NFL 2023 Week 7 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again! The previous week brought us two unbeatens losing in crazy fashion, there are no more unbeaten teams but yet there are still one winless team left in the standings. Carolina is on a bye this week so we shall see if they can get a win in Week 8. In matchups this week I'll keep an eye on the Jaguars-Saints, Browns-Colts, Commanders-Giants, and Chargers-Chiefs matchups. In this post, I will do a rant of the week, a Week 7 preview and picks as well as the Early and Late TV Broadcast pairings. Let's get to work!

NFL Rant of the Week

Last week's action saw us fans see two last unbeaten teams lose for the first time this season. There should be at least a live action cam of one of the 1972 Dolphins players sipping on some champagne. Can't you just picture Larry Czonka just popping a bottle and just start raving how good that Dolphins team was. Make it happen next year NFL!

Week 7 Preview

The seventh week of the National Football League's regular season will start in New Orleans, Louisiana and finish in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There will be a 13-game slate where 26 teams will play. Week 7 features a Thursday night game, six early games, four late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. The Carolina Panthers, Cincinnati Bengals, Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans, New York Jets and Tennessee Titans have a bye this week. FOX will have the single, regional game while CBS will have the doubleheader this week. 

Week 7 Picks

Note: All game times are in US Eastern. TW is me and CV is Cardinal Viking, my former roommate.

Jacksonville (4-2) @ New Orleans (3-3) (Amazon; 8:15 pm): TW: Jaguars; CV: Saints

The Jaguars beat the Colts and the Saints lost to the Texans last week. The week starts off with an interesting game between AFC and NFC South teams. Jacksonville comes into this game with a huge win against the Colts and beating the Bills the week before. They seem to have a good momentum streak going for them. New Orleans enters into this game with a close loss against Houston. Their offense seems to be alright at times but I'm not sure if the Derek Carr situation is the right one. The quarterback has been injured a fair bit this season. If New Orleans can slow down Christian Kirk and make him a non-factor they can do some damage on a riding high Jaguars team. I don't see it happening. 

Atlanta (3-3) @ Tampa Bay (3-2) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers

The Falcons lost to the Commanders and the Buccaneers lost to the Lions last week. Atlanta had a rough time on offense in protecting the football. Desmond Ridder threw three interceptions at home which he had a undefeated streak going for him. Obviously the point going forward is to ensure that the football remains in Falcons hands on offensive possessions. They sadly didn't utilize Bijan Robinson all that much in that loss to Washington. Tampa was somewhat of a surprise this season with Baker Mayfield captaining the ship. Despite the low offensive performance, I still kind of feel good about the Buccaneers this season. They will have to go back to performing run offense and keep the pressure off of Baker. I'll take the Bucs.

Buffalo (4-2) @ New England (1-5) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Bills

The Bills beat the Giants and the Patriots lost to the Raiders last week. Buffalo has had a bit of a tough time in scoring on offense. They might have another challenge in taking on a weakened but still somewhat dangerous defense in New England. Buffalo's defense should find some solace knowing that they will have an easier time than their offensive teammates. New England has been having some rough luck as of late this season. Their offense that should've improved hasn't despite bringing in Bill O'Brien as offensive coordinator. The Patriots offense showed some life against Las Vegas but they ended up losing that game in a spectacular fashion. I would be hard pressed to take New England in this one. I'll take the Bills. 

Cleveland (3-2) @ Indianapolis (3-3) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Colts; CV: Colts

The Browns beat the 49ers and the Colts lost to the Jaguars last week. Cleveland probably won one of their best games since coming back to the NFL in 1999 by upsetting the undefeated 49ers. Confidence has to be somewhat high on their minds as their defense played really well. Their offense has been lacking without DeShaun Watson at quarterback. Indianapolis has been somewhat of a surprise team so far with a 3-3 record. Surprising in that they've found ways to win without Jonathan Taylor in their roster. Gardner Minshew had a rough game against Jacksonville and will need to be on his A-game against one of the best defensive units in the league. I feel a bit of a Browns letdown this week. I'll go with the Colts in a risk. 

Detroit (5-1) @ Baltimore (4-2) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Lions; CV: Lions

The Lions beat the Buccaneers and the Ravens beat the Titans last week. Detroit has finally reached a mark they haven't managed to achieve since 2011 at a 5-1 start. Time will tell if they can keep it up. Their offense will face their toughest test so far this season as they go up against the 2nd best defense in the NFL in the Ravens. Baltimore has thus far only allowed 197.7 yards/game. Detroit is a passing team so something has to give. Baltimore's offense has done enough to get wins but it has been on the back of Lamar Jackson. I certainly would like to see the Ravens get more versatile options at running back. Detroit's defense is no slouch but they could have some problems in containing Jackson. I think I'll take the Lions. 

Las Vegas (3-3) @ Chicago (1-5) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders

The Raiders beat the Patriots and the Bears lost to the Vikings last week. Las Vegas could be without Jimmy Garoppolo for this game. The quarterback literally had to be taken to a hospital for a back injury. Brian Hoyer did okay in the game against New England. He didn't do much but he didn't really hurt his team either. It could be a game where the other options the Raiders have could be in play. Chicago could be without Justin Fields in this game. Tyson Bagent however didn't do much for the Bears cause as he tossed an interception last week. Outside of DJ Moore I don't know if the Bears have a solid weapon that they can use. Maybe Khalil Herbert. I'll take the Raiders. 

Washington (3-3) @ NY Giants (1-5) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Commanders; CV: Commanders

The Commanders beat the Falcons and the Giants lost to the Bills last week. Washington had been doing better at the start of the season but has cooled down over the last few weeks with losing three of the last four games. Sam Howell has been kind of a hot and cold quarterback. Brian Robinson has been a solid back for them. At least it helps when you have a new regime at ownership. New York has been a solid disappointment from when they were playing very well at this point last year. Safe to say that the Brian Daboll honeymoon is long over. The Giants offense has been the main culprit to the Giants struggles. Their offense has stagnated to the point where their starting quarterback Daniel Jones has just two passing touchdowns in six games. Not great. With a decent Commanders team coming to town, I don't see the Giants rebounding. 

Arizona (1-5) @ Seattle (3-2) (FOX; 4:05 pm): TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks

The Cardinals lost to the Rams and the Seahawks lost to the Bengals last week. Arizona has been kind of what we were expecting this season. A team that is just trying to get through the season while likely getting a reset button at the quarterback position. Joshua Dobbs has been an alright option for Kyler Murray (yeah that guy is still around) being a sideline mainstay. At some point they should try to get Murray to play. Seattle has had a few more ups than downs this season. They really had a tough time seeing the endzone late against Cincinnati last week. They have a shot to get back into a winning column by beating one of the NFC West's dumpster team. The Cardinals could play the spoiler but I just don't see it. 

Pittsburgh (3-2) @ LA Rams (3-3) (FOX; 4:05 pm): TW: Steelers; CV: Rams

The Steelers were on a bye and the Rams beat the Cardinals last week. It's been somewhat of an up and down season for the Steelers. They've shown some signs of offensive improvement. The defense has maintained its image of being very physical on defense. Pittsburgh's offense needs to switch it up every once in a while to keep the other team guessing. The Rams so far in their losses faced some tough teams, including a back and forth affair against the Niners. Los Angeles needs to get their offense on all cylinders as TJ Watt is always on the prowl. I'll take the Steelers in an upset.

Green Bay (2-3) @ Denver (1-5) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Broncos; CV: Broncos

The Packers were on a bye and the Broncos lost to the Chiefs last week. Green Bay has had more downs than ups this season. Their ball protection has been the real issue with their offense. It feels that Jordan Love is forcing it at times that he shouldn't. He has some decent running backs to give the ball to. Green Bay's defense has had to pick up the slack. Denver's record has been somewhat of an expectation. They've really generated little offense. One would've thought that Sean Payton's arrival would've fixed it but I can't make things up. This game seems like a toss-up and the altitude of Denver has to be somewhat of a factor. I don't trust either team but I'll give the Broncos a benefit of the doubt. 

LA Chargers (2-3) @ Kansas City (5-1) (CBS; 4:25 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

The Chargers lost to the Cowboys and the Chiefs beat the Broncos last week. It was a rough loss for the Chargers last week. They will need to rebound quickly and play better football. They face off against the defending champs this week. Yeah good luck boys. Kansas City has continued to play some solid football on offense. Their weapons outside of Ju Ju Smith-Schuster have remained on this team. They've put up points like any other year. What makes this Chiefs team different is how many difference makers they have on defense. For once, they have a pass rush that can hurry the quarterback. It will be a challenge for Justin Herbert to produce something of a win this week. I think it'll be a Mahomes over Herbert result. 

Miami (5-1) @ Philadelphia (5-1) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins 

The Dolphins beat the Panthers and the Eagles lost to the Jets last week. Miami has been on a tear so far in 2023. Their offense has maintained its persona as an offensive team. They have a ton of weapons that Tua Tagovailoa can use. It's defense can be just as good. Philadelphia has maintained a similar persona while their defense is probably better than Miami's. The loss to the Jets last week has raised some concerns with me. Can the Eagles offense get back to playing better on ball protection? They need to ensure that Tua and the Miami offense stay on that sideline as much as possible. This should be nonetheless a great game to watch. A possible Super Bowl preview. I'll take the Dolphins. 

