Week 3

THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL:

MIAMI DOLPHINS vs. BUFFALO BILLS

Thursday September 18 @ 8:15 p.m. ET on Amazon Prime

Is this matchup really worth broadcasting on Thursday Night Football? Don’t get me wrong, nobody loves a rivalry game more than I, but this is as one-sided of a competition as there could ever be in the AFC East. Tua Tagovailoa has only beaten the Bills once in nine matchups, whereas Josh Allen has posted some of his best numbers against the Dolphins defense. Looking at the records of each of these teams, it appears that Buffalo will continue to reign supreme over the division, especially if Miami decides to not even bring a fight.

After a come-from-behind victory against the Ravens last week, the Bills responded with a more convincing 30-10 win over another inferior division rival in the New York Jets. Buffalo’s defense did not have Ed Oliver because of an ankle injury and they still shut down an offense that just scored 32 points against Pittsburgh the week before. Now that the Dolphins are entering Highmark stadium, it will be interesting to see what type of game we are in for on Thursday night. There have been times where head coach Sean McDermott successfully shuts down their high-paced offense and turn this into a lopsided win, yet others where Miami’s offense put up a respected strong fight and come up just short. Everybody watching would love to see the latter, so the only way for that to happen is for Tua Tagovailoa to have the game of his life. His decision making has been a key reason why the Dolphins are now 0-2 to start the year. Tua has to be sharp from the jump and not take his foot off the gas, especially with Oliver and Matt Milano out with injuries, or else this is going to be another long night for this football team.

We all know what Josh Allen is capable of on any given night. He only threw for 148 yards against the Jets, but that was because Buffalo mainly focused on running the ball instead of trying to throw it thirty to forty times. Going up against this Dolphins secondary, offensive coordinator Joe Brady wants to have a strong balanced approach, but do not be surprised if Allen throws for over 300 yards with at least three touchdown passes. Daniel Jones scored on every drive against this defense in week one and Drake Maye just posted a passer rating of 137 on Sunday, so it is going to be hard for Miami to slow down the reigning MVP on a short week.

FINAL LOCK: As much as I do not want to see this become a blowout, I am not going to be surprised if we get one at the same time. The Bills are so much stronger than the Dolphins in every single aspect, from the front office all the way to the players. Plus, they are at home on four days' rest with all the advantages on their side. 

FINAL SCORE: BUF 31-10

THE 1:00 SLATE:

GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-0) vs. CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-2)

The more I think about this game, the more I think that this could be a trap for the Packers. This is not to say that they are going to lose by any means, but it will be a little closer than anybody else can expect. On the other hand, if there was anything that we learned about both of these teams last week, this is a game that Green Bay should still be able to win.

After two convincing victories at home, the Packers will play their first road game of the season. So far, they have a very impressive track record. Against the Lions and Commanders in the span of four days, Green Bay’s offense has scored 54 total points while the defense has allowed fewer than 20 against two of the best quarterbacks in the league. Joe Flacco is not exactly as dynamic as Jared Goff or Jayden Daniels, but he is still a player you cannot totally write off. Unfortunately, the old saying is that “you are what your record says you are”, which is 0-2. Last week against the Ravens, he got destroyed in his return to Baltimore 41-17, ultimately getting benched for Dillon Gabriel on a garbage time drive. Now that the Packers have one of the best defenses in the league, this should be viewed as a blowout, but it is never too easy to win a game in Cleveland.

The biggest reason why I feel this could be a trap game for Green Bay is because I do not believe that this is going to be a particularly fun day for the offense. First off, they are going up against Myles Garrett, who is tied for the league lead in sacks right now. The good news is that two of their starting offensive linemen Zach Tom and Aaron Banks returned to practice, but they were limited and their statuses remain unclear. More importantly, this Browns defense has done a fantastic job shutting down the run. They just held Derrick Henry to twenty-three yards on eleven carries, so Josh Jacobs is going to need to have a big afternoon for this offense to truly click. The same goes for Jordan Love, who has played with a lot of poise and efficiency through the first two weeks, but cannot stumble into a bad performance this time around.

