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

Sunday was a day of irritating defeats. Each NFL crew will get upset about dropping, after all, however Week 3 was filled with dramatic collapses, weird endings and a stunning 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 onto their lead in opposition to Baker Mayfield and the cardiac Buccaneers, and the Texans and Jaguars performed a sloppy sport wherein neither aspect appeared as if it wished to win. However past what the Jets and Texans endured, there have been a number of groups that went residence Sunday evening feeling as in the event that they had been robbed or threw away a sport wherein they had been the higher crew. 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 flawed and choose probably the most enraging of the bunch. I will begin there, with arguably the league's most spectacular crew by means of two video games melting down in probably 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 the very best crew in soccer, the Packers and their ever-growing bandwagon crashed out in Cleveland on Sunday afternoon. As heavy favorites in opposition to the lowly Browns, Matt LaFleur's crew 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 appeared 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 crew that appeared so dominant in opposition to the Lions and Commanders wrestle to maneuver the ball in opposition to a Browns crew 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 reaggravating his indirect damage, and Banks did not return for the second half after reinjuring his groin. However even with Banks on the sphere, the Browns merely dominated the Packers up entrance. 4 completely different Packers linemen gave up no less than two fast pressures, per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats (snaps when the frenzy nearly instantly blows up a play). Myles Garrett unsurprisingly performed properly, however Browns first-round choose Mason Graham posted a staggering 43% pass rush win rate on the inside, almost 5 occasions the typical for a defensive sort out.

A Packers passing assault that has picked aside defenses with chunk performs and deep pictures had no time to function. Love's common move traveled simply 1.6 yards within the air, down from a league-high 12.2 air yards per throw over the primary two video games of the season. He was fully advantageous 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 beneath 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 going through 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 move wasn't close to Wicks, and Grant Delpit acquired beneath the ball for a choose. Attending to fourth down and punting in that scenario would have pressured the Browns to go the size of the sphere to attain a landing and tie the rating; as an alternative, Delpit returned the ball to the 4-yard line. Two performs later, Quinshon Judkins scored to tie the rating at 10.

Third-and-3 could be a dashing down for the Packers, however their different drawback on this sport was an entire lack of ability to run the soccer, one thing that has been a actuality for them even all through their 2-0 begin. Josh Jacobs had 16 carries for less than 30 yards on this sport, with a mere 4 profitable runs and minus-25 rush yards over expectation (RYOE), per NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. He additionally fumbled because the Packers tried to get into area aim vary on their ensuing possession, although a Browns problem did not yield a transparent restoration for Cleveland.

Whereas Jacobs had 5 catches for 44 yards, the run sport 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 fee and EPA, and 18th in first down fee. Solely one among his 58 carries this season has gone for greater than 10 yards — a 15-yard achieve in opposition to the Lions.

Jacobs had a 31-yard catch on a display screen move on this sport and appeared 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 sport, which is dominated and pushed by their lead again. They had been so good inside their passing sport and on protection over the primary two weeks that it was straightforward to supervise what they weren't getting on the bottom. Right here, on a day when the Packers had solely 4 first downs with their dashing assault and sustained just one lengthy drive within the second half, the dearth of a dependable run sport stung.

The sport script additionally prevented the Packers from leaning into their largest power on protection, which has been their move rush. Getting massive leads early in opposition to 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 all types of enjoyable pressures when the Packers are up by two scores and the opposing crew is in third-and-long.

On Sunday, although, the Packers had been up solely 3-0 till late within the third quarter, when a 14-play drive from Love's offense lastly delivered a landing move 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 many of the day, Judkins lastly broke off an explosive run within the fourth quarter, choosing up 38 yards on a snap when Inexperienced Bay's inside linebackers ended up being blocked into one another, leaving no person to wash 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 brief area they wanted to tie the rating.

Although a move 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 sort out Anthony Belton and prevented Jacobs from getting outdoors. After a 2-yard achieve, the Packers arrange for a 43-yard area aim, just for Denzel Ward to get round Kraft on the top 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 sport.

