Ravens overtake Cowboys, Chiefs make case for defense

Week three in the NFL was another thriller, with six teams picking up their first win of the season, four suffering their first loss, and us being treated to some hectic finals.

The Baltimore Ravens and the Los Angeles Rams got off to a good start and inflicted further havoc on the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers respectively after different comeback attempts.

The previously winless Denver Broncos beat the previously unbeaten Tampa Bay Buccaneers, while the previously hapless New York Giants celebrated an unexpected victory in Cleveland.

Even the much-maligned Carolina Panthers managed to pull off a win – against the Las Vegas Raiders, who celebrated a stunning comeback victory in Baltimore just last week.

The Kansas City Chiefs won 3-0, and the surprise team Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings also remain undefeated thanks to their fearsome and still dominant defenses.

Ravens rage in Dallas and Rams shock Niners

Derrick Henry and Lamar Jackson combined for 238 rushing yards and three touchdowns as the Ravens carried the ball for 45 of 60 plays, exposing the Cowboys' glaring weakness in the running game.

Quarterback Jackson has been his team's best runner over the past five seasons, but Henry now means the two-time NFL MVP doesn't have to do it all himself. Henry had his 12th career game with 150 yards and two touchdowns – just one shy of Jim Brown's all-time record.

Dallas managed to score 19 points out of nowhere in the fourth quarter and was nervous after Baltimore blew a 10-point lead last week, but the Ravens earned their first win of the season, holding on to it 28-25.

Like Dallas, San Francisco lost two games in a row despite a 14-0 lead against the injury-plagued Rams, who pulled off a dramatic 27-24 victory after a chaotic final few minutes.

Jauan Jennings delivered a monstrous game of 175 yards and three touchdowns for the Niners, who were themselves badly injured, and Kyren Williams scored a hat trick for the Rams, who closed the gap to their rivals with a 1-2 record after a late score by Williams and an even later field goal by Joshua Karty.

Chiefs defense holds out in Atlanta

Patrick Mahomes threw two touchdown passes, but the Super Bowl champions had to rely on their defense in a thrilling battle against the Atlanta Falcons (22-17) to cross the finish line and move within 3-0.

Mahomes wasn't at his best and Travis Kelce had another quiet game, but the defense bailed them out with two late stops as the Falcons continued to knock on the door.

Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris may regret not kicking a late field goal as they failed to score a touchdown from six yards out, but the fact that they were able to keep up with the champions throughout bodes well for the future.

Defense leads the undefeated Steelers, Vikings and Seahawks

The other three teams that went 3-0 on Sunday are a bit of a bigger surprise, but Pittsburgh and Minnesota's defensive units in particular mean that both are now teams to be feared.

The Vikings scored their biggest win in five years with a 34-7 victory over the previously unbeaten Texans. CJ Stroud was intercepted twice and sacked four times in this one-sided game.

TJ Watt continues to lead a stingy Steelers defense that has now allowed just 26 points in three games following a 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers.

Mike Tomlin's team reached the playoffs after three previous 3-0 starts, and with backup quarterback Justin Fields playing his best game of the season, they're likely just beginning their warm-up phase.

The Seattle Seahawks are the first team since 1979 to start 3-0 and allow fewer than 150 passing yards in every game, but they benefited from the fact that the Miami Dolphins had to use their third quarterback in their 24-3 loss.

Eagles beat Saints, Packers are the real heroes

The Philadelphia Eagles responded to last Monday's painful loss in Atlanta by holding off the New Orleans Saints' attack, who had scored 91 points in two games, and winning a defensive battle 15-12 in the Superdome.

Three touchdowns were scored in the fourth quarter after only three points had been scored earlier. Saquon Barkley showed why the Eagles had brought him in with a game-winning 65-yard touchdown run, his first of two touchdowns.

Despite losing their opening game to the Eagles, the Green Bay Packers are still considered serious contenders after backup quarterback Malik Willis led them to a 30-14 win over the Tennessee Titans.

Titans quarterback Will Levis was overwhelmed by the Packers defense, which sacked him eight times and caught two interceptions. Green Bay continues to win without star player Jordan Love.

NFL Week 3 Summary

Carolina's controversial decision to bench former first-round pick Bryce Young paid off, as substitute Andy Dalton became the first quarterback this season to rush for 300 yards and three touchdowns in a game, leading the Panthers to their first win of the season.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce was angry at his team's poor response to last week's thrilling win, but the Panthers didn't care and won 36-22.

The New York Giants dropped the ball on the opening kickoff and fell behind in the first 11 seconds, but two touchdown catches by rookie receiver Malik Nabers helped them to a 21-15 comeback victory.

Nabers appears to be a rising star, becoming the first player to catch more than 20 passes for 250 yards and three or more touchdowns in the first three games of his career.

Bo Nix got his first win as quarterback for the Denver Broncos in a win over Tampa Bay. Caleb Williams threw his first touchdown passes, but the Chicago Bears lost at the Indianapolis Colts and the Detroit Lions got back on track with a win at the Arizona Cardinals.

NFL Week 3 Results

• Kansas City Chiefs – Atlanta Falcons 22:17

• Baltimore Ravens – Dallas Cowboys 28:25

• San Francisco 49ers – Los Angeles Rams 24:27

• Detroit Lions – Arizona Cardinals 20:13

• Carolina Panthers – Las Vegas Raiders 36:22

• Miami Dolphins – Seattle Seahawks 3:24

• Green Bay Packers – Tennessee Titans 30:14

• Denver Broncos – Tampa Bay Buccaneers 26:7

• Los Angeles Chargers – Pittsburgh Steelers 10:20

• Philadelphia Eagles – New Orleans Saints 15:12

• Houston Texans – Minnesota Vikings 7:34

• Chicago Bears – Indianapolis Colts 16:21

• New York Giants – Cleveland Browns 21:15

• New England Patriots – New York Jets 3:24

Highlights of the third week of the NFL