FINAL LOCK: Defense will be the name of the game in this one, and while the Browns will have the better superstar, the Packers currently have the better unit overall. More importantly, if this does turn into a low-scoring slugfest, then I trust Jordan Love to get his team out of the mud faster than I would with Joe Flacco. 

FINAL SCORE: GB 24-20

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-0) vs. TENNESSEE TITANS (0-2)

There is always that one team that surprises everybody with an outstanding season, and so far through two weeks, the Colts are playing exceptional football. However, we said the same thing about the Saints last year, so let’s hope that we do not experience deja vu. Fortunately, they are on the road against the Tennessee Titans, who are just flat out terrible this year. It is hard to scapegoat the quarterback this time around because this team has so many problems and weaknesses right now that I do not know how long head coach Brian Callahan will have his job if this continues to happen.

Indianapolis is only favored by four and a half points, but their offense is going to cause that spread to increase as the game progresses. Through two weeks, they have yet to punt the football, and this is with Daniel Jones as their quarterback! He looks a million times better than he ever did with the Giants and the biggest reason why is because he is patient in the pocket. He has not turned it over once and has only been sacked twice, while totaling the second most passing yards in the league! Beating Miami was one thing but to take on the Broncos defense and beat them on a game winning drive is incredibly impressive. Right now, the strategy for the Titans should be to shut down All Pro running back Jonathan Taylor, but their run defense has allowed the fourth most rushing yards in the league, and Taylor just totaled over 200 yards from scrimmage last week. Tennessee already leads the league in penalties, so winning this game is going to require absolute perfection, or else they are going to lose by 20.

What truly makes this a mismatch, however, is a grotesque Titans offense versus the new-look Colts defense. Lou Anarumo has started to make a home for himself in Indianapolis as his group already leads the league in takeaways with one of the best passing defenses in the league. They are not elite against the run and have only totaled three sacks, but Cam Ward is by far the most sacked quarterback with 11 in two weeks! I know that Ward was the one that said a while ago that he has one of the best receiving groups in the league, but we all knew he was going to be thrown into a raging fire. All I can hope for is that he plays extremely well and single-handedly keeps his team in the game, yet that might be asking for too much.

FINAL LOCK: Before the season started, it was difficult predicting the early winner of this game, but not anymore. Division rivalry matchups are always the most unpredictable, especially when the better team is on the road, so I do not think this will be a walk in the park from start to finish. However, the Colts have a better constructed roster while the Titans are in absolute shambles right now, and all this is going to come down to is which team will be more composed and disciplined.

FINAL SCORE: IND 34-16

CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-0) vs. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-1)

Because both Joe Burrow and JJ McCarthy are dealing with injuries, the quarterback matchup we are so honored to receive is Jake Browning versus Carson Wentz. What a time to be alive! We all know that the Vikings and Bengals have the talent to make the game come down to the final play, just like they did in their last two matchups in Cincinnati, but this matchup is in Minnesota. Looking at the history between these two teams, the Vikings have not lost at home to this team… ever! Simply put, Sunday’s game is going to come down to which quarterback will live up to the moment and come through in the clutch, rather than be the biggest reason why they lose.

Jake Browning played well enough to win against the Jaguars on Sunday. After Brian Thomas Jr. failed to convert a crucial fourth down attempt in the red zone, the Bengals marched down the field all the way from their eight yard line and their quarterback was the one that scored the game winning touchdown with little time left on the clock. Having said that though, he is not going to get away with throwing three interceptions against this Vikings defense. That group has been the biggest reason why their team has been competitive in their first two games of the season, but the problem is that when the offense keeps stalling out, they tend to wear down and get exhausted like any other defense would. Browning cannot afford to make any mistakes on Sunday, because while JJ McCarthy might not be the opposing quarterback, Minnesota still has an offense that can take all of the momentum against anybody.

It has been a long time since Carson Wentz started in the National Football League. While there will be a lot of adrenaline and motivation to put on a show, with that comes plenty of rust, which is something that the Vikings do not want to see. So far through two weeks, their offense has been outstanding in one quarter, but outright pitiful in the remaining seven. Minnesota has to get off to a fast start and keep their foot on the gas, rather than just wait until the fourth quarter for them to finally come alive. Just like Browning, all Wentz has to do is not put the ball in harm’s way and I think he will be in decent shape.

