The 2026 season is speeding up, with NFL Week 3 already around the corner. What felt like an eternal offseason is now firmly in the rearview, and we’re seeing what these 32 teams are made of. Here’s a full preview of NFL Week 3, along with score predictions for every game.
The Packers were disappointing in a 20-17 victory over the New York Jets. They managed just 63 rush yards on 18 total attempts, while Jordan Love went 16/29 for 145 yards and two touchdowns. They’re sorely missing running back Josh Jacobs and edge Micah Parsons.
The Falcons have shown extremely little to be excited about. The bright side: Michael Penix Jr. is set to make his first start in 2026. Whether that translates to a win is unclear, but after a 34-3 blowout loss, it should be an improvement.
Score Prediction: Packers 24- Falcons 17
The biggest disappointment of the 2026 NFL season so far is undoubtedly the Chargers. With OC Mike McDaniel, the offense was expected to light up the field. They’re now 0-2, and the entire team looks lost the moment they step onto the field.
The Bills are the complete opposite of the Chargers. Their offense is humming beautifully behind Josh Allen’s nine touchdowns in two weeks. D.J. Moore may also be returning to the lineup. Buffalo’s track record suggests a head-scratching loss, but this shouldn’t be it.
Score Prediction: Bills 31- Chargers 21
Lock of the week. The Panthers’ offense is playing at a high level coming off a dominant division win. Bryce Young is still on a slow but sure ascent, and Jalen Coker has emerged as a breakout target.
The Browns won on Sunday, which seems to be more of an indictment of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While they certainly showed improvement, it’s hard to bet on this team to consistently find success.
Score Prediction: Panthers 31- Browns 14
The Jets have been a pleasant surprise in 2026 with a 1-1 record. They defeated the Tennessee Titans and brought the Packers to overtime. They’re fun to watch, but are they actually all that good?
The Lions’ defense is wildly disappointing. Whether it’s personnel or coaching, they can’t stop a nosebleed. Their offense, however, is still capable of scoring 30+ points in each of the last two weeks. This might be a close game, but Detroit needs the win more.
Score Prediction: Lions 37- Jets 28
The Colts are by no means an incompetent team despite their 0-2 record. They went head-to-head with the Kansas City Chiefs, where they lost to two overtime field goals. They also haven’t won a game since November 9th, 2025.
The Texans’ offensive line is still one of the NFL’s worst. They were dominated by the Cincinnati Bengals in a 20-6 loss in Week 2. Without Alec Pierce in Indy’s lineup, the offense is weakened. Houston needs a bounce-back game, and this is perfect for it.
Score Prediction: Texans 21- Colts 14
This might be the biggest toss-up of the week. The Patriots are still underwhelming, and now without offensive lineman Mike Onwenu. The Jaguars’ offense sputtered against the Denver Broncos in a disappointing loss. This should be a slightly easier matchup for Trevor Lawrence and Co.
Score Prediction: Jaguars 20- Patriots 17
This is another lock of the week candidate. The Chiefs look like the Chiefs again. Eric Bieniemy is back as the OC, Kenneth Walker has added another layer to the offense, and they look like contenders again.
The Dolphins are making a case for the worst team in the NFL. They’re also the youngest. KC is the heavy favorite on FanDuel Sportsbook, and this shouldn’t be terribly close.
Score Prediction: Chiefs 34- Dolphins 10
Following Jaxson Dart’s injury, the Giants’ entire season is now in jeopardy. Jameis Winston is a serviceable backup, but he struggled mightily in relief of Dart on Monday night. With varying injuries to Brian Burns, Andrew Thomas, and Malik Nabers, Big Blue is in rough shape.
The Titans are making strides toward being a competitive team. They took the Philadelphia Eagles down to the wire in a 24-20 loss. While they still have a way to go, they’re healthier for this matchup.
Score Prediction: Titans 17- Giants 13
After the Bengals’ defense showed out against the Texans, they might finally be a contending team again. The Steelers’ offense was stagnant against the Patriots. With Rico Dowdle and Michael Pittman Jr. both banged up, that might not change quickly. Cincy has the better roster going into the divisional battle.
Score Prediction: Bengals 28- Steelers 20
The Commanders are now without Jayden Daniels, and once again turning to Marcus Mariota. Even before Daniels’ elbow injury, the offense was underwhelming.
The Seahawks are 2-0 and may have Sam Darnold back under center for Week 3. With a dominant defense and QB1 back in the lineup, they might win this game with their eyes closed.
Score Prediction: Seahawks 35- Commanders 13
The Cardinals came back down to earth in a 31-7 loss to the Seahawks. Meanwhile, the 49ers moved to 2-0 after dominating the Dolphins. San Francisco is a great team and mostly healthy going into this.
Score Prediction: 49ers 28- Cardinals 14
The Vikings’ offense is still not up to par after a 9-3 win over the Chicago Bears in the rain. Kyler Murray is expected back under center, and DC Brian Flores still runs a dominant defense.
The Buccaneers have struggled to make any kind of headway two weeks into the season. They’re coming off an ugly loss to the Browns, and the offense is missing the spark it had roughly a year ago. This is a recipe for another Flores masterclass.
Score Prediction: Vikings 14- Buccaneers 10
The Raiders are carrying a ton of momentum after defeating the Chargers and advancing to 2-0. Kirk Cousins is playing well, and tight end Brock Bowers is set to make his season debut.
The Saints have also exceeded expectations following a win over the Baltimore Ravens. Tyler Shough has thrown the ball 90 times in two weeks, which may not be sustainable for the growing offense. This is a toss-up game, but if Bowers returns, Vegas can get the underdog win.
Score Prediction: Raiders 24- Saints 21
The Ravens abandoned the run game in their loss to the Saints, a mistake they’ll learn from. The Cowboys’ defense is still underwhelming despite a win over a banged-up Washington team. This might be an offensive battle, but Baltimore has the edge on defense.
Score Prediction: Ravens 31- Cowboys 28
The Rams beat down on the Giants on Monday night in a return to form. Aaron Donald has gotten his feet wet and is ready to dominate again. Matthew Stafford went 22/31 for 327 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception.
The Broncos also returned to form in a late comeback against the Jaguars. The defense is still not up to its standard, but Jaylen Waddle is making an impact on offense. This could be a possible Super Bowl LXI preview.
Score Prediction: Rams 27- Broncos 20
The Eagles snuck out of Tennessee with a 24-20 win on Sunday after a late go-ahead touchdown. Jalen Hurts and the offense are still adjusting to OC Sean Mannion’s system, and the defense is struggling against the run.
The big story for the Bears is Caleb Williams’ hamstring strain. The “Iceman” could be out for this game, and backup QB Tyson Bagent is in concussion protocol. With Case Keenum as the likely starter, it’s hard to see this offense lighting Philly up.
Score Prediction: Eagles 28- Bears 17
Week 3 of the NFL season is where questions start getting answered. Teams that struggled early on are settling in, and good teams may start cooling off. The injury bug is rearing its ugly head, but the race to Super Bowl LXI isn’t slowing down.
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