San Francisco (5-1) @ Minnesota (2-4) (ABC/ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: Vikings

The 49ers lost to the Browns and the Vikings beat the Bears last week. San Francisco finally fell back to earth last week. Now it comes to whether or not they can come back and play solid football again. You will fall down from time to time but the great teams always bounce back after a loss. San Fran was banged up a bit during the loss to the Browns. Trent Williams, Deebo Samuel and Christian McCaffrey might miss this game. Not a good combo. For the Vikings, they did get a win against Chicago. The Bears not a great team so have to give the Vikings some doubt whether or not they can win this game. I still think the 49ers defense can take down the Vikings. 

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

Note: Games in bold are being shown in my area, check local listings

FOX Single

Detroit @ Baltimore

Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

Las Vegas @ Chicago

Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay

Chris Myers, Robert Smith

Pittsburgh @ LA Rams (Late)

Adam Amin, Daryl Johnston

Arizona @ Seattle (Late)

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

CBS Early

Buffalo @ New England
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Washington @ NY Giants

Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan

Cleveland @ Indianapolis
Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

CBS Late

LA Chargers @ Kansas City
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

Green Bay @ Denver
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2023: Week 7 Maps

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Week 6: 9-6

Total: 56-37

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Total: 60-33

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all after the Monday night game for the Week 7 Recap! Enjoy the games!

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 5 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. With Week 5 in the books, there have been some crazy storylines thus far. Week 5 brought us, an offensive masterpiece in Washington, a shutout in New England, Jonathan Taylor's return to Indy, another close game in Minnesota, and a Showdown in the Bay Area. All those games and more in this week's recap post.

NFL Week 5 Freaky Stats

Chicago's win against Washington was the first time they got a win since October 22nd, 2022 against New England. That was 346 days ago. Pittsburgh's win over Baltimore is their 700th win in franchise history, only Green Bay has more wins in NFL history. 

NFL Week 5 Recap

Chicago 40, Washington 20: TW: Commanders; CV: Commanders

The winless Bears get a dub in Landover. Justin Fields got it done with 15 of 29 passes for 282 yards with four touchdown passes and no interceptions. Three of those went to DJ Moore who racked up 230 receiving yards with a few big plays of 20+ yards, including a 58-yard play that was the longest for him. Khalil Herbert got 76 yards rushing in the game while Fields got 57 yards. Most of the damage Chicago did was during the first half as they put up 27 points. At the end of the game they got 451 total yards. Sam Howell did his best with 37 of 51 passing completions for 388 yards and two touchdowns and an interception. The two touchdowns would go to Curtis Samuel and Logan Thomas. Washington's deficit was early and deep so they did not utilize their running game a lot. Sam Howell got 19 yards rushing while Brian Robinson Jr got 10 rushing yards, combined for 10 carries. Washington's offense gave it a go while racking up 388 total yards of offense. The game was really over at halftime. For the Bears, they get their first win after going winless in 14 straight games, dating back to October 24th 2022 against New England but have a 1-4 record. For the Commanders, they drop their 3rd straight game after going 2-0 with a 2-3 record. 

Next week:
Chicago: vs Minnesota
Washington: @ Atlanta

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

Jacksonville 25, Buffalo 20: TW: Bills; CV: Bills

Jacksonville was right at home in London for the 2nd straight week. Trevor Lawrence who celebrated his 24th birthday on Friday looked like a hardy veteran with 25 of 37 passes for 315 yards with a touchdown pass to Zay Jones. The touchdown came on a sustained drive on a six-yard play. Travis Etienne was a huge part of the gameplan for Jacksonville as he ran for 136 yards for two touchdowns on 26 carries. Typically Buffalo's defense against the run was 118.5 yards/game. The Jaguars offense was on fire on both pass and run as they racked up 474 total yards. Josh Allen put forth a valiant effort as he hit 27 of 40 passes for 359 yards with two touchdown passes to Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. He would toss an interception in the 4th quarter. He was the leading rusher for Buffalo with 14 yards with a touchdown run. It was basically all him in this game. Buffalo's offense was not as balanced as Jacksonville's as Buffalo had 388 total yards, 359 of them to the air. It would also be a slow start for the Bills offensively as they had six drives in the 1st half, five of them resulted in a punt or end of half. For the Jaguars, they get a huge win in England for the 2nd straight week and will get to go home to the USA at 3-2. For the Bills, they drop to 3-2 in 2023. 

Next week:
Jacksonville: vs Indianapolis
Buffalo: vs NY Giants (Sunday night)

TW: 0-2; CV: 0-2

Baltimore 10, Pittsburgh 17: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
The Ravens-Steelers rivalry created a new chapter in Pittsburgh. Lamar Jackson hit 22 of 38 passes for 236 yards with an interception in the 4th quarter. Gus Edwards hit the ground with 48 yards rushing. Lamar Jackson rushed for 45 yards. Justice Hill scored the only touchdown for Baltimore on a 14-yard outside run. Miscues would cost Baltimore in this game as they also turned the ball over two other times on fumbles as well as a safety in the 4th quarter. Baltimore hit 335 total yards in the game. Kenny Pickett was on somewhat in this game as he hit 18 of 32 passes for 224 yards with a touchdown pass to George Pickens that would lead to a failed two-point conversion that ended up giving the Steelers a 14-10 lead. Jaylen Warren rushed for 40 yards while Najee Harris rushed for 37 yards. George Pickens got 130 receiving yards on six catches. Pittsburgh's offense got 289 yards of offense in this game. On the safety, Miles Killebrew would get his hands on the Jordan Stout punt. The two points would propel the Steelers for a 14 point 4th quarter. For the Ravens, they drop to 3-2 on the season. For the Steelers, they get a much needed win and improve to 3-2. 

Next week:
Baltimore: @ Tennessee (Sunday morning)
Pittsburgh: Bye

TW: 0-3; CV: 0-3

Carolina 24, Detroit 42: TW: Lions; CV: Lions

Offense was abundant in the Motor City. Bryce Young hit 25 of 41 passes for 247 yards with three touchdowns with two interceptions. Adam Thielen, DJ Chark and Tommy Tremble were the players that caught those Young passes. Bryce Young did have his troubles as he hit two interceptions in the game. Chuba Hubbard hit 35 yards rushing for nine carries. Carolina would really get behind at halftime as they had a 28-10 deficit at halftime. Their offense got 342 total yards. Jared Goff was on fire in this game as he hit 20 of 28 passes for 236 yards for three touchdowns as well had a rushing touchdown. Josh Reynolds had one catch for a touchdown and Sam LaPorta had two touchdowns. Detroit's running game would put the hammer on the Panthers. David Montgomery had 109 yards rushing with a touchdown run. Craig Reynolds had 52 yards rushing with a touchdown. Detroit's offense got 377 total yards in the game. For the Panthers, they still have to look into next week to get win #1 as they drop to 0-5. For the Lions, they get to 4-1 on the season. 

Next week:
Carolina: @ Miami
Detroit: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 1-3; CV: 1-3

Houston 19, Atlanta 21: TW: Texans; CV: Texans
Younghoe Koo gets a clutch kick as the Falcons get to above .500 on the season. CJ Stroud had an alright game as he put up 20 of 35 passes for 249 yards with a touchdown. Dalton Schultz touchdown play was from a deep pass up the middle for 18 yards that gave the Texans a 19-18 lead with 1:49 left in the game. It would not last. Dameon Pierce had 66 yards for 20 carries. It was somewhat of a quiet game for the Texans offense as they got just 313 total yards in the game. Desmond Ridder played a better game as he hit 28 of 37 passes for 329 total yards with a touchdown pass to Bijan Robinson. Ridder would also rush in for a touchdown that gave the Falcons a 7-3 lead in the 1st quarter. Bijan Robinson had 46 yards on 14 carries in the game. Atlanta got themselves a 447 total yard performance from their offense. The Younghoe Koo kick came on a 37-yard field goal that would sail through the uprights and gave the Falcons the win. For the Texans, their two-game winning streak comes to an end as they drop to 2-3. For the Falcons, they break out of their two-game slump and improve to 3-2. 

Next week:
Houston: vs New Orleans

Atlanta: vs Washington

TW: 1-4; CV: 1-4

New Orleans 34, New England 0: TW: Saints; CV: Saints

New Orleans hands the Patriots their worst shutout loss at home since 1969. Derek Carr hit 18 of 26 passes for 183 yards with two touchdowns. Chris Olave and Foster Moreau were the players that caught the two touchdown passes from Carr. Alvin Kamara would get back to his old self as he rushed for 80 yards with a touchdown run on 22 carries. New Orleans defense looked legit as they caused three turnovers. New Orleans had 304 total yards of offense in the game, 136 yards on the run. It was a pitiful performance from the Patriots offense. Mac Jones hit 12 for 22 passes for 110 yards with two interceptions. One of them came on a desperation pass to Tyrann Mathieu for a pick-six. Another interception came on a dropped pass that was recovered by Pete Werner. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 24 yards. Ezekiel Elliot had 21 yards rushing. All in all, the Patriots offense got to 156 total yards. The previous worst shutout loss at home was a 31-0 loss against the Chiefs in 1969. For the Saints, they get back to above .500 football with 3-2. For the Patriots, they drop to 1-4 for the first time since 2000. 

