NFL Week 3 guide: Patrick Mahomes and Kansas City Chiefs season under threat, Nik Bonitto, Byron Young and tush push drama
Watch the Los Angeles Rams at the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles live on Sky Sports NFL from 6pm Sunday, followed by the Dallas Cowboys at the Chicago Bears at 9.25pm; the Kansas City Chiefs face the New York Giants in Sunday Night Football from 1.20am
Sunday 21 September 2025 17:29, UK
The Kansas City Chiefs are hobbling, NFL quarterbacks are falling and the tush is pushing - perhaps illegally. We look ahead to Sunday in Week Three of the 2025 NFL season...
Editor's note...
The Andy Reid and Brett Veach tenure at Arrowhead is teetering on the edge of a crumbling snag, whereby Kansas City's monopoly on the AFC and exclusive membership to the Super Bowl is threatening expiration. They are 0-2 for the first time since their last playoff-less campaign in 2014, seeking to avoid slipping to 0-3 for the first time since 2011 when they face the New York Giants on Sunday night.
To write them off would be to ignore the winning machine that has governed the NFL in the post-Patriots dynasty era. But unusual territory looms and concern is real.
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The Chiefs have reached five of the last six Super Bowls, despite never consistently carrying the NFL's most complete roster; far from it, in fact. But that has been the beauty to their supremacy at times. Leaks and holes could be successfully patched up by the presence and invention of the league's best quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, and by whatever chef specialty Reid was serving on his fluid opponent-adaptive menu and by Steve Spagnuolo's mind-fogging defense that evolved beautifully with the times.
Chuck in a dash of Travis Kelce's 'how is nobody covering him?' knack for getting open and a touch of Chris Jones' switch-flicking ability to tear up the momentum of a game, and you had an elite core that elevated those around them.
This is a different Chiefs team. And the NFL has seen a few models along the way. There was the Tyreek Hill-feeding top-chopping passing attack glittered with pretty trick plays, innovation and oomph that left the rest of the NFL scrambling to keep up as if Plankton trying to discover the Krabby Patty secret formula in Spongebob. Speaking of Tyreek Hill - the NFL's trade deadline is November 5 (talking to you, Brett Veach).
Then came the reined-in attack in the wake of Hill's departure and a league-wide shift to two-high safety shells and umbrella coverages that relied on stunts and four-man rushes up front in favour of cutting out explosive plays downfield. The result would be a less dynamic Chiefs approach, built on clock control and short-to-intermediate gains while leaning on Spagnuolo's defense to force mistakes and exhaustive empty drives. Not as pretty, not as fun, but efficient enough to win two straight Super Bowls, mind.
Today's Chiefs are lacking the defining traits of both the aforementioned, and the brand of football has been tough, dull viewing through two weeks of the season. Mahomes is on pace for 1,045 rushing yards; that isn't by design, but evidence of desperate scrambles in his bid to shield ongoing offensive line issues and create magic in the face of little help outside.
Injury to Xavier Worthy and the suspension to Rashee Rice leaves Patriots-reject Tyquan Thornton as one of Mahomes' primary downfield targets currently, Kelce can no longer separate at a focal point-calibre level while making clumsy errors, and the running game becoming a non-factor has negated any kind of illusion to the Chiefs' RPOs while sparing defenses of the need to commit men downhill. And while rookie left tackle Josh Simmons has flashed stalwart potential, the free agency loss of Joe Thuney means they are still frail in pass protection and run-blocking up front.
But a limping offense is old news in Kansas City; they haven't bludgeoned opponents as they used to in a long while. Only this time it is amplified more by way of their struggles on defense, which ranks second-worst in the NFL in success rate and 26th in EPA/play. Spagnuolo is unable to rely on a four-man rush with a shortage of pressure providers outside of Jones, the need to throw more numbers forward denting his coverage disguises significantly.
Mahomes himself is also missing throws he would not normally miss, almost succumbing to what the Chiefs have become. Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are meanwhile grappling for the AFC throne, surrounded by far superior talent and situations than that of No 15 in Kansas City.
Only 12 per cent of teams that have started a season 0-2 have made the playoffs since 1990. The Chiefs are in danger of supporting that statistic. And yet there remains the notion that this is what they want you to think; a Patriots-esque inevitability hasn't entirely worn off, and the Chiefs have embraced doubts over their credentials to fuel their path to three straight Super Bowls. A dynasty team doesn't fade like other teams.
