Thursday night’s game between the Bengals (2-2) and Dolphins wasn’t pretty, but Cincinnati was able to gut out a victory in the end.
Cincinnati won’t be complaining about how it got the win, however. The Bengals opened the season with back-to-back losses. As in Week 4 last season, Cincinnati ended up with a tough game on its hands, at home, on “Thursday Night Football.” And like last year, the Bengals did just enough to pull out a much-needed win.
Describe the game in two words: Prime-time malaise. On a showcase night for the Bengals, Cincinnati was a bit sluggish but was still in the mix to pull out another win on “Thursday Night Football.”
Sell a breakout performance: Bengals running back Joe Mixon looked good early on the team’s opening drive when he picked up steady chunks of yards and scored his first rushing touchdown of the season. But over the course of the game, Mixon’s production trailed off. It took 17 carries for Mixon to hit 50 yards, which isn’t the efficiency Cincinnati’s coaching staff wants for its rushing attack. In the fourth quarter, Mixon was stuffed on third-and-goal at Miami’s 1-yard line.
QB breakdown: Cincinnati quarterback Joe Burrow didn’t have one of his better showings against Miami, and the proof is in the NFL Next Gen Stats. Excluding throws behind the line of scrimmage, Burrow completed his first 10 passes of 10 or fewer air yards. On intermediate throws between 10 and 19 air yards, however, he missed on his first five attempts. Burrow was able to overcome any struggles with some deep passes that moved the offense, including a 59-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tee Higgins.
Troubling trend: Well, let’s talk about the offense again. For the third time in four games, things didn’t look great for Cincinnati. Fans inside Paycor Stadium booed the offense on a couple of different occasions. There were a couple of bright spots, but the lethargic showing for the first three quarters will be disconcerting for those hoping the Week 3 win against the New York Jets meant the offense was turning the corner. — Ben Baby
Underrated statistic to know: The Bengals scored an opening-drive touchdown for the second straight week. They had two opening-drive TDs all of last season.
Next game: at Ravens (8:20 p.m. ET, Oct. 9)
The Dolphins (3-1) lost to the Bengals in their first prime-time game of the season, losing their title as the AFC’s last unbeaten team in the process.
But none of that felt particularly important.
Not on a night when Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was immobilized and taken off the field on a stretcher after suffering head and neck injuries that sent him to the hospital. It marked the second straight week Tagovailoa was forced out of a game after hitting his head on the ground, although he was designated with a back injury last week.
The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious and had movement in his extremities at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. According to a report from the broadcast, he was expected to be released and travel back to Miami with the team.
QB breakdown: While preparing for the possibility of Tagovailoa not being available for Thursday’s game, coach Mike McDaniel said situations like these are why you sign a veteran like Teddy Bridgewater in the first place. At this stage of his career, Bridgewater is more of a game manager than someone who will go out and drive an offense. His highlight was a 64-yard pass to Tyreek Hill that put Miami deep in the red zone. He also threw a costly interception late in the fourth quarter.
Breakout performance: Raheem Mostert took a commanding grasp on the Dolphins’ backfield with 69 rushing yards on 15 carries. He has looked like the team’s best back for the past three weeks and was rewarded with the primary share of the workload, out-touching Chase Edmonds, who had five carries for 6 yards and two catches for 14 yards. Edmonds also dropped an early touchdown, strengthening Mostert’s claim to the lead-back role. Expect him to lead the way moving forward until he no longer has the hot hand. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Underrated statistic to know: With a 64-yard reception in the third quarter, Tyreek Hill already has as many 60-yard receptions this season (2) as he did over the past two seasons (one in 2020, one in 2021).
Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained neck and head injuries after being slammed to the ground Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals and was stretchered from the field.
The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious, had movement in all his extremities and was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further evaluation. The Dolphins said after their 27-15 loss to the Bengals that Tagovailoa was expected to be released from the hospital and fly home with the team.
Tagovailoa was chased down and sacked by 6-foot-3, 340-pound Josh Tupou with about six minutes left in the first half. He was spun around and thrown to the turf. While on the ground, his hands froze in front of his face. He remained down for more than seven minutes before being loaded on a backboard, stabilized and strapped to a stretcher after his facemask was removed.
Medical staff tend to quarterback Tua Tagovailoa of the Miami Dolphins after an injury during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Sept. 29, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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Dolphins players gathered around as Tagovailoa was rolled off the field and the crowd chanted “Tua! Tua!”
Reaction came swiftly from around the NFL. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Broncos QB Russell Wilson promptly tweeted with concern for Tagovailoa’s well-being.
“Praying for you Tua,” Wilson wrote.
The 24-year-old Tagovailoa was suffering from a sore back and was listed as questionable for most of the week ahead of the game.
Tagovailoa briefly left Sunday’s 21-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills after appearing to be disoriented by what the team originally said was a head injury after taking a hard hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano late in the first half. He missed just three snaps and returned after halftime, a decision that prompted a joint review by the NFL and National Football League Players Association of what went into the decision to allow him to return to the game.
The team and Tagovailoa said after the game the quarterback had a back injury that caused his awkward stumble and fall after he was slammed into the turf in the second quarter. The team said Monday that Tagovailoa was not in concussion protocol.
