The Chicago Bears are so desperate with their depleted secondary they just added a wolf to their sheep farm. The Bears just struck a deal with 27 year old safety CJ Gardner-Johnson who has had some run-in’s with Chicago receivers in the past. Last year Gardner-Johnson helped the Philadelphia Eagles win their second Superbowl in their franchise history giving the Kansas City Chiefs an old fashioned beat down. The Eagles traded Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in the off-season where he played three games this season & then was released. The Texans head coach said CJ’s release, “was best for the team.”
This month CJ Gardner Johnson found another franchise interested in his services. He signed with the Baltimore Ravens on their practice squad. After a week it was called a mutual decision on his release. Now he will join one of his arch enemies while reuniting with his former coach Dennis Allen who was in New Orleans when he was there. Now Allen has the job of defensive coordinator for the Bears and is using his word to his employers that his guy CJ can get the job done and will not disrupt the team chemistry.
The Chicago Bears are 4-3 for the season. They won 4 straight games after starting 0-2 out of the gates. Last week Caleb Williams did not play well. The Bears defense kept their team in the game versus the Ravens against their 3rd quarterback of the season in veteran Tyler Huntley. The Bears new head coach Ben Johnson thinks Williams’ bad day was not all his fault as he was throwing the ball to the right spots in timing routes. That the receivers stopped their route short of the spot they were supposed to get to. With the Bears defense playing well and Williams showing improvement, maybe a guy like CJ Gardner-Johnson is what they need at this point to give this team a jolt. The Bears lost their best defensive back in Jaylon Johnson who has been sidelined for weeks and had surgery on his core muscle. Tyrique Stevenson is banged up with a shoulder issue and missed Sunday’s game versus Baltimore but is expected back this week. While Kyler Gordon will miss at least 3 more games as he is on the injured reserve. Gardner-Johnson was originally drafted by the Saints in the 4th round of the 2019 NFL draft. He can play safety and can cover the slot receivers which he did for Dennis Allen and the Saints. Last season for the Eagles he had 6 interceptions and returned one for a touchdown. He played in 16 games last year after only playing in 3 regular season games for the Lions in 2023. In seven seasons where he had two stints with the Eagles, Saints that drafted him, and the Lions and Texans. The Bears will be his 5th team already. He has 18 career interceptions of which he had 6 picks in two different seasons and both were with Philadelphia.
CJ Johnson-Gardner is a trash talker along with an instigator as the Bears in the past found out the hard way. In 2020 the Bears wide receiver Javon Wims punched CJ twice in the helmet. Wims said CJ took his mouth piece and spat on him. CJ at the time denied spitting on Wims. Javon would get suspended 2 games by the league for hitting CJ in the helmet. Then in 2021 the Bears met the Saints in the playoffs. The Bears had it in the game plan not to fall for any of CJ’s antics. Another Bears wide receiver may have not gotten the memo, Anthony Miller shoved CJ, and was ejected from the game.
Miller fell right into CJ’s antics and it was game over for the Bears receiver.
Remember when the Chicago Bulls traded for Dennis Rodman who was a Hall of Fame defender and his antics got in the heads of other players? Ask Karl Malone who could not shake Rodman’s antics in the championship series versus the Bulls. CJ Gardner-Johnson is not the missing piece for a Bears championship. Everyone hated Rodman when he played all those years with the bad boys, the Detroit Pistons. The Pistons were a thorn in the Bulls’ sides for years before Chicago slay their demons. The White Sox signed AJ Pierzynski, a key player that helped them win that 2005 World Series title for Chicago. Pierzynski all those years with the Twins he was hated by the White Sox fans. You hope Gardner-Johnson falls in with the Pierzynski and Rodman type guys you hated. Then loved when they are wearing your uniform and representing your city.
I’m not a fan of trash talking corner backs like CJ Gardner-Johnson. The Bengals teams that went deep in post-season seem to have multiple defensive backs that talked trash all game long. Gardner-Johnson has 2 career unsportsman-like conducts called on him. He has racked up six unnecessary roughness penalties in his career. Imagine all the stuff that he’s gotten away with. He certainly provoked those former Bears receivers to hit him in the heat of the moment. The Bears will need to win games to keep this clown happy and not become a cancer in the locker room. These types of guys can turn into a virus that spreads throughout the entire team. The ties he has with Dennis Allen will be important. I like that he can play multiple positions in the secondary. He certainly can help other Bears defensive backs get better by watching his coverage on offensive players. He can spark your team with a big time defensive play at a key point of the game. I think everything needs to be going well because he could also be the added fuel on the fire to send the Bears team into combustion mode. We’ve seen it before with the Jay Cutler’s of the world that wore Bears uniforms. Like an invasion of roaches, it takes awhile to get them all terminated from the locker room. The Bears are playing the Bengals this Sunday. We will see if Gardner-Johnson can contain their stud receivers like Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. The Bears already have the goofy Tyrique Stevenson in their secondary, a guy that did not cover Jayden Daniels’ Hail Mary pass last year because he was too busy taunting the crowd. Too many of these guys will set the fuse that burns the rest of your season away. The Bears are reaching here. It may work, but keep the fire extinguisher handy just in case.
NFL Hall of Famer linebacker, the late Dick Butkus, played on many bad Bears teams over his career. Butkus signed a contract extension during his career to stay in Chicago where he was from. He made a name for himself because of the defense he played. He was feared all over the league. Opposing teams game-planned around him, but he still created havoc on offenses zeroing in on him to take him out of the game. In present times I think you can say Myles Garrett, defensive end for the Cleveland Browns, is going down the same career path as the great Butkus. On Sunday, Garrett sacked Patriots quarterback Drake Maye 5 times and even forced a fumble. With that kind of performance you would think the Browns would have won the game. The Patriots won the game 32-13. The Browns record now is 2-6 and they are on their way to yet another losing season. Meanwhile Garrett is on pace to be the new sack king of the NFL if he continues his current pace. With longevity he should end his career with over 200 sacks.
This is Myles Garrett’s 9th season in the NFL, all with the Browns, and he already has 112.5 sacks in his career. On Sunday Garrett’s 108th sack of his career broke the great Reggie White’s record of most sacks before the age of 30. White played 15 seasons in the NFL and tallied up 198 total sacks before his career came to an end. Let’s remember White played in the USFL for two seasons before coming to the NFL.
In 1984 & ’85, White played for the Memphis Showboats. He played in 34 games and tallied up 23.5 sacks. White has tallied up 198 total sacks in the NFL and is second all-time on the league’s sacks list. Garrett could shatter White’s second place on the sacks totem pole list and surpass the current king of all sacks. That is former Buffalo Bills defensive end Bruce Smith who tallied 200 total sacks. Smith ended up in Canton, Ohio like White & his devastation on the quarterback position.
Myles Garrett has size, speed, and athleticism, determination, and will not turn 30 until this December. He has plenty of time to increase his numbers this season with only 8 games in. He will still have multiple games left to play at the age of 29. He already has 10 sacks for the season which will be the 8th straight season of getting double digits in the quarterback smash. It did not take very long to be the number 1 in sacks in Browns history. Clay Matthews is second in Browns history with 62 total sacks which he broke years ago. He is six sacks away from tying his personal best of his career when he had back-to-back years getting 16 in 2021 & ’22. The 5 sacks on Sunday meant he broke his own personal sack record in one game. In 2021 he had 4 1/2 sacks versus the Bears. Since the NFL has counted sacks since the year 1982, 20 players have had 5 sacks or more in one game. Only 4 of those players ended up losing the game.
In 2017, the Browns drafted Myles Garrett with the first pick of the NFL draft from Texas A&M university. If the Browns went quarterback that year, the player would have been a bust. They had a sure thing picking Garrett who is a game wrecker. A game changer. If the Browns were a winning organization, he would have been a closer. Everyone remembers Garrett ripping off Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolf’s helmet in the Browns/Steelers melee and beating him over the head with it. When it comes to Garrett that is the first thing I think about. That moment does not take away from his play on the field on any given Sunday. I thought during the off-season, the Browns were going to trade their game wrecker because Garrett wanted out of Cleveland. He demanded a trade out of town. They have been a bad team, they paid all the guaranteed money, and gave away a ton of draft capital for a bum of a quarterback in Deshaun Watson. A guy who is a sexual predator. The Browns ownership should have never traded for this guy. Now they are set back years because of this bad deal which may be the worst trade in history by a NFL franchise The Browns ownership suddenly ponied up a 4 year extension worth 204.8 million to keep their defensive end in town and we have not heard a peep out of Myles every since. There are no clear signs in Cleveland that this franchise will turn things around. Garrett may be heading down the same path as Dick Butkus. I’m not saying anything wrong with playing for only one franchise as that is not done anymore. Butkus was the best player on a bad team. So is Garrett. These two guys would be one of the top players on a very great team. No question about that. Reggie White did win a Superbowl. Bruce Smith was part of 4 AFC Championship wins and 4 Superbowl loses. Garrett could be supreme king of the all-time sacks list when his career comes to an end. He may get to play in some future playoff games. When is the biggest question. No guarantee he will do that suited up for the Browns. He may set a new sacks record like Babe Ruth did to the home run record where it took decades to break. He will never get that ring with the Browns.
We had a better week than week 6 when we only managed to get 8 correct out of 15 match ups. Week seven was sort of an easy week to pick. We were on the wrong side of the Icy Hot bowl that featured two aging quarterbacks. Thursday nights have not worked well the last few weeks. Picking the Commanders over the Cowboys turns into a very humiliating pick. Would love that one back. That is the way the cookie crumbles. In week 8 we are looking for perfection and no way we will come close to that. It sounds good on the computer screen writing it. We will get back on the horse and try to do better even though we have less match ups this week.
THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-3) AT LA CHARGERS (5-3)
The last few weeks picking Thursday night games has been disastrous. This Thursday is very challenging between two teams I have not figured out all year long. The Chargers and Vikings have solid defensive units this season. Justin Herbert is the better quarterback than Carson Wentz. I figure if you keep betting on Jim Harbaugh, he is bound to win more games than lose. Even though I picked the Chargers last week to beat the Colts, he disappointed me there. It’s a new week. I like the Chargers defense to force the Vikings QB into mistakes where they benefit from and change my Thursday losing streak by flipping the script.
OUR PICK: CHARGERS
THE SUNDAY TILT
MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-6) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (3-3)
The Dolphins have been swimming in toxic waters all year long. Can Kirk Cousins Wally Pipp Michael Peniz Jr., who pipped the former Viking QB? Whoever is the QB for the Falcons this week, Miami can not stop their running back Bijan Robinson who should have a big day versus the fish. Atlanta plays better at home and Miami should fire everyone.
OUR PICK: FALCONS
CHICAGO BEARS (4-2) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-5)
Can the Bears win 5 straight games? I bet you are thinking last time Chicago has done that was back in1985. The Bears did win 5 straight games back in 2018. The Ravens will be without their star quarterback Lamar Jackson who is dealing with a hamstring that has kept him out multiple weeks. The Ravens are in desperation mode right now. They need to win this game or their playoff hopes are crushed. The Ravens should be better on defense with some of their guys coming back and the team is rested from being on a bye last week. Without Lamar, the Bears should win this one on the road rather easily. The Bears have been playing well on both sides of the ball. Look for the Bears defense to make Cooper Rush have another bad day at the office as he already has thrown 4 interceptions in two starts.
OUR PICK: DA BEARS
BUFFALO BILLS (4-2) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-3)
The Panthers have won three straight games and are perfect at home. The Bills have lost two straight games and are coming off their bye week. The Panthers will be without their starting QB Bryce Young as veteran Andy Dalton gets the start. The Bills have been gashed by the running game the last two straight weeks that led to losses.