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 start out the drive, one among a whopping 10 penalties referred to as on the Packers within the fourth quarter, making them solely the third crew previously decade to commit 10 infractions within the last quarter of an NFL sport. 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 had been 2-1.

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

Can a last rating be extra deceptive? Philadelphia's second blocked area aim of the quarter sealed up an 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 dangerous beats of the yr. An Eagles crew which trailed for many of the day not solely got here up with a last-second victory but additionally coated the three.5-point unfold with their 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 sport 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 dimension 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 strive, just for the utility lineman to be pushed backward and permit Davis to make the game-deciding deflection on the line. It is laborious to dam a kind of guys, not to mention maintain your personal after they're dashing you concurrently.

In fact, the Rams would possibly really feel like this sport 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 sphere by their very own followers, who had been furiously trying up replacements for offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo after a dismal begin to the day on offense. The Rams had been 31-0 beneath Sean McVay after they had a three-possession lead within the second half of video games, and no crew had overcome such a deficit throughout the 2024 or 2025 seasons in opposition to any head coach earlier than Sunday.

To say that issues didn't look good for Philadelphia could be an understatement. The Eagles had been down star proper sort out Lane Johnson, who left the sport with a neck damage. Alternative Matt Pryor allowed a strip-sack to Jared Verse, and the Eagles then benched their backup sort out 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 conceivable.

Nicely, Jalen Hurts doesn't believe in momentum, and from that time ahead, the quarterback who usually will get criticized or diminished for not having a big 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 crew that had seemingly forgotten about A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith out of the blue discovered their star receivers time and again till Smith caught a fourth-and-goal landing move 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 had been pressured to open up taking part in time for Darious Williams, who was a wholesome scratch within the opener and doubtless 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 move over Williams after which ran away from him on a curl for additional yardage, which basically ended the 32-year-old cornerback's day.

With Williams out, Hurts and the Eagles' offense moved onto Emmanuel Forbes Jr., the previous Commanders first-round choose who joined the Rams final yr. Brown gave Forbes suits when the 2 had 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 means of a Forbes sort out try for 23 yards. On the fourth-and-goal that determined the sport, Forbes was in protection within the slot in opposition to 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've the recipe for a spectacular comeback. The Eagles unlocked their offense by having no alternative however to move, which appears exceptional till we think about how disappointing the run sport has been thus far this season. You may perceive why Patullo has leaned on the run and why the Eagles imagine it will flip round, however there is not any getting across the actuality that it hasn't been a optimistic thus far this season.

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

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 referred to as the very same spot idea that the Dolphins dialed up on the Tua Tagovailoa interception late in Thursday evening'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 sphere.

On the subsequent drive, the Rams confronted a third-and-1 on Philadelphia's 46-yard line, and McVay elected to strive 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 referred to as a timeout after the play to make their choice, costing them a stoppage they in all probability 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 going through 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 efficient matchup, and the throw was advantageous, 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 upset.

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 the very best efficiency of the three the Rams have placed on in opposition to the Eagles over the previous 12 months, and it will really feel like one which acquired away. Should you watched this and thought the Rams had been the higher crew, 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 residence to Los Angeles, although the Rams must let go of their loss to organize for one more undefeated crew: 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 many of the day in opposition to inferior competitors earlier than letting the Browns again into the sport late. The Rams had been on high 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, however, by no means led for a single second of their sport 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 sphere for every of their last 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, nevertheless it turned the ball over twice contained in the 5-yard line, two of the Patriots' 5 giveaways on the day.

Here is the place I inform you that there was some dangerous fortune concerned. The Steelers recovered all 5 of the fumbles on this sport, 4 of which had been misplaced by the Patriots. Should you've been studying for some time, you recognize forcing fumbles is a talent, however what occurs after they hit the bottom is generally random. The Patriots had been in all probability unfortunate to overlook out on recovering no less than one or two of these fumbles, and the Steelers going 5-for-5 in all probability determined the sport.

