NFL Wee 3: 5 best games of the weekend
5. Cincinnati Bengals at Carolina Panthers
This game should be higher on paper. The Bengals are surprisingly 2-0 after taking down the Indianapolis Colts and Baltimore Ravens, while the Panthers are sitting at a solid 1-1. So why does it only rank fifth? The lack of sexy players in the game takes it down a few notches. A.J. Green is incredible, but beyond that, the Bengals don’t have an appointment players. The Panthers are very much the same time of team, with Cam Newton and Luke Kuechly as the headliners. As for a football game, though, this will be a terrific matchup.
4. Denver Broncos at Baltimore Ravens
The only reason this ranks fourth and not fifth is because it’s an in-conference game that should have more impact on the final standings. Baltimore gets a mini-bye coming into this contest after losing on the road in Week 2 to the Bengals, while the Broncos are finally going on the road after beating the Seattle Seahawks and Oakland Raiders at Mile High. Many believe the Broncos are a paper tiger, but they can change that perception by going across the country and getting a quality win come Sunday.
3. San Francisco 49ers at Kansas City Chiefs
This might be the highest-scoring game of the week, mostly because of the home team. The Chiefs have averaged a whopping 40 points per game through the first two contests, both wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. Meanwhile, the 49ers are 1-1 after getting right on Sunday against the Detroit Lions. Patrick Mahomes has been nothing short of sensational to this point with a record 10 touchdowns through two games. Can the Niners slow him down, and can Jimmy Garoppolo continue the tradition of torching the Chiefs defense?
2. Pittsburgh Steelers at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers are 2-0? Yes, the Bucs are undefeated and headed into their game with the Steelers on Monday night looking to keep that streak going. Pittsburgh, meanwhile, is 0-1-1 after tying the Cleveland Browns and then giving up 42 points in their home opener to the Chiefs. If the Steelers are going to get off the proverbial mat and show something before it’s too late, they need to win this one on the road. Tampa Bay looks legit, but it also has weaknesses on the back end of the defense. Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster has to get on the same page once and for all.
1. Los Angeles Chargers at Los Angeles Rams
The Rams and Chargers will get after it in the late window, and it should be phenomenal football. The Rams have the league’s best team at the moment after spanking the Raiders and Arizona Cardinals. The Chargers are coming off a win over the Buffalo Bills, and yes, that still counts. A win for Philip Rivers and Co. here would be a huge step in the right direction.