The Bills have reinforcements on their defense just in time. Their rookie corner back Maxwell Hairston will make his NFL debut coming off a knee injury he suffered in pre-season. Then two free agents the Bills signed in the off-season for their defense, Larry Ogunjobi and Micahel Hoecht, will make their season debut coming off the league’s suspension list. The Bills will be better on defense. The bye week should help this team clean up their act. Dalton will be a sitting duck for defense that wants to make a statement. Josh Allen redeems himself from the bad performance he had in Atlanta.
OUR PICK: BILLS
NEW YORK JETS (0-7) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-4)
The Jets have been secretive about who’s starting at quarterback this week like it’s Area 51. The Jets should take whatever alien is in the building at Area 51 and insert it at the QB position. It’s got to be better than trotting Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor out there. Joe Flacco has given the Bengals hope and may be the guy that saved Cincinnati’s season. All Flacco needs to do is throw the football to Ja’Marr Chase 50 times. He’ll do the rest. The Bengals defense is terrible, but they should handle the Jets’ Area 51 secret project.
OUR PICK: BENGALS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-2) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (2-4)
The Texans may be without their superstar wide receiver Nico Collins who is still on concussion protocol. The 49ers will lean in once again on Mac Jones as their starting quarterback who’s filling for the injured Brock Purdy. Jones is 4-1 this season as the starter. It’s the same story for Houston and San Francisco this season. The 49ers have concurred their injury problems by continuing to put W’s in the win column. The Texans have been solid on defense the entire season, but that does not help their offensive line. Being slim at the receiver position with an offense that has not run the ball well keeps me away from Houston like they have the herpes and are looking to spread the disease. The 49ers are the safer bet here.
OUR PICK: 49ERS
CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-5) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (5-2)
What do you think? The Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel has the new Death Star half built as New England has won 4 straight games. Rookie quarterback Dillion Gabriel won his first ever NFL start last week versus the Dolphins. Gabriel has not set the league on fire but has not been careless with the football. The Browns offense has been pretty dormant most of the season. The Patriots will face a challenge with the Browns stud defense that will keep them in the game. Drake Maye will out-duel the Browns rookie and keep the Patriots hot streak alive and well at least for another week.
OUR PICK: PATRIOTS
NEW YORK GIANTS (2-5) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (5-2)
The G-Men gave the Eagles their first loss of the season a few weeks ago. With that win, the Giants snapped a 8 game losing streak dating back to last year against teams in the division. Can the Giants sweep the season series versus the Eagles?
The Giants have not done well in Philadelphia over the last few years. It’s been a house of horrors for the team in blue. It’s hard to sweep a division opponent. It’s very hard to sweep the Superbowl champs from last year. Jaxson Dart has been giving the Giants a boost with his play at the quarterback position. However this is the same Giants team who blew a huge 4th quarter lead last week to the Broncos. The Eagles snapped a two game skid with a win last week. I like the Eagles to get their revenge. Dart will give the Giants a solid chance, but they come up short of the bullseye.
OUR PICK: EAGLES
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-2) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-6)
The Buccaneers offense went dormant on Monday night versus the Lions. The Saints continue to lose games & players while their quarterback Spencer Rattler has played well. Baker Mayfield is running out of guys to throw to as Tampa Bay lost Mike Evans for several weeks due to an injury versus the Lions. The Buccaneers last lost a few of their play makers. I think Tampa will run the ball down the Saints throats this week. Baker Mayfield will hook up with a few deep passes to the undrafted beer man suiting up for them this week only. The Saints will linger like they do. Tampa gets back in the win column with a solid defense performance.
OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS
DALLAS COWBOYS (3-3-1) AT DENVER BRONCOS (5-2)
Are the Denver Broncos lucky or are you convinced they are one of top teams in the AFC? The Cowboys are coming off one of their better wins of the season beating up the Commanders. This match up features the Broncos, one of the top defenses in the entire league, versus the number 1 offense in the entire league that the Cowboys have. The Cowboys are number two overall in scoring, but their defense is the problem. The Broncos have their problems as well as they lead the league in penalties. Shame on you Sean Payton. Can the Cowboys turn this game into a shoot out? Dak Prescott seems like he’s in some kind of shoot out every week. The Cowboys have not won consecutive games this year. They are 1-3 on the road. Denver in general is a tough place to win. I think top defense always trumps tower top offenses. Like ICE stealing candy from a baby.
OUR PICK: BRONCOS
TENNESSEE TITANS (1-6) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (6-1)
Who will get the worst beat down in Indianapolis this season? The butt fumbler Mark Sanchez or the Titans rookie QB Cam Ward? The Colts look and are playing like they are the cream of the crop in the AFC. The Titans are in hell right now. This game should be a blow out favoring the Colts because they are far far the better team. The Titans QB is going through growing pains right now. They fired their head coach. It’s a mess if you are a Titan fan.
OUR PICK: COLTS
THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME
GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-2) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-2)
Aaron Rodgers will face the Green Bay Packers for the first time in his career. Will he own them after the game like he did all those seasons owning the Bears? Rodgers says this is not a revenge game. Are you buying what he is selling everyone? Hell no as I thought about this from my dark place last night sleeping. Green Bay in general tends to struggle away from home. The Steelers offensive line has done better at protecting the old man. Rodgers has been getting the ball out quickly which should keep Packers defender Micah Parsons in check. I think this game means a lot for Rodgers like the Jets game mattered to him. I can see Rodgers makes a big statement in like an F-U to his old team. Steelers win a close one at home.
OUR PICK: STEELERS
THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-4) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (4-3)
The Commanders have all kinds of problems this season. They will be without their starting quarterback Jayden Daniels once again. The Commanders on defense can’t stop anybody. They are on the road with their back up quarterback being Marcus Mariota who is 1-1 filling in for Daniels so far this season. It’s hard to beat the Chiefs in general. It’s even harder to beat them at Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are back on track after starting out of the gates 0-2. Mahomes and the Chiefs should score a ton of points on the Commanders defense. The Chiefs defense can limit Mariota and prevent him from having a big day. A big game from Mariota would not come close to an average game by Mahomes.
It was the bigger games last week that screwed me. I went 49ers over the Buccaneers. Then the Lions failed me on Sunday night versus the Chiefs. Both Monday night games ended my week on a down note. My upset picking Saints over New England looked poorly executed. I did get Panthers right at home over America’s team. Who had Giants over Eagles? This season has been baffling when it comes to some of the outcomes. We will get back on the horse and throw darts at week seven picks.
OVERALL RECORD: (60-33)
MONDAY NIGHT RECORD OVERALL: (5-4)
THURSDAY NIGHT RECORD OVERALL: (4-2)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS RECORD: (0-2)
WEEK 7
THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (4-1) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-4)
The Thursday night game is being coined the Icy Hot bowl because of two over the hill quarterbacks. The Bengals landed Joe Flacco from the Browns less than two weeks ago, who is 40 years of age. Then the other old guy, Aaron Rodgers at 41 years of age, is off to a great start with the Steelers in his first season in Pittsburgh. Rodgers is 3-0 versus Flacco over his career. All three wins for Rodgers came in a Packers uniform. Flacco lost to Rodgers twice with the Ravens and once with the Broncos. Rodgers will have the Steelers offense humming against a bad Bengals defense who will be without their best defender Trey Hendrickson is the team’s best pass rusher. Eventually Flacco will get the Bengals offense rolling because he has two of the best receivers in the league to throw to. They will make him look better. All he has to do is get it to them. The Steelers defense likes to tally up the takeaways and I think they will get some versus Flacco, a guy still learning the Bengals offense being this is his second start with the team. Now he’s playing on a short week.
OUR PICK: STEELERS
SUNDAY MORNING (LONDON)
LA RAMS (4-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-2)
The Jacksonville Jaguars’ home away from home is London, England. The Rams will not have Puka Nacua in their aerial attack as he’s out with an ankle sprain. The Rams still have another option for Matthew Staffords’ arsenal. That is Tutu Atwll who should pick up the slack of the Rams offense. The Jaguars lost to Seattle last week where their offense went dormant. Will the Jaguars try to force things into their rookie play maker Travis Hunter who plays both ways on the field? Jaguars upset the Chiefs on a Monday night game & then Trevor Lawrence gets sacked 7 times. The Rams are tied for 4th in the league in sacks. The Rams offense will be fine. My worry is the Jaguars will struggle on offense and make mistakes that will cost them in their own country.
OUR PICK: RAMS
THE SUNDAY TILT
CAROLINA PANTHERS (3-3) AT NEW YORK JETS (0-6)
When facing a team with no wins, like the Jets, it could feel like you’re going up against a caged animal with nothing to lose. The Panthers collected their three wins at home and are 0-3 on the road this season. The Jets are flying home from London where they played last week as they lost a close one to the Broncos. However Justin Fields was sacked 9 times by the Broncos. The good news for the Jets is the Panthers do not have that kind of pass rush the Broncos have. The Panthers are not very good at pressuring the quarterback.
The Panthers have been riding their back-up running back the last two games, Rico Dowdle who played very suave-like. He has set a Panthers record in a two game span piling up 473 scrimmage yards. The former Cowboy roasted his former squad Dallas last week. The Panthers starting running back Chuba Hubbard is expected back. I see the Panthers riding the Dowdle train a little bit longer. Fields will not have his top receiver to throw to in Garrett Wilson. The Panthers are 3-0 playing teams with losing records this season. I like that trend to continue here.
OUR PICK: PANTHERS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-2) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (1-5)
The Titans fired their head coach this week as Brian Callahan did not last very long in Tennessee. Now to rub some more salt into the Titans’ current situation is the arrival of the former Tennessee head coach Mike Vrabel who was fired after the 2023 season concluded. The interim for the Titans is a guy named Mike McCoy. The Titans have 14 players still on that roster that played for Vrabel. Usually a team gets a spark with a different voice as they play loose, free, and dummy down the play book. The Patriots come into this one red hot looking to win their 3rd straight road game. The Titans are a complete disaster. The win they did get was gift wrapped by Arizona. Vrabel has the Patriots playing solid on both sides of the ball. He will leave town with a grin on his face getting back at the former franchise he coached at.
OUR PICK: PATRIOTS
MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-5) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-5)
One of these teams will get their second win of the year. This is a game between two bottom feeders of the NFL. For the Dolphins, the choke collar on their head coach has to be squeezing Mike McDaniel wind pipes as more losses pile up.
The Titans pulled the plug on their head coach. Will the Dolphins follow their path? The Browns offense has struggled so far with the insert of their rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel behind center. The perfect recipe to jump start your offense and a rookie QB is the Dolphins defense. The Browns defense can put a damper on most offenses in the league. and I think they will be able to dissect the fish like an 8th grade science experiment. Dawgs squish the fish in he DAWG Pound.
OUR PICK: BROWNS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-4) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (3-3)
We wanted the Chiefs to be done for the season after starting out of the gates 0-2. Since then the Chiefs have gone 3-1 and gave the Lions a beat down on Sunday night football. Meanwhile the Raiders found the victory column for only the second time this season beating up on a bad Titan team. The Chiefs will have one of Patrick Mahomes’ weapons back on the field as they welcome back Rashee Rice. Mahomes and company now do not have to rely on the meathead, Travis Swift.
The Raiders are not doing anything well in their first six games. Geno Smith has resorted back to his Jets ways where his career started in New York wearing the silver and black. The Chiefs are hard to beat at Arrow Head stadium. Mahomes is playing well. The referees are back on the Chiefs payroll as they had no penalties on Sunday night versus Detroit. Poor Pete Carroll may be regretting coming back to the NFL as a head coach.
