With just two weeks in the books, we are already seeing the preseason storylines giving way to the realities of the regular season. The surprises keep coming, with some teams jumping out to a 2-0 start while others find themselves at 0-2. Week 3 is shaping up to be an exciting one, with matchups that will shake up the unbeaten ranks.
The Houston Texans and Minnesota Vikings will put their perfect records on the line against each other, as will the Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. There are sure to be plenty of unexpected twists and turns between Sunday and the end of the “Monday Night Football” doubleheader.
The status of Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love remains up in the air, as he returned to practice this week on a limited basis after suffering an MCL sprain in his left knee. Coach Matt LaFleur is keeping his cards close to his chest, saying the decision on Love’s availability could go right up until 90 minutes before kickoff.
In the meantime, Kurt Willis, a third-year pro who has only been with the Packers for a short time, has shown that he could be a solid option. In his first start last weekend against the Indianapolis Colts, Willis threw for a career-high 122 yards, completing 85.7% of his passes without committing a turnover. He also threw his first NFL touchdown and came out with a win.
Willis’ time with the Tennessee Titans may not have been as successful, with limited playing time and without throwing a single touchdown pass. But now, under the guidance of LaFleur, Willis has a chance to shine against his former team.
It’s possible that with LaFleur’s guidance, a strong running game led by Josh Jacobs, and a talented group of receivers, Willis could have a breakout game against the Titans. While a 300-yard passing game may be a stretch, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Willis could have a career day against his former teammates.
As for the Baltimore Ravens, their defense will need to step up to generate a pass rush and make stops to support quarterback Lamar Jackson and the offense. Jackson has an impressive record of 20-1 in games started against NFC opponents, so the Ravens will be looking to continue that success in Week 3.
Overall, Week 3 is shaping up to be full of excitement and unexpected outcomes, with plenty of storylines to keep fans on the edge of their seats. As the regular season continues to unfold, we can expect even more surprises and twists in the weeks to come.
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
— Jarrett Bell