FINAL LOCK: Besides the fact that the Vikings are undefeated at home against the Bengals, this game is going to come down to coaching. Both Kevin O’Connell and Zac Taylor are going to be without their starting quarterbacks, so this is going to come down to which of the two will have their guys more mentally sharp and disciplined. Right now, I find it hard to bet against the reigning Coach of the Year over a man that was on the hot seat entering the season.

FINAL SCORE: MIN 23-20

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-1) vs. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-1)

It is not surprising that a lot of people think that the Steelers will win this game, but history might tell you otherwise. Mike Tomlin is 3-10 against the Patriots since he has been a head coach, and in Foxboro, he has not won there since 2008. That was the year Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl while New England started Matt Cassel because Tom Brady missed the season with a torn ACL. On the contrary, Tomlin is 3-0 against Mike Vrabel, so one of these trends will eventually come to an end. The only question is which one?

The Patriots finally managed to win a game in Miami, playing complimentary football in all three phases to hand Tua Tagavailoa his first loss to this team. Drake Maye was exceptional with a passer rating of 137. Rhamondre Stevenson returned to form with a big performance on his own. The defense kept the Dolphins out of the end zone for the entire second half. Lastly, the special teams showed up in the clutch with a 90 yard kickoff return touchdown from Antonio Gibson and a 53 yard made field goal by Anders Borregales after missing the first two extra points of the afternoon. All they need to do at home is pick up where they left off and not revert to what they looked like on opening day. The Steelers might have a lot of recognizable players on their defense, but they have not looked promising over the first two games, so New England has an opportunity to have another statement win under their belt and hopefully not start the season 1-2 again.

Pittsburgh is coming off a beating against the Seattle Seahawks. Their offense, in particular, was horrid. Yes, they led at halftime thanks to a go-ahead touchdown to DK Metcalf, but all they had to do was drive twenty yards down the field to succeed. The defense got off to a strong start by intercepting Sam Darnold twice, but when they returned to the field for the third quarter, they got picked apart once again. A couple of long touchdown drives plus a brain fart on a kickoff return allowed Seattle to go on a 24-3 scoring run in the second half, while Aaron Rodgers threw two picks of his own. From their perspective, this has to be the week where they bounce back on their feet, or there are going to be a lot of angry rumblings surrounding this football team. Quick warning, it is not going to be pretty.

FINAL LOCK: Will the Patriots continue to humiliate Mike Tomlin at every turn or do the Steelers finally play with some fight and aggression? Both sides have plenty to prove against one another, and if this was in Pittsburgh, I would have given Tomlin the advantage. However, this is Gillette Stadium, and this is not exactly the environment that he or Aaron Rodgers have thrived in throughout their careers. It will be an extremely close game, but I will give New England a chance in this one.

FINAL SCORE: NE 24-17

LOS ANGELES RAMS (2-0) vs. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-0)

We have another postseason rematch as the Rams head back to the place where their 2024 season came to an end as they hope to get back at the Philadelphia Eagles that crushed their hearts. Both teams look slightly more different since their meeting in the Divisional Round, but only one of them is going to be undefeated after the week. Will the reigning Super Bowl champions continue to torment the NFC, or do the Rams finally have something to say about it this time?

For the LA defense, the goal is super simple: shut down Saquon Barkley. He absolutely torched them in their two meetings last season, and Sean McVay knows that the minute he is taken out of the gameplan, the Eagles offense is one dimensional. On the surface, the Rams have a huge test ahead of them since their first two opponents have terrible offenses, but Philadelphia has not exactly been lighting up the field. Through two weeks, the running game has quite possibly been the only reason why Philly’s offense has been decent at best. Jalen Hurts has not thrown for over 200 yards in a game so far, AJ Brown is hardly getting targeted, and DeVonta Smith only shows up in spurts. How does Los Angeles get their revenge? Do not let 26 take over the game! Pure and simple!

