What a chaotic week 2 we just experienced. So many of the so-called big boys fell in surprise fashion, leaving teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints to enjoy the headlines once again. Baker Mayfield or Derek Carr for MVP?

One concerning trend that appears to be emerging is the decline of passing touchdowns, of which there have only been 69 so far. That is 17 fewer passing touchdowns than the 86 scored after two weeks in 2023, and a whopping 36 fewer than in 2022. Either defenses are catching up, or our quarterbacks are getting worse. Or, maybe, running backs are taking over the sport once again, and we are on track for an old-school season for the ages. It is early, of course, and things might change as soon as next week, but passing production is certainly something to keep an eye on.

And, on the topic of keeping your eye on things, we have been looking ahead to the NFL Game Week 3 slate of games. Will this bizarre start to the season continue, or will normal order return? Here are some of the key games to be excited about.

Houston Texans @ Minnesota Vikings

Date & Time: Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. ET
Venue: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, MN
Broadcast Details: CBS

Game Preview:

We’ll start with an early afternoon clash between two unbeaten teams. Amidst all the talk of concerning quarterback play, C.J. Stroud has picked up right where he left off in his Offensive Rookie of the Year season. Stroud should be considered a front-runner for the MVP Award, so any Houston game is going to be a good watch, and that is definitely the case this week when he faces off against a surging Sam Darnold and his Minnesota Vikings.

It will be entertaining to see how Stroud, who, let's remember, is in just his second season, fares against Brian Flores’ confusing defensive schemes. In Brock Purdy’s own words after their surprise loss to the Vikings, Flores’ scheme is “crazy.” In that game, Flores blitzed Purdy 20 times on 44 dropbacks and clearly got in the quarterback’s head, leading to some rough decisions late in the game. Can Stroud stay focused, see through the disguised coverages, and continue delivering at a high level?

Of course, he is massively helped by having Nico Collins on his side, who has developed into one of the most dangerous wide receivers in the NFL. Add in Stefon Diggs and Tank Dell, and Justin Jefferson on the other side, and this one could be explosive. That should be music to the ears of NFL fans.

Prediction/Analysis:

As hot as the Vikings have been to start the season, and as good of a story Sam Darnold has been, I can’t get away from the Texans. They are just so talented, and they seem so locked in. DeMeco Ryans is a sublime coach, and he has his boys ready to run through a wall. When you consider that Jefferson is going to be limited during the week with an injury, Houston looks like an even likelier winner.

We have spoken a lot about Brian Flores’ “crazy” defense, but DeMeco Ryans will know how to get to Darnold as well. His unit has started the season strong, and I expect them to give Darnold his first rough outing of the season.

Philadelphia Eagles @ New Orleans Saints

Date & Time: Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 1:00 p.m. ET
Venue: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, LA
Broadcast Details: FOX

Game Preview:

This was so close to being another matchup of unbeaten teams, but a last-minute drive from Kirk Cousins deprived the Eagles of the opportunity to start the season 2-0. Instead, they enter this game at 1-1, visiting a 2-0 Saints team that nobody saw coming. All the preseason concerns about the New Orleans o-line, quarterback position, and aging defense have been discarded in an instant, instead providing us with a team that looks like legit contenders. Has the NFC South really gone from the worst division in football to the best?

Derek Carr has been in fine form, completing 77% of his passes for 443 yards and 5 touchdowns, with his 5 passing touchdowns tied for the most in the league along with Baker Mayfield. The revolutionary turnaround can be attributed to the hiring of Klint Kubiak, who has unleashed the Saints’ various weapons in a way that fans could only dream about over the last few seasons. Rashid Shaheed is one of the best deep-threat wide receivers in the entire NFL, combining with Chris Olave and Alvin Kamara to help produce 91 points over the first two weeks. It is going to be fascinating to see if they can make it three in a row against an Eagles side that has had a sloppy and disjointed start to the season, but with some flashes of brilliance as well.

For the Eagles, it was great to see Jalen Hurts running around like a madman again, and while he made some nice throws, the lasting memory from Monday Night Football will be his interception with the game on the line. Hurts was credited with 4 turnover-worthy plays in Week 1, which led to a total PFF offensive grade of just 29.8 for him. He definitely improved in Week 2, but with A.J. Brown set to miss again with an injury, this feels like a dangerous spot for the Eagles.

Prediction/Analysis:

This is an incredibly tough game to pick, but with it being in the Superdome, I will be siding with the New Orleans Saints. The fans have been desperate for this kind of play from their team for years and are frankly in dreamland at the moment.

I expect the Dome to be deafening, leading to another couple of game-changing mistakes from Jalen Hurts. The Eagles' defense has also proven vulnerable so far this year, and I think New Orleans has more than enough weapons to continue racking up the points.

Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys

Date & Time: Sunday, September 22, 2024, at 4:25 p.m. ET
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, TX
Broadcast Details: FOX

Game Preview:

atchup between two playoff teams from last year is a perfect example of how weird this NFL season has been, with both teams coming into this game off surprise losses in Week 2. The Ravens are going to be the team most concerned with their defeat, given that it came against a Las Vegas Raiders team expected to be among the worst in the league this year.

The box score from the Ravens' game against the Raiders doesn’t suggest a team that struggled, with Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers both registering over 80 yards and a touchdown in the rushing and receiving game, respectively. That is what you want to see if you're a Ravens fan. Lamar Jackson also didn’t do too much wrong, but there is no doubt that he and his team were not clinical enough when it mattered. Their punishment is that they will visit Dallas with the very real prospect of an 0-3 record on the cards. That is a level of pressure the Ravens did not want to inflict on themselves in just Week 3.

The Cowboys will also be feeling the pressure, having just been run out of their own building by the New Orleans Saints. This was another game where the quarterback and his offense won’t necessarily feel like they had a stinker; they simply fell foul to another New Orleans offensive explosion in the first half. A 35-16 scoreline made this one feel like it was over before it had really begun. Derek Carr and the New Orleans Saints offense had their way with Mike Zimmer's defense, with their so-called poor offensive line taking Micah Parsons and company out of the game. Dallas will want to bounce back quickly here and get the season back on track against a Baltimore team that is clearly having some early teething issues.

Prediction/Analysis:

I will be siding with the Baltimore Ravens in this one. It is not a confident selection, especially given the uncharacteristic vulnerabilities we have seen from their defense since Mike Macdonald’s departure, but they have one significant factor in their favor: their run game.

Dallas was soft against the run last year and has struggled this year, which is not good when you’re about to go up against the elite combination of Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson. In Week 2, they gave up 115 yards to Alvin Kamara at 5.8 yards per carry in addition to 3 touchdowns. Even Jamal Williams was successful, earning 39 yards from his eight attempts, along with Taysom Hill, who averaged 6 yards from his three carries. If Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson are allowed similar success, this one could get messy for the Dallas Cowboys.

Honorable Mentions

Detroit Lions @ Arizona Cardinals

Monday, Sept 23rd, 8:15 p.m. | FOX

The Lions are licking their wounds after falling to Baker Mayfield’s Bucs, but the Arizona Cardinals proved they aren’t to be messed with this year by putting 41 points on the Rams. This one should be fun!

Author: Venuse, Inc.

Find where to watch Indy Fuel on TV

TV & Streaming Schedule for Indy Fuel

Indy Fuel Schedule