NFL 2024 Week 3 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was Week 3 featured some insane storylines. Such storylines like Aaron Rodgers coming back to MetLife, The Broncos surpassing the Bucs to get their first win of the season, a turnover fest in Indianapolis, a near comeback in Dallas, and a rout in Buffalo. All those games and more in this week's recap.

NFL Week 3 Freaky Stat

Week 3 of the NFL was about parity. Of the nine teams that started at 2-0, only five teams remain undefeated at 3-0. The NFC finished up the 10-game interconference slate with the AFC with a 6-4 record. 

NFL Week 3 Recap

New England 3, NY Jets 24: TW: Patriots 

Aaron Rodgers looks like him old self and everything went wrong for the Pats. Jacoby Brissett hit 12 of 18 passes for 98 yards. The 3rd overall draft pick Drake Maye got to see his debut in this game. He hit 4 of 8 passes for 22 yards. Antonio Gibson was the leading rusher with 29 yards on five carries. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for six carries for 23 yards. Demario Douglas was the leading receiver for the Patriots with seven catches for 69 yards. New England had 139 total yards of offense. The Patriots couldn't sustain drives a whole lot as they had just 11 first downs, 19:56 time of possession and 2 of 11 on 3rd down and their quarterbacks were sacked seven times. Aaron Rodgers looked like his old self in this game. He hit 27 of 35 passes for 281 yards with two touchdowns. Alan Lazard and Garrett Wilson caught the passes from Rodgers for six. Braelon Allen was the leading rusher for the Jets with 55 yards. Breece Hall ran it in to the endzone for a score while getting 16 carries for 54 yards. Tyler Conklin had 93 yards receiving with five catches. For team stats, the Jets had 400 total yards, had 27 first downs, 10 of 15 on 3rd down conversions and had just over 40 minutes of ball possession. Pretty dominating effort. For the Patriots, they drop to 1-2 and have a weekend to ponder if they should stick with Drake Maye or go with Jacoby Brissett. For the Jets, they get to 2-1 for the first time since 2015. 

Next week: 
New England: @ San Francisco
NY Jets: vs Denver

TW: 0-1

Chicago 16, Indianapolis 21: TW: Colts

The Colts hold off the Bears at home. Caleb Williams would get used a lot as he hit 33 of 52 passes for 363 yards with two touchdowns but also tossed two interceptions. Rome Odunze caught the first touchdown for the 1st touchdown for Chicago. Cole Kmet caught the other for the last score for the Bears. Roschon Johnson carried the ball eight times for 30 yards. Dandre Swift carried 13 times for 20 yards. Rome Odunze was the leading receiver with six catches for 112 yards. Anthony Richardson would have a rough game as he hit 10 of 20 passes for 167 yards with two interceptions. Despite the lack of a strong passing game, the Colts running game would carry the day. Jonathan Taylor had 23 carries for 110 yards with two touchdowns. Trey Sermon had two carries for 16 carries. Alec Pierce had one pass caught for 44 yards to be the leading receiver for the Colts. The lack of a running game costed Chicago in this game and a lack of a passing game almost blew it for the Colts. For the Bears, they drop to 1-2 on the season. For the Colts, they are winless no more as they get to 1-2 on the season. 

Next week: 
Chicago: vs LA Rams
Indianapolis: vs Pittsburgh

TW: 1-1

Denver 26, Tampa Bay 7: TW: Buccaneers

The Broncos upset the Buccaneers on the road. Bo Nix the passer hit 25 of 36 passes for 216 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. The runner had nine carries for 47 yards with a touchdown. Jaleel McLaughlin scored the 2nd touchdown on a run play to the right where the runner made a deke move that made any ankle freak out. Wil Lutz hit four field goals in the game. Tyler Badie was the leading rusher for the Broncos with nine carries of his own with 70 yards. Turnovers helped the Broncos in this game as they took a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. Courtland Sutton caught seven passes for 68 yards to be the leading receiver for Denver. Broncos had 352 total yards in the game. Baker Mayfield had a trying time in this game. He hit 25 of 33 passes for 163 yards with a touchdown pass to Chris Godwin but also tossed an interception on the Bucs 2nd drive of the game. Bucky Irving had nine carries for 70 yards to be the leading rusher for the Buccaneers. Chris Godwin was the leading receiver for six catches with 53 yards. Tampa Bay had 223 total yards in the game. Along with the interception, the Bucs fumbled the ball. Pass protection broke down as Baker Mayfield saw Broncos players seven times for 31 yards lost. For the Broncos, they proved the doubters wrong as Bo Nix and Denver get their first win of the season. For the Buccaneers, their hopes of going 3-0 for the first time in 20 years will not happen as they drop to 2-1. 

Next week: 

Denver: @ NY Jets
Tampa Bay: vs Philadelphia

TW: 1-2

Green Bay 30, Tennessee 14: TW: Packers

Malik Willis wins it for the Green and Gold. Willis hit 13 of 19 passes for 202 yards with a touchdown to Emanuel Wilson. He also rushed for a touchdown in the game with 73 yards and six carries. Christian Watson had two catches for 67 yards with a 37 yard play being the longest in the game. Titans mistakes were the cause of the Packers win as the secondary had two interceptions with Jaire Alexander getting a pick-six and Xavier McKinney stealing the ball and Titans hopes. Green Bay had 378 yards of offense in the game. Will Levis had a tough one as he hit 26 of 34 passes for 260 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions. Nick Vannett caught the first touchdown that tied the game at 7-7 in the 1st quarter. The 2nd touchdown went to DeAndre Hopkins for 11 yards in the 3rd quarter that cut the Packer lead to 27-14. The deficit wouldn't begin for Tennessee as Tony Pollard was the leading rusher with six carries for 14 yards. DeAndre Hopkins caught six passes for 73 yards. Tennessee's mistakes cost them in the game but put up 237 total yards in the game. For the Packers, Malik Willis gets his revenge over Tennessee who traded him to Green Bay as the Pack improve to 2-1. For the Titans, they drop to 0-3 as Bill Callahan's men are still looking for a win. 

Next week: 
Green Bay: vs Minnesota

Tennessee: @ Miami (Monday night)

TW: 2-2

Houston 7, Minnesota 34: TW: Vikings

Anything that could go wrong for the Texans, did go wrong for them in Minneapolis. CJ Stroud hit 20 of 31 passes for a touchdown to Cam Akers but also threw two interceptions. The touchdown came in the 3rd quarter. With the game out of reach for a comeback, the Texans turned to Davis Mills and hit 7 of 12 passes for 79 yards. Cam Akers rushed for 21 yards on nine carries. Stefon Diggs caught 10 passes for 94 yards and even tossed a pass for 13 yards in his return to Minnesota where he was drafted and played for. Houston put up more yardage than the Vikings with 296 total yards but the score would tell a different story. Sam Darnold was superb in this game as he hit 17 of 28 passes for 181 yards for four touchdowns. Of the Vikings that caught the passes they were: Justin Jefferson for one, Aaron Jones for one, Justin Nailor for one and Johnny Mundt for the other touchdown. Aaron Jones rushed for 102 yards with 19 carries. Justin Jefferson would play this game despite having some injury issues last week. He had six catches for 81 yards. Minnesota had just 274 yards of offense in the game. They would put the hurt on the Texans. For the Texans, their undefeated season ends as they drop to 2-1. For the Vikings, they improve to 3-0 and stay unbeaten. 

