Week 3 of the 2021 NFL season is one fans won’t soon forget.
Between Justin Tucker’s historic 66-yard field goal, to a 109-yard “kick six,” this week featured some historic plays. But it also saw some notable narratives add new chapters as Patrick Mahomes and his suddenly turnover-prone Chiefs lost to Justin Herbert and the Chargers while the Browns and Myles Garrett continued to terrorize quarterbacks — this time Bears rookie Justin Fields, who was sacked nine times in his first career start.
Here’s what you need to know about Week 3 Sunday in the NFL.
Josh Allen shakes off rust to lead Bills to rout of Washington
ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. — Josh Allen quieted his early season critics and own self-doubts by throwing four touchdown passes and scoring another rushing in the Buffalo Bills’ 43-21 rout of the Washington Football Team on Sunday.
Allen, who had been unhappy with his inconsistencies and 56% completion percentage through two games, finished 32 of 43 for 358 yards, while also surpassing the 100-touchdown plateau (including TDs rushing and one receiving) in his 47th career start.
It marked Allen’s fifth career game with four TDs passing and 300 yards passing, one more than the team record held by Hall of Famer Jim Kelly. And Allen’s 2-yard TD run in the fourth quarter was his 26th, breaking the franchise record for quarterbacks held by Jack Kemp.
Allen’s 101 touchdowns rank fourth among Bills quarterbacks, and one behind Kemp.
Tucker’s NFL-record 66-yard field goal lifts Ravens to win over Lions
DETROIT — Justin Tucker set an NFL record with a 66-yard field goal, bouncing it through off the crossbar as time expired to lift the Baltimore Ravens to a 19-17 win over the Detroit Lions on Sunday.
The kick topped the 64-yard field goal Matt Prater made for Denver against San Francisco on Dec. 8, 2013.
Lamar Jackson threw a 36-yard pass to Sammy Watkins on fourth-and-19 to get the Ravens across midfield with 7 seconds left. The superstar quarterback spiked the ball and threw it away on the next two snaps. Then Tucker — who made a 61-yard kick to beat the Lions in Baltimore’s previous visit to Detroit eight years ago — came out and made the record-breaking attempt.
Baltimore (2-1) went into the fourth quarter with a 16-7 lead and ended up trailing in the final minute.
Ryan Santoso made a go-ahead, 35-yard field goal with 1:04 left, giving coach Dan Campbell an opportunity to win his first game with the Lions (0-3).
Cardinals overcome Agnew’s kick-six in victory versus Jaguars
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Byron Murphy intercepted two passes, including one he returned for a touchdown following a botched trick play, and the Arizona Cardinals rallied to beat the skidding Jacksonville Jaguars 31-19 on Sunday.
The Cardinals improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2015. The Jaguars (0-3) lost their 18th straight game, leaving them eight shy of the NFL record for futility.
This one unravelled late.
Jacksonville led 19-10 after James Robinson’s 4-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Coach Urban Meyer got the spark he had been looking for when Jamal Agnew returned a missed field goal a record-tying 109 yards for a score on the final play of the first half.
The Jags had all the momentum and looked like they might end a skid that dates to last season’s opener. But it was all Arizona after Robinson’s first score of the season.
Chargers rally to beat turnover-prone Chiefs in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Chargers capitalized on four Kansas City turnovers, including Patrick Mahomes’ second interception in the closing minutes, and Justin Herbert’s touchdown toss to Mike Williams with 32 seconds to go lifted Los Angeles to a 30-24 victory over the Chiefs on Sunday.
Herbert finished with 281 yards passing and four touchdowns without an interception, outdueling Mahomes in a matchup not only of two of the game’s best young quarterbacks but two teams expected to compete for the AFC West title.
Instead, the Chargers (2-1) won for the third time in four trips to Kansas City to send the two-time defending conference champion Chiefs (1-2) to the division cellar.
Williams finished with seven catches for 122 yards and two TDs. Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen also had TD grabs.
