning team with a winning record in the West and sitting atop the division at 2-1. 

Blaine Gabbert Can Compete at a High Level as a Rookie

Blaine Gabbert made his first career start in the NFL for the Jacksonville Jaguars but fell short against fellow rookie Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers, 16-10.

Gabbert looked promising in his first ever start as he completed 57.1 percent of his passes for 139 yards while scoring one touchdown and being intercepted once. 

Cam Newton Recorded His First Ever Win as a Starting Quarterback

Cam Newton's first two games as an NFL starting quarterback were almost picture perfect, as he had back-to-back 400 yard passing games but failed to came away with a single victory.

Entering Week 3, Newton and the Panthers were 0-2 but were able to record their first victory of the season over the Jacksonville Jaguars, 16-10. 

Newton wasn't great, but he was good enough to lead Carolina to the victory as he went 18-of-34 years for 158 yards and one touchdown. 

DeAngelo Williams Struggles Continued against the Jaguars

After signing a five-year, $43 million contract, DeAngelo Williams entered 2011 with huge expectations as he was one of the league's highest paid running backs.

Williams has struggled all season, and it got even worse Sunday against the Jaguars as he ran for 18 yards on 10 carries—that's a putrid 1.8 yards per carry average. 

Maurice Jones-Drew Is a Workhorse for the Jaguars

If Maurice Jones-Drew is able to run for 100 yards or more, the Jacksonville Jaguars will be in any game, as they fell short by just six points against the Carolina Panthers Sunday. 

Jones-Drew was simply a workhorse as he ran for 122 yards on 24 carries—a respectable average of 5.1 yards per carry. 

The Detroit Lions Are Playoff Contenders

There is not a single doubt in my mind that the Detroit Lions are playoff contenders, especially after their come-from-behind win over the Minnesota Vikings in overtime, 26-23. 

The Lions are a well-rounded team with a solid defensive attack along with Matthew Stafford's incredible arm and Calvin Johnson. 

If Stafford stays healthy, the Lions will make the 2011 playoffs. 

The Minnesota Vikings Cannot Win with Donovan McNabb

The Minnesota Vikings will enter Week 4 with a disappointing 0-3 record with Donovan McNabb at quarterback—I think it's time to start the rookie, Christian Ponder. 

McNabb threw just his second touchdown on the season against the Detroit Lions, as he completed 22 of his 36 passes for 211 yards while being sacked four times. 

Calvin Johnson Is the Best Wide Receiver in the NFL

I'm sorry Larry Fitzgerald and Andre Johnson, but I think it's safe to say that Calvin Johnson is the best wide receiver in the NFL today.

Megatron caught two touchdown passes as he added seven receptions for 108 yards Sunday afternoon against the Minnesota Vikings. 

Johnson now has scored two touchdowns in every game of the season so far. 

The Vikings Need To Give Adrian Peterson the Ball More

It really bothers me that Minnesota does not give Adrian Peterson the ball more—he is the best running back in the NFL and isn't getting the chance to shine like he should. 

Peterson got only 17 touches in the team's loss against the Lions as he tallied up 78 yards and one touchdown. 

Matthew Stafford Is One of the Best Quarterbacks in the NFL Today

Coming into Sunday's game against Minnesota, Matthew Stafford had thrown seven touchdowns and accumulated 599 passing yards—and he only piled onto those numbers against the Vikings. 

Stafford completed 32 of his 46 passes for 378 yards and two touchdowns.

No. 9 now has 977 yards on the season along with nine touchdowns thrown. 

The Tennessee Titans Have a Legitimate Chance of Competing in the AFC South

It's amazing how a team's best player can perform so poorly but still have a winning record—the Tennessee Titans are the perfect example.

Chris Johnson has been simply horrific this season, but the Titans have somehow managed to go 2-1 in the first three weeks of the season.

CJ2K's struggles continued against Sunday against Denver, as he ran for only 21 yards on 13 carries, an embarrassing 1.6 yards per carry. 

Tim Tebow Should Be Starting Ahead of Kyle Orton

I may be in the minority on this one, but after Kyle Orton's subpar performance in the team's 17-14 loss against the Titans, I believe that Tim Tebow should get a shot at starting quarterback.

