NFL 2022 Week 4 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The week gave us exciting and interesting storylines to digest for the next few days. Such storylines like Tua's injury, the Ravens blowing yet another lead, a double doink in London, and the Chiefs and Buccaneers doing battle in a Super Bowl rematch. All those storylines and more in this week's recap. Let's get to work!

Week 4 Recap

Miami 15, Cincinnati 27: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins
What was to be a good game would be overshadowed by an injury. Tua Tagovailoa would be cleared to play after what seemed to be a head injury on Sunday against the Bills. It would be listed as a back injury. The back would be alright for Tua as he would complete 8 of 14 passes for 110 yards with an interception. He would leave after taking a vicious tackle drive to the ground by defensive tackle Josh Tupou. The quarterback would display signs of a "fencing response" and would remain down for seven minutes. Tua would be stretchered off the field and taken to a local hospital to be cleared hours later. His backup Teddy Bridgewater, the journeyman, would provide 193 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception. Raheem Mostert would provide help to the Dolphins running game with 69 yards. Tyreek Hill would get 160 receiving yards. Joe Burrow would be showing his 2021 form as he completed 20 of 31 passes for 287 yards with two touchdowns. Joe Mixon would get a rushing touchdown while adding 61 yards from the ground. As far as what my take is on the "Tua situation" I would say is that if he did have a concussion against the Bills, then there should've been no reason for him to play on Thursday on three days rest. I feel fines and docking draft picks would be necessary. For the Dolphins, the undefeated campaign ends with a rough loss. For the Bengals, they're back to .500 and look to keep going in 2022.

Next week:
Miami: @ NY Jets
Cincinnati: @ Baltimore (Sunday night)

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

Minnesota 28, New Orleans 25: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
The Vikings and the Fleur De-Lis would invade London's Tottenham Stadium. Kirk Cousins would lead his Norsemen and provide 25 of 38 completed passes for 273 yards with a touchdown but also gave a pass away to the Saints. Dalvin Cook would fight on the ground to provide 76 yards on 20 carries from the ground. Justin Jefferson would surprise the Frenchmen on a 3-yard run to the left. Andy Dalton would get the nod from his head coach to start. The journeyman would provide 20 of 28 passes completed for 236 yards with a touchdown pass to rookie Chris Olave. Latavius Murray would get a touchdown while providing 57 yards for the flower people. Taysom Hill would also get a touchdown on a 2-yard run to the right. It would be a display for the two teams kickers as Greg Joseph and Wil Lutz would combine for 6 of 7 on field goals and 3 for 4 on point afters. It would be Greg Joseph's leg that would be the game-winner for the Vikings on a 47-yard prayer with 29 seconds left. For the Vikings, it is a hard-fought win and will return home in longboats filled with loot. For the Saints, it is a sad defeat as they will have to go back to the basement of the NFC South. How about that double-doink? 

Next week:
Minnesota: vs Chicago
New Orleans: vs Seattle

TW: 1-1; CV: 1-1

Chicago 12, NY Giants 20: TW: Giants; CV: Bears
Passing would be at a premium in New Jersey. Justin Fields would complete 11 of 22 passes to his receivers with 174 passing yards. Khalil Herbert would rush for 77 yards for the Bears and Justin Fields would tally 52 yards. Overall the Bears would get 314 total yards in this game. All of the Bears points would come from their kicker Mike Badgley who hit 4 of 4 field goals. His longest was from 40 yards. Daniel Jones would start this one for the G-men and contributed 8 of 13 passes for 71 yards. Jones would leave the game after injuring his ankle. Tyrod Taylor would come in but he too would leave the game after incurring a concussion. The Giants running game would carry them this day as Jones would score the two touchdowns New York would get while getting 68 yards. Saquon Barkley would be the leading rusher in this game with 146 yards gained on 31 carries. For the Bears, it is a loss that generated a 2-2 record while the Giants improve to 3-1, their best record since 2011.

Next week:
Chicago: @ Minnesota
NY Giants: @ Green Bay (Sunday morning; @ London)

TW: 2-1; CV: 1-2

Buffalo 23, Baltimore 20: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
It was a game that lived up to the hype, in my opinion. Josh Allen started off sluggish in the first half in the midst of the rain. Allen completed 19 of 36 passes for 213 yards with a touchdown but also threw an interception. For his run offense the talented QB would get 70 yards with a touchdown on the ground. Devin Singletary would get 49 yards on 11 carries. Baltimore's offense would start off hot as they would score 20 points in the first half. Lamar Jackson completed 20 of 29 passes for 144 yards with a touchdown but also tossed two interceptions. One of the interceptions was caught by Jordan Poyer in a risky gamble by Baltimore with 4:09 left in the game. Lamar Jackson would get 73 yards rushing. JK Dobbins would score a touchdown while getting 41 yards. Should be noted that the Bills were down 20-3 before they chipped away at the Raven lead. With the takeaway the Bills would slowly drive down the field to where Bills kicker Tyler Bass would hit a 21-yard field goal that would complete the comeback. For the Bills, last week's loss can be put behind them. For Baltimore, it is back to a .500 record for them. 

Next week:
Buffalo: vs Pittsburgh
Baltimore: vs Cincinnati (Sunday night)

TW: 3-1; CV: 2-2

Cleveland 20, Atlanta 23: TW: Browns; CV: Browns 
How about those Falcons? Two-game winning streak. Jacoby Brissett was not the picture perfect passer as he would complete 21 of 35 passes for 234 yards with an interception that would be grabbed by Dee Alford to end the game and hopes of a Browns win. Nick Chubb was his usual self as he rushed for 118 yards with a touchdown. Kareem Hunt rushed for 49 yards. Jacoby Brissett would get a rushing touchdown. Cleveland's defense would be hurting as Myles Garrett wouldn't play due to a car accident he suffered earlier this week. Marcus Mariota would be not as effective in this game as he completed just 7 of his 19 passes for 139 yards with an interception. Atlanta's running game would be the guiding light for the Falcons as Tyler Allgeier rushed for 84 yards. Caleb Huntley rushed for 56 yards with a touchdown and Cordarrelle Patterson would rush for 38 yards with a touchdown. For the Browns, it is back to a humbling 2-2 while the Falcons currently sport one of the better streaks in the NFL. 

Next week:
Cleveland: vs LA Chargers
Atlanta: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 3-2; CV: 2-3

Jacksonville 21, Philadelphia 29: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
Jaguars hopes of an upset would falter as the Eagles are now the lone undefeated team in the NFL. Trevor Lawrence would play fairly well as the quarterback would complete 11 of 23 passes for 174 yards with two touchdowns to Jamal Agnew. Travis Etienne would get 32 yards rushing on eight carries. James Robinson would also get eight carries with 28 yards rushing. Jalen Hurts as a passer was alright as he completed 16 of 25 passes for 204 yards with an interception. Hurts the runner would have better success as he get a touchdown while rushing for 38 yards. Miles Sanders would be the star in the game as he rushed for a 134-yard, two touchdown day for the Eagles. Kenneth Gainwell would get 19 yards as well as a touchdown. The game was also a homecoming to Jaguars coach Doug Pederson who lead the Eagles to their lone Super Bowl win in Super Bowl LII over the Patriots. For the Jaguars, it was a humbling defeat but a close defeat against one of the best teams in the league. For the Eagles, the prospects of a undefeated season will last for another week. 

Next week:
Jacksonville: vs Houston
Philadelphia: @ Arizona

TW: 4-2; CV: 3-3

LA Chargers 34, Houston 24: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
All is well with Justin Herbert and company. Justin Herbert would complete 27 of 39 passes for 340 yards with two touchdowns to Gerald Everett and to his running back Austin Ekeler. Safe to say that Herbert is back to his form. Austin Ekler would also get 60 yards with two touchdown trips. Davis Mills would play well to Houston's standards as he completed 26 of 35 passes for 246 yards with two touchdowns to Brandin Cooks and Rex Burkhead. Mills would also make two interceptions. Dameon Pierce would get 131 yards rushing with touchdown. His longest would be a 75-yard run that would give him that touchdown. It was a Texans surge in the 2nd half that would cut the lead to three before the Chargers would answer back with said Ekeler touchdown. For the Chargers, it is back to .500 after an ugly loss to the Jaguars. For the Texans, they can still hang their hats with their "half-win" in week 1.

Next week:
LA Chargers: @ Cleveland
Houston: @ Jacksonville

TW: 5-2; CV: 4-3

NY Jets 24, Pittsburgh 20: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Pickett Time in Pittsburgh falls short. Zach Wilson would make his 2022 debut after missing a month's time due to a foot injury. Wilson wasn't at his best but the passer would complete 18 of 36 passes for 252 yards with a touchdown but tossed two interceptions. Braxton Berrios, the team's wide receiver, would toss a short pass to Wilson for a touchdown. Breece Hall was effective as a runner as he would get 66 yards and the go-ahead touchdown to help put the Jets over the Steelers. Mitchell Trubisky would get the start but would be benched. Before the benching he completed 7 of 13 passes for 84 yards with an interception. Kenny Pickett, the rookie from nearby University of Pittsburgh, would be not as effective as he completed 10 of 13 passes for 120 yards and tossed three interceptions. Pickett would be the better player as a runner as he would get two touchdowns from the ground. Najee Harris would slowly get back to his rookie form as he ran for 74 yards on 18 carries. For the Jets, it's their 2nd win against an AFC North opponent and just their 2nd win in Pittsburgh in franchise history (first time was in 2010). For the Steelers, it is a 1-3 record staring at them as they will need to find answers to get back on track.

