An upset-filled Week 3 has featured plenty of teams providing some unexpected hope to their respective fan bases, but also hurting their chances in the 2018 NFL Draft at the same time.
Here's a look at four teams who may end up finishing with a better record than they may necessarily desire.
New York Jets
The Jets entered Week 3 on the heels of a 45-20 loss to the Oakland Raiders and were outscored by a total of 66-32 in their first two losses of the season.
The defense was able to force fumbles from both Jay Cutler and replacement Matt Haack of the Miami Dolphins, while Jets quarterback Josh McCown went 18-for-23 through the air for 249 yards and a score.
The offense still scored just two touchdowns on the day, not inspiring long-term confidence. They may be able to compete in their next two games, at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and on the road against the Cleveland Browns. They'll likely be forced back to reality in Week 6 when they host the New England Patriots.
Indianapolis Colts
Nothing like a home game against the Browns to ease the pain of a 0-2 start.
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett dazzled in his second consecutive start, rushing for two scores and passing for one, while completing 17 of 24 pass attempts. Running back Frank Gore managed just 2.3 yards per carry on the day, but he also fell into the end zone for a score.
The defense recorded three interceptions off Browns quarterback DeShone Kizer, holding him below 50 percent passing on the day.
Word from earlier in the day indicated Andrew Luck could resume practicing next week with a feasible return to play in Week 6. The Colts are in tough next week with a visit to the Seattle Seahawks, but a second win without Luck, over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 5, could keep their hopes alive.
Chicago Bears
The Bears now have a win and a near upset of the Super Bowl runner-ups sandwiching a blowout road loss at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The defense forced three Pittsburgh Steelers fumbles and recovered two, while 2016's second-leading rusher, Jordan Howard, gained 138 yards and scored two touchdowns on 23 rushing attempts.
Quarterback Mike Glennon needed to complete just 15 of 22 pass attempts for 101 yards, one touchdown, and one interception.
The Bears likely won't be able to keep the ball out Glennon's hands this often. Having to rely on their placeholder quarterback is a strategy best avoided, but the rest of the team has showed some competence for when rookie Mitchell Trubisky is finally handed the starting role.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers don't quite meet requirements for this list, but they looked like a completely different team on a short week than they did in their first two games of the season.
After being held to just 12 points through two weeks, quarterback Brian Hoyer broke out for two passing scores and a rushing touchdown, while running back Carlos Hyde added two of his own on the ground.
The defense still showed plenty of weaknesses, but head coach Kyle Shanahan may have finally been able to implement the offense he wants his team to run.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)