Orton may have thrown two touchdowns, but he did throw two costly interceptions while only accumulating 173 yards in the air. 

Who else thinks that Tebow deserves a chance to start? 

Chris Johnson Has Been a Bust so Far This Season

I've been saying this week after week, but I really hope Chris Johnson feels that his new contract was worth holding out all of preseason, because he's literally been a non-factor for the Titans.

Johnson's struggles continue Sunday against the Broncos as he ran for 21 yards on 13 carries. 

Tony Sparno Is on the Hot Seat

Some may feel that Tony Sparano was already on the hot seat entering 2011, but he's on it now more than ever after the team's 17-16 loss against the Cleveland Browns.

The Miami Dolphins now sit at the bottom of the AFC East with an embarrassing 0-3 record, and it's only fair to project that things will only get worse for Sparano and his football team. 

Colt McCoy Is a Winner and a Leader

Colt McCoy may not put up the flashy stats, but there is one thing that he does have, and it's his incredible leadership and his ability to perform well in the clutch.

McCoy made it clear that the whole league is aware of his abilities as he threw the game-winning touchdown to Mohamed Massaquoi with just 43 seconds remaining in the game to give Cleveland the 17-16 advantage. 

McCoy may have only completed 48.7 percent of his passes, but he did throw two touchdowns and played his best when the team needed him the most. 

Chad Henne Is Far Too Inconsistent

Consistency is Chad Henne's biggest downfall. He's either throwing the ball around like an All Pro quarterback, or he's throwing inaccurate passes that most of the time end up being turnovers. 

Henne completed 65.5 percent of his passes in the team's loss against Cleveland as he threw one touchdown but was intercepted with under a minute to go in the game which ended Miami's attempt to get into field goal range. 

Reggie Bush Is Not the Answer to Miami's Running Game

Why is Reggie Bush still a running back? He should have been moved to wide receiver years ago. 

Bush's struggles at running the ball continued in Miami's loss against Cleveland as he averaged a pitiful 2.2 yards on the ground while recording only 24 yards. 

Michael Vick Is Questionable for Week 4's Matchup against the 49ers

Michael Vick has yet to have something go his way this season as he broke his right hand against the New York Giants Sunday afternoon.

In a game where Vick was returning from a concussion that he suffered just a week ago, Vick managed to injure his non-throwing hand, and his status for next week's game is questionable, according to sources. 

Eli Manning Played Like an Elite Quarterback against Philly

It's about time that Eli Manning finally performed at the level that he's capable of performing at as he was practically unstoppable against the Eagles. 

Manning threw a total of four touchdowns as well as recording 254 passing yards and throwing no interceptions on his way to leading the Giants to a 29-16 victory. 

The Eagles Cannot Win without Michael Vick

The Philadelphia Eagles might as well take a knee every play when they're without quarterback Michael Vick.

Backup quarterback, Matt Kafka, filled in for the injured Vick last Sunday against the Falcons and played pretty well but this time around, he was purely awful.

Kafka found a way to be intercepted twice as he threw only a total of seven passes in the team's 29-16 loss. 

LeSean McCoy Is without a Doubt an Elite Running Back

LeSean McCoy did everything he could by putting the team on his shoulders after Michael Vick went down with a broken hand.

McCoy was simply spectacular against the Giants as he ran for 128 yards and one touchdown while reeling in three passes for 13 yards. 

There's no question that McCoy is one of the league's best running backs. 

Victor Cruz Is a Big-Play Threat for the Giants

I want you all to remember the name Victor Cruz.

The New York Giants wide receiver has the talent and upside to be something special in this league, as he displayed his home-run threat skills against the Eagles Sunday afternoon.

Cruz caught just three passes but managed to score two touchdowns while accumulating a phenomenal 110 receiving yards. 

Houston's Defense Still Has Its Weaknesses

The Houston Texans had the league's 15th best defense coming into Sunday's matchup against the New Orleans Saints, but the Saints were simply too much to handle.

Houston allowed a total of 454 yards of total offense354 of those going in the air in the team's 40-33 loss. 