OUR PICK: CHIEFS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-5) AT CHICAGO BEARS (3-2)
Can the Chicago Bears win 4 straight games after starting the season 0-2? The Saints have hung around in almost every game they played this season. The Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler is starting to get it. Rattler has played well. Can he keep up with the way Caleb Williams has been playing?
Williams pissed off an ESPN announcer last week in the win over the Commanders. Troy Aikman maybe did not like his painted finger nails. DRAMA!! Teams have scored multiple passing touchdowns on the Saints defense this entire season. Teams can run on the Saints defense as well. The Bears offense is starting to mix in the run into their offense as D’Andre Swift had a big game running the ball in the win versus Washington. The Saints will make this a game. The Bears defense can make stops and are good at forcing turnovers. This is a tough road game for New Orleans to pull off. When was the last time the Bears have won 4 games? Pinch me I may be dreaming.
OUR PICK: BEARS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-2) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (3-2)
The Superbowl champs have suddenly lost two straight games. The Vikings are rested coming off their bye week looking to right their ship with the Eagles flying in. The Vikings will have their rookie quarterback back from the injured list, but he will not be starting in this one. Carson Wentz will face the team that drafted him. The Eagles offense has struggled in the last few games. Jalen Hurts has been holding on to the ball way too long. With a team that loves to blitz like the Vikings, look for the Eagles to hit on some short passes to get their star running back, Saquon Barkley, involved early and often in this one. I just can not see the Eagles losing three straight games. Wentz will make a few mistakes where Philadelphia defense will be all over it.
OUR PICK: EAGLES
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (5-1) AT LA CHARGERS (4-2)
The head coach of the Chargers, Jim Harbaugh, will be facing one of the teams he played for this Sunday, the Colts. When Harbaugh played for the Colts, he earned the nickname Captain Comeback for all his epic games where he led his team to a victory being down on the score board late in games. The Colts right now are the cream of the crop of the AFC. Jonathan Taylor is the number 1 running back in the NFL. Danny Dimes Jones has been reborn wearing the horseshoes on his helmet. Chargers have been riddled with injuries at the running back position. Justin Herbert has had another solid year behind center. The Colts have played an easier schedule most of this season. I like the Chargers defense to contain this Colts offense just enough for LA to generate the points needed to knock Jones and company off their horse and bring back down to earth. It will be a close game. The home team wins it for Captain Comeback.
OUR PICK: CHARGERS
NEW YORK GIANTS (2-4) AT DENVER BRONCOS (4-2)
Looks like the New York Giants have found the next Peyton Hillis of the NFL. The Great White Hope at the running back position for the Giants found themselves a beast name, Cameron Skattebo.
Skattebo already has tallied 5 touchdowns for the Giants. Just hope he does not land on the John Madden cover like Hillis who disappeared after landing on the video game. The Giants rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart has given this franchise life once again. The two rookies face an incredible challenge going up against the defense of the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have been like a saw mill on rookie quarterbacks. Last week they sacked Jets veteran quarterback Justin Fields 9 times. Both these teams beat up on the Eagles in the last two weeks. I like the Broncos offense to get back on track versus the Giants defense. That is the match up that wins this game for Denver. No rookie love in this one for the G-Men reborn.
OUR PICK: BRONCOS
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-3) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (2-4)
This game has shoot out written all over it. Dak Prescott and that Cowboys offense is one of the best in the league. The Commanders have some injuries they are dealing with. Scary Terry McLaurin is out. The Commanders gave the Bears a victory on Monday night, a Jayden McDaniels fumble cost them. The Cowboys found out the hard way the Panthers are very tough to handle at their place. The Commanders won all the close games last year. This year they are not getting those W’s. The Commanders will still be able to produce points off the terrible Dallas defense. The Commanders defense is nothing to write mom about back home. The Commanders D will do just enough to secure this game for Washington.
OUR PICK: COMMANDERS
GREEN BAY PACKERS (3-1-1) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-4)
The Packers are 3-0 in Green Bay. On the road it’s like the tale of two cities, they are 0-1-1. Arizona has their own problems. At home they are 0-3 for the season. On the road they are 2-1. The Cardinals have lost 4 straight games after starting out of the gates 2-0. Who is the starting QB this week for Arizona? Back up Jacoby Brissett played well last week filling in for the injured Kyler Murray in a close game versus the Colts. I think the Packers will get a solid game out of their defense with either QB they face. I’m not scared of the Cardinals running game without their number one back, James Connor. Jordan Love should be able to generate a good enough amount of points versus a Cardinal defense that has a rookie corner back in Will Johnson. Johnson has played well but dealing with Love stinks. The Packers have not been well balanced on offense in every game this season. Look for the running game to explode in this one as Josh Jacobs has big game.
OUR PICK: PACKERS
THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME
ATLANTA FALCONS (3-2) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-2)
The Falcons defense is worth talking about as they are allowing the league’s lowest in yards per game. Teams are only averaging 253.4 yards per game. The 49ers will be without Brock Purdy once again. Mac Jones has done very well filling in. The 49ers have been once again like last year with the Santa Clause list on the injury report. The Falcons took down the Bills last week on Monday night making last year’s MVP Josh Allen look like an average QB in the NFL. The 49ers found out what Baker Mayfield does best at the end of games as they lost to the Buccaneers. Is Atlanta a different team outside than inside the dome? The Falcons defense coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich, has ties to current 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Both were a part of that Jets team where Aaron Rodgers’ mood swings took down the entire team. Then 49ers Kyle Shanahan worked with Ulbrich on the same staff in Atlanta. That 2016 team that lost in the Superbowl by Tom Brady’s Patriots impressive comeback. No Fred Warner on the 49ers defense looking for guys like Drake London and Bijan Robinson to have their way with San Francisco’s defense. Jones is due for a rude awakening at some point. Falcons make a statement in this one.
OUR PICK: FALCONS
TWO MONDAY NIGHT GAMES
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-1) AT DETROIT LIONS (4-2)
Are we looking at an early NFC Championship here where two of the top teams in the conference crash on Monday night? Baker Mayfield has been playing without his top weapons. Mike Evans could return. The Lions were embarrassed in week 1 by the Packers. Then won 4 straight finding their mojo like the Lions of the old. Last week versus the Chiefs in KC, they hit a speed bump. The Buccaneers continue to win wild ones as Mayfield does at the end of games by closing out the other team with an impressive drive on offense.
The Lions will be without one defensive back versus the Buccaneers Brian Branch, who bitch slapped Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster after the game concluded last Sunday night. The league suspended him. I don’t see defense really being a factor in this game. The Lions have scored 30 or over points in 5 straight home games dating back to last year. Lions are mad. The Mayfield magic at the end will run out in this one. This one will be settled by the team having the ball in the last minute. My gut tells me it’s the Lions.
OUR PICK: LIONS
HOUSTON TEXANS (2-3) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-2)
The Texans have won two straight games and are coming off their bye week to even their record at 3-3 for the season. The Seahawks dominated the Jaguars. They sacked Trevor Lawrence 7 times in that game. Sam Darnold is living up to the contract he signed with the Seahawks during the off-season. He will be challenged by a Texans defense who have been solid all season. The Texans run defense has been brilliant. Look for Seattle to get it done going air born. The biggest weakness in this match up is the Texans offensive line. Seattle has a strong push up the belly of the field which should cave in those Texans big guys in the trenches. CJ Stroud will be on the run most of the game. That’s where Seattle will take advantage of his mistakes and put the Texans on ice.
Week 5 was a complete disaster for most people in the world trying to pick winners in an NFL game. With all the upsets & injuries you could compare it to the video game of Mutant League football where anything goes. I thought I was savvy on my Saints over the Giants pick. I really thought I pulled one out of a magic hat with the Jaguars over the Chiefs pick. The rest of them I felt like I was run over by a steam roller. I somehow finished week 5 with a even record.
LAST WEEK’S RECORD: (7-7)
On the 14 game slate, I had half of them correct. Is the entire NFL watered down where clearly there are no superior teams? Seeing the two undefeated teams, the Eagles and the Bills, lay an egg on Sunday to the Broncos and Patriots. Do you have to change the script pick with your gut? Go the opposite in what you believe? This is what the NFL wants where anything can happen. Where some weeks look like a highway wreck full of cars in a zombie apocalypse. We will continue to swing the bat and hope we make solid contact in week six.
SEASON RECORD: (52-26)
MONDAY NIGHT RECORD: (5-2)
THURSDAY NIGHT RECORD: (4-1)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (0-1)
WEEK SIX
THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-1) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (1-4)
How can the Eagles lose two straight games and one of the teams be the Giants? The Giants are at home and it’s a Thursday night where anything can happen. It’s also a division game where these two teams know each other very well. This is true, but the Giants have a rookie quarterback in Jaxson Dart and he was quickly brought back down to earth after winning his first ever start in week 4. The Giants turned over the ball five times in 5 straight drives. The Saints landed their first victory of the season. The Giants also give Spencer Rattler his first NFL win of his career after losing ten straight starts in his first two seasons in the league. Look for X-Giants running back Saquon Barkley to play a big part in the Eagles righting the ship and getting back in the win column.
OUR PICK: EAGLES
THE SUNDAY FLIGHT TO ENGLAND
DENVER BRONCOS (3-2) AT NEW YORK JETS (0-5)
Who’s waking up at the butt crack of dawn to watch Jets football being played across the pond in London? The Broncos travel to Europe after getting a significant win over the undefeated Eagles in Philly. The Jets may be the worst team in the NFL. If only Justin Fields had some kind of offensive line in his entire career. The Jets 0-line has allowed the most pressures in the league to this point of the season. When it comes to the Broncos they have pressured the QB the most this season until this point.
Broncos line backer Nik Bonitto has seven sacks by himself so far this season which is what the Jets entire defense has right now in 5 weeks. The Jets defense has not been able to produce one turnover yet. This will be good for Broncos QB Bo knows Nix.
OUR PICK: BRONCOS
THE REST OF THE SUNDAY TILT IN THE STATES
CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-4) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (3-1)
The last time the Browns won a game in Steel City it was back during the post-season of 2021. Back when Baker Mayfield was the Browns QB. Cleveland probably wishes they still had Mayfield. The Steelers are coming off a bye week. Which means Aaron Rodgers coming off a darkness retreat. The Browns traded away Joe Flacco so now the show belongs to Dillion Gabriel who started last week in the loss to the Vikings in Europe. Bailey Zappe, former Patriots QB, was activated from the practice squad as the number two QB. That leaves Deon Sanders Shedeur holding the clipboard as the number three guy on the Browns totem pole. The Browns have not won a regular season game in Pittsburgh since 2003. Rodgers will score some points off the Browns defense. The Steelers defense will throw a monkey wrench into the growth of Gabriel as they are second in the NFL in takeaways.
OUR PICK: STEELERS
CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-3) AT GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-1-1)
Joe Flacco started in AFC North with the Ravens. He may die in the AFC North with another team in the division. Flacco started the season with the Browns and he was traded to one of their rivals in the division, the Bengals. The Packers started out of the gates hot at home with a 2-0 record. The Browns beat the Packers on their first road game giving Flacco and the Browns their first win of the season. Then the Packers walked away from Dallas with a tie. Can Flacco light up the Bengals offense in the absence of Joe Burrow who may be out until December with an injury and are 0-3 without him? The Bengals second string QB has thrown 8 interceptions in three starts since Burrow went down. What happened to the Packers defense on the road? The Bengals are thinking Flacco could fling the rock all over the field with the talented receivers they have. Can Flacco beat Green Bay twice with two different teams in a matter of weeks? Green Bay is different at home obviously. Flacco should credit the Browns defense for the the first win and loss for the Packers. Flacco will get the start but will not be in sync right away with the Bengals offense. I like Green Bay doing a 360 and playing well at their home turf in this one and getting the better of Flacco in this one. Next year Flacco needs to be a Steeler to have all the uniforms in the AFC North.
