NFL 2023 Week 7 Picks

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

NFL Rant of the Week

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

Week 7 Preview

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

Week 7 Picks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

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

FOX Single

Detroit @ Baltimore

Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

Las Vegas @ Chicago

Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

Atlanta @ Tampa Bay

Chris Myers, Robert Smith

Pittsburgh @ LA Rams (Late)

Adam Amin, Daryl Johnston

Arizona @ Seattle (Late)

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

CBS Early

Buffalo @ New England
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Washington @ NY Giants

Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan

Cleveland @ Indianapolis
Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

CBS Late

LA Chargers @ Kansas City
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

Green Bay @ Denver
Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

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

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

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

Week 6: 9-6

Total: 56-37

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

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

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

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Total: 60-33

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

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

2020: 167-88-1 

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

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

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 6 Recap

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action has come to an end. The week that was week 6 brought us a couple of reunion games with former Alabama quarterbacks Tua Tagovailoa and Bryce Young battling it out, a reunion game in the Colts and Jaguars. Some other notable games included a defensive battle in Cleveland, a scoring extravaganza in Cincinnati and an NFC North battle in the Windy City. All those games and more in this week's recap post.

NFL Week 6 Freaky Stat

The Lions 5-1 record is their best start since 2011, and their sixth 5-1 start since the NFL merger in 1970. The Jets win against the Eagles is their first win against Philadelphia ever (their first meeting was in 1973 which was a 24-23 Eagles win). 

NFL Week 6 Recap

Denver 8, Kansas City 19: TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce (and I guess Taylor Swift) got the job done in Arrowhead. Russell Wilson was not great in this one as he hit 13 of 22 passes for 95 yards with a touchdown pass to Cortland Sutton in the 4th quarter. Wilson was feeling the pressure of the Chiefs defense all game as he was pressured multiple times, sacked four times and was intercepted two times. The scoring play came on a 11-yard play that originally ruled incomplete but a challenge overturned it to a touchdown and then the two-point conversion was successful. Javonte Williams ran the ball ten times for 52 yards. Russell Wilson rushed for 31 yards on four carries. The Broncos offense got 197 total yards at the end of the game. Patrick Mahomes was good enough as he hit 30 of 40 passes for 306 yards with a touchdown pass to Kadarius Toney in the 2nd quarter. Mahomes did toss an interception in the game. Isiah Pacheco got some decent running yards as he rushed for 62 yards rushing including a 15-yard run that was the longest for him. Patrick Mahomes finished with the same rushing numbers as Russell Wilson with 31. The big star of the game was Travis Kelce who was hampered with an ankle injury during last week's win against the Vikings. He finished with nine catches for 124 yards. Safe to say perhaps a certain person who was in a suite during the game, made him feel better. Just maybe. For the Broncos, they drop to 1-5 on the 2023 season. For the Chiefs, they continue with their title defense season with a 5-1 record. 

Next week:
Denver: vs Green Bay 

Kansas City: vs LA Chargers 

TW: 1-0; CV: 1-0

Baltimore 24, Tennessee 16: TW: Ravens; CV: Titans

The Ravens take care of business in London. Lamar Jackson was effective in this game as he hit 21 of 30 passes for 223 yards with a touchdown pass and an interception while getting 62 rushing yards. The lone Baltimore touchdown came to Zay Flowers on a short pass in the redzone that went for 10 yards that gave the Ravens a 15-3 lead. Gus Edwards hit 41 yards on 16 carries. Ravens kicker Justin Tucker was used a lot as he hit 6 for 6 field goals but did miss one extra point. While the Ravens got the win they went 1 for 6 in redzone efficiency and 0 for 2 in goal to go situations. Baltimore's offense got 360 total yards. Tennessee was somewhat of a mess in this game. Ryan Tannehill started but gave the Titans a 8 for 16 passing game with 76 yards with an interception. Malik Willis would get some play time as he hit 4 of 5 passes for 74 yards. Tennessee did score a lone touchdown by no other than Derrick Henry who ran into the endzone on a 15-yard play. Henry finished the game with 97 yards on 12 carries, including a 63-yard run. It was a shortage of offensive yardage for the Titans again as they put up 233 total yards, including 129 rushing yards. For the Ravens, they continue their season with a 4-2 record. For the Titans, the loss of Ryan Tannehill due to an ankle injury is the least of their worries as they drop to 2-4 in 2023. 