Next week: 
New Orleans: @ Houston

New England: @ Las Vegas

TW: 2-4; CV: 2-4

NY Giants 16, Miami 31: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
Not much excitement for the Giants but a 102-yard pick six was at least something. Daniel Jones hit 14 of 20 passes for 119 yards in the game. He would suffer an injury after taking a huge sack in his 17th sack in seven quarters. Tyrod Taylor would come off the bench and hit 9 for 12 for 86 yards. Eric Gray rushed for 25 yards in the game. The Giants offense got 268 yards of offense in the game. Jason Pinnock's pick-six came on a lengthy drive by the Dolphins that would happen in a pass play that was intended for Jaylen Waddle. It was a 102-yard return, the longest so far this season. Tua Tagovailoa hit 22 of 30 passes for 308 yards with two touchdown passes to Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Hill racked up 181 receiving yards with six catches. Tagovailoa also threw two interceptions, including the aforementioned pick-six. De'Von Achane had 151 yards rushing with a touchdown. Raheem Mostert rushed for 65 yards with a touchdown as well. The offense of the Dolphins came from a balanced attack as they had 524 total yards with 222 rushing yards. For the Giants, their nightmare of a season continues as they drop to 1-4. For the Dolphins, they move to 4-1 after a tough loss to the Bills last week. 

Next week:
NY Giants: @ Buffalo (Sunday night)
Miami: vs Carolina

TW: 3-4; CV: 3-4

Tennessee 16, Indianapolis 23: TW: Titans; CV: Titans

Zach Moss, not Jonathan Taylor would run over the Titans. Ryan Tannehill hit 23 of 34 for 264 yards with an interception in the 4rd quarter on their last drive of the game. Derrick Henry threw a touchdown pass last week but would play quarterback again this week, this time for an incompletion. Derrick Henry ran the ball for 43 yards. Tennessee's lone touchdown came on a 19-yard run by Tyjae Spears in the 3rd quarter from a 4 play, 75-yard touchdown. The Titans offense put up 348 total yards. Nick Folk hit 3 for 3 on field goals. The Colts quarterbacks wouldn't get a lot done as Anthony Richardson hit 9 of 12 passes for 98 yards. Richardson left the game with a possible right shoulder injury. Gardner Minshew came in and provided 11 of 14 passes for 155 yards. They didn't throw touchdowns but they didn't throw interceptions either. Zach Moss rushed for 165 yards with two touchdown runs, including a 56-yard run late in the 1st quarter that put the Colts up 7-3. Indianapolis got 429 total yards of offense. The news of Jonathan Taylor's new contract came out on Saturday and was active for this game. He got 18 yards on six carries. For the Titans, they drop to 2-3 in the season. For the Colts, they get to 3-2 on the season with their 3rd win in the last four games. 

Next week:
Tennessee: vs Baltimore (Sunday morning)
Indianapolis: @ Jacksonville

TW: 3-5; CV: 3-5

Cincinnati 34, Arizona 20: TW: Bengals; CV: Cardinals

Well it looks like Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase read my Week 5 Picks post and did damage against the Cardinals. Joe Burrow hit 36 of 46 passes for 317 yards with three touchdown passes. All of them to Ja'Marr Chase. He did hit a pass that was intercepted in the 3rd quarter. Joe Mixon ran the ball for 81 yards in the win. Ja'Marr Chase caught 15 passes for 192 yards with the aforementioned three touchdowns. The Bengals got their offense rolling as they got 380 yards of offensive output. Joshua Dobbs hit 15 of 32 passes for 166 yards with touchdown passes to Malcolm Brown and Zach Ertz. There were two interceptions that he threw. One of them went back for a pick-six by Cam Taylor-Britt for an 11-yard score. Rondale Moore rushed for 50 yards on 3 carries. James Conner rushed for 46 yards on six carries. Emari Demercado, the rookie out of Texas Christian University, scored his first touchdown on a 11-yard play late in the 4th quarter. Arizona would somewhat hang with the Bengals but would falter a bit late in the game, getting 294 total yards at the end of it. For the Bengals, they get a win with a record of 2-3. For the Cardinals, they falter with a 1-4 record in 2023. 

Next week:
Cincinnati: vs Seattle

Arizona: @ LA Rams

TW: 4-5; CV: 3-6

Philadelphia 23, LA Rams 14: TW: Rams; CV: Eagles

It was a Jalen Hurts day in Los Angeles. Jalen Hurts hit 25 of 38 passes for 303 yards with a touchdown pass to Dallas Goedert as well rushed in for a touchdown getting 72 yards rushing. He would throw an interception in the game. D'Andre Swift rushed for 70 yards on 17 carries. Philly had two 100-yard receivers in the game with AJ Brown getting 127 receiving yards while Dallas Goedert had 117 receiving yards. The Eagles offense was doing its thing as they put up 454 total yards, 159 of them coming from the ground. Matthew Stafford was questionable for the game but he did look like his old self with 21 of 37 passing for 222 yards for two touchdowns. Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell were the players that caught those passes. Kyren Williams had 53 yards rushing on 13 carries. Cooper Kupp made his return to the field in 2023 and didn't miss a beat as he got 118 receiving yards with eight catches. The Rams offense wouldn't get a lot in this game as their points came in the 1st half, getting 249 total yards. For the Eagles, they move to 5-0 and will stay unbeaten for at least another week. For the Rams, they fall to 2-3 in the 2023 season but stay in 3rd place in the NFC West. 

Next week:
Philadelphia: @ NY Jets
LA Rams: vs Arizona

TW: 4-6; CV: 4-6

Kansas City 27, Minnesota 20: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs survive in the Twin Cities. Patrick Mahomes hit 31 of 41 passes for 281 yards with two touchdowns to Rashee Rice and Travis Kelce. Kelce had injured his ankle during the game but would return to the game and score that touchdown. Safe to say Taylor Swift was not in attendance in the game. Isiah Pacheco rushed for 55 yards with a touchdown in the game. The Chiefs offense was efficient as they got 333 total yards in the game. They at least did what they had to win the game. Kirk Cousins hit 29 of 47 passes for 284 yards with two touchdowns to Jordan Addison and Alexander Mattison. Minnesota's running game wouldn't be used a lot as their leading rusher was Alexander Mattison with 26 yards rushing. Certainly more balanced offense should be in their playbook the rest of the way. The Vikings total offense hit 329 total yards with 70 of the yards coming from the ground. For the Chiefs, they survive a close game and get to 4-1. For the Vikings, they drop to 1-4 and are also 1-4 in one-score games this season.

Next week: 
Kansas City: vs Denver (Thursday night)
Minnesota: @ Chicago

TW: 5-6; CV: 5-6 

NY Jets 31, Denver 21: TW: Jets; CV: Jets

The Jets got some measure of revenge against Sean Payton's Broncos in Denver. Zach Wilson wouldn't do a lot in this game as he hit 19 of 26 passes for 199 yards with an interception. Breece Hall scored the Jets lone touchdown in the 3rd quarter on the Jets first drive in the 2nd half. The drive lasted only 10 seconds with a 72-yard run. Jets kicker Greg Zuerlein hit five field goals in the game. New York's Quinnen Williams got a fumble on a Russell Wilson fumble that was ran back by Bryce Hall for a 39-yard fumble-six. Another miscue for the Broncos was a safety that happened on a Russell Wilson pass that was incomplete that was ruled Intentional Grounding. Jaleel McLaughlin had 68 yards rushing on nine carries. Denver put up 308 total yards in the game. The game was originally the marquee game but the Aaron Rodgers injury put that to bed. The game was known for Sean Payton's controversial take on Nathaniel Hackett's coaching job in 2022. Safe to say it seems that the comment from Payton is blowing back on him big time. For the Jets, they improve to 2-3 with 3rd place in the AFC East. For the Broncos, it is another loss for 2023 as they fall to 1-4. 

Next week: 
NY Jets: vs Philadelphia
Denver: @ Kansas City (Thursday night)

TW: 6-6; CV: 6-6

Dallas 10, San Francisco 42: TW: 49ers; CV: Cowboys

It wasn't a close one in Santa Clara. Dak Prescott hit 14 of 24 passes for 153 yards with a touchdown pass to Kavontae Turpin in the 2nd quarter. The issues for the Cowboys came from the turnovers as Prescott threw three passes to guys in red jerseys. There was also a fumble lost by Dallas leading to the Cowboys grand total of four turnovers. With the deficit in points the Cowboys running game wouldn't get a lot of yardage. Tony Pollard was the leading rusher with 29 yards. The Cowboys offense really wouldn't get going at all this game as they put up a paltry 197 total yards. Might've been because of that Nick Bosa guy running free and making fun of Dak Prescott. Brock Purdy continued his stellar start to his career with 17 of 24 passes for 252 yards with four touchdown passes. Kyle Juszczyk caught one touchdown pass while George Kittle scored three touchdowns for the Niners. Jordan Mason rushed for 69 yards (heheh nice) with a touchdown run in the game. Christian McCaffrey got 51 yards rushing with a touchdown of his own in the game. San Francisco's offense didn't miss a beat as they got to 421 total yards. If there was a blemish it would be the lost fumble that the Niners gave up in the 1st quarter. For the Cowboys, they drop to 3-2 with some lost position in the NFC East. For the Niners, they move to 5-0 and stay with the Eagles as the only unbeaten teams in the NFL. 

