Ten biggest winners and losers from NFL Week 3

Some crazy stuff went down during NFL Week 3 that could have some lasting ramifications throughout the 2016 season.

As we see every week, there were some clear-cut winners and losers, which is the topic we’re about to tackle.

Desperate teams entering Week 3 without wins proved there is no better motivator than the fear of irrelevance. Conversely, one team many figured would be irrelevant this year is rising to the top.

A quarterback under pressure to produce finally came through in a major way, while another facing similar pressure wilted under the spotlight on Thursday night.

These are the biggest winners and losers from NFL Week 3.

Winner: Vikings’ defense dominates Cam and the Panthers

Mike Zimmer is an incredible coach, and he’s been blessed with incredible defensive talent in Minnesota. For the third week in a row and the second time on the road, the Vikings claimed victory thanks to a dominant defensive effort, beating Carolina 22-10.

Cam Newton was sacked a ridiculous eight times, hit 12 times and threw three interceptions on Sunday. The only offensive touchdown mustered by Carolina was a rushing score by Newton, and the Panthers managed just 3.8 yards per attempt on the ground.

Minnesota’s defense has now forced nine turnovers in three games and has scored two defensive touchdowns, among other superlative stats.

This group has also held Aaron Rodgers and Newton to a combined 24 points the past couple of weeks.

These facts are all the more remarkable when you consider this team has lost its starting quarterback and its starting running back (who happened to lead the league in rushing last year) and its starting left tackle. Yet the Vikings are one of the most-impressive teams in the league after three games.

Credit goes to Zimmer for holding the locker room together, and credit goes to the players for buying into his vision wholeheartedly.

The Vikings are for real.

Loser: The Jaguars’ hype train fully off the tracks

Jacksonville was supposed to be better than this. A sexy pick by many as a potential AFC playoff sleeper, the Jaguars have started the season 0-3. Their latest loss came at home  in a close game against the Baltimore Ravens.

At this point, it’s looking like this scribe’s prediction of a 9-7 record is unattainable.

The Jags spent heavily in free agency, bringing in defensive stars Malik Jackson and Tashaun Gipson, running back Chris Ivory and left tackle Kelvin Beachum. They also made a big commitment on defense via the draft.

So far, none of those investments have paid off.

And the primary reason is that third-year quarterback Blake Bortles has been awful. Through three games, he has six interceptions and five touchdowns, putting him on pace for 32 interceptions for the season.

Sunday against the Ravens he threw three interceptions in a close game that Jacksonville should have won. His three picks turned into three points for Baltimore, which won by the final score of 19-17.

If not for an equally lackluster performance by Joe Flacco, who threw two interceptions, Baltimore would have romped.

At this point, any preseason hype that surrounded this franchise has been banished indefinitely. No wonder head coach Gus Bradley — who deserves to be fired — was booed by fans during pre-game introductions.

Winner: Trevor Siemian busts out with first huge game

Heading into Week 3, Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas was frustrated that the offense wasn’t pulling its weight and that he and his fellow receivers were not getting enough looks (more on that here).

It was definitely a message meant in part for second-year quarterback Trevor Siemian’s ears, and he must have taken to heart. He went off Sunday against a tough Cincinnati Benals defense, passing for 312 yards and four touchdowns.

And the best part? Unlike in previous games, Siemian did not turn the ball over once.

Emmanuel Sanders and Thomas combined to catch 15 passes for 217 yards while scoring three of Siemian’s four touchdowns. Tight end John Phillips hauled in the fourth.

It would have been one thing to perform at such a high level against a non-contender. But Cincinnati is routinely one of the league’s best, yet Siemian led a commanding overall performance by the Broncos, who now improve to 3-0.

Loser: Brock Osweiler, Texans worked over by Patriots

On a short week, the Houston Texans were absolutely humiliated by the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football, losing by the score of 27-0.

New England was rolling with a third-string rookie quarterback who ended up tearing a ligament in his thumb. Rob Gronkowski didn’t even play half the offensive snaps. It mattered not. The Pats did whatever they wanted to do, and the Texans were helpless to do anything about it.

In particular, quarterback Brock Osweiler was atrocious. He finished with 196 yards on 24-of-41 passing (4.8 yards per attempt) with no touchdowns an one interception — a number that should have doubled if not for a drop by Malcolm Butler on a potential pick-six.

Osweiler telegraphed his passes. He was tricked into making rookie mistakes. He was exposed as a mediocre passer — at best. Even during the previous two games, which were wins for Houston, Osweiler played poorly for the most part.

With three touchdowns and four interceptions through three games, he’s been more bad than good in 2016. Things can still change, but through 10 career starts it sure looks like Houston’s expensive “franchise” passer will never live up to that moniker.

One person who seems to agree with this is John Elway, who threw some serious shade Osweiler’s way on Friday. It’s safe to say Elway is happy things turned out the way they did, and that these two men will not be sending Christmas cards to one another any time soon.

Winner: Bills get off the schneid with dominant win over the Cardinals

The race for playoff positioning in the AFC is going to be crazy. Buffalo, being in the AFC East, looking at an early 2.5-game deficit after New England’s big win Thursday night, absolutely could not afford to lose a third straight game to start the season.

One of the big questions the Bills had to answer heading into Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals was how the offense would perform under new coordinator Anthony Lynn. Greg Roman was fired by Rex Ryan if you believe him or the owners, via the players, if you believe other reports.

Early in the game, the question about the offense was quickly answered when LeSean McCoy became the focal point. Lynn leaned heavily on his veteran back, who sparked Buffalo to a 17-7 lead at halftime with two spectacular rushing scores (watch here).