Next week:
Baltimore: vs Detroit

Tennessee: Bye

TW: 2-0; CV: 1-1

Carolina 21, Miami 42: TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins

Tua gets the last laugh against his former Crimson Tide teammate Bryce Young. Young hit 23 of 38 passes for 217 yards with a touchdown pass to Adam Thielen in the 1st quarter on a 8-yard pass to the right. Chuba Hubbard had a good game running the ball with 88 yards rushing with a touchdown. Both touchdowns by the Panthers happened in the 1st quarter. Carolina's offense got to 296 total yards. Tua Tagovailoa hit 21 of 31 passes for 262 yards with three touchdown passes. The players that had caught those passes were Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle and Raheem Mostert. Miami's offense got a good showing from their rushing attack as Raheem Mostert ran over the Panthers offense for 115 yards with two touchdowns. Salvon Ahmed rushed for 23 yards with a touchdown. Tyreek Hill finished the game with 163 receiving yards on six catches, with a 47-yard play. Miami's offense didn't miss a beat once again as they totaled 424 total yards in the game. For the Panthers, they will look to week 8 to get win #1 as they drop to 0-6. For the Dolphins, they get some cushion in the AFC East division race with a 5-1 record. 

Next week: 
Carolina: Bye
Miami: @ Philadelphia (Sunday night)

TW: 3-0; CV: 2-1

Indianapolis 20, Jacksonville 37: TW: Colts; CV: Jaguars

Gardner Minshew's return to Jacksonville was not a friendly reunion. The former Jaguars quarterback hit 33 of 55 passes for 329 yards with a touchdown pass to Josh Downs late in the 4th quarter. The quarterback also tossed three interceptions to Jaguars in the game. Zach Moss hit 21 yards rushing with a touchdown also in the 4th quarter. Along with the three turnovers, the Colts also lost a fumble on their first drive in the 2nd quarter, totaling their turnovers to four. Trevor Lawrence was alright in the game as he hit 20 of 30 passes for 181 yards with two touchdown passes to Christian Kirk and Brenton Strange. Most of the damage for the Jaguars came on their running game as he rushed for 55 yards with two touchdowns. It was a quiet day for the offense as they got 233 total yards but the turnovers by the Colts were just freebies for points. Brandon McManus hit three field goals in the game. For the Colts, they drop to 3-3 in a heated battle in the AFC South. For the Jaguars, they get to 4-2 with a game lead in the AFC South. 

Next week:
Indianapolis: vs Cleveland
Jacksonville: @ New Orleans (Thursday night)

TW: 3-1; CV: 3-1

Minnesota 19, Chicago 13: TW: Bears; CV: Vikings

No Justin Jefferson, no problem. Kirk Cousins hit 21 of 31 passes for 181 yards with a touchdown pass to Jordan Addison. It would be the only offensive touchdown for the Vikings. Alexander Mattison rushed for 44 yards on 18 carries. Minnesota's offense would get 220 total yards of offense. The defense got a fumble-six on a Tyson Bagent play that was recovered by Jordan Hicks for 42 yards for the score. Justin Fields started the game for the Bears and hit 6 of 10 passes for 58 yards with an interception. He would leave the game with a right hand injury. Tyson Bagent came in and didn't help the cause as he hit 10 of 14 passes for 83 yards but did score the only touchdown for the Bears on a 1-yard dive for six. He did also toss an interception in the game. D'Onta Foreman rushed for 65 yards with 15 carries. DJ Moore who had 230 receiving yards last week only got 51 receiving yards in this game. Chicago's offense wounded up with 275 total yards, 162 of them for rushing yards. For the Vikings, they avoid hanging out in the NFC North basement and improve to 2-4. For the Bears, their winning streak of one ends as they drop to 1-5. 

Next week:
Minnesota: vs San Francisco (Monday night)

Chicago: vs Las Vegas

TW: 3-2; CV: 4-1

New Orleans 13, Houston 20: TW: Texans; CV: Texans

Defense prevents the Saints from getting a win in Houston. Derek Carr hit 32 of 50 passes for 353 yards with a touchdown pass to Rashid Shaheed in the 1st quarter. He would also toss an interception in the game. Alvin Kamara rushed for 68 yards on 19 carries. Chris Olave had a solid game with 96 receiving yards with seven catches. New Orleans would have the yardage in this game just not the points as they had 430 total yards. CJ Stroud continues his solid rookie campaign with 13 of 27 passes for 199 yards with two touchdown passes with an interception. Robert Woods and Dalton Schultz were the recipients of those passes from Stroud. The first touchdown came to Dalton Schultz on a redzone trip for a 1-yard play. The Robert Woods touchdown came on a 6-yard short pass up the middle. Devin Singletary rushed for 58 yards on 12 carries. Houston's offense would get the dub but only put up 297 total yards of offense. For the Saints, they drop to 3-3 after putting the hurt against the Patriots last week. For the Texans, they improve to 3-3 and keep pace with the Colts and Jaguars in the AFC South. 

