NFL Week 3: Ravens provide Chiefs with early challenge

Once, the Ravens at Chiefs would have been looked at as one of those old-fashioned strong defense vs. dangerous offense matchups.

You know: “Here’s what we do, try to stop us” against “Here’s what we do, try to move us.”

The weekend’s best game has evolved quite a bit this year.

Baltimore has been among the most balanced teams, ranking second in overall defense and first in yards gained. The Ravens are leading the NFL with 21 quarterback hits, six of them sacks, and allowing only 41 yards on the ground. Of course, they played Miami and Arizona, which also were vulnerable defensively.

Boosting the Ravens to the top in yards gained is an average of 541.5 yards, led by Lamar Jackson’s superb passing and running. Jackson is tied with Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, the reigning league MVP, and Dallas QB Dak Prescott with seven TD tosses.

KC is first in passing offense and third overall, but this is a major test.

“It’s going to be a great experience,” Mahomes said. “We got to play last year once and seeing Lamar’s progression and understanding the offense - I understand going from Year 1 to Year 2, there’s a huge switch where you start understanding the offense at a different level. Then with his running ability, he can still do that. It’s a great challenge for our whole team.”

Chiefs coach Andy Reid has 209 wins, tied with Chuck Noll for sixth in NFL history. Curly Lambeau is fifth with 229.

The weekend began with Jacksonville’s 20-7 victory over Tennessee on Thursday night. Gardner Minshew had an efficient night for the Jaguars (1-2), who dominated the Titans (1-2) up front and sacked Marcus Mariota nine times.

Pittsburgh (0-2) at 49ers (2-0): Pittsburgh is looking to avoid only its second 0-3 start since 2000 with Mason Rudolph making his first career start in place of injured quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh ominously is 4-19-1 with a first-time starting QB.

Meanwhile, the 49ers seek their first 3-0 start since 1998 and seventh since the 1970 merger. San Francisco made the playoffs following five of the previous six 3-0 starts, missing only in 1980.

Raiders (1-1) at Minnesota (1-1): The Raiders have begun a stretch of no home games in a 48-day span, due to a “home game” in London and a bye week sandwiched between two straight road games on each end.

Derek Carr broke Ken Stabler’s Raiders record for career passing yards last week. He has 19,196. But Minnesota’s defense will be a challenge.

Miami (0-2) at Dallas (2-0): While the fire sale continues in Miami, there is speculation on the Dolphins going 0-16.

Dallas, on the other hand, is looking like a true championship contender, even if the wins are over weaklings in the division, the Giants and Redskins. The Cowboys are seeking a first 3-0 start since 2008, when they lost their last two and missed the playoffs at 9-7.

New Orleans (1-1) at Seattle (2-0): Like Pittsburgh, New Orleans is without its starting quarterback, Drew Brees (thumb surgery), but at least he is expected back this season. Coach Sean Payton says he will play both of Brees’ backups, Teddy Bridgewater and versatile Taysom Hill, a special teams regular and frequent offensive contributor in the wildcat and as a running back or receiver.

Houston (1-1) at Los Angeles Chargers (1-1): Family affair: Chargers coach Anthony Lynn’s son, Danton Lynn, is the Texans’ assistant secondary coach. He has helped as the Texans have forced a turnover in 15 straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL.

Chargers RB Austin Ekeler leads the NFL with four TDs and his 287 yards from scrimmage are the most by a Chargers running back through the first two games in franchise history. Think they miss holdout Melvin Gordon?

Los Angeles Rams (2-0) at Cleveland (1-1): The Browns have designs on being a postseason qualifier for the first time since 2002, and this would be a major proving ground.

Rams coach Sean McKay returns to the state where he played college ball at Miami. His 26-8 record is the best through 34 games for any coach hired in the 21st century, and his Rams are 8-0 vs. AFC teams.

Cincinnati (0-2) at Buffalo (2-0): The Bengals have won four of the past five meetings, including past two on the road, dating to 2011 since snapping a 10-game skid spanning 1989-2010.

Their QB, Andy Dalton, is a local hero. His final-minute 49-yard TD pass to Tyler Boyd to beat Baltimore in 2017 clinched Buffalo’s first playoff berth in 17 years and led to Bills fans donating more than $450,000 to Dalton’s charitable foundation.

Atlanta (1-1) at Indianapolis (1-1): Indy leads this series 14-2 and has won four of the last five, but took the only home defeat in the series when the Falcons last visited in 2011. The game will be the Colts’ first at Lucas Oil Stadium since Andrew Luck announced his retirement in the preseason.

The Colts’ defense is second in the league with eight sacks and hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 20 consecutive regular-season games, second-longest streak behind New Orleans (24).

Detroit (1-0-1) at Philadelphia (1-1): Lions QB Matthew Stafford feasts on the Eagles’ defense. Stafford has thrown eight TDs without an interception in two meetings, winning by one point in 2016 and 31 in 2015.

Philly is banged up on both sides of the ball. WRs DeSean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery are unlikely to play because of injuries. That puts the onus on tight end Zach Ertz and wideout Nelson Agholor and a deep running game that needs to keep the ball and clock moving.

Denver (0-2) at Green Bay (2-0): Green Bay is 5-0-1 against the Broncos at home. And has scored 30-plus points in all five home wins against Denver.

Denver is 0-2 for the first time since 1999. The Broncos would become the 14th team to reach 500 overall wins with a victory.

New York Giants (0-2) at Tampa Bay (2-0): All that positive talk about Daniel Jones’ preseason performances had Giants fans salivating. Now they get to see the sixth overall draft pick behind center in place of Eli Manning in games that count, against starters, not third-stringers and camp fodder players. The Giants do lead this series 15-7.

Carolina (0-2) at Arizona (0-1-1): While offensive star Cam Newton struggles with injuries - a foot sprain could keep him out, meaning inexperienced Kyle Allen starts - standout LB Luke Kuechly leads the Panthers’ defense with 25 tackles.

Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald needs 10 catches to pass Hall of Fame TE Tony Gonzalez for second on the NFL’s all-time receptions list. Fitzgerald has 1,316.

Chicago (1-1) at Washington (0-2), Monday night: If the Bears are going to break a seven-game slide against Washington, they’ll need Mitchell Trubisky to find the range and get his receivers more involved.

Comforting for Chicago is finally finding an accurate kicker: Eddy Pineiro is 4 for 4 on field goals this season after making all three last week, including the winning 53-yarder in the final second at Denver.