Week 3 might go a good distance towards figuring out how groups will end this season.
At house in opposition to the Washington Commanders, the determined Cincinnati Bengals (0-2) — who misplaced a Week 2 heartbreaker at Kansas Metropolis — ought to get properly. In the meantime, the 0-2 Denver Broncos, 0-2 Indianapolis Colts and 0-2 Jacksonville Jaguars seem like at a season’s crossroads already.
Forward of Week 3, Yardbarker NFL writers supply a prediction for each AFC staff.
BUFFALO BILLS (2-0) | Payments dominate Jaguars behind RB James Prepare dinner’s stellar encore | Prepare dinner’s three first-half touchdowns propelled Buffalo to a blowout win over Miami in Week 2, and the staff will certainly lean on him closely once more at house in opposition to Jacksonville, which has already allowed 273 yards to running backs. If Jaguars HC Doug Pederson is not already on the new seat, he certainly will probably be after Prepare dinner rushes for 120 yards and two touchdowns on this “Monday Night time Soccer” matchup.
MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-1) | RB De’Von Achane leads staff in receptions, receiving yards | With QB Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) on injured reserve, backup Skylar Thompson will begin Sunday’s highway matchup in opposition to Seattle, which does not bode properly for the manufacturing of wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Achane (132.5 all-purpose yards per recreation), although, might in the end grow to be the focus of Miami’s passing assault. He caught four of Thompson’s eight completions in Week 2.
NEW YORK JETS (1-1) | WR Garrett Wilson delivers breakout efficiency | The 2022 Offensive Rookie of the 12 months hasn’t made a lot of an impression to start the season, catching 10 passes for 117 yards. Count on issues to vary at house on “Thursday Night time Soccer” in opposition to a Patriots protection that allowed 327 yards and one landing passing in Week 2 in opposition to Seattle. Wilson will cross the 100-yard plateau and rating a TD for the primary time in 2024.
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-1) | Requires rookie QB Drake Maye to play get louder | Regardless of main New England to a 1-1 begin, QB Jacoby Brissett hasn’t performed notably properly, as he’s certainly one of just four starters who have not accomplished a go of at the very least 20 yards this season. If Brissett, who had simply 32 passing yards within the second half and extra time within the Week 2 loss to Seattle, struggles Thursday in opposition to a strong Jets protection, New England will really feel strain to show to Maye. — Colum Dell
AFC West
DENVER BRONCOS (0-2) | Offense fails to attain 20 factors for second straight recreation | After a 13-6 loss to the Steelers in Week 2, Denver head coach Sean Payton admitted he should discover solutions for his inept offense. Via two video games, the Broncos rank thirtieth within the league in factors (13 PPG). Nevertheless, don’t anticipate Payton to resolve the unit’s issues in Sunday’s highway recreation in opposition to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are tied for sixth in the league in factors allowed (18 PPG).
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-0) | Rookie RB Carson Steele rushes for 50-plus yards |In a Monday news conference, head coach Andy Reid mentioned Steele should assist Okay.C. change beginning RB Isiah Pacheco, who is predicted to overlook six to eight weeks with a fractured fibula, per ESPN’s Adam Teicher. The undrafted free agent has solely rushed for 27 yards in two video games, however he’ll step up in Sunday’s highway recreation in opposition to Atlanta, which allowed 186 dashing yards in a 22-21 Week 2 win over Philadelphia.
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-1) | DE Maxx Crosby finishes with two-plus sacks | On Monday, Carolina benched second-year QB Bryce Younger, changing him with journeyman Andy Dalton. Dalton has been sacked 348 instances in 14 seasons, sixth among active QBs, so financial institution on Crosby dominating in Sunday’s house recreation.
LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (2-0) | Rookie RT Joe Alt holds edge-rusher T.J. Watt to at least one sack |Per Pro Football Focus, No. 5 general choose Alt has allowed one sack and two pressures in two video games. Though Watt is probably the perfect pass-rusher within the NFL, the rookie gained’t let him wreck L.A.’s offense in Sunday’s highway recreation. — Clark Dalton
AFC North
BALTIMORE RAVENS (0-2) | Protection will get torched once more | The protection has allowed the most passing yards per game (257) within the league by the primary two weeks of the season, and issues will not be any simpler on the highway in opposition to the Cowboys. Dallas QB Dak Prescott might not be having the beginning many imagined (472 passing yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions), however anticipate him and the offense to bounce again in opposition to Baltimore’s underwhelming secondary.
CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-2) | WR Ja’Marr Chase has a 100+ yard outing | The offense has dissatisfied by the primary two weeks, and a giant cause why is the dearth of impression by Chase, who has 10 catches for 97 yards and 0 touchdowns. Nevertheless, that ought to change Sunday when Cincinnati hosts the Washington Commanders, who’ve allowed the 10th-most passing yards per game (227.5) within the NFL. If broad receiver Tee Higgins (hamstring) is out once more, Chase will get much more alternatives.
CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-1) | Protection posts NFL’s first shutout | The protection has uncharacteristically allowed 46 factors by the primary two weeks, however it has an amazing probability to bounce again Sunday at house in opposition to the Giants, who’re averaging the third-fewest points per game (12). With a dominant exhibiting Sunday, Cleveland might closely affect New York to drag the plug on QB Daniel Jones.
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-0) | Host the shortest recreation of the week | The Steelers prefer to run early and sometimes and play good protection and so do the Chargers beneath new head coach Jim Harbaugh. Via the primary two weeks of the season, Pittsburgh has the most rushing attempts (77) within the NFL whereas Los Angeles has the fifth most (71). This recreation will probably be brief, however will it’s thrilling? — Aaron Becker
AFC South
HOUSTON TEXANS (2-0) | Nico Collins tops 100 receiving yards and makes historical past | After posting 135 receiving yards within the Texans’ Week 2 19-13 victory over the Chicago Bears, Collins has at the very least 100 receiving yards in three consecutive regular-season outings relationship to final season. On the highway Sunday in opposition to the Minnesota Vikings, who allowed 11 completions of 10 or extra yards final week, the fourth-year wideout will feast, becoming a member of DeAndre Hopkins (2018, 2015) and Corridor of Famer Andre Johnson (2008) as the one receivers in Texans’ historical past to prime the century mark in four straight games, per Stathead.
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-2) | Protection snaps interception-less streak | The Colts are certainly one of solely 9 NFL groups with out an interception in 2024. They have not recorded one since Week 15 of final season, tied for the longest streak within the franchise’s historical past (5 video games). At house Sunday in opposition to the Chicago Bears, Indianapolis will document a choose in opposition to rookie QB Caleb Williams, whose 5 turnover-worthy throws trails solely Jalen Hurts of the Philadelphia Eagles (six) for essentially the most within the NFL by two weeks, per Pro Football Focus.
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (0-2) | Man protection lets protection down | No NFL staff has performed extra man protection than the Jaguars (63.3 %) this season, and will probably be their undoing in a Week 3 highway recreation in opposition to the Buffalo Payments on “Monday Night time Soccer.” Because the begin of 2023, Buffalo’s Josh Allen is the top-graded QB within the NFL in opposition to Cowl 0, per Dalton Wasserman of PFF.
TENNESSEE TITANS (0-2) | Protection ruins QB Malik Willis’ homecoming | On Sunday, the Titans host the Inexperienced Bay Packers, seemingly with out injured beginning QB Jordan Love for one more week as he continues to nurse an MCL sprain. That can permit Tennessee’s top-ranked defense (206.5 YPG) to lock in on RB Josh Jacobs and arrange an attractive matchup in opposition to former Tennessee QB Malik Willis, who threw for less than 122 yards (12-of-14) in Week 2. — Mike Santa Barbara
