Week 3 of the 2024 NFL Season begins today with Thursday Night Football, so let's look at four players who are under a mountain of pressure. The pressure is beginning to get heavier and heavier for certain players across the NFL. The first couple week of a given NFL season can sometimes not always be an accurate indication of how a team will really perform.
Well, we're now in Week 3, so at some point these teams are going to show their true colors. There are definitely some unexpected stories thus far through two weeks. And for these four players, they're not exactly in great spots and could see the heat begin to become too hot.
Are these four layers under immense pressure as we head into Week 3 of the 2024 NFL Season?
5 players under immense pressure heading into Week 3 of the 2024 NFL Season
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, San Francisco 49ers (@ Los Angeles)
Brandon Aiyuk, you're up. The San Francisco 49ers are now without Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey has some calf/Achilles tightness and Samuel is also dealing with a calf injury. It's just not an idea situation for the 49ers, who seem to get hit with the injury bug nearly every single season.
Well, the 49ers are playing the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3, so a ton of pressure is going to be on Brandon Aiyuk to be able to come through for the Niners on offense. Through two games in 2023, Aiyuk has caught just six passes for 71 yards and zero touchdowns.
It's not been great production for a WR who wasn't always practicing due to his desire for a new contract. Well, he got the contract from the 49ers, and games like this one are why they paid him $30 million per season. Brandon Aiyuk is surely going to be heavily targeted by the LA Rams secondary, but he's paid like one of the best WRs in the NFL, so it's time for him to show it.
Justin Fields, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. Los Angeles Chargers)
OK, what are we doing here? The Pittsburgh Steelers have been one of the worst offenses in football through two games, but are 2-0 thanks to their defense. I have no idea why people are gassing up Justin Fields like he's finally arrived, but it's just odd. Through two games, Fields has thrown just 273 yards and one touchdown.
Pittsburgh has found the end zone on offense just once and are averaging 15.5 points per game. The fourth-year QB is averaging just 136.5 yard per game and does already have two fumbles. The way the offense is playing is simply not sustainable, and it's going to catch up to the Steelers at some point. Their first two opponents were the Atlanta Falcons in Week 1 and the Denver Broncos in Week 2, so they haven't exactly played great teams.
They face their first true test of the season when they play the Los Angeles Chargers, who are a more genuine and serious 2-0 team. If the Steelers lose in Steelers fashion and drop to 2-1, they may be able to turn to Russell Wilson, who seems to be nearly back from a calf injury. Wilson is not good either, but he's a better passer than Justin Fields and had 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions for the Denver Broncos in 2023.
I have no idea why there are still Justin Fields believers out there. He's proving exactly why he's a backup-caliber QB. The only way Pittsburgh is able to win with Fields is them limiting what he does as a passer. He's not thrown an interception, but he's had just 43 attempts and is averaging less than 10 yards per completion.
It's a dink-and-dunk offense that isn't putting up enough points. The Steelers will probably end up making a QB change at some point within the next few weeks, and if the offense isn't performing up to what they need in Week 3 against the LA Chargers, Fields could get yanked for Wilson.
Lamar Jackson, QB, Baltimore Ravens (@ Dallas)
Did anyone have the Baltimore Ravens being 0-2 on their Bingo card? I didn't. It was a classic Ravens loss in Week 2, giving up a fourth-quarter lead to a team worse than them in the Las Vegas Raiders. I tried to tell people that the Ravens would not be as good as expected in 2024, and I am afraid they are proving me right.
The Ravens are going up against the Dallas Cowboys in Dallas in Week 3. This may not sound like a daunting game given that the Cowboys got blown out at home in Week 2, but the Cowboys off of a loss and playing at home feels like a disaster for the Ravens. Baltimore's offensive line has not been great this season, and if only people saw that coming...
I mean, they let an above-average guard in John Simpson leave in free agency and also traded an above-average right tackle in Morgan Moses to the New York Jets. But hey, at least they signed Derrick Henry!
The Ravens offseason was a joke if we're being honest. Them potentially falling to 0-3 on the season is very real. At that point, you have to think that Baltimore would be in a much more dire situation. Would John Harbaugh be on the hot seat? Would they have to try and make a major roster change?
It'd be a tough situation for the Ravens to be in. After their Week 3 contest against the Cowboys, they host the Buffalo Bills and host the Cincinnati Bengals. There is a legitimate possibility that this team starts 0-5. And if we're projecting this team over the next three games right now, I would only see one win at the most. Could Baltimore really be in an 1-4 hole in just two weeks?
It sounds crazy, but with the way they have played thus far, it's very possible.
Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers (@ Los Angeles)
The San Francisco 49ers play the Los Angeles Rams in Week 3 in a crucial divisional game. The 0-2 Rams look to get on even footing with the 49ers in this one. The Niners as we know will be without Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel. This is going to be a huge test for Brock Purdy, as two of his best weapons are not playing, so Purdy will have a bit more on his plate.
Through two games, the Niners are 1-1. Purdy has completed 72.3% of his passes for 550 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. He's also taken a whopping eight sacks. He took just 28 in 16 games in the 2023 NFL Season. It's clear that Brock Purdy is not quite playing as well as he was in 2023 or even in 2022.
Something needs to change if the 49ers want to again make a deep playoff run. Yes, Purdy can't control which players get hurt, but he's also in a contract year. He'll be eligible for a contract extension in the 2025 NFL Offseason. The Niners will probably pay Purdy regardless, but he may not be able to fetch as much as he hopes if he isn't able to perform without some of his best players.
And that's been one of the biggest criticisms of Purdy. "He's nothing without the elite weapons!" Or however those folks want to phrase this argument. Brock Purdy also can't control who he's throwing to, but it's great that he does have those elite weapons at his disposal.
This stretch for Purdy without CMC and Deebo Samuel is going to be a huge test. Can he prove to the NFL world that he's unquestionably a top QB in the NFL?