Week 3 in the 2026 NFL season already has a jolt of chaos attached to it after the Atlanta Falcons stunned the Green Bay Packers, 35-14, on Thursday night at Lambeau Field. That kind of result tends to scramble the week’s expectations fast, and it also makes room for a few more daring calls.
Last week’s picks landed better than usual, highlighted by the Denver Broncos taking down the Jacksonville Jaguars and snapping the Jaguars’ nine-game regular season winning streak. The Carolina Panthers also handled business with a 34-3 road win at Atlanta, though it did not need overtime. And the New Orleans Saints didn’t just push the Baltimore Ravens - Kellen Moore’s team got the job done without needing extra time against Lamar Jackson and company.
Now the spotlight turns to three more bold Week 3 swings.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers finally find just enough offense to edge the Minnesota Vikings. Todd Bowles’s team faded late last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2019, and now the Bucs are trying to avoid an even uglier early-season trend after dropping their first two games for the first time since 2014.
Minnesota comes in on a seven-game winning streak dating back to last season, and while quarterback Kyler Murray returns for Kevin O’Connell’s club, the real story has been the defense. The Vikings have allowed only two touchdowns in two games.
Baker Mayfield has just one TD pass and four turnovers so far, but this one projects as a tight, low-scoring grind with Tampa Bay doing enough at home to get over the line.
In Rio de Janeiro, the Cowboys and Ravens should deliver one of the weekend’s most intriguing matchups. Both teams are 1-1.
Baltimore opened with a blowout of the Colts in Indianapolis, then let a fourth-quarter lead slip away in a home loss to the Saints. Dallas got shoved around by the Giants in prime time at MetLife Stadium, then steadied itself with a home win over the Washington Commanders.
The Ravens are expected to win here, and Derrick Henry should have a strong day against Dallas’ shaky run defense. Still, Dak Prescott and the pairing of CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens could be enough to make Jesse Minter’s defense sweat.
The loser, as the line goes, will more than likely “Blame it on Rio.”
The Broncos’ ground game is the other big bet, and it comes against a Rams team that has yet to play a truly comfortable game. Sean McVay’s 1-1 club was beaten soundly by the 49ers in Australia, 27-7, then beat a Giants team that lost quarterback Jaxson Dart early on Monday night, rolling to a 28-6 win.
Denver nearly stumbled to 0-2 last Sunday before putting up 14 fourth-quarter points to beat Jacksonville, 20-13. Sean Payton’s offense has only 165 rushing yards through two games, but this feels like a spot where it can finally get loose against a Rams defense that was run over in Australia for 174 yards by a healthier Niners offense.
In Other News...
Buccaneers Veteran Linebacker Gamble Already Looks Like A Serious Problem
The Buccaneers brought in Alex Anzalone to give a defense in transition some much-needed stability after Lavonte Davids retirement, hoping a veteran presence could steady the middle of the unit. Instead, the first two weeks of the 2026 season have brought the opposite kind of attention, with Anzalone drawing widespread criticism for missed tackles and coverage lapses that have stood out on a defense trying to find its footing.
What makes the situation more pressing is how directly those mistakes have affected game outcomes, turning a short-term answer into an early headache for the coaching staff. Tampa Bay is now reportedly weighing whether to bench him, a consideration that says plenty about how quickly the move has gone from a practical fix to a serious problem. [Read more 🡒]
Rond Barber Just Turned Up The Heat On The Buccaneers
The Buccaneers early-season stumble has already created an uneasy feeling around the building, and former Tampa Bay standout Ronde Barber added to it with his blunt assessment of a team that has looked out of sync on both sides of the ball. Through the first stretch of the 2026 season, the issues have been pretty clear: too many mistakes, not enough urgency, and not much to suggest the Bucs have found a steady rhythm yet.
Now the pressure shifts quickly to avoiding an 0-3 start against the Vikings, a place where the margin for error keeps shrinking with every missed assignment and stalled drive. For Tampa Bay, the challenge is no longer just about cleaning up a slow start. It is about finding some traction before the mood around the team gets even heavier. [Read more 🡒]
Bucs Face A New Problem As Baker's Familiar Rival Comes To Town
Baker Mayfield knows Kyler Murray almost as well as anyone in Sundays matchup at Raymond James Stadium. The two were Oklahoma teammates, both went on to win the Heisman Trophy and both were taken No. 1 overall in the NFL draft, so the connection between them runs deeper than the usual quarterback-vs.-quarterback storyline. Mayfield spoke publicly about Murray this week, acknowledging the reputation that follows him while also praising the work ethic that helped shape his path.
It adds another layer to a game the Buccaneers already need. Mayfield and Tampa Bay are still searching for their first win of the 2026 season, while Murray arrives having recently cleared concussion protocol after taking a hit in his Vikings debut. For the Bucs, the challenge is not just stopping a familiar name, but dealing with a player whose familiarity comes with plenty of history and a little extra motivation on both sides. [Read more 🡒]