Next week:
NY Jets: vs Miami
Pittsburgh: @ Buffalo

TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4

Seattle 48, Detroit 45: TW: Lions; CV: Lions
We got ourselves a Scorigami folks! Both teams would combine for 11 touchdowns. Geno Smith would complete 23 of 30 passes for 320 yards with two touchdowns to Noah Fant and Will Dissly. Seattle's running game would be the showcase as Rashaad Penny rushed for 151 yards with two touchdowns and Geno Smith would get a touchdown while running for 49 yards. Jared Goff would go off in this game as he completed 26 of 39 passes for 378 yards with four touchdown passes with an interception. Jamaal Williams rushed for 108 yards with two touchdowns for the Lions. The 51-yard run for Williams would be the longest in the game. Detroit looked fairly dead during the first three quarters as they would get 23 points during those 45 minutes of play. They would go off and get 22 points in the 4th quarter. Unfortunately the hole they dug was not enough to overcome. For the Seahawks they survive and reach 2-2 on the year while the Lions are wincing at the loss as they go 1-3. 

Next week:
Seattle: @ New Orleans
Detroit: @ New England

TW: 5-4; CV: 4-5

Tennessee 24, Indianapolis 17: TW: Titans; CV: Titans
Before the season, I thought this game would be one of the more marquee matchups but the play of the Colts proved otherwise. Ryan Tannehill would be a background player but would complete 17 of 21 passes for 137 yards with two touchdowns. Derrick Henry would run over the Colts defense as he would get 114 yards on the ground with a touchdown. Overall, the Titans would have just 244 total yards in the game. Matt Ryan would play better in this game as the passer completed 27 of 37 passes for 356 yards with two touchdowns to Mo Alie-Cox in the 2nd and 3rd quarters. Ryan would also add to the Colts turnover problems with an interception. Jonathan Taylor rushed for 42 yards on 20 carries. To add to the Colts woes is the possible loss of linebacker Shaquille Leonard who left the game with a concussion. The bad news doesn't stop for the Colts as they might lose Jonathan Taylor for an amount of time. For the Titans, it is a 2-2 record as they have rebounded from a sluggish start. For the Colts, it is another loss where they have a -6 turnover margin. Ouchies. 

Next week:
Tennessee: @ Washington
Indianapolis: @ Denver (Thursday night)

TW: 6-4; CV: 5-5 

Washington 10, Dallas 25: TW: Cowboys; CV: Commanders
The rivalry of Washington-Dallas entered a new chapter in AT&T Stadium. Carson Wentz was stuck in this game as he completed 25 of 42 passes for 170 yards with a touchdown pass to Jahan Dotson in the 2nd quarter. Wentz would also toss two interceptions that would prove to be costly. Antonio Gibson would get 49 yards rushing and Jonathan Williams would get 48 yards rushing. Cooper Rush would get the nod again for Dallas as the passer would complete 15 of 27 passes for 223 yards with two touchdowns to CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup. Rush also became the first Cowboys starter to win all four of his starts. Something not even Don Meredith, Roger Staubach, Danny White, or Troy Aikman could accomplish. Ezekiel Elliot would get 49 yards from the ground. For the Commanders, the season has been a long one and if they can't find answers to their offense it could be alonger one. For the Cowboys, three straight wins in 2022 as Dak Prescott continues to rehab his injury. 

Next week:
Washington: vs Tennessee
Dallas: @ LA Rams

TW: 7-4; CV: 5-6

Arizona 26, Carolina 16: TW: Cardinals; CV: Panthers
Uffdah, Cardinal Viking picking against his team and they win. Kyler Murray was the one-man wrecking crew as the passer and runner would hit 23 of 32 passes for 207 yards with two touchdowns to Marquise Brown and Zach Ertz. Murray would throw an interception that would be grabbed by Frankie Luvu (nice name) for a pick-six in the 2nd quarter. On the ground Murray would account for 26 yards with a touchdown. James Conner, the former Steeler, would tack on 55 yards from scrimmage for the Cards. Baker Mayfield would be not effective in this game as the passer would complete 22 of 36 passes for 197 yards with a touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey in the 4nd quarter. Mayfield would put forth two passes that would be grabbed by the Cardinals. Christian McCaffrey rushed for 27 yards in the loss but did add 81 receiving yards to an overall meager day for him. Carolina wasn't great at 3rd down conversions as they would go 2 for 10 on 3rd down. For the Cardinals it is a good win against a faltering and dysfunctional Carolina squad. For the Panthers, the seat for head coach Matt Rhule is starting to get warmer as his group is now 1-3 and looking out of contention.

Next week:
Arizona: vs Philadelphia
Carolina: vs San Francisco

TW: 8-4; CV: 5-7

Denver 32, Las Vegas 23: TW: Raiders; CV: Broncos
The 2022 Las Vegas Raiders have had a rough start to the year under new head coach Josh McDaniels. In this game, they would find a way to win. Russell Wilson has had a rough start as well but in this game he would rebound as the passer completed 17 of 25 passes for 237 yards with two touchdowns to Jerry Jeudy and Cam Sutton. He would also score the lone rushing touchdown for the Broncos as he would get 29 yards rushing. Javonte Williams would get 28 yards rushing. Denver's offense would not get a lot going as they would go 3 for 11 on 3rd down conversions and 1 of 2 on 4th down conversions. Sacks would be a factor as Wilson was sacked three times for 23 yards. Derek Carr has had not an easy start to the year as well as he completed 21 of 34 passes for 188 yards with zero touchdowns or interceptions. Josh Jacobs would provide all the scoring for the Raiders offense as the runner scored twice with 144 yards rushing for the day. Including a 43-yard run that was the longest in the game. Las Vegas would take advantage of turnovers as they would grab a fumble-six from a Melvin Gordon fumble would be recovered by Amik Robertson for a 68-yard score. For the Broncos, it is a tough loss as they go down to 2-2. For the Raiders, it is a much needed win and hopefully they can stick to their running attack in the future for their success is running it. 

Next week:
Denver: vs Indianapolis (Thursday night)
Las Vegas: @ Kansas City (Monday night)

TW: 9-4; CV: 5-8

New England 24, Green Bay 27 (F/OT): TW: Packers; CV: Packers
New England's backup would need a backup as the Patriots nearly upset the Packers. Brian Hoyer would get the start and provided the Patriots 5 of 6 for 37 yards before he would leave the game after getting a head injury from a sack by Rashan Gary. In for the Patriots would be rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe, the rookie quarterback out of Western Kentucky. The former Hilltopper would hit 10 of 15 passes for 99 yards with a touchdown to DeVante Parker in the 3rd quarter. Damien Harris would get a good game as he rushed for 86 yards with a touchdown. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 66 yards. The Patriots defense would get a score off of a Aaron Rodgers pass towards halftime for a pick six. Jack Jones would find the ball as a gimmie and proceeded to give Aaron Rodgers his 4th pick-six in his career. Aaron Rodgers would hit 21 of 35 passes for 251 yards with two touchdown passes to Romeo Doubs and Robert Tonyan. Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon would combine for 183 yards of rushing offense. Christian Watson, the former NDSU Bison, would get a touchdown on a 15-yard run on a sweep to the right. For the Patriots, it is a rough loss but hope is there for Bailey Zappe could be a decent quarterback but the record of 1-3 is staring at Bill Belichick's face. For the Packers, it was a close win but an ugly win in a game that they should've won handily. 

Next week:
New England: vs Detroit
Green Bay: vs NY Giants (Sunday morning)

TW: 10-4; CV: 6-8

Kansas City 41, Tampa Bay 31: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Twenty months ago on the same field, the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers would meet for the Super Bowl. Fast forward to Sunday night, the storyline would flip. Patrick Mahomes was in control in this game as the passer completed 23 of 37 passes for 249 yards with three touchdowns and a late game interception. Mahomes would tack on 34 rushing yards. The Chiefs would answer quickly in the game's opening minute as Mahomes would hit Travis Kelce down the middle for a 16-yard score with only 40 seconds gone by. Clyde Edwards-Helaire would play a solid game for the Chiefs running attack as he rushed for 92 yards with a touchdown. Isiah Pacheco rushed for 63 yards. Overall the Chiefs offense was unstoppable as they would put up 417 total yards. Tom Brady had Patrick Mahomes' number prior to the game, sporting a 3-2 record against him. Brady would throw on nearly every offensive snap as he completed 39 of 52 passes for 385 yards with three touchdown passes. Two of them would go to his favorite target Mike Evans. Kansas City's defense would clamp down on the Bucs rush offense but Rachaad White, the rookie from Arizona State, would score a touchdown while getting six yards rushing. The time of possession was a stat that stood out to me as the Bucs would have the ball for just 21 minutes and 22 seconds. For the Chiefs, it is a taste of revenge as they stay alone at the top of the AFC West. For the Buccaneers, it is a wincing loss as the Buccaneers have yet to retain the same spark that they had in 2021. At least they still got the Super Bowl championship... right? 

Next week:
Kansas City: vs Las Vegas (Monday night)
Tampa Bay: vs Atlanta

TW: 10-5; CV: 6-9

LA Rams 9, San Francisco 24: TW: 49ers; CV: Rams
The Rams might be defending champs but they still can't beat the Niners in the regular season. Not that it really counts for anything. Matthew Stafford proved to be not quite there in this game as the former Lion completed 32 of 48 passes for 254 yards with an interception to Talanoa Hufanga who turned the takeaway to a touchdown. Rush offense wouldn't amount to much as the group would account for just 57 yards on the ground. Darrell Henderson rushed for 27 yards on seven carries. Cooper Kupp was the bright spot for the Rams as usual as the receiver caught 14 balls for 122 yards. Jimmy Garoppolo completed 16 of 27 passes for 239 yards with a touchdown pass to Deebo Samuel. Samuel would catch six passes for 115 receiving yards. Jeff Wilson would go on a roll against the Rams defense as he would get 74 yards rushing with a touchdown run that would go on a 32-yard distance. Unlike the Rams, the Niners would find more success in total yardage as they would get 327 yards. A questionable call would surface as a Matthew Stafford attempted throw would be challenged as a fumble. Another noteworthy event would happen as a spectator would run onto the field holding a smoke canister while sporting a "RightToRescue" t-shirt. Rams linebacker Bobby Wagner would use the truck stick on the spectator and security would handle him. For the Rams, the Niners menace continues to plague them in the regular season. For the Niners, they make it back to .500 with the win and move forward with Jimmy Garoppolo. 

