With all the upsets in week three, we felt like our picks were littered around Veteran’s Stadium turf in an epic game between the visiting Dallas Cowboys and the Philadelphia Eagles. In 1999 an injury to Michael Irwin who laid on the turf at Veterans stadium was the wide receiver’s last game of his career. The Eagles fans cheered for Irvin because he was hurt. Veteran’s Stadium is no longer around but some of the game’s injuries would mount on that artificial turf. In week three we were banged up but tread water to stay Even Steven with another 8-8 performance in our picks. The bright side in the first three weeks is we have not had a losing record which we can hang our hats on. Could this be lucky week number 4 as we roll the dice on our picks for the week?

LAST WEEK RESULTS:(8-8)

SEASON STATS:

THURSDAY NIGHT GAMES:(2-1)

FRIDAY NIGHT GAMES:(0-1)

MONDAY NIGHT GAMES: (2-2)

SEASON RECORD: (26-22)

NFL WEEK 4 NFL STRAIGHT PICK-EM

THURSDAY NIGHT GAME

DALLAS COWBOYS (1-2) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (1-2)

The Giants looked like a team that did not have a W in their sights for weeks but they found the Browns last Sunday and notched a win. The Cowboys found the Browns in week one for their only win. Feasting on the Brown meat as these two division rivals meet in week 4 to try to even their record after 4 games. It’s a series that has favored Dallas over the last few seasons. Dak Prescott has owned the Giants with a 12-2 record versus New York. The Cowboys made a huge comeback last week versus the Ravens and came up short. I like the offense carrying over to this short week and getting their fan base off the ledge.

OUR PICK: COWBOYS

THE SUNDAY SLATE

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-1) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (1-2)

The Saints were brought back to earth by the Eagles last week in a low scoring affair that ended in a loss. The Falcons played a solid game against the Chiefs and came up short. The Saints offense in the first two games put up over 40 points & then in week three did a total 360 and just avoided single digit points. You could say week one Kirk Cousins was rusty in the opener versus the Steelers. However he did lead the Falcons to win against the Eagles. The Saints’ first big 40 point game was against the awful Panthers. I like the Falcons defense containing Derek Carr and that Saints running game. The Saints defense has been solid, but Falcons are a well balanced offense that just scores enough to get the home victory and even up their record at 2-2.

OUR PICK: FALCONS

CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-3) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-2)

I would absolutely love to see Andy Dalton wreck havoc on his former team with another brilliant aerial display like he did last week versus the Raiders. The Commanders rookie Jayden Daniels dissected this Bengals defense on Monday night with precision throws that gave Washington a shocking win in a shoot out. The Bengals defense may be a liability early on but Joe Burrow has this Bengals offense and all his weapons back working on all cylinders.

Andy Dalton is 2-1 against his former team. This will be the first time he has faced them in a Panthers uniform. If the Red Rifle can beat the Bengals for the third time, he ties former Bengal Jeff Blake who beat his former team, the Bengals, three times. Which is the most wins by X-Bengals coming back to beat Cincinnati. I probably said it last week. I can’t see the Bengals starting off 0-4 in which I would love to see.

OUR PICK: BENGALS

LA RAMS (1-2) AT CHICAGO BEARS (1-2)

The Rams team is like a MASH unit of injured players as the list goes on and on. Somehow they stunned the 49ers with an upset last week. The Bears have been in every game they have played so far. It’s the same ole story in Chicago with the offensive line and praying that Caleb Williams develops like Jayden Daniels. Williams played his best game last week versus a Colts team the Bears should have not lost to. The Rams have offensive line issues as well but Matthew Stafford is playing well which gives LA the edge. Stafford can spread the football around and Kyren Williams, one of the premier running backs you’ve never heard of, has scored a touchdown in six straight games dating back to last year. The Bears defense keeps this a close game. The Rams have the edge in coaching as well. Sean McVay over a Matt Eberflus team any day. I love to seeing the Bears win. Can’t keep picking them until I see better quarterback play from Williams.

OUR PICK: RAMS

MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-0) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-1)

This game should be must see TV as the Vikings and Packers is a heated rival and the contests are always close no matter where they at in the standings. The Packers are winning with a back up QB former Titan castoff, Malik Willis, who is 2-0 as a starter. The Packers and Vikings have solid defenses as Minnesota is showing they may be a top 5 unit in the NFL. The Vikings are winning with their second choice at the QB position as Sam Darnold got the job due to the injury of JJ McCarthy in pre-season. Darnold is a former number one pick of the Jets who’s trying to resurrect his pro career with the Vikings. Darnold was 21-35 as a starter with the Jets, Panthers, and 49ers. With the Vikings he is 3-0. Green Bay has done very well coaching after losing Jordan Love in the opener playing the Eagles in Brazil. I like the visitors in this first round of two games.

