Honestly, if you just looked at the box scores from Sunday, you'd think you had a handle on the season. You'd see the Eagles at 3-0 and the Colts surprisingly unblemished. But NFL scores week 3 2025 were less about the numbers and more about a complete, absolute meltdown of special teams units across the country.
It was weird. Like, "glitch in the Matrix" weird.
Five blocked field goals in one day. That hasn't happened since 2006. And it wasn't just that they were blocked; they were life-altering, game-flipping plays that turned "sure thing" wins into "how did we lose that?" disasters. If you had the Rams, Packers, or Buccaneers on your betting slip, you probably spent Sunday night staring at a wall in silence.
The Chaos in Philly and the Jordan Davis Sprint
The headline of the early window was undoubtedly the Philadelphia Eagles' narrow escape against the Los Angeles Rams.
Final score: Eagles 33, Rams 26.
But that 33-26 score is a total lie. The Rams were leading 26-7 early in the third quarter. Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown eventually woke up, but the Rams still had the ball with three seconds left, down 27-26, ready to kick a 44-yarder for the win. Joshua Karty lined it up. The Linc went quiet.
Then Jordan Davis, all 336 pounds of him, got a hand on it.
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He didn't just block it. He scooped the ball and rumbled 61 yards for a touchdown as time expired. Next Gen Stats clocked him at 18.59 mph. Seeing a man that size moving that fast is terrifying. It’s the fastest a player over 330 pounds has moved on a scoring play in nearly a decade. The Rams went from potentially 3-0 to a crushing 2-1 loss in the span of about eight seconds.
Browns 13, Packers 10: The Upset Nobody Saw Coming
If you thought the Philly ending was wild, Cleveland was even more nonsensical.
The Green Bay Packers came in as 7.5-point favorites. They looked like the best team in the NFC through two weeks. Jordan Love was cruising, and they held a 10-0 lead late. But the Cleveland Browns defense—which has basically been carrying a stagnant Joe Flacco-led offense—wouldn't break.
With 27 seconds left and the game tied 10-10, Green Bay’s Brandon McManus stepped up for a 43-yarder. Shelby Harris got the block. Cleveland recovered, Flacco threw a couple of desperate "please catch this" balls, and then Andre Szmyt drilled a 55-yard walk-off to win it 13-10.
Total yardage for Cleveland? Minimal.
Total offensive rhythm? Non-existent.
But they moved to 1-2, and Green Bay left wondering how they let a "moribund" Browns team steal their lunch money.
A Brutal Sunday for the "Heirs"
Week 3 was also a reality check for some of the league's highly-touted young quarterbacks.
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Michael Penix Jr. had a nightmare in Carolina. The Panthers—yes, those Panthers—shut out the Atlanta Falcons 30-0. Penix went 18-for-36 with zero touchdowns and two picks before Raheem Morris finally put Kirk Cousins back in late. It was ugly. It’s the kind of game that restarts every "should they have drafted him?" conversation in Georgia.
Meanwhile, in Minnesota, the Vikings dismantled a Joe Burrow-less Bengals team 48-10.
- Carson Wentz actually looked... good? He threw for 218 yards and played point guard for Kevin O'Connell's offense.
- Isaiah Rodgers was a one-man wrecking crew on defense, scoring two defensive touchdowns (a pick-six and a scoop-and-score).
- Jake Browning struggled mightily, proving that without Burrow, the Bengals' season is currently on life support.
Every Score from NFL Week 3 2025
Sometimes you just need the raw data. Here is how the rest of the league shook out during this chaotic weekend.
The Buffalo Bills took care of business on Thursday Night, beating the Miami Dolphins 31-21. Josh Allen had a bloody nose but still threw for 213 yards, while Miami fell to 0-3.
On Sunday, the Chicago Bears made a statement by thumping the Dallas Cowboys 31-14. Caleb Williams tied a career-high with four passing touchdowns, and Rome Odunze is officially a problem for defensive coordinators. He caught his fourth touchdown in three games and is clearly Williams’ favorite target when things break down.
The Seattle Seahawks absolutely demolished the New Orleans Saints 44-13. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is starting to look like an All-Pro, and the Saints' offense looked completely lost without a consistent ground game.
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In the late window, the San Francisco 49ers narrowly escaped an upset by the Arizona Cardinals, winning 16-15. It wasn't pretty. Brock Purdy struggled, but Christian McCaffrey did enough to keep them undefeated.
Sunday Night Football saw the Kansas City Chiefs get their first win of the season, 22-9 over the New York Giants. Patrick Mahomes wasn't spectacular—only 224 yards—but against an 0-3 Giants team led by a struggling Russell Wilson, it was enough.
Monday Night Football wrapped things up with a high-scoring affair as the Detroit Lions beat the Baltimore Ravens 38-30. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for 218 yards on the ground. When the Lions can run like that, Jared Goff doesn't even have to be great; he just has to be efficient.
Key Standings and Takeaways
After the dust settled on the NFL scores week 3 2025, the hierarchy of the league feels a bit fractured.
- The Unbeatens: Bills, Eagles, Buccaneers, Colts, Chargers, and 49ers are all 3-0.
- The Winless: Dolphins, Titans, Texans, Saints, and Giants are sitting at 0-3.
- The Pivot Point: Teams like the Ravens and Cowboys (1-2) are in "danger zone" territory. Historically, starting 1-3 makes the playoffs a massive uphill climb.
The biggest takeaway isn't just the wins and losses, though. It’s the vulnerability of the "elite" teams. The Eagles and Packers both showed that if you don't shore up your protection and special teams, any bottom-feeder can take you to the wire.
What You Should Do Next
If you’re a fantasy manager or just a die-hard fan, don’t overreact to the blowout scores like the Vikings or Seahawks wins. Instead, look at the usage rates.
- Check the waiver wire for Jaylin Lane (Commanders) or Isaiah Bond (Browns). Special teams flyers and speedsters are gaining massive traction in these new 2025 offensive schemes.
- Sell high on Carson Wentz if you can. This Vikings performance was aided by a Bengals team that essentially gifted them 14 points on defense.
- Watch the injury report for the Raiders. Geno Smith is being hit at an unsustainable rate (12 sacks in 3 games). If that doesn't change, their season is over by October.
The NFL is currently in a phase where "safe" leads don't exist, and a 330-pound defensive tackle might just be the fastest man on the field. Keep your eyes on the Week 4 lines—especially for those 1-2 teams desperate to save their season.