If the defense can live up to the challenge, then I know that this Rams offense can do enough to win. I do not think they will score a ton of points because Vic Fangio did a good job of slowing them down twice last year. One thing that I think LA needs to do to have a better performance is for this passing game to really stretch the field. There should be no excuse to have Davante Adams and Puka Nacua as your top two receivers, have a touchdown magnet in Kyren Williams in your backfield, and not perform well against the youngest defense in football. 

FINAL LOCK: The Eagles are at home, so I will not be surprised if they get another expected victory on their hands, but I think the Rams present a lot of different challenges that will be hard for Philadelphia to overcome this time around. They have the right personnel on their offense and a defense that has been exceptional through the first two weeks, yet they need everything to come together for them to truly pull off the upset. Both of these offenses are going to struggle, but the only way I see another defeat for LA is if Barkley takes center stage once again.

FINAL SCORE: LA 20-17

NEW YORK JETS (1-1) vs. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-0)

Unfortunately, I think this is going to be one of the more predictable blowouts we are going to watch this season. The number one reason why is because quarterback Justin Fields will miss the game on Sunday due to a concussion, thrusting Tyrod Taylor into the starting lineup for the Jets. While I do think that there are a couple things that this team could exploit to keep the score close, it will be mind-boggling if the Buccaneers do not find a way to win this game.

Baker Mayfield has led a game winning drive in back-to-back road games against the Falcons and Texans, so the hope for Tampa is that they do not enter this situation for the third week in a row. However, their offensive line is a revolving door right now. Tristan Wirfs is still out with a knee injury, but even worse is that two more starters are going to miss time as well. Right tackle Luke Goedeke was just placed on injured reserve with a bad foot while Cody Mauch is gone for the year after finding out he needs surgery on his knee. The Buccaneers already have Graham Barton playing left tackle, Ben Bredeson at center, and Michael Jordan at left guard. If New York’s defensive line cannot take advantage, then they do not deserve to win, especially if their offense is in a predictable slump.

Last week against the Bills, the Jets had no answers whatsoever. They were zero for eleven on third down, could not score a touchdown until garbage time, and failed to reach 200 yards of offense. With Taylor entering the game, not many expect New York to play well on the road, but the Buccaneers are the type of team that can fall into a trap pretty early. It honestly would not shock me if the Jets led early on, but in Todd Bowles’ first game as a head coach against the Jets since being fired in 2018, Tampa will have a little bit of extra motivation on their side.

FINAL LOCK: At the end of the day, the Buccaneers might be dealing with a ton of injuries on their offensive line, but the depth on their offense is still a lot better and I believe that this defense will not combust at the worst possible time. Just do not give the Jets any early momentum and everything else will take care of itself.

FINAL SCORE: TB 34-10

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-1) vs. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1-1)

Both teams might be coming off of rough losses, but the Commanders are in the most unideal situation because they will most likely be without Jayden Daniels due to a knee sprain. Even though the team has officially not ruled him out, do not be surprised if Marcus Mariota gets the start against a Raiders team that only scored nine points on Monday Night Football.

Mariota has not started since 2022 when he was with the Atlanta Falcons, but did well in backup duty last year. However, playing the Carolina Panthers and a Cowboys team quarterbacked by Trey Lance is not exactly like the challenge he is going up against this week. The Raiders do not have an elite defense, but it is a pretty good one. They let up a couple early touchdown passes to Justin Herbert on Monday Night Football, but held him to three points in the second half and did whatever they could to keep their offense alive. However, they still lost the game, so the effort was not enough. The silver lining for Las Vegas is that the Commanders offense has not looked overly impressive through the first two weeks of the season. Now that Daniels might not play on Sunday, this is a good week for this defense to have a better performance, but Geno Smith is going to be the X factor towards success.

There is no sugarcoating why the Raiders lost. The offense could not score a touchdown and their quarterback threw three interceptions, one of them on the first play of the game! Fun fact, this team’s offensive woes have been a big reason why they lost to Washington in their last four meetings. The stakes are no different this time around. If Las Vegas cannot move the ball down the field, then Washington is going to win this game by fourteen points. Smith is going to need to completely bounce back and play a lot better than he did the week before, or else this might be another long year for this football team.