Next week:
Dallas: @ LA Chargers (Monday night)
San Francisco: @ Cleveland

TW: 7-6; CV: 6-7

Green Bay 13, Las Vegas 17: TW: Packers; CV: Packers

The Packers fell short of a win in Vegas. Jordan Love would not have a great game as the passer hit 16 of 30 passes for 182 yards with three interceptions. Green Bay's lone touchdown came on an AJ Dillon run up the middle in the 3rd quarter that would tie the game at 10. AJ Dillon finished the game with 76 yards. Jordan Love rushed for 37 yards in the game. Green Bay's offense would outpace the Raiders but they wouldn't get much further than that with 285 total yards. Jimmy Garoppolo would make his return for this game. The passer hit 22 of 31 passes for 208 yards with a touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers with an interception as well. Josh Jacobs would also get the other touchdown for the Raiders that proved to be the score that gave the Raiders the win in the 4th quarter. Jacobs would also get 69 yards rushing. Las Vegas got their offense to 279 total yards. For the Packers, they drop to 2-3 in the season. For the Raiders, they break out of a three-game losing streak and got to a 2-3 record. 

Next week:
Green Bay: Bye
Las Vegas: vs New England

TW: 7-7; CV: 6-8

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3
Week 5: 6-8

Total: 47-31

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Total: 52-26

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all for the Week 6 Picks post on Wednesday/Thursday. Enjoy your week!

-Tom

Rest in Peace Dick Butkus
(1942-2023)

NFL 2023 Week 4 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was featured some entertaining storylines. Such storylines like Denver coming back to get a win in Chicago, Baltimore dominating in Cleveland and the Vikings getting their first win in Carolina. All those and more in this week's recap post! Let's get to work!

NFL Week 4 Freaky Stat

Puka Nacua wouldn't take long to get a milestone in his young career. He broke a record of 31 receptions in his first four games of his career. It was a record held by Anquan Boldin who had 30 receptions in his first four games in 2003. The Texans win over the Steelers is the first time they beat them since 2011.

NFL Week 4 Recap

Detroit 34, Green Bay 20: TW: Lions; CV: Lions

Green Bay might owns the Bears but former Bear David Montgomery owned the Packers. Jared Goff hit 19 of 28 passes for 210 yards with a touchdown pass to Amonra St. Brown late in the 1st quarter. Goff would throw an interception but would lead to a Packers field goal. It would be running back David Montgomery that would see most of the carries from the Lions running attack. Montgomery hit 121 rushing yards with three touchdowns from 3 yards, 2 yards and 1 yard. It would be the 1st half where the Lions did most of their damage. In the 2nd half, it was cruise control. Jordan Love hit 23 of 36 passes for 246 yards with a touchdown pass to Christian Watson. The touchdown play came from a good drive by Green Bay in the start of the 2nd half. Watson was wide open. Love would toss two interceptions in the game but did run it in for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. Green Bay's running game would put up a paltry 27 yards, leading to a total offensive output of 230 yards. Jordan Love would also see Lions in his face pretty much all game getting sacked five times. Last week, Green Bay came back from 17-0 to beat the Saints. This week, they were down 27-3, the comeback wouldn't happen. For the Lions, they increase their lead in the NFC North with a 3-1 win and a break. For the Packers, it is back to the drawing board as they fall to 2-2. 

Next week:
Detroit: vs Carolina
Green Bay: @ Las Vegas (Monday night)

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Atlanta 7, Jacksonville 23: TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars
Two Desmond Ridder interceptions doom the Falcons in Wembley. Ridder would not have a great game as he hit 19 of 31 passes for 191 yards with a touchdown pass to Drake London. A London touchdown in London (you can't write this stuff up). As mentioned, Ridder threw two interceptions to Andre Cisco and Darious Williams. It was the Williams interception that would lead to him returning it for a Jaguars pick-six with under five minutes left in the 1st half. Bijan Robinson would have a 105 yard rushing day with 14 carries. Jacksonville's defense would hold the Falcons to 287 total yards in a marked improvement in points allowed (which the Jags allowed 37 to the Texans). Trevor Lawrence would play a solid day in London as he hit 23 of 30 passes for 207 yards with a touchdown pass to Calvin Ridley on a deep pitch out for a 30-yard opportunity. It would be the only offensive touchdown the Jaguars would score. Travis Etienne rushed for 55 yards on 20 carries while Trevor Lawrence rushed for 42 yards on eight rushes. Jacksonville's offense put up an even 300 yards. The game is also known as the "Toy Story" game as there was both a broadcast and a "Toy Story" themed broadcast to go along with it. All I can say is that I wish they had a "Toy Story" or "Nickelodeon" themed broadcasts when I was a kid in the 90's. For the Falcons, they drop their second straight game to go to a 2-2 record. For the Jaguars, they move up to .500 football as they get to 2-2. 

Next week:
Atlanta: vs Houston
Jacksonville: @ Buffalo (Sunday morning)

TW: 2-0; CV: 2-0

Cincinnati 3, Tennessee 27: TW: Bengals; CV: Titans
Umm... Cincinnati, are you okay? Joe Burrow would have a long day in the Music City as he hit 20 of 30 passes for 165 yards while rushing for one yard. Joe Mixon had a decent day on the ground game as he hit 67 yards rushing on 14 carries. Evan McPherson would hit the only points of the day for the Bengals on a 21-yard field goal with 9:15 left in the first quarter. They would not score again. All in all, the Bengals put up a 211 total yard performance in the game. Feels like something is wrong. Ryan Tannehill and the Titans offense rebounded after last week's 94 total yards. Tannehill hit 18 of 25 passes for 240 yards with a touchdown pass to Nick Westbrookikhine. He would also throw an interception in the game. Derrick Henry would return to his old self as he would play the game as a thrower and runner. He would toss a pass to Josh Whyle for a touchdown and took a 29-yard run for six points. King Henry rushed for 122 yards. Tennessee got to 400 total yards in the game. For the Bengals, they will drop to 1-3 in a season where a lot of people picked them to go far (pst including me). For the Titans, they join their AFC South brethren and get to 2-2. 

Next week:
Cincinnati: @ Arizona
Tennessee: @ Indianapolis

TW: 2-1; CV: 3-0

Baltimore 28, Cleveland 3: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
Baltimore's offense made quick work on the lethal Browns defense. Lamar Jackson's arm and his legs did the scoring for the Ravens. The passer hit 15 of 19 passes for 186 yards with two touchdown passes and rushed for 27 yards with two touchdown runs. Ravens tight end Mark Andrews caught the two touchdowns from Jackson. Gus Edwards rushed for 48 yards while Justice Hill rushed for 33 yards. The Ravens offense put up 296 total yards in the game. Cleveland's defense would only allow four 3rd down conversions and sacked Lamar Jackson three times. Prior to the game, the Browns would get some bad news as DeShaun Watson was injured with a shoulder injury would be ruled out. In comes rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson out of UCLA. The former Bruin would not do great as he hit 19 of 36 passes for 121 yards with three interceptions. Pierre Strong Jr rushed for 49 yards with a 40-yard run being the biggest highlight that the Dawg Pound saw Sunday afternoon. Dustin Hopkins hit a field goal in the first quarter. Thompson was sacked four times. Cleveland got a total of 166 total yards. For the Ravens, they have possession of first place in the AFC North with a 3-1 record. For the Browns, they drop to 2-2 in 2023. 

Next week:
Baltimore: @ Pittsburgh
Cleveland: Bye

TW: 3-1; CV: 4-0

Denver 31, Chicago 28: TW: Broncos; CV: Broncos
The Broncos got a win. After giving up 70 points last week, the Broncos were down 28-7 late in the 3rd quarter. Russell Wilson would propel the Broncos to victory as the passer hit 21 of 28 passes for 223 yards with three touchdown passes. The first was a pass to Jaleel McLaughlin for 18 yards. The 2nd would go to Brandon Johnson for four yards. The final one was to Cortland Sutton for a 13-yard play. Jaleel McLaughlin rushed for 72 yards on seven carries. Denver's defense would get a fumble-six on a Justin Fields sack that would get recovered by Jonathan Cooper for a 35-yard return. It would be a 17-point 4th quarter that would get the Broncos a much needed win. The game-deciding play would be a Wil Lutz field goal from 51 yards. Denver got 311 yards of offense. Justin Fields looked quite good in the game as he hit 28 of 35 passes for 335 yards with four touchdowns but also had the mentioned fumble and interception. Khalil Herbert rushed for 103 yards on 18 carries. Of the touchdowns that were thrown to the Bears, Khalil Herbert caught one, DJ Moore caught one and Cole Kmet had two. Denver's defense allowed 726 total yards last week, this week they gave up 471 total yards. Quite a bit of an improvement. For the Broncos, they get their first win with a 1-3 record. For the Bears, they are still looking for their first dub of 2023 at 0-4. 

