NFL Weekly Wonder, Edition #3
By Peyton Schultze
The Raiders’ shocking win over the Saints on Monday Night Football sent a real message to the rest of the AFC that Las Vegas is ready to make some noise in this year’s playoff picture (via Toledo Blade).
Injuries to star players across the league stole the headlines throughout Week 2, but there was plenty of enticing action all weekend long that gave us an even clearer view of several teams.
From the Raiders’ thrilling Monday night upset over the Saints to one of the best games we will likely see all season between the Patriots and Seahawks, there were plenty of outstanding action across the NFL. With Week 3 in sight, and with several high-profile matchups on the books for this coming week, it appears that the NFL is officially off and running to a blazing start.
So what will we see in Week 3? Can the Broncos, Giants and 49ers recover from brutal injuries in Week 2? Will Drew Brees bounce back from Monday night’s loss in a duel with Aaron Rodgers and the Packers? Who gets the start at quarterback for the LA Chargers? And who will take the third career matchup in the battle of Mahomes versus Jackson? Let’s look ahead at a loaded Week 3 slate featuring some awesome games.
Game-by-Game Looks
Despite the loss on the first primetime game of his young career, quarterback Joe Burrow put up some very impressive numbers for a rookie in his second career start (via Cincy Jungle).
Thursday: Miami @ Jacksonville (-3.0), 5:20 PM PT, NFL Network
Certainly one of the most boring Thursday night games of the season, don’t expect huge numbers across the board from either team. Gardner Minshew and the Jaguars have been impressive to start the season despite a limited roster, but this seems like an opportunity for the Dolphins to scratch off a W in the win column in a quiet environment on short notice. The game will be tight down to the final few minutes in the 4th quarter, but we’ll give the nod to Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Fins to squeak out a win on the road in Northern Florida.
Jacksonville: 23 Miami: 24
Sunday: Los Angeles R. @ Buffalo (-2.5), 10:00 AM PT, FOX
After two straight solid performances from quarterback Josh Allen, the hype surrounding the Buffalo Bills is only beginning to grow. But after facing the measly Jets and Dolphins in back-to-back weeks to start the season, it will be interesting to see how the potentially-explosive Bills’ offense faces off against a real defense in the Rams, who boast a challenging secondary. Our guess is not that this game will not turn out so great against Aaron Donald and company, as the Rams will continue their fast start to the season on the road in easier September conditions in Buffalo.
Buffalo: 17 Los Angeles R.: 27
Sunday: Chicago @ Atlanta (-3.5), 10:00 AM PT, FOX
One of the tougher games to predict given Atlanta’s stunning choke last week against the Cowboys, the Bears enter this Sunday with a chance to get to 3-0 and present themselves as a real challenger in the division to the Packers. The Falcons’ offense is explosive, but the Bears’ defense is not nearly as poor as the two prior units they’ve faced off against. That leaves this game in the hands of quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who will make just enough plays for Chicago to slither by a shaky Atlanta defense.
Atlanta: 24 Chicago: 28
Sunday: Washington @ Cleveland (-7.0), 10:00 AM PT, FOX
Washington’s elite defensive line could present some challenges for a Cleveland offensive line that is still gelling on offense, but this matchup may be a bit of a mismatch on both sides of the football. Washington’s offense has proven to be one of the worst units in the league, and pass rusher Myles Garrett could have a field day on Sunday if Washington’s injury report isn’t clean on the offensive line. With the Browns finding a winning formula last week on the backs of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, look for them to lead the way once again to their second victory of the year against a weak Washington team.
Washington: 13 Cleveland: 33
Sunday: Tennessee (-3.0) @ Minnesota, 10:00 AM PT, CBS
This will be an interesting game with both teams not meeting their expectations so far despite records on two opposite ends, so this appears to be a line that could easily drop closer to a pick over the course of the week. Kirk Cousins and the Vikings played absolutely awful on both sides of the ball in Week 2 after a shootout with the Packers in the first week of the year, so expect somewhat of a low-scoring affair between these two similar teams with nearly identical offensive emphasis. We’ll give the Vikings the edge at home behind a big day from running Dalvin Cook, but don’t be shocked if Ryan Tannehill and the Titans’ passing games makes a few more big plays this weekend to put them over the top.