OUR PICK: PACKERS
LA RAMS (3-2) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-4)
Lamar Jackson will miss his second game in a row for the Ravens due to a injury. The Rams should be licking their chops facing a junior varsity defense riddled with injuries. Former Dallas Cowboy Cooper Rush gets his second start in a Ravens uniform. His first start versus the Texans resulted in three interceptions. Matthew Stafford leads the league in passing yards and is closing in on Dan Marino on the all-time list as he needs 50 more yards.
The Ravens defense has already given up 177 points in 5 games which is the most in franchise history. I don’t see the Ravens defense stopping the Rams aerial attack. The Rams defense will zero in on Derrick Henry and take him out of play and that will be the key for a LA road victory.
OUR PICK: RAMS
ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-1)
Marvin Harrison Jr. faces his old man’s team, the Colts, in his father’s house in Indianapolis. The Colts are off to a great start as they are looking like one of the AFC power house teams right now. The Cardinals have lost three straight games by a walk off field goal in each of them. The Cardinals hit rock bottom last week shooting themselves in the foot multiple times and gift wrapping a victory for the Titans which even had a bow on top. The former Ohio State receiver has been quiet this year catching only 20 balls for 306 yards with 2 touchdowns. Kyler Murray is a streaky quarterback at best. He has not hit his stride yet this season for a big game. The Colts offense is well balanced. Jonathan Taylor is a beast. Daniel Jones is having a career year. The Colts defense should just do enough to tame the Cardinals offense here for the 5th victory of the year and another home win.
OUR PICK: COLTS
LA CHARGERS (3-2) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-4)
The Chargers are 3-0 versus teams in their own division. The Chargers are 0-2 versus everyone else. The Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel is 3-14 versus teams with a winning record since 2022. This will be the 4th time Justin Herbert versus Tua Tagovailoa have met. Tua has the 2-1 edge over Herbert. I don’t like the Dolphins defense. The Chargers defense has been solid most of the year. The Chargers are using their 3rd or 4th running back already this season. Whoever it is, Moe, Larry, or Curly, or even Shemp, the Chargers should have a running game to go along with the aerial attack versus this Dolphins defense.
I think the Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh will have his team playing their best after losing two straight games.
OUR PICK: CHARGERS
SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-1)
This game is a toss up. I’m shocked that the Jaguars have been playing so well. Both quarterbacks for both teams – Sam Darnold for Seattle and Trevor Lawrence for the Jags – have lit up the skies. Lawrence was huge versus the Chiefs on Monday night knocking them off their high perch. Darnold lost in a shootout versus Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers. To pick this match up, it comes down to defense. Seattle has played well all year until they face the Buccaneers last week. Jacksonville continues to get takeaways like they mass produce them in a factory somewhere. This game has shoot out written all over it. I like the home team in this one. It’s a long flight for Seattle as well.
OUR PICK: JAGUARS
DALLAS COWBOYS (2-2-1) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-3)
The Carolina Panthers are undefeated at home winning both games they played there. The Cowboys offense can score 30 points per game and at the same time give up 30 points per game. The Cowboys will face their former teammate running back Rico Dowdle who’s coming off a 200 yard performance against a bad Dolphins defense. He should be able to have back to back solid games running the rock as the Cowboys defense can’t stop anybody. This game is another toss up. I give the nod to the Panthers since they defend their home turf very well.
OUR PICK: PANTHERS
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-2) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (1-4)
Spencer for hire Rattler finally won his first NFL start last week after going 0-10 as a staring QB for the Saints. The Patriots went into Buffalo and upset the Bills in a prime time Sunday affair. The Patriots offense is heating up with the Stephon Diggs making an impact with New England’s QB Drake Maye. The Saints have battled in most of the games they have played this season. The Patriots confidence is rising and their head coach Mike Vrabel is constructing the next dynasty here. Can the Patriots be overconfident in this one on the road after beating the Bills in Buffalo? Can Rattler stay hot? This is the NFL and anything can happen. Last week was a shit show of craziness. This will be a close game. I like the Saints in an upset to get it done and bring the Diggs show down a peg or two.
OUR PICK: SAINTS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-4) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (1-4)
You wonder if Pete Carroll regrets coming back to the NFL as a head coach and taking this Raiders job? Geno Smith has been terrible this season as he tallied up 9 interceptions in 5 games. The Raiders have lost 4 straight.
The Titans finally won their first game of the season with their rookie quarterback Cam Ward & had an impressive comeback. Or did the Arizona Cardinals gift wrap that victory for Ward and the Titans? This game could go either way. I think Pete strikes a deal with the devil as he always has and the Raiders somehow pull out a victory on the road.
OUR PICK: RAIDERS
SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-1) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (4-1)
How many injuries are piled up for both teams here and they each have won 4 out 5 games to start the season? Baker Mayfield coming off winning a shoot out versus the Seahawks will not have Mike Evans or Chris Godwin. The Buccaneers are hurting at the running back position. The 49ers have thrived with back up quarterback Mac Jones who will get another start for injured Brock Purdy. Jones is 3-0 as the starter and has 6 touchdown passes to only 1 interception in 3 games. Jones engineered an impressive win versus the LA Rams in week 5. This will be another close game that could go either way. I like the 49ers defense and confident they can do enough to slow Mayfield and that Buccaneers offense down and make a few stops to give Jones the drive he needs to win this game on the road.
OUR PICK: 49ERS
DETROIT LIONS (4-1) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-3)
Can the Lions go back to Arrowhead stadium and knock off the Chiefs like they did back in the opener of the 2023 season? The Lions have won 4 straight games since losing the opener on the road in Green Bay. The Chiefs started out of the gates 0-2 but since won 2 out 3 games. The Chiefs recently lost to the Jaguars on Monday night after building a two score lead on Jacksonville. Patrick Mahomes has never beaten Jared Goff as these two quarterbacks have faced each other more than once. The Chiefs offense has been better the last 3 weeks. The Lions have been solid in the last 4 games on both sides of the ball. The Chiefs are not that team like they used to be where Arrowhead was a guaranteed victory for Mahomes and company. I like the Lions to do it again while they have their defense intact as they put Mahomes and Andy Reid in a bigger hole to open their season.
OUR PICK: LIONS
TWO MONDAY NIGHT GAMES
BUFFALO BILLS (4-1) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2)
The Falcons are well rested for this home game versus the visiting Buffalo Bills. The Bills encountered their first loss of the season versus the Patriots. The Falcons had a win over the Commanders before the bye where their offense put up 34 points. The Falcons in 3 were shut out by the Panthers. The Bills lost a close game and the team was sloppy with turnovers and penalties. Look for the Bills to clean up their game and get back on track like a well-oiled machine on offense. The Bills will key in on the Falcons running game. I think Michael Penix will be confused at the looks of the Bills defense which will create a few takeaways and escape Atlanta with a much needed victory to get back on track.
OUR PICK: BILLS
CHICAGO BEARS (2-2) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-2)
Last year the Commanders won this match up with a Hail Mary pass to put the Bears away. Will Washington use the Our Father play to do in the Bears this year? The Bears have won two straight games. The Bears are coming off a bye week. The NFL will have the Commanders facing off versus the Bears for years to come as Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels were picked 1 and 2 in last year’s NFL draft. This will be the first ever Monday night game involving two quarterbacks going 1 and 2 in the same draft class. The Commander won in Daniels’ return last week versus the Chargers. The Bears won a wild one versus the Raiders in week 4. The Bears have gotten better, but the Commanders are the better team here. This should be another wild game as Washington defends their turf and gets the W.
It’s about time a head coach goes postal on one of their own players for being football stupid. On Sunday, the Arizona Cardinals could have broken the game open versus a bad Tennessee Titans team. Third year running back Emari Demercado for the Cardinals in the 4th quarter broke through the defense and was on his way for a 76 yard touchdown run. Instead of crossing the goal line with the ball in his hands being chased by a Titan defender, he just drops the ball on purpose before he actually hits pay dirt. The referees ruled the play a fumble, turnover of downs, and a touch back. The Cardinals would have had a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter. Demercado, a 26 year running back out of TCU, thought he crossed the line with the touchdown. At the time it was more important to him to show boat and look cool for the cameras. The Titans would end up winning this game. After the play, Jonathan Gannon, head coach of the Cardinals, went ballistic on his running back. They say he even got physical with his running back. Gannon should not strike any of his players. Giving the running back a verbal conversation needs to happen because this stuff keeps happening in the NFL.
Last year wide receiver Adonai Mitchell for the Indianapolis Colts, did the same thing as Emari Demercado. It was the Colts versus the Rams and Mitchell nonchalantly dropped the ball before the goal line thinking more of the celebration than the team. These players looked at themselves on the jumbotron in the middle of the play to see their glory on the gridiron first hand. In the NFL, every time a player gets a first down every player has to get up and mock the referee with the signal that so and so got his team the first down. Every time a defender gets a turnover, why does the entire defensive unit have to celebrate by the cameras in the end zone? In the 1990’s the Dallas Cowboys were blowing out the Buffalo Bills in the Superbowl. The Cowboys defender, Leon Lett, recovered a fumble and was rumbling and tumbling down the side line looking like an easy touchdown. He was celebrating the score before he got across the goal line. The Bills wide receiver Don Beebe chased the almost 300 pound defender down knocking the ball out of hand before he got it across the goal line. Lett was holding the ball out like a loaf of bread.
That game was out of hand as the Cowboys were destroying the Bills. Lett would get the Superbowl ring, but that one play has plenty of humiliation attached to his career. No one will recall how many sacks Lett had or how many championships the man won. They will recall the idiot celebrating way too early and getting the ball knocked out of his hand.
The Arizona Cardinals started the season out of the gates with a 2-0 record. Now they have lost the last three games by a total of 5 points. The Cardinals make history with all three straight losses coming off a walk off field goal. The Cardinals lost their first game to the 49ers in week 3 by a kick at the end of regulation. Then in week 4, Seattle beat Arizona with a walk off field goal. Joey Slye did the same thing last Sunday to help the Titans win 22-21. The Cardinals shot themselves in both feet versus the Titans after the fumble by Emari Demercado. With 4:55 left in the 4th quarter, the Cardinals defender Dadrion Taylor-Demerson intercepted a tip ball thrown by Titans QB Cam Ward. The interception could have sealed this game for Arizona. When Taylor-Demerson came crashing to the ground with the intercept, he fumbled the ball. The ball bounced around until Titans receiver Tyler Lockett secured the ball in his hands in the end zone for another Titans score. It all started with the showboating by Emari. Eventually Slye would get the chance to walk off the Cards after the Titans defense forced Arizona to punt and got the ball back. The Titans then drove down the field and set up Slye for the kick. He made it the third straight walk off kick in a row to end Arizona’s week with a loss.
Growing up watching the Bears in the 1980’s, Da Coach Mike Ditka would not deal with shenanigans like Emari Demercado trying to be too cool for school. When Ditka coached the best running back on the planet, Walter Payton would hand the ball to the referee after each time he scored a touchdown. Act like you have been there before was Sweetness’ philosophy. Do you remember when Ditka unleashed his bark on his quarterback Jim Harbaugh? The same Harbaugh that coaches the Chargers. Harbaugh may not be showing his rage on the side lines, but I bet money he would not take this kind of non sense from his third string running back. Head coaches like Ditka would have cut his Cardinal sin the next day. The NFL owners pay big money for their head coaches and they want results. If the Cardinals miss the playoffs by one game, this is the one that will be pointed to. Losing to a bad Tennessee team with a rookie QB who has not been good is unacceptable. When you give the bad team the game, your locker should be cleared out. Especially for Tom Foolery. When playmakers do these things, it can cost a guy like Jonathan Gannon his livelihood being his first head coaching gig.