Next week: 
New Orleans: vs Jacksonville (Thursday night)
Houston: Bye

TW: 4-2; CV: 5-1

Seattle 13, Cincinnati 17: TW: Bengals; CV: Seahawks

Back to back redzone stops keep the Bengals in the win column against the Seahawks. Geno Smith did his best but it was lacking somewhat. He hit 27 of 41 passes for 323 yards with two interceptions while rushing for 20 yards. Kenneth Walker III scored the only touchdown for the Seahawks on a 1-yard run up the middle that got the scoring going for the Seahawks up 7-0. Some good games for Tyler Lockett who had 94 yards receiving and DK Metcalf with 69 receiving yards. Jason Myers hit two field goals for the Seahawks, the longest from 55 yards. The Seahawks hit 381 total yards of offense. On the two last offensive drives for the Seahawks they would see the Bengals sack Geno Smith two times while incomplete many passes, both drives end on Goal-to-Go situations. Joe Burrow did well enough in this game as he hit 24 of 35 passes for 185 yards and two touchdown passes to Tyler Boyd and Andrei Iosivas for his first touchdown in his career. Burrow did get hit with an interception. Cincy's offense wouldn't get much for their running game as Joe Mixon got 38 yards rushing on 12 carries. The Bengals offense would turn in one of the lower outputs thus far this season with 214 total yards. A win's a win I guess. For the Seahawks, they drop to 3-2 after their first game back from a bye. For the Bengals, they move up to .500 football as they get to 3-3 in 2023. 

Next week:
Seattle: vs Arizona
Cincinnati: Bye

TW: 5-2; CV: 5-2

San Francisco 17, Cleveland 19: TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers

Might be the best win in Browns history since their playoff win in January 2021. Brock Purdy hit 12 of 27 passes for 125 yards with a touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey on a shuttle pass in the 1st quarter. He did also toss an interception in the game. Christian McCaffrey rushed for 43 yards on 11 carries. Jordan Mason rushed for 27 yards with a touchdown run. McCaffrey would leave the game with an injury. San Francisco would be without Deebo Samuel in the game and might have some health issues with Trent Williams and Christian McCaffrey. San Francisco's offense, normally unstoppable only got 215 total yards in the game. Cleveland was without both DeShaun Watson as well as Dorian Thompkins-Robinson (who was benched) in favor for PJ Walker. Walker, a former XFL and Panthers quarterback, hit 18 for 34 passes for 192 yards with two interceptions. The Browns running game would get the scoring going for the Browns. The lone Browns touchdown was on a Kareem Hunt score for 16 yards. Jerome Ford had 84 yards rushing in the game. Amari Cooper caught four passes for 108 yards including a 58-yard play. Both teams played some ugly football as both teams went 6 for 25 on 3rd down conversions and had combined 25 penalties that totaled to 224 yards. It was a rough game for Jake Moody who hit 1 of 3 on field goals as he missed the ultimate game-winner on a 41-yard attempt. When he missed it, it was pandemonium on the Browns bench and in the stands as the Browns fans were celebrating like they won the Super Bowl. For the 49ers, their undefeated season ends as they drop to 5-1. For the Browns, they get one of their best wins since returning to the league in 1999 as they improve to 3-2. 

Next week:
San Francisco: @ Minnesota (Monday night)
Cleveland: @ Indianapolis

TW: 5-3; CV: 5-3

Washington 24, Atlanta 16: TW: Falcons; CV: Falcons

The Football gods giveth three touchdown passes, the Football gods taketh three interceptions. Sam Howell hit 14 of 23 passes for 151 yards with three touchdown passes. Curtis Samuel, Brian Robinson Jr., and Antonio Gibson were the players that caught those passes from Howell. Brian Robinson rushed for 31 yards in the game. Chris Rodriguez Jr had 23 yards rushing on four carries. Washington got 193 total yards from their offense but the Atlanta turnovers helped them in getting the points. Desmond Ridder would not have a great game as he hit 28 of 47 passes for 307 yards with two touchdowns but also tossed three interceptions in the game. Jonnu Smith and Kyle Pitts were the players that caught those touchdown passes from Ridder. Tyler Allgeier rushed for 51 yards. Bijan Robinson rushed for 37 yards. The Falcons offense out yarded the Commanders with 402 total yards of their own. The turnovers hurt the Falcons as they did most of their scoring in the 1st half. For the Commanders, they get back to .500 football with a 3-3 record but it was an ugly win. For the Falcons, they drop to 3-3 with the rough loss despite the turnovers. 

