The Broncos defeated the Bucs 26-7 on Sunday. Here are five quick takeaways from the upset win.
The Denver Broncos (1-2) upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) with a 26-7 victory on the road in Week 3. Here are five quick takeaways from the win.
1. Pat Surtain continues to lock down WR1s: PS2 followed Bucs wide receiver Mike Evans for most of Sunday’s game and the receiver finished the day with just two catches for 17 yards. Surtain essentially took quarterback Baker Mayfield’s favorite target out of the game.
2. Tyler Badie needs more opportunities: Javonte Williams averaged a dismal 2.4 yards per carry and Jaleel McLaughlin was even worse with 1.4 YPC (although he did score with a really nice juke). Tyler Badie provided a huge spark in the second half with nine carries for 70 yards (including a 43-yard run). Badie averaged 7.8 YPC on Sunday and while his average might go down with more touches, he deserves more opportunities.
3. Alex Palczewski filled in well at right tackle: You didn’t hear Palczewski’s name much on Sunday, did you? That’s a great sign for the second-year lineman who is filling in for an injured Mike McGlinchey. ‘Palcho’ did not prove to be a liability as quarterback Bo Nix wasn’t sacked once and Denver’s offense finished the day with 352 net yards.
4. Denver’s defense came to play: That’s the kind of performance the Broncos’ defense is capable of when the offense builds a lead. Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield was sacked seven times and he threw an interception. The defense also forced and recovered a fumble. Traveling Denver fans also showed up and you could hear them chanting, “Defense! Defense!” in the fourth quarter. An excellent showing from the Broncos’ defense and the team’s fans in Tampa.
5. Bo Nix bounced back well: After struggling in his first two starts, Nix took a big step forward on Sunday. The rookie quarterback finished the game 25-of-36 passing for 216 yards with no sacks and no turnovers. He also rushed nine times for 47 yards and a touchdown. It was an excellent showing from Nix and a great sign of progress from the rookie quarterback.
Up next for Denver is another road game against the New York Jets in Week 4. The Broncos will practice in West Virginia leading up to that game.
Packers 30, Titans 14: Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward.
A week after escaping with a victory in what could have been a blowout win over the Indianapolis Colts in Malik Willis’ starting debut, the Green Bay Packers actually blew out an AFC South foe, using a pair of touchdowns from Willis and a smothering effort defensively to vanquish the Tennessee Titans 30-14 on Sunday in Nashville.
The Packers are now 2-1 and heading home for a huge matchup against the Minnesota Vikings and possibly the return of Jordan Love to the lineup next Sunday.
Here’s what went right, what went wrong and what it means for the Packers moving forward:
What went right
— The Packers started fast offensively, scoring points on back-to-back drives to open the game and three of the first four in the first half. Malik Willis created big plays with his arm and legs, especially on third down. Green Bay led 7-0 after the first possession, 17-7 after the first quarter and 20-7 at half. Matt LaFleur said the explosive play to Jayden Reed on the first play from scrimmage really set the tone for the day.
— The defense was smothering and swarming, producing eight sacks and three takeaways, including two more interceptions. Jaire Alexander’s pick-six put the Packers up by 10 in the first quarter.
— The Packers’ pass-rush had seven different players record at least a half sack, and the Packers recorded 12 hits on Will Levis. Unshackled after facing Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson during the first two weeks, the defensive front showed off its true potential as a disruptive force.
— Willis completed nearly 70 percent of his passes, averaged almost 11 yards per passing attempt, rushed for 73 yards, produced two touchdowns and didn’t have a turnover. Twice, he hit Christian Watson for big plays on third down to extend scoring drives. Relative to other backup quarterback performances, Willis has been nearly perfect.
— The Packers limited the Titans to just 33 rushing yards, including only 14 from starter Tony Pollard. Without a run game and trailing on the scoreboard, the Titans turned one-dimensional. And the Packers proceeded to tee off on Will Levis and a shaky offensive line.
— Emanuel Wilson turned 14 touches into a career-high 85 yards and his first NFL touchdown. He broke the game open with a 35-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the third quarter. More and more, he looks like a legitimate weapon behind Josh Jacobs.
— Four different players had a run over 10 yards, and four different players had a catch of 20 or more yards. The Packers are deep and dynamic and capable of producing an explosive play on any snap, regardless of who is playing quarterback.
— The Packers won the turnover battle 3-0. Xavier McKinney had an interception in his third straight game to start his Packers career.