Next week:
Denver: vs NY Jets
Chicago: @ Washington (Thursday night)

TW: 4-1; CV: 5-0

LA Rams 29, Indianapolis 23 (F/OT): TW: Rams; CV: Rams
The Colts almost completed the comeback but fell short. Matthew Stafford threw 27 of 40 passes for 319 yards with a touchdown to Puka Nacua and threw an interception. It would be the Nacua touchdown that would decide the game for the Rams. It was a rough game for Stafford who was limping a little bit and overcoming a hip injury. Kyren Williams had 103 yards rushing with two touchdowns in the game. Both of the touchdowns were from the 2nd quarter. Overall, the Rams offense got 467 total yards. Anthony Richardson had a trying game but would put forth a great effort. He hit 11 of 25 passes for 200 yards. Richardson would also rush in for a touchdown from the 1-yard line, while compiling 56 yards. It was a tale of two halves as the Rams put up 20 points in the 1st half while the Colts put up 23 points in the 2nd half. For the Rams, they got back to playing .500 football with a 2-2 record. For the Colts, they get to join the rest of the division as they get to 2-2.

Next week:
LA Rams: vs Philadelphia
Indianapolis: vs Tennessee

TW: 5-1; CV: 6-0

Miami 20, Buffalo 48: TW: Bills; CV: Dolphins
It was billed as a shootout and it kind of... was? Tua Tagovailoa hit 25 of 35 passes for 282 yards with a touchdown but tossed an interception in Miami's 2nd drive in the 3rd quarter. De'Von Achane continued to show off his speed as he rushed for 101 yards with two touchdowns on eight carries. Compared to the 726 total yards the Dolphins put up last week, they got to 393 total yards this week. Josh Allen would have a good day on Sunday as he had five total touchdowns. He hit 21 of 25 passes for 320 yards with four touchdowns and rushed for 17 yards with a rushing score. Stefon Diggs was the lucky guy who caught three of those four touchdown passes while getting 120 receiving yards. Gabe Davis had the other touchdown. Buffalo's offense got 414 total yards. Buffalo's defense would have the tall task of slowing down Miami and they did a good job, only allowing three 3rd down conversions and stopping the Dolphins three times on 4th down. For the Dolphins, they drop to 3-1 as their undefeated campaign comes to an end. No team in the AFC has zero losses now. For the Bills, they win their 3rd straight game while getting to 3-1. 

Next week:
Miami: vs NY Giants
Buffalo: vs Jacksonville (Sunday morning)

TW: 6-1; CV: 6-1

Minnesota 21, Carolina 13: TW: Vikings; CV: Panthers
It would be two touchdowns from Justin Jefferson and a DJ Wonnum fumble-six that lead to the Vikings first dub. Kirk Cousins didn't have a spectacular game as he hit 12 of 19 passes for 139 yards with two touchdowns to aforementioned Justin Jefferson. He tossed two interceptions in the game, including an early redzone trip by the Vikings. Alexander Mattison did have a good day with running the ball as he rushed for 95 yards. Newly acquired runner Cam Akers rushed for 40 yards in the game. Minnesota's defense had a fumble-six on a Bryce Young sack that was recovered by DJ Wonnum for a 51-yard score. Bryce Young had an alright game as he hit 25 of 32 passes for 204 yards. Chuba Hubbard rushed for 41 yards on 14 carries. Carolina's only touchdown would be from said interception that was from Sam Franklin for a 99-yard run back. Eddie Pineiro had two field goals. Both teams had their struggles on offense as the Vikings put up 265 total yards while the Panthers had 232 total yards. For the Vikings, they get their first win of the season as they get to 1-3. For the Panthers, they're still looking for the first win of 2023 as they go to 0-4. 

Next week:
Minnesota: vs Kansas City
Carolina: @ Detroit

TW: 7-1; CV: 6-2

Pittsburgh 6, Houston 30: TW: Steelers; CV: Texans
That CJ Stroud guy might actually be good. Kenny Pickett hit 15 of 23 passes for 114 yards with an interception. He would leave the game with a knee injury. Mitchell Trubisky would not do a lot as he passed for 18 yards. Najee Harris rushed for 71 yards in the game. Pittsburgh's offensive woes continue as they got only 225 total yards. CJ Stroud had a good day as he hit 16 of 30 passes for 306 yards with two touchdowns to Nico Collins for two yards and then from 52 yards. Devin Singletary would play quarterback for one play which resulted in a six-yard touchdown to Dalton Schultz. Dameon Pierce had 81 yards rushing on 24 carries. Pittsburgh's vaunted defense would allow 451 total yards from the Texans in this game. For the Steelers, they will need to make some changes offensively as they drop to 2-2. For the Texans, they get to 2-2 on the season. 

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs Baltimore
Houston: @ Atlanta

TW: 7-2; CV: 7-2

Tampa Bay 26, New Orleans 9: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Saints
The Bucs kept the Saints quiet in the Superdome. Baker Mayfield hit 25 of 32 passes for 246 yards with three touchdown passes with an interception in the game. Deven Thompkins, Cade Otton and Trey Palmer were the Buccaneers that caught those passes. Rachaad White had an alright game running the ball as he hit 56 yards on 15 carries. Mayfield had 31 yards rushing on eight carries. Derek Carr would not be a factor in the game as he hit 23 of 37 passes for 127 yards. Taysom Hill had one pass that was caught for a 13-yard gain. Jameis Winston would be the one guy that threw a pass that was intercepted by Dee Delaney. New Orleans offense was held to just five 3rd down conversions on 14 attempts with 61 total plays for an average gain of 3.2 yards/play. The Saints 197 total yards is the lowest in the Buccaneers-Saints series, beating a prior low that was 212 yards in a 2021 win. For the Buccaneers, they get to 3-1 with sole possession of the NFC South race. For the Saints, they fall to 2-2 in 2023. 

Next week: 
Tampa Bay: Bye
New Orleans: @ New England

TW: 8-2; CV: 7-3

Washington 31, Philadelphia 34  (F/OT): TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
It went to overtime but the Eagles are still undefeated. Sam Howell hit 29 of 41 passes for 290 yards with a touchdown to Jahan Dotson that would lead to the game-tying score of 31-31 to end regulation. Washington's rushing attack wouldn't get much but they did put it in the endzone. Brian Robinson rushed for 45 yards with a touchdown and Curtis Samuel rushed for a 1-yard score. Jalen Hurts threw for 25 of 37 passes for 319 yards with two touchdowns to AJ Brown. Dandre Swift (not Taylor Swift) would rush for 56 yards with a touchdown for the Eagles. AJ Brown had a day ash eh had 175 receiving yards on nine catches, including a 59 play that lead to an Eagles score. Philly's hero would be from kicker Jake Elliot who hit four field goals from 36, 41, 47 and then the game-winning 54-yard field goal. For the Commanders, they drop to 2-2 as they they lost their 2nd straight game. For the Eagles, they continue their undefeated season for at least another week as they get to 4-0. 

Next week:
Washington: vs Chicago (Thursday night)
Philadelphia: @ LA Rams 

TW: 9-2; CV: 8-3

Las Vegas 17, LA Chargers 24: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
Asante Samuel Jr. saves the day for the Chargers. Aidan O'Connell would get the nod for the Raiders. The rookie out of Purdue hit 24 of 39 passes for 238 yards with an interception that almost lead to the Raiders score. Josh Jacobs rushed for 58 yards with a touchdown run. Aidan O'Connell would also rush for a touchdown for his first touchdown. It would be a decent day for the Raiders offense putting up 264 total yards. Justin Herbert would have an alright day as the passer hit 13 of 24 passes for 167 yards with a touchdown pass to Keenan Allen. Justin Herbert the runner rushed for 27 yards and saw the endzone twice. Joshua Kelley ran for 65 yards on 17 carries. Derius Davis ran for 51 yards on three carries, with a 51-yard run being the longest in the game for him. On the Asante Samuel Jr. play O'Connell attempted to throw the ball to Jakobi Meyers on a play to the right. Khalil Mack would have a day for the ages as he reaches a franchise record six sacks in the game. For the Raiders, they drop to 1-3 with three straight defeats. For the Chargers, they get to 2-2 with two straight wins. 

