Our first bye weeks of the season meant a few less games, and some really great matchups. We have to hope they will be better than the tire fire that was Thursday night.
Thursday Night Recap
Commanders 12 over Bears 7
Another terrible game for Amazon Prime, and maybe the most entertaining part is the dynamic between Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit as Al pays out the bad play and Herbie nervously laughs along. This being Kirk’s first shot at the NFL, he is doing great, but he has something to prove. Not so with Al, who seems more interested in the spread than the game. That said, the Commanders pulled out the victory in an ugly game that showcased two bad offences that can’t get out of their own way. When the highlight of the game is Carson Wentz throwing a big block, you know you have a stinker on your hands. Justin Fields is playing his way into oblivion, and the Bears should be ripped for their negligence in getting him any weapons whatsoever. Even their supposedly solid wideout Darnell Mooney could not take the ball in on the final play for the Bears. It’s a shame to see an exciting prospect get buried by bad team building.
Sunday and Monday Preview
After last week where we had some bad game and poor on-paper match-ups, we have a few more intriguing games this week.
Giants v Ravens
The Giants are one of the surprises of the season, with their 4-1 record despite struggles with injuries on offence. A big part of this has been the resurgence of Barkley, and the solid play of the defence. Their upset in London over the Pack showcased their resilience, but I see this as a let-down game for the G Men. Look for the Ravens D to dominate, and turn Daniel Jones over multiple times to give Lamar opportunities to score and pull away.
Ravens 33 over Giants 20
Colts v Jags
The Jags played their worst game of the season at home last week against the Texans, with Trevor Lawrence making some poor plays, and the defence getting run on. The Colts are still a wayward ship, and are lucky to have 2 wins on the season. I can see the Jags concentrating on stopping Taylor early, and forcing Matt Ryan into 3rd and long where their underrated pass rush can cause problems. Lawrence will bounce back, playing a solid if careful game, and the Jags will advance their lead in the AFC South.
Jags 31 over Colts 17
Browns v Pats
The Pats schemed up a great defensive gameplan against Detroit and Jared Goff last week. I think it will be much harder this week with Chubb and Hunt running well, and Brissett playing the best ball of his life. It will still be a close one, but if the Browns can force Bailey Zappe to win the game late, they will be able to escape Foxboro with the victory.
Browns 19 over Pats 17
Saints v Bengals
The Bengals will be kicking themselves after their loss against division rivals in Baltimore last week. The Saints leaned heavily on some freakish plays by do-anything Taysom Hill, and finally got Alvin Kamara back. This Bengals defence is MUCH better than the Seahawks that NO played last week. I can see them shutting down the Saints O for much of the game, and Joe Burrow will use the quick passing game to pepper the ball to Boyd and Chase and nickel and dime the Bengals to the win.
Bengals 24 over Saints 14
Steelers v Bucs
The Steelers look more lively with Kenny Pickett under centre, but if they don’t protect him better, they might be forced to go back to Trubisky. Najee still has not got himself right, and conversely, Lenny Fournette had a dominate performance. The Bucs will ride the run game to a win with Tom Brady using play action to hit some shots to Evans and Godwin.
Bucs 27 over Steelers 24
Falcons v 49ers
The Niners D is locked in, with their front seven dominating. The Falcons will struggle to get their solid run game going, and Mariota will not be able to lead the comeback. The Niners run game is starting to get rolling as well, and I can see them having the bulk of possession and will bleed the clock.
49ers 20 over Falcons 13
Packers v Jets
Rodgers and the Packers will be angry after their loss in London. I expect their defence to be better, with a renewed emphasis on getting to Zack Wilson. To his credit, the 2nd year Jets QB has looked better, but I can see him find it difficult to get the Jets into 3rd and manageable. Rodgers will then connect with his young receivers on some big gainers.
Packers 38 over Jets 10
Dolphins v Vikings
The Skylar Thompson experience continues, with both Tua and Teddy out with injuries. As great as Mike McDaniel’s offence has looked, he still needs a pivot that can make reads. Skylar doesn’t quite look like that guy yet. The Vikings got Jefferson involved again, and I think it will be important to keep him rolling. Kirk Cousins played well when asked to complete the easy reads. The Fins defence is feisty, so expect Mattison and Cook to keep them honest and allow the passing game to open up.
Vikings 28 over Fins 14
Rams v Panthers
The Rams must be counting their blessings that they are up against the Panthers this week. McVay’s offence is not only the worst he has ever put on the field, but it is bottom three in the league. They need to get some balance on O, with the run game looking to get back on track. The Panthers may be marching out Sam Darnold this week, and you know that Ramsey and Donald are licking their chops. I almost feel bad for the Panthers, but its hard to root for Tepper, who seems to have little idea on what works in the football business.
Rams 20 over Panthers 3
Seahawks v Cards
The Seahawks are fun to watch, but the results are not necessarily there. The defence was awful last week allowing Taysom Hill to run all over them. This for me is a pick-em, but Geno is going to outduel Kyler and the Seahawks will beat the aggressive Zona D and have big plays through the air. Look for Metcalf to feast on a below standard Cards secondary.
Seahawks 37 over Cards 28
Chiefs v Bills
Why is this matchup not a primetime game? This is the rematch of the AFC Divisional from last year, and will likely at the least be the preview of this year’s edition. Both Allen and Mahomes are playing great football, and seem that their offences are peaking already. That said, the difference here will be the Bills defence and special teams. I can see Buffalo getting a big turnover and some clutch kicking by Tyler Bass, and maybe even a big kick return by Shakir which will lead to some good field position. Needless to say, this is the game of the week!
Bills 40 over Chiefs 31
Eagles v Cowboys
While the Bills and Chiefs are the game of the week, this game is the most intriguing. Some questions will be answered after the Sunday night game. Is the Cowboys D able to steal the victory from the most complete offence in the NFC? Can Cooper Rush make some big plays against a ferocious Eagles D line? Will the Eagles continue their undefeated start? I see this as a back-and-forth defensive battle, with Hurts using his legs to make something out of nothing and leading the Eagles to a hard-earned victory. Another awesome game.
Eagles 20 over Cowboys 12
Chargers v Broncos
The Chargers finally got their run game with Ekeler and Kelley going last week, and they will want to keep this balance against an excellent Denver defence. The Broncos offence under Russ Wilson is still inept in scoring touchdowns, and they will need them against the Chargers as I can see them being able to march the ball. Denver’s fanbase is already angry at the lack of return with Wilson, and the boo-birds will be out early if he can’t get a victory against their AFC West rivals. I’d like to see the Chargers D step up and get some big play turnovers when they can force Wilson into bad situations.
Chargers 27 over Broncos 15
This looks like a great week of football. And as I told Cam, one of the best parts of the week is that we don’t have to suffer through a Texans game…
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