— While Brayden Narveson had a missed field goal negated by a penalty, he finished 3-for-3 on field goals, including a 47-yarder in the fourth quarter, and 3-for-3 on extra points.
What went wrong
— The Packers were penalized 10 more times on Sunday. The offense was sloppy at times up front, and officials called the game tight along the line of scrimmage. Rasheed Walker had two more penalties.
— The Packers struggled at times to get movement in the inside running game. Josh Jacobs turned 14 carries into 43 yards, much of it hard earned between the tackles.
— The Titans were held scoreless on nine of 11 possessions but did have two rather stress-free touchdown drives. Of the Titans’ 237 total yards, 138 came on the two touchdown drives. Tennessee made it to the red zone twice and scored both times.
— Daniel Whelan had two touchbacks and a poor net punting average across five punts. He did salvage the performance late with a 63-yarder. The punt coverage team had allowed two returns and had a penalty.
— The offense finished 1-for-3 scoring touchdowns in the red zone. It can be tough sledding inside the 20-yard line, especially with a backup quarterback.
— Tucker Kraft had a drop on what would have been a first-down completion in the fourth quarter. Dontayvion Wicks was targeted twice but didn’t have a catch.
— The Titans did find five passing plays over 20 yards, and Will Levis completed 26 of 34 passes.
What it means
The Packers are 2-1 and growing in confidence after winning back-to-back games with a backup quarterback under center. If the Packers make the postseason later this year, this two-game stretch will likely be vital in the process. After losing in Week 1 and not having Jordan Love for back-to-back games, the Packers could have rolled into Week 4 as a winless team. Instead, they are on the right side of .500 and increasingly more confident in their ability to win in different ways. The Packers rushed for 188 yards and were dominant defensively, especially rushing the passer. Add Jordan Love to the mix and the Packers might have championship ingredients.
Highlights
What’s next
A huge showdown in the NFC North. Who would have saw this coming? The Packers, who were without Jordan Love for two games, are 2-1 and rolling, while the Minnesota Vikings, in Year 1 post-Kirk Cousins, are 3-0 and coming off a hugely impressive win over the Houston Texans. The winner next Sunday at Lambeau Field will take a big step in the early stages of the NFC North race. The game represents Aaron Jones’ homecoming to Lambeau Field.
First half highlights: Seahawks lead Dolphins 17-3
The Seattle Seahawks have started the game red-hot against the Miami Dolphins. Seattle is seeking their first 3-0 start since 2020 and so far they are playing like they truly want it.
The Seahawks started the game off with a 56-yard field goal on their opening drive to take an early 3-0 lead. Miami attempted a 57-yarder themselves to respond, but the kick sailed wide left. Seattle managed to find the end zone on their ensuing possession, set up lovely by DK Metcalf’s remarkable reception on second down.
One play later, Charbonnet found paydirt for the second time in as many weeks.
Unfortunately, Seattle’s third drive of the game ended in near-disaster. Backed up in the shadow of the north end zone, Geno Smith was nearly sacked on 3rd-and-15. Instead, he tossed an ill-advised ball towards Charbonnet, which was far too high and landed in the waiting arms of Dolphins defensive back Kader Kohou.
.@MiamiDolphins get the INT and will start their drive on 1st and goal!
Once more, the Seahawks defense was placed in a brutal spot on the field to defend. They were put in their own red zone twice in Week 1 against the Broncos, and they found themselves there again. Fortunately, Seattle’s defense did what they excel at this season and held Miami to only a field goal.
Geno Smith found instant redemption on his very next throw in the final five seconds of the first quarter.
Metcalf’s 71-yard touchdown was the third longest in his career, and the seventh time he’s had a 50+ yard score.
Seattle’s pass rush came to play in the first half, sacking Skylar Thompson four times, including the first sack of the season from Derick Hall. Boye Mafe also had his third sack of the season, his third in as many games. Last season, he set a franchise record for a sack in seven-straight games.
The second quarter did get a bit sloppier for Seattle. Their three drives before halftime resulted in a missed field goal, two punts and a bevy of penalties caused by the offensive line. However, thanks to the defense, their lead was never in jeopardy. The Seahawks forced Miami to punt the ball on three-straight drives in the second quarter, and then another devastating sack from Derick Hall to conclude the half.
Chris Boswell has achieved a historical feat on Sunday against the Chargers: 1,000 career points.