Next week:
LA Rams: vs Dallas
San Francisco: @ Carolina

TW: 11-5; CV: 6-10

2022 Pick ‘Em Records

My record:

Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 8-8
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 11-5

Total: 32-31-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-9-1
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 5-11
Week 4: 6-10

Total: 29-35-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

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 
2021: 173-98-1

See you all on Wednesday for the Week 5 Picks post! Enjoy your week!

-Tom

NFL 2022 Week 3 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The third week of the season has brought us yet again closer to who could be come contenders and who could be pretenders. However, the season is still young and anything can happen. What Week 2 taught us that no lead is safe. For Week 3, teams that had leads in games would hold onto them. The week also brought us: a slugfest in Foxboro, a whimper contest that featured two of the best quarterbacks in the NFC, a Puntpalooza in Denver, and a multitude of teams getting their first win of the year. I'm excited to break down those games and more in this week's Recap! Let's get to work!

Week 3 Recap

Pittsburgh 17, Cleveland 29: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers
Last week, the Browns gave up an unimaginable collapse. Against the Steelers, they would avoid the collapse and more. Mitchell Trubisky would start for the Steelers and would be just a passer. He would complete 20 of 32 passes for 207 yards. The veteran would find the endzone on a run that would go to the right. Najee Harris was off to a rough start for 2022 but would find the endzone on a 5-yard run. Harris would tally 56 yards on 15 carries for the Steelers. Pittsburgh's offensive woes would be marked by one stat: 1 for 9 in 3rd down conversions. One of the exciting parts of the game was a George Pickens one-handed catch that rivals Odell Beckham Jr's one-hander against Dallas in 2014. Jacoby Brissett would lead the Browns air attack with a solid passing showcase of 21 of 31 passes completed. He would get 220 yards with two touchdowns to Amari Cooper and David Njoku. Cleveland's bread and butter offense was their running tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt. Both Chubb and Hunt would get 113 yards and 47 yards respectively from the ground. Chubb would get a rushing touchdown. For the Steelers, it marks another inconsistent game for an offense that should be better than they should. It also marks an 0-6 record without game-changer TJ Watt. For the Browns, it is win #2 in 2022 with journeyman Jacoby Brissett who is just making the most of the opportunity. 

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs NY Jets
Cleveland: @ Atlanta

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

Baltimore 37, New England 26: TW: Patriots; CV: Ravens
Rivals put on a show in Foxboro. Last week the Ravens blew a lead in the 4th quarter, this week they didn't let it happen. Lamar Jackson was contained for first part of the game but gradually would bend the Patriots defense will. Jackson finished with 218 passing yards with four touchdowns with an interception. He would also get 107 yards rushing with a touchdown. Baltimore's defense would take advantage of turnovers despite they would bend not break the Pats offense. Mac Jones was having a decent star to 2022 but it would be this game that he would break. The former Alabama product completed 22 of 32 passes for 321 yards with three interceptions. One of them was in a redzone trip. Despite the passing woes they would have some bright spots in the run game. Rhamondre Stevenson would rush for 73 yards with a touchdown. Damien Harris would have 41 yards with a touchdown. Mac Jones would get a rushing touchdown with 31 yards rushing. Another bright spot for the Patriots was Devante Parker who racked up 156 receiving yards. For the Ravens, it is back to normalcy with the collapse in the back of their minds. For the Patriots, it is back to the drawing board with the possibility of Mac Jones missing time. 

Next week:
Baltimore: vs Buffalo
New England: @ Green Bay

TW: 0-2; CV: 1-1

Buffalo 19, Miami 21: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
AFC East rivals would meet in the Florida sun. Josh Allen would once again have a stellar game as the passer completed 42 of 63 passes for 400 yards with two touchdown passes to Devin Singletary and Isaiah McKenzie. Allen was also the leading rusher in the game with 47 yards. It seems that the Bills used his arm too much and not a lot of balance on offense. Certainly if I had to throw the ball 63 times I would die. Tua Tagovailoa had a game for the ages last week against the Ravens but would have a meager game. The passer would complete 13 of 18 passes for 186 yards with a touchdown. Tua would leave the game for a time with a lower back injury. Chase Edmonds would get 21 yards rushing with two touchdowns. It was a game that on paper was a slugfest for the Bills but yet it was a two-point loss. It seems that Buffalo's red zone efficiency was not quite there with 2 for 4 inside the 20. Buffalo would also giveaway a fumble in the game but it wasn't quite the awful performance. For the Dolphins, they are now the only undefeated team in the AFC. 

Next week:
Buffalo: @ Baltimore
Miami: @ Cincinnati (Thursday night)

TW: 0-3; CV: 1-2

Cincinnati 27, NY Jets 12: TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
In East Rutherford, New Jersey, the Bengals would get a dub. Joe Burrow has had a shaky start to 2022 but would find improvement in this game. He completed 23 of 36 passes for 275 yards with three touchdowns. Cincy's running game would provide some help as Samaje Perine would get 47 yards and Joe Mixon would get 24 yards. The Bengals defense would ensure that Joe Flacco wasn't comfortable in the pocket as they would cause four turnovers, two fumbles and two interceptions. Joe Flacco would lead the way to the Jets victory against Cleveland last week but would be undone as the passer completed 28 of 52 passes for 285 yards with two interceptions. One of the interceptions was a gimmie in the endzone. Breece Hall and Michael Carter would both get 39 yards rushing each in this game. Pass protection would be an issue for the Jets as the Bengals would attack Flacco and sack him four times with 33 total yards lost. For the Bengals, they finally get win #1 and try to keep with the Ravens and Browns who both won this week. 

Next week:
Cincinnati: vs Miami (Thursday night) 
NY Jets: @ Pittsburgh

TW: 1-3; CV: 2-2

Detroit 24, Minnesota 28: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings
Not a consistent win in all three phases for the Vikes in this one but a win is a win. Jared Goff was consistent in this game as he completed 25 of 41 passes for 277 yards with a touchdown but also had an interception that was caught by Josh Metellus. Detroit's running game would outpace Minnesota's by a 139 to 123 yard comparison. Jamaal Williams got 87 yards with two touchdowns. Detroit was close to winning the game but a redzone trip and a Cousins to Osborn connection with 45 seconds left would spell doom to the Lions. Kirk Cousins had a rough game last week in Philadelphia. Cousins completed 24 of 41 passes for 260 yards with two touchdowns to KJ Osborn. Minnesota's running game would get lesser yards but would get two touchdowns from Dalvin Cook and Alexander Mattison. Minnesota's special teams was not great as Vikings kicker Greg Joseph would miss two field goals. For the Lions, it is another close loss in a game that could've gone their way. For the Vikings, their 2-1 mark helps them keep pace in a tight NFC North race. 

Next week:
Detroit: vs Seattle
Minnesota: @ New Orleans (Sunday morning)

TW: 2-3; CV: 3-2

Houston 20, Chicago 23: TW: Bears; CV: Texans
Lovie Smith would be in familiar Soldier Field in this game. The former Bear coach would see his team battle against the Bears. Davis Mills would not play well but he plays for the Texans after all. Mills completed 20 of 32 passes for 245 yards with a touchdown to Jordan Akins. Dameon Pierce provided the Texans running offense some help as he got 80 yards rushing with a touchdown. His longest run was for 24 yards. Houston's defense would be a bright spot in pass defense as they held the Bears to 82 total pass yards. Justin Fields would toss 8 of 17 passes for 106 yards with two interceptions. The x-factor in this game would be Chicago's running game. Khalil Herbert was a beast as he got 157 yards rushing with two touchdowns. His longest run was from 52-yards. Seems like he was trying to unleash his inner Walter Payton a little bit. For Chicago, they are 2-1 in a surprising start for them. For Houston, they're still looking for their first win despite getting a half-win/tie in Week 1. 

Next week:
Houston: vs LA Chargers
Chicago: @ NY Giants

TW: 3-3; CV: 3-3

Kansas City 17, Indianapolis 20: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Colts get their first win in 2022. Their 1-1-1 record would make any binary code fan happy. Patrick Mahomes would be not as happy as he completed 20 of 35 passes for 262 yards with a touchdown to Clyde Edwards-Helaire. Mahomes would also be the team's running back as he completed 26 yards rushing. Jerrick McKinnon would get 20 yards rushing. Mahomes would also get into a war of words with offensive coordinator Eric Bienemy before halftime. Matt Ryan would have his roughest start in his career last week. He would have a better showing at home as he completed 27 of 37 passes for 222 yards with two touchdowns. Jonathan Taylor would run a solid game as he rushed for 71 yards on the ground. The game-winning drive by Indy would take 16 plays and resulted in a Matt Ryan to rookie Jelani Woods with 24 seconds left in the game. For the Chiefs, their hopes of an undefeated campaign ends. 

Next week:
Kansas City: @ Tampa Bay (Sunday night)
Indianapolis: vs Tennessee

TW: 3-4; CV: 3-4

Las Vegas 22, Tennessee 24: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
The Raiders are off to their worst start since 2018. Derek Carr completed 26 of 44 passes for 303 yards with two touchdowns and had an interception. Josh Jacobs rushed for 66 yards on 13 carries. Mack Hollins had a game for the Raiders as the wide out had 158 yards receiving on eight catches. His longest was for 60-yards. Davante Adams had 36 receiving yards with a touchdown. This game was a showcase of slow starts for Las Vegas as they were down 24-10 at halftime. Opportunity was there to win it. One such opportunity was to convert a two-point conversion that would've tied the game at 24. It would be a failed attempt. Ryan Tannehill was having a poor start to 2022 but did have a better showing in this game as he completed 19 of 27 passes for 264 yards with a touchdown pass and had an interception. Derrick Henry was back as the king would rack up 85 yards rushing with a touchdown. For the Titans, they would hold on and get win #1 in the campaign. With a returning Derrick Henry to form they Titans can try to keep pace with the Colts.

