What We Saw: Week 3

Recaps of every game on the Week 3 slate!

Brett Ford
What We Saw 5 Hours Ago
Series Navigation
Introduction
Dolphins @ Bills
Packers @ Browns
Colts @ Titans
Bengals @ Vikings
Steelers @ Patriots
Rams @ Eagles
Jets @ Buccaneers
Raiders @ Commanders
Falcons @ Panthers
Texans @ Jaguars
Broncos @ Chargers
Saints @ Seahawks
Cowboys @ Bears
Cardinals @ 49ers
Chiefs @ Giants

Steelers @ Patriots

Final Score: Steelers 21, Patriots 14

Writer: Griffey Geiss (@ggeiss_mlb and @ggeiss_PL on Twitter)

 

Gillette Stadium became the Fumble Factory this Sunday. This was a sloppy, undisciplined game with turnovers left and right and penalties being called on what felt like every other play (though I thought the officiating was quite poor altogether). The Patriots’ defense looked pretty good contrary to what the box score says — the Steelers got bailed out on numerous ticky-tack flags — and they only punted the ball once, but that sounds better than it actually is. The Pats fumbled the ball FIVE times, including twice from Rhamondre Stevenson, and lost possession every. Single. Time. Drake Maye looked stellar outside of a fumble after he got rocked from behind the back. TJ Watt, who entered the game without a sack in six straight games, hit the QB twice generating two sacks and was dominant.

 

Three Up

  • Hunter Henry: his connection with Maye continues to be pristine
  • Jaylen Warren: just an all-around effective player, whether it be in the passing or run game
  • Drake Maye: not the end result you wanted, but yet another fantastic showing with limited resources

Three Down

  • DK Metcalf: against a Pats secondary missing a top 3 cornerback, Christian Gonzalez, I expected Metcalf to feast… he did not
  • Stefon Diggs: I’ve been patient for a couple of weeks — like I mentioned earlier this year, I didn’t even expect him to play by this time — but owners relying on his production are disappointed and for good reason
  • Patriots RB room: it’s a mess in of itself. Stevenson fumbled twice. Gibson once. Your best talent (in my humble opinion), Henderson, needs to touch the ball more, plain and simple

 

Pittsburgh Steelers

 

Quarterback

 

Aaron Rodgers: 16/23, 139 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT | 4 carries, 1  yard

The box score says it all, really. Rodgers didn’t impress one bit and the pieces around him carried the team towards this win. Offensively, he couldn’t get much going. He was bailed out a plethora of times leading the Steelers to score early, whether that was the play he was sacked for -12 yards and fumbled brought back by “defensive holding” on a big third down on their own 14 yard line or an unnecessary unnecessary roughness call that ticked on fifteen more yards.

Rodgers made two nifty passes, each for a touchdown. He also managed to find DK Metcalf for his 509th career touchdown pass.

 

Running Back

 

Jaylen Warren: 18 carries, 47 yards | 6 targets, 5 receptions, 34 yards

By far one of the most intriguing breakouts this year. Warren’s 18 carries surpassed his previous career-high of fifteen, plus he managed to lead his team not only in that category, but targets and receptions. He also tied for first in receiving yards.

According to PFF’s Nathan Jahnke, Warren’s 79.6% snap rate was the fourth-best for running backs among the first 10 games of the week, behind Saquon Barkley, Tony Pollard and Bijan Robinson.

Missed Opportunities

  • three yard rush taken away by offensive holding
  • not in on a goal line snap that resulted in an easy TD

 

Kenneth Gainwell: 4 carries, 16 yards, TD | 1 target, 1 reception, 10 yards

Gainwell was solid as the backup running back. He got super lucky and was subbed in at the right time on the goal line, trotting into the endzone for a 1-yard tuddy on a pitch play. He also returned one kick for 27 yards.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Calvin Austin III: 5 targets, 3 receptions, 34 yards, TD

Austin III is a super underrated deep league pickup. He continues to generate touches and isn’t disappointing, definitely earning Rodgers’ trust. He caught a nice back shoulder fade to win the Steelers the game

 

DK Metcalf: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 32 yards, TD

Just not impressive overall from Metcalf. He led the team in snaps (45) and routes run (24), but only managed four targets. He caught two passes in the first half, then the first pass of the second half, and called it a day. With Christian Gonzalez out (again) this week, I expected a whole lot more from a guy covered by Alex Austin (46.9 PFF grade, ranks 117th out of 149 qualified CBs).

 

Jonnu Smith: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 23 yards, 1 fumble (recovered)

Smith was electric in the first quarter, catching two passes for all 23 of his yards in the same drive resulting in a touchdown. He proceeded to become invisible, only touching the ball again in the fourth quarter where he was met at the line of scrimmage and fumbled. He played 45 snaps and ran 21 routes, second-most on his team behind DK Metcalf. I’d like to think there’s more on the way.

 

Pat Freiermuth: 3 targets, 1 reception, 6 yards

Freiermuth couldn’t get anything done all day. Oddly enough, his only catch also came on the same drive as Jonnu Smith’s did which resulted in a touchdown. While he was on the field for 38 snaps, he only ran 14 routes.