While all eyes were focused on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Week 3 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers, kicker Chris Boswell created all the buzz: Kicking two PATs and two field goals to reach 1,000 career points.
Boswell is only the second Steelers player to ever accomplish this feat, the first being 2024 Hall of Fame nominee Gary Anderson.
The ‘Wizard of Boz’ has cemented himself as one of the greatest kickers of all time, and shows no signs of slowing down. Boswell was pivotal in the Steelers’ Week 1 victory and has been instrumental in many key moments since.
Boswell’s career milestone may have inspired T.J. Watt, who seeks his own milestone in Week 4: Needing only half a sack more to become the NFL’s second-fastest player to reach 100 career sacks.
Boswell is in his 10th NFL season. He has spent his entire career with the Steelers after joining them as an undrafted free agent out of Rice. Boswell has only made the Pro Bowl once and has never been an All-Pro.
Watch: Seahawks WR DK Metcalf with INSANE first quarter catch
It appears Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf is picking up where he left off last week. Against the New England Patriots, Metcalf had 10 receptions for 129 yards and a touchdown. So far in the first quarter versus the Miami Dolphins, he is showing why he is such a danger to defensive backs across the league.
On their second drive of the game, Seattle was facing a 2nd down deep in Miami’s territory. Geno Smith took the snap, dropepd back, and found Metcalf against cornerback Kendall Fuller. Metcalf then found a way to catch this pass.
Ahead of the Denver Broncos‘ game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, NFL.com released its video preview with game picks from 10 experts. All 10 experts picked the Bucs to win in Week 3.
After defeating Tampa Bay with an impressive 26-7 win on the road, the Broncos posted a perfect reaction to the NFL.com picks on their official Twitter/X page:
Instant analysis of the Packers’ 30-14 win over the Titans in Week 3.
The Green Bay Packers used two total touchdowns and another efficient performance from backup quarterback Malik Willis and another dominant showing from Jeff Hafley’s defense to cruise past the Tennessee Titans by a 30-14 final at Nissan Stadium on Sunday.
Willis ran in a touchdown on the opening drive, Jaire Alexander produced a pick-six and the pass-rush slammed the door shut on the victory in Nashville.
The Packers are now 2-1 overall and 2-0 with Willis under center in place of Jordan Love.
Here is an instant analysis of the Packers’ win over the Titans in Week 3:
Final score: Packers 30, Titans 14
1
2
3
4
F
GB (2-1)
17
3
7
3
30
TEN (0-3)
7
0
7
0
14
Scoring plays
First quarter
GB 7, TEN 0: Malik Willis 5-yard run (12:25)
GB 7, TEN 7: Nick Vannett 1-yard catch (7:15)
GB 10, TEN 7: Brayden Narveson 21-yard FG (1:05)
GB 17, TEN 7: Jaire Alexander 35-yard interception return (0:51)
Second quarter
GB 20, TEN 7: Brayden Narveson 26-yard FG (0:00)
Third quarter
GB 27, TEN 7: Emanuel Wilson 30-yard catch (8:25)
GB 27, TEN 14: DeAndre Hopkins 11-yard catch (4:55)
Fourth quarter
GB 30, TEN 14: Brayden Narveson 47-yard FG (3:07)
It was over when…
… Xavier McKinney ranged to his right and intercepted Will Levis’ desperate heave on 3rd-and-16 with just over two minutes to go in the fourth quarter. The pick was McKinney’s third in three games.
Offense — QB Malik Willis: The Packers backup completed 13 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown, rushed six times for 73 yards and a second score and didn’t have a turnover.
Defense — DL Devonte Wyatt: He was the star of a dominant pass-rush, tallying two sacks and three quarterback hits.
Special teams — K Brayden Narveson: In his return to Tennessee, Narveson made all three field goals (one miss negated by penalty) and all three extra points.
Key stat
The Packers out-rushed the Titans 188 to 33. It was tough sledding at times for the Packers running backs, but Malik Willis made big plays with his legs, and Josh Jacobs, Emanuel Wilson and Jayden Reed all had a run of 10 or more yards. The Titans rushed 11 times, and their longest non-scramble rush was a 6-yard run by Tyjae Spears. The defense forced the game into Will Levis’ hands, and he mostly gave it away under heavy and consistent pressure.