FINAL LOCK: This game can really go either way because the Commanders do not have their starting quarterback and the Raiders got embarrassed on Monday Night Football. I do not see each of these offenses playing particularly well, but I slightly trust Geno Smith to come up big in the fourth quarter more than I do Marcus Mariota. Washington might have more talented wide receivers, but if their offensive line thought that slowing down Micah Parsons was a challenge, what do they think will happen against Maxx Crosby?

FINAL SCORE: WAS 23-13

ATLANTA FALCONS (1-1) vs. CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-2)

Just when I thought the Panthers could truly get off to a better start this season, they are once again 0-2 as they enter their home opener against a Falcons team that just shut down the Minnesota Vikings on a primetime stage. The only reason why Carolina has not lost all hope yet is because Bryce Young’s last game against Atlanta was one to remember. He outdueled Michael Penix Jr. in a 44-38 overtime thrilling victory, totaling 275 total yards from scrimmage with five touchdowns. Both of these quarterbacks are going to be under a big spotlight this week, so let’s see which one will shine brightest down the stretch.

There is no question that the Falcons should be favored to win, but they need a better game from their offense. Give credit to Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier for totaling 219 yards combined on the ground, but it took five field goals from Parker Romo to score their first fifteen points. Penix knows that he is going to need to have a better performance, especially against a subpar Carolina defense. I have faith that he can, but if Young decides to take over like he did in the regular season finale, then Atlanta cannot afford to make a single mistake. 

After trailing 27-3 to the Arizona Cardinals, Bryce Young played a lot better in the second half and managed to make it a one-score game with less than two minutes remaining in the game. He even had a chance to win it with the ball in his hands, but an intentional grounding penalty and a sack on fourth down ended their hopes. At the same time, however, he put this team in too big of a hole for them to win that football game. It is very simple. If he does not turn the ball over, then they can beat the Falcons. However, I have not seen any improvement or progression whatsoever. I get that two of his offensive linemen are on injured reserve and that Jalen Coker is still on injured reserve, but these are no longer excuses. For Carolina to win, Young needs to play great and be the biggest reason why they win, or else it is going to be another humiliating defeat. That is the bottom line.

FINAL LOCK: Knowing the Falcons, this could really go either way. However, I will put my faith in them for this week. Both quarterbacks need to play extremely well, but Atlanta can run the ball better and Penix has not turned the ball over as frequently as Young has so far this year. As much as I would like to see the Panthers have a strong performance, I will believe it when I see it myself.

FINAL SCORE: ATL 27-17

HOUSTON TEXANS (0-2) vs. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-1)

If the Texans begin the season 0-3, then they are not making the playoffs. I know that it is still really early and there are fifteen games left in the season, but there is no chance for this team if their offense continues to hold this defense back. I do not care if their track record against Jacksonville has been strong since 2018. With how bad things have been this year, this is a must-win game for Houston.

I only have one question: what happened to CJ Stroud? I understand that his offensive line is terrible, that the running game looks different without Joe Mixon, and their wide receiver room is not great. However, Stroud has not done himself any favors this year. His pocket presence is shaky, he cannot push the ball down the field the way he could in his rookie year, and the decision making has fallen off a cliff. This better be a game where he puts this team on his back because the Jaguars defense, while it has been opportunistic through the first two games, is not exactly a lights out group. They picked off Jake Browning three times on Sunday, but still let up a 92 yard touchdown drive to lose the game. The conclusion is simple: Stroud needs to be the hero for this football team or else that defense is going to fall apart once again. 

Having said all of this, Trevor Lawrence is under just as much pressure as Stroud entering Sunday. That game against the Bengals was one where Jacksonville had so many chances to close the deal, but they failed. Two interceptions in the first half set up the only ten points scored by Cincinnati. They decided to go for it on fourth down instead of kicking a field goal to increase their lead to six, and while Brian Thomas Jr. was wide open, the ball fell out of his hands. This Texans defense will be the toughest group that Jacksonville has to face so far, so Lawrence is going to need to step up big as well, or else Stroud could be the one to save the day in the end.

