Later today, the Green Bay Packers will host the Chicago Bears to kick off week four of the 2017 NFL regular season. Before we officially turn the page, however, we take one final look back at week two – and we start with the last Thursday night game which was one for the ages.
1. The Rams and 49ers prove that Thursday nighters can be entertaining: Thursday Night Football is not known for being a high quality entertainment product. Instead, the games are often low-scoring or blowout affairs that lack any real thrill. Leave it to two NFC West teams to change this. The game between the Rams and 49ers was a thriller that saw the two teams match each other blow for blow. The Rams came out on top 41-39 but it was also a victory for everyone watching – something that usually cannot be said about a Thursday nighter.
2. Upsets were on the menu: The Jaguars blowing out the previously undefeated Ravens? The Bears beating the Steelers in overtime? The Jets almost shutting out the Dolphins? It was a week full of surprises across the entire league as the old mantra of “any given Sunday” was in full effect.
3. The AFC South is an interesting division: The AFC South features two 2-1 teams and two 1-2 teams, so it once again projects to see a close race to the division crown. The AFC South also features the top two teams in scoring differential, both positively and negatively, in the NFL: The Jaguars are tops in the league with +38, while the Colts are worst with -37. The two teams have yet to play each other.
4. The Bengals still know how to score touchdowns: Entering week three, Cincinnati's offense has not been able to score a touchdown so far this season. It all changed on the team's opening possession against the Packers. Led by new offensive coordinator Bill Lazor, the unit marched 79 yards in 10 plays to take a 7-0 lead. It ultimately would not last but it was a sign of offensive ability that had not been shown by the Bengals since last season.
5. Larry Fitzgerald is by far the Cardinals' best offensive weapon: When Arizona lost David Johnson to injured reserve, wideout Larry Fitzgerald was pushed into the spotlight again. And while he was still relatively quiet in week two, the veteran delivered big time against the Cowboys in week three: He caught 13 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown, proving that he is the most valuable piece in the Cardinals' offensive machinery.
6. The AFC West has some of the best home field advantages... and the Chargers: The Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium is famous for its decibel levels. The Broncos' Sports Authority Field is famous for its elevation. The Raiders' Oakland Coliseum is famous for being the black hole. In short: The division has some of the NFL's top stadium. It also has the Chargers, who play in a soccer stadium since moving to Los Angeles. Against the Chiefs in week three, the home field advantage was quasi non-existent.
7. The Seahawks' defense fails to live up to the hype: When Seattle acquired Sheldon Richardson from the Jets, he added top talent to a defense that was already among the best in the NFL. However, so far, the unit has not yet been able to live up to the hype. Quite the opposite actually, as it delivered one of its worst performances – at least against the run – in recent memory last Sunday against the Titans. With the Seahawks' offense still a work in progress, the defense might be the deciding factor when it comes to reaching the playoffs. However, if it plays like it did in Tennessee, another AFC West team might overtake the 2013 champions.
8. Trevor Siemian remains a roller coaster quarterback: Siemian has looked good for the Broncos early on in the season. However, his week three performance against the Bills showed that he still has some issues especially when it comes to decision making. And unless those issues improve, Denver's offense will continue to be inconsistent.
9. The runoff rule is stupid: The Lions came close to beating the Falcons on Sunday. However, a last-second one-yard touchdown pass was reversed and – to make matters worse – led to a 10-second runoff that robbed the team and the fans from another scoring opportunity. The NFL competition committee would be smart to take a close look at that one during the offseason. Then again, the NFL competition committee has not been famous for its smart decisions in the past. Just ask Bill Belichick.
10. The Raiders offense is not as powerful as it seemed: Despite playing on the road, the Raiders had to be considered the favorites to win in Washington. However, the team was shut down particularly on offense: Oakland gained a mere 128 offensive yards and failed to convert even a single one of its 11 third down attempt. While the unit has looked very good during the first two weeks of the season, it had some major struggles in week three.