No Clear Winner Yet in Israeli Election

 

Flag of Israel

In the first major election in Israel since October 7th in 2023, the race proved very tight.

Indeed, there was no clear winner, and neither incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his biggest challenge is by  Gadi Eisenkot have managed to obtain an outright majority.

So there will likely be struggles to form a coalition government.

Eisenkot suggested that this result was a repudiation of Netanyahu by Israelis.

Meanwhile, Netanyahu is calling for a rightwing government to be formed under his leadership.

Man, that guy has been on again/off again the dominant political figure in Israel since the mid-1990's. Aren't people there sick and tired of him yet? Isn't thirty years enough time to grasp that maybe his approach is not working, and that it is time to try something new?

Let's see if a winner comes a little more clearly in the coming hours or, more likely, the coming days.

Brazilian Election: Bolsonaro Flees to the United States Following Defeat in Presidential Election

 

So Lula won another term in office in Brazil. Once again, he defeated a Bolsonaro. This time the younger version, the son.

Well, Flávio Bolsonaro (son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro) has fled to the United States in the aftermath of his election defeat.

The move was criticized by Lula and others, who feel that this was nothing short of treason. I can see some legitimacy to that argument.

Can you imagine if Hillary or Kamala had fled to another country after losing their elections? Trump and his Mindless MAGA Moron cult would have been livid, screaming endlessly about how this is nothing less than treason, right?

Yet, Trump extended the welcome mat to Bolsonaro to make his escape to the United States.

Absolutely absurd.

What times we live in. 

October 28th: This Day in History

 

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history 

On this day in the year 06, Mark Aurelius Valerius Maxentius was proclaimed Emperor of Rome. In 312 on this day, Emperor Constantine the Great defeated rival Maxentius. In 1492 on this day, Christopher Columbus found (not really discovered) Cuba and claimed it for Spain. Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts) was founded on this day in 1636. On this day in 1886, the Statue of Liberty, a gift from France to the United States, was dedicated in New York Harbor. On this day in 1919: Congress began enforcing prohibition. On this day in 1922, Benito Mussolini took over his rule over Italy. In 1940 on this day, Italy invaded Greece. On this day in 1965, the Gateway Arch in St. Louis was completed. On this day in 1998, American President Bill Clinton signed the Digital Millennium Copyright Act into law.

On this day in 1618, Sir Walter Raleigh was  executed.  In  1777 on this day, John  Hancock resigned as president of Congress. On this day in 1929, the Stock Market crashed, which ultimately would lead to the Great Depression. In 1956 on this day, Israel invaded Egypt. On this day in 1969, the U.S. Supreme Court ordered an immediate end to all school segregation.In 1998 on this day, South Africa's Truth and Reconciliation Commission condemned both apartheid as well as violence committed by the ruling and popular African National Congress.  

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

 

• 06 - Mark Aurelius Valerius Maxentius proclaimed emperor of Rome

• 312 - Emperor Constantine the Great beats rival Maxentius

• 969 - Byzantines troops occupy Antioch Syria

• 1061 - Emperor disposes of bishop Cadalus & Pope Honorius II

Royal France

• 1422 - Charles V's son succeeds him as king Charles VII of France

• 1467 - Battle at Brustem: Charles the Stoute beats the Luikenaars

• Christopher Columbus arrived at Cuba and claimed it for Spain on this day in 1492.

• 1516 - Battle of Yaunis Khan: Turkish forces under the Grand Vizier Sinan Pasha defeat the Mameluks near Gaza.

• 1531 - Battle of Amba Sel: Imam Ahmad ibn Ibrihim al-Ghazi again defeats the army of Lebna Dengel, Emperor of Ethiopia. The southern part of Ethiopia falls under Imam Ahmad's control.

• 1538 - The first university in the New World, the Universidad Santo Tomás de Aquino, is established.

