Irritating NFL Week 3 losses: Packers, Rams, Pats, Broncos

Sunday was a day of irritating defeats. Each NFL staff will get upset about dropping, after all, however Week 3 was filled with dramatic collapses, weird endings and a surprising variety of blocked area aim makes an attempt. In a matter of minutes, there was a pair of block-scoop-and-score touchdowns, as Jordan Davis sealed up a comeback win for the Eagles whereas Will McDonald IV appeared to set one up for the Jets.

The Jets could not maintain on to their lead towards Baker Mayfield and the cardiac Buccaneers, and the Texans and Jaguars performed a sloppy recreation through which neither aspect appeared as if it wished to win. However past what the Jets and Texans endured, there have been a couple of groups that went house Sunday night time feeling as in the event that they have been robbed or threw away a recreation through which they have been the higher staff. These infuriating losses hit one other stage.

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Which of these losses was the most irritating? Let’s rank the 4 most agonizing defeats of Week 3, break down what went mistaken and choose essentially the most enraging of the bunch. I will begin with arguably the league’s most spectacular staff by way of two video games melting down in essentially the most unlikely of locations.

Soar to:
Broncos | Packers | Patriots | Rams

Win expectancy peak: 94.0% with 10:59 to go within the fourth quarter

After two weeks of trying like one of the best staff in soccer, the Packers and their ever-growing bandwagon crashed out in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon. As heavy favorites towards the lowly Browns, Matt LaFleur’s staff failed to tug away whereas its protection was dominating. A livid Browns comeback and a mistake from Jordan Love tied the rating, and whereas it seemed as if the Packers had bailed themselves out on the final second, a blocked area aim try and a 55-yard kick by Browns rookie Andre Szmyt was sufficient to humble them.

How did a staff that seemed so dominant towards the Lions and Commanders wrestle to maneuver the ball towards a Browns staff that ranked fifteenth in EPA per play on protection coming into the sport? It misplaced the road of scrimmage.

Partly, that owed to accidents; the Packers acquired starters Aaron Banks and Zach Tom again this week, however Tom performed just one snap earlier than aggravating his indirect harm, and Banks did not return for the second half after reinjuring his groin. However even with Banks on the sector, the Browns merely dominated the Packers up entrance. 4 totally different Packers linemen gave up a minimum of two fast pressures, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats (snaps when the frenzy nearly instantly blows up a play). Myles Garrett unsurprisingly performed effectively, however Browns first-round choose Mason Graham posted a staggering 43% go rush win price on the inside, almost 5 occasions the typical for a defensive deal with.

A Packers passing assault that has picked aside defenses with chunk performs and deep photographs had no time to function. Love’s common go traveled simply 1.6 yards within the air, down from a league-high 12.2 over the primary two video games of the season. He was fully high-quality with out strain, going 14-of-18 for 162 yards. However he was sacked 5 occasions, was pressured on almost 39% of his dropbacks and went simply 4-of-7 for 21 yards below duress.

And although Love has usually prevented errors this season, the 26-year-old selected an inopportune time to throw his first interception of the season. With the Packers dealing with a third-and-3 with a seven-point lead and three:18 to go, Love did not appear to be on the identical web page with slot receiver Dontayvion Wicks. The go wasn’t close to Wicks, and Grant Delpit acquired beneath the ball for a choose. Attending to fourth down and punting in that state of affairs would have pressured the Browns to go the size of the sector to attain a landing and tie the rating; as a substitute, Delpit returned the ball to the 4-yard line. Two performs later, Quinshon Judkins scored to tie it at 10.

Third-and-3 may be a speeding down for the Packers, however their different downside on this recreation was an entire lack of ability to run the soccer, a problem that was additionally current throughout their 2-0 begin. Josh Jacobs had 16 carries for less than 30 yards on this recreation, with a mere 4 profitable runs and minus-25 rush yards over expectation (RYOE), per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. He additionally fumbled on the Packers’ ensuing possession, though replay dominated that he recovered it himself.