 

New England Patriots

 

Quarterback

 

Drake Maye: 28/37, 268 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT, 1 fumble (LOST) | 7 carries, 45 yards

Drake Maye is elite. His skill players… eh, not so much. Maye looked stellar in the passing game, spreading the wealth to everyone and nailing open receivers in stride. He loves to find his big tight end, Hunter Henry, anywhere on the field. Unfortunately, his day was cut a bit short due to the million fumbles around him. Maye himself did cough the ball up in the fourth quarter after getting rocked from behind. He was sacked five times and pressured a whole ton at times. That’s where his ability to create when the plays breaks down came into play. He’s super effective with his legs, and that showed.

Maye made just one questionable decision in the passing game. The interception wasn’t that play — in fact, I thought that read was perfect, the ball just got tipped and wobbled right to the defender. Overall, another fantastic day from Mister Maye.

Missed Opportunities

  • Costly dropped pass from Demario Douglas on the final possession of the game
  • Tipped pass for an INT that would’ve been caught for a wide-open TD to Kayshon Boutte

Running Back

 

Rhamondre Stevenson: 4 carries, 18 yards, 2 fumbles (2 LOST) | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 38 yards

BALL SECURITY.

Awful week one. Stellar week two. Now one of the worst games I’ve seen in week three. I’m still amazed at how long of a leash Patriots’ decision makers give Stevenson. His ability to lose the ball is second-to-none, that’s for sure. After leading the RB room in snaps during the first half (20/38), he did not touch the ball again after the costly second fumble in the redzone.

Missed Opportunities

 

Antonio Gibson: 7 carries, 28 yards, 1 fumble (LOST)

Gibson did his job as a fringe backup running back, but also coughed the ball up in Pittsburgh territory, leading to a decrease in touches to end the game. He also returned one kick for 16 yards.

 

TreyVeyon Henderson: 11 carries, 28 yards | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 19 yards

Hey, it only took three combined fumbles from the two running backs in front of you to finally get some sort of workload going. It’s absurd, really. When Henderson has the ball, he’s electric, making guys miss, fighting for extra yards, all of that good stuff. The issue is, he rarely gets the opportunity to showcase his talent. After the turnovers, the Pats finally opted to roll out Henderson. Twelve of his fourteen total touches came in the second half of the game. Though the production didn’t pop off the page, the opportunity is finally here – and fantasy managers should rejoice.

Henderson managed to lead his RB room with 34 snaps and 19 routes run after the high-volume second half. He also managed to return three kicks for a total of 68 yards.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Hunter Henry: 11 targets, 8 receptions, 90 yards, 2 TD

The connection between Drake Maye and Hunter Henry is ELITE. Like I mentioned in previous weeks, Henry serves as Maye’s go-to safety valve — a big target he can find over the field for positive gains. This week, that production was capped off with not one, but two touchdowns. He is by far and away the best bet as a high floor/high ceiling option amongst pass catchers on this Patriots roster.

He had the highest (non-QB) snap count and most routes run today.

 

Austin Hooper: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 28 yards

Hooper managed to haul in 2 catches for 28 yards, running 21 routes. In deeper leagues with limited TE depth, Hooper is an intriguing fit, thanks to Maye’s ability to spread the wealth. Hooper will get involved every week… how much is the question. Another high (ish) floor target at TE.

 

Kayshon Boutte: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 28 yards

Boutte appears to be the Patriots’ WR1. While today wasn’t ultra-productive, Maye connected with his favorite non-TE target on some crucial downs. He was just a few snaps and routes run behind leader Hunter Henry this week.

 

Mack Hollins: 4 targets, 4 receptions, 27 yards

Hollins gets a whole bunch of snaps thanks to his ability to run routes, block, line up inside, whatever the team needs — essentially a swiss army knife.

 

Stefon Diggs: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 27 yards

Diggs’ production through three weeks isn’t where it usually is, to say the least. Like I mentioned above, I did not expect Diggs to be healthy and playing by this week over the offseason, so I have a little more patience than most. Then again, I fully understand where fantasy managers are coming from when they’re outraged at what he’s brough to the table.

Diggs ran the third-most routes for the Pats today. I think more is on the way, but as of right now he’s unstartable.

 

Kyle Williams: 1 target, 1 reception, 8 yards

You have to love to see Williams finally getting involved. After being absent in week two, Williams ran eight routes generating one target/reception. Slowly but surely…

 

Demario Douglas: 5 targets, 2 receptions, 7 yards

Douglas just does not look good. Maye has tried to go his way so many times all year, and it hasn’t really benefited him or the team. This week, Douglas dropped a pass on the final drive of the game leading to a third and long situation. On fourth down on that same drive, Douglas caught the ball mere inches away from the first down marker, but went backwards to shake the defender and ended up getting swallowed up by the Steelers’ defense, costing the Pats the game.

Series Navigation
Introduction
Dolphins @ Bills
Packers @ Browns
Colts @ Titans
Bengals @ Vikings
Steelers @ Patriots
Rams @ Eagles
Jets @ Buccaneers
Raiders @ Commanders
Falcons @ Panthers
Texans @ Jaguars
Broncos @ Chargers
Saints @ Seahawks
Cowboys @ Bears
Cardinals @ 49ers
Chiefs @ Giants