Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz passes during the first half of an the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.Chris Szagola/The Associated Press
Carson Wentz threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns, a fierce defence shut down Ben Roethlisberger and Antonio Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 34-3 on Sunday to remain unbeaten.
The rookie No. 2 overall pick connected with Darren Sproles on a 73-yard, catch-and-run TD and tossed a 12-yard TD pass to Jordan Matthews.
After beating the Browns (0-3) and Bears (0-2) in the first two games, the Eagles (3-0) proved they could compete with the big boys. The Steelers (2-1) averaged 31 points the first two weeks and are considered Super Bowl contenders.
Pittsburgh was 19-2 against rookie quarterbacks since 2004. But Wentz is no ordinary rookie.
Everyone is jumping on the Wentz wagon in Philadelphia. And he was the No. 3 quarterback until Sam Bradford was traded to Minnesota just eight days before the season opener.
Sproles finished with six catches for 128 yards and Kenjon Barner and rookie Wendell Smallwood each had their first career rushing TDs.
Roethlisberger had 257 yards passing, one interception and no TDs after tossing six in the first two games.
Brown caught 12 passes for 140 yards, most of which after the outcome was decided.
The Eagles scored on their first drive for the third straight game. Caleb Sturgis's 29-yard field goal put them up 3-0.
Wentz tossed a touchdown pass to Matthews on the next possession to make it 10-0. Sturgis kicked a 38-yard FG on Philadelphia's third drive for a 13-3 lead.
After Pittsburgh's Markus Wheaton dropped a TD pass in the back of the end zone on the game's opening drive, Bennie Logan blocked Chris Boswell's 36-yard FG attempt.
Fletcher Cox had two sacks, including one that forced a fumble recovered by Brandon Graham. Logan and Graham also had sacks as the Eagles put plenty of pressure on Roethlisberger.
The Steelers allowed only two sacks in the first two games combined.
Wentz is the first rookie in NFL history without an interception in his first 100 pass attempts to begin a career.
The Steelers are 0-9 in Philadelphia since their last win here in 1965.
Vikings 22, Panthers 10
Minnesota held Carolina scoreless for the final 50 minutes, and quarterback Sam Bradford engineered three second-half scoring drives in a 22-10 comeback victory in Charlotte.
The Vikings (3-0) turned in a sterling defensive effort, recording eight sacks and intercepting Panthers quarterback Cam Newton three times.
The outcome snapped Carolina's franchise-record 14-game home winning streak. The Panthers (1-2) have lost one more game than in all of the 2015 regular season.
Bradford is now 2-0 as the Vikings' starter, despite getting off to a slow start against the Panthers.
With files from Reuters