Week 3 and 4 of the NFL season are always my favorite because it is correction week. Correction week means we start to see which teams are bad, good, and unlucky. Those teams that started out 0-2 might have had a really tough schedule and those who started out 2-0 might have had a really first two weeks.
In the AFC, the 3-0 teams consist of the Kanas City Chiefs, Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, and Tennessee Titans. The Chiefs, Steelers, and Bills all look like strong contenders for the playoffs, but the Titans are a different story. They've been in close battles with the Denver Broncos, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Minnesota Vikings, who have all not won a game this season. The Titans have redesigned their offensive playbook to use Derrick Henry less this season and it's starting to show. Henry was their biggest asset last season, seeing 60% of the offensive snaps. This year, he's only totaled 319 yards. The Titans first real test is the Steelers in week 4 then the Bills in Week 5.
The surprising 0-3 team in the AFC is the Houston Texans. They brought back their entire offensive line and quarterback, while adding a new running back and wide receiver to the lineup. The problem is Deshaun Watson is constantly getting sacked or scrambling to keep the play alive and with injuries to wide receivers Brandin Cooks and Randall Cobb, their passing game is taking a hit. It didn't help that the Texans arguably had the hardest initial three weeks facing the Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens, and Steelers. I anticipate the Texans to bounce back in weeks 4 and 5 as long as their defense stays healthy.
In the NFC, the 3-0 teams are the Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Chicago Bears. Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers are looking like strong contenders for MVP while the Bears are still figuring out who their team is. After benching quarterback Mitchell Trubisky in the second half, former Superbowl champion Nick Foles stepped in and brought the team back from a 16 point deficit to beat the Atlanta Falcons 30-26. The Bears first real test will be week 5 versus Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The surprising but maybe not so surprising winless teams are the Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, and Philadelphia Eagles. The Giants were done the moment Saquon Barkley tore his ACL in week 2 but injuries to their receiving core hasn't helped either. It looks like another rough season for Giants fans. The Eagles are not surprising because Carson Wentz is overrated. I was a big Wentz fan in the 2016 draft, but that quickly faded when I realized he can't stay healthy for a whole season. Wentz has had some of the best wide receivers during his early years and he hasn't take advantage of it. Sure, he did well the year they won the Superbowl, but he didn't take them through the end of the season or the playoffs. He hasn't been close to good since the 2017-2018 season either. Currently, he's tied for the most interceptions in the league as a 4 year starter as opposed to newbies like Kyler Murray, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, and Gardner Minshew. Wentz's contract isn't up until 2024, but look for the Eagles to possibly move on from him and try out newcomer Jalen Hurts. The Vikings starting off 0-3 is surprising. They lost their deep threat in Stefon Diggs this offseason, but they still have Adam Thielen, Dalvin Cook, and Kyle Rudolph. Their defense has looked atrocious this season allowing over 440 rushing yards and over 880 passing yards in the first three weeks and will only get worse after losing LB Anthony Barr for the season. The only tough opponent they've faced so far is the Packers and their schedule doesn't get any easier with the Texans and Seahawks in week 4 and 5. The Vikings need to look to Kirk Cousins to weather them through this storm.
Watch out for more teams to find their first win or break even in week 4.
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