1574 - Prince Willem van Orange installs university

1595 - Battle at Giurgevo: Zsigmond Bathory of Transylvania beats Turks

1612 - Robert Dowland appointed court luitist of King James I

• 1628 - Hugenot bulwark La Rochelle surrenders to Cardinal Richelieu

• 1636 - Harvard University (Cambridge, Massachusetts) founded  1636 - Harvard College was founded in Massachusetts. The original name was Court of Massachusetts Bay Colony. It was the first school of higher education in America.   

1646 - 1st Protestant church assembly for indians (Massachusetts)

1664 - The Duke of York and Albany's Maritime Regiment of Foot, later to be known as the Royal Marines, is established.

• 1740 - Ivan VI becomes czar of Russia [OS=Oct 17]

• 1746 - Peruvian cities of Lima & Callao demolished by earthquake, 18,000 die

Equestrian statue of George Washington near his headquarters at Morristown, New Jersey.

• The Battle of White Plains was fought on this day during the American Revolutionary War of Independence, with General Washington ultimately retreating to New Jersey afterward.

• 1790 - NY gives up claims to Vermont for $30,000

1793 - Eli Whitney applies for a patent on cotton gin

Flag of Australia

• 1834 - The Battle of Pinjarra occurs in the Swan River Colony in present-day Pinjarra, Western Australia. Between 14 and 40 Aborigines are killed by British colonists.

• 1846 - Pioneers suffer blizzard in Sierra Nevada; 42 die

1848 - The first railroad in Spain - between Barcelona and Mataró - is opened.

1858 - Macy's Dept store opens in NYC

1863 - Battle at Wauhatchie Georgia: 865 killed or injured

1864 - Second Battle of Newtonia (American Civil War), Newton County, Missouri

1864 - 2nd Battle at Fair Oaks, Virginia, ends with 1554 casualties

1864 - Battle of Wauhatchie, TN

1867 - Maimonides College in Penns is 1st Jewish college in the US

1882 - Athletics reveal $22,000 profit in their 1st season in the American Association

Pictures of the Statue of Liberty taken in 1983 (likely from my father)

1886 - Statue of Liberty dedicated by Pres Grover Cleveland, it is celebrated by 1st confetti (ticker tape) parade in NYC  1886 The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Grover Cleveland.

1890 - Last NL-AA World Series game Bkln ties Louisville 3 games & 1 tie

US President Grover ClevelandUS President Grover Cleveland 

• 1891 - Quake strikes Mino-Owari, Japan kills 7,300

• 1893 - Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky conducted 1st performance of "Symphony Number Six in B minor, "Pathetique"

• 1894 - German emperor Wilhelm II fires chancellor Leo von Caprivi & premier Botho zu Eulenburg

• 1900 - After over 5 months 2nd Olympic games in Paris France, close

1904 - St Louis police try a new investigation method-fingerprints

1906 - Belgian-British "Union Minière du Haut Katanga" mining company created in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo

1911 - Bill Dobbie of Calgary Tigers kicks 10 singles in a game

1914 - German battle cruiser Goeben enters Black Sea

1914 - Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, founded at Howard University, incorporates

• 1915 - Richard Strauss' Alpensymfonie, premieres in Berlin

1918 - Czechoslovakia gains independence as Austria-Hungary breaks up

1919 - Volstead Act passed by Congress, start prohibition over Wilson's veto

1921 - Amsterdam's Tuschinski movie theater opens

1922 - 1st US coast-to-coast radio broadcast of a football game

1922 - Benito Mussolini takes control of Italy's government

Italian Dictator Benito MussoliniItalian Dictator Benito Mussolini 1924 - French-Russian trade agreement signed

1924 - White Sox beat NY Giants 8-4 in Dublin, less than 20 fans attend

1927 - Josip Broz (Tito) begins 7 months jail sentence in Croatia

1927 - KLM-plane "Homing Pigeon" leaves Neth-Indies after 1st regular flight

1928 - Bradman scores 131 NSW v Queensland, 212 mins, 14 fours

1928 - Indonesian child laws enfoced in Bahasa Indonesia

1929 - Dow Jones plummets 38.33 pts (13%) to 260.64

1934 - Brooklyn & Pittsburgh play a penalty free NFL game

1935 - Sidney Kingsley's "Dead End," premieres in NYC

Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial in Washington, D.C.