Next week:
Las Vegas: vs Green Bay (Monday night)
LA Chargers: Bye

TW: 10-2; CV: 9-3

Arizona 16, San Francisco 35: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
It was the Christian McCaffrey show in Santa Clara. Josh Dobbs had a good day as he hit 28 of 41 passes for 265 yards with two touchdowns to Michael Wilson in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. James Conner had 52 yards rushing on 11 carries. Josh Dobbs had 12 carries with 48 yards rushing. Arizona's offense would put up 362 total yards. Brock Purdy was near perfect as he hit 20 of 21 passes for 283 yards with a touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey. The lone incompletion came from a pressure which Purdy had to dump a pass targeted to Brandon Aiyuk. Christian McCaffrey had a day as he rushed for 106 yards with three touchdown trips. The touchdowns were from 1, 18 and 2 yard plays. Brandon Aiyuk had 148 receiving yards with six catches. For Christian McCaffrey fantasy owners he put up 48 fantasy points. Not too shabby. For the Cardinals, they drop to 1-3 in 2023. For the 49ers, they continue their undefeated season at 4-0. They and the Eagles are the lone undefeated teams in the NFL. 

Next week:
Arizona: vs Cincinnati
San Francisco: vs Dallas (Sunday night)

TW: 11-2; CV: 10-3

New England 3, Dallas 38: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
It was not a kind day for Mac Jones and the rest of the New England Patriots. Mac Jones hit 12 of 21 passes for 150 yards with two interceptions. The first interception was taken back by Daron Bland for a pick-six to close out the 1st half. The 2nd interception was also by Daron Bland but didn't return it back for a score. Jones would be benched for folk hero Bailey Zappe. He wouldn't do much to save the Patriots as he hit 4 of 9 passes for 57 yards. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 30 yards. Former Cowboy Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 16 yards in his return to AT&T Stadium. It was not a pretty sight as Mac Jones would give up a fumble that was recovered by Leighton Vander-Esch that would put the Cowboys up by double digits. On the point after, Bryan Anger hit a pass to Chauncey Golston for two points. It was a play that even the Patriots were not expecting. New England would hit 253 total yards of offense. Dak Prescott had a good game as he hit 28 of 34 passes for 261 yards with a touchdown pass to CeeDee Lamb that would give the Cowboys a 10-3 lead. Tony Pollard would be somewhat of a factor as he rushed for 47 yards on 11 carries. Kavontae Turpin rushed for 46 yards on a huge play for the Cowboys. Hunter Luepke rushed for a touchdown on a 3-yard play. Dallas would ease their foot off the gas which in case was warranted as the Patriots could not do a lot in this game. Dallas racked up 377 total yards in the game. For the Patriots, they drop to 1-3 in what is Bill Belichick's worst loss in his entire coaching career (dating back to his coaching days in Cleveland). For the Cowboys, they get to 3-1 with a date with the 49ers next week.

Next week:
New England: vs New Orleans
Dallas: @ San Francisco (Sunday night)

TW: 12-2; CV: 11-3

Kansas City 23, NY Jets 20: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
It looked like a blowout and then the Jets almost won it. Patrick Mahomes looked like he was hitting on all cylinders in the 1st quarter. He threw a touchdown pass to Noah Gray in the 1st quarter. He finished the game with 18 of 30 passing for 203 yards while tossing two interceptions that looked uncharacteristically like Mahomes passes. Isiah Pacheco had a good day running the ball with 115 rushing yards on 20 carries with a touchdown run in the 1st quarter. Patrick Mahomes would rush for 51 yards. In fact, the Chiefs rush offense did more than their pass offense. Taylor Swift's boyfriend Travis Kelce had six catches for 60 yards. No touchdown though, sorry Swifties. Kansas City compiled 401 total yards. Zach Wilson who looked like the second coming of Joe Namath in this game in a week where he was being run out of town. Wilson hit 28 of 39 passes for 245 yards with two touchdowns to Alan Lazard and CJ Uzomah. Breece Hall rushed for six carries for 56 yards with a 43-yard run being the highlight for the Jets. The scoring for the Jets started with a Patrick Mahomes incomplete pass on a play deep in their own territory. An ensuing face mask penalty was enforced in the endzone which resulted in a safety. A Greg Zuerlein field goal and Wilson pass to Uzomah for a touchdown reduced the Chiefs lead to 17-12. Another Zuerlein field goal and a Wilson touchdown pass to Lazard with the successful two-point conversion would put the game at 20-20 at the end of the 3rd quarter. There was some controversy as the referee made the call on a questionable hold by Sauce Gardner. The result of the play was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on Jets coach Robert Saleh. The Chiefs would survive. For the Chiefs, they escape from New Jersey with a 3-1 record. For the Jets, they drop to 1-3 on the season. 

Next week:
Kansas City: @ Minnesota
NY Jets: @ Denver

TW: 13-2; CV: 12-3

Seattle 24, NY Giants 3: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
Another rough game for the Giants as the Seahawks take care of business. Geno Smith hit 13 of 20 passes for 110 yards with a touchdown pass to DK Metcalf. The play came on a short pass for a six-yard connection to end the 1st quarter. Drew Lock would play some of the game as he hit 2 of 6 for 63 yards. Kenneth Walker III played a good game running the football with 79 yards rushing on 17 carries including a rushing touchdown in the 2nd quarter. It was a quiet offensive output by the Seahawks offense as they got to 281 total yards. It was another lowest of the lows for the Giants offense as they would get their points from a Graham Gano 55-yard field goal in the 2nd quarter. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones hit 27 of 34 passes for 203 yards with two interceptions. One of them came from Devon Witherspoon on a play where the Giants were on the Seahawks 3-yard line for a 97-yard return for the pick-six. It was a rough night for the Giants offensive line as they gave up a franchise-record eleven sacks. The most that a Giants team had given up since 1986 when they gave up 10 against the Raiders. Jones would also rush for 66 yards in the game. The Giants offense put up 248 total yards in the game. For the Seahawks, they enter their bye week with a good 3-1 record. For the Giants, they suffer humiliation but they still have a 1-3 record to stare at. 

Next week:
Seattle: Bye
NY Giants: @ Miami

TW: 14-2; CV: 13-3

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Week 4: 13-3

Total: 41-23

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 14-2

Total: 45-19

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 5 picks post!

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 3 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was brought us some close games while they were more blowouts than anything. Miami putting up a 70 burger on the Broncos, the Bills spoiling the Commanders, the Packers coming back against the Saints, and the Texans getting their first win of 2023. All those games and more in this week's recap post.

NFL Week 3 Freaky Stat

The Giants put up 150 total yards, the 49ers rush offense put up 141 yards. Colts kicker Matt Gay had one of the better clutch performances from a kicker as he hit field goals from 50, 51, 53 and 54 yards. 

NFL Week 3 Recap

NY Giants 12, San Francisco 30: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers

A thorough demolition by the 49ers. It seemed that the Giants might have some hope in doing something things but the loss to Saquon Barkley hurt their chances. Daniel Jones had 22 of 32 passes completed for 137 yards with an interception thrown late in the 4th quarter. Matt Breida, the former 49er, would rush for only 17 yards for the only touchdown that the Giants would plow through. The play was from a redzone trip that would come on a 8-yard play to the right. The Giants offense, their staple to their success in 2022, would only put up 150 total yards. Definitely not going to get it done. Offensive line issues have plagued the Giants so far and it didn't improve much in this game. Brock Purdy would manhandle the Giants defense in this game. He hit 25 of 37 passes for 310 yards with two touchdowns to Deebo Samuel and Ronnie Bell. Accuracy issues would effect Purdy early but would ease into the game eventually. Christian McCaffrey continued his consecutive scoring touchdown streak to 12 games in this one while racking up 85 yards. The McCaffrey touchdown would come on a play up the middle with some key blocking. Elijah Mitchell had 42 yards rushing on 11 carries. For the Niners, their offense put up 441 total yards with 141 of them coming on the ground. Nearly outgaining the Giants entire offense. The game really was a show of how well the Niners offense could go as their first drive went for over half of the 1st half's time. For the Giants, their west coast trip went to a 1-1 record but they still have a 1-2 record in 2023 to contend with. For the 49ers, they continue their unbeaten streak to 3-0. 

Next week:
NY Giants: vs Seattle (Monday night)
San Francisco: vs Arizona

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Atlanta 6, Detroit 20: TW: Lions; CV: Lions

Jared Goff proceeds to throw and run for touchdowns in this game. Desmond Ridder had an alright game as he hit 21 of 38 passes for 201 yards. He didn't throw a touchdown but didn't throw an interception. Bijan Robinson rushed for 33 yards on 10 carries. A quieter game for Robinson and the Falcons offense in general as they got 183 total yards. Only two Younghoe Koo field goals were the ones that got the Falcons points. Jared Goff had a bit of a rebound game as he threw for 243 yards with a touchdown to Sam Laporta in the 2nd quarter. He did throw an interception in the game. Goff would rush into the endzone on a 3-yard play that had 9:54 left in the game. The turnovers were limited for the Lions but the penalties were not. Detroit had 10 flags for 119 yards. In spite of the mistakes, the Lions did get 358 total yards. For the Falcons, they suffer their first loss of  2023 with a 2-1 record. For the Lions, they get the rebound win and get a 2-1 record with some cushion in the NFC North. 