Next week:
Las Vegas: vs Denver
Tennessee: @ Indianapolis

TW: 3-5; CV; 3-5

New Orleans 14, Carolina 22: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Quarterback problems would plague the Saints in this game. Jameis Winston has dealt with back issues for the last two weeks and would continue to haunt him in this game. He completed 25 of 41 passes for 353 yards with a touchdown pass to Michael Gallaway but tossed two interceptions. Alvin Kamara would share in the woes as he would rush for 61 yards and would cause a fumble that would be scooped by Carolina for the first touchdown in the game. Mark Ingram would get a touchdown for the Saints while getting 18 yards rushing. Baker Mayfield was still off on plays but he would get a decent 170 yards passing with a touchdown pass to Laviska Shenault, a preseason acquisition from Jacksonville, in the 4th quarter. Christian McCaffrey would shine like his old self as the runner would get 108 yards rushing from scrimmage. For the Panthers, it is a win for them in 2022 and snaps a rough nine-game losing streak dating back to last year. 

Next week:
New Orleans: vs Minnesota (Sunday morning)
Carolina: vs Arizona

TW: 3-6; CV: 3-6

Philadelphia 24, Washington 8: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles
Inhospitality was dished out in Landover, Maryland. Jalen Hurts would showcase his arm more so than his legs in this game. Hurts would complete 22 of 35 passes for 340 yards with three touchdowns. All three of them would come from the 2nd quarter. Miles Sanders would rush for 46 yards on 15 carries. DeVonta Smith would have a game as he would catch eight balls for 169 receiving yards. Carson Wentz, unlike Hurts, would fare worse than his counterpart. Wentz would toss 25 of 43 balls for completions for 211 yards. Wentz didn't throw a touchdown but didn't throw an interception either. The main story was his former Eagle teammates sacking him nine times. Washington's lone touchdown would come from Antonio Gibson at the two-minute warning. Washington would score a safety as Eagles running back Boston Scott would get tackled. For the Eagles, they're the lone undefeated team in the NFC. For Washington, it was a rough game that would be preferable to store away and forget about. 

Next week:
Philadelphia: vs Jacksonville
Washington: @ Dallas

TW: 4-6; CV: 4-6

Jacksonville 38, LA Chargers 10: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers
It would be Trevor Lawrence not Justin Herbert that would be the better quarterback in this game. Lawrence would complete 28 of 39 passes for 262 yards with three touchdown passes. Jacksonville's running game also came alive in this game as James Robinson rushed for 100 yards with a touchdown run. His 50-yard long run would be the longest in this game. Travis Etienne would get 45 yards in the game. Justin Herbert would be questionable at the start of this game with a rib cartilage injury. Herbert would be off in this game as he completed 25 of 45 passes for 297 yards with a touchdown pass to Mike Williams and had an interception. Sony Michel wouldn't get a lot going in this game as he would get 22 yards rushing. For the Jaguars, it marks the end of an 18-game road losing streak that goes back to a 2019 Week 15 win at Oakland. It also marks a 2-1 record for the Jags. For the Chargers, they're 1-2 in a competitive AFC West.

Next week:
Jacksonville: @ Philadelphia
LA Chargers: @ Houston

TW: 4-7; CV: 4-7

Atlanta 27, Seattle 23: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
Have a day, Cordarrelle Patterson! Marcus Mariota would play in this game as he would complete 13 of his 20 passes for 229 yards with a touchdown and had an interception. Mariota would cross the endzone plane for a rushing touchdown. Seattle would have their hands full with Cordarrelle Patterson who had 141 rushing yards with a touchdown. He had a 40-yard run that would go the distance. Patterson had already bested his Week 1 performance of 120 yards against the Saints. Geno Smith would produce in this game as he completed 32 of 44 passes for 325 yards with two touchdown passes to DK Metcalf and Will Dissly. Smith also had an interception. Rashad Penny would put together a good showing with 66 yards rushing. 

Next week:
Atlanta: vs Cleveland
Seattle: @ Detroit

TW: 4-8; CV: 4-8

Green Bay 14, Tampa Bay 12: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
The last Rodgers-Brady matchup was... a whimper. Aaron Rodgers completed 27 of 35 passes for 255 yards with two touchdowns but had an interception. Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon wouldn't get a lot going on the ground for the Packers but would get 36 and 32 yards respectively. Romeo Doubs would be the leading receiver for the Packers with 73 yards. Tom Brady would be solid in this game but his weapons was limited. He completed 31 of 42 passes for 271 yards with a touchdown to Russell Gage. Tampa's running game would be limited as well as Leonard Fournette would get 35 yards on 12 carries. Both teams would get 101 yards rushing in this game. Green Bay's defense would step up as they would limit the Bucs offense to 285 total yards. They would sack Tom Brady three times. Tom Brady would eventually lead the Bucs on the final drive and get a touchdown that would cut the lead to 14-12. On the attempted two-point conversion, Brady would try to go to Russel Gage again but would be broken up. For the Packers, they would get the last laugh in the marquee matchup at least until the playoffs. For the Buccaneers, it marks their first loss of 2022. 

Next week:
Green Bay: vs New England
Tampa Bay: vs Kansas City

TW: 4-9; CV: 4-9

LA Rams 20, Arizona 12: TW: Rams; CV: Rams
In Glendale it was a defensive effort for the Rams, rather than an offensive effort. Matthew Stafford would put together a 18 of 25 completed passes, 249 yards passing effort. His longest pass would be a Ben Skowronek connection for 32 yards. The Rams scoring would be from their running attack as Cam Akers would rush for 61 yards for a touchdown. Cooper Kupp would play the role of a runner in a 20-yard run that would end in a six-points result. Kyler Murray would use his arm a lot as he completed 37 of 58 passes for 314 (at least his performance would be worthy of a slice of pi). The passer wouldn't get a touchdown for the game but he didn't throw an interception either. Arizona's offense would be putrid on 3rd down as they would convert 6 of 18 3rd down chances. James Conner would rush for 39 yards on 13 carries. Malcolm Brown would be the leading receiver for the Cards in this game catching 14 balls for 140 yards. For the Rams, it is a 2-1 start for them and a 11 of 12 games dominance over their division rivals, dating back to 2017. For the Cardinals, it is a 1-2 start that would share a record with the Seahawks and 49ers. 

Next week:
LA Rams: @ San Francisco (Monday night)
Arizona: @ Carolina

TW: 5-9; CV: 5-9

San Francisco 10, Denver 11: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
At Empower Field at Mile High, fans were treated to more of a baseball score rather than a football one. Jimmy Garoppolo who would replace Trey Lance last week, was effective in most areas in this game. The passer completed 18 of 29 passes for 211 yards with a touchdown to Brandon Aiyuk but would have an interception in the game. The biggest issue for Garoppolo was field awareness. In the 3rd quarter, deep in his own endzone, Garoppolo would touch the out of bounds part of the endzone, resulting as a safety. Jeff Wilson would be the leading rusher in the game as he rushed for 75 yards on 12 carries. Deebo Samuel would catch five balls for 73 yards. Russell Wilson has had a slow start for the Broncos but would complete 20 of 33 passes for 184 yards. Javontae Williams would get 58 yards rushing for the Broncos. Melvin Gordon would score the lone touchdown for the Broncos on a late drive in the 4th quarter. He would get 26 yards on the ground. For the 49ers, it is a meager performance that sends them to the bottom of the NFC West basement. For the Broncos, they are keeping in pace with the Chiefs who lost earlier on Sunday. 

Next week:
San Francisco: vs LA Rams (Monday night)
Denver: @ Las Vegas

TW: 5-10; CV: 5-10

Dallas 23, NY Giants 16: TW: Giants; CV: Giants
The football gods were kind to one but cruel to another. Cooper Rush would throw well in the game as he completed 21 of 31 passes for 215 yards with a touchdown to CeeDee Lamb. Lamb had dropped an earlier pass but would rebound from the rough start. Big D's running game would pile on the Giants defense as Tony Pollard rushed for 105 yards. Ezekiel Elliot rushed for 73 yards with a touchdown. Dallas would rely on kicker Brett Maher a lot as he would hit 3 of 4 for field goals. It was a slow start for Dalls on offense but would get going in the 2nd half by scoring 17 of their 23 points. Daniel Jones would find less than paradise in this game. He completed 20 of 37 passes for 196 yards with an interception that would be caught in the 4th quarter. Jones would face pressure from the Cowboys all game as he would have 20+ pressures in the game. Saquon Barkley would have some good showing as he ran for 81 yards with a touchdown, including a 36-yard run. Sterling Shepard would be the leading receiver for the Giants with 49 yards. Shepard would leave the game with a leg injury. For the Cowboys, it is a huge win against a resurgent Giants team and would keep pace with the Eagles. For the Giants, it is a grimacing loss after starting the season with a 2-0 record. The loss will hurt but they've faced worse.

Next week:
Dallas: vs Washington
NY Giants: vs Chicago

TW: 5-11; CV: 5-11

2022 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 8-7-1
Week 2: 8-8
Week 3: 5-11

Total: 21-26-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-9-1
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 5-11

Total: 22-25-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

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 
2021: 173-98-1

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

-Tom

NFL 2021 Week 4 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is in the books. The week that was gave us three winless teams earning their first win of the season, a shutout in Buffalo and Tom Brady going back to New England. All those storylines and more in this week's recap post! Let's get to work!

Week 4 Recap

Jacksonville 21, Cincinnati 24: TW: Bengals; CV: Bengals
Joe Burrow would remain the better quarterback over Trevor Lawrence in this one. Trevor Lawrence would stick to a more field general style as the rookie would throw for 204 yards with zero touchdowns but didn't throw an interception in this one. The Jaguars runners would give the offensive points in this one. James Robinson was the leading rusher in the game with 78 yards with two scores. His longest was from 20 yards. Trevor Lawrence would showcase his legs in this one with 36 yards from the ground with a touchdown of his own. Joe Burrow threw for 348 yards with two touchdown passes with no interceptions. Both touchdown passes were for CJ Uzomah who had 95 yards receiving. Joe Mixon continued his hot start with 67 yards rushing with a touchdown run. It was a closer game than it should've as the Bengals had six penalties for 38 yards. A win is a win and the Bengals are 3-1. 