He said he “hyper-extended” his back after getting his legs caught under someone on a quarterback sneak.
After Tagovailoa’s injury Thursday, the NFLPA tweeted: “Player health and safety is at the core of the union’s mission. Our concern tonight is for Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. Our investigation into the potential protocol violation is ongoing.”
Player health and safety is at the core of the union’s mission. Our concern tonight is for Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. Our investigation into the potential protocol violation is ongoing.
Some criticized the decision to play Tagovailoa so soon after his injuries in Sunday’s game.
Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe tweeted: “That’s a serious injury . Tua shouldn’t have been out there with Sunday Thursday turn around. Sometimes players need protecting from themselves. Dolphins failed Tua.”
Before leaving Thursday’s game, Tagovailoa was 8 for 14 for 100 yards and an interception. He was replaced in the game by Teddy Bridgewater, who threw a touchdown pass to Chase Edmonds with 15 seconds left in the half.
The play of Tagovailoa, who won a national championship at Alabama, has been key for the 3-0 Dolphins. He came into the game second in the NFL with 925 passing yards.
CINCINNATI — Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa sustained neck and head injuries after being slammed to the ground Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals and was stretchered from the field.
The Dolphins said Tagovailoa was conscious, had movement in all his extremities and was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center for further evaluation. The Dolphins said after their 27-15 loss to the Bengals that Tagovailoa was expected to be released from the hospital and fly home with the team.
Tagovailoa was chased down and sacked by 6-foot-3, 340-pound Josh Tupou with about six minutes left in the first half. He was spun around and thrown to the turf. While on the ground, his hands froze in front of his face. He remained down for more than seven minutes before being loaded on a backboard, stabilized and strapped to a stretcher after his facemask was removed.
Dolphins players gathered around as Tagovailoa was rolled off the field and the crowd chanted “Tua! Tua!”
Reaction came swiftly from around the NFL. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and Broncos QB Russell Wilson promptly tweeted with concern for Tagovailoa’s well-being.
“Praying for you Tua,” Wilson wrote.
The 24-year-old Tagovailoa was suffering from a sore back and was listed as questionable for most of the week ahead of the game.
Tagovailoa briefly left Sunday’s 21-19 victory over the Buffalo Bills after appearing to be disoriented by what the team originally said was a head injury after taking a hard hit from Bills linebacker Matt Milano late in the first half. He missed just three snaps and returned after halftime, a decision that prompted a joint review by the NFL and National Football League Players Association of what went into the decision to allow him to return to the game.
The team and Tagovailoa said after the game the quarterback had a back injury that caused his awkward stumble and fall after he was slammed into the turf in the second quarter. The team said Monday that Tagovailoa was not in concussion protocol.
He said he “hyper-extended” his back after getting his legs caught under someone on a quarterback sneak.
After Tagovailoa’s injury Thursday, the NFLPA tweeted: “Player health and safety is at the core of the union’s mission. Our concern tonight is for Tua and we hope for a full and speedy recovery. Our investigation into the potential protocol violation is ongoing.”
Some criticized the decision to play Tagovailoa so soon after his injuries in Sunday’s game.
Hall of Famer Shannon Sharpe tweeted: “That’s a serious injury . Tua shouldn’t have been out there with Sunday Thursday turn around. Sometimes players need protecting from themselves. Dolphins failed Tua.”
Before leaving Thursday’s game, Tagovailoa was 8 for 14 for 100 yards and an interception. He was replaced in the game by Teddy Bridgewater, who threw a touchdown pass to Chase Edmonds with 15 seconds left in the half.
The play of Tagovailoa, who won a national championship at Alabama, has been key for the 3-0 Dolphins. He came into the game second in the NFL with 925 passing yards.
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The Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was taken off the field on a stretcher on Thursday during a game against the Cincinnati Bengals, after suffering apparent head and neck injuries.
Tagovailoa is conscious, has movement in all his extremities and was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation, the team said in an update.
In the second quarter, Tagovailoa was sacked by Bengals defensive lineman Josh Tupou and laid motionless on the field for several minutes.
The entire Dolphins sidelines walked onto the field as Tagovailoa was placed on the backboard and stretcher.
Bengals fans in attendance at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati showed their respect as Tagovailoa was carted off the field.
The injury comes days after the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) told the National Football League (NFL) it wants to initiate a review into the handling of Tagovailoa’s apparent head injury suffered during the team’s game on Sunday.
The Dolphins later said Tagovailoa suffered a back injury, not a head injury.
Tagovailoa was listed as questionable to play before tonight’s game with a back injury.
That was the message wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase got from Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow the morning of the 2021 NFL draft. During the 2019 season at LSU, Burrow and Chase formed one of college football’s most potent combinations. When Chase got the text from Burrow on draft day, it indicated a reunion in Cincinnati might be his future.
“I don’t know if that was a hint or not, but when I saw that text I said, ‘OK, I’m ready,’” Chase said after the Bengals selected him with the fifth overall pick. The move paid off handsomely for Cincinnati. Chase had a record-setting year with 81 catches for 1,455 yards and 13 touchdowns. Chase was named the NFL’s top offensive rookie. The connection between Burrow and Chase helped push the Bengals to the brink of winning the franchise’s first Super Bowl last season.
