"Week 3 brought even more excitement to this NFL season, with special teams getting shining moments during the Sunday slate. Multiple games had blocked field goals late in the fourth quarter, including on the last play of the Eagles-Rams matchup. Four other contests were decided on time-expiring field goals. But for this week's Power Rankings, we asked our NFL Nation reporters to take a closer look at another unit -- the defense. From third-down stops to forcing turnovers, we named the biggest issue on defense for every team."
"Through Week 3, the Lions are tied for a league-low 22.0% pass rush win rate. They've relied on Hutchinson, who has been consistently double-teamed as he tries to find a groove after returning from a season-ending leg injury in 2024. Detroit lacks depth at the position, as defensive end Marcus Davenport ( chest) is now on the injured reserve list. The Lions are counting on fellow end Al-Quadin Muhammad to step up (he had 2.5 sacks against the Ravens)."
Week 3 produced several dramatic moments, with multiple blocked field goals late in the fourth quarter and four games decided by time-expiring field goals. Special teams played a decisive role across the Sunday slate. A power panel ranked teams from 1 to 32 and focused on defensive performance, naming each team's biggest defensive issue. The Detroit Lions entered Week 3 with a league-low 22.0% pass rush win rate and heavy reliance on Aidan Hutchinson, who has been consistently double-teamed after returning from a 2024 leg injury. Detroit lacks depth after defensive end Marcus Davenport went to injured reserve; Al-Quadin Muhammad had 2.5 sacks against the Ravens, and returns of Alim McNeill and Josh Paschal are expected to help.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]