Next week:
Washington: @ NY Giants
Atlanta: @ Tampa Bay

TW: 5-4; CV: 5-4

New England 17, Las Vegas 21: TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders

Good news, the Patriots scored two touchdowns. The bad news, they still lost. Mac Jones hit 24 of 33 passes for 200 yards even with an interception that lead to a Raiders field goal. New England's running game would do the scoring in this game. Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 46 yards with a touchdown in the 4th quarter. Ezekiel Elliott rushed for a touchdown on 34 yards in the game. The Elliott touchdown was the Patriots first since the 1st quarter against the Jets in Week 3. It broke a 12 quarter touchdown-less streak and ended 58 unanswered point streak as well. New England's offense showed some signs of offensive output as they got 259 total yards. Some of the plays that the Patriots that could've gone right for the Patriots was a drop by Devante Parker, a holding call that could've a 73-yard touchdown play and a painful but satisfying 9-minute drive that came to a touchdown. Jimmy Garoppolo started for this game and hit 14 of 22 passes for 162 yards with a touchdown pass to former Patriot Jakobi Meyers but also tossed an interception. Garoppolo would leave the game and head to a local hospital with a back injury. Former Patriot Brian Hoyer hit 6 of 10 passes for 102 yards in a backup role. Josh Jacobs did some good things with his legs as he rushed for 77 yards on 25 carries. Davante Adams was held to two catches for 29 yards. Las Vegas would get a safety from a Maxx Crosby and Bilal Nichols sack on Mac Jones that was the last play for the Patriots. Las Vegas got 348 total yards of offense in this game. For the Patriots, they drop to 1-5 despite some signs of offensive life. For the Raiders, they get to 3-3 after going on a 1-3 skid to start the season. 

Next week:
New England: vs Buffalo
Las Vegas: @ Chicago

TW: 6-4; CV: 6-4

Arizona 9, LA Rams 26: TW: Rams; CV: Rams

Cooper Kupp and company torched the Cardinals. Joshua Dobbs completed 21 of 41 passes for 235 yards with an interception as well as rushed for 47 yards. Keaontay Ingram rushed for 40 yards on 10 carries. The Cardinals points came from three Matt Prater field goals with a 55-yard field goal being his longest in the game. Arizona would get 345 total yards and visited the redzone three times but wouldn't be able to convert the trips to touchdowns. Matthew Stafford hit 15 of 24 passes for 226 yards with a touchdown pass to Cooper Kupp. Kyren Williams rushed for 158 yards with a touchdown run that was originally ruled as a fumble but was reversed as a touchdown for Williams. Cooper Kupp caught seven passes for 148 yards with a 49-yard play that was the longest for him. Puka Nacua caught four passes for 26 yards. Los Angeles's offense got 382 total yards in the game. For the Cardinals, they drop to 1-5 on the season. For the Rams, they get to 3-3 in an up and down season. 

Next week: 
Arizona: @ Seattle
LA Rams: vs Pittsburgh

TW: 7-4; CV: 7-4

Detroit 20, Tampa Bay 6: TW: Buccaneers; CV: Lions

The Lions offense took care of business in Tampa as they silenced the Buccaneers. Jared Goff hit 30 of 44 passes for 353 yards with two touchdown passes for Amonra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. Detroit's running game didn't get much but as a collective group they got 40 total yards. Craig Reynolds rushed for 15 yards. David Montgomery got 14 rushing yards. Amonra St. Brown finished the game with 12 catches for 124 yards with the aforementioned touchdown. Detroit got 380 yards of offensive ball. Baker Mayfield didn't get a lot going in this game as he hit 19 of 37 passes for 206 yards with an interception on the Bucs 2nd possession in the game. Rashad White rushed for 26 yards on seven carries. They did get some good kicks from kicker Chase McLaughlin who got two field goals. Tampa would get 251 total yards of offensive play. The Buccaneers offense couldn't get a lot going as only one drive in the 1st half went for a field goal, all the rest went for a punt or an interception. For the Lions, they go to 5-1 for the first time since 2011 and get a good cushion in the NFC North. For the Buccaneers, they drop to 3-2 after coming off a bye. 

