Week 3 hit the NFL like a ton of bricks, and yeah, our Hawks were right there taking a shot. After dodging a loss for two weeks, the Seattle Seahawks, along with the Bengals and Eagles, all suffered their first setbacks of the 2026 season. Just like that, the number of undefeated teams shrunk from eight to a precious five: the Bills, Chiefs, Raiders, Vikings, and 49ers. These are the squads still dreaming of matching the 1972 Dolphins and 2007 Patriots, the only teams ever to run the table in the regular season. But watching these first three games, it’s already clear who’s for real and who’s gonna struggle to keep pace.
Buffalo’s Early MVP is Legit, But Can the Defense Hang?
Look, the Bills are rolling, and their win against a desperate, winless Chargers squad this past Sunday was as impressive as their first two. Why? Because they coughed up the ball a shocking five times and *still* managed to win, holding Los Angeles to just 16 points. That takes some serious grit. They’ve got an early MVP candidate in Josh Allen, no surprise there. But the real buzz is around Greg Rousseau, who’s making a serious early bid for Defensive Player of the Year. The dude has rattled off three straight games with two or more sacks to open the season, a feat only matched by legends like Mark Gastineau (1984) and Hall of Famer Kevin Greene (1998). Add James Cook III, who’s tearing it up with a league-best 6.0 yards per carry, and Buffalo’s offense looks dangerous. The big question, though? Those five turnovers against the Chargers are a red flag, and their defense hasn’t really been tested by a top-tier offense yet. They’ll get that chance in Week 5 against the Rams, a game that could honestly be a Super Bowl preview.
Vegas’ Early Sparkle is Hiding a Rough Road Ahead
As for the Raiders, man, it’s tough to shake that losing franchise stigma that’s been hanging around since their last Super Bowl appearance at the end of the 2002 season. And honestly? Their 3-0 start isn’t exactly silencing the doubters. Their three wins? They’re against teams that have a combined 1-8 record. That’s not exactly a murderers’ row. The real test for Las Vegas kicks off over the next eight weeks as they face the NFL’s toughest strength of schedule. Their next four games alone are a gauntlet: the Chiefs, the reigning AFC champion Patriots, the Bills, and the Rams. The only silver lining there is that the Patriots game is their sole road trip during that brutal stretch. New coach Klint Kubiak’s start *does* have a cool historical parallel, though: it’s strikingly similar to Bill Cowher’s first season with the Steelers in 1992. Both teams started 3-0 without allowing a single fourth-quarter point in their first three games. Cowher’s ’92 Steelers forced eight turnovers; these Raiders have forced seven so far. That Steelers team finished 11-5 and snagged a division title. If Kubiak’s squad is gonna pull off that kind of success, they’ve got to survive this upcoming stretch.
So while our Hawks regroup after their first loss, the focus shifts to these remaining five perfect teams. Can the Bills prove their defense is truly elite against the Rams in Week 5? And will the Raiders’ early momentum survive the brutal gauntlet they’re about to face? We’re about to find out if these perfect starts are built to last.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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