Jonathan Gannon did apologize to his running back. He realized his team lost the game because of more than one play. That fumble play by Emari took the sails out of the Cardinals flight in that game. How quickly the Titans turned things around like that. You would think Emari will learn from his bone-headed blunder in the future. Will the Gannon rage scare other players presently or in the future? Not wanting to win for the name on front of the jersey rather than win for his own name on back of the jersey. Nobody knew who Emari was before his blunder on Sunday. If he did not fumble, they would have said that a 3rd string running back that scored a touchdown in garbage time. This sounds better than your head coach going nuclear on you before a live studio audience.
The 49ers will once again be without Brock Purdy. The Rams enjoyed some home cooking last weekend giving the Colts their first loss of the season. The 49ers also suffered their first loss of the season to the Jaguars. Can Mac Jones continue to be perfect as the fill in guy for Purdy? Jones is 2-0 this season already. Anything can happen in division games because they know each other very well. I like the Rams. The way Matthew Stafford has performed so far this season, he should be able to slice and dice the 49ers defense with their injuries piling up like a MASH unit. Can any team stop what Stafford has with wide receiver Puka Nacua? He may have 100 catches way before mid-season.
OUR PICK: RAMS
THE SUNDAY TILT
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-2) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-3) IN LONDON ENGLAND
It was a matter of time for the Cleveland Browns to bench the old guy Joe Flacco for the next generation, QB Dillion Gabriel. How’s Shedeur Sanders taking this, the other QB the Browns drafted this season? Probably not well. Flacco will be the number two while Sanders pouts as the number 3 QB. The Vikings lost a close one last week to the Steelers last week in Ireland. The Vikings are still across the pond this week. Now they are in London, England. The Browns defense will keep Gabriel’s debut close. He faces a blitzing Viking defense that will give the rookie a challenge. Carson Wentz will do enough to get by the Browns defense. The Vikings being over in Europe last week will give them the advantage on the time change whild the Browns may be on snooze most of this game.
OUR PICK: VIKINGS
DALLAS COWBOYS (1-2-1) AT NEW YORK JETS(0-4)
Is the new Jets head coach a better cheerleader than anything Dallas has? Not quite, but I feel for him like I need to cheer him on so the Jets can get that first victory. I don’t like the Jets’ chances versus this Cowboys team that has been good on offense. They put up 40 points versus Green Bay and came away with only a tie. The Cowboys defense sucks. Justin Fields should have a big day for New York. However the Jets defense still have not been able to generate one stinking turnover after 4 weeks. The Cowboys will score points off the Jets defense and be able to just do enough to stop Fields to get a road victory or this will end in a tie. The Cowboy way.
OUR PICK: COWBOYS
DENVER BRONCOS(2-2) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-0)
Can the Broncos give the Eagles their first loss of the season? This is a long road trip for the Broncos, but I can see their defense being able to contain Saquon Barkley most of the game. I said most of the game which Barkley will eventually wear out the Broncos defense. Bo Nix is starting to heat up. This will be a tough game for Bo dealing with the Eagles on the road in hostile territory. The Broncos are a good team but they are not ready yet to beat the top tier teams in the NFL. I like Eagles to stay undefeated in a close game but a victory.
OUR PICK: EAGLES
BALTIMORE RAVENS(1-3) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (1-3)
Do you remember the old Dallas Cowboys back up QB Cooper Rush? Now he is suiting up for the Ravens and is going to start for them this week because Lamar Jackson is injured. Rush is 9-5 as a starter all-time. The Texans won their first game of the season last Sunday. The Ravens will not be explosive on offense with Rush behind center, but they will still get points. The Texans have a bad offensive line, but the Ravens defense is horrific. The Texans defense is solid. I like CJ Stroud not being on his back in this game to have his best performance of the year. It will be a close game, but Texans prevail at the end because of all the injuries on that Ravens defense.
OUR PICK: TEXANS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS(1-3) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (3-1)
Colts suffered their first loss of the season versus a solid Rams team. The Raiders should have beat the Bears but suffered a loss giving up the lead to Chicago late in that contest. Geno Smith has not done well in Vegas so far. Three more picks last week. Daniel Jones is the comeback player of the year. He has flipped the script in his football career and he should be able to have another solid game versus this Raiders defense. I’m surprised head coach Pete Carol has not made another pact with the Devil to get some wins as Raiders head coach. I like the Colts in this one with Jonathan Taylor wearing out the silver and black at home to get back in the win column.
OUR PICK: COLTS
NEW YORK GIANTS (1-3) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-4)
Who do you love?
We know who the Giants head coach loves. Brian Daboll is not shy of his love for Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart who helped New York land their first victory of the season last Sunday. Can the Giants hit the road and win their second game of the year in the Big Easy? Not trying to ruin Daboll’s chubby, but this Sunday it will be Spencer Rattler getting his first NFL victory. Rattler is now 0-10 in his career as a starter. The Saints have been lingering in every game so far. I like Rattler to take a bite out of the visiting Big Apple and getting the Saints finally in the win column.
OUR PICK: SAINTS
MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-3) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-3)
The Panthers were blown out by the Patriots last week. The Dolphins finally crack the win column but it cost them their top receiver.
I hate when bad things happen to bad people like Tyreek Hill. His devastating knee injury has him out the rest of the season. I think Carolina will be able to score points off a bad Dolphins defense. You can’t trust what this Panther team will do. They can win. However Bryce Young can have have a big day and Carolina can still lose. Tua Tagovailoa still has weapons without the Cheetah. I like the Dolphins just getting by the Panthers by a ball hair in this one.
OUR PICK: DOLPHINS
TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-1) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-1)
This match up should be a good one. Usually you hear about Seattle making the long distance flight. This time it’s Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers suffered their first loss of the season losing a close affair with the Champion Eagles. The Seahawks have won three straight games after opening up the season with a loss at home. The Seahawks are a team that can be beat at home. Seattle defense has been solid and should be able to prevent a Buccaneers comeback late in this contest. It seems like all the wins by Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers have been in the last minute of regulation. I like how Sam Darnold has played for the Seahawks so far. He should be able to do his stuff versus a Buccaneers defense that just blitzes all the time.
OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS
DETROIT LIONS (3-1) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-2)
The Lions will get the Ohio sweep this Sunday after beating the Browns last week. The Bengals defense should allow the Lions offense to function on all cylinders. Jake Browning, the fill in guy for Joe Burrow, has been awful. You have to blame the Bengals offensive line being a majority of the problem. Look for J’Marr Chase to have another heated exchange with the Bengals staff.
Chase will continue to disappoint fantasy football owners throughout the country. The Lions defense should be licking their chops on potential turnovers they will get from Browning who’s been in giving spirits so far this season.
OUR PICK: LIONS
TENNESSEE TITANS (0-4) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-2)
The Titans have to be the worst team in the NFL. Tennessee was shut out by the Texans last weekend. Meanwhile the Cardinals started out of the gates with a 2-0 record & have lost two straight games. Arizona is at home. Their defense should do well against a struggling rookie quarterback. Kyler Murray should be able to put up a solid performance versus the Titans defense. Look for Arizona to snap the two game losing streak while winning an easy one.
OUR PICK: CARDINALS
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-2) AT LA CHARGERS (3-1)
The Commanders will have Jayden Daniels back behind center after he missed the last two games from an injury. The Chargers lost their first game of the year to a rookie QB making his first ever start in the NFL last Sunday. Can Daniels knock off the rust? Can Justin Herbert function well even with a banged up O-line for the Chargers? Daniels has not been himself from his rookie season. The Commanders are playing a tougher schedule this season because they made the playoffs last year & you will see some struggles. This will be a close game. It’s hard to beat a Jim Harbaugh coached team two weeks in a row. The Chargers are at home. They will prevent a losing streak and find the win column.
OUR PICK: CHARGERS
THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME
NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-2) AT BUFFALO BILLS (4-0)
The Patriots blew the doors off the Panthers last Sunday. The Bills made it tougher on themselves with the visiting Saints but prevailed in the 4th quarter. Is this Mike Vrabel team ready to knock off the big dog of the AFC East? The Patriots are a team on the rise, but a beat down of the Panthers does not give them the juice to come into Buffalo on a Sunday night and beat the Bills. Josh Allen has been very good in prime time games over his career. The Bills are an extremely tough animal to beat in Orchard Park. I can see the Patriots making this game. In the end the Bills will stay perfect for the season.
OUR PICK: BILLS
THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-2) JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-1)
It’s easy to say the Chiefs are back and are functioning on all cylinders after their beat down of the Ravens. The Ravens defense is horrific. It’s like playing the junior varsity team. The Jaguars defense already has racked up 13 turnovers in 4 games. I feel like the Chiefs are in for a rude awakening when they visit Florida. This is my upset special. I think Trevor Lawrence will do enough. I like the Jaguars running game. I suspect Patrick Mahomes to lay an egg. Look for the meathead Travis Kelce to continue his non-impressive performances this season. He’s lucky Taylor Swift is selling records by the millions. It will be a close game, but Jags come away with a shocker at home.
Since 2020 the Buffalo Bills stadium has been called Highmark stadium. The Bills stadium opened up back in 1973 and was originally called Rich Stadium. It was Rich Stadium from 1973 until 1998. When it was Rich Stadium in the 1990’s, the Bills were kings of the AFC going to four straight Superbowls. Unfortunately they lost all 4 Superbowls. None of those Superbowls were played at Rich Stadium. Jim Kelly was the quarterback back then where he broke all the Bills record at the position. Those were solid teams the Bills had back then. I became a Bills fan in the late 1980’s. I saw the Jim Kelly teams were getting better and better each year. Then they made their run but came away empty. Sort of like present day with Josh Allen. Since he arrived, the team is taking steps forward and are on the bubble of breaking through the AFC conference to get there. The Kansas City Chiefs have been a thorn in our side knocking the Bills out of the post-season similar to those 4 Superbowl losses. Whatever you want to call it: Rich Stadium, Ralph Wilson Stadium, New Era Field, and back to Highmark’s final tour in 2025 – the last regular season as a new stadium is in the works across the street. I’m from Chicago & when the White Sox renamed their new stadium going on from Comisky Park no one cared for the new corporate name. It’s either the New Comisky or Sox park.
The Bills should host some post-season games at the old Rich Stadium in early 2026 and let’s hope one of those playoff games gets Buffalo back to the Superbowl. Where the Bills can be yet again king of the AFC conference. The new stadium being built across the street from the old one looks legendary. An outdoor stadium in Buffalo where many cities would easily go with a dome. The fan base comes out in the snow and fills that stadium which gives their team an actual home field advantage during the post-season. Love when the Dolphins look like frozen fish sticks in cold temperatures. Buffalo is a small city in a big state and the fan base gives off that college town atmosphere. Rich Stadium is not even in Buffalo, they are located in a suburb called Orchard Park.