Burrow and Chase aren’t the only quarterback-receiver combinations who went from being college teammates to linking up in the NFL. They will face two of their former college rivals when Cincinnati hosts the Miami Dolphins on Thursday night (8:15 p.m. ET, Amazon Prime Video).
One pick after the Bengals drafted Chase, Miami reunited Alabama wide receiver Jaylen Waddle with his former college quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. They’re two of six NFL teams that have reunited quarterbacks with their college receivers, hoping to mimic the spark teammates showed before they turned pro.
So far, the results seem to be paying off for Cincinnati, Miami and teams that made similar moves across the NFL.
Stats together with LSU, 2018-19: 107 receptions, 2,093 yards, 23 TDs Stats together with Bengals, 2021-22: 100 receptions, 1,641 yards, 15 TDs
The moment Chase realized Burrow was a special quarterback didn’t happen on the field.
Ahead of the LSU Tigers’ game against the Florida Gators in October 2019, Burrow approached Chase about watching film together. Burrow pointed out all the weaknesses he saw in the opposing defensive backs as they plotted an attack for the upcoming Saturday. Chase finished with seven catches for 127 yards and two touchdowns in a 42-28 win.
The two were prolific members of one of the best college teams in recent history. LSU went undefeated and won the national championship that season. Burrow won the Heisman Trophy while Chase earned the Biletnikoff as the nation’s top receiver, finishing with 1,780 yards and 20 touchdown receptions.
When Chase first arrived at LSU in 2018, the instructions from Burrow were simple but powerful.
“He was just telling me, ‘Bro, if I see one-on-one, I’m going to throw it up to you,’” Chase recalled in August ahead of his second NFL season. “That right there let me know that he believes I’m a great receiver and that I can make plays. When he told me that, it’s just my part to make the play and let him keep believing that I can do it.”
That belief didn’t waver when the pairing reunited in the pros. One year after the Bengals drafted Burrow with the No. 1 overall pick in 2020, they selected Chase at No. 5. And again, it ended up being a special connection. Chase set Cincinnati’s franchise record for most receiving yards in a single season and was named the Associated Press’ Offensive Rookie of the Year.
That on-field connection was exemplified in a Week 17 win over the Kansas City Chiefs that clinched the AFC North and the Bengals’ first playoff berth since 2015.
On a pivotal third-and-27, Burrow found Chase for a 30-yard completion down the right sideline. It worked for the same reason Burrow told him when they started playing together at LSU.
“Everybody knows the meme: ‘Eff it, Ja’Marr’s down there somewhere,’” Burrow said in his postgame news conference. “I’m gonna just throw it up to him and he’s gonna make a play.” — Ben Baby
Stats together with Oklahoma, 2017-18: 77 receptions, 1,425 yards, 11 TDs Stats together with Cardinals, 2022: 23 receptions, 249 yards, 1 TD
Before they became one of college football’s most dynamic duos during the 2018 season, Murray and Brown forged their relationship behind closed doors in 2017 at the expense of one of college football’s best teams.
While both were backups for the Oklahoma Sooners that season, they joined forces on the scout team. Over the course of the season, they built a bond, a friendship and a connection on the field that they’re rekindling five years later.
The show they put on back then set the stage for 2018 and, again in, 2022.
“It was hell,” former Oklahoma cornerback Jordan Thomas said. “It was almost like I’d rather play our starting offense versus our scout team.”
Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury can see the comfort that Murray has with Brown.
“The flashes are there,” Kingsbury said. “And as the season goes on, I expect it to be a pretty good combination.”
From Kingsbury’s experience, which includes college football, if a quarterback and receiver work in college, “it usually has a chance — if they’re talented enough — to continue that chemistry on the next level.”
It’s safe to say Murray and Brown are that type of talented. Both were first-round picks in 2019.
Murray and Brown remained close after college, working out together during offseasons. In fact, they were throwing together when Brown got the call he was traded to the Cardinals in April.
“Just knowing him on a personal level, just knowing the person like, who they really are, just helps you on the field because I know how he thinks, I know how he’s wired, he knows how I’m wired, and sometimes it clicks for people and sometimes it doesn’t,” Brown said.
“With me and Kyler, I think it clicked know from Day 1 and then it’s just something that we just got.”
Brown had a career-high 14 catches in just his third game with Murray for 140 yards, the second most of his career. — Josh Weinfuss
Stats together with Alabama, 2018: 7 receptions, 125 yards, 1 TD Stats together with Eagles, 2021-22: 79 receptions, 1,165 yards, 6 TDs
Hurts and Smith are both electric on the field, but it’s their unspectacular lifestyles off of it that helped forge their initial bond.
Hurts was Smith’s host when Smith took his visit to the Alabama Crimson Tide’s campus. Asked what they did together outside of the obligatory functions, Smith said: “We didn’t do nothing. I went back to my hotel room. We didn’t hang out or nothing like that. That’s just the type of guys we are. We don’t want to be out. We just want to keep to ourselves.”