I like the return of former Packer running back Aaron Jones, now a Viking, to have his revenge game in front of the old home crowd at Lambeau Field. I like Darnold over Willis. I like a Brian Flores Viking defense able to make it a very tough afternoon for the Packers offense.

OUR PICK: VIKINGS

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (0-3) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (2-1)

The Jaguars were absolutely crushed by the Bills on Monday night to fall to 0-3. Nothing looked good for them. Then the Texans balloon was popped by the Vikings who got a beat down. It’s easy to say CJ Stroud will bounce back and the Texans will feast on a bad Jaguar defense. What about the Jaguars quarterback, Trevor Lawrence? Is the Jaguars coaching staff right now on thin ice in Florida? This game looks easy to say Texans win, so call it a day. Doug Pederson has been around as a head coach and has won a Superbowl. The Jaguars have weapons on their offense and are due for an explosion and big game from Lawrence. The NFL has been all about the upset. This is my upset special. Not sure how this will go down, but Lawrence will take the Houston Steer by the horns and find a way for a Jaguar win.

The Jaguars will ride away from Houston in style.

OUR PICK: JAGUARS

PITTSBURGH STEELERS(3-0) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS(1-2)

It’s hard to figure a guy like Justin Fields is 3-0 out of the gates in his first season in Pittsburgh. The Colts finally put a W in the win column against the Bears. Anthony Richardson may be a solid NFL quarterback at some point of his NFL career. Right now Richardson is hard to watch as he is still a rookie because most of his first season was wiped out by an injury. The Colts will keep this game close with Jonathan Taylor and their defense. The Steelers defense is better than the Colts and will keep Richardson looking like a rookie quarterback. As for Fields, he has someone whispering nice things inside his ears and is responding well with solid coaching. The Steelers are taking advantage of an easy part of their schedule and will roll away with a 4-0 record after their Indianapolis business trip.

OUR PICK: STEELERS

DENVER BRONCOS (1-2) AT NEW YORK JETS (2-1)

If Bo Nix escapes New York with a victory this week, the rookie will be creating his personal legendary resume.

Aaron Rodgers would be a great leader of the mole people or the insane in some John Carpenters film. Nix and the Broncos on the road wack the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay. Meanwhile Rodgers knocking off the rust looking like his former Green Bay self has landed two straight victories wearing the green and white. It is hard on any team to win back-to-back road games. The Broncos camped out in West Virginia for the week. Sound the Deliverance soundtrack. The Jets defense should give Nix more problems then last week’s opponent, the Buccaneers. Rodgers will deliver. This is a team he should have no problem beating. I suspect Nix will be up and down this season in his rookie year.

OUR PICK: JETS

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-1) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-1)

The Eagles could be 3-0 if they did not make the bad coaching decision on Monday night versus the Falcons. The Buccaneers were upended by a visiting Broncos team whose rookie QB had it his way. The Eagles won a low scoring battle with the Saints last week. You have to give the Eagles defense credit for slowing down a Saints offense that scored over 40 points in their first game and held them to 12 stinking points. The Buccaneers have all kinds of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Baker Mayfield and that Buccaneers offense were grounded by the Broncos defense.

This game will be coined the Oklahoma bowl as Jalen Hurts and Mayfield played their college ball at OSU. This game is a rematch of last year’s playoff game when the Buccaneers rolled the Eagles at the time. Mayfield leads the series versus Hurts with a 2-1 record. The Eagles were in shambles last season in post-season. I like Hurts winning this one as the Buccaneers look like they are in shambles at this time.

OUR PICK: EAGLES

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-1) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-2)

This could be a very fun match up if you like offense. Kyler Murray versus rookie Jayden Daniels which could be an epic shoot out. The Commanders have won two straight games as Daniels had a huge night in prime time beating the Bengals in a shoot out. The Cardinals offense was not flying as high playing the Lions. The Cards did put up 40 points on the Rams in week two for their only victory of the season. The Cardinals have the better defense here. That means nothing as this is the NFL. Murray is a streaky QB. I like Daniels right now as the hotter QB. I think Washington will figure out how to slow down the Cardinals offense while Daniels gives the Commanders their 3rd straight victory in an epic battle.