Elsewhere in the NFL, the Cincinnati Bengals are rolling their eyes at the sight of 'not again?!' adversity after losing star quarterback Joe Burrow for at least three months through turf toe, with Jake Browning primed to start in his place. Justin Fields is out for the New York Jets with a concussion, Mac Jones will start again for the San Francisco 49ers in the absence of turf-toe-stricken Brock Purdy, NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Jayden Daniels is nursing a knee injury and second-year Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is sidelined with an ankle problem. We are just two weeks in.
Injury to McCarthy means 2016 second overall pick Carson Wentz will start for the Minnesota Vikings against the Bengals, extending his NFL record of making at least one start for six different teams in a six-year period. Oh, and people aren't happy with the tush push again...
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What to look out for on Sunday
Los Angeles Rams @ Philadelphia Eagles - KO 6pm, Sky Sports NFL & part Main Event:
NFL officials were informed this week that the Philadelphia Eagles should have been penalised for at least one false start while using their famous 'tush push' against the Chiefs in Week Two. It came after both Chiefs head coach Andy Reid and Tom Brady, working as a Fox analyst, questioned whether Eagles players were getting off the line of scrimmage early.
Criticism of the play this week has received pushback from Eagles players, including left tackle Jordan Mailata and center Cam Jurgens. A proposal to ban the play - submitted by the Green Bay Packers - failed by two votes this offseason. The magnifying glass returns to the tush push this weekend.
Among the men tasked with thwarting is Byron Young, who has started the season as well as any edge rusher in the NFL. Young has logged a fourth-most three sacks to go with his nine pressures and 14 tackles across the first two weeks, with both him and Jared Verse ranked in the top 10 by Pro Football Focus for pass rush grade.
Pittsburgh Steelers @ New England Patriots - KO 6pm, Sky Sports Football:
Milton Williams was on hand to sack Tua Tagovailoa with 48 seconds left on the clock to seal the game as the Patriots beat the Miami Dolphins last weekend. Already he is proving why New England decided to hand him a four-year $104m deal in the offseason. Having helped guide the Eagles to Super Bowl glory, Williams has started life in Foxboro emphatically. He currently ranks first in quarterback pressure rates among interior defensive linemen through two weeks, with teammate Christian Barmore close behind in third, while sitting fourth against the run. New England are currently third against the run in the NFL, as they prepare to face an Aaron Rodgers-led Steelers offense ranked third-worst in the running game.
Denver Broncos @ Los Angeles Chargers - KO 9.05pm, Sky Sports+ (stream):
Vance Joseph's Broncos defense has established itself among the NFL's best and at its heart lies Nik Bonitto, who is on his way to justifying the four-year $120m extension he signed during the offseason. Bonitto leads the NFL with 15 pressures this season, according to Next Gen Stats, which notably included a career-high nine from 22 pass rushes in Week One. His pressure rate of 28.2 per cent meanwhile ranks second only to Alex Highsmith among defenders with 20-plus pass rush reps across the first two weeks. A mammoth matchup awaits against Chargers left tackle and Justin Herbert's chief protector Joe Alt, who has allowed the lowest pressure rate among all tackles this season.
Dallas Cowboys @ Chicago Bears - KO 9.25pm, Sky Sports NFL & Main Event:
What is Caleb Williams? And what will he be in the NFL? Sure, the former No 1 overall pick is just a season and two games into his career, but soaring projections of his impact coming out of college suggested the league might know a little more about the Chicago Bears play-caller by now. He deserves patience while still in the early stages of his developing relationship with head coach Ben Johnson, who has every quirk and wrinkle in his playbook and the necessary weapons with which to ignite Chicago's offense. But while there have been clear signs of improvement, the spotlight isn't hurrying to stray from a quarterback deemed among the league's next generational talents.
Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers - KO 9.25pm, Sky Sports Football:
The Eagles let two members of their No 1-ranked Super Bowl-winning defense depart in free agency this year, and both appear to be thriving. While Milton Williams feasts with the Patriots, Josh Sweat has been a long-awaited injection of pass rush juice for the Arizona Cardinals after signing a four-year $76.4m deal in the desert. He currently ranks ninth in the NFL with 10 quarterback pressures, according to Next Gen Stats, a sub-plot to his early production being the raised profile for defensive coordinator future head coach candidate Nick Rallis.
