Week 3 was wild. Backup quarterbacks suddenly found themselves in the spotlight. Five teams had to make a switch, and the results were all over the place. Some stepped up and delivered big, while others struggled to keep things together. Here’s how the replacements played out.

1) Carson Wentz

The Vikings dropped arguably their best performance of the season so far, thumping the Bengals 48-10. And Carson Wentz stepping up to fill the QB1 role might’ve been one of the reasons why. Wentz got the call for the Vikings this weekend after J.J. McCarthy went down with an ankle injury on Sunday night.

And the player made his case. The former No. 2 pick did something McCarthy hasn’t managed yet in a Vikings uniform: play clean, mistake-free football. No, he wasn’t out there slinging lasers, but he kept the offense moving and avoided the costly errors.

Wentz’s steady hand finally brought some order to an offense that’s looked all over the place this season. His 14-of-20, 173-yard, 2-touchdown outing, with no back-breaking mistakes, was exactly what the Vikings needed.

2) Marcus Mariota

Let’s be real. Expectations were pretty low for Mariota when he stepped in for Jayden Daniels. The Commanders quarterback hadn’t started a game since 2022, when he went 5–8 over 13 starts with the Falcons.

Well, he proved us wrong. Mariota was a lot more than just a placeholder, finishing 15 of 21 for 207 yards and a passing touchdown, then adding 40 yards and a rushing score on six carries as Washington steamrolled the Raiders 41–24.

A lot of folks weren’t thrilled when the Commanders re-signed Mariota to a one-year deal this offseason, and they couldn’t have been more wrong. He showed off that dual-threat magic, hitting efficient passes and punching in a short-yardage rushing TD.

Seeing that mix of mobility and clean passing (15-of-21 for 207) from a backup QB isn’t something you get to watch every day.

3) Mac Jones

With Brock Purdy dealing with a toe turf injury, Mac Jones stepped up big time in week 2. He led the 49ers to a 26-21 victory over the Saints, accounting for 67% completions, 279 yards, three touchdowns, and not a single turnover.

And he seems to have carried that momentum into week 3. Mac Jones finished 22 of 33 for 225 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT tonight and led the game-winning drive. Most importantly? He prevented a fourth-quarter collapse, something the 49ers are so used to.

That’s two-for-two for a backup QB showing he can handle the heat. Purdy is expected back in Week 4 against the Jaguars, but don’t be shocked if Kyle Shanahan sticks with Jones if Purdy isn’t fully right.

4) Tyrod Taylor

Still going strong at 36, Tyrod Taylor took the reins for the Jets this weekend while Justin Fields recovered from the concussion he suffered in their Week 2 loss to the Bills. He left the Jets fans with mixed feelings.

Tyrod finished 26-of-36 for 197 yards, two touchdowns, and an interception, while adding 48 rushing yards on eight carries. He definitely gave the Jets a spark in the fourth quarter, showing off both his arm and his legs, but that pick-six? It could’ve swung the momentum. A turnover in a 27-29 loss isn’t a great look.

5) Jake Browning

Joe Burrow went down with a toe injury last Sunday that could keep him sidelined for three months or more. The silver lining? Jake Browning stepped in like he belonged. He guided Cincinnati on a 15-play, 92-yard drive, finishing it off with a rushing touchdown to steal the win.

But this week was a far cry from the Jaguars game. Browning went 19-of-27 for 140 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions in Cincinnati’s 48–10 blowout loss. He got completely outshone by Vikings backup Carson Wentz, and while the offensive line didn’t do him any favors, he was still the biggest disappointment of the week by far.

He has got the keys to the offense for the next three months, and if he wants to keep fans happy, he is going to need to find a way to hit last week’s high notes every single week.