• 1936 - FDR rededicates Statue of Liberty on its 50th anniversary

1938 - Farewell parade of International Brigade (Barcelona)

1939 - Anti-German demonstrations/strikes in Czechoslovakia

1939 - Spitfire shoots German Heinkel-111 down above Scotland

•  1940 - Greece successfully resists Italy's attack

1940 - Meeting between Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini in Florence

Dictator of Nazi Germany Adolf HitlerDictator of Nazi Germany Adolf Hitler 1942 - 6th day battle at El Alamein: British offensive under Montgomery

1942 - Train crashes into bus, killing 16 & injuring 20 (Detroit Michigan)

1943 - U-220 sinks

1944 - Russia & Bulgaria sign weapons pact

• 1946 - German rocket engineers begin work in USSR

• 1948 - Flag of Israel is adopted

• 1949 - Georges Bidault elected president of France

Bust of American President Harry Truman

• 1949 - U.S. President Harry Truman swore in Eugenie Moore Anderson as the U.S. ambassador to Denmark. Anderson was the first woman to hold the post of ambassador.  

1951 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1952 - Babe Didrikson-Zaharias wins LPGA Women's Texas Golf Open

1953 - Bud Grant of Winnipeg Blue Bombers intercepts 5 passes (record)

1953 - Red Barber, resigns as Dodger sportscaster to join Yankees

1954 - Major league owners vote down sale of A's to a Phila syndicate

1954 - N Richard Nash' "Rainmaker," premieres in NYC

Busts of American writer Ernest Hemingway

Nobel Prize

• 1954 - Nobel prize for literature awarded to Ernest Hemingway

• 1955 - Egypt & Saudi-Arabia sign defense treaty

Nobel Laureate Author Ernest HemingwayNobel Laureate Author Ernest Hemingway 1956 - Pope Pius XII publishes encyclical Luctuosissimi eventus

1957 - WMVS TV channel 10 in Milwaukee, WI (PBS) begins broadcasting

1958 - Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli, elected Pope, taking name John XXIII

1958 - Pete Runnels wins Comeback Player of Year (avg went from .230 to .322)

1959 - Buffalo Bills enter AFL

1959 - Jean Genet's "Les Negres," premieres in Paris

1961 - "Fiorello!" closes at Broadhurst Theater NYC after 796 performances

1961 - Ground broken for Municipal (Shea) Stadium for NY Mets

1962 - NY Giant YA Tittle passes for 7 touchdowns vs Wash Redskins (49-34)

1962 - Radio Moscow reports nuclear missiles in Cuba deactivated

1962 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

The flag of the USSR (Soviet Union)

• The Cuban missile crisis ended on this day in 1962 after American President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premiere Nikita Khrushchev made both a public and secret agreement. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev informed the U.S. that he had ordered the dismantling and withdrawal of Soviet missile bases in Cuba. 

• 1965 - Gateway Arch (630' (190m) high) completed in St Louis, Missouri 1965 - The Gateway Arch along the waterfront in St. Louis, MO, was completed.

1965 - Pope Paul VI proclaims Jews not collectively guilty for crucifixion

First Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Nikita KhrushchevFirst Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Nikita Khrushchev 1966 - Belgium's Gaston Roelants runs 12-4/5 miles in 1 hour

1970 - NBA Cleveland Cavaliers 1st home game, lose to San Diego 110-99

1970 - US/USSR sign an agreement to discuss joint space efforts

• 1971 - Great Britain becomes 6th nation to have a satellite (Prospero) in orbit

• 1971 - John & Yoko record "Happy Xmas (War is Over)" in NYC

1972 - "Mother Earth" closes at Belasco Theater NYC after 12 performances

1973 - Elmore Smith of Lakers blocks 17 shots in a game (NBA record)

