After being thrashed by the Ravens in Week 2, the Browns will return home seeking to avoid an 0-3 start. Unfortunately, that task will come against the Green Bay Packers, who are red-hot to begin the year.
The Packers are 2-0 after convincing wins over two returning playoff teams. Their defense will pose significant challenges for the Browns’ offense, particularly in the trenches. The Browns gave up a lot of pressure to the Ravens last Sunday, and now will have the daunting task of blocking Micah Parsons, Rashan Gary, and others.
For the Browns to find success offensively, they badly need to establish a consistent run game. Joe Flacco has attempted a league-high 90 passes through two games at the age of 40. The results have not been stellar, to say the least.
Look for rookie running back Quinshon Judkins to get extended work. Judkins made his season debut last week and had a 31-yard run. He’s already the team’s leading rusher for the season after one game. If the Browns can grind out some yards on the ground, it will keep the Packers’ pass rush at bay more and limit turnover probability.
Fueled by a late comeback effort, the Bengals escaped Week 2 with another narrow victory to improve to 2-0. For a team usually plagued by slow starts, this is a welcome development. It’s especially fortunate that the Bengals managed to win both of these games, because now they’ll be without the services of Joe Burrow. Burrow suffered a turf toe injury against the Jaguars and is scheduled to be sidelined for at least three months.
In his absence, backup quarterback Jake Browning led multiple scoring drives and scored the go-ahead touchdown late. He also threw three interceptions, though, and the Bengals are undoubtedly a more limited offense with him under center instead of Burrow.
Their Browning-led attack will be put to the test in Week 3. The Minnesota Vikings and their defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, are one of the more blitz-happy defenses in the NFL. Flores will likely try to pressure Browning often to avoid the damage that Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins can do.
On the flip side, the Bengals will be facing a backup quarterback of their own. Carson Wentz will start for the Vikings in place of J.J. McCarthy. The Vikings will also be without Aaron Jones but still have a capable offensive attack with Justin Jefferson at wide receiver. The Bengals’ defense will be tested but a good avenue for success would be taking advantage of an undermanned Minnesota offensive line missing multiple starters.
The Steelers’ offense came back to earth in Week 2. After a 34-point outing in the season opener, the Steelers scored half of that in a 14-point loss at home to the Seahawks. They were competitive but the combination of costly blunders on special teams and poor defensive consistency were too much to overcome.
Now, the Steelers will go back on the road to take on the Patriots in New England. The Patriots are also 1-1 after a high-scoring win last Sunday in Miami. The Steelers are in much-need of a strong defensive performance after surrendering 24+ offensive points in consecutive weeks and 63 combined points overall.
The Steelers will be facing a much younger offense led by sophomore Drake Maye. New England did score 26 points on offense last week, though, after struggling in the season opener. This will be a good measuring stick game to see if Pittsburgh’s defense can quickly turn things around early in the year.
Offensively, the Steelers badly need to find more juice in the running game. Through two games, they’ve rushed for 125 yards overall as a team. Jaylen Warren is the team’s leading rusher with 85 yards on 25 carries. The Steelers are averaging only 3.0 yards per carry. Improving their rushing attack in Week 3 will help alleviate some pressure off Aaron Rodgers and the passing game.
After a crushing one-point defeat in Week 1, the Ravens bounced back last Sunday. Unsurprisingly, they handled business at home against the Browns, pulling away to a 24-point victory. The Ravens’ offense wasn’t as consistent in this game but still cruised to a second straight 40+ point performance thanks to explosive plays in the passing game.
Concerningly, the Ravens’ offensive line and rushing attack took a big step back. They struggled against a stout Cleveland defensive front and managed only 45 rushing yards overall. Lamar Jackson’s four touchdowns and deep connections to Deandre Hopkins, Devontez Walker and company helped compensate for this.
On the plus side, the Ravens’ defense showed significant improvement from Week 1, albeit a lesser offensive attack. The Ravens’ pass rush was alive and active, and the secondary played much more sound coverage. These improvements will be put to the test in Week 3 in a primetime showdown against the Detroit Lions on Monday night.
The Lions struggled in Week 1 but then exploded for 52 points against the Chicago Bears last Sunday, looking much like the elite offense we’ve seen from them for the past two seasons. Detroit’s running game and efficient passing attack will be a challenge for Zach Orr to scheme against. Working in the Ravens’ favor is their success against NFC opponents and strong track record of winning primetime games at home.
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