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Next week:
Jacksonville: vs Tennessee
Cincinnati: vs Green Bay

Carolina 28, Dallas 36: TW: Cowboys; CV: Panthers
It really was Sam Darnold vs the Dallas Cowboys in this game. The quarterback would account for four touchdowns for Carolina with two passing and two rushing. He had 301 yards passing with 35 yards rushing and had two balls picked off by Cowboys defenders. Chuba Hubbard was the leading rusher for the Panthers with 57 yards. Dak Prescott was very efficient in the passing game accounting for 188 yards passing with four touchdowns on 14 completions. Ezekiel Elliot had a great day running the ball as he rushed for 143 yards with a touchdown run. Tony Pollard had 67 yards to his own and Prescott had 34 yards. Carolina was down 33-14 going into the 4th quarter as Sam Darnold attempted to lead his team back from a large deficit. It wasn't enough as Carolina falls to 3-1 and Dallas with 1st place in the NFC East. 

TW: 2-0; CV: 1-1

Next week:
Carolina: vs Philadelphia
Dallas: vs NY Giants

Cleveland 14, Minnesota 7: TW: Vikings; CV: Browns
It was Kevin Stefanski's homecoming as he took on his former boss Mike Zimmer. Baker Mayfield would throw for 155 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions in the game. Nick Chubb would get the century mark in rushing on 21 carries. Kareem Hunt would get 69 yards rushing with a touchdown. Cleveland would try for two and Baker Mayfield would find fullback Andy Janovich for two points to give the Browns a 8-7 edge. Chase McLaughlin would go 2 for 2 in field goals. Kirk Cousins threw for 203 yards with a touchdown and an interception in the game. Dalvin Cook would return after a 1-game absence. The runner would rush for 34 yards. His backup Alexander Mattison would get 20 yards. Leading sack leader Myles Garrett would get a 0.5 sack on Kirk Cousins. It was a defensive game but the Browns continue their hot start at 3-1 and Minnesota falls to 1-3 this year. 

TW: 2-1; CV: 2-1

Detroit 14, Chicago 24: TW: Lions; CV: Lions
It was a return to better offensive play for Justin Fields and the Bears. Jared Goff had a solid game with 299 yards passing with two touchdown passes, both to Kalif Raymond. Jamaal Williams rushed for 66 yards in the game. Dandre Swift had 16. Chicago's defense wrecked havoc on the Lions offense as Robert Quinn strip-sacked Detroit and Khalil Mack had a fumble recovery. Justin Fields had a good showing in this game with 209 yards passing on 11 completions but had an interception in the game. David Montgomery had a great day on the ground with 106 yards with two touchdowns. The runner would leave the game with an injury in the 4th quarter. Damien Williams rushed for 55 yards with a touchdown. Detroit is still looking for their first dub of the year and the Bears are back to .500 football at 2-2.

TW: 2-2; CV: 2-2

Next week:
Detroit: @ Minnesota
Chicago: @ Las Vegas

Houston 0, Buffalo 40: TW: Bills; CV: Bills
Rain was coming down hard in Buffalo but it would be more than just the rain for the Texans worries. Davis Mills would finish the game with 87 yards passing with four interceptions. During the first half the Texans had zero points, eight total yards on offense, two interceptions on eight offensive drives. It wasn't pretty to be kind. Mark Ingram would provide 24 yards rushing and David Johnson had 21 yards. Josh Allen wasn't as picture perfect in this game but he did have a 248 yard day for the air with 41 yards on the ground with two passing touchdowns with an interception. Devin Singletary Rushed for 79 yards and Zach Moss had 61 yards with a rushing touchdown. Allen's backup Mitchell Trubisky had 10 yards rushing with a rushing touchdown. Tyler Matakevich, Micah Hyde, Jaquan Johnson, and Tremaine Edmunds would each catch an interception from Davis Mills. You'd have to have a short-term memory if you're Davis Mills after this game. 

TW: 3-2; CV: 3-2

Next week:
Houston: vs New England
Buffalo: @ Kansas City

Indianapolis 27, Miami 17: TW: Colts; CV: Dolphins
The Wentz to Alie-Cox connection would give hope for Colts fans as they get their first win of the season in Miami. Carson Wentz had 228 yards with two touchdown passes, both of them to Mo Alie-Cox. Jonathan Taylor would provide great runs for the Colts with his longest being 38 yards, finishing the game with 103 yards on the ground. Jacoby Brissett threw for 199 yards with two touchdowns. Malcolm Brown wouldn't get a lot from the ground as he rushed for 23 yards. Miami's kicking game would give the Colts some help as a kickoff would go out of bounds, thus giving Indy some help in field position. Two fumbles would also kill the Dolphins. 

TW: 4-2; CV: 3-3

Next week:
Indianapolis: @ Baltimore
Miami: @ Tampa Bay

Kansas City 42, Philadelphia 30: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
It was Andy Reid's return to the City of Brotherly Love. His former team would give his current team some headaches especially on offense. Patrick Mahomes and the offense looked off on some plays during the first half but would put up 21 points in the 1st. Mahomes finished with 278 yards passing with five touchdowns but had an interception that would land in Eric Wilson's hands. Clyde Edwards-Helaire had 102 yards rushing. Damien Williams rushed for 42 yards with a touchdown. Jalen Hurts would give the Chiefs defense all it could handle with 387 yards passing with two touchdowns. One of them was from Dallas Goedert. Hurts would have 47 yards rushing. Kenneth Gainwell had 31 yards rushing with a touchdown run. Red Zone efficiency seemed to be the key to this one as Kansas City was 5 for 5 and Philadelphia was 3 for 6. 

TW: 5-2; CV: 4-3

Next week: 
Kansas City: vs Buffalo
Philadelphia: @ Carolina

NY Giants 27, New Orleans 21 (F/OT): TW: Saints; CV: Saints
New York had been close in their games but couldn't finish them. In New Orleans they would help end the Saints homecoming to the SuperDome. Daniel Jones threw for 402 yards with two touchdown passes with an interception. John Ross and Saquon Barkley would be the receivers for the two touchdown passes. Saquon Barkley would get a rushing touchdown of his own and had 52 yards rushing. Jameis Winston threw for 226 yards with a passing touchdown. Alvin Kamara had 120 yards rushing in the game. Taysom had good and bad in this game. The good was 28 yards rushing with two touchdowns rushing. The bad was an interception. New Orleans had a 21-10 lead into the 4th quarter. They would squander said lead and free football would ensue for all those that came. It would be a Saquon Barkley 6-yard rush for a touchdown to give the G-Men their first win. 

TW: 5-3; CV: 4-4

Next week:
NY Giants: @ Dallas
New Orleans: @ Washington

Tennessee 24, NY Jets 27 (F/OT): TW: Titans; CV: Titans
In New Jersey, the Jets fans were treated to both free football and a Jets win. Ryan Tannehill threw for 298 yards with a touchdown. Derrick Henry rushed for 157 yards with a touchdown. The Titans defense would end up being the x-factor as the Jets would run over them for 365 yards in total yards. Zach Wilson threw the ball for 297 yards with two touchdowns with an interception. Michael Carter rushed for 38 yards with a touchdown run. Another factor was the Jets defense getting to Ryan Tannehill getting seven sacks with 45 yards lost. Sorry Jets fans for thinking that you're going to be 2008 Lions or 2017 Browns bad. You've proved me wrong. Seriously Titans, you have Derrick Henry give you 150+ yards rushing and you lose. C'mon man.

TW: 5-4; CV: 4-5

Next week:
Tennessee: @ Jacksonville
NY Jets: vs Atlanta (at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)

Washington 34, Atlanta 30: TW: Football Team; CV: Football Team
It was truly a back and forth affair but Washington would have the last laugh. Taylor Heinicke would continue his good start to the season with 290 yards passing with three touchdown passes. Antonio Gibson rushed for 63 yards with a touchdown run. With 33 seconds left in the game, Heinicke would find JD McKissic that would finish with a 30-yard touchdown. Washington would get a boost on special teams as Deandre Carter would return a kickoff for 101 yards for a touchdown. Matt Ryan threw for 283 yards with four touchdown passes. Cordarelle Patterson would have a decent game on the ground with 34 yards rushing. His receiving game would be a different matter as Patterson would have 82 receiving yards with three touchdowns. The game would have five lead changes as this game would certainly be one of the worthy cases for game of the week. 

TW: 6-4; CV: 5-5

Next week:
Washington: vs New Orleans
Atlanta: @ NY Jets (at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium)

Arizona 37, LA Rams 20: TW: Rams; CV: Cardinals
Damn... just damn. Kyler Murray threw for 268 yards with two touchdowns as well as 39 yards from the ground. Chase Edmonds would get 120 yards rushing. James Conner rushed for 50 yards with two touchdowns on the ground. Matthew Stafford threw for 280 yards with two touchdowns with an interception. Darrell Henderson rushed for 89 yards. The Rams seemed like a legit team but with this game I'm not sure if I can stay with that thought process. Whether it'll be a blessing in disguise or a sign of things to come. Arizona is now 4-0 for the first time since 2012. 

TW: 6-5; CV: 6-5

Next week:
Arizona: vs San Francisco
Rams: @ Seattle

Seattle 28, San Francisco 21: TW: 49ers; CV: Seahawks
Couldn't invest in some bubblewrap, could you Jimmy Garoppolo? Russell Wilson played sound football with 149 yards with two touchdown passes. He would also rush for 26 yards with a touchdown. Alex Collins would rush for 44 yards with a touchdown. Chris Carson would rush for 30 yards in the game. Jimmy Garoppolo started for the 49ers and would have 165 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Jimmy Garoppolo would leave the game with a calf injury that could keep him off the field for a few weeks. Trey Lance would come in and provide 157 yards with two touchdowns. Trey Sermon rushed for 89 yards. Seems that Trey Lance will be the guy for a few weeks if the 49ers want to get to bigger and better places. 