Next week: 
Houston: vs Jacksonville
Minnesota: @ Green Bay

TW: 3-2

LA Chargers 10, Pittsburgh 20: TW: Steelers

The Chargers drop to 2-1 on the season. Justin Herbert hit 12 of 18 passes for 125 yards with the Chargers lone touchdown. The touchdown happened on a defensive breakdown by the Steelers for a 27-yard play that went to Quentin Johnston. Herbert suffered an injury during the game. Taylor Heinicke the folk hero of Washington, came in and hit 2 of 2 passes for 24 yards. JK Dobbins, the leading rusher through two weeks, was held to 44 yards. Ladd McConkey and Johnston had 44 yards receiving with McConkey getting three catches and Johnston getting two. Los Angeles had 168 yards of offense in the game. Justin Fields hit 25 of 32 passes for 245 yards with a touchdown and an interception. The Fields touchdown went to Calvin Austin III in the 4th quarter. The interception came on the Steelers 2nd drive in the 3rd quarter. Justin Fields rushed into the endzone for the Steelers first touchdown in the 3rd drive of the game. Najee Harris had 18 carries for 70 yards. Calvin Austin III had four catches for 95 yards. Pittsburgh had an efficient offense as they had 346 yards of offense. The Chargers inability to sustain drives was a cause of this game and will have to see if they can survive without Herbert. For the Chargers, they drop to 2-1 on the season. For the Steelers, they keep up and stay in the undefeated column as they improve to 3-0. 

Next week: 
LA Chargers: vs Kansas City

Pittsburgh: @ Indianapolis

TW: 4-2

NY Giants 21, Cleveland 15: TW: Giants 

Giants mistakes early won't falter them as they survive a Browns comeback. Daniel Jones didn't take the L in this game. He hit 24 of 34 passes for 236 yards with two touchdowns. The two went to rookie Malik Nabers who was spectacular in this game. Devin Singletary rushed for the other touchdown for the G-men with 16 carries for 65 yards. Nabers had a breakout game as he caught eight passes for 78 yards. He even had a pass that was almost intercepted that he somehow took it away from the Browns defender for the reception. New York had 340 total yards in the game. DeShaun Watson had 21 of 37 passes for 196 yards with two touchdowns. Amari Cooper was the Browns player that caught the two passes from Watson. He finished the game with seven catches for 86 yards in what he declared was a slow start for him. Jerome Ford had 10 carries for 37 yards. Cleveland had 217 yards of offense in the game. The early mistake came on the opening kickoff where the Giants fumbled the run back. A play later, the Browns were up 7-0 with the first touchdown. For the Giants, despite the first misstep, they are now 1-2 as they won a game in 2024. For the Browns, they drop to 1-2 on the season. 

Next week: 
NY Giants: vs Dallas (Thursday night)
Cleveland: @ Las Vegas

TW: 5-2

Philadelphia 15, New Orleans 12: TW: Saints

The fiery Saints offense cools down against Philadelphia. Jalen Hurts hit 29 of 38 passes for 311 yards with an interception. The interception happened on a Eagles redzone trip where the passer threw it into the endzone. Saquon Barkley, the person who dropped a potential game-winning pass last week, would put it into overdrive. He rushed for 17 carries with 147 yards with two touchdowns. The Barkley touchdowns were from 65 and 4 yard plays. Of the 311 yards that Hurts threw 170 of them went to Dallas Goedert who caught 10 passes, with a 61-yard play being the longest in the game. Derek Carr would fall back to earth in this game. He hit 14 of 25 passes for 142 yards with a touchdown to Chris Olave but also tossed an interception. Alvin Kamara, who was unstoppable last week against Dallas, rushed for 26 carries for 87 yards with no touchdowns. Chris Olave had six passes caught for 86 yards. Total yards for both teams didn't tell the whole story as Philly had 460 total yards and the Saints had 219 total yards. For the Eagles, they get back to above .500 football with a 2-1 record. For the Saints, their undefeated season ends as they drop to 2-1. 

Next week: 
Philadelphia: @ Tampa Bay
New Orleans: @ Atlanta

TW: 5-3

Carolina 36, Las Vegas 22: TW: Raiders

Andy Dalton sours the Raiders in their home opener. Dalton replaced Bryce Young earlier this week in an effort to jumpstart the Panthers offense. He hit 26 of 37 passes for 319 yards with three touchdown passes. Diontae Johnson, Chuba Hubbard and Adam Thielen were the players that caught the passes from Dalton. Chuba Hubbard had 21 carries for 114 yards in the game. Miles Sanders took part in the scoring fiesta with a touchdown of his own while getting seven carries and 17 rushing yards. The Panthers put up 437 total yards in the game. Gardner Minshew started for the Raiders. He hit 18 of 28 passes for 214 yards with a touchdown pass to Jakobi Meyers for the 2nd touchdown for Las Vegas. Aidan O'Connell gave it a go and hit 9 of 12 passes for 82 yards with a touchdown pass to Tre Tucker that gave the Raiders their 3rd touchdown. Zamir White had 10 carries for 34 yards. Alexander Mattison was the 1st touchdown on a 2-yard run up the middle that gave them a 7-7 score. Tre Tucker was the leading receiver for the Raiders with seven catches for 96 yards. The Raiders had 331 total yards in the game. Lackluster offense would be the Raiders for this game as they would not score in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. The Panthers would score 27 points in the first three quarters. For the Panthers, they get their first road win since 2022 and their first win in 2024 as they get to 1-2. For the Raiders, they drop to 1-2 on the season. 

Next week: 
Carolina: vs Cincinnati
Las Vegas: vs Cleveland

TW: 5-4

Miami 3, Seattle 24: TW: Seahawks

The Seahawks go on cruise control against the Dolphins. Skylar Thompson started for Miami and wasn't much of a factor. he hit 13 of 19 passes for 107 yards. Tim Boyle would see some playtime and he hit 7 of 13 passes for 79 yards. Devon Achane was the leading rusher for Miami with 30 yards rushing on 11 carries. Tyreek Hill caught three passes for 40 yards. One bright spot for Miami was a Dwayne Eskridge play that resulted in 30 yards that was the longest play for the fishes. Miami would muster just 205 total yards in the loss. Jason Sanders hit the lone field goal from 23 yards in the 1st quarter. Geno Smith hit 26 of 34 passes for 289 yards with a touchdown pass to DK Metcalf. Metcalf caught four passes for 104 yards with the 71-yard play being the touchdown. For consecutive weeks, Metcalf comes up with the big play for a touchdown. Smith hit two interceptions unfortunately. Zach Charbonnet was the leading rusher for the Seahawks with two rushing touchdowns on 18 carries for 91 yards. Seattle's offense had 370 total yards in the game. Both teams had issues with sustaining drives as Miami had 1 for 12 on 3rd down and Seattle had 3 of 11. Discipline was an issue as well as Miami had 11 flags for 85 yards and Seattle had 11 flags for 92 yards. Dolphins pass protection broke down a lot as Seattle had six sacks on Dolphins quarterbacks. For the Dolphins, they drop to 1-2 on the season. For the Seahawks, they continue on as they are the lone undefeated team in the NFC West with a 3-0 record. 