It’s all about business for both of them. When one wanted to meet up to get extra reps in, the other was always game. It became clear pretty quickly that they were like-minded when it came to their serious approach to their crafts.
“I always kind of draw towards a guy that’s willing to put the work in because I know I’m going to put the work in,” Hurts said. “I was able to build a relationship with DeVonta just because he was willing to work. We didn’t like to party much or do too much — we’d hang out with our friends and do things like that — but we were about the grind. There’s a few guys I remember being willing to do that: Minkah Fitzpatrick being one of them, DeVonta being one of them. We were able to build a great relationship just through our work ethic, and kind of tracked ourselves back here to Philly.”
Hurts and Smith were teammates at Alabama during Smith’s freshman and sophomore years (2017-18), when Smith was sharing the field with other standouts like Calvin Ridley, Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs III. Smith and Hurts connected for 12 receptions, 207 yards and two touchdowns during their time together in Tuscaloosa before Hurts transferred to Oklahoma.
When Smith first arrived to the Eagles practice facility in April 2021 after being selected with the 10th overall pick in the draft, Hurts was there to greet him, just like he did at Tuscaloosa. This time around they went a little wild and headed down the street to take in a Sixers game before calling it a night. — Tim McManus
Stats together with Clemson, 2018-20: 71 receptions, 811 yards, 7 TDs Stats together with Jaguars, 2022: 8 receptions, 81 yards, 0 TDs
Lawrence and Etienne have been teammates for five years, so naturally they’ve become close.
And as friends do, they share things. Memories. Maybe a few secrets. And hand towels.
It’s easier to let Etienne explain:
“So he wears his towel in the front and I wear my towel in the back,” he said. “After the first quarter my towel was drenched so I can’t wipe [my hands] on my towel. He keeps his towel fresh and clean because he’s got to keep his hands dry. So he’s right here. So I just use his.”
That started when Lawrence arrived at Clemson in 2018 (Etienne got there in 2017). At any moment during a game or a practice Etienne could reach over during the huddle and clean his hands on Lawrence’s towel. It has become an inside joke between the two that carried over into the NFL when the Jacksonville Jaguars drafted the pair in the first round in 2021. Etienne missed his first NFL season with a a Lisfranc injury.
South Florida coach Jeff Scott, who was Clemson’s co-offensive coordinator from 2015-19, said it’s not surprising that Lawrence and Etienne got along so well there and continue to do so now because they are similar people.
“High character [and] they love football,” Scott said. “Not a lot of distractions off the field. They’re very focused and really are all about the right thing. You saw them together a lot on the field, and off the field and they always had great communication.
“It was a very kind of professional [relationship] among them even at the college level. It was just a little bit of a higher level of maturity from them than maybe most guys at that point in their college career.”
Etienne was a little more flashy, however, wearing his towel out of the back of his pants for a little style. So Lawrence had to unwittingly help keep his hands dry. “It doesn’t bother me,” Lawrence said. “I just have to switch out my towel more often than normal.” — Michael DiRocco
Stats together with Fresno State, 2012-13: 233 receptions, 3,037 yards, 39 TDs Stats together with Raiders, 2021: 17 receptions, 189 yards, 3 TDs
It was after the first four routes Carr saw Adams run at Fresno State when the quarterback made a beeline to then-Fresno State Bulldogs coach Pat Hill.
“Why are we redshirting him?” Carr asked Hill of the new guy in 2011. “What are we doing?”
Adams, Carr said, might have been a better basketball player coming out of high school, yet he was already better than any other receiver on the Bulldogs’ roster. The two became fast friends in California’s Central Valley and as their chemistry grew for Fresno State, so, too, did their success. In 2013, when Carr passed for more than 5,000 yards, Adams caught 24 of his 50 touchdown passes. Carr was drafted 36th overall by the Raiders in 2014 and Adams went 17 picks later to the Green Bay Packers.
“We were working out together for the first six years of our NFL career anyway because we lived right down the street from each other once I moved up to Danville [California],” Adams said in training camp. “So, we were probably throwing three times a week for five, six years. Had about a two-year gap when the [Raiders] moved [to Las Vegas from Oakland], but basically picked up where we left off.”
And then some. After the megatrade that landed Adams in Las Vegas in March, they showed their chemistry was real. In Week 1 of the 2022 season, their first game as NFL teammates, Carr targeted Adams 17 times and Adams had 10 catches for 141 yards and a TD.
“We both are so committed and obsessive over our craft to where … I messed something up at the end of practice, just a subtle thing, and we go back out there after,” Adams added. “I just want to feel that and do it because that’s the way we did it before. Anytime if he didn’t like a ball he threw in a period, he had me go stand in the spot that I would have been catching the ball and then he’ll fire it until he liked how he threw it, which is usually one more pass.
“But when you got two dudes that have worked together and already built up a lot of camaraderie and have a close friendship, I feel like that makes it so much easier kind of getting back and jelling the way you were before.”
Yes, their lockers are next to each other in the Raiders facility. — Paul Gutierrez
Stats together with Alabama, 2018-19: 48 receptions, 798 yards, 7 TDs Stats together with Dolphins, 2021-22: 91 receptions, 1,100 yards, 9 TDs
Tagovailoa and Waddle spent two seasons together at Alabama, winning a national championship game and losing in another.