TW: 6-6; CV: 7-5

Next week:
Seattle: vs LA Rams
San Francisco: @ Arizona

Baltimore 23, Denver 7: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
No more visions of a undefeated season for the Broncos faithful. Lamar Jackson threw for 316 yards with a touchdown. Latavius Murray, not Lamar Jackson, would be the Ravens leading rusher for this game with 59 yards with a touchdown. Lamar Jackson would put up 28 yards. Teddy Bridgewater would start for the Broncos before leaving the game with a concussion. His statline was 65 yards passing with a touchdown on seven completions. Drew Lock would come in and throw for 113 yards with an interception. Melvin Gordon rushed for 56 yards. Some controversy with this one as instead of taking a knee the Ravens would go for a running play to continue a consecutive streak of 100-yard games that was set by the Steelers in 1970s. Broncos head coach Vic Fangio wasn't thrilled about it but at the end of the day you have to stop it or stop whining about it. 

TW: 7-6; CV: 8-5

Next week:
Baltimore: vs Indianapolis
Denver: @ Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh 17, Green Bay 27: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
It was the first meeting of Aaron Rodgers and Ben Roethlisberger since Super Bowl XLV. Ben Roethlisberger would have a mediocre day as Big Ben threw for 232 yards with a touchdown and had an interception that would come in the 4th quarter. Najee Harris would have a better day on the ground as he rushed for 62 yards with a touchdown. Aaron Rodgers threw for 248 yards with two touchdown passes. He would rush in for a touchdown. AJ Dillon rushed for 81 yards. Packer veteran Randall Cobb would account for the two Aaron Rodgers passing touchdowns, giving Packers Nation visions of old days gone by. Have to think the Steelers should make a change at quarterback to salvage this season. 

TW: 8-6; CV: 9-5

Next week:
Pittsburgh: vs Denver
Green Bay: @ Cincinnati

Tampa Bay 19, New England 17: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Buccaneers
Two decades of memories would come to a head as Tom Brady comes back to New England. Tom Brady had an alright game with 269 yards in the game. Leonard Fournette rushed for 91 yards. Ronald Jones would have the only rushing touchdown for the Buccaneers as he had 25 yards rushing to his name. Mac Jones would throw for 275 yards with two touchdowns but had an interception in the game. New England's running game was virtually nonexistent as he had a carry for four yards. The game would come down to a questionable call by Bill Belicheck going for a 56-yard field goal on a 4th down and 3. Nick Folk would miss the kick to the left and it would doink the left goalpost. Tom Brady becomes the 4th player in NFL history to defeat every team. 

TW: 9-6; CV: 10-5

Next week:
Tampa Bay: vs Miami
New England: @ Houston

Las Vegas 14, LA Chargers 28: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Bad omens would ensue for the Raiders and the game was delayed by lightning in the area. The lightning probably game a jolt (pun intended) for the Chargers. Derek Carr would be effected the most as he threw for 196 yards with two touchdowns and had an interception in the game. The interception would come on a late game drive. Josh Jacobs would return to action for the Raiders and had 40 yards rushing. Justin Herbert would get a jolt from the delay as he had 222 yards with three touchdowns. Austin Ekeler had a good game with 117 yards with a touchdown. All that money for a stadium and its not even an enclosed roof? Nor a retractable roof? 

TW: 9-7; CV: 10-6

Next week:
Las Vegas: vs Chicago
LA Chargers: vs Cleveland

2021 Pick'em Records:

My record:

Week 1: 7-9
Week 2: 10-6
Week 3: 10-6
Week 4: 9-7

Total: 36-28

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 6-10
Week 2: 12-4
Week 3: 13-3
Week 4: 10-6

Total: 41-23

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 

Look out for the Week 5 Picks post sometime on Wednesday! See you then!

-Tom

NFL 2020 Week 4 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come and gone. The week that was full of drama: high-scoring games, big comebacks, and the dreaded COVID. In this post I'll briefly talk about my take on the NFL's response to COVID-19, and a recap of the week's action. Let's get to work!

COVID-19 & The NFL

I applaud the league for its response as sooner or later, this would happen to the NFL. Two games would get postponed this week, one would be played at a later time, and the other at an undefined time. Whether more weeks will look like this week is unclear, but I feel there will have to be make-up weeks after Week 17 to give teams a chance to play all of their games before the playoffs start. 

I question why the NFL would move the Patriots-Chiefs game to a Monday night slot that is usually given to ESPN and not put into a Tuesday night slot where there is no game on. It just seems like a disservice to one of your broadcast partners to lure that game's viewers to a game that CBS will televise nationally. Mind you that most people that have basic cable get CBS as its a national network. 

I also question why have that game be played this week and not have the Steelers-Titans game played this week as well. I get that its going to be played when both teams will have a bye week but I'm just not sure why force teams to lose that bye week when they've been preparing for this game this week. Why not have it be played in Week 18 or during the "make-up weeks" that could possibly happen should there be more cases in players, coaches, staff, etc. Just my two cents but it just seems off to me. 

Week 4 Recap

Denver 37, NY Jets 28: TW: Broncos, CV: Broncos
In the battle of winless teams, Denver comes out on top. Brett Rypien, Mark Rypien's nephew, made the best of his opportunity to lead the Broncos to a dub. Rypien threw for 242 yards with two touchdowns but also threw three interceptions, one was returned for a pick-six. Melvin Gordon really had a great game for the Broncos running over the Jets for 107 yards with two rushing touchdowns. Tim Patrick was the leading receiver for Denver with 113 yards receiving yards with a touchdown. Sam Darnold would ultimately be on his own for most of the game. He threw for 230 yards with zero touchdown passes. He would rush for 84 yards with a touchdown. The touchdown was from a 46-yard rush from Darnold. How is Adam Gase still your head coach? 

Next week:
Denver: @ New England; NY Jets: vs Arizona

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

LA Chargers 31, Tampa Bay 38: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Chargers
Patriots, Buccaneers, or some scrub team, Tom Brady will still own the Chargers. Justin Herbert had a good game with 290 yards and three touchdowns and an interception. He would be the leading rusher for the Chargers with 14 yards. Austin Ekeler would leave the game early with an injury. Tom Brady gave us a glimpse of his old self with a 369-yard, five touchdown performance while throwing a pick six in the 2nd quarter. With Leonard Fournette out, Ronald Jones would have to be the one that would pick the load for the Bucs. Jones finished the game with 111 yards rushing. Buccaneers were down 24-7 in the 2nd quarter and would ultimately go on a 31-7 run to finish the game. 

Next week:
LA Chargers: @ New Orleans; Tampa Bay: @ Chicago

TW: 2-0; CV: 1-1

Jacksonville 25, Cincinnati 33: TW: Bengals; CV: Jaguars
You got it done Bungles! Gardner Minshew threw for 351 yards with two touchdowns and an interception, further proving that if he had a defense they might actually win games. James Robinson had a good day running the ball with 75 yards but wouldn't score a touchdown in this one. Joe Burrow would finally get that elusive dub to his career. Burrow threw for an even 300 yards with a touchdown and an interception that really wasn't his fault. When I said Joe Mixon was quiet in the Picks post, he must've read it because he balled like crazy. The running back ran for 151 yards with two touchdown runs. He would also score a receiving touchdown with 30 yards to his name. Tyler Boyd had 90 receiving yards, further proving that tight ends are a young quarterbacks best friend. 

Next week:
Jacksonville: @ Houston; Cincinnati: @ Baltimore

TW: 3-0; CV: 1-2

Minnesota 31, Houston 23: TW: Texans; CV: Texans
Really, Minnesota? You win when I pick against you. Sigh. Kirk Cousins threw for 260 yards and a touchdown. He would also not throw an interception in this game, first time this season that has happened. Dalvin Cook also ran over the Texans defense for 130 yards with two touchdowns. Vikings Safety Harrison Smith would get ejected after a helmet-to-helmet hit on Jordan Akins. DeShaun Watson would have a rough first half but would get things going in the 2nd half. He finished with 300 yards passing with two touchdowns. David Johnson had a better game in running the ball for 63 yards. Keep telling you Houston, Bill O'Brien has to go. Even saw some fans with paper bags over their heads in this one. HALLEJUAH BILL O'BRIEN HAS BEEN LET GO! ONLY TOOK YOU GUYS ABOUT 9 MONTHS TO DO SAID THING. 

Next week:
Minnesota: @ Seattle; Houston: vs Jacksonville

TW: 3-1; CV: 1-3

Seattle 31, Miami 23: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks
So Seattle is 4-0 for the first time since 2013, their Super Bowl winning season. Russell Wilson threw for 360 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Overall good performance from him. Chris Carson would actually play in this game, so much to my thinking that he wouldn't play in this game. Carson would rack up 80 yards with two touchdowns. Ryan Fitzpatrick would ultimately have to carry the Dolphins offense in this one. Fitzpatrick threw for 315 yards while throwing two interceptions and rushed for 47 yards with the only offensive touchdown for Miami. Jason Sanders would go 5 for 5 in field goals in this one. Not even the 100 degree heat index would stop the Seahawks in this one. 

Next week:
Seattle: vs Minnesota; Miami: @ San Francisco

TW: 4-1; CV: 2-3

Cleveland 49, Dallas 38: TW: Browns; CV: Cowboys
Oh boy, defense was surely lacking in this one for sure. Baker Mayfield threw for 165 yards with two touchdowns in the game. Jarvis Landry throw a touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr on a trick play. The Browns running game was of a plenty in this one. Dernest Johnson would finish with 95 yards rushing while Odell Beckham Jr ran for 73 yards with a touchdown, and Kareem Hunt ran for 71 yards with two touchdown runs of his own. Nick Chubb would rush for 43 yards before leaving the game with an injury. Dak Prescott had one of the best performances in his career with 502 passing yards with four touchdowns and a late-game interception. Ezekiel Elliot wouldn't get too much yardage from the run but would finish with a decent 54 yards. Tony Pollard ran for 16 yards with a touchdown run. Cleveland is 3-1 for the first time since 2001 and quite honestly they have the tools to do something this season. Dallas allowed 307 yards rushing, the most in franchise history in a game. Dallas could end up winning this division and get a home playoff game with a 6-10 record. Just think about that. 