FINAL LOCK: While many are predicting that Houston will not begin the season 0-3, I like how the Jaguars offense has looked with Liam Coen in charge. One big X factor to point out is that Brian Thomas Jr. is dealing with a wrist injury, but one thing that the Texans defense has struggled with so far is their inability to stop the run and now they have to go up against the second leading rusher in the league Travis Etienne. If Jacksonville can stick to that, then they are more than capable of pulling off the upset.

FINAL SCORE: JAX 27-24

THE 4:05/4:25 SLATE:

DENVER BRONCOS (1-1) vs. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (2-0)

It definitely would have been better if both of these teams were undefeated entering Week 3, but it would not have changed my opinion about this game whatsoever. Justin Herbert has not lost a home game to the Broncos in his career and I do not see that streak ending any time soon with how well he has been playing this year. More importantly, if their defense could pick off Geno Smith three times last week, then it would not be surprising for this group to handle their own against Bo Nix.

Right now, Herbert has been an MVP candidate. As a matter of fact, if he keeps playing like this, there is no question he will earn the first of his career. I believe that this is going to be another strong performance by him because while the Broncos defense is one to be respected, it did not look great last week against the Indianapolis Colts. They let up over 200 scrimmage yards to Jonathan Taylor, over 300 to Daniel Jones, and a leverage penalty on a 60 yard field goal attempt cost Denver the game. The Chargers know how to take advantage of sloppy football, but I think that for them to truly guarantee themselves a victory, they have to run it better. Last year, it was their bread and butter. This time, it is almost turning into a non-factor. If Los Angeles can win the trenches, they will keep the Broncos on their heels.

The only way for the Broncos to pull off the upset is very simple: Bo Nix cannot turn the football over. He played a lot better than he did against the Titans with three touchdown passes, but it was a fourth quarter interception that gave Indianapolis the momentum they needed to win. We all know what Herbert is capable of any given week, but Nix needs to outplay him for sixty straight minutes and quite possibly have his best game of the season. One slipup or mistake and LA is going to have the Broncos right where they want.

FINAL LOCK: If this game were in Mile High, then I would slightly lean towards the Broncos more, but we already saw Herbert get his first win there last year. Knowing that this is in So-Fi Stadium, I believe that the Chargers offense will continue to look strong, but I believe that their defense is really going to be the biggest difference. I know that sounds crazy considering that Denver has more starpower, but they did not force a punt last week and this game is going to be tougher against a better quarterback.

FINAL SCORE: LA 30-20

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-2) vs. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1-1)

The Saints proved so far that they are not the worst team in the league, but there is a reason why they have not won a game yet. They cannot finish in the fourth quarter. Through the first two weeks, they were in position to pull off dramatic and surprising upsets, but the offense could not deliver in the clutch. In the first game against Arizona, Rattler hit Juwan Johnson in the end zone with little time to spare, but the ball got knocked out of his hands. The following week against the 49ers, Rattler was in position for his first career game winning drive, but got the ball punched out on a strip sack by Bryce Huff to seal the deal. The question is not can the Saints keep it close, but will their effort be enough to win? 

Sam Darnold had somewhat of an up-and-down performance last week against the Steelers, but still made more plays than Aaron Rodgers to win. He led a few touchdown drives, he overcame a couple of interceptions, and the best part about it was that they ran the football extremely well. It is a good thing that New Orleans does not have a great run defense because that is going to be a huge point of emphasis for Seattle to get a winning record for the first time this year. However, just as he will be throughout the rest of the season, Darnold’s play is going to dictate how this game will shape out. This better be a week for him to look sharp and efficient because if he hands the Saints their first win of the year, then the national media is not going to be so easy on him.

At some point in time, Spencer Rattler is going to need to win his first game as a starting quarterback. Otherwise, new head coach Kellen Moore will eventually have to play the rookie just for this team to have a little bit of a spark. Rattler played well yesterday with 200 yards and three touchdowns, but the problem was that he could never take the lead. Not all of it was his fault. Blake Grupe missed a chip shot field goal on the opening drive and Alvin Kamara lost a costly fumble midway through the second half, but the ball was in the quarterback’s hands on the final possession and he lost it. The Seahawks have a really good defense, so Rattler knows that he is in for a difficult afternoon. How does he overcome the challenge? Find a way to get it done.