1973 - Sharon Miller wins LPGA Corpus Christi Civitan Golf Open

1974 - 1st time 2 Islanders hat trick in same game-MacMillian & Westfall

• 1974 - Luna 23 launched (landing on Moon)

1974 - US performs nuclear test at Nevada Test Site

1975 - Calvin Murphy (Houston) begins NBA free throw streak of 58 games

1975 - Cleveland Metroparks assume operating responsibilities for Zoo

1976 - Billy Martin named AL Manager of Year (NY Yankees)

1976 - Train collision at Goes Neth, 7 die

1978 - Don Ritchie runs world record 100k (6:10:20)

1979 - Dick Howser (best Yank mngr win-lost pct .636) replaces Billy Martin

1979 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1981 - Edward M McIntrye elected 1st black mayor of Augusta Georgia

1981 - NY Yankee George Frazier loses 3 World Series games

1982 - NASA launches RCA-E

• 1982 - Spain's socialists win/communists lose elections

1984 - 14th NYC Women's Marathon won by Grete Waitz in 2:29:30

1984 - 15th NYC Marathon won by Orlando Pizzolato in 2:14:53

1984 - Hollis Stacy wins LPGA Nichirei Cup Team Match Golf Tournament

1985 - Ravi Ratnayeke takes 8-83 for Sri Lanka v Pakistan

1986 - KOB-AM in Albuquerque NM changes call letters to KKOB

1986 - KOB-TV in Albuquerque NM's final transmission

The logo for the centennial celebration of the Statue of Liberty back in 1986.

• 1986 - The centennial of the Statue of Liberty's dedication is celebrated in New York Harbor. 1986 - The centennial of the Statue of Liberty was celebrated in New York. 

1988 - Jurors award $147,000 to Tacoma parishioner seduced by her minister

• 1988 - Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen gives $10 million to University of Washington library

1989 - Oakland A's sweep SF Giants in earthquake/BART series

1992 - Lee Jang Rim predicts that today would be the end of the world!

1993 - Cleveland Metroparks lease Brookside Park from Cleveland for 99-years

1993 - Dutch Antilles government of Liberia-Peters resigns

Flag of Haiti

• 1993 - Ousted Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, called for a complete blockade of Haiti to force out the military leaders. 

• 1994 - Japanese space probe Sakigake passes Earth for 3rd time

1995 - Atlanta Braves beat Cleveland Indians in 6 games in World Series

1995 - Horse Racing Breeders' Cup Champs: Cigar, Desert Stormer, Inside Information, My Flag, Northern Spur, Ridgewood Pearl, Unbridled's Song

1996 - Goa upset Karnataka to win their 1st Ranji Cricket Trophy game ever

1997 - NBA announces hiring of Dee Kantner & Violet Palmer as 1st women to officiate a major-league all-male sports league

1998 - An Air China (Mainland China) jetliner is hijacked by disgruntled pilot Yuan Bin and flown to Taiwan.

2005 - Plame affair: Lewis Libby, Vice-president Dick Cheney's chief of staff, is indicted in the Valerie Plame case. Libby resigns later that day.

2006 - Funeral service for the peace of the executed at Bykivnia forest, outside of Kiev, Ukraine, with reburial of 817 Ukrainian civilians (out of some 100,000) executed by Bolsheviks at Bykivnia in 1930s - early 1940s.

2009 - The 28 October 2009 Peshawar bombing kills 117 and wounds 213.

2009 - NASA successfully launches the Ares I-X mission, the only rocket launch for its later-cancelled Constellation program.

2012 - Syrian ceasefire collapses and 128 people are killed in ongoing civil war violence

2012 - 15 people are killed and 33 injured by a series of Baghdad car bombings

2012 - Sebastian Vettel wins the 2012 Formula One Indian Grand Prix

2012 - San Francisco Giants defeat the Detroit Tigers in game four to take the 2012 MLB World Series

2012 - Pablo Sandoval is named MLB 2012 World Series MVP.

