NFL Week 3 Preview: 3 Storylines to Watch

Week 3 of the NFL regular season kicked off on a Thursday, and there’s plenty of intrigue surrounding the other games. SportsGrid looks into some storylines worth following. 

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1. Will the Chargers or Vikings Pick Up First Win?

It’s somewhat surprising to see the Minnesota Vikings and Los Angeles Chargers head into their Week 3 matchup still searching for a victory. Many expected the Vikings to take a step back this year after winning so many one-score games last season. We also haven’t seen the adjustments we sought under new defensive coordinator Brian Flores. The Chargers and Vikings have a lot in common offensively, which makes this matchup compelling. One of these two franchises will end up in the win column after Week 3; the other will fall to 0-3, digging a deeper playoff hole. Another reason to keep an eye on this matchup is its fantasy implications. Expect points to be scored early and often. 

2. Will the Lions or Falcons Emerge as Real NFC Contenders?

More was expected heading into the regular season for the Detroit Lions, but the Atlanta Falcons have looked the part of a viable NFC contender through two weeks. The Lions upset the Kansas City Chiefs on the road in Week 1 but followed that up by dropping a game at home to the Seattle Seahawks. On the other hand, the Falcons knocked off the Carolina Panthers and Green Bay Packers. The Falcons are a run-heavy offense, with Bijan Robinson now leading the charge. It’ll be interesting to see how he manages in this matchup against a strong Lions run defense. Ultimately, there’s a lot of talent on both offenses, but whether or not we consider these teams genuine contenders will come down to how their respective defenses perform. The Lions have more disrupters on that side of the football, but we like the Falcons more. 

3. Will the Bears Respond to Adversity vs. Chiefs?

Listen, before people yell at us in the comments, we’re not expecting the Chicago Bears to upset the Kansas City Chiefs on the road this weekend. Still, with the headlines surrounding the Bears this week, they need to show something this weekend. Justin Fields put himself on notice with how he spoke to the media this week, and regardless of the coaching, it’s time for him to show some improvements. On the opposite side of the coin, the Chiefs haven’t looked like themselves offensively, and this is an excellent spot for them to get back on track. The Bears have struggled on both sides of the football, and we know Patrick Mahomes is dreaming about this elite matchup. Even though the Chiefs are near two-touchdown favorites, this matchup will still have many eyeballs tuning in.

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