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Knights in the NFL: NFL Week 3 Recap

By KellyMontagna
Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Week 3 in the NFL had everything from injuries and interceptions, to flashy footwear for our Scarlet Knights. We also saw a head-to-head matchup featuring 5 former Rutgers players, when the Cincinnati Bengals, with Mohamed Sanu, Clark Harris, and Tyler Kroft faced off against the Baltimore Ravens, with Jeremy Zuttah and Kaleb Johnson.

With Week 3 in the books, we can take a look back at some notable performers:

The Good

Kenny Britt: On a day when the St Louis Rams' offense was abysmal, Britt provided the lone bright spot, as he established himself as the team's primary receiving weapon. He erupted with 7 catches for 102 yards against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Of all the balls thrown his way, perhaps none will be more discussed than one during a 4th-and-six play on the Rams' final drive. Britt caught the pass from Foles, but lost control of the ball when coming to the ground. As the impact from the ground jarred the ball loose, it appeared as though Britt's body prevented it from touching the field. However, the refs called it an incomplete pass, turning the ball over on downs back to the Steelers and ending the game. Despite the loss, Britt was extremely impressive throughout the game.

Devin McCourty: In a game that displayed such offensive domination from the New England Patriots offense, it might be surprising that a defensive play may have been the key of the game. However, Devin McCourty's interception late in the second quarter proved to be just that. At the time, the Pats lead was one 13-3, as Blake Bortles and the Jaguars were moving the ball late in the second quarter in New England territory. However, the savvy vet used an excellent pre-snap read to pick off the ball and stop Jacksonville' momentum, something they would never gain back. A staggering statistic showing McCourty's importance: when he has an interception, the Patriots are 15-1.

Mohamed Sanu's Cleats: Sanu had a relatively quiet Sunday for the Cincinnati Bengals with 2 catches for 28 yards, but it wasn't his play on the field who had people talking about him: it was the cleats on his feet. Sanu was sporting flashy cleats inspired by Iron Man for the self-proclaimed comic book junkie.

The Bad

Brandon Coleman's season's trajectory: With Drew Brees out with a rotator cuff injury, Brandon Coleman will feel the effects of losing his Pro Bowl quarterback. With Luke McCown taking the snaps behind center, Coleman caught just one pass for nine yards.

The Ravens' Offensive Line: The 0-3 Baltimore Ravens have major issues on the offensive line, featuring Jeremy Zuttah and Kaleb Johnson. They failed to open any holes for the running backs, as Justin Forsett, Buck Allen, and Lorenzo Taliaferro combined for only 36 yards the entire game. While pass protection for the line has been a huge inconsistency for Joe Flacco, one unfortunate constant for the Ravens O-line so far this season is penalties. Of the team's 26 penalties, 4th most in the league, 8 of them have come from the offensive line. Zuttah, Kelechi Osemele, and James Hurst have combined for 7 of these penalties.

Marcus Cooper's Pass Coverage: Cooper was flat out exposed by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers last night on Monday Night Football. On Green Bay's first drive of the game, Cooper gave up an 8 yard touchdown to Ty Montgomery. Later in the first half, a meaningless illegal contact penalty by Cooper negated a sack-strip by Allen Bailey on Rodgers, eventually leading to a Packers FG and 17-7 lead. Then, right before halftime, an offsides penalty gave Rodgers a free play, as he beat Cooper again for a touchdown pass to James Jones. MNF's announcer, Jon Gruden, went as far to say "He's [Rodgers] is going right after Marcus Cooper."

The Ugly

George Johnson: Johnson was limited during the game against the Houston Texans, as he sustained what appeared to be a minor injury during the game. Though he returned to the game, the injury limited Johnson's snaps to just 48 for the game. Hopefully, this injury does not linger and will not effect Johnson's play moving forward.

No Love for Michael Burton: As Burton got his first start on Sunday Night Football against the Denver Broncos, Rutgers nation was excited to see the player's intro on television. Sadly, Burton was mistakenly left off the first drive introductions. One bright spot here is that Burton's solid play, including a great blitz pick up to protect QB Matthew Stafford, should earn him another chance at introductions.