Their connection might not have been as prolific as the other duos on this list, but that didn’t stop the Dolphins from reuniting the former college teammates .
Neither was known for being particularly vocal, but Tagovailoa said he noticed a growth in Waddle during the time between their final game at Alabama on Nov. 16, 2019, and their first with the Dolphins on Sept. 12, 2021.
“His biggest improvement is his communication,” Tagovailoa said last season. “In college, Jaylen would speak up here and there, but you really see him now. You come to the sideline after a series and he’s out there telling me, ‘Hey, this is why I’m running this route. I’m running it because of this and that, and this is where I’m expecting the ball.’ He’s telling me ‘do this.’
“And it’s not asking — it’s more so telling.”
Miami’s idea to reunite them in the NFL paid off immediately. Waddle was the team’s leading receiver last season, setting an NFL rookie record for receptions with 104 on a team-high 140 targets. And they’ve picked up where they left off, particularly during an explosive win over the Ravens in Week 2 as both players set career highs for yards and touchdowns.
They generally like to downplay their success in the NFL having much to do with their relationship at Alabama, and that’s their prerogative. But Tagovailoa trusts Waddle implicitly, and that trust goes both ways.
During their game-winning drive against the Ravens, Waddle said Tagovailoa addressed the huddle, telling his teammates “it’s either us or them right now.”
“That got me going, man,” Waddle said after the game.
Immediately after Tagovailoa’s message to the team, he and Waddle connected for the game-winning touchdown. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Welcome to Week 4 of the NFL regular season. This season we have seen our fair share of games come down to the wire. Eighteen games have been decided by three or fewer points — six just this past week. Gone are the days of the blowout — the fourth quarter is as important as ever.
Our updated Power Rankings are in. And there is quite a shuffle in the top five — including a new No. 1.
Coming into this season, we’re not sure anyone predicted this team to rise so quickly in the rankings — but they are undefeated and have played some good football lately.
And there’s another surprise team at No. 3 that few saw coming. Could this team become the best in the NFC down the stretch? Time will tell.
Below, we checked in with NFL Nation reporters across the league and asked them how every team’s QB is doing this season. We paired their responses with the team’s Total QBR and where that ranks in the league.
How we update our Power Rankings: Our power panel — a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities — evaluates how teams stack up throughout the season.
Tua Tagovailoa is off to the start every Dolphins fan dreamed of in his third NFL season. He ranks second in the league in passing yards and is already halfway to matching his career high in touchdown passes with eight. He also leads the NFL in QBR and is second in yards per attempt. The new coaching staff and improved supporting cast around him seems to have unlocked the potential Miami saw when he was drafted No. 5 overall in 2020, and it’s a big reason the Dolphins are the AFC’s lone unbeaten team entering Week 4. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Week 3 ranking: 1
Team QBR: 77.3 QBR rank: 3rd
While the Bills are coming off their first loss, Josh Allen has had an MVP-candidate start to the season. He has the league’s lowest rate of off-target throws (8.0%) and leads in passing first downs (49) as well. Allen’s completion percentage (71.2%) and interception percentage (1.5%) would both be career bests. Still, things haven’t been perfect. The Bills need to work on evening out the offense as Allen is also the team’s leading rusher (113 yards), but the fifth-year quarterback has set the groundwork early for yet another impressive season.— Alaina Getzenberg
Week 3 ranking: 8
Team QBR: 74.7 QBR rank: 5th
Jalen Hurts is one of the early favorites to be league MVP. His production on the ground remains strong — he ranks second among quarterbacks in rushing yards (167) and first in rushing touchdowns (three) — but it’s his improvement as a passer that has put the NFC on notice. Hurts is completing 67.3% of his passes, compared with his career average of 60%. He ranks third in passing yards (916) and is sixth in QBR (74.8). His standout play is the No. 1 reason the Eagles are 3-0. — Tim McManus
Week 3 ranking: 2
Team QBR: 76.0 QBR rank: 4th
Graded against most of his peers, Patrick Mahomes is off to a great start with eight touchdown passes and one interception. But his season, by his expectations, has been uneven. He had a great game in the opener against the Cardinals, throwing for 360 yards and five touchdowns. His production has not been as great since, particularly in the loss Sunday to the Colts, when the Chiefs had numerous chances to put the game away and failed repeatedly. — Adam Teicher
Week 3 ranking: 4
Team QBR: 51.1 QBR rank: 13th
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has played well, but the offense as a whole needs to improve. Coach Sean McVay said after the Week 3 victory in Arizona that he thinks the offense is “just continuing to learn our identity.” Stafford, who threw five interceptions in the first two games, did not throw one against the Cardinals, and the offense did enough to win the game. Stafford has thrown just four touchdowns through three weeks. He is playing without wide receiver Van Jefferson, who is on injured reserve, and is continuing to lean on Cooper Kupp, whose target share has increased (35%) from the 2021 season (32%). — Sarah Barshop