Tennessee: 20 Minnesota: 21
Sunday: Las Vegas @ New England (-6.0), 10:00 AM PT, CBS
The Raiders are coming off one of the most exciting recent wins in franchise history, but this is simply a bad matchup for them having to travel across the country to play on the morning slate after playing on a Monday night. In addition, quarterback Cam Newton and the Patriots have quickly established themselves as contenders in the AFC once again after going toe-to-toe with the Seahawks on Sunday night, so it could be bad news for an inconsistent Las Vegas defense. The box score won’t show how close these two teams are as solid teams in the conference, but expect the Patriots to win an easy one on Sunday.
Las Vegas: 20 New England: 38
Sunday: San Francisco (-4.0) @ New York G., 10:00 AM PT, FOX
Many people view the Giants as arguably one of the worst teams in the league after losing running back Saquon Barkley for the year, but their opponent is as beat up as any team in recent memory at the moment. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo has not been officially ruled out yet, so there’s still a chance he could suit up. But if Garoppolo and tight end George Kittle both have to miss Sunday’s game after losing two other defensive stars for significant time, the Giants could pull off a stunner and capture their first win of the year against a battered team struggling to find their footing.
San Francisco: 21 New York G: 30
Sunday: Cincinnati @ Philadelphia (-6.0), 10:00 AM PT, CBS
This isn’t the most confident pick after two pathetic performances from Carson Wentz and the Eagles, but the Bengals could be in for a rough outing against a team that is flat out desperate for a win right now. Joe Burrow and Cincinnati did play very well considering the circumstances on Thursday night against the Browns, and they look like they may be a little better than many people expected. But the Eagles have to win this game before the panic button is officially pushed, so expect a major effort at home this weekend from Philadelphia.
Cincinnati: 24 Philadelphia: 27
Rookie Justin Herbert put on an impressive clinic for the Chargers’ offense despite a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Chiefs (via The Register Guard).
Sunday: Houston @ Pittsburgh (-4.0), 10:00 AM PT, CBS
In what may the most exciting game of the morning slate, Houston travels to Pittsburgh in somewhat of a must-win scenario early on in the season. Houston has been on the rough end of a nearly impossible scheduling break, and Pittsburgh does happen to be the weakest of the opponents they’ll have played through three weeks. Throw in the fact that the Steelers did not play well at home whatsoever against a limited Denver team deploying a backup quarterback, and we’ll take Deshaun Watson and the Texans to pull off an upset with some offensive fireworks this weekend.
Pittsburgh: 23 Houston: 31
Sunday: New York J. @ Indianapolis (-10.5), 1:05 PM PT, CBS
Indianapolis flipped the script on their season in Week 2 after falling to the Jaguars in Week 1, as rookie Jonathan Taylor carried the Colts’ offensive to an impressive win over the Vikings. Now, as the Colts head into a game versus the lowlife New York Jets, it’s difficult to see such a massive spread for a team that still has some major question marks. However, it is quite hard to see any situation where Sam Darnold and the Jets are able to overcome the noise surrounding the team right now, which should be a great sign for Indy. The Colts won’t totally dominate the Jets at home on Sunday, but they’ll win in comfortable fashion behind another strong rushing attack.
New York J: 13 Indianapolis: 17
Sunday: Carolina @ Los Angeles C. (-7.0), 1:05 PM PT, CBS
This game is a bit of a mystery considering the Chargers’ puzzling quarterback situation, especially after a dazzling debut performance from rookie Justin Herbert against the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. But Carolina is suddenly depleted with the loss of running back Christian McCaffrey for an extended period of time, and the Panthers’ passing game will be relied on for the most part on Sunday against a loaded Los Angeles secondary. This game may appear closer on paper than it actually is, but the Chargers will improve to 2-1 and start to emerge as a possible playoff team in the AFC.
