Minnesota 29, New Orleans 19 - This game was defined by miscues and mistakes made by the Saints, particularly on defense, although there were also missed opportunities by the offense. New Orleans kept having to settle for field goals. That was a problem, because Sam Bradford really was hot last night, completing 27 of 32 passes for 346 yards and three touchdowns. If you did not know any better, you might be forgiven in assuming that he was the most accomplished quarterback on the field in this one. Adrian Petersen's return to Minnesota was memorable on emotion but forgettable based on his performance, as he accumulated 18 yards total - the lowest total output of his entire career! Just a one-sided affair, and there did not seem much that the Saints could really do about it. A good, solid victory for the Vikings, who join the Lions and the Packers in a three-way tie for first in the NFC North. As for the Saints, they now have to prepare for a winless and angry New England team to come to town next weekend. Plus, they have the Falcons and the Panthers - the two teams that represented the NFC in the last two Super Bowls - in their division, and an improved Tampa Bay squad, and will have to deal with immediately dropping to being alone in the NFC South basement following opening weekend. Things do not get easier for them anytime soon! My prediction: Inaccurate
Denver 24, Los Angeles Chargers 21 - What a wild game this was! The Broncos took an early 7-0 lead, then the Chargers tied it up. Denver scored another touchdown before halftime, and then seemed to have blown the game wide open by scoring 10 points in the third quarter for a 24-7 lead. But the Chargers came back, capitalizing on Denver mistakes - particularly two late turnovers - that allowed them to get right back in this thing. It came down to the final drive, with the Chargers looking to get into field goal position to force overtime, or possibly a touchdown to win it outright in regulation. They had to settle for the field goal attempt, and the kick sailed through the uprights. But before the Chargers could celebrate, it was called off, as Denver had called a timeout. Then, the second attempt was blocked, preserving the win for the Broncos, as the home crowd went wild! A memorable win for Denver, although the way that they almost let a comfortable lead get away from them has to be a bit worrying. My prediction: Barely accurate
So, how did I do this week with my picks?
Not especially good. Including the Patriots blowout home loss to Kansas City, I was right about eight games, wrong about a whopping seven games!
Yikes! I thought more games would go the way that I had forecast. But who knew that the Pats would get blown out at home? Who knew that Jacksonville would dismantle Houston on the road, or that the Colts would be humiliated like that by the Rams?
So, how did I do this week with my picks?
Not especially good. Including the Patriots blowout home loss to Kansas City, I was right about eight games, wrong about a whopping seven games!
Yikes! I thought more games would go the way that I had forecast. But who knew that the Pats would get blown out at home? Who knew that Jacksonville would dismantle Houston on the road, or that the Colts would be humiliated like that by the Rams?
QUESTION: "But who knew that the Pats would get blown out at home? Who knew that Jacksonville would dismantle Houston on the road, or that the Colts would be humiliated like that by the Rams?" ANSWER: I did. That's right, yours truly knew.
ReplyDeleteWell, that's good. With those kinds of skills, you should book a flight to Las Vegas and put everything on the line, place all your money on an unlikely scenario. Don't think too long or hard about it, don't hesitate! Don't let this golden opportunity pass you by!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan – what could possibly go wrong?
ReplyDelete