 1793 - Eli Whitney applied for a patent for his cotton gin.   1886 - The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor by U.S. President Cleveland. The statue weighs 225 tons and is 152 feet tall. It was originally known as "Liberty Enlightening the World."   1904 - The St. Louis Police Department became the first to use fingerprinting.   1919 - The U.S. Congress enacted the Volstead Act, also known as the National Prohibition Act. Prohibition was repealed in 1933 with the passing of the 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.   1922 - Benito Mussolini took control of the Italian government and introduced fascism to Italy.   1936 - The Statue of Liberty was rededicated by U.S. President Roosevelt on its 50th anniversary.   1940 - During World War II, Italy invaded Greece.   1949 - U.S. President Harry Truman swore in Eugenie Moore Anderson as the U.S. ambassador to Denmark. Anderson was the first woman to hold the post of ambassador.   1958 - Angelo Giuseppe Roncalli was elected Pope. He took the name John XXIII.    1965 - Pope Paul VI issued a decree absolving Jews of collective guilt for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.   1976 - John D. Erlichman, a former aide to U.S. President Richard Nixon, entered a federal prison camp in Safford, AZ, to begin serving his sentence for Watergate-related convictions.   1982 - Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev condemned the U.S. for arms buildup.   1983 - The U.S. vetoed a U.N. Security Council resolution "deeply deploring" the ongoing U.S.-led invasion of Grenada.   1985 - John A. Walker Jr. and his son, Michael Lance Walker, pled guilty to charges of spying for the Soviet Union.     1988 - Roussel Uclaf, a French manufacturer that produces the abortion pill RU486, announced it would resume distribution of the drug after the government of France demanded it do so.   1990 - Iraq announced that it was halting gasoline rationing.    1994 - U.S. President Clinton visited Kuwait and implied that all the troops there would be home by Christmas.   1996 - The Dow Jones Industial Average gained a record 337.17 points (or 5%). The day before the Dow had dropped 554.26 points (or 7%). 

1793 Eli Whitney applied for a patent for the cotton gin. 1886 The Statue of Liberty was dedicated in New York Harbor by President Grover Cleveland. 1919 Congress passed the Volstead Act, or the National Prohibition Act, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto. 1922 Benito Mussolini took control of the government of Italy. 1940 Italy invaded Greece during World War II. 1958 A new pope was elected—Pope John XXIII. 1962 Nikita Khrushchev told the U.S. that he had ordered the dismantling of Soviet missile bases in Cuba.     

The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/oct28.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

PSG Earns the Prestigious 2026 Men’s Club of the Year

  ⚽️ ⚽️ Paris Saint-Germain 1, Arsenal 1 (PSG wins on penalties, 4-3) ⚽️  ⚽️ 

Earlier this year, PSG successfully defended their first ever UEFA Champions League title last year by winning it again, taking back-to-back titles.

That also came on the heels of them reaching the Club World Cup Final last year.

This has been an incredible time for the Parisian football giant. One of the most successful runs by any franchise in recent years, and the most successful run ever by a French club.

So it seems fitting that they received the distinction for being the 2026 Men’s Club of the Year.

This is yet another major accomplishment among the growing list for PSG..

Right now, indeed, PSG are the two-time reigning European champions in back-to-back years. A first for a French football franchise, and a rare achievement more generally..

PSG continues to make history, and has made Paris - and indeed all of France - proud.

Paris Saint-Germain Reign Supreme As 2026 Men’s Club of the Year by Amanda Langell | October 26, 2026:

There was only ever going to be one club called out at the London Palladium. 

https://www.si.com/soccer/paris-saint-germain-reign-supreme-2026-mens-club-of-the-year

Paris Saint-Germain Reign Supreme As 2026 Men’s Club of the Year

Israel Is About to Have First National Election Since October 7th

 

Flag of Israel

For the first time since October 7th in 2023, when the current situation with daily attacks on Palestinian territories began, there will be a national election in Israel.

Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is hoping to stay in office. His biggest challenge is by  Gadi Eisenkot. Eisenkot is regarded as a centrist, although he seems to have a hawkish streak himself, so far as I can tell.

