Denver produced one of the standout results of NFL Week Three, overturning a 16-point deficit to beat the Los Angeles Rams 30-26, while the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks suffered a surprise defeat in Washington.

The Sunday night contest in Denver brought together two teams with Super Bowl ambitions after both fell in last season’s Conference Championship games. Los Angeles dominated the opening half and went into the break 16-0 ahead, appearing firmly in control.

However, the Broncos returned with far greater urgency after halftime and erased the deficit by the end of the third quarter. A frantic final five minutes then featured three changes of lead.

Denver safety Talanoa Hufanga sparked the drama when he intercepted Rams quarterback Matt Stafford and returned the ball 66 yards for a touchdown. Stafford responded in the closing stages, leading Los Angeles downfield before finding Konata Mumpfield for a 48-yard touchdown to put the visitors back in front.

Broncos quarterback Bo Nix then led a decisive drive, finishing it himself with a touchdown to restore Denver’s advantage. Stafford had 47 seconds left to deliver another response and drove the Rams within scoring range, but Hufanga intercepted him again on the final play. The Broncos held on for a 30-26 victory, with Hufanga recording the first two-interception game of his six-year NFL career.

Washington entered its meeting with Seattle without injured starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who dislocated his left elbow the previous week. Backup Marcus Mariota stepped up impressively, throwing three touchdown passes as the Commanders built a 24-10 lead over the reigning champions.

Seattle fought back and levelled the game in the fourth quarter, but quarterback Sam Darnold’s second interception proved costly. Linebacker Kain Medrano returned it 50 yards for a touchdown, a score that ultimately gave Washington a 33-31 win.

The result ended Seattle’s 12-game winning run, which stretched back through last season’s Super Bowl-winning campaign.

The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Dallas Cowboys 34-31 in the NFL’s first game in Rio de Janeiro, played at the famous Maracana Stadium. The matchup was the second of a record nine international fixtures scheduled for this season.

Derrick Henry scored twice as Baltimore opened up a 24-13 lead in the third quarter. But Dallas staged an impressive recovery, and the lead changed hands twice during a tense fourth period. A late Cowboys field goal tied the game with only seven seconds remaining and appeared to force overtime.

Lamar Jackson had other ideas. The Ravens quarterback completed a 27-yard pass to put Baltimore in range, before Tyler Loop converted a 56-yard field goal as time expired. The victory left every team in the AFC North with a 2-1 record. Brazilian football star Neymar was among those in attendance, while Ricky Martin and Pedro Sampaio performed at half-time.

New England’s difficult start continued as quarterback Drake Maye was benched in a 35-6 defeat by Jacksonville after committing three turnovers. Maye had only 11 turnovers throughout last season but has already given the ball away seven times this term.

Cleveland quarterback Deshaun Watson, meanwhile, continued his encouraging return from a serious injury. He guided the Browns to a 21-20 victory over Carolina, completing a 14-yard touchdown pass to Harold Fannin Jr. on the final drive after escaping pressure in the pocket.

Five teams remained perfect after Sunday’s games. Buffalo recovered from a 10-0 deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Chargers 24-16, with Josh Allen scoring twice. Kansas City beat Miami 24-10, Travis Kelce finding the end zone, while San Francisco edged Arizona 36-30.

Minnesota’s 23-16 win at Tampa Bay moved the Vikings to 3-0 despite an early ankle injury to Justin Jefferson. Las Vegas also maintained its perfect record by recovering from 27-16 down to beat New Orleans 35-27, matching its entire win tally from last season. Philadelphia could join the unbeaten group with victory over Chicago on Monday night.