Carolina: 9 Los Angeles: 24
Sunday: Detroit @ Arizona (-6.0), 1:25 PM PT, FOX
No team in the league has been impressive early on as the Arizona Cardinals, and Kyler Murray has a great chance of taking his team to 3-0 and to the top of the uber-competitive NFC West this weekend. With Detroit falling at the hands of two NFC North rivals and another poor season looking like a real possibility once again, Arizona should have all the momentum heading into Sunday’s home matchup. Talk of a MVP trophy will begin to start swirling around Kyler Murray’s name this weekend, and the Cardinals will stay undefeated in an impressive fashion.
Detroit: 20 Arizona: 42
Sunday: Tampa Bay (-6.5) @ Denver, 1:25 PM PT, FOX
Outside of the 49ers, no team in the league has had to deal with more devastating injuries early on in the season than the Denver Broncos. But despite a depleted roster that faced two AFC contenders early on, the Broncos have been in two very close games that have come down to the wire. This is an encouraging sign for quarterback replacement Jeff Driskel and the Broncos as the Bucs head on the road to Denver, where quarterback Tom Brady has mightily struggled over the course of his career. It' will come down to the wire once again, but the Denver defense will cause enough issues for Brady all afternoon long to pull off their first win of the year.
Tampa Bay: 23 Denver: 24
Sunday: Dallas @ Seattle (-5.0), 1:25 PM PT, FOX
After engaging in an offensive shootout with the Patriots last Sunday night, one thing is increasingly becoming more clear in Seattle: Russell Wilson is the MVP favorite and the Seahawks are a legitimate threat to win the Super Bowl this season. With offensive firepower and timely playmaking on defense, the Seahawks have the ability to go toe-to-toe with any team in the league. Meanwhile, Dallas is lucky to be 1-1 after a miracle win against the Falcons in Week 2, which could give them momentum heading into this week. So how will this matchup fare in a battle of NFC hopefuls? It should be more of the same from Wilson and the ‘Hawks, who will put up huge numbers against a secondary that has been torched through two weeks.
Dallas: 27 Seattle: 45
Sunday: Green Bay @ New Orleans (-3.0), 5:20 PM PT, NBC
Green Bay has jumped out of the gates to start the season with heroic starts from Aaron Rodgers and Aaron Jones, but they’ll face off with a Saints’ team looking for vengeance in a mega-matchup on Sunday Night Football. Many people have already labeled quarterback Drew Brees as washed and past his prime after a disappointing performance against the Raiders on Monday night, but the veteran quarterback will likely be locked in all week in order to get the Saints ready for this big game. New Orleans has the advantage of returning home and not having to travel up to Green Bay, and they’ll ride that advantage and a bounce back performance from their Hall of Fame quarterback to a close win.
Green Bay: 31 New Orleans: 33
Monday: Kansas City @ Baltimore (-3.5), 5:15 PM PT, ESPN
Certainly the game of the week, and maybe even the game of the year, the Chiefs and Ravens face off in a battle of AFC supremacy in a duel of quite possibly the next great quarterback rivalry in the league. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens might be the deepest team in the league with superstars on both sides of the ball, but Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs have been in a big game like this before under the bright lights of Sunday Night Football. But what will the key matchup of the game be? That fall into the hands of the Chiefs’ fierce pass rush, which will be able get to Jackson enough times to turn the tide of the game and propel Kansas City to a 3-0 start to the season.
Baltimore: 27 Kansas City: 31
Daily Fantasy Targets
He has been a little quiet through two weeks, but wide reciever Allen Robinson could be in for a huge performance against a shaky Falcons’ secondary (via ABC7 Chicago).