Last Sunday was my first ever Buffalo Bills game in 4th week of September with mid 80’s temperatures. I was not expecting to get sunburnt at a Bills game. The Bills hosted the Saints. The Bills out of the gates started off 3-0 and the Saints came into Sunday’s action without a single win. I found a place to stay in a town close to Orchard Park called Hamburg, which is a German town. Plenty of nice drinking establishments with plenty of food options. Yes, chicken wings were had. Took an Uber ride that morning to the stadium with a six pack of beer. Being my first time, I wanted to see what the Bills Mafia was all about. I wanted to get the full experience of Rich Stadium since it was my first game in Buffalo. Going to see a game in Buffalo on the farewell tour is one of my sports dreams come true. The car ride meant we went down side streets through the burbs and we saw people offering parking for $45.00 on their lawn in front of their houses. All those yards will filling in hours before kick off. It was not just parking, it was instant tailgating parties popping up in your own yard. The closer you got, the parking went up to $60.00. We were looking to get as close to the stadium as possible and join the party in their lots. Around the Bills Stadium, they had a few restaurants and bars on the outskirts of the stadium in both directions. The grills were fired up. Food was sizzling on the grill. The coolers were filled with ice cold beverages. One tent would set off a siren of some kind. When the buses came rolling down the main boulevard filled with Saints players, people chanted “Who Dat” which is a New Orleans thing. Followed by some boos as well by the Bills Mafia. I did notice the Saints fan base showed up in their gold and black team colors supporting their guys. We talked to one Saints fan & he was telling us his group picks out one game a season they go to on the road to watch their Saints play. The atmosphere was electric. People having a good time. Everyone dressed in their team colors. Beers were had. Food was eaten. I thought the Bills Mafia treated the outsiders very nice. Nothing in poor taste. The Saints are not a Bills rival. People watching Josh Allen is like watching the king these days. Many, many number 17 Allen Jerseys on display. I wore my Matt Milano jersey supporting number 58, my favorite current defensive player on the team. I saw some Milano jerseys worn by others. I saw some Jim Kelly jerseys of the past being worn by the older people honoring their legend. Bruce Smith was another one from the 1990’s teams. Some interesting jerseys were Bryce Paup who played with the Bills after those Superbowl appearances from 1995 until 1997.
Then the great Doug Flutie, who had some nice years with the Bills after Jim Kelly retired, had some love around Rich Stadium. Flutie played most of his football career in the CFL. He was drafted by the Bears. After he was done with the CFL, he went back to the NFL, signed with the Bills and helped them get to the playoffs. He ended his career with the Chargers.
We had seats in the nose bleed section. Stuffed in bleachers like a can of sardines.
From the nose bleed seats you can see the new stadium towering over the old. The Bills, like most teams, have the ring of honor with their legends from the past. Many great players and former Bills head coach Marv Levy, whose old saying back in the 1990’s never will die. “Where else would you rather be then right here right now?”
Sounds like a line from a Van Halen song, but every fan knows this line. It’s like Western New York planted the seeds inside the newborn’s head right out of the womb. The National Anthem reminded me of the Chicago Blackhawks where fans get very into America’s song. Some fireworks at the end of the song with a fly by from a military plane. Not exactly a B-52 – one of those jumbo jets that can carry troops and plenty of cargo. You feel the excitement and the anticipation as you are swept up into this fan base when they announce the Bills offense. Josh Allen’s name as he runs on to the field with the crowd chanting MVP! MVP! It just gives you goosebumps. The Bills struck first blood with Allen hooking up with his wide receiver Khalil Shakir for the game’s first touchdown. That’s when the Bills sing the song, “Shout.” They change the words around a little as they sing, “The Bills make me wanna Shout,” which everyone seems to be on the same page.
Everyone standing clapping and giving each other high fives. Even total strangers like myself felt like I was family, a Mafia member sworn in without jumping on any tables during the tail gate session of the class. Then the best chant the Bills Mafia do is “Hey! Hey! Hey! Let’s go Buffalo!” It sticks in your head as I think I was chanting in my sleep 14 beers later. The Bills like the tall boys and the taller boys big cans of Labatt Blue 16 0zers and the big bomber of 20 something ounces. They even sold big beer koozies. Very helpful on a steamy day.
The Saints gave the Bills a battle as a team that wanted their first victory. The Saints were able to match scores with Josh Allen and the Bills offense through the first half. I sensed the Bills were in control of the game, but the Saints lingered which is never good. The guy next to me who had some excellent intel of the Bills said, “they play down to the competition.”
The Bills would pull away from the Saints in the 4th quarter as Josh Allen had another big game. Allen threw two touchdown passes and scored a touchdown with his own legs. Allen had a big run that set up a Dalton Kincaid touchdown pass in the 4th. James Cook had a big game running the football as the Bills running back also found the end zone. The Bills would win this one at home 31-19 and go perfect in the month of September. I never got to see Jim Kelly play in person, only on the television. Watching Allen and even Cook is something special. Who knows where these guys will be at the end of their careers? Hopefully racking up a few Superbowl rings together before hanging up the spikes. I remember special players seeing them live from the Chicago sports landscape such as Michael Jordan of the Bulls, Patrick Kane of the Blackhawks, and Frank Thomas. I missed some great players over my time. Seeing Allen even from the nose bleed seats was something worth watching. It was great the Bills won the game especially at my first ever game and my last game at Rich Stadium.
After the game we found a beer garden to have some beers to celebrate the 4th victory of the Bills season. The bars were crowded around the stadium. The fun seemed to never end. After the Big Tree Inn, we found a great establishment on the way back to Hamburg. Watch some late afternoon games and shoveled more food in our gullets. How does a Chicago guy become a Bills fan? I was asked repeatedly. One guy we met seemed like he wanted to trade places with me and head back to Chicago because he liked all the teams from there. I certainly do root for the home teams. The day I found a Bills hat in my brother’s box of things he was storing at the parents’ house while he went overseas was the start. He was in the Marines at the time. I became a fan of them. I knew them because I loved watching NFL games. I watch the Bears and the entire rest of the league. I followed the Bills more closely and they sucked me in. They are a franchise with a lot of heartbreak like every Chicago team, so they fit me. Years later when I told my brother that I found a Bills hat in his stuff, I said that’s what turned me on to the Bills. He denied ever ever having a Bills hat. Was I born in a Buffalo hospital? Did they insert a chip in my mindset? Was it a calling like the burning bush in the Bible? The lord works in mysterious ways. Or shall we say the Bills Mafia works in mysterious ways? HEY! HEY! HEY! LET’S GO BUFFALO!!!
Seattle comes in winning two games in a row as they beat up the Saints on the road last Sunday putting 44 points. The Cardinals suffered their first loss of the season from division rival San Francisco in a close one. The Seahawks only loss came from the 49ers in week 1. The Cardinals versus Seahawks are always close affairs. Both teams have solid defenses. I like Seattle’s offense better than the Cardinals right now. Sam Darnold has given the Seahawks some jolt the last two weeks. Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr.’s hook up has been silence of the lambs, not the thriller like it was last season. The Seahawks will not be able to drop 44 points on this Cards defense, but Darnold will generate just enough points to get by and secure a road victory versus a division rival which is huge to do early on.
OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS
THE SUNDAY TILT
IRELAND SUNDAY MORNING
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-1) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-1)
Our first international game of the season happens as Ireland hosts a pretty good match up between the Vikings and Steelers. The Vikings put up the most points of the season with Carson Wentz behind center filling in for the injured rookie JJ McCarthy versus the Bengals last weekend. The Steelers improved to 2-1 with Aaron Rodgers as their quarterback as they beat the Patriots. The Vikings get one of their weapons back in the return of Jordan Addison who comes off the suspension list. Addison gives Wentz another play maker on the field like he does not have enough. The Steelers defense has struggled so far this season. You could say they played their best game last week. The Vikings will be able to generate points. I don’t see Rodgers and that Steelers offense matching up with the Vikings strong defensive unit. Anything can happen over the pond with the time change. I like the Vikings in this one. Even though Rodgers could have signed in Minnesota during the off-season. Vikings instead chose their young rookie QB McCarthy. It is kind of a revenge game for Rodgers. I think the Vikings defense will tame the disgruntled old man by the sea.
OUR PICK: VIKINGS
CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-2) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-2)
The New England Patriots are many pieces away from building their next Evil Empire Death Star. The Patriots’ Mike Vrabel era has started off good because they’ve been in every game. They may only have one win but they growing, learning and will eventually string together some victories. The Panthers want the same thing the Patriots do. This Panthers team looked and played better in the second half of last year. Bryce Young looked like a number one pick finally. The Panthers played their best game of the season last week blanking the Falcons in a beat down 30-0 at home. Bryce Young on the road has not been good at finding ways to win football games. Young in his first 15 starts on the road in his career is 1-14.
Young is in the same boat of these quarterbacks in their first 15 starts of their career on the road with the same records: Steve DeBerg, Dan Pastorini, and one of the greatest Jaguars of all-time Blake Bortles. This game will be close but the Panthers will fall short. Look for Drake Maye to have a big game in the passing department and light up the Panthers secondary to even things up for the Patriots at 2-2 for the season.
OUR PICK: PATRIOTS
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-0) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-0)
Two former Oklahoma State Quarterbacks square off once again. Baker Mayfield is 2-1 versus Jalen Hurts in his career. Hurts in his career versus the Buccaneers is 1-4. In 2024 the Buccaneers destroyed the Eagles 32-9 in the NFC wild card game. The Eagles are 1-3 in Tampa Bay under the leadership of their head coach, Nick Sirianni. Mayfield seems to find a way in every win this season to win it at the end of regulation. The Eagles had a lucky block kick that sealed a come from behind victory versus the Rams last Sunday. I think Eagles will be affected by the Florida heat as Mayfield may not need to win this one in the last minute. It’s a close game & Tampa pulls off the victory at home.
OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-3) AT BUFFALO BILLS (3-0)
The Saints were bombarded by the Seahawks at home last weekend. The Bills battled it out with the division rival Dolphins and prevailed at the end with a 10 point victory at home on Thursday night. The Saints are desperate for a victory. The Saints starting quarterback Spencer Rattler now is 0-9 as a starting QB dating back to last year. The Bills have been very solid at home as they have a 13 game winning streak at Highmark stadium dating back to last season. Seattle dropped 44 points on the Saints last week. The Bills will get 30 or more points off the Saints defense in this one. The Bills defense should be able to force a few turnovers in this one and keep the Saints offense in check most of the game to stay undefeated for the season.
OUR PICK: BILLS
CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-2) AT DETROIT LIONS (2-1)
The epic Spaceballs 2 movie awakens in 2027. The Browns are looking for revenge for their Schwartz. The Browns defensive coach Jim Schwartz used to be the Lions head coach many many years ago in a galaxy far far away. Schwartz has did this done that versus the Lions after they fired him. It’s always fun to dig up the great memories. Schwartz has the Browns defense humming so far. They have held running backs to a dismal 2.3 yards per game. They have allowed the fewest yards per game so far which is 204.3 overall. How do you stop the Lions two headed monster at running back with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs? Plus the Lions aerial attack? The Lions were humiliated by the Packers in week 1 & since then they’ve won two straight. The Browns beat the Packers last week for their first victory of the season. The Lions knocked off the Ravens last week scoring 38 on Baltimore. The Browns took a beat down by the Ravens in week 2. Browns defense may be the best. The Lions offense may be the best. The Lions defense sacked Lamar Jackson 7 times last week. Sorry Browns, but your QB is Joe Flacco and that Cleveland offense has been on life support all year. Lions know how to put down a doggie.
OUR PICK: LIONS
LA CHARGERS (3-0) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (0-3)
The Giants have officially benched Russell Wilson and now hand the keys to the quarterback position to the rookie, Jaxson Dart. The Giants are 0-3, as the coaching staff looks for anything to save their jobs. Dart was a first round pick from this year’s draft 25th overall by the Giants. Meanwhile the Chargers mowed down each divisional opponent so far this season to start 3-0 out of the gates. Justin Herbert is playing well and the Chargers defense is getting the job done so far this season. The head coach of the Giants, Brian Daboll, compares Dart’s skill set to the great Josh Allen who he used to coach in Buffalo. The Giants are looking for a spark. Since 1967, QB’s making their first ever start versus the Chargers have a record of 3-17. However 2-2 since 2019. I like the move by the Giants as Wilson is a bum. He should retire. I don’t see Dart beating the Chargers whose defense are in the top ten in the league at allowing the lowest amount of passing yards. Chargers escape New York still perfect.