Garrett, Browns rough up rookie Fields in dominant win over Bears
CLEVELAND — Myles Garrett recorded a franchise-record 4 1/2 sacks on Justin Fields and Cleveland brought down Chicago’s rookie quarterback nine times — holding him to one net yard passing — in his first NFL start as the Browns thumped the Bears 26-6 on Sunday.
Garrett had a field day against Fields, who was thrust into the lineup after veteran Andy Dalton injured his knee last week. The Bears (1-2) wanted to be patient and not play the No. 11 overall pick until he was ready.
The Browns (2-1) didn’t cut him any breaks, and their defence, which had been criticized for its performances in the first two games, got it together at Fields’ expense and held Chicago to only 47 yards and six first downs.
The former Ohio State star was under pressure from the start. He completed just 6 of 20 passes for 68 yards. The Bears’ biggest offensive play came on a pass interference that wiped out an interception and gained 48 yards.
Jadeveon Clowney added two sacks for the Browns.
Winston throws two TDs, Saints pick Jones three times in win over Patriots
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Jameis Winston threw two touchdown passes, Malcolm Jenkins returned an interception for a score, and the New Orleans Saints beat the New England Patriots 28-13 on Sunday.
A week after a career-low passer rating Winston showed better command of the offense, completing 13 of 21 passes for 128 yards. Taysom Hill ran for a touchdown and Alvin Kamara rushed 24 times for 89 yards.
Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones entered the day hoping to stretch the field after two games in which the passing attack was mostly underneath. Instead, he found himself under pressure for most of the day and threw three interceptions, two leading to Saints touchdowns. New Orleans sacked Jones three times and hit him 11 times. He finished 30 of 51 for 270 yards and a touchdown.
Saints safety P.J. Williams returned Jones’ first pick of the day 46 yards to set up a 7-yard TD pass by Winston in the second quarter.
Jenkins was the beneficiary of the second INT, snaring a pass bobbled by tight end Jonnu Smith. He returned it 34 yards and put the Saints in front 21-3.
Falcons give Smith first win, beat Giants on Manning’s day
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Younghoe Koo kicked a 40-yard field goal on the final play and the Atlanta Falcons beat the New York Giants 17-14 to give coach Arthur Smith his first NFL win Sunday.
It marked the second straight week the Giants (0-3) lost on the final play of the game.
Matt Ryan hit passes of 28 yards to Cordarrelle Patterson and 25 to rookie tight end Kyle Pitts on the game-winning drive.
Ryan engineered two late drives and threw two touchdowns to rally the Falcons (1-2). It spoiled a day when the Giants retired the jersey of two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning and added his name to the Ring of Honor at MetLife Stadium.
Burrow throws three touchdowns, Bengals drop listless Steelers
PITTSBURGH — Joe Burrow threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns, including two to rookie Ja’Marr Chase, and the Cincinnati Bengals handled the listless Pittsburgh Steelers 24-10 on Sunday.
Burrow connected on a 17-yard strike to Tyler Boyd and found Chase for 34-yard and 9-yard scores as the Bengals (2-1) won at Heinz Field for the first time since 2015.
Facing a pass rush missing injured All-Pro linebacker T.J. Watt, Burrow completed 14 of 18 passes, highlighted by the chemistry he and Chase have quickly rekindled since the Bengals selected Burrow’s former LSU teammate in the first round of the draft.
Ryan Tannehill throws three touchdowns as Titans hold off Colts
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Ryan Tannehill threw for 197 yards and three touchdowns and the Tennessee Titans held off the Indianapolis Colts 25-16 Sunday to grab an early tiebreaker in the AFC South.
The road team had won the previous five games in this division rivalry, but the Titans (2-1) are the defending AFC South champs with a healthy Derrick Henry. The reigning AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year ran for 113 yards, topping the 100-yard mark for a sixth straight division game.
The Colts (0-3) are off to their worst start since 2011. Carson Wentz started after being questionable for Indianapolis with a pair of sprained ankles. He never ran even once, choosing to throw the ball away repeatedly when pressured. He finished with 194 yards passing.
The Titans outgained the Colts 368-265 and won despite three turnovers that Indianapolis turned into 10 points.
