In the NFL, patience is a luxury few are afforded.
Entering Week 3, some coaches and players are already feeling the heat after slow starts. Below, we take a closer look at five that must turn things around this weekend.
Once viewed as a can’t miss draft prospect, Harrison can hardly get quarterback Jacoby Brissett to look in his direction.
Through two games, the 2024 fourth-overall pick has one catch for 33 yards. Per Sumer Sports, Harrison ranks 58th out of 59 receivers with at least 50 routes run in target share (6.3 percent). The underwhelming start has already becoming a major talking point, and Harrison discussed it with reporters on Wednesday, when he doubled-down on his approach entering Week 3.
“My process isn’t going to change whether I get zero catches or 10,” Harrison said, per ESPN Cardinals reporter Josh Weinfuss. “I’m going to still do the same thing week in and week out.”
That process needs to start turning into tangible results, or Harrison’s days in Arizona could be numbered. ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano recently wrote executives around the league are monitoring his situation, with Graziano citing his decreased production, a head coaching change and fellow wideout Michael Wilson’s recently extension as reasons Harrison could become available in trades.
His matchup against the San Francisco 49ers complicates breakout plans. According to SumerSports, Harrison has lined up out wide on 87.8 percent of his snaps; Niners starting outside corners Renardo Green and Deommodore Lenoir have combined to allow 73 yards on eight receptions this season. (h/t NFL Pro)
Without a big game against stiff competition, concerns over Harrison’s performance will only grow.
Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard
The Lions defense has been shredded through two games but can get on track in Week 3 when it hosts the New York Jets.
It’s a major opportunity for Sheppard, whose unit ranks 31st in total and scoring defense after allowing at least 30 points in each of its first two games for only the sixth time in franchise history and first since 2021, head coach Dan Campbell’s first season, according to Stathead research.
NFL Pro insights notes that Jets quarterback Geno Smith has failed to generate many explosives early this season, his 11.8 percent explosive play rate the seventh-lowest in the league. That could make it difficult to exploit a Lions secondary that has allowed the seventh-highest explosive pass play rate (18.6 percent).
Then again, if Sheppard doesn’t have his defense ready to play, the matchup could end up working in New York’s favor.
Houston’s offensive line is 30th in ESPN’s run-block win rate rankings, which is hardly the fluke result of a small two-game sample. Last season, the Texans finished last in the same metric.
Per FTN Fantasy, Texans running backs David Montgomery (0.31 yards) and Woody Marks (0.76 yards) rank in the bottom 10 in yards before contact, indicative of the lack of success in the trenches.
The maligned unit will need to be much better against an Indianapolis Colts defense that is off to a historically poor start. Indianapolis has allowed over 500 yards in both games, becoming the third team of the Super Bowl era to do so. If the Texans can’t exploit the favorable matchup, there may be no hope for the unit.
Winston seemingly spent more time this offseason partying it up as a Fox Sports FIFA World Cup correspondent than gearing up for his first season in John Harbaugh’s Giants offense, and it showed when he was thrust into action following Jaxson Dart’s (regular) season-ending injury last Monday.
The 2014 No. 1 overall pick was 11-of-27 for 111 yards and an interception during the 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, and he’ll need a much stronger effort Sunday against the Tennessee Titans (0-2) to help his chances of remaining in the starting role for the rest of the year.
“The mood is not great,” Bucs legend Ronde Barber recently said about Tampa’s concerning 0-2 start.
It will get even worse if the Buccaneers fall to 0-3 after hosting the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday. Only six out of 241 teams (2.5 percent) in the Super Bowl era, per Stathead, have made the playoffs after losing their first three games, making Week 3 nearly a must-win.
In five seasons as Bucs head coach, Bowles is 36-38 (including playoffs). After finishing 10-7 in 2024, Tampa declined to 8-9 a year ago. Bowles needs a win to halt the downward trend.