NFL, Week 3: Full coverage, scores, highlights and more

Eight teams entered Week 3 with a perfect record and all but one escaped with a zero still in the loss column. The Houston Texans dropped to 2-1 with a 30-9 drubbing at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, leaving seven teams with a 3-0 record through the first three weeks.

Historically, over 75 percent of teams that earn a 3-0 record to start the year end up in the postseason. Alternatively, fewer than 3 percent of 0-3 teams make the playoffs, which spells trouble for the NFL’s six teams with winless records through three games.

The Giants and Cowboys were two NFC East teams heading in different directions early in Week 3. The Cowboys rolled past the Rams in a game that was not competitive early in the first half, while the Giants offense was miserable in a 38-0 blowout. New York remains winless as do the Vikings, who fell to the Brian Hoyer-led Browns in the final minute in Minnesota.

Texans 9, Ravens 30 (Full coverage)

Giants 0, Panthers 38 (Full coverage)

Packers 30, Bengals 34 (Full coverage)

Rams 7, Cowboys 31 (Full coverage)

Browns 31, Vikings 27 (Full coverage)

Buccaneers 3, Patriots 23 (Full coverage)

Cardinals 7, Saints 31 (Full coverage)

Chargers 17, Titans 20 (Full coverage)

Lions 27, Redskins 20 (Full coverage)

Falcons 23, Dolphins 27 (Full coverage)

Bills 27, Jets 20 (Full coverage)

Jaguars 17, Seahawks 45 (Full coverage)

Colts 27, 49ers 7 (Full coverage)

Bears 40, Steelers 23 (Full coverage)

• NFL Week 3 scores, recaps and highlights

• Rams RB Daryl Richardson re-injures foot after one play

After crashing his car into a neighborhood tree, burning all the rubber off his tires, getting arrested and showing up to practice just hours after blowing a 0.15, Smith ran out on the field with the starting defense on Sunday. Why wasn’t he sitting after his exciting weekend? Because Jed York said it didn’t make sense to sit him since he was paying him.

Jim Harbaugh came under fire on Friday when he said that Smith would play and start this week after his second DUI arrest in two years. Teams are not allowed to suspend players, but they can bench them or leave them on the inactive list.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Greg Schiano did not fly back to Florida with his team after its 23-3 loss on Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium, staying behind for a family medical emergency, according to Adam Schefter.

It is unclear when Schiano will rejoin the Buccaneers. Things could not have gotten off to a worse start for Tampa Bay this season, losing the first three games including two on last-second, game-winning field goals.

If Oakland has one thing going for them at this point, it’s the fact that this is an AFC West rivalry matchup and they know the Broncos well. Last season Oakland lost both games, but they weren’t totally dominated. They weren’t particularly close games, but it was always clear they were playing them harder. If Oakland hopes to win this one though, they’ll need to be even better.

Let’s take a look at both teams below.

In the end, Jay Cutler and the Bears did just enough when it counted to put the game out of reach late in the fourth quarter. But the Bears’ defense scored two touchdowns of their own to sway momentum in Chicago’s favor and collected a total of five turnovers in the game.

The 17-point margin of victory wasn’t a strong indicator of how close the game was late, but the Bears improved to 3-0 in convincing fashion and remain atop the NFC North. The Steelers, meanwhile, fell to 0-3.

The Jets defense once again stood tall, collecting eight sacks on the afternoon, not giving Manuel any time to get comfortable.

C.J. Spiller was the fantasy dud of the afternoon, rushing 10 times for nine yards. The first-round fantasy football draft pick has been hit or miss early this season.

Despite coming out in the third quarter, Russell Wilson still put up a big statline. He completed 14-of-21 passes for 202 yards, four touchdowns and an interception before making way for Tarvaris Jackson.

The Seahawks were massive 19-point favorites, according to OddsShark, and some Vegas books had the line as high as -20. They had no trouble covering that spread.

Spiller, a fourth-year running back out of Clemson, had 33 carries for 144 yards through the first two games this year and is coming off his most successful NFL season, rushing 207 times for 1,244 yards in 2012. Injuries haven’t been enough to keep Spiller off the field thus far in his career. After playing in 14 games as a rookie, Spiller played in all 16 games for the Bills in the last two years.

• NFL Week 3 scores, recaps and highlights

That puts the 49ers at 1-2 to start the year, the first time that head coach Jim Harbaugh has fallen below .500 in his professional coaching career.

The Colts scored three rushing touchdowns and held 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick to another meager performance.

On the final drive, Tannehill was 9-for-12 for 69 yards and the decisive touchdown, which helped the Dolphins improve to 3-0 on the season.

The Dolphins’ defense held its own against Atlanta’s offense, despite having some trouble with Julio Jones.

Shanahan didn’t have any problems with referees overturning the touchdown. “My understanding of the rule is that he’s got to have complete security all the way through the catch. It looked to me like it hit the ground, so I’m not surprised it was overturned.”

The Redskins head coach had similar thoughts on his quarterback’s fumble, willing to attribute it to simply being a football play. “To be honest with you it’s something that happens,” Shanahan said, “You slide forward and that happens. I’ve seen it happen to a lot of people.” He shrugged off the assertion that the kind of slide is what created the fumble, saying,“I’ve had QBs who always go head-first. A lot of guys do it different ways.”

Willis was drafted with the 11th overall pick in 2007 and has made the Pro Bowl in every season since, including five first-team All-Pro honors. He has missed only four games in his career and recorded 120 total tackles last year as San Francisco won the NFC.

• NFL Week 3 scores, recaps and highlights

The Giants are by no means dead in the water, but “desperate” is definitely the right way to describe this team.

• NFL Week 3 scores, recaps and highlights

And to think, the Jaguars were actually driving into Seattle’s red zone before Henne threw the ball into Meester’s head zone.

The Jags have still only scored 11 points this season. The Seahawks have only given up 10 points this year.

With the Rams’ offensive line playing like it did on Sunday, it didn’t matter much who was carrying the football. Of course, it didn’t help that St. Louis hardly ran the ball at all, especially in the first half when it handed the ball off only five times over 30 minutes.

• NFL Week 3 score updates, GIF highlights and more

Here are all the ways the Jaguars are failing on Sunday.

• NFL Week 3 score updates, GIF highlights and more

Wake was subbing in and out more frequently than usual early in the game and eventually settled in on the sideline, getting evaluated by the Dolphins’ medical staff and riding on the bike.

The Dolphins later officially announced the injury as a knee injury and deemed Wake questionable to return. He was taken to the locker room but returned to the sideline later, though he looked disgruntled.

The loss drops the Redskins to 0-3 on the season, while the Lions improve to 2-1.

Fantasy Studs and Duds

Fantasy Studs and Duds

Perhaps not a standout game by his standards, but Peterson was solid with 88 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Wideout Greg Jennings remains a non-factor in fantasy, grabbing just three passes for 43 yards.

Despite the fumble, Johnathan Franklin will be on the waiver wire radar this week. He rushed for 103 yards on 13 carries and got the touchdown.

The Packers entered the game as 2.5-point favorites but lost by four.

Fantasy studs and duds

Brees threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns, one interception, and ran one touchdown in on the ground.

Houston was disappointing on offense. The team managed to move the ball through the air and on the ground, but continually failed in the short field, settling for three field goals.

There were no significant injuries in Sunday’s game.