Next week:
Atlanta: @ Jacksonville (Sunday morning)
Detroit: @ Green Bay (Thursday night)

TW: 2-0; CV: 2-0

Buffalo 37, Washington 3: TW: Bills; CV: Commanders

Washington turnovers were abound in this game. Josh Allen would play well in this game. The quarterback hit 20 of 32 passes for 218 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception. The touchdown would be on a Allen to Gabe Davis 35-yard connection. Josh Allen rushed for 46 yards with a touchdown run from 10 yards. Latavius Murray rushed for 15 yards with a touchdown. James Cook had 98 yards rushing. Buffalo's defense would grab a Sam Howell pass that was AJ Epenesa from 32 yards for the pick-six. Overall the Bills offense got 386 yards total while getting 35 yards from interceptions. Sam Howell had his moments in this game. He hit 19 of 29 passes for 170 yards with four interceptions. One of them was from an aforementioned pick-six. Brian Robinson had 10 carries for 70 yards, getting him seven yards per carry. Washington's three points were from a 51-yard kick. Washington's struggles on 3rd down were well known in this game as they converted just once out of nine. For the Bills, they get to 2-1 with two straight wins after a close loss to the Jets in Week 1. For the Commanders, their undefeated season ends in a humbling way as they go to 2-1. 

Next week:
Buffalo: vs Miami
Washington: @ Philadelphia

TW: 3-0; CV: 2-1

Denver 20, Miami 70: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins

Ladies and gentlemen, we got ourselves a scorigami. Russell Wilson did all that he could as he hit 23 of 38 passes for 306 yards with a touchdown pass to Cameron Sutton in the 1st quarter. He would also hit an interception in the game as well. Javonte Williams rushed for 42 yards. Despite the dominance of Miami, the Broncos did get a kick-six from Marvin Mims for a 99 yards. Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins offense was near perfect. Tua hit 23 of 26 passes for 309 yards with four touchdowns. One of the touchdowns was a Patrick Mahomes-esque shuttle pass. Late in the game, the Dolphins let Mike White play some ball. The former Jet hit 2 for 2 for 67 yards with a touchdown pass of his own. Devon Achane had a game as he rushed for 203 yards with two touchdowns. Raheem Mostert had 82 yards rushing with three touchdowns. The 726 offensive yards beats the old record held by the Los Angeles Rams' 722 yards against the New York Yanks in 1951. Miami's 70 points ties with the same Rams team that did that to the Yanks. The 73 points scored by the Chicago Bears in 1940 still stands. For the Broncos, the humiliating loss will keep them winless at 0-3. For the Dolphins, they continue their undefeated season with a 3-0 record. 

Next week: 
Denver: @ Chicago

Miami: @ Buffalo

TW: 4-0; CV: 3-1

Houston 37, Jacksonville 17: TW: Jaguars; CV: Jaguars
Who had the Texans winning this one? CJ Stroud had a good game in his young career as he hit 20 of 30 passes for 280 yards with two touchdown passes. The first touchdown was from a Stroud to Brevin Jordan connection for four yards with 7:30 left in the 2nd quarter. The 2nd touchdown went to Nathaniel Dell on a 68-yard score that increased the Texans lead to 34-17. Dameon Pierce had 31 yards rushing with a touchdown. Devin Singletary had 41 yards rushing. Houston put up 366 total yards with a makeshift offensive line that didn't allow a sack. Trevor Lawrence had 27 of 40 passes completed for a touchdown to Christian Kirk. He would also throw an interception in the game. Travis Etienne rushed for 88 yards. Jacksonville outgained Houston with 404 total yards. Stats wise the Jaguars looked like to be the better team but they were 5 for 13 on 3rd down, went 3 for 5 in the kicking game and also fumbled the ball. Seems there is something going on with the Jaguars. For the Texans, they get their first win in a convincing fashion as they get to 1-2. For the Jaguars, they drop to 1-2. 

Next week:
Houston: vs Pittsburgh
Jacksonville: vs Atlanta (Sunday morning)

TW: 4-1; CV: 3-2

Indianapolis 22, Baltimore 19 (F/OT): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
What a weird game in general. Gardner Minshew would start over Anthony Richardson who is dealing with some concussion issues. The former Jaguar hit 27 of 44 passes for 227 yards with a touchdown pass to Zack Moss for a 17-yard connection in the 2nd quarter. Along with the touchdown, Moss had 122 yards rushing on 30 carries. One goof for Minshew was him touchdown the end of the endzone for a safety for the Ravens. The two points would get the Ravens a 19-16 lead. The player that showed off his prowess was Matt Gay who was perfect from field goals as mentioned in the Crazy Stat of the Week. Lamar Jackson had a good game he had 22 of 31 passes for 202 yards and had 101 yards rushing with two touchdown runs. Gus Edwards had 51 yards rushing. Good offense from both teams as the Colts had 327 yards and the Ravens had 364 yards. Justin Tucker was almost clutch as he kicked a field goal that almost looked good when the two teams were tied at 19. For the Colts, they get to 2-1 with two straight wins and are currently at the top of the AFC South. For the Ravens, they lose game #1 but still have a 2-1 record. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: vs LA Rams

Baltimore: @ Cleveland

TW: 4-2; CV: 3-3

LA Chargers 28, Minnesota 24: TW: Vikings; CV: Chargers
Oh so close Vikings. So close. Justin Herbert would do well in this game as he hit 40 of 47 passes for 405 yards with three touchdown passes. Keenan Allen would play quarterback for one play that yielded some positive results as he tossed a pass for a 49-yard connection to Mike Williams. Joshua Kelley and the Chargers runners wouldn't get a lot going as he got 12 yards rushing. Overall the Chargers got 475 yards total of offensive ball. Kirk Cousins would have the shot to complete the comeback but faltered. The passer hit 32 of 50 passes for 367 yards with three touchdown passes. He threw an interception that was on the Vikings last offensive play. A tipped pass that was intercepted by Kenneth Murray. Alexander Mattison had 93 yards rushing. Minnesota wouldn't use Cam Akers in the game. Akers was acquired late in the week with a trade for draft picks. For the Chargers, they get their first win of 2023 to get to a 1-2 record. For the Vikings, they continue to have their bad luck in one-score games but they still have to search for win #1 as they drop to 0-3.

Next week:
LA Chargers: vs Las Vegas
Minnesota: @ Carolina

TW: 4-3; CV: 4-3

New England 15, NY Jets 10: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
Patriots dominate the Jets for their 15th consecutive win. Mac Jones had some moments in the game. The best moment was him tossing a 58-yard pass to Pharaoh Brown for a 58-yard score that increased the Patriots lead to 10 points in the 2nd quarter. Ezekiel Elliot had one of his better games thus far in a Patriots uniform as he had 80 yards on 16 carries. Rhamondre Stevenson had 59 yards rushing on 19 carries. Matthew Judon would get a safety on Zach Wilson that helped increase the Patriots lead to five points. New England had 358 total yards of offense. Zach Wilson had a trying time in this game, dealing with both the Patriots and the Jets fans. He completed 18 of 36 passes for 157 yards. He wouldn't get a lot going for most of the game but the touchdown drive was at least something to note. Nick Bawden scored the only touchdown for the Jets on a 1-yard dive in play. New York had 171 total yards of offense. For the Patriots, they avoid their first 0-3 start since 2000 (Bill Belichick's first season in New England) and get to 1-2. For the Jets, they drop to 1-2 with two straight losses. 

Next week:
New England: @ Dallas
NY Jets: vs Kansas City (Sunday night)

TW: 5-3; CV: 5-3

New Orleans 17, Green Bay 18: TW: Packers; CV: Saints
Green Bay scored all of their points in the 4th quarter. Derek Carr hit 13 of 18 passes for 103 yards with a touchdown pass to Jimmy Graham (yeah that Jimmy Graham) on a 8-yard pass play to the left. Carr would leave the game after taking a rough hit while throwing the ball away. Jameis Winston would hit 10 of 16 passes for 101 yards. Kendre Miller had 34 yards rushing on nine carries. New Orleans had 252 total yards of offense. Saints special teams had a boost as Rasheed Shaheed had a punt-six for 76 yards. Jordan Love would carry the team on his back in this one. Love hit 22 of 44 passes for 259 yards with a touchdown pass to Romeo Doubs that would prove to be the game-winning score (along with the point after). The Doubs play would come from a 8-yard connection that resulted in Doubs making a crazy catch and dive into the pylon. Jordan Love would have a rushing touchdown on 39 yards rushing. It was on a quarterback dive. New Orleans had an opportunity to win the game as well as kicker Blake Grupe tried for a 46-yard field goal that went wide right. For the Saints, their undefeated campaign ends as they drop to 2-1. For the Packers, they get to 2-1 in the Jordan Love era. 