Drew Brees Threw Interceptions but Still Played Like an Elite Quarterback

It's not very common to say that a quarterback had a stellar day when he throws two interceptions, but Drew Brees was incredible in the team's victory over the Texans.

Brees completed 31 of his 44 passes for an incredible 370 yards and three touchdowns while posting a 99.6 quarterback rating. 

Matt Schaub Needs To Be More Accurate for Houston To Beat Good Teams

I am not placing any blame on Matt Schaub, but a 56.4 completion percentage is not going to cut it against a team like the New Orleans Saints.

Despite his lousy completion percentage, Schaub was solid as he threw for 373 yards and three touchdowns. 

Darren Sproles Continues To Be a Big-Play Threat

Darren Sproles success as New Orleans' change-of-pace running back continued Sunday against the Houston Texans as he used his speed to beat the opposing defense.

Sproles ran for 35 yards on just two carries while scoring a touchdown as well as catching six passes for 50 yards. 

I think that it's safe to say that Sproles is a perfect fit on the New Orleans offense. 

The Buffalo Bills Are the Real Deal

A team that started off last season with an 0-8 record, who would have actually thought that the Buffalo Bills would be standing at 3-0 entering Week 4? 

I personally thought that the Bills would finish close to 8-8 in 2011, but I never thought that they'd beat up on the New England Patriots like they did Sunday.

The Bills were facing a 21-0 deficit but found a way to come back and knock off the Patriots 34-31. 

Buffalo is now sitting alone atop of the AFC East—who would have thought? 

If Tom Brady Isn't Perfect, the Patriots Will Lose

It appears that Tom Brady is not perfect after all, as he was intercepted four times against the Bills Sunday—Brady had thrown only four interceptions during all of last season. 

If Brady can't carry the team on his back, then the Patriots are doomed. 

New England's defense isn't good enough to make up for any mistakes that Brady and the offense makes. 

The Patriots could have major problems moving forward. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick Is a Winner

The former Harvard starting quarterback, Ryan Fitzpatrick, could not have predicted a better start to the season than the one right now.

Fitzpatrick got the job done in the team's victory over New England as he threw for 369 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice. 

Fred Jackson Is the League's Best Dual-Threat Running Back

If Fred Jackson can get open space, then he's the NFL's most dangerous and elusive player. 

Jackson cannot only run the ball, as he ran for 74 yards and a score against the Patriots, but he's also an incredible receiver as he caught five balls for 87 yards. 

Jackson ended with 161 yards from scrimmage. 

Rob Gronkowski Is Now One of the League's Top Tight Ends

I can actually sit here and state that Rob Gronkowski is the league's best tight end.

Gronkowski ends Week 3 leading all tight ends with five touchdown receptions, which is just one short of the league's best six by wide receiver Calvin Johnson.

No. 87 has been simply unstoppable for the Patriots this season as he snagged seven passes for 109 yards and two scores. 

The Baltimore Ravens Are Capable of Scoring a Lot of Points

The Baltimore Ravens are known mostly for their suffocating defense, not for scoring a lot of points.

Granted, the Ravens were lining up against the St. Louis Rams, but still, Joe Flacco and the Ravens were able to score 37 points Sunday afternoon. 

Flacco tossed three touchdowns as he led the offense to a grand total of 553 yards on offense. 

The St. Louis Rams Cannot Beat Good Teams

Many believed that I was crazy for saying that the St. Louis Rams would start the season 0-8, but there's a good chance that the team will not have a shot at winning a game until Week 9 against the Arizona Cardinals—which I happened to pick the Cardinals winning that game.

Take a look at the Rams' schedule, they play a lot of good teams and appear to be a below-average squad.

2011 could be a very long year for St. Louis. 

Sam Bradford Isn't Ready To Win Quite Yet

Sam Bradford had an incredible rookie season for the Rams but appears to have his case of the sophomore slumps.

Bradford was simply ineffective against the Ravens defense, as he completed only 50 percent of his passes while being sacked five times and being picked off once. 

The Oakland Raiders Will Compete in the AFC West

Watch out for the Oakland Raiders, they could be the team to beat in the AFC West. 

