Strong teams like the Cowboys, Ravens and 49ers were upset by underdog opponents in Week 2. Here are two more teams that could pull off an upset in Week 3.
Los Angeles Chargers at Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5)
Something has to give when Jim Harbaugh’s undefeated Chargers face Mike Tomlin’s undefeated Steelers on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET. Pittsburgh boasts one of the NFL’s best defenses, allowing just eight points per contest heading into Week 3.
Of course, the Chargers’ defense has performed even better, giving up 6.5 points per game to opposing defenses, but this week, the team has an even bigger advantage on the other side of the ball.
After playing in just 43 games of a possible 67 since being drafted by the Ravens in 2020, oft-injured running back J.K. Dobbins sits atop the NFL leaderboard with 266 rushing yards in his first two games. In doing so, he became the first player in Chargers’ history to begin a season with back-to-back 100-yard games.
After two weeks, the Steelers are tied for the fourth-fewest rushing yards per game allowed (76.5), but the well-rested Dobbins appears to have regained the form that earned him 4,459 yards and 38 touchdowns with Ohio State.
Steelers quarterback Justin Fields spent two years with Ohio State and even beat Harbaugh’s Michigan Wolverines 56-27 in a 2019 regular-season contest, something the Chargers coach surely remembers.
Detroit Lions at Arizona Cardinals (+3)
The Lions may have the NFL’s fourth-leading passer in Jared Goff, but he’s a different player away from Ford Field. Goff’s quarterback rating was 18.5 points lower on the road last season, where he completed 5.3% fewer passes and threw eight fewer touchdowns (11) than in Detroit (19).
On the other side, Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray had a perfect quarterback rating (158.3) in a 41-10 victory against an overmatched L.A. Rams team in Week 2. Thanks to a breakout performance by rookie wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., Murray threw for 266 yards and a league-high three touchdowns on Sunday afternoon with two scores and 130 yards going to Harrison.
Detroit wasn’t so lucky last week, falling 20-16 at home to the Buccaneers, putting them in second place behind the 2-0 Vikings in the NFC North. The Lions ran almost twice as many plays (83) and gained more than twice as many yards (463) against Tampa but lost the turnover battle 2-1 thanks to a pair of interceptions from Goff.
They also allowed 117 yards and a score to wide receiver Chris Godwin, which could spell trouble now that Harrison and Murray appear on the same page. The Cardinals haven’t beaten the Lions at home since 2014, but they haven’t had a player like Harrison since Larry Fitzgerald retired in 2021.
Arizona averages 34.5 points per game against two quality opponents, making them more than capable of beating the Lions this week.