Kansas City Chiefs @ New York Giants - KO 1.20am Monday morning, Sky Sports NFL & Main Event:
Shades of prime Russell Wilson resurfaced last Sunday as the veteran Giants quarterback dug out that famously pretty moonball to unleash Malik Nabers. In involving the runaway best player on the team, Brian Daboll's side went toe-to-toe in an overtime epic against the Dallas Cowboys, only to fall short to the brilliant boot of Brandon Aubrey. The Giants will not win many games this year, but Nabers is on pace for a monster campaign as he cements his place among the NFL's most frightening receivers. But are they getting the bruised and angry Chiefs at a good or bad time?
Among the most glaring frustrations for Spagnuolo's Chiefs defense this year has been creating pressure up front outside of Jones. George Karlaftis, in particular, entered the season with heightened expectations after signing a new deal, but is yet to be the consistent disruptor capable of reassuring Spagnuolo he can ease off on the blitz and rush with four men. Luckily, the Giants offensive line, perhaps outside of Jermaine Eluemunor, is about as welcoming a 'get right' punchbag as a defense could wish for right now.
News around the league
- Seven-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Tom Brady announced he will play alongside current and former NFL stars in a flag football tou…
- Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels has missed practice this week due to a knee injury and is a doubt to face the Raiders in Week Three
- Washington meanwhile signed veteran defensive end Preston Smith following the injury to Deatrich Wise
- The Chargers signed defensive end Clelin Ferrell after placing Khalil Mack on injured reserve with a dislocated elbow
- Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is expected to miss two to four weeks with a high ankle sprain, while Minnesota running back Aaron Jones was placed on injury reserve with a hamstring injury
- Buccaneers defensive tackle Calijah Kancey is out for the season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle
Benedict's stats corner
Sky Sports statistician - and big Buffalo Bills fan - Benedict Bermange breaks down some of the key stats heading into Sunday...
- In 14 games without Joe Burrow since 2020, the Bengals are averaging 199.7 passing yards per game and 19.9 points per game (6-8 record); with Joe Burrow, the Bengals have averaged 256.7 passing yards per game and 25.3 points per game (40-30-1 record).
- Packers running back Josh Jacobs needs a rushing touchdown against the Browns to become the fifth player with a rushing touchdown in 12 consecutive games, including the playoffs
- With a touchdown pass against the Patriots, Aaron Rodgers will break his tie with Brett Favre for fourth place in the list of the most touchdown passes in NFL history
- Browns pass rusher Myles Garrett (106 sacks) needs two more sacks before December 29 to join Reggie White (108) for the most sacks by a player under the age of 30 since the sack became an official statistic in 1982
- Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is one win this season from tying Russell Wilson (107 wins) for the most wins by a starting quarterback in his first nine seasons, including playoffs
- Lions quarterback Jared Goff is one more 300-yard passing games away from tying Drew Brees (44) and Dan Marino (44) for the third-most by a player in his first 10 seasons in the NFL, behind Mahomes (48 games) and Matt Ryan (45)
- The Seattle Seahawks defense lead the NFL with a pressure rate of 49.4 per cent through the first two weeks, while blitzing at a rate of just 13 per cent - second lowest in the league
- Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson leads all players with 32 touchdown passes of 10-plus air yards since the start of the 2024 season
Who said what?
Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase on plans to copy Justin Jefferson's 'Griddy' celebration: "If he doesn't want me to do it, I wanna do it. If he doesn't want me to do it, then I'm gonna do it, purposely. I wanna p*** him off."
Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata on tush push criticism: "I just think it's rubbish. Absolute rubbish, man. It makes my blood boil just thinking about it."
Rams head coach Sean McVay on Eagles running back Saquon Barkley: "He's so damn dynamic. He's so explosive. If he gets a vertical seam and he gets clean to the second and third levels, he's as special of a slash runner as there is."
Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on 0-2 start to season: "Listen, we haven't won (a) game so I understand, I get it. We keep pushing, and we'll keep pushing and working forward and seeing what we can do going down the road here."
Falcons head coach Raheem Morris on running back Bijan Robinson: "He's definitely the best player in football, without a doubt. He's unbelievable. I love the kid. I love everything about him. I love watching him with the ball. I love his confidence. I love his demeanor. I love his mindset. I love the leadership. I love everything about him."
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