NFL Analysis
9/22/24
8 min read
Biggest Winners, Losers From 2024 NFL Week 3
It was another fantastic week of NFL action, and we saw scoring up for most teams.
What players and teams stood out the most in Week 3? And which ones left a lot to be desired? Here are the biggest winners and losers coming out of Sunday afternoon:
NFL Week 3 Winners, Losers
⬆️Winner: Sam Darnold, QB, Minnesota Vikings
If the season ended today, Sam Darnold would be the unanimous MVP. The former No. 3 overall pick has finally found a home in Minnesota and the Vikings are now 3-0 on the season. After an incredible win against the 49ers last week, the Vikings were even better in Week 3, smashing the Texans in a game that wasn’t even as close as the final score indicates.
While the overall yardage wasn’t fantastic (181 passing yards), Darnold was pretty flawless. He threw four touchdowns against one of the league’s top defenses and now has eight passing touchdowns (two INTs) through three games. His passer rating has eclipsed 109 in each of the three games, and Darnold now has the Vikings atop the NFC North.
He has been a frequent name on this list, but it’s warranted. Each week, his play gets better and better. At this point, it’s fair to wonder if Darnold isn’t one of the top five or six quarterbacks in the NFC this year. He is certainly playing to that level, and things should only get better once Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson return to the lineup.
⬆️Winner: Dallas Goedert, TE, Eagles
The Eagles were in a rough spot in the second half against the Saints. They failed to score a point in the first half, and the offense seemed to be stuck in neutral. Worse yet, DeVonta Smith and Lane Johnson left the game with concussions and did not return. With A.J. Brown (hamstring) missing his second-straight game, the Eagles were decimated with injuries.
But a star emerged to save the day for Philadelphia. Dallas Goedert has had a quiet start to the 2024 season, but he saved his biggest performance for Week 3. The stat line itself is bonkers (10 catches for 170 yards), but that doesn’t even begin to tell the story.
On the biggest drive of the game, Goedert had a 61-yard catch that would set up the winning touchdown on the next play.
Anytime Jalen Hurts needed a conversion, he found Goedert. The Saints could not contain him, and there is no denying that he was the difference on Sunday. His 170 yards were the most ever by an Eagles tight end in a single game.
Without Goedert’s career day, the Eagles would be 1-2, and there would be a lot of questions about Nick Siriani’s game management. Instead, they are 2-1 and are atop the NFC East. Quite a performance by the veteran tight end in a pseudo must-win game.
⬆️Winner: Malik Willis, QB, Packers
When Jordan Love was injured at the end of the Week 1 game against the Eagles, it was fair to wonder how many games the Packers might lose in a row with him on the sidelines. With Malik Willis inserted as the starter, it felt like a given that the Packers would lose multiple games due to their offense.
Willis was fine in Week 2, but he was even better in Week 3. It was clear Matt LaFleur trusted him more against the Titans. While the overall passing attempts didn’t rise, he was much more effective. Willis completed 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards, averaging a whopping 10.6 yards per attempt.
He added 73 yards on the ground and another score. The Packers will win a lot of games with Willis if he can rack up 275 total yards and two touchdowns and not turn the ball over. That is a nearly perfect performance by a backup quarterback. In fact, many teams around the league would love that type of day by their starter.
The Packers should get Love back in Week 4, but with the way Willis is playing, there is no need to rush him unless he is 100 percent healthy. Great job all around by the Packers to ensure that their season didn’t slip away from them after Love’s injury.
>> READ MORE: How Willis Saved Packers' Season
⬇️Loser: Will Levis, QB, Titans
It’s time to be concerned about Will Levis. The talent is undeniable, but he continues to make the same mistakes over and over again. He was baited on a sideline route to DeAndre Hopkins, which was immediately picked off by Jaire Alexander and taken to the house for a touchdown. He had two other turnovers and currently leads the league in giveaways.
The Titans have not scored more than 17 points in a single game this year, and it’s hard for the offense to sustain drives with Levis under center. There is no doubt that the Titans have talent on offense, but Levis continues to be the main issue. It’s true that their offensive line needs a lot of help, but Levis' wild decisions and inconsistencies make this offense hard to watch.
Brian Callahan has committed to Levis as the starter, but after a 0-3 start, you wonder how much longer that’ll be the case. At some point, the Titans might have to make a change before they lose the locker room. It’s that bad in Tennessee right now.
⬇️Loser: The San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers had a bunch of injuries on offense going into Week 3, including Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, and George Kittle. Yet, they were a 6.5-point favorite against the Rams because Los Angeles was even more banged up. Still, the 49ers found a way to lose a game they had no business losing.
Brock Purdy played a really good game, averaging 9.3 yards per attempt through the air and scoring three touchdowns. Jauan Jennings had a career performance, catching three touchdowns and racking up 175 yards. But the 49ers could not get a stop on the other side of the ball. They allowed points on the final four drives of the game, and miscues (missed field goal, fumble, drops, etc) allowed the Rams to stay in this game.
San Francisco should be fine in the long run, especially when Samuel and Kittle return to the lineup. However, the 49ers have a tough schedule coming up, and giving away games early in the season could prove to be costly by the end of the year.
There was no excuse for the 49ers to lose this game, especially after taking a 10-point lead with under 12 minutes left in the fourth quarter.
⬇️Loser: Bryce Young, QB, Panthers
Is it fair to put a player on this list who never took a snap in Week 3? Probably not, but this was not a good week for Bryce Young. Not only was he benched for a 36-year-old Andy Dalton, but the Panthers were significantly better with Young off the field.
The Panthers scored a week-high 36 points on Sunday, and Dalton threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns against the Raiders in Las Vegas. Diontae Johnson had a career-high 122 yards, and the offense clicked in a way that we had never seen from Young during his NFL career.
There were a lot of people questioning the decision to bench Young, but it’s hard to blame them now. It’s clear that the Panthers are a better team with Dalton under center, and that is not great news for Young's long-term prospects.
According to multiple reports on Sunday morning, the Panthers still plan on starting Young again at some point this season. If Dalton continues to play anywhere near this level, there is no chance Young will see the field again this year, barring injury.
Young’s stock was already low after being benched in Year 2, but Dalton's Week 3 performance tanked whatever was left.