Whereas Jacobs had 5 catches for 44 yards, the run recreation has been disappointing in 2025. Jacobs is averaging 3.1 yards per carry. Among the many 20 backs with 40 makes an attempt or extra, Jacobs is final in RYOE and first downs over expectation (FDOE), 14th in success price and EPA, and 18th in first down price. Solely one in all his 58 carries this season has gone for greater than 10 yards — a 15-yard acquire towards the Lions.

Jacobs had a 31-yard catch on a display screen go on this recreation and seemed loads elusive, so I do not assume there is a well being concern. However the Packers merely have not gotten what they want or need from their run recreation, which is dominated and pushed by their lead again. They have been so good inside their passing recreation and on protection over the primary two weeks that it was straightforward to supervise what they weren’t getting on the bottom. Towards the Browns, on a day when the Packers had solely 4 first downs with their speeding assault and sustained just one lengthy drive within the second half, the shortage of a dependable run recreation stung.

The sport script additionally prevented the Packers from leaning into their greatest energy on protection, which has been their go rush. Getting huge leads early towards the Lions and Commanders turned these groups one-dimensional, permitting Micah Parsons & Co. to pin their ears again and go after the opposing quarterback. Coordinator Jeff Hafley can name every kind of enjoyable pressures when the Packers are up by two scores and the opposing staff is in third-and-long.

On Sunday, although, the Packers have been up solely 3-0 till late within the third quarter, when a 14-play drive from Love’s offense lastly delivered a landing go to tight finish John FitzPatrick. In an in depth contest, the Browns caught with the run, and it will definitely paid dividends. Although Cleveland’s offense wasn’t in a position to maintain itself for a lot of the day, Judkins lastly broke off an explosive run within the fourth quarter, selecting up 38 yards on a snap when Inexperienced Bay’s inside linebackers ended up being blocked into one another, leaving no person to scrub up on the second stage. (Earlier than Jerry Jones will get excited, no, the run wasn’t Parsons’ fault.)

The Packers then prolonged that drive with two penalties on third downs. And although a Wyatt Teller chop block pushed the Browns off the aim line, Cleveland kicked a area aim to get to inside one rating. Love’s interception arrange the Browns with the quick area they wanted to tie the rating.

Although a go interference name and a throw to the flat to Tucker Kraft appeared to get the Packers in vary for a blush-sparing area aim, the drive stalled there. Jacobs almost fumbled on first down, then misplaced a yard on second down after Isaiah McGuire stonewalled backup deal with Anthony Belton and prevented Jacobs from getting outdoors. After a 2-yard acquire, the Packers arrange for a 43-yard area aim, just for Denzel Ward to get round Kraft on the tip of the road and block the kick. That was Kraft’s solely snap of the sport on particular groups, because the Packers used FitzPatrick in that very same spot on Brandon McManus’ profitable area aim earlier within the recreation.

The Packers wanted a cease to push the sport to additional time, however they could not get one. Parsons dedicated a impartial zone infraction to begin the drive, one in all a whopping 10 penalties known as on the Packers within the fourth quarter, making them solely the third staff previously decade to commit 10 infractions within the remaining quarter of an NFL recreation. Hafley despatched a six-man blitz on third-and-2, however David Njoku beat Evan Williams to a slant for a primary down, and the Browns spiked the ball with three seconds left. One kick later, the Packers have been 2-1.

Win expectancy peak: 94.4% with 2:30 to go within the third quarter

Can a remaining rating be extra deceptive? Philadelphia’s second blocked area aim of the fourth quarter sealed the Eagles’ victory, however Jordan Davis’ scoop-and-score inflicted what’s going to go down on “SportsCenter with Scott Van Pelt” as one of many worst unhealthy beats of the yr. An Eagles staff that trailed for a lot of the day not solely got here up with a last-second victory but in addition coated the three.5-point unfold with the landing.

