Seven Big Takeaways from Sunday’s Week 3 NFL Action
Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season delivered late drama, historic comebacks, and individual milestones across Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. ET games. Here are seven standout storylines from a thrilling afternoon of football.
1. Late-Game Drama Across the League
Eight games were within one score entering the fourth quarter, and seven were decided by a single possession (eight points or fewer). Each of those games – won by Cleveland, Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Chargers, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Tampa Bay – saw the decisive score come in the final three minutes.
This ties the most such games in a single week since 1970 (last matched in Week 15, 2022).
Tampa Bay became the first team in the Super Bowl era to record a game-winning score in the final minute of regulation in each of its first three games. Only the 2017 Steelers and 1994 Giants have matched that feat at any point in a season.
Six teams – Buffalo, Indianapolis, the Chargers, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Tampa Bay – moved to 3-0. The Chargers also became just the third team since 2002 to open a season with wins over three straight division rivals, joining the 2006 Bears and 2003 Vikings.
2. Philadelphia’s Stunning Comeback
The Eagles overcame a 19-point second-half deficit to defeat the Rams – the largest comeback since Denver’s 21-point rally in Week 4 of 2023. Cleveland also erased a 10-point deficit in the final four minutes for their first win of 2025.
Defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis each blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter, making Philadelphia the first team since at least 1978 to block two fourth-quarter field goals in one game.
Davis returned a blocked kick 61 yards for a game-winning touchdown as time expired, becoming the heaviest player in NFL history to score on a 50+ yard blocked kick return and reaching 18.59 mph – the fastest by any player over 330 pounds since at least 2017.
3. Rookie Returners Make History
Seattle’s Tory Horton (95 yards) and Washington’s Jaylin Lane (90 yards) each returned punts for touchdowns, marking the first week in NFL history with multiple rookies producing 90+ yard punt return touchdowns. It was also the first week since 1983 with two punt returns of 90+ yards. Horton’s return ties Tyreek Hill’s 2017 effort as the longest by a rookie in nearly a decade.
4. Colts and Taylor Rolling
Jonathan Taylor rushed for 102 yards and three touchdowns in a 41-20 win over Tennessee. Indianapolis became the sixth team since 2002 to start 3-0 and score 28+ points in each game after missing the playoffs the prior year. Taylor joined Arian Foster, Adrian Peterson, and LaDainian Tomlinson as the only players since 2000 with 7,500 scrimmage yards and 60 touchdowns through 70 games.
5. Historic Day for Isaiah Rodgers
Minnesota cornerback Isaiah Rodgers forced two fumbles, returned an interception 87 yards for a touchdown, and added a 66-yard fumble-return score in a 48-10 rout of Cincinnati. He is the first player in NFL history to record both an interception return TD of 85+ yards and a fumble return TD of 65+ yards in the same game, and the first since 2000 with two forced fumbles and two touchdowns in a single outing.
6. Rodgers and Watt Reach Milestones
Pittsburgh quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 139 yards and two touchdowns in a 21-14 win at New England. He now has 510 career touchdown passes (4th-most in NFL history) and 63,538 passing yards (6th all-time).
T.J. Watt recorded two sacks, giving him 110 in just 124 games and joining Reggie White and DeMarcus Ware as the only players since 1982 with at least 110 sacks in their first 125 games.
7. Stafford & Nacua Keep Producing
Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes and now ranks ninth all-time with 382 career TDs, surpassing Matt Ryan. Puka Nacua hauled in 11 receptions for 112 yards, becoming the fifth player ever with at least 10 receptions and 100 yards in six games within his first three seasons.
Bottom Line: Week 3 had everything – comebacks, last-minute winners, rookie breakouts and historic milestones. With two games still to play, this season is already shaping up to be one for the ages.