FINAL LOCK: It is weird to think that the Saints have beaten the Seahawks in their last four matchups, but I believe that streak will come to an end this time. The only way I can see this being an upset is if Darnold reverts back to his Jets days and turns the ball over left and right. This will be a scrappy game for forty-five minutes, but if New Orleans’ offense finds themselves in a slump, then there is no question that the Seahawks can wear their opponents out down the stretch.

FINAL SCORE: SEA 27-13

DALLAS COWBOYS (1-1) vs. CHICAGO BEARS (0-2)

Matt Eberflus is back in the Windy City as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Cowboys, hoping to get his revenge against the team that fired him just last year. However, with the way his defense let Russell Wilson turn back the clock and throw for over 400 yards with 37 scored points, then nobody should feel too confident that they can be just the third team to shut down Caleb Williams and this Ben Johnson coached offense. 

If there is any week for this Bears offense to finally get back into a groove, it is against this Dallas defense. The only problem is that they look just as bad as they did with Shane Waldron and Luke Getsy the last few seasons. Williams has been highly careless with his football accuracy, the offensive line is still not good, and it took a garbage time drive just for them to score over twenty points last week. If they cannot play well against a Cowboys defense that traded away its best player and whose corners got torched by the Giants of all teams, then you might as well write off the season again for Chicago because there is just no reason to believe anymore.

I do not think that anybody should be too concerned with the Cowboys offense entering the third week of the season. Brian Schottenheimer has done a promising job leading this group so far, and if they pick up where they left off last week, then I know they can have their way with a Bears defense that just gave up 52 points to Detroit. However, I do not see this as a blowout by any means, so the last thing that Dallas can do is turn the ball over. Otherwise, Chicago might have a chance of stealing an upset in Soldier Field.

FINAL LOCK: I am not the biggest believer in both teams, but based on what I have seen so far, I have to roll with Dallas in this one for the simple fact that their offense is the better one in this matchup. The defense is another issue of its own, but I think that the Cowboys are going to be a little bit more motivated to give Eberflus the last laugh, especially against an untrustworthy Bears offense that has repeatedly let down its fanbase when the hope is at an all time high.

FINAL SCORE: DAL 27-17

ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-0) vs. SAN FRANCISCO 49ers (2-0)

Brock Purdy is still dealing with a turf toe injury and a shoulder issue, but after reports surfaced that he returned to practice, he might try to jog it out on Sunday. However, I do not know if Kyle Shanahan wants to completely rush him onto the field, so I would not be surprised if Mac Jones got the start. Regardless, this is going to be one heck of a grudge match.

The Cardinals are undefeated, which is good, but they have not been great. In their first two games, it felt like they were doing everything they could to lose and hand their opponent an ugly victory, only for the defense to bail this team out with a late stop. It should not be the case because they have a solid offense and their defense got better since Jonathan Gannon has been the head coach, yet I just know that there is going to come a time where everything inevitably falls apart. The 49ers are not exactly the team that you want to stumble against, and if Arizona’s offense cannot find a way to finish the job, then their odds of winning are going to be bleak.

This is also a big test for Mac Jones if he does get the start. He looked incredible with close to 280 yards and three touchdown passes but he does not get to play the Saints every week. The Cardinals defense is a “bend but don’t break” unit. They will give up a lot of yards, but when it comes down to the nitty gritty, they do not allow too many points. They will do their best to take Christian McCaffrey out of the gameplan and make Jones beat them by himself, so for the 49ers to stay undefeated, their quarterback needs to put this team on his back.

FINAL LOCK: Given the uncertainty around the quarterback position and the injuries that San Francisco is still dealing with, I am picking the Cardinals to win a close game. They did it last year, and while the 49ers will hopefully have a healthy kicker this time, this team knows that Arizona is not going to be a team that is just going to give up. This is going to be a physical game on both sides of the ball, so whoever can handle the beating the longest will ultimately pull through in the end.