9 months after Jalen Carter ended the Rams’ season with back-to-back pressures of Matthew Stafford on the finish of their divisional-round recreation within the snow, Los Angeles was tormented but once more by the Eagles’ inside linemen, this time on particular groups. The Eagles lined Davis and Carter up subsequent to one another over a guard on every of Los Angeles’ failed area aim tries, and their overwhelming measurement and athleticism caved the road in each occasions. Kevin Dotson was overrun on Carter’s block with 8:46 to go. That led the Rams to make use of Beaux Limmer in that spot on the game-winning attempt, just for the utility lineman to be pushed backward and permit Davis to make the game-deciding deflection on the line. It is arduous to dam a type of guys, not to mention maintain your individual after they’re speeding you concurrently.

In fact, the Rams would possibly consider this recreation should not have come all the way down to a blocked area aim. Trailing 26-7 within the third quarter, the defending champion Eagles had been booed off the sector by their very own followers, who have been furiously trying up replacements for offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo after a dismal begin to the day on offense. The Rams have been 31-0 below Sean McVay after they had a three-possession lead within the second half of video games, and no staff had overcome such a deficit through the 2024 or 2025 seasons towards any head coach earlier than Sunday.

To say that issues didn’t look good for Philadelphia can be an understatement. The Eagles have been down star proper deal with Lane Johnson, who left the sport with a neck harm. Substitute Matt Pryor allowed a strip sack to Jared Verse, and the Eagles then benched their backup deal with for Fred Johnson. The Rams scored on six straight possessions, whereas Philly’s six corresponding drives produced zero first downs and minus-10 web yards. The Rams had each little bit of momentum possible.

Nicely, Jalen Hurts would not consider in momentum, and from that time ahead, the quarterback who typically will get criticized or diminished for not having a major résumé of video games the place he has thrown the Eagles again right into a contest did simply that. Over the ultimate 4 drives, Hurts went 16-of-23 for 206 yards and three landing passes. A staff that had seemingly forgotten about A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith all of the sudden discovered its star receivers again and again till Smith caught a fourth-and-goal landing go with 1:51 remaining to take the lead.

The Rams struggled to get constant strain on Hurts throughout that spell, which left their cornerbacks susceptible to bodily mismatches. With Ahkello Witherspoon on injured reserve, the Rams have been pressured to open up enjoying time for Darious Williams, who was a wholesome scratch within the opener and possibly would not be on the roster if the Rams weren’t on the hook for his $8 million assured contract this season. Brown caught a landing go over Williams after which ran away from him on a curl for further yardage, which primarily ended the 32-year-old cornerback’s day.

With Williams out, Hurts and the Eagles’ offense moved on to Emmanuel Forbes Jr., the previous Commanders first-round choose who joined the Rams final yr. Brown gave Forbes suits when the 2 have been within the NFC East collectively in 2023, and Forbes will not have fond recollections of his reunion. Brown picked up a primary down on a third-and-10 curl after which ran by way of a Forbes deal with try for 23 yards. On the fourth-and-goal that flipped the sport, Forbes was in protection within the slot towards Smith, who possible had a two-way go off the road and beat Forbes to the sideline for a landing to take the lead.

Throw in a deep Brown catch over Cobie Durant and a Dallas Goedert seam route that the Rams merely did not observe, and we now have the recipe for a spectacular comeback. The Eagles unlocked their offense by having no selection however to go, which appears exceptional till we contemplate how disappointing the run recreation has been thus far this season. You may perceive why Patullo has leaned on the run and why the Eagles consider it will flip round, however there isn’t any getting across the actuality that it hasn’t been a constructive this season.

Saquon Barkley, who ran for 460 yards in two video games towards the Rams alone final season, is averaging simply 3.3 yards per carry this yr with a 36% success price. After seeming able to breaking a house run on any play final season, Barkley would not have a single run of 20 yards or extra thus far this season. He had 17 such runs through the 2024 common season and added 4 extra through the playoffs.