Next week: 
Detroit: @ Baltimore
Tampa Bay: vs Atlanta

TW: 7-5; CV: 8-4

Philadelphia 14, NY Jets 20: TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles

The ghosts of the 1972 Dolphins can rest for another season as the last unbeaten falls. Jalen Hurts was seeing some sort of ghosts in this game as he threw 28 of 45 passes for 280 yards with a touchdown pass to D'Andre Swift. The Eagles quarterback tossed three passes to players wearing green jerseys. Hurts also rushed for 47 yards with a touchdown run. The Eagles offense got 348 total yards in this game but the interceptions as well as a Swift fumble costed the Eagles in this game. AJ Brown caught seven passes for 131 yards. Zach Wilson didn't do a lot in this game but he didn't toss an interception. He hit 19 of 33 passes for 186 yards. The only touchdown for the offense came on a Breece Hall run up the middle for eight yards that put the Jets in the lead for good. Hall finished the game with 39 yards rushing. Xavier Gipson had 18 rushing yards on one carry. New York's offense didn't do much but did get 244 total yards with 155 of them from the air. The Jets defense did the work in this one forcing four turnovers. For the Eagles, they can finally relax and not worry about an undefeated season as they drop to 5-1. For the Jets, they improve to 3-3 with some hope in the 2023 season. 

Next week:
Philadelphia: vs Miami (Sunday night)
NY Jets: Bye

TW: 7-6; CV: 8-5

NY Giants 9, Buffalo 14: TW: Bills; CV: Bills

What was a blowout by Vegas's turned into a defensive battle. Tyrod Taylor hit 24 of 36 passes for 200 yards. Taylor also rushed for 24 yards but didn't throw a touchdown but didn't toss an interception either. The Giants had an opportunity to get their first touchdown at the end of the game. Taylor threw a pass to Darren Waller that turned into a pass interference penalty that resulted in a 1st and goal on the Bills 1-yard line. On the ensuing play Taylor hit a pass to Waller again and would be ruled incomplete. Daniel Jones would miss this game due to injury but Saquon Barkley was available. Barkley rushed for 93 yards on 24 carries. The Giants finished with 317 total yards of offense. Josh Allen and company got off to a slow start offensively but did get to 14 points at the end of the game. Allen had 19 of 30 passes completed for 169 yard with two touchdown passes with an interception. Quintin Morris and Deonte Harty were the players that caught the passes and scored. James Cook rushed for 71 yards on 14 carries for the Bills. Along with the interception, the Bills also fumbled on their 2nd drive in the 1st quarter. Stefon Diggs had 100 yards receiving with 10 catches. The two touchdown drives by the Bills would come on long sustained drives that had a time of possession of 9:58 and 6:47 respectively. The game ended with some controversy with the 1st and goal play as Darren Waller was grabbed by the jersey that went uncalled. Despite the fact that the Giants also got a pass interference call on the previous play. For the Giants, the loss drops them to 1-5 with not much hope of getting back to playing in the playoffs. For the Bills, they get to 4-2 but will need to get their offense back on track. 

Next week:
NY Giants: vs Washington
Buffalo: @ New England

TW: 8-6; CV: 9-5

Dallas 20, LA Chargers 17: TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

Dak Prescott and company hold off the Chargers. Prescott hit 21 of 30 passes for 272 yards with a touchdown pass to Brandon Cooks late in the 4th quarter. He would also score a touchdown from the ground on a 18-yard run to the right and eventually up the middle. Tony Pollard got 30 rushing yards on the game. CeeDee Lamb had a productive game with 117 receiving yards with seven catches. Dallas got forth 342 total yards of offense in the game. Justin Herbert hit 22 of 37 passes for 227 yards with two touchdowns. Keenan Allen and Gerald Everett were the players that caught those passes. There was an interception thrown that would finish with the game. Austin Ekeler got 27 yards rushing with 14 carries. Justin Herbert had 20 rushing yards with six carries. There was some issues with discipline on the offensive line as they had multiple holding calls on them. Holding calls tend to be drive killers. The Chargers got 272 total yards of offense. For the Cowboys, they move ahead with a 4-2 record with a game behind the Eagles in the NFC East standings. For the Chargers, they drop to 2-3 in the 2023 season. 

