Week 3 has a way of clearing the fog. The league stops feeling like an extended warmup and starts looking like the real thing, with October and November about to take over the calendar. That’s when teams begin to separate, and when the true Super Bowl contenders start showing whether they can stay in the fight.
After three weeks, the top of the NFL still has a crowded feel, but a few teams have already carved out their place in the conversation. Some handled business.
Others took a hit and still have enough in the tank to stay on the board. Here’s where the contenders stand as Week 3 wraps up.
- Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-1
Jacksonville has already put together two blowout wins in three games, including a Week 3 victory over the New England Patriots. Trevor Lawrence has kept the offense humming with efficient play, and the Jaguars have looked better than most teams so far.
Even so, the roster still feels a little light on high-end talent. That isn’t a fatal flaw, but it is something worth watching. This regime is only in year two, so there’s still time for that part of the build to come together.
- Seattle Seahawks, 2-1
Seattle took a surprising turn in Week 3, losing to the Washington Commanders in Sam Darnold’s return to the lineup. The defense had a rough afternoon, and games like that happen over the course of an NFL season.
One bad result shouldn’t wipe out everything the Seahawks have shown already. They remain one of the league’s stronger teams and have the pieces to repeat as champions. The real test now is how they respond, and this is a well-coached group that should come back with a sharper performance.
- Cincinnati Bengals, 2-1
Cincinnati also got a result that qualifies as a surprise, dropping its Week 3 game to the Pittsburgh Steelers. On paper, the Bengals have more talent than Pittsburgh, but that edge didn’t show up on Sunday. After encouraging defensive showings in Weeks 1 and 2, the Cincinnati defense looked human this time.
The Bengals are still tied for first in the AFC North at 2-1, with Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland all sitting at the same record. Even with the loss, Cincinnati has the roster to win the whole thing and remains a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2026.
In Other News...
Trevor Lawrence Gave Jaguars Fans One Strange Moment To Debate
Trevor Lawrences strong Sunday helped the Jaguars put the Patriots away in a 35-6 rout, with the quarterback finishing 19 of 29 for 182 yards and three touchdowns. Jacksonville had control for most of the afternoon, and New England never found much rhythm as Drake Mayes turnovers piled up in a difficult start to the season.
Still, the most debated moment may have come late, when Lawrence dropped to a knee at the 1-yard line and left plenty of fans trying to figure out the logic behind it. The Jaguars were long past needing style points, but the decision created a strange little postgame discussion anyway, one that stood out almost as much as the score itself. [Read more 🡒]
Josh Hines-Allen Sideline Scuffle Took A Strange Jaguars Turn
Travis Hunters first career interception was supposed to be the headline from Sunday, but the scene around it quickly turned into something else. On the sideline, Josh Hines-Allen got caught in a brief scuffle over the football, with the moment featuring a tug-of-war and a shove as the plays souvenir became the center of attention.
Liam Coen said the situation appears to be resolved, but the oddest part still hangs out there: even the person on the other end of the exchange has not been clearly identified by either team. An unconfirmed report from TMZ Sports suggested the individual may have been with the Patriots rather than the Jaguars, which only adds another layer to a strange post-interception sequence that left more questions than answers. [Read more 🡒]
Cam Little Just Reminded Jaguars Fans What Might Be Coming
Cam Little gave Jaguars fans a quick reminder of just how far his range can stretch when he sent up a 70-yard field goal try against the New England Patriots. It came up just short, but the attempt itself was eye-catching in its own right, especially coming from the kicker who already owns the NFL record for the longest field goal at 68 yards.
The miss did not change the bigger picture around Little, who has already shown he belongs in rare territory for leg strength. With a new NFL rule about kicking footballs also in the mix, the possibility of even longer field goals is suddenly part of the conversation, and Jacksonville has a front-row seat to whatever comes next. [Read more 🡒]