Next week: 
Miami: vs Tennessee (Monday night)
Seattle: @ Detroit (Monday night) 

TW: 6-4

Baltimore 28, Dallas 25: TW: Ravens

The Dallas comeback that never happened. Lamar Jackson hit 12 of 15 passes for 182 yards with a touchdown pass to Rashod Bateman for a 13-yard play that increased the Raven lead to 21-3. Derrick Henry was unstoppable as he rushed for 151 yards with two touchdowns on 25 carries. Both touchdowns were from 1 and 26 yard plays. Lamar Jackson participated in rushing touchdowns with a 9-yard play. Jackson had 14 carries for 87 yards in the game. Nelson Agholor was the leading receiver with one catch for 56 yards. Baltimore had 456 total yards in the game. At one point, the Ravens had a 28-6 lead at the start of the 4th quarter. Dak Prescott was quiet for the first three quarters but finished with 28 of 51 passes for 379 yards with two touchdowns. The touchdowns went to Jalen Tolbert for 15 yards and Kavontae Turpin for 16 yards. Prescott would also run it in for a score that eventually got the scoring fest going for the Cowboys. Rico Dowdle was the leading rusher with 8 carries for 32 yards. Jake Ferguson was the leading receiver with six catches for 95 yards. Dallas had 412 total yards. The Cowboys cut the lead down to 3 and needed the defense to hold the Ravens to give the ball back to them. A Lamar Jackson 10 yard rush on 2nd down and 9 would seal the victory for the Ravens. For the Ravens, they avoid the choke and get to 1-2 on the season. For the Cowboys, they drop to 1-2 but at least didn't get blown out. 

Next week: 
Baltimore: vs Buffalo (Sunday night)
Dallas: @ NY Giants (Thursday night)

TW: 7-4

Detroit 20, Arizona 13: TW: Lions

Jared Goff and company rebound against the Cards. Goff hit 18 of 23 passes for 199 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Amon Ra St. Brown caught one for a touchdown and Jahmyr Gibbs caught the other touchdown. The interception happened on Detroit's 2nd drive in the 3rd quarter. David Montgomery had leading rusher honors with 23 carries for 105 yards with a touchdown. Jahmyr Gibbs had 16 carries for 83 yards. Amon Ra St. Brown caught seven passes for 75 yards for the leading receiver for the Lions. Detroit had 373 total yards of offense where the rushing yards was 188 and passing yards were 185. Kyler Murray hit 21 of 34 passes for 207 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Marvin Harrison was the recipient of the pass from Murray for six points. Kyler Murray also rushed for 45 yards with five carries. Michael Wilson caught eight passes for 64 yards and Harrison Jr. caught five passes for 64 yards. Arizona had 277 total yards in the game. Points were at a premium in this game as the Lions points came in the first half and the Cardinals points were a bit more spread out. For the Lions, they rebound after last week's debacle against Tampa to improve to 2-1. For the Cardinals, they fall back down to below .500 football for a 1-2 record. 

Next week: 
Detroit: vs Seattle

Arizona: vs Washington 

TW: 8-4

San Francisco 24, LA Rams 27: TW: 49ers

Rams rookie kicker Joshua Karty helps avenge some demons for the Rams against rival San Francisco. Brock Purdy hit 22 of 30 passes for 292 yards with three touchdowns. Jauan Jennings caught all three passes from Purdy. The Jennings touchdowns came on 13, 4 and 31 yard plays. Jordan Mason, who had been a household name in the Bay Area, had 19 carries for 77 yards. Fairly productive game. Of the 292 yards thrown by Purdy, 175 of them went to Jennings who caught 11 passes. For fantasy football owners, he had 46 points. San Francisco had 425 total yards in the game. Matthew Stafford hit 16 of 25 passes for 221 yards with a touchdown pass to Kyren Williams. The pass was a 15-yard play up the middle in a redzone trip for Los Angeles. Kyren Williams was also a factor in the run game with 24 carries for 89 yards and two tuddies. The scores were from 3 and 4 yard plays. The latter play tied the game for the Rams with the point after. Tutu Atwell caught four passes for 93 yards with a 50-yard play being the longest in the game. The Rams had 296 total yards in the game. The Karty field goal came with 5 seconds left in the game on a 37-yard field goal that gave the Rams the 27-24 lead. They would come back from 14 point deficits twice in the game. For the 49ers, they drop to 1-2 on the season. For the Rams, they are winless no more as they pick up dub #1 with a 1-2 record. 

Next week: 
San Francisco: vs New England

LA Rams: @ Chicago

TW: 8-5

Kansas City 22, Atlanta 17: TW: Chiefs 

The Chiefs survive against the Falcons. Patrick Mahomes hit 26 of 39 passes for 217 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. The first touchdown went to Rashee Rice for 13 yards in the 2nd quarter. The 2nd touchdown went to JuJu Smith-Schuster who was cut by New England in the preseason. Carson Steele rushed 17 times for 72 yards. Isiah Pacheco was injured last week. Rashee Rice was the leading receiver with 110 yards and caught 12 passes. Travis Kelce had four catches for 30 yards. Kansas City had 345 total yards in the game. Kirk Cousins had 20 of 29 passes for 230 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Drake London's touchdown came on a 14-yard play where London was wide open in the endzone due to a defense miscommunication. Tyler Allgeier had seven carries for 32 yards. Bijan Robinson had the other offensive touchdown for Atlanta on a 1-yard run to the left. Drake London was the Falcons leading receiver with six catches for 67 yards. Darnell Mooney had eight catches for 66 yards. The Falcons had a chance to score late in the game. On a 4th down and 1 play Bijan Robinson tried to run in the same direction as his touchdown earlier but the Chiefs were ready as Nick Bolton and Leo Chenal came to tackle him for a 3-yard loss, turning the ball over on downs. For the Chiefs, they improve to 3-0 and stay undefeated for another week as they haven't lost since Christmas Day of last year. For the Falcons, they drop to 1-2 on the season. 

Next week: 
Kansas City: @ LA Chargers

Atlanta: vs New Orleans

TW: 9-5

Jacksonville 10, Buffalo 47: TW: Bills

Buffalo tramples over Jacksonville at home. Trevor Lawrence hit 21 of 38 passes for 178 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception. Brenton Strange was the recipient of the pass from Lawrence. Mac Jones, the former Patriots quarterback, played a bit in this game as he hit 5 of 8 passes for 22 yards. Travis Etienne had 11 carries for 68 yards. Christian Kirk caught eight passes for 79 yards. It was a game that the Jaguars really needed to play well in. At halftime, the Jags were held to under 100 total yards, by the end of the game, they had 239 yards. Josh Allen hit 23 of 30 passes for 263 yards with four touchdowns. Of the players that caught the passes form Allen were: Khalil Shakir for one, Dalton Kincaid for one, Keon Coleman for one and Ty Johnson for the other. Mitchell Trubisky threw a pass for 3 yards in the game. Josh Allen rushed for 44 yards with six carries. James Cook and Ray Davis rushed for touchdowns in the game and had 39 yards rushing and 22 yards rushing respectively. Khalil Shakir had six catches for 72 yards. Buffalo had 388 total yards in the game. For the Jaguars, they drop to 0-3 and haven't won a game since New Year's Eve of last year in a win against Carolina. For the Bills, they improve to 3-0. 