OUR PICK: CHARGERS
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-1) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (1-2)
Is it time for the Falcons to beam up their Captain Kirk Cousins to the USS Falcon Enterprises? The humiliation of being a Falcon fan losing to the Panthers 30-0 not scoring any points off a bottom feeder of the league. Now the Commanders come marching into town with a veteran quarterback that suited up for the Falcons in 2022, Marcus Mariota. In 2022 Mariota went 5-8 as the starting QB for the Falcons and was replaced by an ineffective twerp named Desmond Ridder who is probably washing cars these days. Last week Mariota filled in for the injured Jayden Daniels and Washington walked all over the Raiders defense and some more scoring over 40 points. The Falcons starting quarterback Michael Penix is averaging under 6 yards each pass. All the Commanders have to do is stop the Falcons running game in this one. GAME OVER!! I think the Falcons will have a better showing overall and keep this a gamer. Mariota gets his revenge.
OUR PICK: COMMANDERS
TENNESSEE TITANS (0-3) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (0-3)
Somebody has to win their first game unless this AFC south match up ends up in a dead end tie.
Do you think the Titans fan base miss their old head coach Mike Vrabel? Brian Callahan so far in two seasons as the HC for Tennessee has a dismal record of 3-17 which is the worst in the Superbowl era. Titans are dealing with a rookie QB and his growing pains along with a bad offensive line. Houston does have a problem with their O-line as the Texans have not scored 20 points in any game so far. How do you sort this pile of heap of a match up out? The Titans average 17 points per contest. The Texans defense allows 17 points per contest. The Texans defense has tallied up 9 sacks while the Titans have allowed 17. Stats do not even help the cause here. The Texans defense is the best unit on the field in this game. They will get the turnovers they need to help the Texans offense get into the 20 points range for the first time this season. I like Nick Chubb having his best game so far in a Texans uniform to help Houston notch their first victory of the season in a stressful game for both sides.
OUR PICK: TEXANS
GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-1) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (1-2)
America’s team and the big cheese were disappointments last week. Green Bay looked like Superbowl contenders as the Cowboys looked exactly like the Cowboys of present. Dallas can’t stop anybody. Green Bay defense can halt the Dallas offense. I like a rebound from the Packers here firing on all cylinders in this one. The Cowboys are weakened without their star receiver CeeDee Lamb who’s out for a few weeks with an injury he suffered from the Bears. In all, Jordan Love will have a big day forgetting what the Browns defense did to him to light up a bad Dallas defense.
OUR PICK: PACKERS
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (3-0) AT LA RAMS (2-1)
The surprising Colts ran all over the Titans last weekend. The Rams had a potential game winning field goal that would have walked off the Eagles but it was blocked and they suffered their first loss of the season. Jonathan Taylor right now leads the NFL in rushing yards. The Colts have protected Daniel Jones as he has only been sacked twice so far this season. The Rams can get to the quarterback as they are tied with the Broncos for most sacks in the league. The Rams, like the Colts, have a well-balanced offense that can run well & Matthew Stafford you know can get hot on any given Sunday and slice and dice the defense. Are the Colts for real? Only good team the Colts beat was the Broncos on a walk off field goal. It was a penalty after a missed field goal that set up the walk off kick for the Colts. The Rams on the road is a huge test. This game could be epic or a stinker. I think it will be a good game and a close affair. I like the Rams at the end to pull it off. I have been riding the Colts all season. I think the Rams defense will make one or two plays that will end the Colts’ nice start out of the gates of this NFL season.
OUR PICK: RAMS
JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-1) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-0)
The 49ers are perfect for the season, but like last year the injuries are piling up.
The 49ers lost their defensive stud Nick Bosa who tore his ACL last week versus the Cardinals. The Jaguars are off to a good start this season. The Jaguars defense has played well so far. They have created turnovers in all three games. The 49ers went 2-0 with Mac Jones behind center, a guy who played for the Jaguars last year. The 49ers welcome back their starting QB Brock Purdy. The Jaguars offense so far this season has had too many drop balls. The Jaguars are protecting Trevor Lawrence which is a good thing. The Jaguars have lost seven straight games following a win. I think they overcome those odds. With a lack of pass rush by the 49ers, Lawrence has a nice solid day at the office. The 49ers have played in too many close games and have won all of them. These games have been low scoring. I think the Jaguars offense will score points off this 49ers banged up defense. Purdy will be rusty and not be able to match the Jaguars this weekend.
OUR PICK: JAGUARS
BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-2) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-2)
It’s shocking the Ravens and Chiefs only have one win at this point of the season. The Ravens defense has been horrific so far as they are dead last in the NFL. The Chiefs offense has not been crisp like we are used to seeing.
The Meathead Travis Kelce Swift has been very bad this season in his play. He has made two bone-headed mistakes in both losses this season. The Ravens offense has tallied up 111 points which is the most points by a losing team in the first three weeks of the season. I think Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs offense will look better than they had all season playing a bad Ravens defense. I don’t think Mahomes can match scores with the red hot Ravens offense. That Ravens D will make a play, probably something that involves Kelce that will seal the deal for Baltimore on the road.
OUR PICK: RAVENS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-2) AT CHICAGO BEARS (1-2)
The Raiders suffered a beat down versus the Commanders last weekend losing big to Washington’s back up QB. The Raiders defense was the strength of the team until that point when they gave up over 40 points to Washington. The Bears offense looked amazing last weekend versus a bad Dallas Defense. The Bears defense rebounded after giving up 52 points to the Lions in week two by creating some turnover versus the Cowboys. Can Caleb Williams and that Ben Johnson offense repeat this week off this Raiders defense that was scorched? Williams finally was protected and was not sacked. I don’t like how Geno Smith has been playing so far in a Raiders uniform. He looked good in week 1 in the win over the Patriots in New England. I think the Bears defense can continue the trend and create a few turnovers off this Raiders offense. I hate jumping on the Bears bandwagon so quickly because they usually disappoint you. I think the Raiders are a team in the Bears wheelhouse. It’s a team where Ben Johnson’s offense being run by the Bears personnel will look good for another week at least.
OUR PICK: BEARS
GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-1) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (1-2)
This is when the Dallas Cowboys owner will have egg on his face in the return of Micah Parsons wearing a Packers uniform. The Packers suffered their first loss of the season to the Browns as their offense went dormant on their first road game of the year. The Cowboys suffered a loss to the Bears and lost one of their top play makers in that contest, Cee Dee Lamb. The Cowboys defense is a perfect recipe for the Packers offense to get back on track. Watch Parsons light up the Cowboys O-line and sack Dak Prescott at least once. He will make a big play in his return and a statement at the same time to Jones. I think Packers will win big on the road in this one.
OUR PICK: PACKERS
THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME
NEW YORK JETS (0-3) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-3)
Who’s going to win this toilet bowl match up? Justin Fields is expected back behind center for the Jets. Fields suffered a concussion in week 2 versus the Bills. The Jets play better with Fields over Tyrod Taylor. The Dolphins played their best game in Buffalo, but in the end lost by ten points. Both these teams have not been able to create one single turnover so far this season. The Jets need to establish the running game, which they can off this bad Dolphins defense. The Dolphins have feasted on bad teams the last few years. My gut feeling is Tua Tagovailoa will have his best game of the season. He seems like he is heating up and getting better each week. Watch him have a clean game. Dolphins would shock me more being 0-4 than the Jets being 0-4 with a new head coach trying to establish roots in his new gig. Dolphins win a close one.
OUR PICK: DOLPHINS
THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME
CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-1) AT DENVER BRONCOS (1-2)
Are you shocked more by Denver having a losing record at this point or the Bengals having a winning record this early? The Bengals fan base would give up the winning record at this point to have a losing record like they normally do at this point, but to have their star QB Joe Burrow behind center. Burrow is out which means Jake Browning will have to face the Broncos front seven who will be charging after the second string QB all game like the running of the bulls in Spain. Browning did not do well versus the Vikings defense last week as the Bengals were destroyed in all departments in their first loss of the year. Look for Bo Nix to heat up at the right moment for the Broncos versus a bad Bengals defense. I like the Broncos all night in this one.
We improved by one game from week 1 to week 2. Our best pick week 2 was riding the Colts over the Broncos. We went with the fins at home versus the Patriots that bit us on the rear.
SEASON RECORD: (23-9)
MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL RECORD: (1-1)
SUNDAY NIGHT RECORD: (1-1)
THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL RECORD (2-0)
FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS RECORD (0-1)
NFL WEEK 3 STRAIGHT PICK-EM
THE THURSDAY NIGHT GAME
MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-2) AT BUFFALO BILLS (2-0)
The Bills beat up the Jets last week, running the ball and playing better defense. The Dolphins finally had a pulse as they fought back in a game at home versus the visiting Patriots. Tua Tagovailoa’s last drive resulted in a interception to give the Patriots their first victory of the year. The Dolphins are desperate for a victory and heading to Buffalo on a short week does not sound like a good idea. Tua has never won a game in Buffalo. He is 1-8 all-time versus the Bills. The Bills are very hard to beat at home. I don’t like the Dolphins chances. The Bills defense has always contained Tua’s air and water show. Josh Allen will use bad Dolphin defense to keep the Bills perfect after three weeks.
OUR PICK: BILLS
THE SUNDAY TILT
ATLANTA FALCONS (1-1) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-2)
The Falcons shocked the Vikings last week as their defense tallied 6 sacks versus Minnesota. The Panthers once again are off to a bad start but played better in week 2 than week 1. Bryce Young had his best game of his career in the 2024 finale versus these Falcons. He threw three touchdown passes and tallied 252 passing yards. The Falcons did not pressure him which I expect to change in this early season meeting. Young played better in week 2 for the Panthers. Michael Penix Jr. has been more of a game manager than elite passer. He is completing 63.5% of his passes and making no mistakes. The Falcons rely on their strong running game that features Bijan Robinson. The Panthers are allowing an average of 141 rushing yards per week. I like the Falcons to get off the bus running. Falcons played well in both games so far. Their defense made a statement versus the Vikings which should carry over on the road.
OUR PICK: FALCONS
GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-0) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-2)
The Packers first road game of the season will be heading to the DAWG POUND in Cleveland. Some experts are picking the Packers to march themselves all the way to the Superbowl, they have played so well in the first two games. The Packers running game has not done very well. Josh Jacobs is scoring rushing touchdowns but has averaged only 3.6 yards per carry. The strength of Cleveland is their rushing defense. They have only given up 92 rushing yards in the first two games. Jordan Love will have to beat the Browns with his arm. The Browns squeezed anything good they had out of Joe Flacco in the 2023 season. Flacco is 40 years of age and is playing like a 40 year old virgin.
Flacco already has racked up 3 interceptions in two games. Did I forget to mention the Packers have Micah Parsons who will have no problem chasing Joe down on the field as he is a statue back there? The Browns defense keeps this game close most of the way until the Packers blow open the doors of the Dawg pound late in the game.