FINAL SCORE: ARI 24-20 

SNF and MNF:

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0-2) vs. NEW YORK GIANTS (0-2)

Sunday September 21 @ 8:20 p.m. E.T. on NBC

Is it bad that I think this is a trap game for the Chiefs? First of all, they are 0-2, something that has never happened before in the Patrick Mahomes era. The second reason is that they have never beaten the Giants on the road… ever! Dating all the way back to 1978, New York has found a way to beat Kansas City at home. Last week, Russell Wilson threw for over 400 yards and scored 37 points against the Cowboys in a game where his team was expected to get crushed, so if he could finish the job this time against a tougher opponent, then everybody really needs to be worried.

There are a lot of people to blame for the slow start this year, but it is an everything problem across the board. They cannot run the ball, their passing game is sluggish because their top two wide receivers are out, the offensive line is still subpar, and even the defense looks undisciplined. Patrick Mahomes is really the only reason why this team has been competitive in the first two games, and when he is their leading rusher, that is a serious problem. This needs to be a bounce back week for everybody on that football team, including the quarterback. If this offense cannot score enough points to beat the Giants, then Kansas City does not even deserve to win their division.

If you are Russell Wilson, you cannot wait for this matchup because he has a chance to do something that nobody expected him to do from the start: beat the Chiefs in week three. That is way easier said than done when you look at the state of both franchises, but the Giants have a chance to be the biggest spoilers of the entire football season so far and it is going to happen in their house. All they have to do is just not screw up. Do not turn the ball over. Do not even think about getting penalized for anything. That goes for James Hudson… if they even play him again. The less mistakes you minimize, the better chance they have of winning.

FINAL LOCK: As much as I gave New York all of the unnecessary hype, I find it utterly impossible for the Chiefs to start 0-3. I know I said the same thing last week but something has to go seriously wrong for this to become reality. If that time comes, then the panic button needs to be pressed because there are not a lot of teams that can overcome this bad of a start.

FINAL SCORE: KC 23-20

DETROIT LIONS (1-1) vs. BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-1)

Monday September 22 @ 8:15 p.m. E.T. on ESPN/ABC

It is unfortunate that either the Ravens or Lions will be 1-2 at the end of the week, but this is what happens when one team chokes a 15 point lead and the other gets shut down to start the season. Both of them bounced back with tremendously strong performances by blowing out their inferior division rivals, so let’s see which one is going to pick up where they left off or experience another painful defeat.

Derrick Henry only ran for 23 yards on eleven carries and the Ravens still beat up the Cleveland Browns 41-17. Lamar Jackson threw four touchdown passes with zero interceptions, the defense forced a couple of big turnovers that included a scoop-and-score, and the special teams made their mark on the game with a blocked punt. However, the Lions are a way tougher opponent. We all know that Jackson is going to be the biggest reason why Baltimore has the better odds of winning. If it is not him, then it is Henry. However, the only way for it to be guaranteed is for the defense to step up in a big way. Just two weeks ago, they let Josh Allen have one of the best games of his life and humiliate them in a come-from-behind performance. The last thing they can do is let the same outcome happen against Jared Goff. Otherwise, they better hope that Jackson has enough time to win the game.

For the Lions to pull off a huge win on the road, it is going to come down to their quarterback. I do not believe that their defense has enough to slow down one of the most dynamic quarterback-running back duos in football, so this offense is going to have to score a lot of points and dominate the time of possession for them to even come close to winning. One little slip-up and Baltimore is going to steal all of the momentum that is needed. 

FINAL LOCK: I am picking the Ravens for a couple of reasons. The first is that they are at home. The second is that in the two matchups between Lamar Jackson and Jared Goff, the two time MVP has outscored the former number one overall pick 82-12! Do not get me wrong, I am not predicting this to be another blowout, but this is not exactly an even fight. However, as I said earlier, Goff has a chance to shut that narrative down by going out there and having the game of his life! The question is will he actually do it or is that just an afterthought?

FINAL SCORE: BAL 34-31