Next week: 
Jacksonville: @ Houston
Buffalo: @ Baltimore (Sunday night)

TW: 10-5

Washington 38, Cincinnati 33: TW: Bengals

A shootout that ends in favor of Washington. Jayden Daniels hit 21 of 23 passes for 254 yards with two touchdowns. It was a breakout game for Daniels that looked alright during the first two weeks. Terry McLaurin caught one pass and Trent Scott caught the other pass. Washington's running game got the scoring going as Jayden Daniels scored a touchdown run while getting 39 yards. Austin Ekeler had 35 yards rushing with a touchdown. Brian Robinson also rushed for 33 yards with a touchdown. Terry McLaurin caught four passes for 100 yards. Washington had 356 total yards in the game. Joe Burrow had a good game as he hit 29 of 38 passes for 324 yards with three touchdown passes.  Ja'Marr Chase caught two passes from Burrow and Andrei Iosivas had the other touchdown. Zack Moss had 12 carries for 58 yards with a touchdown run. Chase Brown was the leading rusher for Cincy with 62 yards on seven carries. Zack Moss had 58 yards rushing with a touchdown. Ja'Marr Chase had six catches for 118 yards. The Bengals outproduced the Commanders in total yards with 436 total yards. For the Commanders, they improve to 2-1 with the win that feels like a coming out for Jayden Daniels. For the Bengals, the loss was a heartbreaking one as they drop to 0-3. 

Next week: 
Washington: @ Arizona
Cincinnati: @ Carolina

TW: 10-6

Records

2024:
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Total: 34-14

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
2023: 161-111

See you all on Wednesday/Thursday for the Week 4 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom

Rest in Peace, Eugene "Mercury" Morris

(1947-2024)

NFL 2024 Week 3 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming soon upon us yet again. The first two weeks are in the books and we have seen the first step in the marathon that is the NFL regular season. The games I'm keeping an eye on for this week are: Patriots-Jets, Texans-Vikings, Chargers-Steelers, Ravens-Cowboys and Chiefs-Falcons. In this post I'll do a Week 3 preview, the picks for the games and the Early & Late TV Broadcasting pairings for Week 3. Let's get to work!

Week 3 Preview

The 3rd week in the National Football League's regular season will start in East Rutherford, New Jersey and finish up in Cincinnati, Ohio. The week features a 16-game slate where all 32 teams will play. There will be a Thursday night game, seven early games, five late games, a Sunday night game and two Monday night games. Week 3 features 10 AFC vs NFC contests, two division matchups, two AFC matchups and two NFC matchups. No teams are on a bye this week. CBS will have the regional, single game and FOX will carry the doubleheader this week. Let's get to the picks! 

Week 3 Picks

Note: All game times are in US Eastern. TW is me 

New England (1-1) @ NY Jets (1-1) (Amazon; 8:15 pm): TW: Patriots

The Patriots lost to the Seahawks and the Jets beat the Titans last week. Week 3 starts with a somewhat intriguing matchup in the AFC East. New England comes off a gut-wrenching loss to Seattle. They had their opportunities to score touchdowns in the game but sadly missed them. At least they played a competitive game against a really good team. New England's defense needs to get better. The Jets last week got a big win in the Aaron Rodgers era. Their offense put up enough points in the win against Tennessee but I feel they could've been better. The defense took to task and kept the Titans from really coming back into the game and tying it. New York should just be better on offense but something seems off with them. I'll take the Patriots. 

All-time series: Patriots lead 74-55-1

Chicago (1-1) @ Indianapolis (0-2) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Colts

Both teams lost last week as the Bears lost to the Texans and the Colts lost to the Packers. Another week, another AFC South opponent for the Bears. Chicago last week had their opportunities to win as they really were the least penalized team. Pass protection really broke down for Chicago as Caleb Williams was sacked seven times. They need to get better in that department and Williams needs to get the ball out quicker. The Colts last week against Green Bay didn't do so bad but they didn't do great either. Anthony Richardson so far has more interceptions than touchdowns in two games thus far. If they can cut back on the turnovers they can possibly win a game. Alec Pierce has been a solid contributor to the offense thus far. I think if there's an opportunity for the Colts to get into the win column, it'll be this game. If Indy's defensive line ravages the Bears, it'll be a long day for them. 

All-time series: Colts lead 25-19

Denver (0-2) @ Tampa Bay (2-0) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Buccaneers

The Broncos lost to the Steelers and the Buccaneers beat the Lions last week. Denver and bad starts is like a beautiful marriage that no one wants. Sadly for Broncos fans, they're likely used to it by now. I think the issue with them is that their offense expects Bo Nix to do many great things but he is just a rookie. He does deserve some of the blame though. Tampa is off to a great start. They had a big win against a great Lions team that were picked to win (yeah I know I picked Detroit). Confidence has to be riding high with them for sure. The season has been a bit of a weird one where underdogs have won a bit. I think I'll take the Buccaneers. 

All-time series: Broncos lead 7-3

Green Bay (1-1) @ Tennessee (0-2) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Packers

The Packers beat the Colts and the Titans lost to the Jets last week. Green Bay had a big win against the Colts in a game where they didn't have Jordan Love at quarterback. Malik Willis did alright, he wasn't Aaron Rodgers out there but he wasn't Brett Favre on a bad day either. He got a touchdown pass and that was really all that was needed. The Packers defense really helped win last week. They can have a decent shot to win against Tennessee. The Titans have had their chances to win games and/or play competitive ball. They lost both of their games by a 24-17 score (kind of weird). If the Titans score more than 17 points, they might actually win a game. I think the Packers are the better team on offense with the talent they have outside of the quarterback. Jordan Love won't likely play in this one. 

All-time series: Titans lead 8-6

Houston (2-0) @ Minnesota (2-0) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Vikings

The Texans beat the Bears and the Vikings beat the 49ers last week. Houston has cruised along so far in this young season. They haven't looked the best that some people have expected. Penalties were a factor in last week's win against the Bears as they had 12 infractions. DeMeco Ryans will have to have his troops more disciplined against a very formidable opponent. Minnesota had a solid win against San Francisco. They took charge on defense and made the 49ers offense uncomfortable and they made the most of their offense on a 97-yard deep play to Justin Jefferson. Jefferson did have a quadriceps injury during the game and he might be inactive for this game. Which could be a troubling sign. Minnesota has yet to lose to Houston in their series. Keep in mind that the Texans 1st season was in 2002. I'll take the Vikes in a safe bet. 

All-time series: Minnesota leads 5-0

LA Chargers (2-0) @ Pittsburgh (2-0) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Steelers

The two teams won last week as the Chargers beat the Panthers and the Steelers beat the Broncos. Home opener for the Yinzers. The Chargers ahve been the most impressive team thus far as they really went from a passing team where Justin Herbert threw for 40 to 50 times to a ground and pound team under the leadership of Jim Harbaugh. They face a stiff test as they take on the vaunted Steelers defense. Pittsburgh and defense has been a cornerstone for the franchise since probably day one. At least in the 1970's it was. Justin Fields has done enough to help the offense but I feel the Yinzers want more from him and that he can't become the next Ben Roethlisberger. Russell Wilson has yet to play for the Steelers which most people seem to forget a bit. This is a toughie but I think the Steelers will try to win it by forcing Justin Herbert to beat you. It's a tall task but I'll take the Steelers. 