The Rams did a greater job of sustaining their hole self-discipline and stopping Barkley from attending to the second stage than they did in both of their matchups with the Eagles final season. What they did not do within the second half, although, is seal up the sport. It could be one factor if the Rams have been merely overwhelmed by the Eagles’ protection within the second half and stopped being a menace, however they continued to maneuver the ball and ended up in very advantageous conditions. These spots simply resulted in irritating style.

After the Goedert landing acquired the Eagles again within the swing of issues, the Rams drove to midfield and confronted a third-and-2. McVay known as the very same spot idea that the Dolphins dialed up on the Tua Tagovailoa interception late in Thursday night time’s loss to the Payments, and the Eagles additionally sniffed it out. Stafford wasn’t in a position to get to the again aspect of the play and scrambled for a 0-yard sack. Los Angeles then punted on fourth-and-2 on Philadelphia’s aspect of the sector.

On the subsequent drive, the Rams confronted a third-and-1 on Philadelphia’s 46-yard line, and McVay elected to attempt a deep shot to Davante Adams, which fell incomplete. Coaches often make that decision provided that they’re positive they are going for it on fourth down, however the Rams known as a timeout after the play to make their determination, costing them a stoppage they most likely may have used later within the quarter. McVay did determine to go for it and handed the ball to Kyren Williams, however Davis and Carter each slipped round blocks on the line of scrimmage and met the Rams halfback within the backfield for a loss.

After the Eagles failed on their very own fourth-down shot, the Rams inherited a brief area and drove into area aim vary. Up by 5 with 8:52 to go and dealing with a third-and-2, Stafford took one other shot to Adams downfield, just for his back-shoulder try and be damaged up by Reed Blankenship. Adams versus Blankenship is an effective matchup, and the throw was high-quality, however the Rams promptly had their area aim to go up eight factors blocked by Carter. On the following possession, Williams and Puka Nacua helped push the Rams once more into area aim vary, however Davis sealed a shocking Eagles win.

I am not second-guessing throwing the ball downfield on third-and-short, and the Williams stuff on fourth down proves that the Rams could not depend on simply working the soccer to seal up the sport. This was one of the best efficiency of the three the Rams have placed on towards the Eagles over the previous 12 months, and it will really feel like one which acquired away. In case you watched this and thought the Rams have been the higher staff, you were not the one one.

In a number of key moments, although, the Rams did not have anyone who may block Carter or Davis or anybody who may cowl Brown. They usually could not discover Adams to strike the ultimate blow. That is going to make for a really irritating flight house to Los Angeles, although the Rams should let go of their loss to arrange for an additional undefeated staff: the 3-0 Colts, who head to Southern California subsequent weekend.

Win expectancy peak: 64.4% with 8:20 to go within the fourth quarter

This was a special form of irritating loss. The Packers held a lead for a lot of the day towards inferior competitors earlier than letting the Browns again into the sport late. The Rams have been on prime earlier than blowing issues and acquired again in place to win the sport, solely to have it snatched away on the final second.

The Patriots, then again, by no means led for a single second of their recreation with the Steelers.

As an alternative, the Patriots took defeat from the jaws of victory. Regardless of making it onto Pittsburgh’s aspect of the sector for every of their remaining seven possessions of the sport and advancing contained in the 10-yard line thrice, the Patriots mustered solely 14 factors. Drake Maye’s offense had 26 first downs and outgained the Steelers by 166 yards, however it turned the ball over twice contained in the 5-yard line, two of the Patriots’ 5 giveaways on the day.

This is the place I inform you that there was some unhealthy fortune concerned. The Steelers recovered all 5 of the fumbles on this recreation, 4 of which have been misplaced by the Patriots. In case you’ve been studying for some time, you realize forcing fumbles is a talent, however what occurs after they hit the bottom is usually random. The Patriots have been most likely unfortunate to overlook out on recovering a minimum of one or two of these fumbles, and the Steelers going 5-for-5 most likely determined the sport.

