Week 3 NFL storylines: Matthew Stafford in spotlight

As Week 3 successful the NFL gears up, determination is nary shortage of large storylines.

Whether it’s Matthew Stafford and the Rams against Tom Brady and the defending Super Bowl champion Buccaneers, oregon Kyler Murray flying nether the radar successful Arizona, there’s plentifulness to ponder.

Rams-Buccaneers

A lawsuit tin beryllium made that this early-season crippled could beryllium a archetypal look astatine an NFC title matchup successful January.

Which makes the signifier Stafford is astir the ascent onto 1 of the biggest of his career. The years Stafford languished successful Detroit playing connected incomplete teams ne'er offered this benignant of platform. His astir ardent supporters ever argued he’d flourish if ever fixed the chance.

Stafford and his backers yet tin authorities their case, arsenic the heavyweight conflict helium is preparing for is the nonstop accidental he’s been anxious to embrace. It is besides the precise crushed wherefore the Rams moved mountains during the offseason to get him.

Under the radar?

If you’ve been paying attraction to what is going connected successful Arizona the past fewer years, you’d cognize the Cardinals mightiness beryllium onto thing special. Given the highly competitory NFC West, though, accepted contented suggested the Cardinals’ clip was coming alternatively than arrived.

But that timeline mightiness request tweaking aft the Cardinals, who play Jacksonville connected Sunday, opened the play with awesome wins implicit the Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings.

Murray has been fantastic portion connecting connected 71 percent of his passes for 689 yards and 7 touchdowns. He’s besides rushed for 51 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Allen’s struggles

On the surface, the Buffalo Bills’ 35-0 bounce-back triumph implicit the Miami Dolphins past week is impervious that Josh Allen, their prima quarterback, is backmost connected track. But adjacent Allen knows that would beryllium a mistake, aft helium completed lone 17 of 33 passes for 179 yards successful the win.

“It’s nary concealed that I didn’t play large past game, and I didn’t play large the week before,” Allen told reporters this week.

Allen is not overstating his struggles. If they continue, it could beryllium a occupation for a squad galore are talking astir successful Super Bowl terms.

As the Bills hole to look Washington connected Sunday, Allen’s Pro Football Focus people is 28th successful the NFL. The Bills request him backmost connected track. And successful a hurry.

Fields to the rescue?

A bony bruise to Andy Dalton’s genu prompted the Bears to manus the starting occupation this week to Justin Fields, their rookie quarterback. It’s a determination everyone successful Chicago has been clamoring for, albeit 1 the Bears themselves person been hesitant to make.

Bears manager Matt Nagy was speedy to corroborate this week that erstwhile Dalton is healthy, helium is inactive the starter.

History has shown, though, that akin proclamations from NFL coaches person turned retired to beryllium celebrated past words. And you get the consciousness that 1 mode oregon another, Fields volition person a accidental successful however things crook out.

His play Sunday against the Cleveland Browns volition dictate whether helium holds connected to the job.