Quarterbacks: Kyler Murray (Arizona Cardinals) and Cam Newton (New England Patriots)
Kyler Murray has quickly become one of the best fantasy quarterbacks in the sport in his second season as the Cardinals’ quarterback, but he faces a matchup which could see even more of an outburst on Sunday. The Lions’ defense has struggled to match up with the Bears and Packers over the first two weeks of the season, so Arizona appears to be in store for even better production this coming week at home. Murray should be able to rack up plenty of yardage through the air and with his feet, so look for a performance in the range of 24 or more points. Meanwhile, how can anyone not at least consider playing Cam Newton right now? The veteran signal caller has performed exceptionally well through two weeks, and he could be in for another big game this weekend at home versus Las Vegas. The Raiders’ defense did shine at home on Monday night, but this is still a defense that remains inconsistent at best. Newton, like Murray, should explode through the air and on the ground, and could easily finish the week as the top player at his position.
Running Backs: Miles Sanders (Philadelphia Eagles) and Austin Ekeler (Los Angeles Chargers)
Miles Sanders returned to the field in impressive fashion last week despite a tough loss to the Rams, and his role as the focal point of the Eagles’ offense should only continue to expand with Carson Wentz struggling in the pocket. The Eagles are desperate for a win after a miserable 0-2 start, and their path toward a must-needed win could easily rely on the offensive line’s performance up front and Sanders’ legs. The Eagles’ offense faces a favorable matchup against a Bengals’ defense that was just gashed on the ground by Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, so all signs point toward a big outing from the versatile back. Over in Los Angeles, Austin Ekeler could be in for the first big performance of his season against a terrible Carolina defense. After Leonard Fournette exploded last week for the Bucs against these Panthers, the Chargers figure to deploy a similar game plan that could rely on running the ball and establishing a quick passing game. This bring Ekeler into the picture on the ground and as a pass-catcher, which could mean that the quick and tough-to-tackle running back could be in for a huge outing on Sunday afternoon.
Wide Receivers: Allen Robinson II (Chicago Bears) and CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys)
The Bears’ 2-0 start has not really been carried by an offense that lacks starpower across the board, but the Bears’ best offensive weapon could be in for a big weekend against a team without much in their secondary. The Falcons’ pass defense has been lit up in recent weeks by the Seahawks and Cowboys, so it only appears to be evident that the Bears could find some similar success in their pass game as led by Mitchell Trubisky. This points toward a nice outing from wide reciever Allen Robinson II, who appears to be primed for a big game with a ton of targets sooner rather than later after a slow start to the year. Over in Dallas, the Cowboys passing attack has once again ranked near the top of the league. With Dak Prescott once again performing like one of the best signal callers in the league, Dallas has emerged as a lethal offense that can put up a ton of points each week with an elite core of receivers. This is a troubling sign for a defense that was just destroyed by Cam Newton last weekend in his second career start with the Patriots, and the Cowboys enter this week with enough firepower to keep up with the Seahawks. With this, rookie CeeDee Lamb could be in for a huge day after seeing the first 100-yard game of his career last week. If Prescott looks his way down the field several times over the course of the game, this could be a high-scoring affair with mismatches across the board.
Tight Ends: Mark Andrews (Baltimore Ravens) and Zach Ertz (Philadelphia Eagles)
Although these are two of the bigger names at the position in the league, both of these studs are due for rebound performances from a week ago that face some favorable matchups in Week 3. For Andrews, his role as the Ravens’ top pass-catcher quickly faded last week in a nearly silent performance. Now, as the Ravens head back home for a bout with the reigning champions, look for Lamar Jackson to find his security blanket early and often against a pass defense that has not started off hot through two weeks. As for Zach Ertz, if the Eagles want to jump back into the hunt for the NFC East crown, they’ll need to start finding their star tight end much more often. The connection between Ertz and quarterback Carson Wentz has been spotty at best over the past two seasons, but he is still Wentz’s most reliable target in big moments. With the Eagles pressing but heading into a must-win game against a poor Bengals’ defense, this is the time for Ertz to re-establish himself as one of the best tight ends in the league once again and help the Eagles capture their first win of the season.