OUR PICK: COMMANDERS

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-2) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1-2)

No way in hell the Patriots will travel to San Francisco and come away with a win. The 49ers somehow have lost two straight as injuries continue to mount for them. The Patriots offense did not show up last week as the Jets handled them with ease in a beat down on Thursday night. I see the Patriots offense remaining dormant and a 49ers team with a sudden wake up call. The 49ers lost on a game ending field goal to the Rams last week. The 49ers are angry and will be playing this one like their lives depend on the outcome. I like the 49ers as a good survivor pick as well if you have not used them yet.

OUR PICK: 49ERS

KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (3-0) AT LA CHARGERS (2-1)

When does the Chiefs nine lives in breaks in almost every game run out? I’m excited and curious about the Chargers playing the Chiefs because Jim Harbaugh is the guy for LA. Will Harbuagh have his guy in Justin Herbert, who is dealing with a high ankle sprain and could miss this game? The Chargers will be without their star defender in Joey Bosa. The Chiefs will be without their star defender Chris Jones. Even if Herbert can go, I think the Chiefs win because he is not at 100%. Harbaugh will get his first taste of the legend of Patrick Mahomes in this division rival. I like the Chiefs winning this one, but the thoughts will remain with Harbaugh on this game and be on the back burner in his mindset for part two when the teams meet in Kansas City later in the season.

OUR PICK: CHIEFS

CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-2) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-2)

Where do you begin with these two teams that laid a turd last week on the field? The Raiders lost to the Red Rifle and the renewed Carolina Panthers. The Browns fell to the Giants in the Dawg pound. Both teams have solid defenses, but both squads have questions behind center. Do you make the QB change with Deshaun Watson going with turnover crab boy Jameis Winston, another DAWG in the league?

If the Raiders bench Gardner Minshew they have a nice option with Aidan O’Connell who came in later in the game last Sunday when the Panthers were wrapping up the beat down. Head to head I like Minshew rebounding over Watson if both teams stick with their starters. Two teams desperate for a victory. I like the Raiders locker room getting it done rather than whats going on inside Cleveland’s where things could be getting testy.

OUR PICK: RAIDERS

THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME

BUFFALO BILLS (3-0) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-2)

The Bills destroyed the Jaguars and their offense is rolling like a well oiled machine. The Ravens found the win column last week versus the Cowboys but saw their big league evaporate which at the end was a very close game. It looked like a possible blow out. The Ravens have been prone to give up leads in the second half like in 2022. Can the Bills stop Derrick Henry? That is the million dollar question. Henry and Lamar Jackson can create problems for defenses in trying to guess who is going to run the football. The Ravens defense looks suspect right now after three games in which this unit was on top of the football world last season. The Bills defense has found ways to take away the best players on the opposing offenses so far this season through 3 games.

Josh Allen versus Lamar Jackson are always big games to watch. Two of the best quarterbacks in the league squaring off here. Josh and Lamar have faced each other 4 times including one playoff match up and they are dead even at 2-2. The Bills offense is so well-balanced you don’t know who to cover. The Ravens defense should have problems. The Bills have put the Denver boot on Henry in the past. I like Allen as well on prime time games.

OUR PICK: BILLS

DOUBLE HEADER ON MONDAY NIGHT

TENNESSEE TITANS (0-3) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-2)

I’m sick of picking the Titans to win games in which they have failed me constantly.

I need that Darth Vader choke hold on Titans QB Will Levis. The Miami offense is just a shell of its former selves without Tua Tagovailoa. The Titans should be able to finally release all their hounds on offense and finally get their offense going to put up their first W of the year on the road. The Titans defense should be able to stop whoever the Dolphins have back there behind center.

OUR PICK: TITANS

SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-0) AT DETROIT LIONS (2-1)

Nice start for the Seahawks with victories over the Broncos, Patriots, and Dolphins team without their starting QB. For the Lions they are looking good at 2-1 and won an impressive road game in Arizona after taking their first loss of the season in week two to the Buccaneers. This will be quite the measuring stick for Seattle to see if they are aa contender or pretender. The Lions run a well-balanced attack which should generate points against an improved Seattle defense from last year. This should be a good game. Seattle has a well balanced offense as well. Both teams have all sorts of weapons on offense. Geno Smith having a solid year is prone to make the mistake over a Jared Goff for the Lions. The Lions with the Vikings and Packers playing well early on. The Bears will probably wake up too late into the season. The Lions need to win these home games to keep pace and stay King of their own division jungle. Dan Campbell has probably had that mind set planted in all his players that they must defend their home turf with all they got. Seahawks play tough but Lions end up prevailing.

OUR PICK: LIONS