There’s nothing worse than a small sample size. We think we know something about a team or player, because we’ve seen it with both our eyes and the data, and then poof. That fact is gone, replaced with new data that shows how silly we were before.
Week 3 of the NFL season served as a fresh reminder of how little we know. The five things we all got so, so wrong:
5. Everything about the NFC South, starting with last night.
Two weeks ago, we were ready to bury the Atlanta Falcons. As of now, sure, they’re 1-2. But last night, they probably should’ve beaten the all-world Chiefs. Earlier, the Eagles made the Saints look pedestrian, and the Buccaneers got roasted by Bo Nix and the Broncos. Oh, and Carolina appears to be a real NFL team again with Andy Dalton under center in yesterday’s win over the Raiders. I know nothing about the NFC South.
4. The Rams? The 49ers?
L.A. was down by 10 points with 6:30 to play and came back to win the game. These two teams are on separate tracks — the Rams have looked washed, while the Niners are contenders — but now they’re both 1-2. Jauan Jennings put up 11 catches, 175 yards and three touchdowns, and it wasn’t enough. Never count out Matthew Stafford, I guess.
3. Maybe Sam Darnold should remain Minnesota’s starter.
We knew Darnold would start in J.J. McCarthy’s rookie year, especially with McCarthy injured, but after the 27-year-old’s virtuoso performance in yesterday’s 34-7 rout of the Texans, I wonder if Minnesota is thinking about his long-term potential. Carving a legitimately great defense, Darnold has never looked more comfortable in the NFL. The Vikings are Super Bowl contenders at 3-0.
2. Psst, maybe Justin Fields should, too.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-0, and starting QB Russell Wilson, out with a calf injury, hasn’t played a snap. Fields played his best game yesterday, with 245 yards and a touchdown through the air. Overshadowing his performance: the health of Justin Herbert, who left in the third quarter with another injury. Daniel Popper wonders why Herbert even started and, worse, why the Chargers didn’t protect him from himself.
1. The Cowboys might be cooked.
Losing by three to a good Ravens team shouldn’t feel like a death knell, but here we are. After a resounding Week 1 win in Cleveland — which looks more iffy by the day — Dallas is a loser of two straight at home, with two straight awful defensive performances to boot. The upcoming slate of opponents is brutal, too. What happens if Dallas is, say, 3-7 before Thanksgiving? One ticket to woof city, please.
Honorable mention on this list goes to the Green Bay Packers, who are contenders even with Jordan Love out. What they did in Tennessee yesterday should terrify everyone. I thought they’d flail without Love.Â
There was plenty more Week 3 to talk about. Read our full takeaways here.