Next week:
New Orleans: vs Tampa Bay
Green Bay: vs Detroit (Thursday night)

TW: 6-3; CV: 5-4

Tennessee 3, Cleveland 27: TW: Titans; CV: Titans
Ouch Titans, only 94 total yards. Ryan Tannehill did not do much as he threw 13 of 25 passes for 104 yards. He didn't throw an interception but he didn't throw a touchdown either. Derrick Henry rushed for 20 yards on 11 carries. Tennessee's 94 total yards of offense was the franchise's worst since putting up just 98 yards against Jacksonville in 2006. DeShaun Watson had a better game as he hit 27 of 33 passes for 289 yards with two touchdowns to Amari Cooper and Jerome Ford. Ford would also rush in for a touchdown as well. Pierre Strong Jr had 27 yards rushing. Cleveland's offense put up 341 yards. The loss of Nick Chubb was not felt in general in this game but 78 yards rushing in general did get the Browns enough for the win. Cleveland's defense put up a showing as Myles Garrett had five tackles and had 3 1/2 of the team's four sacks in the game as well as a forced fumble. In two home games, the Browns have outscored opponents 51-6. Uffdah! For the Titans, their 2023 campaign takes a weird turn as they drop to 1-2. For the Browns, they rebound from the weird loss to the Steelers to get to a 2-1 record. 

Next week:
Tennessee: Cincinnati
Cleveland: vs Baltimore

TW: 6-4; CV: 5-5

Carolina 27, Seattle 37: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
Kenneth Walker propelled the Seahawks to a win. Andy Dalton and the Panthers offense would play a better game. Dalton threw 34 of 58 passes for 361 yards with two touchdowns. Adam Thielen and DJ Chark received the touchdowns from Dalton. Miles Sanders had 24 yards rushing with a touchdown on nine carries. Carolina would be competing a lot with Seattle with their offense. It was not enough. Carolina had 378 total yards of offense. It was certainly a good game with Andy Dalton at quarterback. Geno Smith had an alright game with 23 of 36 passes for 296 yards with a touchdown to Jake Bobo and an interception. Kenneth Walker III had a good game as the runner had 97 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Seattle would keep it going with their running game which seems to be their backbone of their offensive attack. Seattle in general would put up 425 total yards of offense. For the Panthers, they still have a winless season as they drop to 0-3. For the Seahawks, they win their 2nd straight win as they improve to 2-1. 

Next week: 
Carolina: vs Minnesota
Seattle: @ NY Giants (Monday night)

TW: 7-4; CV: 6-5

Chicago 10, Kansas City 41: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Poor Chicago Bears, they had to deal with both the Chiefs and the Swifties at Arrowhead. Justin Fields did not do a lot in the game as he threw 11 of 22 passes for 99 yards with a touchdown to DJ Moore in the 4th quarter. He would also throw an interception in the game but did rush for 47 yards in the game. All in all the Bears would put up 203 total yards of offense. Chicago's offense would get four yards per play in the game and had 4 of 12 successful conversions on 3rd down. Patrick Mahomes would get back to his normal self in the game. Mahomes hit 24 of 33 passes for 272 yards for three touchdowns. Jerrick McKinnon caught two of those touchdown passes. He would also throw a pass to Travis Kelce, who has recently became the boyfriend to popstar Taylor Swift. Swift was in attendance in one of the suites. Blaine Gabbert would get some play time as he hit 3 of 5 passes for 31 yards but threw two interceptions in the game. It would be the tandem of Isiah Pacheco and Clyde Edwards-Helaire that would put the Chiefs in a dominating performance. Both runners had a touchdown each while Pacheco had 62 yards rushing and Edwards-Helaire had 55 yards. Kansas City was in control for most of the game as they would put up 27 points in the 2nd quarter. For the Bears, they still have to find another game to win game #1 as they drop to 0-3. For the Chiefs, they improve to 2-1 in 2023. 

Next week:
Chicago: vs Denver
Kansas City: @ NY Jets (Sunday night)

TW: 8-4; CV: 7-5

Dallas 16, Arizona 28: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
Last week the Cardinals put up 28 points and lost. This week they put up 28 and did not lose. Dak Prescott threw 25 of 40 passes for completion for 249 yards with a touchdown pass to Rico Dowdle while throwing an interception. Tony Pollard rushed for 122 yards on 23 carries. In general, the Cowboys did not make a lot of mistakes outside of the interception. Their offense did get 416 total yards out of it all. Their offense just looked out of sync at times. The Cowboys loss of Trevon Diggs was felt in this game as he can be a force on the defensive side of the ball. Joshua Dobbs had a better game in the season as he hit 17 of 21 passes for 189 yards with a touchdown pass to Malcolm Brown. The pass play would be from a 2-yard short pass to the right that would be the final scoring play of the game that gave the Cards a 12-point advantage. Arizona's running game would do the rest as Rondale Moore got 34 yards on three carries with a touchdown. James Conner rushed for 98 yards with a touchdown. Matt Prater hit a monster of a kick on a 62-yard field goal that ended the first half with Arizona ahead 21-10 at halftime. Arizona finished with an even 400 yards of offense. For the Cowboys, they suffer loss #1 in 2023 but they still have a 2-1 record. For the Cardinals, they get their new head coach Jonathan Gannon win #1 in his coaching career and improve to 1-2. 

Next week:
Dallas: vs New England
Arizona: @ San Francisco

TW: 8-5; CV: 7-6

Pittsburgh 23, Las Vegas 18: TW: Steelers; CV: Raiders
I good old fashioned Steelers-Raiders matchup. Kenny Pickett had 16 of 28 passes completed for 235 yards with two touchdown passes to Pat Friermuth and Calvin Austin III. Najee Harris had 65 yards rushing on 19 carries. It was a better showing for the Steelers offense that had been criticized for its lack of more production. Overall, the Steelers offense saw itself put up 333 total yards. Jimmy Garoppolo had 28 of 44 passes completed for 324 yards with two touchdowns to Davante Adams. Garoppolo had three passes that were intercepted. Two of them were grabbed by Levi Wallace. One of them was caught on the last Raiders drive. Josh Jacobs had 62 yards rushing on 17 carries. Las Vegas at one point looked dead and then would close in with a Garoppolo pass to Adams for a 1-yard score. The Raiders would score on the two-point conversion. In a controversial decision, Josh McDaniels would call on his field goal unit to get the Raiders to a five-point differential. Obviously they would not succeed but the Raiders would score 11 points in three minutes. Las Vegas put up 362 total yards of offense in the game. For the Steelers, they move to 2-1 with two straight wins. For the Raiders, they drop to 1-2 with two straight losses in their midst. 

Next week:
Pittsburgh: @ Houston
Las Vegas: @ LA Chargers

TW: 9-5; CV: 7-7

Philadelphia 25, Tampa Bay 11: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
Not quite the Eagles we were expecting but they did get the win. Jalen Hurts hit 23 of 37 passes for 277 yards with a touchdown pass to Olamide Zaccheaus. He would also throw two interceptions in the game but also rushed for a touchdown while getting 28 yards rushing. Dandre Swift had 130 yards rushing on 16 carries. It was a good offensive showing despite the turnovers, with the Eagles getting 472 total yards. Baker Mayfield would not quite the game as Hurts as he had 15 of 25 passes for 146 yards with a touchdown to Mike Evans that would come in the 4th quarter. Mayfield would throw an interception in a game where it was not needed to throw the ball to the opposing team. Rachaad White got 38 yards rushing for the Bucs. It was the exact opposite for the Buccaneers offense compared to the Eagles, with the Bucs getting 174 total yards. For the Eagles, they remain undefeated with the 49ers and Dolphins at 3-0. For the Buccaneers, they lose their first game of the season but remain high with a 2-1 record. 

Next week:
Philadelphia: vs Washington
Tampa Bay: @ New Orleans

TW: 10-5; CV: 8-7

LA Rams 16, Cincinnati 19: TW: Bengals; CV: Rams

The two teams last played each other 20 months ago for the Super Bowl. In this game, the Bengals got some measure of revenge. Matthew Stafford hit 18 of 33 passes for 269 yards with a touchdown pass to Tutu Atwell in the Rams final drive. Atwell was seen on the left side of the end zone wide open. Stafford would be seeing all Bengals in the game as he was sacked six times and picked off two times. Kyren Williams rushed for 38 yards in the game. Cooper Kupp's presence would not be found in the game as the wide out is still dealing with hamstring issues. Los Angeles would put up 292 total yards of offense in the game but would not show it in the touchdown department. Joe Burrow had some questioning if the quarterback could play. The former LSU product had some moments of trying football. He finished with 26 of 49 passes for 259 yards with an interception. Joe Mixon would score the only touchdown for the Bengals on a run up the left hashmark for a 14-yard touchdown. The touchdown would give the Bengals a 4-point lead in the 3rd quarter. Mixon finished with 65 yards. Cincy would get 309 total yards while Ja'Marr Chase had 141 receiving yards. Both teams would utilize their kickers often as the Rams kicker Brett Maher hit 3 of 3 field goals and Bengals kicker Evan McPherson hit 4 of 5 for three points. For the Rams, they drop their 2nd straight game to go to a record of 1-2. For the Bengals, they get a much needed win in a season of unfortunate events with a record of 1-2. 

Next week:
LA Rams: @ Indianapolis
Cincinnati: @ Tennessee

TW: 11-5; CV: 8-8

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

Total: 28-20

2017: 167-89
2018: 156-98-2
2019: 151-104-1
2020: 163-92-1
2021: 167-104-1
2022: 157-112-2

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 11-5

Total: 31-17

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2
2019: 161-94-1

2020: 167-88-1 

2021: 173-98-1
2022: 166-103-2

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 4 Picks Post! 

-Tom