OUR PICK: PACKERS
HOUSTON TEXANS (0-2) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS(1-1)
This is the game where two young QB’s have peaked early in their careers and right now are playing on a down slope. CJ Stroud has not got that running game that he’s been used to and has a bad offensive line. For Jacksonville they can run the ball very well and that gives Trevor Lawrence’s Jaguars a well balanced attack. The Jaguars should be 2-0 right now as they knocked Joe Burrow out of the game last Sunday. Then they picked off the Bengals second string QB, Jake Browning, three times and lost that game to Cincinnati. If Stroud finds time, he can exploit the Jaguars pass defense. He can also turn over the ball because the Jaguars are creating turnovers. The Texans have played in close games because of their defense. The offense has been held under 20 points in the first two games. Look for the Jaguars to run the ball down the Texans’ throat in this one. Lawrence will make a few good throws to put the Jaguars back in the win column. I think Stroud will continue to have issues with his O-Line.
OUR PICK: JAGUARS
CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-0) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-1)
The original match up in this one quarterbacks-wise was going to be Joe Burrow vs rookie JJ McCarthy. Changes have been made due to injuries as two back up QBs are behind center. For the Bengals, Jake Browning is the guy that engineered a comeback win over the Jaguars last week despite throwing three picks. Everyone remembers Carson Wentz who has been collecting uniforms around the league since he was traded away by the Eagles. Can Browning get the ball to those big receivers while under duress by the Vikings blitzing defense? For Wentz, what does he have left in the tank? A QB that has only played two games in the last two seasons? The Bengals could right now be 0-2. I think the Bengals defense has played better than what people expected. The Vikings offensive mastermind QB whisperer and head coach in 2023, got two wins out of Joshua Dobbs at quarterback. He will insert Wentz into the Vikings system like a light bulb and watch him light it up. Wentz has plenty of weapons. He has a solid running game. Browning will continue to make mistakes and that will give Vikings a home win.
OUR PICK: VIKINGS
PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-1) AT NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-1)
The Steelers steel curtain defense has turned into a shower curtain. In the first week, Justin Fields carved up the Steelers defense. In the second week, Sam Darnold did the same thing. In New England, the Patriots are responding to their new head coach Mike Vrabel. Drake Maye is making progress not regressing in his second year in the NFL. The Patriots knocked off the Dolphins for their first win of the year on the road. The Steelers were blown up by the Seahawks. This game could go either way. It should be a close game and decided in the last few minutes of the contest. I have to believe Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Steelers, will figure out what needs to be done for his defense to get better. Aaron Rodgers has not been horrible. I know this is not one of Rodgers’ revenge games. I think father time will out-duel the young Maye at the end of regulation. Not by much as Steelers win another road game.
OUR PICK: STEELERS
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-0) AT TENNESSEE TITANS (0-2)
We know the Colts are the first team of the Superbowl era not to punt the ball after the first two games of a season. The Titans offensive line has been a turnstyle for the defense opponents. Such a bad recipe – a bad offensive line and rookie quarterback. Sounds like a play out of the Chicago Bears book. Jonathan Taylor gashed the Titans defense for over 200 yards the last time these two teams met last year. the Titans defense played well week 1 and week 2 – gave up a ton of points to the Rams offense. Daniel Jones has played well for the Colts. They have the bionic leg in their kicker.
Spencer Shrader has been money from long distance including a game winner over the Broncos. I like the Colts to continue to roll like a well-oiled machine versus a bad team in their division.
OUR PICK: COLTS
NEW YORK JETS (0-2) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (2-0)
I did not know Tyrod Taylor is still in the NFL. This will be Taylor’s first start in the NFL since week 18 of the 2023 season. Justin Fields suffered a concussion last week versus the Bills, so now Taylor will get the nod. The Buccaneers have won two thrillers to start their season off undefeated. Baker Mayfield led two impressive drives each game at the end to help the Buccaneers prevail. Taylor is 28-28-1 as a starter in the NFL. He will make his first start with the Jets, a team he’s played for the last two seasons. In a Jets uniform he has only been called upon for mop up duty. Taylor is a dink and dunk kind of QB that can’t throw downfield consistently. This should be an easy challenge for the Buccaneers defense. The Buccaneers should be able to run the Jets defense out of the stadium as well. Baker will be Baker and keep the Buccaneers perfect for the season.
OUR PICK: BUCCANEERS
LA RAMS (2-0) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (2-0)
The Rams meeting up with the Eagles in week 3 is a rematch of the NFC Divisional game of last year’s post-season. As you know, that went the Eagles way. The Rams did make that game interesting at the end. The biggest question: Can the Rams stop Eagles running back Saquon Barkley? In two games versus the Rams last year, Barkley gashed LA in those games for 460 yards on the ground. That is not counting receiving yards. The Rams will bring their new weapon to this gun fight. Davante Adams had a big game last week for the Rams versus the Titans. Adams, one of the best receivers in the NFL, for most of his career was a former Packer, Raider, and Jet. It gives Matthew Stafford two big targets in the Rams aerial game that are hard to defend. The Eagles offense early on has been rolling. This game and Monday night’s game will be the top two games of the week at least on paper right now. I like the Rams flipping the script here on the Eagles. Sean McVay is one of the best young minds in the game. He will have a better plot this go around to finally beat a team that has been a thorn in his side the last few meetings. This game will live up to the hype as the Rams get an impressive road win while containing Barkley in a close game. Won at the end as LA escapes Philadelphia and gets their revenge. Best served cold with a Philly Steak sandwich.
OUR PICK: RAMS
LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-1) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1-1)
The Commanders will be without their starting quarterback this Sunday as they lose Jayden Daniels to a knee sprain. Next man up for Washington is veteran QB Marcus Mariota who last started a game back in 2022 when he wore a Falcons uniform. In 13 starts he went 5-8 for the dirty birds that season. The Raiders offense was not very good on Monday night versus the Chargers. Geno Smith threw three picks. The Commanders did not play well in Green Bay. The Raiders defense has played solidly in their first two games. Mariota is capable of coming in and righting the ship. I think Smith can rebound and make some nice deep passes off the Commanders defense . Jordan Love exploited the Commanders secondary. This will be a close game. It would not surprise me to see Pete Carol turn this Raiders team around after a bad loss. I think that Raiders defense will be the difference in this one.
OUR PICK: RAIDERS
NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-2) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (1-1)
Spencer Rattler is still looking for his first win as a starting QB and first victory for New Orleans. Rattlers is now 0-8 as a starter. The Seahawks were road warriors on the road last week & blew the doors off the Steelers. Sam Darnold got his first victory in a Seattle uniform. The Saints have been in both games they have played so far. Going to Seattle is a hard place to win. The Seahawks defense has played well as one of the better units in the league. Rattler played his best game as a starter last week where he did throw three touchdown passes. Darnold is getting in rhythm with the Seahawks’ best receiver, Jaxon Smith-Njigba who will be seeking his third straight 100 plus yard receiving game to open the season up with. If he can do it, that would be a new franchise record for Seahawks. I don’t see Rattler being able to pull off a victory in Seattle. The Seahawks defense will force Rattler into a few mistakes that Darnold will capitalize on.
OUR PICK: SEAHAWKS
DENVER BRONCOS (1-1) AT LA CHARGERS (2-0)
Can the Chargers win their third division game to start the season? In Brazil week one, they down the Chiefs. In week two, their defense snuffed out the Raiders on Monday night. Could it be the Broncos turn? The Broncos will be going on the road for their second straight week. They lost to the Colts in Indianapolis. A game they could have won getting a penalty on a missed kick by the Colts at the end of the game. The penalty made the re-kick easier and the Colts kicker nailed it for the win. The Chargers did sweep the Broncos last season winning both games. The Broncos defense coming into the season was supposed to be lights out. Daniel Jones threw for over 300 yards on them last week. The Chargers will be without one of their star edge rushers, Khalil Mack, who will miss time with an elbow injury. Bo Nix has not done well against zone coverage, he has three interceptions. Is he regressing his second season? The Chargers defense has played well. Justin Herbert has completed 72.1% of his passes, no interceptions, and 5 touchdown passes. Should be a well fought battle between these two teams. I give the Chargers the edge here in this one.
OUR PICK: CHARGERS
DALLAS COWBOYS (1-1) AT CHICAGO BEARS (0-2)
The return of Bears X head coach Matt Eberflus to Chicago. Eberflus is now the D-coordinator of the Cowboys and he knows Caleb Williams’ weaknesses. The Bears new head coach is supposed to be the QB whisperer and offensive genius. Ben Johnson’s offense has not played the part of what Bears fans were expecting. The Cowboys defense was torched by Russell Wilson last week. Yes, he’s still in the league with the Giants. The Bears defense were sliced and diced by Johnson’s old team, the Lions, as they gave up 52 points. The Cowboys offense has been better than the Bears with all the weapons Dak Prescott has & will be a challenge to the Bear defense. Can Caleb Williams have a big day versus a suspect defense that the Cowboys come in with? Should be a shootout. Watch this one become a defensive struggle. You know Johnson is gathering all the inside information on Eberflus’ defensive schemes. Eberflus was a bad head coach in general. The Bears defense played better with Eberflus than Dennis Allen, now the Bears D-coordinator. I don’t trust the Bears. I can see Prescott winning a shoot out over second year QB Williams. I don’t like the Bears offensive line. They still are dealing with the same problems they had last year. Only difference they are paying Johnson a lot more money than Eberflus as head coach.
OUR PICK: COWBOYS
ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-0) AT SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (2-0)
The Cardinals are 2-0 despite being out-gained in both games this season. The 49ers will go with Mac Jones former Patriot again at quarterback for the injured Brock Purdy. Kyler Murray lifetime is 4-4 as a starter against the 49ers. The big problem always with the 49ers is they can not contain Murray and keep him in the pocket. Kyle Shanahan works his magic again as one of the best quarterback whisperer in the NFL.
Jones in his first start ever for the 49ers completed 66.7% of his passes and threw for 3 touchdown passes. The Cardinals offense have not been very good. It’s their defense that has carried this team on their shoulders. I like this game being close. In the end Jones pulls out another victory for the 49ers filling in for Purdy.
OUR PICK: 49ERS
THE SUNDAY NIGHT GAME
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0-2) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (0-2)
Dating back from last season from the Superbowl, Patrick Mahomes for the first time in the pros has lost three straight games. You have to go back to Mahomes’ college days playing for Texas Tech when he lost three straight games. The Giants found some offense last week as Russell Wilson had a monster day on the Cowboys offense. The Chiefs defense is a different animal. The Giants still lost the game and their defense gave up 40 points. The Chiefs start the season 0-2 losing to two playoff teams from last year, the Chargers and Eagles. I can’t see the Chiefs losing to the Giants. This is a game where the Chiefs put everything together and it will once again look like a well-oiled machine. Look for Mahomes to have a big night as he is licking his chops playing the Giants defense. Even Kelce Swift will rebound from having two bad games making two bone headed mistakes. The Meathead will thrive in the Big Apple.
OUR PICK: CHIEFS
THE MONDAY NIGHT GAME
DETROIT LIONS (1-1) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-1)
Both the Ravens and Lions feasted on division meat to notch their first wins of the year. The Ravens ate dog meat of the Cleveland Browns putting up 41 points on them. The Lions ate well eating the Bears and rattling off 52 points. This should be an epic Monday Night battle between these two teams. Last time these two teams met in Baltimore, the Ravens destroyed the Lions 38-3 in 2023. I think this game has shoot out all over it. Both defenses will be scored upon. One defense will make the one stand that will be needed to win this game. I can see the ending coming, whoever has the ball last wins. I don’t see either team putting up 40-50 points. I can see the game being in the high 30’s. The stat line I have to go by is Lamar Jackson’s sick record versus the NFC Conference. He is 24-2 all-time versus the NFC. Plus, I have to go with home team on this one. I like Ravens even though I’d rather see the Lions win this one. Hope I’m wrong on this pick.
The Wild shamrock 