The 5 best NFL games to watch in Week 3

49ers at Chiefs, Saints at Falcons and Chargers at Rams are some of the best games in the NFL this week. The Seahawks still have a lot to prove as the Cowboys visit Seattle, too.

by Rebecca Toback

Sep 23, 2018, 12:00 PM UTC

Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

The Browns and Jets kicked off Week 3 in the NFL with a bang as Cleveland ACTUALLY WON A GAME! That leaves seven teams still looking for their first win this weekend, with each division having one winless team, other than the NFC South.

Speaking of the NFC South, the Saints and Falcons will be battling on Sunday, with both teams standing at 1-1. The Titans and Jaguars are the only other intra-divisional matchup this weekend. You’d have to expect Jacksonville will come away as winners, especially with Marcus Mariota questionable to play.

That sets the stage for what’s sure to be an exciting third week of the season and there are quite a few games worth tuning into today.

Cowboys at Seahawks (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

Let’s start with a game that nearly the entire country will get to see (other than those in the Great Lakes region and Arizona). Neither of these teams have looked all too impressive just yet, though the Cowboys are fielding a top-five defense. In Seattle, head coach Pete Carroll has admitted that he’s getting impatient and offensive coordinator Brian Schottenheimer is saying he needs to “do a better job.” The Cowboys should provide a good chance for Seattle to claim its first victory of the season. Though, that remains up in the air as safety Earl Thomas didn’t practice on Friday due to “personal reasons” and linebacker Mychal Kendricks injured his ankle during practice this week.

If you look at this game by the numbers, the Seahawks should have the advantage.

Chargers at Rams (4:05 p.m. ET, CBS)

The Chargers don’t have very many fans in Los Angeles, so while this is a Los Angeles vs. Los Angeles game, it’s mostly going to be Rams fans in attendance. The Rams are 2-0 and while the Chargers are 1-1 they have the potential to be a top team in the AFC this year. Philip Rivers has shown no signs of aging (73.1 completion percentage, six touchdowns, one interception, 119.6 passer rating through two weeks) so he can certainly keep up with -- or outplay -- Jared Goff (64.6 completion percentage, three touchdowns, one interception, 102.5 passer rating) in this matchup.

The game may come down to which team’s defense steps up most. Chargers rookie safety Derwin James will be a player to keep an eye on as he’s off to a hot start. For the Rams, keep an eye on the always-fun-to-watch Aaron Donald.

Packers at Washington (1:00 p.m. ET, Fox)

An upset could be brewing in Washington where the Packers are three-point favorites to win. But with Aaron Rodgers still hobbled, this could be a Washington victory. It really depends if we see the Washington team that looked dominant in Week 1 against the Cardinals or the Washington team that struggled mightily against the Colts in Week 2. If Jay Gruden’s hopes come to fruition, Washington will make Rodgers uncomfortable in the pocket, leading to Washington starting the year 2-1. Fans in the capitol are relatively confident in their ability to win on Sunday.

49ers at Chiefs (Sunday, 1:00 p.m., Fox)

This should be one of the most fun games to watch with Jimmy Garoppolo battling Patrick Mahomes in the Chiefs’ home opener. A shootout is likely between two strong offenses but questionable defenses. That’s what we saw from the Chiefs last week in a 42-37 win over the Steelers. The Chiefs offensive line has kept Patrick Mahomes clean (two sacks through two weeks) and if they can keep that up, Mahomes may just keep playing at an unthinkable level. Mahomes is already breaking NFL records and could continue doing just that in Week 3. As for the 49ers, they have Reuben Foster back from his two-game suspension and the second-year linebacker is ready to make an impact in Week 3.

Saints at Falcons (1:00 p.m. ET, Fox)

Fans in Atlanta are in for an NFC South rivalry game as Drew Brees and the Saints head to town. Alvin Kamara took the league by storm last year as he and Mark Ingram dominated week after week. Ingram is currently suspended and the Saints haven’t been using Kamara enough as New Orleans ranks last in the league in rushing yards. A by the numbers look at this matchup offers positive takeaways for both teams, but injuries are really hurting the Falcons and putting their entire roster to the test. Starting strong safety Keanu Neal was lost in Week 1 to an ACL injury, starting middle linebacker Deion Jones recently underwent a surgical procedure on his foot, and starting left guard Andy Levitre was placed on IR this week, too. Falcons fans remain confident, including Falcons fan dogs.