NFL Week 3 is bringing some tough competition to the gridiron across the country.  There have already been some surprise performances this season, and this weekend is most likely not going to be any different.  Get the brews and the chips ready to sit back and enjoy the ride.

The Pittsburgh Steelers are taking on the San Francisco 49ers Sunday and the Steelers aren’t off to a great start.  They’re down 0-2, as well as down their star quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger, and are heading to California to meet a 2-0 team.  However, there’s a good chance that the Steelers are just about to find their rhythm and the contest will be more exciting than many think.  Head coach Mike Tomlin is ready to show the fans what the team is capable of and isn’t concerned about the negative commentary being thrown around.  “It would be tough more me to care less,” he asserts.

Two 1-1 teams, the Atlanta Falcons and the Indianapolis Colts, are looking to shift the balance to the positive side and both clubs will come out swinging with everything they have.  However, Indianapolis has already been able to show a slightly more refined group of players this year, and this might be where the Falcons get hurt.  The game is in Atlanta, which might be the only thing the Falcons have going for them at this point.

The Arizona Cardinals hope to put a 1 in the W column for the first time this year, and their chances are good against the Carolina Panthers.  The Cards are 0-1-1, while the Panthers are 0-2, and the Carolina boys are playing just like that – boys.  Cam Newton is starting to look like Dan Marino when he was reaching the end of his usefulness and there’s a good possibility that he may not be around for too much longer.  It would probably do the Panthers some good to give backup quarterback Kyle Allen a try, especially since Newton has been sidelined with an ankle injury all week.  With Allen behind center, the Panthers may just have a chance.

The New York Jets will have to take on the New England Patriots and this game will most likely be the best time to wash the car.  The Pats are 2-0, while the Jets are 0-2, even having lost to the Cleveland Browns – the Browns! – 23-3.  On the other hand, the Pats are 76-3 in their first two contests of the year.  The last time the Jets beat the Pats in an away game was 2010, but they haven’t been able to pull off a regular-season victory there since 2008.  There’s no reason to expect this trend not to continue on Sunday.

The Miami Dolphins against the Dallas Cowboys will most likely also be a lopsided competition.  The Cowboys are 2-0 and have found the stuff that makes them continuously be one of the sport’s favorite teams.  On the other hand, the Dolphins, 0-2, are off to their worst start in 60 years.  They’ve been outscored 102-10 and Sunday will certainly find a repeat weak performance.

As the New Orleans Saints head to Seattle to take on the Seahawks, one burning question is on everyone’s mind – who will take snaps in place of the injured Drew Brees?  The Saints star quarterback is out due to injury, which is only going to hurt the Saints chances.  Down 1-1 on the season, they face a 2-0 team that, since 2010, has enjoyed a perfect September record when playing at home.

As the Kansas City Chiefs prepare to face off against the Baltimore Ravens, the game should prove to be tight.  Both teams are 2-0 and, even though the Chiefs have shown incredible poise on the field, the Ravens lead the league in total offense.  Kansas City also has to deal with a couple of key injuries, and this could be the difference in a Ravens win.

The Browns are going to go up against the LA Rams and, despite giving a serious thrashing to the Jets, they won’t have the same luck against the Rams.  Starting the season 2-0, the defending NFC champions are looking to make it 3-0 and aren’t going to hold anything back.  The Browns, who are 1-1, are going to be overwhelmed.

There are three other games scheduled for Sunday – the New York Giants against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Buffalo Bills against the Cincinnati Bengals and the Detroit Lions against the Philadelphia Eagles.  None of these games will be a blowout, but they should all still prove to be action-packed as all six teams, with the exception of the Bills, are vying to overcome losing records.  So, get comfortable and stay tuned.