Next week:
Dallas: vs LA Rams

LA Chargers: @ Kansas City

TW: 8-7; CV: 9-6

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

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

Week 6: 9-6

Total: 56-37

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

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

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

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Week 6: 8-7

Total: 60-33

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

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

2020: 167-88-1 

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

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

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 6 Picks

 Hello readers! Another week of National Football League action is coming upon us yet again! With five weeks in the books we are seeing some of the contenders rise up while there are some who are trying to string a few wins early in the season while there are others who are likely trying to get through this season and get to the draft. Game's that I will keep an eye on this week is the Broncos-Chiefs, 49ers-Browns, Commanders-Falcons, and the Cowboys-Chargers matches. In this post I will do a rant of the week, a week 6 preview and picks and the Early & Late game TV broadcast pairings. Let's get to work!

NFL Rant of the Week

So I have been holding off talking about this for a while but can the NFL chill out with the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce shindig. In this day and age with social media, the whole world seems to just focus all of their attention on the two. It's a nice story but can we just try to calm down on it. Can you take it easy just a little bit Swifties? 

Week 6 Preview

The sixth week of the National Football League's regular season will start in Kansas City, Missouri and ends in Inglewood, California. The week has a 15-game slate where 30 teams will play. Only the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers have a bye this week. The week features a Thursday night game, a Sunday morning game, seven early games, four late games, a Sunday night game and a Monday night game. FOX will have the doubleheader while CBS will have the single, regional game. Let's get to the picks!

Week 6 Picks

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

Denver (1-4) @ Kansas City (4-1) (Amazon; 8:15 pm): TW: Chiefs; CV: Chiefs

The Broncos lost to the Jets and the Chiefs beat the Vikings last week. Week 6 gets started with an AFC West matchup that might beg you to watch the MLB playoffs (local team Twins won last night). At least when it comes to the Broncos. Their offense seems to be either really good or very pedestrian. They're a mess. At least we have Kansas City on this matchup. They've had some concerns with health but otherwise their offense is not much of a concern. Their defense has been shaky. Suffice to say I know that the Chiefs are the better team and I will take them. 

Baltimore (3-2) @ Tennessee (2-3) (NFL Network; 9:30 am): TW: Ravens; CV: Titans

The Ravens lost to the Steelers and the Titans lost to the Colts last week. Another UK series game in the early Sunday morning window. It poses two teams that seem similar in their offense. Baltimore seems to have their shakes against the Steelers but do better against other teams. They really should've handled Pittsburgh a lot better. Tennessee has been the same team as they have been pretty much all season and well into last season with Ryan Tannehill playing the sidekick role to Derrick Henry. The Titans need to have Tannehill lead this team to a win. I don't trust Tennessee a whole lot. I'll take the Ravens. 

Carolina (0-5) @ Miami (4-1) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Dolphins; CV: Dolphins

The Panthers lost to the Lions and the Dolphins beat the Giants last week. Carolina has been somewhat competitive in their games. They nearly won a game against Minnesota but they've yet gotten dub #1. They'll have a tall task to get it with the #1 offense in the NFL. Miami has been really good on offense, that is a fact. Their defense is just as good I feel. I feel this could be a trap game but Miami has yet to have one so far this season. They did have a huge loss against Buffalo but that was on the road. Miami has done good at home. I'll take Miami.

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

The Colts beat the Titans and the Jaguars beat the Bills last week. The Colts won't have Anthony Richardson on the active list as the rookie quarterback has a shoulder injury. Gardner Minshew will have his 2nd start this season. The Colts offense has gotten better so far this year and they have been somewhat of a surprise this season. Jacksonville has continued on with their sustained success starting from last year. They've had their shares of disappointments this season. I'm willing to venture a guess that they could fall a bit short in this game. Just a hunch. 

Minnesota (1-4) @ Chicago (1-4) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Bears; CV: Vikings

The Vikings lost to the Chiefs and the Bears beat the Commanders last week. Ooh boy these two teams are so good. Definitely brings the best out of people. Minnesota has had terrible luck this season, they fall short in one-score games and they give up the ball early to the point where they are down by more than one possession. They keep it close but not quite enough. The Bears have been kind of a different story. Two weeks ago they lost a game on a 28-7 lead. They came out and smoked Washington on Thursday night. If they can continue their offensive explosion they have a good shot to win it. At some point the Vikings need to win again. I just think not quite in this game, not without Justin Jefferson. 