Week 3 ranking: 9
Team QBR: 79.3 QBR rank: 2nd
Lamar Jackson has played at an MVP level. He has accounted for 87% of the Ravens’ offense, beating teams with his arm and with his legs. He leads the NFL with 10 touchdown passes and ranks second with a 78.7 QBR. Jackson, though, remains just as dangerous running the ball, producing the fourth-most rushing yards in the NFL (243) and the best rushing average (9.35 yards per carry). The Ravens are still without their All-Pro left tackle (Ronnie Stanley) and their No. 1 running back (J.K. Dobbins) just returned on Sunday. But Baltimore leads the league in scoring (33 points per game) because Jackson is the best dual-threat quarterback in NFL history. — Jamison Hensley
Week 3 ranking: 7
Team QBR: 49.1 QBR rank: 14th
Aaron Rodgers isn’t playing better or worse — he’s playing differently. He’s throwing it shorter than ever. He averaged just 3.0 air yards on his completions Sunday against the Buccaneers. That’s around half of the NFL average. Consequently, a large portion of his yardage has come after the catch. He’s on track to set a career low in average air yards (5.1) and career high in YAC percentage (65%). Perhaps that could change if rookie receiver Romeo Doubs continues to produce. — Rob Demovsky
Week 3 ranking: 3
Team QBR: 46.9 QBR rank: 18th
Tom Brady‘s Total QBR through the first three games is 46.9, good for 18th in the league and his second-lowest total since 2006. He has thrown three touchdown passes, which is 19th in the league, and his lowest total since 2014. But statistics alone never tell the full story. Brady has been without Chris Godwin, Julio Jones and starting left tackle Donovan Smith for two games now — and the Bucs didn’t have Mike Evans in Week 3 because of a suspension. Give him some receivers back — Evans and Jones return this week — and give them all some time to mesh, and they should hit their stride if they can avoid more injuries. — Jenna Laine
Week 3 ranking: 11
Team QBR: 45.9 QBR rank: 19th
Kirk Cousins is clearly still adjusting to the Vikings’ scheme under new coach Kevin O’Connell. Most notably, Cousins threw three interceptions in the Week 2 loss to the Eagles. “It’s not where I want it to be,” the quarterback said of the team’s comfort level on offense. But Cousins is not a stranger to slow starts since signing with the Vikings in 2018; his current 45.9 Total QBR is higher than it was in Weeks 1-3 of 2019 (35.5) and 2020 (31.2). — Kevin Seifert
Week 3 ranking: 15
Team QBR: 47.1 QBR rank: 16th
Joe Burrow is finding his way. The Bengals quarterback easily had his best week of the 2022 season in the Week 3 win over the Jets, when he completed 63.9% of his passes for 275 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. He had very good pocket feel and steered the offense in a game the Bengals desperately needed to win. After an emergency appendectomy at the start of training camp, Burrow’s 46.3 QBR is lower than it was last season (60.2). But his latest performance suggests things could be trending upward after a slow start to the season. — Ben Baby
Week 3 ranking: 17
Team QBR: 62.6 QBR rank: 8th
Through three games, Jacoby Brissett is probably the biggest surprise on the Browns, and maybe one of the biggest surprise performers in the NFL. He ranks ninth in QBR (62.6), ahead of Justin Herbert, Matthew Stafford and Aaron Rodgers, among others. He has completed 66.3% of his passes and thrown four touchdowns with only one interception. The running game has been prolific, but Cleveland ranks fifth in offensive efficiency because of its quarterback as well. If Brissett can maintain this level of play, the Browns should be firmly in the playoff mix once Deshaun Watson returns from suspension in Week 13. — Jake Trotter
Week 3 ranking: 13
Team QBR: 45.1 QBR rank: 21st
The Broncos are 2-1, so that’s good news. And Russell Wilson has pushed them through some important late-game drives in the two wins — also good news. But overall Wilson and the Broncos’ offense is a work in need of far more progress. He has looked a little out of sorts at times in the new scheme as he and coach Nathaniel Hackett try to find a balance in getting Wilson to move the ball out quickly and yet not taking away his ability to make plays off schedule. He has a 59.4% completion rate and two touchdown passes. But at key moments he has moved the ball, and there is optimism that more big plays are on the way. — Jeff Legwold
Week 3 ranking: 24
Team QBR: 71.6 QBR rank: 6th
Trevor Lawrence looks like a No. 1 overall pick. After a rough start in the opener against Washington he has posted the second- and third-highest-rated games of his career in routs of the Colts and Chargers. He’s sixth in the NFL in Total QBR (72.9) and seventh in completion percentage (69.4). Most importantly, he’s not turning the ball over (just one interception). He has flourished under head coach Doug Pederson after a lost season with Urban Meyer. — Michael DiRocco
Week 3 ranking: 10
Team QBR: 37.0 QBR rank: 26th
It would be hard to judge Jimmy Garoppolo off one game if that game didn’t look so much like so many others he has started with the 49ers over the years. Which is to say Garoppolo is mostly solid but still prone to game-changing mistakes that contribute to frustrating losses. He had a costly fumble and an interception as the Niners tried to come from behind against the Broncos on Sunday night and fell a point short. There’s a reacclimation process that must take place after he didn’t participate in the offseason or training camp and returned from right shoulder surgery, but the 49ers don’t have much time to wait for that to happen. — Nick Wagoner