On the identical time, although, is it surprising to see a working again who fumbled seven occasions final season lose two in the identical recreation? Ball safety will need to have been an offseason precedence for Rhamondre Stevenson, however the veteran again misplaced two fumbles in Sunday’s recreation — together with one within reach of the aim line, which the Steelers then recovered to finish a promising drive.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel took Stevenson out for Antonio Gibson, just for him to instantly lose a fumble himself on a carry the place he was falling ahead. Patriots followers clearly need to see extra TreVeyon Henderson, however the second-round choose had a dismal recreation in go safety towards the Dolphins in Week 2 and was afforded solely two snaps as a go blocker on Sunday, seemingly misreading his project on one in all them. The Patriots nonetheless want somebody to be a part of the rotation alongside Henderson, even when Vrabel certainly will not belief Stevenson in a significant spot anytime quickly.

Maye misplaced a fumble on a Nick Herbig strip sack after trying to scramble to increase a play with out ever creating any area or making a decisive transfer. His interception was extra curious, although. On a second-and-goal dropback with 16 seconds left within the first half, Maye was pressured and visibly hit his head on the turf, grabbing it in ache afterward. That sequence ought to have triggered a concussion examination from the impartial neurologist, however Maye stayed within the recreation. He threw an interception on the subsequent play, and whereas correlation is not essentially causation, it is fairly clear that the second-year quarterback should not have been on the sector in that second, no matter whether or not he was truly injured.

With three timeouts, would the Patriots have run the ball and certain kicked a area aim if Joshua Dobbs had been unexpectedly pushed into the sport for Maye? Ought to the Patriots have a minimum of known as a type of timeouts to offer Maye an opportunity to gather himself?

It is a disgrace, as a result of past the interception and the strip sack, Maye was in any other case superb. He went 28-of-37 for 268 yards and two landing passes, together with a powerful efficiency towards the blitz (12-of-15 for 103 yards and a rating). He was repeatedly capable of finding tight finish Hunter Henry, who gave Pittsburgh’s struggling linebackers issues in protection. In a recreation the place rookie left deal with Will Campbell allowed 4 fast pressures, Maye greater than held his personal.

The Patriots aren’t adequate to be sloppy and win, although, they usually have been sloppy on either side of the ball. Along with the turnovers, the Pats had a 17-yard completion wiped off the board by an unlawful man downfield penalty. Holding and pointless roughness calls prolonged and aided a Steelers landing drive. And per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats, the Patriots whiffed on 23.3% of their deal with makes an attempt, which The Athletic’s Nate Tice notes is the second-highest price by any staff in any recreation since 2016.

Pittsburgh will really feel like that is the form of recreation it wins. 5 takeaways? Two sacks from T.J. Watt, who broke his streak of video games with out a takedown at six? Three touchdowns on three journeys contained in the 20 on offense? The one factor lacking for a traditional Mike Tomlin-era victory was a 50-plus-yard area aim from Chris Boswell. Tomlin will most likely be mad they did not get in on the blocked kick parade.

Possibly that is all proper, however regardless of the turnovers, I am undecided the Steelers’ protection is again on its normal observe. It is not going to power 5 takeaways per recreation, and if it hadn’t Sunday, this may need been one other loss. New England racking up 26 first downs, and launching 5 drives of 45 yards or extra is not what good Steelers defenses usually permit in shut video games. It has been a tough begin to life in black and yellow for veteran corners Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey, and Patrick Queen has struggled to reside as much as his contract in Yr 2.

The Steelers deserve the advantage of the doubt, and I’ve religion the protection will spherical into type. I am simply undecided they’re fairly there but, and the Patriots will really feel like they missed a chance to tug out a house victory towards a possible playoff staff within the AFC.

Win expectancy peak: 89.2% with 5:02 to go within the fourth quarter

The ball appeared to hold within the air for minutes. With two minutes to go in a tie recreation, Denver coach Sean Payton trusted that the Chargers would expect one thing nearer to the sticks and dialed up a vertical shot for his quarterback, Bo Nix. With three vertical routes, Nix fired downfield to Courtland Sutton, whose route took him simply previous Chargers cornerback Donte Jackson. A catch would have set the Broncos up for a game-winning area aim and an important win towards their division rivals.