McCoy finished with 110 yards rushing on 17 attempts, plus his two first-half scores. Buffalo’s passing game was quiet, but quarterback Tyrod Taylor added another 76 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Buffalo’s defense also answered the call throughout the game, forcing four Carson Palmer interceptions and sacking the veteran four times.

Emphatically capping off the victory, cornerback Aaron Williams scored a special teams touchdown on a botched field goal attempt by Arizona (watch here).

It was a magnificent team effort by the Bills in a game they had to win.

Loser: Fitzmagic forgets the golden rule of football

Turnovers typically define winners and losers at every level of football. Ryan Fitzpatrick did a decent job last year of keeping turnovers in check, finishing with 31 touchdowns and 15 interceptions.

But the career journeyman must have had a backlog of turnovers in his system to balance out the scales.

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It hardly needs to be said, but the Jets had no chance of winning behind Fitzpatrick’s atrocious outing. The Chiefs dominated the game, winning by a score of 24-3.

Through three games, Fitzpatrick now has thrown just three touchdowns but is almost halfway to his interception total of a year ago with seven. That’s not going to win many games.

Maybe being at training camp and attending offseason workouts actually does make a difference. Nah, probably not.

Winner: Carson Wentz for president

It’s easy to rule out one good game when evaluating a rookie, especially a quarterback. It’s harder to say it’s a fluke when a rookie quarterback strings together two excellent games in a row.

Wentz did this, looking like a seasoned veteran through his first two games. However, many (including this scribe) were a bit skeptical because his first two opponents were the Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears — two of the worst teams in the NFL.

But after the Philadelphia Eagles’ rookie quarterback’s masterful performance Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers, there can be no doubt about his potency. Nor can there be any arguing he is the best rookie we’ve seen in a long, long time.

Finishing with 301 yards on 23-of-31 passing with two touchdowns and no turnovers, he was practically perfect Sunday against Pittsburgh.

In particular, his 73-yard touchdown to running back Darren Sproles was a magnificent display of advanced-level quarterbacking.

Evading a strong pass rush, Wentz deftly maneuvered in the pocket, then scrambled out of it to the right side, all the while keeping his eyes downfield. Then, the touch on his pass — perfection.

The scariest aspect of Wentz’s development is that he has gotten better every game so far. Up next for the 23-year-old phenom and the Eagles is a road game in Detroit against the Lions. This is a team that features a terrible pass defense, but it also has its back against the wall after a 1-2 start to the season.

Loser: Jacksonville Blaine Gabbert is back

Through three games it’s crystal clear Gabbert is still not a good NFL quarterback. After playing passably last year in the place of Colin Kaepernick, Gabbert is reverting back to the form we all saw during his first years with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

It’s not pretty.

Nobody expected Gabbert to be phenomenal Sunday in Seattle. After all, the Seahawks still feature one of the league’s best pass defenses. But a pro quarterback, running a quarterback-friendly system like the one Chip Kelly runs, should be able to do better than Gabbert did.

Finishing with just 119 yards on 14-of-25 passing (4.8 yards per attempt), he failed to throw a touchdown and turned the ball over with an interception.

Missing badly on many easy passes, Gabbert felt phantom pressure at times. He was essentially more of a deterrent to success than a guy the 49ers could count on for positive plays.

Then there is this.

It sure seems like it’s Colin Kaepernick time in San Francisco — something we concluded after Week 2. This is a sentiment that we share with Seahawks defensive end Michael Bennett (more on that here).

Gabbert now has averaged just 177 passing yards per game while throwing three touchdowns and three interceptions. The 49ers need to seriously think about making a switch now if winning games is part of their overall plan for 2016.

Winner: Dallas’ rookie duo coming on strong

Yes. It was the Chicago Bears. The Bears aren’t very good. The Dallas Cowboys were at home. All these things made it easier for rookies Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott to thrive, but they still had to execute under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football.

Both young players excelled.

Prescott threw his first career touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to give Dallas a 21-point lead. And wouldn’t you know it? The guy on the other end was none other than Dez Bryant.

The fourth-rounder out of Mississippi State displayed the same signature maturity, clarity and calm under pressure that was so prevalent during the preseason. He finished with 248 yards on 19-of-24 passing and added another 36 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

His rookie backfield playing partner, Elliott, had his first 100-plus yard game (140 yards on 30 carries). While there were some big holes opened up by Dallas’ dynamo offensive line, many of Elliott’s yards game after contact.

Tony Romo will come back and take over for Prescott at some point this year. That’s a given. But for the first time in a decade or longer, the Cowboys actually have a backup plan that should give fans hope for the future.

With a game against the reeling San Francisco 49ers in Week 4, Prescott and Co. have an excellent chance to improve to 3-1 on the season.

Loser: Eli Manning throws game away 

The NFC East rivalry game between the New York Giants and Washington Redskins Sunday was extremely fun to watch. A back-and-forth battle that featured strong play from both sides, not to mention an historic ejection, it entertained from start to finish.

It was also a game the Giants should have won.

Unfortunately, Eli Manning had one of his signature throwaway games. He threw two fourth-quarter interceptions, one of which was in the end zone on a drive that should have resulted in at least a field goal, if not seven points.

In fact, that interception triggered an epic Odell Beckham Jr. sideline meltdown. That, in turn, produced quite the comedic moment for those not emotionally invested in the outcome of the game (watch here).

In a two-point game, Manning’s fourth-quarter blunders absolutely were the chief reason for New York losing at home against its rival.