Week 3 ranking: 6
Team QBR: 60.8 QBR rank: 9th
The Chargers are 1-2 and in their losses, the performance of quarterback Justin Herbert has been somewhat uneven. He has without question had several “wow” moments — including a 35-yard pass to receiver DeAndre Carter late in the defeat to the Chiefs — but he’s also had a few costly ones. In Kansas City, Herbert threw an interception that was returned 99 yards for a touchdown, putting the Chiefs ahead, and despite a gutsy decision to play against the Jaguars with fractured rib cartilage, Herbert completed only 56% of his passes, threw an interception and lost a sack fumble in a lopsided loss. — Lindsey Thiry
Week 3 ranking: 21
Team QBR: 58.0 QBR rank: 10th
Dak Prescott has played only three-plus quarters after fracturing his right thumb in the season opener against Tampa Bay, and it wasn’t a productive three-plus quarters. But he could be back as soon as this week (though likely it will be at least one more), which will benefit the offense. Cooper Rush has done what you want out of a backup quarterback. He led the Cowboys to two wins — vs. Cincinnati and at the NFC East rival Giants. In three weeks, he has thrown for 514 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions. But this is Prescott’s job as soon as he is healthy. — Todd Archer
Week 3 ranking: 19
Team QBR: 33.9 QBR rank: 28th
Daniel Jones has had his good and bad moments in the first few weeks of the season. Most of his top plays have come with his legs, such as the fourth-and-1 run late in the fourth quarter in Tennessee and the game-icing 11-yard scramble against the Panthers. Still, Jones hasn’t blown anyone away (he had fewer than 200 yards passing in each of the three games), which is going to be difficult to change if he continues to get pressured at a high rate. — Jordan Raanan
Week 3 ranking: 22
Team QBR: 45.4 QBR rank: 20th
Ryan Tannehill started the season with a good enough effort that should have led to a win over the Giants. He delivered passes to nine different receivers combining for 266 yards on 20 completions and two touchdowns, but the defense faltered in the second half of the 21-20 loss. Week 2 against the Bills was a disaster for the whole team resulting in a 41-7 drubbing. Tannehill got back on course the following week against the Raiders by completing 19 of 27 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown. At this point, Tannehill is playing like a mid-level starter who isn’t being asked to individually elevate the passing game. — Turron Davenport
Week 3 ranking: 14
Team QBR: 47.9 QBR rank: 15th
As goes Kyler Murray, so go the Cardinals. He only has 68 rushing yards in three games this season, which is why, in large part, the Cardinals’ record is 1-2. From a throwing standpoint he’s playing like his typical self. But as a runner, Murray isn’t using his legs like he can, and to win the Cardinals need Murray to run. — Josh Weinfuss
Week 3 ranking: 25
Team QBR: 38.8 QBR rank: 25th
Matt Ryan is finding himself in a familiar situation, one reminiscent of his recent seasons with the Falcons: Shaky offensive line play and unproven passing targets are limiting his effectiveness. As a result of the heavy pass rush, Ryan is struggling with protecting the football. He has already fumbled seven times. But the veteran has showed composure when needed, like on the 43rd game-winning drive of his career Sunday versus the Chiefs, when he completed 8 of 10 pass attempts. — Stephen Holder
Week 3 ranking: 12
Team QBR: 44.5 QBR rank: 22nd
Jameis Winston is struggling. There’s no denying that Winston is gutting things out right now as his list of injuries piles up. Winston hasn’t been healthy since he tore an ACL last Halloween, and he is dealing with right ankle and back issues too. The offensive problems can’t all be pinned on Winston since the Saints are struggling to maintain consistency in every area, but the spotlight will remain on him as long as he’s on the injury report if his play doesn’t improve. — Katherine Terrell
Week 3 ranking: 28
Team QBR: 23.0 QBR rank: 31st
Justin Fields’ early-season struggles were magnified in the Bears’ 23-20 win over the Houston Texans, as the second-year quarterback called his performance “trash” after completing 8 of 17 pass attempts for 106 yards, zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Chicago’s offense hasn’t been able to get its passing attack going, and much of that has to do with Fields missing wide-open throws, sailing balls past his receivers and generally appearing uncomfortable in the pocket. The Bears are trying to get a read on whether Fields is the answer at quarterback beyond this season, but it’s tough to evaluate him when he has only attempted 45 passes through three weeks. — Courtney Cronin
Week 3 ranking: 16
Team QBR: 35.9 QBR rank: 27th
Mac Jones is hurting. Everything took a back seat to his physical condition when he hopped off the field on his final offensive play in the loss Sunday to the Ravens, going directly to the locker room for evaluation. Jones is dealing with what doctors have diagnosed as a severe high ankle sprain that would cause many to have surgery and miss multiple weeks, sources told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Jones is also hurting on the stat sheet. He threw three interceptions Sunday, upping his total for the season to five. He didn’t throw his fifth interception until the fifth game of the season last year. — Mike Reiss
Week 3 ranking: 18
Team QBR: 44.0 QBR rank: 23rd
