The third week of the NFL season was full of surprises, records and drama. Here are some of the highlights and lowlights from the action-packed Sunday.
Dolphins demolish Broncos with record-breaking performance
The Miami Dolphins put on a show for their home fans, scoring 70 points against the Denver Broncos in a dominant 70-20 victory. The Dolphins became the fourth team in NFL history to score 70 points in a game, and the first since Washington did it against the Giants in 1966. The Dolphins also set franchise records for most points, touchdowns (10) and yards (623) in a game.
The Dolphins were led by quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, who had a perfect passer rating of 158.3, completing 24 of 28 passes for 378 yards and five touchdowns. He also ran for a score and caught a touchdown pass from wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, who had seven catches for 149 yards and two touchdowns. The Dolphins also got contributions from running back Myles Gaskin, who rushed for 113 yards and two touchdowns, and tight end Mike Gesicki, who had six catches for 92 yards and a touchdown.
The Broncos had no answer for the Dolphins’ explosive offense, as they fell to 0-3 on the season. Quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was sacked six times and threw two interceptions, while the Broncos’ defense gave up the most points and yards in franchise history.
Cowboys suffer shocking loss to Cardinals at home
The Dallas Cowboys were expected to cruise to an easy win over the Arizona Cardinals, who were without their starting quarterback Kyler Murray due to a shoulder injury. However, the Cardinals pulled off a stunning upset, beating the Cowboys 27-24 on a game-winning field goal by Matt Prater as time expired.
The Cardinals were led by backup quarterback Colt McCoy, who threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns, including a 75-yard bomb to rookie wide receiver Rondale Moore in the fourth quarter. The Cardinals also got a big performance from running back Chase Edmonds, who rushed for 120 yards on 16 carries.
The Cowboys had a chance to tie or win the game in the final minutes, but quarterback Dak Prescott threw an interception to cornerback Byron Murphy Jr., who returned it to the Cowboys’ 32-yard line. The Cardinals then ran down the clock and set up Prater for the winning kick.
The Cowboys dropped to 1-2 on the season, while the Cardinals improved to 2-1 and snapped a six-game losing streak to the Cowboys.
Other notable results from Week 3
- The Cleveland Browns improved to 3-0 for the first time since 2001, as they beat the Tennessee Titans 27-3 behind a dominant defensive performance. The Browns sacked Ryan Tannehill five times and held the Titans to just 94 yards of offense.
- The Buffalo Bills also moved to 3-0, as they routed the Washington Commanders 43-21. Josh Allen threw for 358 yards and four touchdowns, while Stefon Diggs had six catches for 62 yards and a touchdown.
- The Baltimore Ravens edged out the Indianapolis Colts 23-20 in overtime, as Justin Tucker kicked a 49-yard field goal to win it. Lamar Jackson threw for 287 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for a score.
- The New Orleans Saints handed the Green Bay Packers their first loss of the season, winning 30-27 on a game-winning field goal by Wil Lutz as time expired. Jameis Winston threw for 312 yards and two touchdowns, while Alvin Kamara had 95 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown.
- The Kansas City Chiefs bounced back from their Week 2 loss to the Ravens, as they beat the Chicago Bears 34-24. Patrick Mahomes threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns, while Travis Kelce had seven catches for 109 yards and a touchdown.
- The Seattle Seahawks suffered their first loss of the season, as they fell to the Carolina Panthers 27-24. Sam Darnold threw for 304 yards and two touchdowns, while DJ Moore had eight catches for 126 yards.
- The Las Vegas Raiders remained unbeaten, as they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-24 on Sunday night. Derek Carr threw for 382 yards and two touchdowns, while Henry Ruggs III had five catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.