All-time series: Steelers lead 24-11

NY Giants (0-2) @ Cleveland (1-1) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Giants

The Giants lost to the Commanders and the Browns beat the Jaguars last week. New York has had a rough go of it in 2024 so far. They've spent most of the last few seasons with an 0-2 mark with the exception of the 2022 season. Their offense has been lackluster and just hasn't played very good football. Daniel Jones deserves some of the blame with his turnovers. The Browns found some drive and beat a solid Jaguars team on the road. Their defense made a few stops and their offense helped out a defense that needed the offense to pick up the slack. DeShaun Watson actually played a game where he didn't totally shit the bed and even scored a rushing touchdown. I feel it's bound to happen for the Giants to win a game and I'll take them. 

All-time series: Browns lead 28-22-2

Philadelphia (1-1) @ New Orleans (2-0) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Saints

The Eagles lost to the Falcons and the Saints beat the Cowboys last week. Philadelphia really had a chance to put the nail on the coffin in the Falcons but a dropped pass by Saquon Barkley really reversed the fortunes of that game. Enough for the Eagles defense to give up a game-winning touchdown with less than a minute to go. Not also to mention Jalen Hurts throwing a pick when the Eagles still had a chance to hit a game-winning field goal. New Orleans had a big win against the Cowboys. It gave Cowboys fans PTSD of last January in the loss against Green Bay. The Saints currently have the highest scoring offense putting up 45.5 points/game in two games. They've done it with a big total offense with the 3rd ranked total yardage in 405.5 yards/game. I think the game will bring those stats a bit lower but I think the Saints will take it. 

All-time series: Eagles lead 19-16

Carolina (0-2) @ Las Vegas (1-1) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: Raiders

The Panthers lost to the Chargers and the Raiders beat the Ravens last week. Carolina made a big bold step in benching Bryce Young in favor of the journeyman quarterback Andy Dalton. Yep he's still in the league. The push for change was somewhat needed as Young seems lost at times and the offense has sputtered to a halt. I think the Panthers will put up some better numbers but the Raiders defense will keep them in check I think. Las Vegas hung around and beat the Ravens and sent them to their 0-2 record last week. They really did it with a defense and offense that mostly featured the passing game. As well as scoring three straight drives in the 4th quarter. Maybe the Panthers can pull off the upset after going 0-2 to start the year but I'll take the Raiders. 

All-time series: Raiders lead 4-3

Miami (1-1) @ Seattle (2-0) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: Seahawks

The Dolphins lost to the Bills and the Seahawks beat the Patriots last week. Miami lost in a big way last week. Not just the game either. Tua Tagovailoa will be out for this game with a concussion suffered from a hit by Damar Hamlin. If the Dolphins were smart he should not play at all or at least for over a month. The guy doesn't know how to slide. Skylar Thompson will get the start for the Dolphins. I think he should do okay-ish. He still has an offense that is still solid. He just has to throw it to them. Seattle is coming off a tough win against the Patriots. New England gave a bit more of a fight than Seattle probably wanted to admit. Suffice to say, they are 2-0 in the Mike MacDonald era. Seattle has done it with their offense and a bend but don't break defense. Geno Smith has had a solid year so far in 2024 with 498 passing yards with two touchdown passes. I don't trust Skylar Thompson enough to give him the nod to win this one. I'll take the Seahawks. 

All-time series: Dolphins lead 10-6

Baltimore (1-1) @ Dallas (1-1) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Ravens

The Ravens lost to the Raiders and the Cowboys lost to the Saints last week. Baltimore really faltered last week against Las Vegas. They had a game where they should've won it and ran out the clock. Fortunately they have a shot to beat one of the better teams in the NFC. I think the Ravens just need to gameplan around Micah Parsons who can wreck havoc if you let him. Dallas suffered one of the roughest losses so far this season. The Saints win over them in a 44-19 rout was reminiscent of the Packers rout last January. Turnovers were a bit of a factor for the Boys so if they want to win this one, they need to limit it to a zero. The running game of the Ravens will give Mike Zimmer, the Cowboys defensive coordinator, work cut out for him. I'll take the Ravens. 

All-time series: Ravens lead 5-1

Detroit (1-1) @ Arizona (1-1) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Lions

The Lions lost to the Buccaneers and the Cardinals beat the Rams last week. Detroit kind of had a letdown last week. Their offense which usually does well only put up 16 points last week. The offense deserves the blame as Jared Goff hit two interceptions in the loss. Despite the loss, the Lions defense kept the Bucs to 20 points. So if the offense can actually play well, they should win games. Arizona had a big surprise as they didn't just win against the Rams, they ran them out of the stadium with a 41-10 win. The biggest loss in the Sean McVay era in Los Angeles. Kyler Murray is hitting it on all cylinders with a running and passing game that is playing really well. James Conner had a great game and Marvin Harrison Jr. finally broke through and had a monster game last week. I think the biggest challenge for the Lions is the matchup between the secondary and Marvin Harrison Jr. if they can force everyone else to beat you, I think they should take care of business. I'll take the Motor City Kitties. 

All-time series: Lions lead 35-28-6

San Francisco (1-1) @ LA Rams (0-2) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: 49ers

The 49ers lost to the Vikings and the Rams lost to the Cardinals last week. San Francisco fell back to earth last week in the loss to Minnesota. to make matters a little worse is that Christian McCaffrey is hurt and on the Injured Reserve. Have no fear 49ers fans, Jordan Mason has been a steady replacement for the star running back. Brock Purdy has stayed relatively the same but could use some more touchdowns under his belt. Los Angeles suffered probably the biggest loss in the Sean McVay era. The defense really got outplayed against a Cardinals team that looks nearly unstoppable. Matthew Stafford to needs to get going as well as the Rams offense has sputtered a bit. It doesn't help that Puka Nacua hasn't played a lot if not at all this season. Worser news for the Rams was the news that Cooper Kupp is on the IR. Safe to say the two teams are feeling the hurt. I'll take the 49ers. 

All-time series: 49ers lead 78-69-3

Kansas City (2-0) @ Atlanta (1-1) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Chiefs

The Chiefs beat the Bengals and the Falcons beat the Eagles last week. The defending champs didn't look so hot last week against Cincinnati. Still they managed to come back and win it with some luck. They gave up the ball quite a few times in the win. Goes to show how they can play ugly but still manage to win. Atlanta managed to get a win against a good Eagles team. They also had some luck on their side. That luck being Saquon Barkley dropping a pass that the Eagles are paying good money for him type of dropped pass. Atlanta I think is still searching within themselves on what kind of team they are as well as Kirk Cousins adapting to his new surroundings. The Cousins-London connection is something to behold though. I'm kind of torn between these two. I do think that the Chiefs are the better team but they need to stop turning it over and not play stupid football. I'll take the Chiefs. 

All-time series: Chiefs lead 7-3

Jacksonville (0-2) @ Buffalo (2-0) (ESPN; 7:30 pm): TW: Bills

The Jaguars lost to the Browns and the Bills beat the Dolphins last week. Jacksonville has been a train wreck since their collapse late last year. They should be better than they are but are somehow 0-2 for the season. Jacksonville's offense has been off by a bit as Trevor Lawrence is hitting just above 50% of his passes and he hasn't gotten better. The Jags have a chance to get their season going but they are facing a tough challenge. Buffalo last played on the 12th of September and this game will be played on the 23rd. They'll have quite a bit of rest for this one. Is it possible that the Bills will feel the rust in this game, maybe. Josh Allen certainly hasn't missed a beat so far in 2024. Passing two touchdowns and rushing for two touchdowns as well is helpful as well. Maybe some rust will happen but I feel Buffalo will win. 