On the identical time, although, is it stunning to see a working again who fumbled seven occasions final season lose two in the identical sport? Ball safety should have been an offseason precedence for Rhamondre Stevenson, however the veteran again misplaced two fumbles in Sunday's sport — together with one nearby 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 wish to see extra TreVeyon Henderson, however the second-round choose had a dismal sport in move safety in opposition to the Dolphins in Week 2 and was afforded solely two snaps as a move blocker on Sunday, seemingly misreading his task on one among 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 afterwards. That sequence ought to have triggered a concussion examination from the unbiased neurologist, however Maye stayed within the sport. 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 sphere in that second, no matter whether or not he was really 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 no less than referred to as a kind 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 in opposition to 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 sport the place rookie left sort out Will Campbell allowed 4 fast pressures, Maye greater than held his personal.

The Patriots aren't ok to be sloppy and win, although, they usually had 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 sort out makes an attempt, which The Athletic's Nate Tice notes is the second-highest fee by any crew in any sport since 2016.

Pittsburgh will really feel like that is the form of sport it wins. 5 takeaways? Two sacks from T.J. Watt, who broke his streak of video games with no takedown at six? Three touchdowns on three journeys contained in the 20 on offense? The one factor lacking for a basic Mike Tomlin-era victory was a 50-plus-yard area aim from Chris Boswell. Tomlin will in all probability be mad they did not get within the blocked kick parade.

Perhaps that is all proper, however regardless of the turnovers, I am undecided the Steelers' protection is again on its regular observe. It isn't going to power 5 takeaways per sport, and if it hadn't Sunday, this might 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 enable 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 dwell as much as his contract in 12 months 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 in opposition to a possible playoff crew 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 sport, 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 a vital win in opposition to their division rivals.

As an alternative, Nix's move 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 could be like if his crew had a quarterback like Herbert beneath heart.

Herbert did not have an ideal day, tossing an interception and lacking a few throws, however the passes he did make had been spectacular. His landing throw to Keenan Allen to tie the sport with 2:37 to go was among the finest highlights of the younger season; he 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' move rush harassed and beat up Herbert all sport (5.0 sacks, 14 QB hits), however you would see shoulders drop after the rating. A superb protection had Herbert in its grasp however could not end the job.

Nix was one thing completely different fully. In my colleague Seth Wickersham's glorious new ebook “American Kings,” he shares a narrative about Payton constructing a method to determine which faculty quarterbacks keep away from errors and damaging performs as an try to search out passers who would possibly thrive within the professionals. The method helped lead him to Nix, whom the Broncos took within the first spherical of final yr's draft.

Going through a wonderful protection, Nix and Payton did an ideal job of avoiding these massive 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 an almost 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 damaging performs, Nix did a greater job than Herbert.

When it got here to creating explosive optimistic performs, although, the Broncos did not have the identical caliber of QB. Nix did convert a pair of fourth-and-short pictures downfield when the Chargers had been in search of one thing shorter, hitting Sutton with an ideal throw on a 52-yard landing and a 22-yard completion later within the sport that arrange a brief area aim. Payton is commonly 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 a lot of different pictures downfield which may have gained the Broncos the sport. On third-and-19, an audacious flea-flicker from Payton sprung two receivers streaking extensive 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 one more 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 enormous completions on the sphere.

The Ringer's Sheil Kapadia noted that the Broncos rank thirty first in offensive success fee this season, forward of solely the Texans. Groups can run a low success fee in the event that they're hitting explosives often, and the Broncos have gotten some massive runs out of J.Okay. Dobbins and RJ Harvey by means of three video games. However Nix is twenty fifth in QBR and twenty seventh in first down fee this season. The Broncos want the large performs to make something occur on offense proper now, and whereas Payton was in a position to dial up alternatives, Nix missed one or two too lots of them to tug out a victory in opposition to 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 in opposition to the Joe Burrow-less Bengals, Jets, Giants, Cowboys, Texans and Raiders earlier than their first matchup in opposition to the Chiefs in mid-November. That is plenty of winnable video games, and Nix was superb final season when the Broncos confronted weak competitors and did not ask him to beat high defenses.

Having a quarterback who can keep away from damaging 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.