Deciding factor
The Packers defense created eight sacks for -56 yards, allowed only 33 rushing yards, created three takeaways and scored a touchdown. The Titans averaged 4.5 yards per play, had just two scoring drives on 11 possessions and finished 3-for-10 on third or fourth down. This was a dominant performance from Jeff Hafley’s defense.
Malik Willis watch
(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Another marvelous performance from the Packers backup, who is now 2-0 as the starter with Jordan Love injured. Willis completed 68.4 percent of his passes, averaged 10.6 yards per attempt and rushed for 73 yards, including another touchdown. He made big plays on third down and didn’t have a turnover for the second consecutive game. His passer rating finished over 120.0 for the second straight week, too. In terms of backup performances over a two-week stretch, this is about as good as it gets.
The pick-six — the first of Jaire Alexander’s career — put the Packers up 17-7 in the first quarter.
Injury updates
Tight end Tucker Kraft briefly left the game with a shoulder injury but returned.
What’s next
The Packers head back home for a big-time NFC North showdown with the 3-0 Minnesota Vikings at Lambeau Field. The Vikings blew out the Houston Texans on Sunday to remain undefeated. The Packers could return Jordan Love for the rivalry game.
What a great team win by the Broncos! Here’s how Twitter/X reacted to the game.
The Denver Broncos defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26-7 on the road on Sunday afternoon. Here’s a sampling of how fans and pundits reacted to the upset win on Twitter/X.
Olympic gold medalist Jordan Chiles to raise 12th Man Flag
The best pregame tradition in the NFL just got a little more dynamic. Before every Seattle Seahawks home game, someone notable always gets the honor to raise the iconic 12th Man Flag. On Sunday, the 12’s will get a golden opportunity to see a true American sports hero in Olympic gold medalist – and Washington native – Jordan Chiles, as she will raise their flag against the Miami Dolphins.
Chiles was a key member of the unspeakably remarkable Team USA gymnastics squad that dominated the 2024 Paris Olympics. Chiles helped our country take home gold during the team events.
Team USA dominated overall during the 2024 Paris Olympics, earning the most gold medals (40) and most medals overall (126).
The 23-year-old graduate from Prairie High School has become one of the new faces of Team USA Gymnastics, and is poised to continue our nation’s elite legacy of female gymnasts. Now, she gets to add one more honor to her already storied career: raising the 12th Man Flag.
What an impressive 26-7 victory for the Broncos over the Buccaneers!
The Denver Broncos (1-2) went on the road and upset the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) 26-7 in Week 3 of the 2024 NFL season.
“It’s a good win — a good road win — against a good team,” coach Sean Payton said after the game. “I credit the players. I thought we played well in the front on both sides of the ball. [When you look] at certain statistics, [like] the pressures, the turnovers, the rushing, and then third downs — all of those kind tipped in our favor. Credit the players, though, the leadership. We had a good week of practice. We came in with the right frame of mind. It wasn’t our best game but certainly it was good enough today.”
The offense started off hot with a six-play, 70-yard drive that ended with quarterback Bo Nix’s three-yard touchdown run to take a 7-0 lead. Nix was a perfect 4-of-4 for 70 yards on the team’s opening drive.
Later in the first quarter, safety Brandon Jones intercepted a Baker Mayfield pass and set Denver’s offense up with good field position at the nine-yard line. A few plays later, running back Jaleel McLaughlin made a man miss on fourth down to score from one yard out and make it 14-0.
Wil Lutz kicked a 43-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to extend the lead to 17-0. On their ensuing drive, the Bucs turned the ball over on downs at Denver’s 45-yard line.
The Broncos squandered that opportunity as running back Javonte Wiliams gave the ball right back to Tampa Bay with a fumble. Mayfield capitalized on that fumble by later throwing a six-yard touchdown pass to Chris Godwin that cut the deficit to 17-7.
Denver then got the ball back at its own 30-yard line with 1:39 remaining in the second quarter and Nix led a nine-play, 50-yard drive that set up a 38-yard Lutz field goal to make it 20-7 going into halftime.
After a scoreless third quarter, Lutz kicked a 33-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter to extend the lead to 23-7. After the defense forced a turnover on downs and running back Tyler Badie ripped off a 43-yard run, Lutz added a 43-yard field goal to make it 26-7.
After the defense forced and recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter, the Broncos secured a 26-7 victory. The defense finished the game with seven sacks and two takeaways.
Following Sunday’s game in Florida, Denver will practice in West Virginia this week ahead of a road game against the New York Jets (2-1) in Week 4.
