Nine of the 32 teams were undefeated entering Week 3. The elite group: Bills, Buccaneers, Chargers, Chiefs, Saints, Seahawks, Steelers, Texans and Vikings.
At least two of these teams’ stellar records will be tarnished this weekend, as the schedule includes two matchups between undefeated teams: Texans vs. Vikings and Chargers vs. Steelers.
The Texans, led by second-year quarterback C.J. Stroud and coach DeMeco Ryans, have shown grit and resilience in their first two games of the season. They beat the Colts 29-27 in Week 1, then withstood challenges from the Bears’ stout defense at home last Sunday night. Now they take on a Vikings team that has been surprising in the early season.
Many expected Kevin O’Connell’s team to take a few steps back after Kirk Cousins left for the Falcons. Instead, new starting quarterback Sam Darnold looks like a man reborn. Considered a bust after terrible experiences with the Jets and Panthers, Darnold (the third pick of the 2018 draft) spent last season as a backup in San Francisco, then was signed by Minnesota as an insurance policy for the rookie quarterback they planned to draft. But after JJ McCarthy suffered a knee injury in August, the Vikings turned to Darnold, and he has had two strong performances to help Minnesota take an early lead in the NFC North. Can Darnold continue his resurgence against a Texans defense that is third-most stingy in yards allowed and second in sacks through two games? (Speaking of sacks, Minnesota has 11, so Stroud and Houston’s line better get ready.)
Meanwhile, Chargers-Steelers should have a throwback feel. New coach Jim Harbaugh has led LA to back-to-back wins while placing a heavy emphasis on a strong run game (running back J.K. Dobbins leads the NFL with 266 rushing yards) and impressive defense (allowing 227.5 yards and only 6.5 points). The Chargers may need a rushing attack and strong defense more than ever on Sunday, as quarterback Justin Herbert (three touchdown passes, one interception through two games) is questionable with a high ankle sprain. Interestingly, Pittsburgh uses a similar approach. Through two weeks, Mike Tomlin’s Steelers defense has also dominated, allowing 260.5 yards and only 8.0 points per game. That defense and a rushing attack that is averaging 139 yards per game have helped ease the pressure on Justin Fields, who is expected to start his third game in a row in place of Russell Wilson.
It might not be pretty, but this approach has served both teams well. Which team will remain unstoppable?