Next week:
Cleveland: vs Indianapolis; Dallas: vs NY Giants

TW: 5-1; CV: 2-4

New Orleans 35, Detroit 29: TW: Saints; CV: Saints
Detroit kept it close but really couldn't stop the Saints juggernaut. Drew Brees threw for 246 yards with two touchdowns with an interception in the game. Alvin Kamara and Latavius Murray would rush for 83 yards and 64 yards respectively combining for three touchdowns. Matthew Stafford threw for 206 yards with three touchdowns and an interception. Adrian Peterson would only get 36 yards with a rushing touchdown in the game. Saints fullback Michael Burton had a false positive test for COVID-19, adding to the emotion on New Orleans but they would persevere  in this one. 

Next week:
New Orleans: vs LA Chargers; Detroit: Bye

TW: 6-1; CV: 3-4

Baltimore 31, Washington 17: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens
After last week, Lamar Jackson regained his confidence in this game. Jackson threw for 193 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He would provide the run game for the Ravens with 53 yards rushing, 50 of those yards were from a rushing touchdown. Mark Ingram ran for 34 yards with a touchdown. Dwayne Haskins had a better day at quarterback with 314 yards but didn't throw a touchdown pass but didn't throw an interception either. Haskins did score a rushing touchdown though, while Antonio Gibson rushed for 46 yards with a touchdown. For perspective, Washington is still tied for 1st place in the NFC East with Dallas. They have a 1-3 record. Philly won. They now have sole possession of 1st place in the NFC East with a 1-2-1 record. 

Next week:
Baltimore: vs Cincinnati; Washington: vs LA Rams

TW: 7-1; CV: 4-4

Arizona 21, Carolina 31: TW: Cardinals; CV: Cardinals
No Christian McCaffrey, no problem again. Kyler Murray threw for three touchdowns with 133 yards passing. He would rush for 78 yards. DeAndre Hopkins would only get 41 receiving yards in this one. Teddy Bridgewater threw for 276 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Bridgewater ran for 32 yards with a touchdown while Mike Davis ran for 84 yards with a touchdown run of his own. What's the bigger story: Cardinals now 2-2 after going 2-0 or Carolina at 2-2 after starting 0-2? I feel the latter to be honest. Guess having a competent quarterback and scoring in the red zone helps out a bit. 

Next week: 
Arizona: @ NY Jets; Carolina: @ Atlanta

TW: 7-2; CV: 4-5

NY Giants 9, LA Rams 17: TW: Rams; CV: Rams
The entertaining part of this one was the fight between Jalen Ramsey and Golden Tate after the game was over. Daniel Jones finished the game with 190 yards with an interception. Wayne Gallman and Daniel Jones would both rush for 45 yards in the game. The Giants looked lost without their star running back Saquon Barkley in the lineup. Jared Goff threw for an even 200 yards with a touchdown. Gerald Everett would score the other offensive touchdown for the Rams on a two-yard run. Malcolm Brown would run for 37 yards for the Rams. Guess it doesn't help when both Ramsey and Tate know each other off the field. Tate's sister was in a relationship with Ramsey and the couple went through a bad breakup last year that made Golden Tate upset. The couple had two children.

Next week:
NY Giants: @ Dallas; LA Rams: @ Washington

TW: 8-2; CV: 5-5

Buffalo 30, Las Vegas 23: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders
Well Buffalo, I didn't think that you would do it, but you did it. Josh Allen threw for 288 yards with two touchdowns. Allen would also rush the ball 3 times with -1 yard with a touchdown in the game. Devin Singletary would rush for 55 yards with a touchdown as well. Derek Carr threw for 311 yards with two touchdowns. Josh Jacobs ran for 48 yards. Carr passed Ken Stabler for franchise career touchdowns with 151. Not a great achievement granted that the Raiders don't have a lot of great names at quarterback in their history but cool regardless.

Next week:
Buffalo: @ Tennessee; Las Vegas: @ Kansas City

TW: 8-3; CV: 5-6

Indianapolis 19, Chicago 11: TW: Colts; CV: Bears
Only two touchdowns were scored in this game. Philip Rivers threw for 190 yards with a touchdown and oddly enough didn't throw an interception in this one. Kudos to him. Jonathan Taylor ran for 68 yards in the game. Nick Foles would get his first start since last season in this game. Foles threw for 249 yards with a touchdown and an interception. David Montgomery ran for a measly 27 yards in this one, obviously the Colts defense stepped up to the challenge. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: @ Cleveland; Chicago: vs Tampa Bay (Thursday night)

TW: 9-3; CV: 5-7

Philadelphia 25, San Francisco 20: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers
The Eagles won this one and have 1st place lead in the NFC East. They have a winning percentage of .375 right now with a 1-2-1 record. Carson Wentz threw for 193 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran in for a touchdown while rushing for 37 yards. Miles Sanders was the leading rusher for Philly with 46 yards. Nick Mullens started again for the 49ers. He started off with 200 yards passing with a touchdown and threw two interceptions before CJ Beathard replaced him and threw for 138 yards. Jerrick McKinnon and Brandon Aiyuk both scored a touchdown each and rushed for 54 and 38 yards rushing respectively. 

Next week:
Philadelphia: @ Pittsburgh; San Francisco: vs Miami

TW: 9-4; CV: 5-8

New England 10, Kansas City 26: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs
The Patriots looked lost without Cam in the lineup. Brian Hoyer would get the start for the Patriots and threw for 130 yards with an interception. Jarrett Stidham would replace Hoyer later in the game and wouldn't help New England much with a 60-yard, one touchdown and two interception performance. Damien Harris had a good day running the ball for the Patriots with 17 carries for 100 yards. Patrick Mahomes would prove to be too much for the Patriots defense. Mahomes threw for 236 yards with two touchdowns. Clyde Edwards-Helaire had a good day as well 64 yards rushing but wouldn't score a touchdown in the game. Tyrann Mathieu would score on a pick-six from Stidham. 

Next week:
New England: vs Denver; Kansas City: vs Las Vegas

TW: 10-4; CV: 6-8

Atlanta 16, Green Bay 30: TW: Packers; CV: Packers
The 2020 Packers definitely remind you of the 2011 team a lot with their offensive yards and points scored this season. Matt Ryan threw for 285 yards but didn't throw a touchdown or an interception in this game. Todd Gurley would finish the game with 57 yards with two touchdowns. Aaron Rodgers had probably one of his better games this season, finishing with 327 yards with four touchdowns. Aaron Jones rushed for 71 yards in the game. Robert Tonyan produced in a big way with 98 receiving yards with three touchdowns. 

Next week:
Atlanta: vs Carolina; Green Bay: Bye

TW: 11-4; CV: 7-8

Since Pittsburgh @ Tennessee will be played later in the season, it won't count as a tie, win or loss. Me and Cardinal Viking will pick the game when it happens.

2020 Week by Week Record: 

TW's record:

Week 1: 8-8
Week 2: 15-1
Week 3: 9-6-1
Week 4: 11-4
Total: 43-19-1

Cardinal Viking's record:

Week 1: 10-6
Week 2: 11-5
Week 3: 8-7-1
Week 4: 7-8
Total: 36-26-1

Previous Picking Records:

Cardinal Viking:

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

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

I'll see you guys on Wednesday for the Week 5 picks post! 

-Tom

NFL 2019 Week 4 Recap

Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has passed us by. Some games were surprises, some were close, and some were not even as close. I've done fairly well in picks so far in the season, we shall have to see if that trend continues and if Cardinal Viking can get the victory this week. In this post i'll talk about another NFL 100 spotlight, and the recaps of the games. Let's get to work!

NFL 100: A Spotlight

I talked about defense last Sunday and I talked about offense on Wednesday, and for this spotlight. I thought I'd look at the 3rd and underrated portion of football, special teams. Yes, it is underrated. It is the decider in field position, kicking game, punting game, and returns. A punt ends up inside the 20 yard line can make the difference than a punt spotted on the 35-yard line. Blocking kicks/punts and returning them for touchdowns can help give your team a boost when they're not playing their best. There have been a few notable teams throughout the history of the NFL where special teams was key to winning, the 1986 Kansas City Chiefs were one of them.

The Chiefs hadn't made it back to the playoffs since 1971. In 1986, the Chiefs would see a resurgence. They were lead by Todd Blackledge who threw for 1,200 yards for 10 touchdowns and six interceptions as well as Bill Kenney who threw for 1,922 yards for 13 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Their running game was below average with Mike Pruitt running the ball for 448 yards, as a fullback. They finished the season with 358 total points for a 22.4 points/game, giving them 11th best in the NFL.

The defense for the team was lead by Albert Lewis and Kevin Ross with eight interceptions combined. They forced 15+ fumbles and recovered them. In 1986, they held opponents to 326 points, or 20.4 points/game.

Special teams for the Chiefs that year were so dominant, they gave all the scoring the Chiefs would need to win. In the last week of the regular season the Chiefs traveled to Pittsburgh, in need of a playoff berth. Deron Cherry would get things started with a special teams fumble recovery in the end zone Nick Lowery would kick a 47-yard field goal. Boyce Green would get a touchdown on a 97-yard kick return. Gary Anderson of the Steelers would have a field goal blocked by Lloyd Burress for a 78-yard touchdown. The Chiefs would ultimately win the game, giving the Chiefs a 10-6 record on the season, their best season since 1971, as well as a playoff berth. They would lose to the New York Jets 35-15.

Week 4 Recap

Philadelphia 34, Green Bay 27: TW: Packers; CV: Eagles

Both teams really had a chance to win it. Carson Wentz proved some doubters wrong with his play, throwing the ball for 160 yards for three touchdowns. Jordan Howard got 87 yards rushing for two touchdowns. It was an old-fashioned performance for Aaron Rodgers, throwing the ball for 422 yards for two touchdowns and an interception. Aaron Jones could only muster 21 yards rushing, Aaron Rodgers would be the leading rusher for 46 yards. Cardinal Viking finally gets a pick right after failing the past three times. 

