Five [Opfer's Take]aways from NFL Week 3

5. From Worst to First

The team leading the league in scoring through the first three weeks of the season? You guessed it (no you didn’t)… the Los Angeles Rams! After ranking 32^nd in scoring a season ago - 14 points per game - the Rams now lead the league in scoring through the first three games. Averaging 35.7 points per game, new head coach Sean McVay has led an offensive resurgence for the current NFC West division leader. It is important to note however that they have played Indianapolis (31^st in points allowed) and San Francisco (28^th in points allowed), two bottom feeders in just about every defensive statistical category. Still, it has been an impressive start. As the schedule toughens though, it will be interesting to see how this offense responds. For now, Jared Goff and Todd Gurley have this offense looking… formidable.

Goff & Gurley have the Rams offense clicking (MercuryNews).

4. 0 for Ohio

Two teams, zero wins. In a state that loves its football, Cincinnati and Cleveland are a combined 0-6 to start the season. Both teams are tied for last in the league in turnover margin (-5), and tied for 4^th in the league in sacks given up with 11. The field generals for both clubs have been struggling mightily, as rookie Deshone Kizer and veteran Andy Dalton rank 29^th and 32^nd in total QBR rating, respectively. 

After a rather optimistic off-season, the Browns are right back to being the cellar dwellers they’ve been accustomed to. The defense ranks 28^th in points allowed (25.3), and 20^th in sacks with just six (DC Greg Williams sure is making an impact). Even worse, their number one overall draft pick, Myles Garrett, hasn’t even seen the field. The offense, as bad as it has looked at times, hasn’t played that poorly (14^th in yards/game, 18.7 points/game) considering the circumstances – rookie QB, no playmakers, and a lackluster D. Meanwhile things aren’t much better 250 miles south of the Land. After failing to score a touchdown in its first two games, the Bengals squandered a 14-point halftime lead to fall in overtime at Lambeau on Sunday. The offense looks far from a team that ranked 13^th a season ago in total offense, as they currently rank last in points per game (11) and 28^th in passing yards.

The silver lining? These two teams face off in week 4. It may be ugly, but at least Ohio will finally see a win a quarter of the way through the season.

Fun Fact: Hue Jackson is now 1-18 to start his career as Browns head coach. Even if Cleveland won out, he would still have a losing record.

3. New Nominees

Did the Miami Dolphins forget this is the National Football League? It takes more than just showing up every week to win, let alone compete. If they learned anything, hopefully it’s that Sunday’s beat down will serve as a wake-up call. The Jets were supposed to be the worst team in the league, tanking for the number one pick. On Sunday, it looked like the roles were reversed. Coming into the game, the Jets had been surrendering a league worst 185 yards rushing per outing. Dolphins’ Jay Ajayi – who rushed for 122 yards in week 2 – managed 16 yards on 11 carries! Even worse, the Phins failed to convert a first down by way of rushing. Third down conversions? They were abysmal, converting just 1-of-12, good for eight percent! Things went from bad to worse when Miami tried a fake punt – with a rookie punter nonetheless – and the pass was intercepted. Cutler looked like the Cutler of old, missing wide open targets, completing just 59% of his passes, and mustering only 220 yards (over 50 on the final drive aka garbage time). 

Across the pond, it may have been worse, as the Ravens were embarrassed 44-7 by the… Jaguars! Coming into the game, Baltimore was ranked in the top five in just about every defensive statistical category, including 1^st in points allowed – just 5 per game. Throw that out the window. The Jags were coming off a 37-16 drubbing to the Titans. Whether it was the mystical nature of London or not, this was an eye opener. The Ravens made Blake Bortles look like an All-Pro (244 and 4 TD's), while the offense managed just 186 total yards, averaging 3.4 yards per play. QB Joe Flacco had a performance for the ages, as he finished with a QBR of 0.8 (by far the worst of the week), going 8-for-18 for just 28 yards and two interceptions! After so much praise through the first two weeks of the season, the Ravens took a major step back on Sunday.

Congrats Miami and Baltimore. Your performances on Sunday will now be nominees for worst performance of the season, right next to the Bengals opener.

Fun Fact: QB Josh McCown was 2-22 (8%) in his last 24 starts prior to Sunday. He led the Jets to a 20-6 lopsided win.

2. The KC Chiefs are the most complete team in football

One of only two remaining unbeaten teams, Kansas City is off to a hot start, thanks in large part to a newly invigorated offense and an effective defense. Not to mention a rookie running back on the hunt. The Chiefs rank 3^rd in both total offense & points per game, and 1^st in rushing yards (162 per). Rookie RB Kareem Hunt has ascended as the feature back and is thriving in Andy Reid’s offense. The Ohio native leads the league in rushing with 401 yards on the ground (next closest is Dalvin Cook – another rookie – with 288), averaging 8.5 per carry! He has also showed his versatility, snagging nine passes for 137 yards and two scores. Meanwhile, on the other side of the ball, the Chiefs are 7^th in scoring defense, tied for 2^nd in sacks with 11, and tied for 3^rd in both interceptions (4) and turnover differential (+4).

Fun Fact: The Chiefs haven’t lost a divisional game since 2015, owning the longest active streak with 12 consecutive wins in the AFC WEST!! You know, the loaded division with the Broncos, Raiders and Chargers.

1. The other Elliott!

Drafted out of Memphis in the fifth round (153^rd overall) of April’s draft by the Bengals, kicker Jake Elliott was cut on Labor Day weekend, just before the opening week of the season. It didn’t take long to find another destination. After Eagles kicker Caleb Sturgis was injured on opening day, they signed Elliott off the Bengals practice squad. On Sunday, the most unlikeliest of stories unfolded. Welcome to sports. Welcome to football.

After holding the visiting G-Men to zero points through the first three quarters, New York’s offense came to life in the 4^th, scoring 21 unanswered to take a 21-14 lead. After the Eagles tied it at 21, both teams hit a FG to make the score 24-24 with just 51 seconds left. The Giants went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, leaving the Eagles with 19 seconds. It proved to be enough as Carson Wentz hit Alshon Jeffery for a 19-yard pass, setting Philly up on the Giants 43-yard line with just one second on the clock. Hail Mary or FG? Out trotted the rookie Elliott to attempt a 61-yard FG. A 61-YARD FG! 

BOOM! Elliott delivered. A player who was cut just weeks earlier (and who had missed his first kick earlier in the game), came through with the longest kick in Eagles history. A dagger in the gut of the winless New York Giants. From unknown to instant hero in the land of brotherly love!

61-yarder? That's how you become a known commodity in Philly. (CSN Philly)

Fun Fact: Elliot made two field goals in the final 51 seconds of the game. It was the longest NFL field goal ever kicked in Philadelphia, and the longest field goal by a rookie in NFL history. His career long was 56 yards in college.