New Orleans (3-2) @ Houston (2-3) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: Texans; CV: Texans

The Saints beat the Patriots and the Texans lost to the Falcons last week. New Orleans got a bit of a confident boost in whooping the Patriots at Gillette Stadium. I would like to tell people to calm down a bit. New England is not a great team. Suffice to say that the Saints have some good pieces on offense and they just have some issues at quarterback and turning the ball over. Houston however, has yet to have their quarterback cause a turnover. CJ Stroud has thrown seven touchdown passes but has yet to throw a single interception. It helps that the Houston offense can be efficient but I think they will have a decent test to face with the Saints and their decent pass rushing defense. I'll take the Texans a bit. 

Seattle (3-1) @ Cincinnati (2-3) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Bengals; CV: Seahawks

The Seahawks had a bye and the Bengals beat the Cardinals last week. Seattle will be rested for this game. Geno Smith has continued his success form 2022 into 2023. Their offensive line and running game has been continuing to do well as well. Cincinnati has been a bit disappointing this season but their offense got off to a great start last week with three touchdown passes from Joe Burrow to Ja'Marr Chase. It feels to a point that maybe that the Bengals finally can start winning games and get back into the AFC North race. I'll take a risk and take the Bengals. 

San Francisco (5-0) @ Cleveland (2-2) (FOX; 1:00 pm): TW: 49ers; CV: 49ers

The 49ers beat the Cowboys and the Browns had a bye last week. The game definitely feels like a mismatch of epic proportions. The Niners have looked nearly unstoppable on offense or on defense. Cleveland has been an alright team. The last time we saw the Browns was a beatdown against Baltimore with Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback. Their success this season has happened with DeShaun Watson at quarterback and he needs to be back as soon as possible. Cleveland's defense is good as they can put pressure on the quarterback and Niners quarterback Brock Purdy has executed quite comfortably. If they can't pressure Purdy then it'll be a long game for the Dawg Pound. 

Washington (2-3) @ Atlanta (3-2) (CBS; 1:00 pm): TW: Falcons; CV: Falcons

The Commanders lost to the Bears and the Falcons beat the Texans last week. Washington had seemed to get off to a good start earlier in the season, getting to a 2-0 record. Since then, they have had a 2-3 record. They need to get back to playing better on defense and keep Sam Howell from throwing interceptions. Atlanta is way too good for them to get freebies like a fumble or a turnover. Desmond Ridder has had an interesting start to the season. Mostly good than bad but it would be nice if he could pass a bit more. Atlanta is a running team and they have one of the better rookie offensive players in Bijan Robinson. It could be an interesting matchup but I would take the Falcons in this game. 

New England (1-4) @ Las Vegas (2-3) (CBS; 4:05 pm): TW: Raiders; CV: Raiders

The Patriots lost to the Saints and the Raiders beat the Packers last week. Things look quite ugly in New England. Their offense can't sustain drives, they can't run or pass block, they can't run the ball effectively. The defense has only one blemish in that they can't create turnovers. Las Vegas has had some good moments this season as they beat both the Broncos and the Packers so far in 2023. Their defense is good and their offense can put together some good drives. I do believe that the Raiders will win this game but I question how much they will win by. This might be New England's last chance for a win for a while. 

Arizona (1-4) @ LA Rams (2-3) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Rams; CV: Rams

The Cardinals lost to the Bengals and the Rams lost to the Eagles last week. Arizona has had some success in 2023. Their record doesn't show that but they have had some fun times in Cardinal land. Josh Dobbs has been a good addition in the absence of Kyler Murray. Los Angeles seems to be the better team in almost every way, except maybe at the quarterback spot. Matthew Stafford has had some ups and downs this season with health and a plethora of wide receivers. It was a task for the Cardinals to cover Puka Nacua but to also cover the now healthy Cooper Kupp. Maybe in a few scenarios where the Cardinals can win this game but the Rams are on paper, the better team. So I'll go with the Rams. 

Detroit (4-1) @ Tampa Bay (3-1) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Buccaneers; CV: Lions

The Lions beat the Panthers and the Buccaneers had a bye last week. Detroit hasn't looked like your grandfather's Lions, nor your father's Lions, nor the Lions of yesteryear. They are legit offensive juggernaut. It all starts with Jared Goff who has thrown nine touchdown passes while throwing three interceptions. David Montgomery currently has six touchdowns to his name. Certainly a 4-1 record means a lot to the Motor City faithful. Tampa has been quite a surprise as well. Their offense seems to run through Baker Mayfield who is having a renaissance season with seven touchdown passes and two picks. Tampa has a top-10 rush defense and if they can shut down the Lions run game, they'll have a good time for sure. I'll take Tampa. 