All-time series: Jaguars lead 10-9

Washington (1-1) @ Cincinnati (0-2) (ABC; 8:15 pm): TW: Bengals

The Commanders beat the Giants and the Bengals lost to the Chiefs last week. Washington didn't score a touchdown at all last week. Not even one. All of the scoring was seven field goals from Austin Seibert. They even did it with 425 total yards of offense of all things. Washington has done it with a balance of offense on pass and run. It seems that it is helping with Jayden Daniels' development. Cincinnati has been on a torrid start since 2020 as they are 1-9 since that season. They did run into some tough luck in playing tough opponents but this season they had a good chance to put the Patriots to bed before they really effectively shut down the Bengals offense. Last week against Kansas City, they looked like they might win there again and Burrowhead might become a reality again. Then the Bengals bungled and let the Chiefs comeback and beat them. I'm staring at the play of the pass interference where the defender hit the wide receiver. You had better luck letting him try to catch the ball and then make the tackle. Sadly this isn't the case. I think the Bengals will find a way to win as they usually have had their a-ha moment and go on a roll. Or they just lay down and take a cat nap. I'll take the Bengals. 

All-time series: Series tied 5-5-1

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

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

CBS Single 

LA Chargers @ Pittsburgh 

Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

Houston @ Minnesota
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Chicago @ Indianapolis
Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Jason McCourty

Miami @ Seattle (Late)
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Carolina @ Las Vegas (Late)

Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta 

FOX Early

Philadelphia @ New Orleans
Joe Davis, Greg Olson

NY Giants @ Cleveland
Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

Green Bay @ Tennessee
Kevin Kugler, Daryl Johnston

Denver @ Tampa Bay

Tim Brando, Matt Millen

FOX Late

Baltimore @ Dallas

Kevin Burkhardt, Tom Brady

San Francisco @ LA Rams
Adam Amin, Mark Sanchez

Detroit @ Arizona

Chris Myers, Mark Schlereth

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL Week 3 Maps

Records

2024:
Week 1: 14-2
Week 2: 10-6

Total: 24-8

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
2023: 161-111

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

-Tom

NFL 2021 Week 3 Picks

 Hello readers! The 3rd week of National Football League action is soon upon us. The week that is features some fun matchups to keep an eye for. I'll keep an eye on the Chargers-Chiefs, Seahawks-Vikings, and Buccaneers-Rams matchups for this week. In this post I'll do a preview of the week and the picks to the games. Let's get to work!

Week 3 Preview

Week 3 of the NFL's regular season starts in Houston, Texas and finishes up in Arlington, Texas. It will be a 16-game slate where all 32 teams will play. The week will have a Thursday night game, nine early games, four late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. FOX will have the doubleheader and CBS will have the single game this week. No teams are on a bye. Let's get to the picks!

Week 3 Picks

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

Carolina (2-0) @ Houston (1-1) (NFL Network; 8:20 pm): TW: Panthers; CV: Panthers
The Panthers beat the Saints and the Texans lost to the Browns last week. Week 3 starts with an intriguing matchup in the running back position as you have Christian McCaffrey for Carolina and Mark Ingram for the Texans. Carolina seems to be the better team at stopping the run so far this season. I wouldn't underestimate Tyrod Taylor however as he has proven to play well so far in the year. I'll take Carolina on a whim. 

Arizona (2-0) @ Jacksonville (0-2) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
The Cardinals beat the Vikings and the Jaguars lost to the Broncos. Kyler Murray and the Cardinals look like a tough team for the Jaguars to beat. Any indication of the Cards faltering would be slim but in any given Sunday, anything can happen. Trevor Lawrence has been so far a one-man show on offense with not a lot of help. It just seems like a lost cause for the Jags to win. 

Atlanta (0-2) @ NY Giants (0-2) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Giants; CV: Falcons
Both teams lost last week as the Falcons lost to the Buccaneers and the Giants lost to the Football Team. The game just looks like a bad game on paper. Both teams don't really have great defenses as both seem to be willing to give up 30+ points a game. I trust the Giants a bit more as the aforementioned defense of New York doesn't seem to lay down a lot. 

Baltimore (1-1) @ Detroit (0-2) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
The Ravens beat the Chiefs and the Lions lost to the Packers last week. Baltimore won a close game against Kansas City and this game should be a bit of an easier matchup for Lamar Jackson and company. The Lions just seem to have some things together but just can't play well enough to win games. Seems like a mismatch with the Ravens offense vs Lions defense. 

Chicago (1-1) @ Cleveland (1-1) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Browns; CV: Browns
Both teams won last week as the Bears beat the Bengals and the Browns beat the Texans. Justin Fields would see more playtime last week than so far in his young career. He will get his official start against the Browns. Normally the Browns defense of past years has been a cakewalk but they have studs on the defensive line like Myles Garrett and Jadeveon Clowney. Could be a better passing day for Fields but they're not gonna get on the field a lot if the Bears defense can't contain the Browns running attack. 

Cincinnati (1-1) @ Pittsburgh (1-1) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Steelers; CV: Bengals
Both teams lost last week as the Bengals lost to the Bears and the Steelers lost to the Raiders. The health of TJ Watt and Ben Roethlisberger is in question for this one. The question remains is can a banged up Steelers team can overcome a relatively healthy Bengals team. It seems likely that Watt will play and it is possible that Big Ben will play as well. Cincy is decent at stopping the run. Joe Burrow could have a good day but I tend to lean not really in this one. I'll trust the Steelers.

Indianapolis (0-2) @ Tennessee (1-1) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Titans; CV: Titans
The Colts lost to the Rams and the Titans beat the Seahawks last week. It was looking like a good game of two AFC South giants (I could've gone with titans but that wouldn't be fair) but right now, it doesn't look that great. Carson Wentz is now playing on not just one roughed up ankle but two roughed up ankles. Ryan Tannehill isn't playing injured. It'll remain a contest between Jonathan Taylor and Derrick Henry. I feel Henry will win out that battle most times than not. 

LA Chargers (1-1) @ Kansas City (1-1) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
Both teams lost last week as the Chargers lost to the Cowboys and the Chiefs lost to the Ravens. Other than the Raiders, this game seemed like the game to watch out for in the AFC West. With the resurgence of the Raiders and the Broncos, I'm not so sure. Ultimately, both quarterbacks are the stars of this game and it will come down to who can shut down the other. Hard to not take Patrick Mahomes as he can do things beyond the ordinary joe. 

New Orleans (1-1) @ New England (1-1) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots
The Saints lost to the Panthers and the Patriots beat the Jets last week. Jameis Winston had a good game in Week 1 but old habits die hard in Week 2. Mac Jones has been playing steady football for New England, not necessarily Tom Brady level but much more consistency than last year. New England's defense has gotten better than last year as well and that doesn't spell good news for the Saints. 

Washington (1-1) @ Buffalo (1-1) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Last week both teams picked up wins as the Football Team beat the Giants and the Bills beat the Dolphins. Intriguing matchup for Taylor Heinicke and Washington as it'll be a good test how well their offense can do against a very physical Bills defense. Washington's defense is good but can they make a few turnovers on the Bills offense. Doesn't seem likely. 