The honeymoon period — if there ever was one — for Mitch Trubisky is over. Trubisky is averaging 5.5 yards per attempt, the worst of any quarterback who has played three full games this season. He hasn’t been aggressive enough in his downfield throws and the offense lacks rhythm. But it falls on more than just Trubisky, and many of the offensive issues are also rooted in the playcalling and the work-in-progress offensive line. There was at least one sign of life for an otherwise disappointing offensive start: Trubisky completed 9-of-13 for 109 yards, including a 36-yard toss to rookie George Pickens, in the first half of the Thursday loss to the Browns. — Brooke Pryor
Week 3 ranking: 20
Team QBR: 63.7 QBR rank: 7th
Jared Goff has only one victory to show for it in three games, but he has appeared much more comfortable in his second season with the Lions under new offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. With more talent around him, Goff helped the Lions reach an NFL record with a touchdown in 11 straight quarters — the most to begin a season in league history. The team still must find a way to close games, but Goff certainly isn’t the problem as he’s playing much better football than he did last year. — Eric Woodyard
Week 3 ranking: 26
Team QBR: 39.9 QBR rank: 24th
Through two games, Carson Wentz had thrown seven touchdowns to three interceptions and ranked 14th in total QBR. But taking the third game into account, it’s been the full Wentz experience — and he has dropped to 24th in QBR. He has moments when he and the offense look excellent, and he has helped the Commanders use every inch of the field because of his arm. But he also holds the ball too long at times and needs to take care of it in the pocket. Wentz is an upgrade for the team and that hasn’t changed. He has the skill and the talent around him to be effective all year, but the protection will be a concern and his pocket awareness will be challenged. — John Keim
Week 3 ranking: 27
Team QBR: 54.5 QBR rank: 12th
Geno Smith has been good. And better than most observers expected out of a longtime backup who hadn’t entered a season as a starter since 2014. Smith ranks 10th in Total QBR (62.3) and is leading the NFL in completion rate by a wide margin (77.5%). He ranks 22nd in air yards per attempt (6.86), indicating how much of Seattle’s passing game has been short and intermediate throws. But Smith had some success down the field in the loss to the Falcons on Sunday that dropped the Seahawks to 1-2. His next step will be leading a game-winning drive, something he couldn’t do against Atlanta or in the three chances he had while filling in for Russell Wilson last season. — Brady Henderson
Week 3 ranking: 32
Team QBR: 55.8 QBR rank: 11th
Marcus Mariota has been fine. He has completed 63.3% of his passes — that would be the second-best in a season of his career — with a QBR of 55.9. He is throwing for a career-best 8.1 yards per attempt, which has been aided by head coach Arthur Smith’s playcalling. The concern? Some of his decisions and errors at critical times, including a red zone fumble and a bad center/quarterback exchange in the second half against the Saints in Week 1, leading to a loss, and a quarterback/running back exchange Sunday that was absolved somewhat by the win. But those mistakes have clouded an otherwise pretty good return to starting for Mariota and need to be remedied if he’s going to keep the job long term. — Michael Rothstein
Week 3 ranking: 30
Team QBR: 18.8 QBR rank: 32nd
Baker Mayfield has been subpar. That’s putting it kindly because he is putting up career-worst numbers. He ranks 32nd in the league in Total QBR (19.5), 31st in completion percentage (51.8), 28th in passing yards (550), 25th in touchdown passes (3, including a 67-yarder caught behind the line of scrimmage) and 25th in passer rating (80.8). And this doesn’t take into account five fumbles (all recovered) and almost a dozen passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. — David Newton
Week 3 ranking: 23
Team QBR: 47.0 QBR rank: 17th
Derek Carr is the most polarizing player in franchise history and while the Raiders’ unexpected 0-3 start is not entirely his fault, we all know quarterbacks get too much credit when things are going well and too much blame when things are going wrong. That said, he is off to an uneven beginning under new coach Josh McDaniels, as Carr has often had a slow start under a new playcaller. Small sample size, obviously, but his passer rating (85.1) and completion rate (60.8%) are both the lowest for him in a season since his rookie year. — Paul Gutierrez
Week 3 ranking: 29
Team QBR: 29.1 QBR rank: 30th
Zach Wilson (right knee) missed the first three games, but there’s a good chance he returns to the lineup this week. He hasn’t played since the first preseason game, so there’s bound to be rust. After an underwhelming rookie year, much is expected of the 2021 second overall pick. Wilson’s development, more than wins and losses, will determine whether the season is a success or failure. Patience is key. He should be evaluated on how he progresses over the final 14 games. Part of that is being able to stay healthy; durability has become an issue for him. Veteran Joe Flacco has filled in for Wilson throwing for 901 yards, 5 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in the three games. — Rich Cimini
Week 3 ranking: 31
Team QBR: 29.1 QBR rank: 29th
Davis Mills has regressed through the first three weeks of the season. He is completing 57.9% of his passes, third-worst in the NFL among starting quarterbacks. Last year he completed 66%. His biggest issue is third downs, on which he is netting 47% of his passes, fourth-worst in the NFL. And when the team has needed Mills the most, he hasn’t produced late in games, as the Texans’ offense has scored zero points in the final quarter. — DJ Bien-Aime