As an alternative, Nix’s go fell simply past Sutton’s fingertips. The Broncos punted and by no means acquired the ball again, as Justin Herbert and the Chargers picked up three first downs earlier than Cameron Dicker’s 43-yard area aim gave Los Angeles a 23-20 victory. In entrance of a Broncos-friendly crowd in Los Angeles, Payton needed to look over towards the opposite sideline and marvel what life may be like if his staff had a quarterback like Herbert below heart.

Herbert did not have an ideal day, tossing an interception and lacking a few throws, however the passes he did make have been spectacular. His landing throw to Keenan Allen to tie the sport with 2:37 to go was top-of-the-line highlights of the younger season; Herbert escaped strain, scrambled away to area and rapidly reset his physique earlier than firing a strike to Allen, who beat oft-targeted Broncos nook Riley Moss. The Broncos’ go rush harassed and beat up Herbert all recreation (5.0 sacks, 14 QB hits), however you may see shoulders drop after the rating. A superb protection had Herbert in its grasp however could not end the job.

Nix was one thing totally different fully. In my colleague Seth Wickersham’s wonderful new guide “American Kings,” he shares a narrative about Payton constructing a system to establish which faculty quarterbacks keep away from errors and unfavorable performs as an try to search out passers who would possibly thrive within the execs. The system helped lead him to Nix, whom the Broncos took within the first spherical of final yr’s draft.

Going through a superb protection, Nix and Payton did an ideal job of avoiding these huge errors. Nix did not flip the ball over and was sacked solely twice for six yards. He ran eight occasions for 33 yards, together with a virtually spectacular run on third-and-13 within the fourth quarter that got here up simply in need of a primary down. By way of minimizing unfavorable performs, Nix did a greater job than Herbert.

When it got here to creating explosive constructive performs, although, the Broncos did not have the identical caliber of QB. Nix did convert a pair of fourth-and-short photographs downfield when the Chargers have been searching for one thing shorter, hitting Sutton with an ideal throw on a 52-yard landing and a 22-yard completion later within the recreation that arrange a brief area aim. Payton is usually cautious to scheme up the shot performs within the offense for moments when the opponent protection is not trying or anticipating to see one thing downfield, and Sunday was no exception.

The issue is that Nix missed quite a few different photographs downfield which may have received the Broncos the sport. On third-and-19, an audacious flea-flicker from Payton sprung two receivers streaking vast open downfield, with Nix overthrowing Marvin Mims Jr. for what ought to have been a 63-yard landing. After a Chargers fumble gave the Broncos a brief area, Nix had Mims working open up the seam for an additional rating however put his throw too far forward of the younger wideout. Toss within the miss to Sutton on the two-minute warning, and the Broncos left three big completions on the sector.

The Ringer’s Sheil Kapadia famous that the Broncos rank thirty first in offensive success price this season, forward of solely the Texans. Groups can run a low success price in the event that they’re hitting explosives often, and the Broncos have gotten some huge runs out of J.Okay. Dobbins and RJ Harvey by way of three video games. However Nix is twenty fifth in QBR and twenty seventh in first down price this season. The Broncos want the massive performs to make something occur on offense proper now, and though Payton was in a position to dial up alternatives, Nix missed one or two too lots of them to tug out a victory towards Los Angeles.

The excellent news for Nix and the Broncos is that their schedule will get a lot simpler within the weeks to come back. Exterior of a Week 5 journey to Philadelphia, they are going to be up towards the Joe Burrow-less Bengals, Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Texans and Raiders earlier than their first matchup towards the Chiefs in mid-November. That is lots of winnable video games, and Nix was superb final season when the Broncos confronted weak competitors and did not ask him to beat prime defenses.

Having a quarterback who can keep away from unfavorable performs is nice, however because the Broncos noticed firsthand Sunday, having one who could make magic occur is a prerequisite if you wish to grasp with the highest of the AFC.