Sept. 24, 2026, 12:00 a.m. ET
Because the 2026 NFL season heads into Week 3, various groups might be very happy to place September behind them – a number of already digging deeply into their quarterback depth charts, eight squads making an attempt to easily notch their first victory, and the Washington Commanders and Atlanta Falcons coping with such existential points concurrently.
Atlanta will kick off the week by heading to Inexperienced Bay for the Packers’ house opener at Lambeau Subject, the place the Falcons will lastly get to unleash QB Michael Penix Jr., their first-round choose two years in the past, who’s lastly recovered from final season’s knee harm. The Packers, nonetheless with out OLB Micah Parsons and RB Josh Jacobs, have additionally now misplaced OL Zach Bako-Bewele and Aaron Banks and can seemingly be with out WR Jayden Reed for the foreseeable future – that means this may very well be a recreation of groups on divergent trajectories.
Particularly price watching Sunday afternoon? How about Browns QB Deshaun Watson’s first regular-season begin in Cleveland in two years. Or the winless Texans and Colts tangling in a recreation that would successfully finish the season for one AFC South group. Maybe most notably, the Baltimore Ravens and Dallas Cowboys will meet at Maracanã Stadium for the league’s first-ever regular-season recreation in Rio de Janeiro – and amid some issues that the sphere situations may very well be problematic within the midst of an particularly wet season in Brazil.
The ultimate two prime-time video games needs to be compelling, the Los Angeles Rams dealing with the Broncos in Denver on Sunday night time earlier than the Chicago Bears – they could must play QB3 Case Keenum – host the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday night time soccer.”
How will all of it shake out? USA TODAY Sports activities’ panel of NFL specialists weighs in:
NFL Week 3 picks and predictions
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