Football

NFL Week 3 Roundup: Best Performances

By Justin Adams Sep 25, 2017
Aaron Rodgers in a 2013 game against the Carolina Panthers. (Photo Courtesy: Mike Morbeck/CC License https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcodeCourtesy)

Week 3 of the NFL slate saw eight unbeaten teams lose their first game, with only the Atlanta Falcons and the Kansas City Chiefs remaining perfect on the season. You can say Sunday’s games should be dubbed “Week 3 walk-off.” The Chicago Bears beat the Pittsburgh Steelers on a TD run by Jordan Howard in overtime, Philadelphia Eagles rookie kicker Jake Elliott booted a game-winning 61-yard field to knock off the Giants and a 40-year-old quarterback that led his team to another last second comeback win. You may have heard of him …..

Tom Brady (25-35, 378 yards, 5 TDs) – Age ain’t nothing but a number for Brady. The 4-time Super Bowl MVP threw for five touchdowns and 378 yards with no picks, carving up the Houston Texans secondary. Brady saved his best heroics for last. Down 33-28 with 2:24 to go, Brady lead the Patriots on a 8-play, 75-yard drive finding Brandin Cooks on a pinpoint 25-yard dart to the left-corner of the end zone to give New England the 36-33 victory.

According to Elias Sports Bureau, Brady becomes the second player age 40 or older in league history to throw five or more touchdown passes in a game, matching Warren Moon’s feat in 1997 when Moon was 41.

Jordan Howard (138 yards, 2 TDs, 5 receptions, 26 yards) – Anytime your starting quarterback can only muster 101 yards through the air, you better have a exceptional running game if you want to win in the NFL. Bears running back Jordan Howard led the combined with rookie tailback Tarik Cohen for 220 rushing yards against the Steel Curtain defense. The most important rush came in OT when Howard scampered 19 yards to the end zone and seal the Bears first win of the season in walk-off fashion.

Jake Elliott (2-3 FG, 61-yard game-winner) – Speaking of walk-off wins, was there a better one than this in Philadelphia?

Eagles rookie kicker Jake Elliott made a 61-yard field goal as time expired to give the Eagles the 27-24 win over the winless Giants. Elliott’s game-winner was the longest field goal by a rookie in NFL history and the longest kick in Eagles history.

Aaron Rodgers (28/42, 313 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT) – Watching the best quarterbacks in the game perform their craft is a thing of beauty and Rodgers did just that on Sunday, bringing his Packers back from a 21-7 deficit to tie the game with :17 left on a TD pass to Jordy Nelson. He then threw a beautiful 72-yard pass to Geronimo Allison to setup the game winning field goal as Green Bay beat Cincinnati 27-24.

Washington Redskins Defense (Held Oakland Raiders to 128 total yards) – The Washington Redskins routed the Oakland Raiders 27-10 under the Sunday Night lights. Washington held Raiders quarterback Derek Carr to 118 yards, intercepted him twice, and sacked him four times.

Honorable Mention:

Kareem Hunt – 172 rushing yards, 1 TDs vs Chargers, Leads NFL in rushing.

Todd Gurley – 133 rushing yards, 2 TDs, 5 receptions for 36 yards, 1 TD vd 49ers.

Stefon Diggs – 8 receptions, 173 yards, 2 TDs

Case Keenum – 25-33, 369 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INT

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