All-time series: Packers lead series 27-17

Next week: Philadelphia: vs NY Jets; Green Bay: @ Dallas

TW: 0-1; CV: 1-0

New England 16, Buffalo 10: TW: Patriots; CV: Patriots

It wasn't a pretty game for Brady & Company but fortunately their defense and special teams gave them the help they needed. Tom Brady threw the ball for 150 yards for an interception. Brandon Bolden would give the Patriots the only offensive touchdown on the day from a 4-yard rush play. Sony Michel ran the ball for 17 carries for 63 yards. Buffalo couldn't get a lot from Josh Allen who threw the ball for 153 yards for three interceptions. Allen would score the only offensive touchdown for the Bills on a run play. Frank Gore had a good day running the ball for 109 yards. I think the game proved that the Bills defense is legit and that Josh Allen is still a man trying to learn how to play the game. 

All-time series: Patriots lead series: 75-43-1

Next week: Patriots: @ Washington; Buffalo: @ Tennessee

TW: 1-1; CV: 2-0

LA Chargers 30, Miami 10: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

It would be the Chargers first win in Miami since the "Epic In Miami" in January 1982. Philip Rivers wasn't even born at that time. Rivers threw the ball for 310 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Melvin Gordon wasn't starting but Austin Ekeler would get the start, running the ball for 60 yards and a touchdown. Josh Rosen gave the Dolphins fans something to cheer for with 180 passing yards and a touchdown, while throwing an interception. Kenyon Drake ran the ball for 44 yards. 

All-time series: Dolphins lead series 18-16

Next week: LA Chargers: vs Denver; Miami: Bye week

TW: 2-1; CV: 3-0

Tennessee 24, Atlanta 10: TW: Falcons; CV: Falcons

Marcus Mariota had a good game as the inconsistent Titans win. Mariota had 227 yards passing for three touchdowns. Derrick Henry reached the century mark with 100 yards rushing. Matt Ryan threw the ball for 397 yards with zero touchdowns. The Falcons running game couldn't get much going with Devonta Freeman getting 28 yards rushing for the game. Missed opportunity for the Falcons in a weak NFC South. 

All-time series: Titans lead series 8-7

Next week: Tennesee: vs Buffalo; Atlanta: @ Houston

TW: 2-2; CV: 3-1

Washington 3, NY Giants 24: TW: Giants; CV: Giants

The Dwayne Haskins era began prematurely when he was put in at quarterback for Case Keenum in the 2nd quarter. Both quarterbacks would finish with 137 yards and four interceptions combined. Daniel Jones had some growing pains in the game with 225 yards passing for a touchdown and two interceptions. Wayne Gallman stepped up at running back for Saquon Barkley, running the ball for 63 yards and a touchdown. 

All-time series: Giants lead series 102-69-4

Next week: Washington: vs New England; NY Giants: vs Minnesota

TW: 3-2; CV: 4-1

Kansas City 34, Detroit 30: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

In the 4th time in his career, Patrick Mahomes would throw for zero touchdowns in a game. Mahomes would throw the ball for 315 yards with zero interceptions. The Chiefs running game brought the scoring with LeSean McCoy getting 56 yards with a touchdown and Darrel Williams getting 13 yards with two rushing touchdowns. Matthew Stafford had a good day with 291 yards passing for three touchdowns. Kerryon Johnson ran the ball for 125 yards. The Chiefs would score on a strange play with a Lions fumble that was recovered by Baushaud Breeland. It was strange because there was no whistle blown and you're supposed to keep playing until the whistle blows. Poor Lions.

All-time series: Chiefs lead 9-5

Next week: Kansas City: vs Indianapolis; Detroit: Bye week

TW: 4-2; CV: 5-1

Cleveland 40, Baltimore 25: TW: Ravens; CV: Ravens

The pressure was on for Baker Mayfield but it would be his running back that would give his quarterback some help. Mayfield threw the ball for 342 yards for a touchdown and an interception. Nick Chubb would answer the call running the ball for 165 yards for three touchdown, his longest was for 88 yards. Lamar Jackson threw the ball for 247 yards for three touchdowns and two interceptions. Mark Ingram, who had been quite dependable for Baltimore, would get some solid yardage finishing the game with 71 yards on 12 carries. 

All-time series: Ravens lead series 30-11

Next week: Cleveland: @ San Francisco (Monday night); Baltimore: @ Pittsburgh

TW: 4-3; CV: 5-2

Carolina 16, Houston 10: TW: Panthers; CV: Texans

The Texans couldn't quite get much going against a back-up quarterback and a running back who's probably an underrated favorite for MVP right now. Kyle Allen threw the ball for 232 yards for zero touchdowns and zero interceptions. Christian McCaffrey ran the ball for 93 yards for the Panthers only touchdown, as well as 86 yards receiving. DeShaun Watson threw the ball for 160 yards passing while running the ball for 12 yards and a touchdown (the Texans only touchdown on the day). Very quiet game, not a lot of scoring. 

All-time series: Panthers lead 3-2

Next week: Carolina: vs Jacksonville; Houston: vs Indianapolis

TW: 5-3; CV: 5-3

Tampa Bay 55, LA Rams 40: TW: Rams; CV: Rams

It was the most points given up by a Rams team since 1956 and Jared Goff threw the ball for 68 times. Goff threw the ball for a career high 517 yards for two touchdowns and three interceptions. Todd Gurley got 16 yards rushing for two touchdowns. Jameis Winston had a good day with 381 yards passing for four touchdowns and an interception. Rashaad Jones ran the ball well for the Bucs with 70 yards and a touchdown. 

All-time series: Rams lead series 16-9

Next week: Tampa Bay: @ New Orleans; LA Rams: @ Seattle (Thursday night)

TW: 5-4; CV: 5-4

Seattle 27, Arizona 10: TW: Seahawks; CV: Seahawks

Arizona wouldn't get a lot of things right in the game. Russell Wilson threw the ball for 240 yards with a touchdown. Chris Carson ran the ball for 104 yards on 22 carries. New addition Jadaveon Clowney got a pick-six in the game as well. Kyler Murray threw the ball for 241 yards and an interception. Murray would run the ball for 27 yards and a touchdown, the only one for the Cards. David Johnson was the leading rusher for the Cardinals with 40 yards. 

All-time series: Seahawks lead series 21-19-1

Next week: Seattle: vs LA Rams (Thursday night); Arizona: @ Cincinnati

TW: 6-4; CV: 6-4

Jacksonville 26, Denver 24: TW: Jaguars; CV: Broncos

The Legend of Minshew continues to grow but it was his running back that took over the game for the Jags. Gardner Minshew threw the ball for 213 yards for two touchdowns. Leonard Fournette had the game of his life on the ground with 225 yards rushing even though he didn't score a touchdown. Joe Flacco threw the ball for 303 yards and three touchdowns and one interception. The Broncos running tandem of Philip Lindsey and Royce Freeman as they both totaled for 69 yards. At least Von Miller got a sack in the game. 

All-time series: Jaguars lead 7-6

Next week: Jacksonville: @ Carolina; Denver: @ LA Chargers

TW: 7-4; CV: 6-5

Minnesota 6, Chicago 16: TW: Vikings; CV: Vikings

It was a defensive battle where Kirk Cousins didn't play well and the Bears got the win from a backup quarterback. Cousins threw the ball for 233 yards for zero touchdowns. Dalvin Cook didn't get much from the ground as the Bears stuffed him quite easy, running the ball for 35 yards and a touchdown. Mitchell Trubisky would start the game but went down with an injury. Chase Daniel gave the Vikings defense some fits as the quarterback threw for 195 yards and a touchdown. David Montgomery ran the ball for 53 yards for the Bears. 

All-time series: Vikings lead series 60-55-2

Next week: Minnesota: @ NY Giants; Chicago: vs Oakland (London)

TW: 7-5; CV: 6-6

Oakland 31, Indianapolis 24: TW: Colts; CV: Colts

The bigger shocker of the afternoon was this game. Ultimately the difference was the Jacoby Brissett interception. Derek Carr threw the ball for 189 yards for two touchdowns. Josh Jacobs and Trevor Davis combined for 153 yards and a touchdown (by Davis). Jacoby Brissett did fine with 265 yards and three touchdowns and an interception. Rare road victory from Oakland. 

All-time series: Raiders lead series 10-8

Next week: @ Chicago (London); Indianapolis: @ Kansas City

TW: 7-6; CV: 6-7

Dallas 10, New Orleans 12: TW: Cowboys; CV: Cowboys

The NFL is a weird thing. The Saints rush defense wasn't playing well but yet they hold Ezekiel Elliot to 35 yards and a touchdown. Dak Prescott threw the ball for 223 yards and zero touchdowns. Teddy Bridgewater wasn't too flashy in the game with 193 yards and an interception. Alvin Kamara ran the ball for 69 yards and zero touchdowns. 

All-time series: Dallas leads series 17-13

Next week: Dallas: vs Green Bay; New Orleans: vs Tampa Bay

TW: 7-7; CV: 6-8

Cincinnati 3, Pittsburgh 27: TW: Steelers; CV: Steelers

The Bengals couldn't find a whole lot of things right in the game. Andy Dalton was sacked eight times while throwing the ball for 171 yards and an interception. Joe Mixon ran the ball for 62 yards for zero touchdowns. Mason Rudolph got his 2nd start in this game, throwing the ball for 229 yards and two touchdowns. Jaylen Samuels got a rushing touchdown while James Conner was the leading rusher with 42 yards. Pittsburgh finally got a win!

All-time series: Steelers lead series 65-35

Next week: Cincinnati: vs Arizona; Pittsburgh: vs Baltimore

TW: 8-7; CV: 7-8

Cardinal Viking:

2017: 167-89

2018: 156-98-2

2019:

Week 1: 11-4-1

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 10-6

Week 4: 7-8

Overall: 38-24-1

My record: 

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

2018: 156-98-2

2019:

Week 1: 12-3-1

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 11-5

Week 4: 8-7

Overall: 41-21-1

See you guys on Wednesday for the Week 5 picks post!

-Tom