NFL Week 3 Delivered Wild Finishes, Comebacks and Warning Signs

NFL Week 3 repeatedly came down to what happened after games appeared to be decided. Denver erased a 16-point halftime deficit, Baltimore needed a last-second kick in Rio de Janeiro, and Buffalo somehow survived five turnovers. San Francisco kept winning despite entering Sunday with several players sidelined, while Jacksonville turned another difficult afternoon for New England quarterback Drake Maye into a 35-6 rout.

Those results did more than change records. They created new questions around several teams heading into Week 4.

Denver Flips Sunday Night in the Final Minute

The Los Angeles Rams led Denver 16-0 at halftime Sunday night. By the end, the Broncos had completed a 30-26 comeback that included three fourth-quarter lead changes, a 66-yard interception return for a touchdown and Bo Nix reaching the end zone with 47 seconds remaining.

But the game’s defining sequence came before Nix’s winning touchdown. Rams cornerback Josh Wallace appeared to intercept Nix with Los Angeles leading 26-23, but a defensive pass interference penalty erased the turnover and extended Denver’s drive. The Broncos eventually converted the opportunity into the go-ahead touchdown.

The Rams still had one final opportunity. Matthew Stafford drove Los Angeles to the Denver 14 before a false start pushed the offense backward, and Talanoa Hufanga intercepted Stafford’s final end-zone attempt. What had looked like a comfortable Rams win at halftime instead became Denver’s second victory of the season.

Lamar Jackson Needed One More Play in Rio

Baltimore’s 34-31 victory over Dallas produced another ending that changed in seconds.

The Ravens had already watched an 11-point second-half advantage disappear when Dallas tied the game at 31. With seven seconds remaining, Lamar Jackson connected with Zay Flowers for 27 yards, leaving one second on the clock and giving kicker Tyler Loop a chance from 56 yards. Loop made it as time expired.

It was also a significant response from Baltimore after the Ravens had surrendered an 11-point advantage in their Week 2 loss to New Orleans. Flowers returned from a hamstring injury and provided the reception that made the winning kick possible.

The finish solved Sunday’s game, but not Baltimore’s larger concern. The Ravens again allowed an opponent back into a game they appeared to control. Baltimore’s own postgame review noted that its defense surrendered 415 yards and a season-high 31 points, leaving the defense with work to do heading into Week 4.

Buffalo Wins a Game Five Turnovers Usually Lose

Buffalo created a different kind of late-game escape.

The Bills committed five turnovers against the Los Angeles Chargers, including two Josh Allen interceptions and a lost Allen fumble, yet still won 24-16. Buffalo did not take its first lead until Allen’s 1-yard touchdown run with 7:35 remaining.

James Cook then scored from 3 yards out to help finish the comeback. He ended the afternoon with 154 rushing yards on 24 carries despite fumbling on Buffalo’s first offensive play.

The contrast between the two teams may be more important than the unusual turnover total. Buffalo reached 3-0 despite an afternoon in which its offense repeatedly gave Los Angeles opportunities. The Chargers fell to 0-3 despite forcing five turnovers, while Buffalo’s defense limited the damage enough for the offense to recover in the fourth quarter.

San Francisco Keeps Winning as the Injury List Grows

The 49ers also reached 3-0, but Sunday’s 36-30 victory over Arizona came with a roster already dealing with injuries.

Defensive lineman Nick Bosa was inactive with a calf injury, while San Francisco entered the game with several other players unavailable. Wide receiver Mike Evans, who had been listed as questionable with a hip injury, was active against Arizona.

San Francisco nevertheless kept producing. Brock Purdy threw four touchdown passes, while George Kittle scored twice in the fourth quarter as the 49ers answered Arizona’s attempts to close the gap.

That leaves San Francisco with one of Week 3’s clearest contrasts: the 49ers remain unbeaten and have opened the season with three straight victories, but they are already being forced to navigate meaningful absences at important positions.

Jacksonville’s Blowout Creates Two Very Different Quarterback Stories

Jacksonville’s 35-6 victory over New England was less dramatic, but it produced one of the weekend’s clearest contrasts.

Trevor Lawrence threw three touchdown passes as Jacksonville bounced back from its Week 2 loss to Denver. The Jaguars combined that passing performance with 137 rushing yards and a defense that helped turn the game into a 25-point lead entering the fourth quarter.

The same afternoon moved in the opposite direction for Drake Maye. He finished 14-of-25 for 199 yards with two interceptions and a lost fumble. After the game, Maye said he had to look at himself in the mirror and treat the performance as a turning point.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel was similarly direct. Asked specifically about his concern level with Maye, Vrabel said his concern was “very high for this football team” and emphasized that New England needed to take better care of the football.

That is what makes the Jacksonville-New England result more significant than the 29-point margin. Lawrence left Week 3 after a three-touchdown response to Jacksonville’s first loss. Maye and the Patriots left with their own quarterback publicly acknowledging that New England’s offensive performance through three weeks had been unacceptable.

Week 3 is not completely finished. Philadelphia and Chicago still meet Monday night, with Bears quarterback Caleb Williams ruled out because of his hamstring injury. But Sunday’s games established the larger pattern of the weekend: several teams discovered that what happened in the final few minutes - or what went wrong over the course of an afternoon - could change the story they carry into Week 4.

References: Bo Nix’s late touchdown caps Broncos’ comeback win over Rams | Controversial pass interference penalty sets up Broncos’ game-winning touchdown against Rams | The Breakdown: A Trip to Rio Becomes Remarkable for Ravens | Bills 24, Chargers 16 - Final Score, recap + highlights | Romello Height and Nick Bosa OUT; Mike Evans Available vs. Cardinals; Inactives for Week 3 #ARZvsSF | 49ers Take Down Cardinals 36-30 in Week 3 Matchup; Takeaways from #AZvsSF | Game Report, 2026 Week 3: Jaguars 35, Patriots 6 | Game Observations: 8 takeaways from the Patriots loss to the Jaguars in Week 3 | New England Patriots Postgame Quotes 9/27 | Official Latest NFL Injury Report for Players - Week 3 of the 2026 Season