Defenses: Indianapolis (vs New York J.) and Cleveland (vs Washington)
Indianapolis had a huge defensive outing last weekend against the Vikings, and they head into Week 3 with potentially an even better matchup than their last. The Colts defense does not have a ton of big name defensive stars, but this defense has been a pest for teams over the last two years. Throw in the notion that their opponent in New York appears to be on their way toward a top-five pick in the draft, and this game could easily become ugly fast. Indy is already one of the most underrated defenses in the league, but expect even bigger numbers against the turnover-prone Jets who are walking on thin ice right now. Meanwhile, although they gave up some late garbage time touchdowns last weekend versus the Bengals, the Browns’ defense could be primed for a nice matchup this weekend against one of the weaker offensive units in football. With the Washington offensive line suddenly banged up and with the window for quarterback Dwayne Haskins quickly shrinking by the game, Cleveland should be able to cause some chaos over the weekend and capture their second win of the young season if their offense can take care of the ball and not give opposing offenses positive field position time and time again.
Fanatical Focus
The League’s Next Great Rivalry: Patrick Mahomes vs. Lamar Jackson
The AFC battle between Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson has a chance to become must-see TV for the next decade (via Arrowhead Addict).
Following Peyton Manning’s retirement after Super Bowl 50, many wondered what rivalry would replace the longstanding war between Manning and then-Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady. After all, with 17 career matchups against one another in some of the most highly anticipated games in NFL history, the rivalry defined nearly a decade of football in the league and became the show to watch around the country whenever the two would square off. But since then, the league has been searching for another battle with the same type of yearly implications. Sure, intense divisional matchups between the Seahawks and 49ers have been just as fiery to watch as any game in recent memory, but the hype surrounding two of the biggest sports stars in America facing off seems to have taken somewhat of a back seat.
But if things continue to be great for the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, the league may have their answer in the form of Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. As the recipients of the last two MVP awards in the NFL, Mahomes and Jackson have equally become two of the biggest stars in the sport in a matter of years. With flashy playing styles, rare athletic talent, and loaded teams that figure to be in the Super Bowl conversation for years to come, the battle of Mahomes and Jackson certainly has the same feel of Brady and Manning in the early years. Like Brady in the early 2000’s, Mahomes has already captured the first Lombardi Trophy of his career and appears to be primed for several more with a Hall of Fame coach and a superb cast of talent around him. And just like Manning in the early portion of his career, Jackson has dominated teams with his unique skillset over the course of two regular seasons, but has struggled out of the gates in the postseason to the dismay of many. This isn’t to say that either of these two quarterbacks plays in any kind of way that is similar to the two future Hall of Famers; it simply shows that the future of the league is quickly approaching and we may already have the newest rivalry in the sport on our hands.
No-look throws and blazing speed aside, the matchup between Mahomes and Jackson also takes another interesting route as they head into the third matchup of their careers with one another. It’s not as if the Chiefs or the Ravens are the most marketable teams in the league, and it’s not as if there haven’t been other great quarterbacks in the past 10 years. After all, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Russell Wilson, and even Brady are still throwing the ball around for their respective teams. So the fact that these two signal callers have garnered so much attention early on in their careers shows that this could become a longstanding occurrence for the next decade. The potential longevity involved? Check. The absurd skillsets? Check. Hall of Fame coaches and plenty of star players around them? Check. High stakes? Definitely, and expect even bigger fireworks on this coming Monday night.
With that being said, it’s hard to tell what will happen in the next 10 years in the NFL. For all we know, Mahomes could have six Super Bowl trophies under his belt by the time his contract with the Chiefs runs out, and Jackson could have five MVP awards in his pocket by the time his career is over with the Ravens. But that’s the beauty of this emerging rivalry: we have no idea what’s coming next. We could easily see an 80-yard dash from Jackson into the endzone or a 90-yard bomb to Tyreek Hill for a touchdown on Monday night, and it may not even be that big of a surprise at this point. This speaks to the absurd talent and expectations placed upon these two young superstars, who are once again taking the league by storm through two weeks. So on Monday night, sit back and witness the greatness in front of us; we never know how many more times we’ll be able to see it.