Miami (1-1) @ Las Vegas (2-0) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
The Dolphins lost to the Bills and the Raiders beat the Steelers last week. Tua Tagovailoa will not be available to play due to a rib injury suffered last week. Jacoby Brissett will start for the Dolphins. Las Vegas has been a pleasant surprise so far this season getting key wins against the Ravens and Steelers. It seems like a tough spot for Miami to be in after much hope that they'd do good things this year. 

NY Jets (0-2) @ Denver (2-0) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: Broncos; CV: Broncos
The Jets lost to the Patriots and the Broncos beat the Jaguars last week. Teddy Bridgewater has done well and may have been the answer to John Elway's quarterback problems. Zach Wilson has shown promise if he has the help that his counterpart has. The Jets are set to have a horrid season and I just don't think they have a lot to hope for to beat Denver. Any given Sunday though. 

Seattle (1-1) @ Minnesota (0-2) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Both teams lost last week as the Seahawks lost to the Titans and the Vikings lost to the Cardinals. Both of Minnesota's losses have come within three points. This game could very well come down to that once again. I think its high time for the Vikings to pick up their first win of the year. Greg Joseph needs to find the middle of the goalposts to get points though. I don't doubt the Seahawks in this one but if Dalvin Cook has a good game, this one could spell doom for the Seahawks. 

Tampa Bay (2-0) @ LA Rams (2-0) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Rams
Both teams won last week as the Buccaneers beat the Falcons and the Rams beat the Colts. The marquee game of the week features two unbeatens in the NFC. Tom Brady and company look to continue their quest for a repeat and the Matthew Stafford-led Rams. Good defense usually wins out against good offense. The Rams defense seems to be the better of the two by a slim margin but I like the Bucs as a road team. 

Green Bay (1-1) @ San Francisco (2-0) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
Both teams won last week as the Packers beat the Lions and the 49ers beat the Eagles. The last time both teams had meet was a Thursday night matchup and most of the 49ers starters were banged up and it ended up being a Green Bay blowout. This one is reminiscent of their contest in 2019 during the regular season. The Packers defense will need to shut down the many weapons of the 49ers if they have a shot to win. Aaron Rodgers struggled to get going in their game against the Lions during the first half. They'll need to put together a complete game. 

Philadelphia (1-1) @ Dallas (1-1) (ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys
The Eagles lost to the 49ers and the Cowboys beat the Chargers last week. Jalen Hurts has been a one-man offensive crew with his arm and legs. Philly's offense can hang around against the Dallas Cowboys but how long can they really hang around with Dak Prescott and company. Dallas has been alright on offense and much of the same on defense. It'll be a close one but I think the Cowboys pull it off. 

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com): 

CBS Single:
LA Chargers @ Kansas City
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Early:
Chicago @ Cleveland
Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

FOX Late:
Seattle @ Minnesota
Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

For more information on which game is being shown in your area, check out: NFL 2021: Week 3 Maps

2021 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 7-9
Week 2: 10-6

Total: 17-15

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-10
Week 2: 12-4

Total: 18-14

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

My record: 

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 

See you all on Monday/Tuesday for the Week 3 recap post! Enjoy the games!

-Tom

NFL 2018 Week 3 Picks

Hello readers! The time has come again to do another picks column. The 3rd week of the National Football League is fast approaching us! In this column, I will do picks, as well as my take on the roughing the passer rule implemented this season and the sudden surprise of Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Buccaneers and Patrick Mahomes II of the Chiefs. Let's get to work.

An early change... is needed.

Last season, during a Green Bay-Minnesota game, Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr would cause a hit on Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, ultimately Rodgers would have to leave the game with a broken collarbone. Before the 2018 regular season would begin a new rule would be implemented to attempt to keep the quarterback intact, however, this new rule has its controversy.

The "Body Weight Rule," is that if a defensive player drives a quarterback to the ground with most or all of his body weight, then it is a 15-yard penalty. Roughing the passer has been called 21 times so far this season. Such notable fouls were on Myles Garrett of the Browns and Clay Matthews of the Packers. What would normally be a sack or a quarterback hit in most seasons, it is called "Roughing The Passer" this season. It should be noted that during last week's Vikings-Packers game both sides were called for the same penalty. Certainly, something has to change.

Rule changes during the season and the NFL don't necessarily go together. It is the ineptitude of the NFL to decide on whether or not to keep a rule during the regular season. One such league, the National Hockey League, is noted to change its rules during the regular season. In other words, they get stuff done. One of the reasons why the NFL lost viewers over the last few seasons (not because of players kneeling) is the fact that the rules aren't just and fans feel that the game is turning more into a game of flag football (which still isn't, but this rule makes it feel like it though). Whether or not the league will listen to its fans this is will be true, the rule will probably stay at least until the end of the season. If they do change the rule before then, I'd be shocked.

The Veteran and the Young Gun

Two of the bigger stories so far this season are Ryan Fitzpatrick of the Buccaneers and Patrick Mahomes II of the Chiefs. Fitzpatrick, a 13-year veteran out of Harvard, has played for the Rams, Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets, and Buccaneers. Quite a lot of teams. Definitely would make Josh McCown blush a bit with the number of teams he played for.

The Buccaneers and Fitzpatrick have been a pleasant surprise this season because of Fitzpatrick's arm and the receiving corp that the quarterback has. Such weapons like Mike Evans, Desean Jackson, and O.J. Howard has proven to be one of the more devastating air attacks in the NFL. It will have to be seen whether or not this hot streak that the Buccaneers have started can continue as the season wears on but it has to be nice to see such buzz for a Harvard man.

Patrick Mahomes II of the Kansas City Chiefs was one of the more unproven quarterbacks in the NFL before the season began. The 2nd year man out of Texas Tech, became the starter to Andy Reid's Chiefs this season while being a backup to Alex Smith last season. Having thrown four touchdown passes against the Chargers in week 1 and six against the Steelers last week, Mahomes has proven to be quite the quarterback that could be a star in the league for years to come. I was probably one of the critics of Mahomes, saying that he was an unknown, an unproven quarterback to be in the NFL, and I was wrong (as usual). As such, if Mahomes can continue his success this season, the Chiefs look to be a contender in the AFC with the Patriots and the Jaguars.

Cool video of the week

This week's cool video of the week is a sort of a throwback to a simpler time of one's life. As I was looking through Twitter, I happen to see the hashtag #GreatestThingsOfThe90s, and I immediately thought of this week's video. The video is of the NFL on NBC theme, back when NBC had the AFC package, from the 1995 season to their last season carrying the AFC package in 1997. I could write a column discussing how this theme is way better than what NBC has right now and my general feeling of it. Anyway, enjoy:

Week 3 of the regular season consists of 16 games, no teams on a bye week. The week gets started in Cleveland, Ohio and ends at Tampa, Florida. There will be a Thursday night game, 10 early games, three late games, a Sunday night game, and a Monday night game. CBS will have the single game and FOX will have the doubleheader. Hopefully no hurricanes either. Uff da! Let's get to the picks!

NOTE: TW is me, CV is my roommate. Will also include the network the game will be on.