Nevertheless, it would be nice to see Netanyahu involuntarily retired from politics. That guy has been a dominant force in Israeli politics dating back to the mid-1990's. He has had about three decades now. Granted, I am not Israeli. But it seems to me that it might be time to try something different.

After all, Israel seems more isolated and more vulnerable, frankly, than ever before. The war going on certainly feels like it has some genocidal aspects to it, which effectively has turned much of the world against Israel. 

So again, maybe it's time for Israel to finally move beyond Netanyahu. 

Let's see what happens. 

Lula Wins Another Term After Earning Convincing Win in Brazilian Election

Well, Brazil's election received a lot of attention the world over, but it is now over.

And we can say it now officially: incumbent Brazilian president Lula has won another term in office. He received 51.79% of the vote (64,256,232 votes), while his challenger, Flávio Bolsonaro (son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro) received 48.21% (59,826,041 votes).

At first, it seemed like this might be a contested election result, as it was in the past. When Lula defeated Jair Bolsonaro years ago, the defeated candidate refused to concede. His supporters stormed the capital city, Brasilia, much like Trump supporters stormed the Capitol building on January 6th.

Not surprisingly, the Trump White House has claimed - without any real basis in facts - that the Brazilian election looked rigged. So it seemed like it might be yet another divisive, polarizing time for Brazil.

Apparently, however, that will not happen here this time. Bolsonaro's party effectively conceded defeat. After all, they lost by the better part of five million votes.

Nice to see that Brazilians collectively have enough sense to put limits on the threat to their democracy and put another strongman wanna be - yet another Bolsonaro - into office. Wish my fellow Americans had shown that much sense in the last presidential election. More importantly, let's hope Americans finally are catching on to the idiocy and pointlessness of having Trump in the highest office, and will soon relegate him to the dirtiest dustbin of history. 

Meanwhile, congratulations to Lula and his supporters, and here is hoping that Brazil will have a bright future in the coming years. 

Trump says Brazil election looked 'rigged,' defeated Bolsonaro's party recognizes Lula win By Oliver Griffin and Eduardo Simões October 26, 2026:

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/brazil-heads-back-future-flavio-bolsonaro-refuses-recognize-lula-win-2026-10-26/

Trump says Brazil election looked 'rigged,' defeated Bolsonaro's party recognizes Lula win | Reuters

2026 NFL Season Week 7 Review

   

Pittsburgh 16, New Orleans 10 from Paris, France - This game went pretty much the way that most people expected it to. It sure felt predictable. The Steelers won, but not by that much. There was not too much scoring, and neither team came away with a shocking outcome or anything.. My pick: Accurate

NY Giants 27, Houston 21 (OT) - Alright, I will admit that perhaps my pessimistic side won out. Yes, I'm a fan of the G-Men. And yes, I predicted that they would lose this one in Houston. But the Texans looked ready for a run following that 0-4 start to the season. Then the Giants came out playing physical football. Tough defense, and a tough running game. They did just enough to come away with a win during a back and forth game. It was the first  win by any NFC East team in weeks, but it could not have come at a better time for Big Blue. What a win! My pick: Inaccurate

Miami 28, NY Jets 25 - Speaking of pessimism regarding New York football teams, the Jets handed the Dolphins their first - and so far, only - win of the season. Granted, "on any given Sunday" and all of that. I know, but seriously? Come on, man. Leave it to the Jets to look good one week, then lose to an 0-6 team the next weekend. Gang Green will not be going to the playoffs this year. You can't keep losing like this and still harbor realistic hopes of reaching the postseason.. My pick: Inaccurate

Cincinnati 35, Baltimore 13 - This game was a tale of two halves. In the first half, the Ravens were playing well and seemed bound for a big divisional win, holding serve at home. Then in the second half, the Bengals exploded with 35 points to pull off a pretty huge comeback win on the road. Joe Burrow looked amazing, and again, the Bengals look like real contenders. My pick: Accurate

