Two weeks into the NFL season and there have already been some surprises.
The post-Tom Brady Tampa Bay Buccaneers won their first two games. The Super Bowl hopeful Cincinnati Bengals started 0-2 for the second straight season. The NFC East has three of the league's remaining unbeaten teams, including a Cowboys team looking to get off to a dominant 3-0 start.
That quest will be one of the intriguing storylines entering Week 3.
The week begins with a matchup between the New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers on Thursday. The Giants managed to rally from a 21-point deficit to defeat the Arizona Cardinals 31-28 on Sunday, avoiding what would have been a disastrous start to the season after a 40-0 loss to the Cowboys in the season opener. But in the process, Saquon Barkley exited the game with an apparent ankle injury, raising questions about his availability during a short week. His potential absence would leave a void against a 49ers defense that forced two late turnovers in a 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams to improve to 2-0.
The early slate of Sunday games features nine games with 1 p.m. ET kickoffs. That's highlighted by an AFC East matchup between two teams in need of a victory, the New York Jets and New England Patriots. Zach Wilson could be fighting to keep his starting job after throwing three interceptions in his first start since Aaron Rodgers' season-ending Achilles injury. The Patriots hope to avoid their first 0-3 start since Bill Belichick’s first season as head coach in 2000.
The Denver Broncos will also look to avoid an 0-3 start as they seek their first win under new head coach Sean Payton when they travel to Miami to face Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins.
Two teams that entered with postseason expectations but got off to 0-2 starts, the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers, meet in what is now an important early-season matchup for both.
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Elsewhere, the Detroit Lions host the Atlanta Falcons, the New Orleans Saints travel to Lambeau Field to play the Green Bay Packers, the Washington Commanders welcome Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills and the Jacksonville Jaguars have a divisional home matchup against the Houston Texans.
In the afternoon slate, the Kansas City Chiefs' offense looks to return to form after a lackluster 1-1 start when they host a struggling Chicago Bears team. The Cowboys look to get off to a 3-0 start for just the fourth time since 2000 (2007, 2008, 2019) when they travel to Arizona to play the 0-2 Cardinals. The Seattle Seahawks look to build on their Week 2 overtime win when they host the Carolina Panthers.
The day is capped with the Las Vegas Raiders hosting the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football.
Monday night offers a rare doubleheader of sorts for NFL fans. The action begins with a matchup between two unbeaten teams as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers host the Philadelphia Eagles that kicks off at 7:15 p.m. ET. A pair of 0-2 teams will battle it out for their first victory when the Cincinnati Bengals host the Los Angeles Chargers at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Here is the full schedule for Week 3 in the NFL...