NY Jets (1-1) @ Cleveland (0-1-1) (NFL Network): TW: Browns, CV:
Both teams took losses last week as the Jets lost to the Dolphins and the Browns lost to the Saints. The Browns have not won a game since 2016, let alone win a game on a Sunday. The Browns winless streak could possibly end on Thursday as they host the Jets to kick off Week 3. If it wasn't for the play of Browns kickers, they could easily be 2-0 on the season. I'd go with the Jets but I want to see the Browns win an ugly game, a win is a win. Give the people of Cleveland something to cheer about since Lebron James left the Cavaliers.

Buffalo (0-2) @ Minnesota (1-0-1) (CBS): TW: Vikings, CV:
The Vikings took a tie against the Packers last week and the Bills lost to the Chargers last week. It's somewhat of a no-brainer. The Bills have very little stability in the quarterback position and their offense is very inept. Both things will spell doom to them. The Vikings have stability at both offense and defense. I like the Vikes in this game. Sorry, Buffalo.

Cincinnati (2-0) @ Carolina (1-1) (CBS): TW: Panthers, CV:
The Bengals got a win against the Ravens on Thursday night last week and the Panthers lost to the Falcons last week. Two very good teams so far this season. Both offenses have good passing attacks and ground games that are very even. I'll take the Panthers because they're at home and they need to get a win to keep up with the NFC South. The Bengals could very well win the game too on solid defense.

Denver (2-0) @ Baltimore (1-1) (CBS): TW: Ravens, CV:
Denver got a win last week against the Raiders and the Ravens lost to the Bengals on Thursday night. The Broncos haven't looked too particularly great so far this season. a 3-point win against the Seahawks and a 1-point win against the Raiders last week are the two wins for the Broncos this season. The Ravens had a 44-point win against the Bills while having an 11-point loss against the Bengals. Kind of a tough choice but I will take the Ravens based on home-field advantage and the offensive play of the Broncos has been sporadic at times.

Green Bay (1-0-1) @ Washington (1-1) (FOX): TW: Packers, CV:
The Packers took a tie against the Vikings and the Redskins lost to the Colts last week. The game could be a close one but the Packers offense should have enough weapons to give the Redskins defense a field day. As long as Aaron Rodgers and the running game has a decent game then Packers will win the day. As long as the refs let the players play, that is.

Indianapolis (1-1) @ Philadelphia (1-1) (FOX): TW: Eagles, CV:
The Colts got a win against the Redskins and the Eagles lost to the Buccaneers last week. The Eagles offense will get a boost with Carson Wentz returning at quarterback for the first time since December 2017 in a game against the Rams. The Colts could make it a game but I just think the Eagles have defensive weapons that will rock Andrew Luck all day.

New Orleans (1-1) @ Atlanta (1-1) (FOX): TW: Falcons, CV:
Both teams got wins last week as the Saints beat the Browns and the Falcons beat the Panthers. A classic NFC south showdown this week. Both teams haven't looked particularly great so far this season, the Saints offense has been stagnant and the Falcons offense looked a bit off. This game could go off to be a shootout if this is the case. I'll take the Falcons as I feel that they want to get off to get a good start and they're at home. Saints could very well beat them, who knows.

NY Giants (0-2) @ Houston (0-2) (FOX): TW: Texans, CV:
Both teams got losses last week as the Giants lost to the Cowboys and the Texans lost to the Titans. The Giants have a pretty versatile passing defense in the NFL, however, they're terrible on defending against the run. The Texans have quite a good rushing offense with Lamar Miller and Deshaun Watson. I'll take Houston in this one, could be a good game, offensively.

Oakland (0-2) @ Miami (2-0) (CBS): TW: Raiders, CV:
The Raiders lost last week to the Broncos and the Dolphins beat the Jets. The game is a classic AFC showdown. You remember the classic games the two teams had in the 1970's. The season has been somewhat of a disappointment for Gruden and company and I feel that this game is a make or break situation for the Raiders. I want to see them win.

San Francisco (1-1) @ Kansas City (2-0) (FOX): TW: Chiefs, CV:
Both teams got wins last week as the 49ers beat the Lions and the Chiefs beat the Steelers. The game will have two golden boys at quarterback with Jimmy Garoppolo of the 49ers and Patrick Mahomes II of the Chiefs. It will depend on which defense can stop the opposing team's offense. I feel that will come down to the Chiefs keeping up with the momentum on passing offense.

Tennessee (1-1) @ Jacksonville (2-0) (CBS): TW: Jaguars, CV:
Both teams got wins last week as the Titans beat the Texans and the Jaguars beat the Patriots. The Jaguars look to be quite the legit team this season and beating the Patriots had to be quite the confidence booster. The Titans have been somewhat of a lackluster team so far with no Marcus Mariota.

LA Chargers (1-1) @ LA Rams (2-0) (CBS): TW: Rams, CV:
Both teams got a win last week as the Chargers beat the Bills and the Rams beat the Cardinals. The Battle For LA. The Rams look to be the team to beat and it seems that taking on a Chargers team won't change that much. I feel good taking the Rams in this one as the Rams have a lot of weapons on offense and defense.

Chicago (1-1) @ Arizona (0-2) (FOX): TW: Bears, CV:
The Bears got a win against the Seahawks and the Cardinals lost to the Rams last week. It could be possible to see Josh Rosen of the Cardinals in this game but that's the least of the Cardinals problems at the moment. For the Bears, Khalil Mack is a huge asset on the defense. Defense is a huge part of the game and the Bears have a great tradition on defense. I'll take the Bears.

Dallas (1-1) @ Seattle (0-2) (FOX): TW: Cowboys, CV:
The Cowboys beat the Giants and the Seahawks lost to the Bears last week respectively. The late game of the week is a rematch of a late-season game against the Seahawks and the Cowboys. The Cowboys played alright to good last week with the arm of Dak Prescott and a good game for the wide receivers.

New England (1-1) @ Detroit (0-2) (NBC): TW: Patriots, CV:
Both teams took losses last week as the Patriots lost to the Jaguars and the Lions lost to the 49ers. The Sunday night game features Tom Brady against the Detroit Lions. The Patriots should win this game since Bill Belichek has a good record against his former assistants/coaches and that the Patriots are looking to get back on the winning side of things with a win. More offensive weapons than the Lions.

Pittsburgh (0-1-1) @ Tampa Bay (2-0) (ESPN): TW: Steelers, CV:
The Steelers lost to the Chiefs and the Buccaneers beat the Eagles last week respectively. The marquee game of the week (which is odd for a Monday night game) is the Steelers and the surprise Buccaneers. If there was a game where the football gods decide to take Ryan Fitzpatrick down a notch, it would be this one. The Steelers need a win and will try to desperately win this one. They need to be focused. If they lose this one, I don't know, I might yell at Yinzer Nation and not pick the Steelers for the rest of the season.

Local TV Schedule (courtesy of 506sports.com, subject to change):

CBS Single:
Buffalo @ Minnesota
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Early:
Indianapolis @ Philadelphia
Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston

FOX Late:
Chicago @ Arizona
Dick Stockton, Mark Schlereth

For more info on what game is being played in your area, check out: NFL Maps, Week 3, 2018

Record:

2018:
Week 1: 10-5-1
Week 2: 6-9-1
Overall: 16-11-2

Cardinal Viking
2018:
Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 9-6-1
Overall: 17-13-2

See you guys on Monday and have a good weekend!
-Tom