Cleveland  27, Tennessee 24 - Now admittedly, I am not really sure how good the Browns actually are at this point. However, they keep finding ways to win. Granted, this was against the lowly 1-6 Titans. But the Browns are playing the teams on their schedule and, at least so far, they are winning most of those games. Let's see if they can keep it going. For now, they are off to an impressive 5-2 start and tied atop the AFC North division standings. My pick: Accurate

Tampa Bay 43, Carolina 13 - Most weeks, you get some surprises. We got quite a few this week, but this one might have been the biggest upset. Not so much that Tampa Bay won, but how they absolutely dominated the Panthers in Carolina, winning in a laugher by 30 points. Man, definitely got this one wrong!. My pick: Wildly Inaccurate

Atlanta 29, San Francisco 20 - Speaking of upsets...I did not predict this one. The Falcons seem to be on again/off again. But I did not see them really pulling a win off against the undefeated 49ers here in this one, especially after falling behind early, 14-3. When I saw that score in the first half, I kind of rolled my eyes at the predictability. And then, the game started being a lot less predictable, as the Falcons began to answer. they scored 23 consecutive points before San Fran answered. Then they managed to clamp down and pull off the surprising win, handing the 49ers their first loss to drop them to 6-1. With this win, the Falcons are now 3-4, and very much in the thick of things in the NFC South.. My pick: Inaccurate

Minnesota 16, Indianapolis 10 - The Colts played the Vikings tough in Minnesota. Yet the Vikings managed to pull this one off, mostly off the strength of their defense. Minnesota's offense looks like a liability right now, despite the team remaining unbeaten after this one. For now, the Vikings are the league's only remaining unbeaten team, but they have to find some answers on offense if this is to continue, or if they hope to really be one of the elites come playoff time.. My pick: Accurate

Denver 30, Arizona 16 - A lot of upsets this weekend, but this game went pretty much the way everyone figured. The Broncos are one of the league's elite teams, while the Cardinals are closer to bottom feeders. We got the result that almost everyone would have expected. Not much to add about this particular game.: My pick: Accurate

LA Rams 35, Las Vegas 21 - This season was starting to feel like it might be slipping away from the Rams. They should win games against teams like the Cardinals and the Raiders. But after losing at home to the Cards, they absolutely needed to beat the Raiders to remain relevant. And they did indeed earn a convincing win against the rapidly fading Raiders. Remember when the Silver & Black raced out to a surprising 3-0 start to this season? Yeah, that's starting to feel like a very long time ago, as the Raiders drop their fourth straight here.. My pick: Accurate

Detroit 20, Green Bay 17 - Now this is the way you expect a tough NFC North battle to go, right? Two teams slugging it out, both playing well and showing some things. Also, some missed opportunities. It comes down to the wire, to be decided on the final play, which was a successful field goal attempt by the Lions to break a tie and earn a home win against the Pack. What a game, and a big win for the Lions and their Motor City fans. My pick: Accurate

Sunday Night Football: Seattle 20, Kansas City 3 - Another results which I frankly found stunning. Not that the Seahawks won, because that was what I predicted. But like with the Bucs game, what stunned me was how lopsided it was. Seattle's "Darkside Defense" looked like the elite unit they were last January and in the Super Bowl. But holding Patrick Mahomes to a pedestrian 3 points total, the lowest in the Mahomes era? That was stunning. And this one was so one-sided that, despite getting the pick correct technically, it still somehow felt like I got this one wrong.. It felt like one of the Super Bowl losses, when the Chiefs got blown away. Simply not what I expected. My pick: Accurate

Monday Night Football: Dallas 38, Philadelphia 21 - Well, the Cowboys finally looked dominant, as many expected. It's just that it came when they sported a 2-4 record going into the game, and it came against an Eagles team who is seeing their season spiral out of control themselves. The game was  fairly tight for a while, and the Eagles even took the lead briefly early in the second half. However, the Cowboys dominated the rest of the way, earning a solid, convincing divisional win on the road.to clearly place themselves as a serious contender for the NFC East title. My pick: Accurate