Philadelphia (5-0) @ NY Jets (2-3) (FOX; 4:25 pm): TW: Eagles; CV: Eagles

The Eagles beat the Rams and the Jets beat the Broncos last week. Philly's record speaks for itself. Other than a shaky game against Washington, they haven't missed a beat. If there was a weakness to Philly's team it would be their pass defense which they give up an average 267.6 yards/game through the air. Fortunately for them, they get to play against one of the worst passing offenses in the Jets who get 182.2 yards/game from their quarterbacks. If Philly's defense can make life uncomfortable for Zach Wilson then they'll have a rough time. I'll take the Eagles.

NY Giants (1-4) @ Buffalo (3-2) (NBC; 8:20 pm): TW: Bills; CV: Bills

The Giants lost to the Dolphins and the Bills lost to the Jaguars last week. Daniel Jones might not get the start in this game as he left last week's game against Miami with a neck injury. New York is hopeful. Should they go up to Western New York with Tyrod Taylor, it could be an interesting game. Taylor was a former Bills player. Maybe they could use a jumpstart with a new face at quarterback for this one. Buffalo has had its ups and downs this season but their offense having a slow start last week was a bit shocking. They'll need to get back to putting six anytime they make it onto the field. I'll take the Bills.

Dallas (3-2) @ LA Chargers (2-2) (ABC/ESPN; 8:15 pm): TW: Chargers; CV: Chargers

The Cowboys lost to the 49ers and the Chargers had a bye last week. Week 6 wraps up with an entertaining game full of offense. Dallas comes into this game with a rough performance against the Niners. They can get back to playing better football against the Chargers. Los Angeles comes off a relatively good bye week for a chance to have some players rest up. A 2-2 record isn't bad but it isn't great in the scope of Brandon Staley's job security. They will be without Mike Williams who suffered a ACL injury against Minnesota. The Chargers have been known to let me down when it comes to picking them but I'll give them a shot. 

Early & Late Game TV Broadcast Pairings

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

CBS Single

Seattle @ Cincinnati
Ian Eagle, Charles Davis

Carolina @ Miami

Kevin Harlan, Trent Green

Washington @ Atlanta

Andrew Catalon, Tiki Barber, Matt Ryan

Indianapolis @ Jacksonville

Spero Dedes, Adam Archuleta

New England @ Las Vegas (Late)
Jim Nantz, Tony Romo

FOX Early

San Francisco @ Cleveland

Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olson

Minnesota @ Chicago

Brandon Gaudin, Robert Smith

New Orleans @ Houston

Chris Myers, Mark Sclereth

FOX Late

Philadelphia @ NY Jets

Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez

Detroit @ Tampa Bay

Adam Amin, Daryl Johnston

Arizona @ LA Rams

Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma

For more information on which game is being shown in your area check out: NFL 2023: Week 6 Maps

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

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

Total: 47-31

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

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

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

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Total: 52-26

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

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

2020: 167-88-1 

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

See you after the Monday night game for the Week 6 recap post!

-Tom

NFL 2023 Week 5 Recap

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

NFL Week 5 Freaky Stats

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

NFL Week 5 Recap

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

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

Next week:
Chicago: vs Minnesota
Washington: @ Atlanta

TW: 0-1; CV: 0-1

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

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

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

TW: 0-2; CV: 0-2

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

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

TW: 0-3; CV: 0-3

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

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

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

TW: 1-3; CV: 1-3

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

Next week:
Houston: vs New Orleans

Atlanta: vs Washington

TW: 1-4; CV: 1-4

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

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

Next week: 
New Orleans: @ Houston

New England: @ Las Vegas

TW: 2-4; CV: 2-4

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

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

TW: 3-4; CV: 3-4

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

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

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

TW: 3-5; CV: 3-5

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

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

Next week:
Cincinnati: vs Seattle

Arizona: @ LA Rams

TW: 4-5; CV: 3-6

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

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

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

TW: 4-6; CV: 4-6

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

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

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

TW: 5-6; CV: 5-6 

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

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

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

TW: 6-6; CV: 6-6

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

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

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

TW: 7-6; CV: 6-7

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

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

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

TW: 7-7; CV: 6-8

Records

Cardinal Viking:

2023: 
Week 1: 10-6

Week 2: 10-6

Week 3: 8-8

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

Total: 47-31

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

My record: 

2023:
Week 1: 9-7

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

Week 4: 14-2

Week 5: 7-7

Total: 52-26

2012: 164-90-2

2013: 162-92-1

2014: 172-83-1

2017: 164-92

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

2020: 167-88-1 

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

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

-Tom

Rest in Peace Dick Butkus
(1942-2023)