Oakland shocked the entire city of New York Sunday afternoon as they knocked off the Jets 34-24.

The Raiders will now host the New England Patriots next weekend and will look to prove to the league that they're definitely the team to beat in the West. 

Plaxico Burress Will Produce Solid Numbers in 2011

After spending nearly two years in jail, Plaxico Burress is back with the New York Jets and is a key part of the team's offensive attack.

Entering Sunday's battle with the Raiders, Burress had caught four passes for 72 yards and one touchdown on the season and continued his success Sunday with three receptions for 55 yards and a score. 

Darren McFadden Is Unstoppable

I don't see too many teams stopping Darren McFadden this season as he practically ran all over the Jets' defense. 

McFadden entered Sunday with a phenomenal 5.3 yards per-carry average and only increased that number with his 171 yards on just 19 carries. 

Ryan Mathews Finally Played the Running Back That He Can Be

The San Diego Chargers beat the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday thanks to the running from Ryan Mathews.

Mathews played to his capabilities Sunday as he ran for 98 yards as well as scoring twice and catching four passes for 51 yards. 

149 yards of total offense? Not too shabby. 

The Bears Stand No Chance Against the Packers

The Green Bay Packers could very well end up winning the Super Bowl again this season as they're simply no match for the Chicago Bears and look flat-out unstoppable. 

The Packers knocked off the Bears 27-17 as Aaron Rodgers threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns while completing an incredible 73.7 percent of his passes. 

You cannot get much better than that. 

Chicago's Offense Line Is the Reason Why the Bears Cannot Score Points

It's so frustrating watching the Chicago Bears. The team has so much offensive firepower but cannot score points because their offensive line is putrid. 

Jay Cutler may have thrown for 302 yards but was sacked a total of three times for 24 yards lost. 

Ryan Grant Appears To Be Healthy and Effective

After sitting out all of last season with a broke ankle, Ryan Grant appears to be 100 percent healthy and was very effective in the Packers' win over the Bears Sunday.

Grant recorded 92 yards on the ground on just 17 carries. 

The Seattle Seahawks and Arizona Cardinals Are Two Bad Football Teams

It's amazing how the NFC West can be so dreadful. 

Watching any team from the NFC West is pretty awful, but watching two teams from that division square off is probably the worst thing of all-time—I'd much rather go massage Rex Ryan's feet than watch the Seahawks and Cardinals play.

With that being said, Seattle and Arizona fought it out Sunday afternoon in the Emerald City with the Seahawks walking away with a 13-10 victory. 

Tarvaris Jackson Should Not Be Starting in the NFL

I have official given up on Tarvaris Jackson. 

Believe it or not, I actually had some faith in Jackson when he was traded to Seattle, but now, I have zero faith in him being a productive quarterback in the NFL.

The Seahawks may have won Sunday, but Jackson was awful as he completed 58.1 percent of his passes for 171 yards, zero touchdowns and one interception. 

The Atlanta Falcons Are in a Very Tough Position

The Atlanta Falcons have gotten themselves into some trouble with their recent loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 16-13. 

The Falcons will enter Week 4 with an 1-2 record as they prepare for the Seattle Seahawks. 

Josh Freeman and the Buccaneers Are Ready To Win Now

All you can ask from your quarterback is for him to give it his all and put the team in the best position to win, and that's exactly what Josh Freeman does. 

Freeman may have been intercepted once and failed to throw any touchdowns but led his Buccaneers to a 16-13 victory over their division rivalsthe Atlanta Falcons. 

Curtis Painter Could Be Indy's Starter from Here on Out

Indianapolis Colts starting quarterback Kerry Collins left Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers with a reported possible concussion.

Curtis Painter stepped in and played averaged—he didn't really do anything special. Painter completed five of his 11 passes for 60 yards.

Let's put it this way: The Colts are screwed. 

Mike Wallace Is the League's Best Deep-Threat Wide Receiver

Wide receiver Mike Wallace did everything that he could to bury the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night Football, as Wallace caught five balls for a phenomenal 144 yards and one touchdown.

There is no question in my mind that Wallace is the league's best deep threat—he's simply too big and too fast.