🏈 2021-22 NFL Week 3 Preview: A Weekend When History Was Made 🏈

      

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Atlanta 17, NY Giants 14 – In a battle to try and avoid being one of the two remaining winless teams in the NFC, the Falcons earned a come from behind win, kicking a successful field goal attempt to win it on the road. The Giants sure looked capable of winning this game for the vast majority of the game, and their defense played well, holding off a potentially explosive Atlanta offense. Yet in the end, the offense struggled too much, particularly with points scored. And despite playing well and seeming to be in position to win, the G-Men fall short yet again after three games to this season. My pick: Inaccurate              

Buffalo 41, Washington 23 – The Bills looked unstoppable in this one. Home field advantage helped, surely, but Buffalo seems to have found solid footing this season after that inexplicable collapse on opening day to the Steelers. After humiliating division rivals Miami last weekend, the Bills pretty much owned all of the advantages in this one. They hung onto the ball for well over 35 minutes, produced 481 yards of offense and 29 first downs, and of course, scored 43 points. The offense was really clicking, and the defense prevented Washington from ever really keeping the game close. Of course, Washington did not help themselves by committing three turnovers, while Buffalo did not commit any. A blowout win that keeps the Bills solidly in first place in the AFC East, while all three other division rivals lost.              

Cleveland 26, Chicago 6 – This was the kind of outcome that most of us expected. Looking back, it is a bit strange that Da Bears actually took the lead midway through the first quarter, and held onto it until early in the second, when the Browns finally broke through and scored a touchdown. But this game was all Cleveland. They held onto the ball for almost 40 minutes,  produced 418 yards of offense, and earned 26 first downs. Meanwhile, Cleveland’s defense was utterly dominant, holding Chicago to a total of 6 first downs and a total of 47 yards of offense. It was the second fewest yards per play in a game in the better part of a century, and the Browns defense had not held any opponents to so few yards since 1946. To put that in perspective, that was the year after World War II ended. Very impressive win for the Browns, and very disheartening loss for the Bears. Chicago continues to struggle on offense, a consistent problem through the years. Meanwhile, the Browns seem to be heating up this season, and do indeed look like the serious s contender that so many people expected them to become. My pick: Accurate              

Baltimore 19, Detroit 17 - The Lions were set to honor Megatron, or Calvin Johnson, during a Hall of Fame ceremony. But things turned sour as fans loudly booed Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp instead. The rest of the afternoon hardly went any better for this tortured franchise. For most of the game, the Lions were playing tough, and looked on the verge of pulling off an upset win. In fact, it appeared that Detroit was going to win the game until the final play of the game. That is when disaster struck. Justin Tucker, the placekicker for the Ravens, booted a new NFL record 66-yard field goal through the uprights to win it on the final play of the game. That lifted the Ravens to a highly improbable win. Somehow, though, if this kind of unbelievable and incredibly unlikely way to lose a game that seemed a sure win just seconds earlier, you kind of figure that it likely would happen to this Detroit Lions franchise. I really do hope that they turn things around at some point and become winners. It happened in Cleveland. But three games into this season, and man, this is rough. My pick: Accurate              

Arizona 31, Jacksonville 19 – The Jaguars looked decent for a while there, scoring two touchdowns in the second quarter, and seemingly showing a competitive side. In fact, Jax had a 19-10 lead late in the third quarter after scoring a touchdown. But that was when things started to unravel. The Cardinals scored a touchdown a couple of minutes later. Then once Jacksonville got the ball back, Arizona cornerback Byron Murphy notched his second INT of the game, and this one he returned to make it a pick six. Just like that, Jax lost a fairly comfortable lead and found themselves down by five. Midway through the fourth quarter, the Cards put the final nail in the coffin with an 11-play, 65 yard drive that ended with a touchdown run by running back James Conner from a yard out. The Jaguars held their own for most of this game, as the two teams were more or less even. The biggest difference was in turnovers, where the Cardinals only turned the ball over once, while Jax committed four turnovers. You just are not going to win very often when you turn the ball over that many times. The Cardinals improve to 3-0 on the year, while the Jaguars drop to 0-3, and have now lost 18 straight games dating ball the way ack to early last season. My pick: Accurate              

LA Chargers 30, Kansas City 24 – Now this was a crazy game, and the outcome was a complete surprise. It appeared to be a typical Chiefs game at first, with the Chargers jumping out early with two touchdowns in the first quarter and held a 14-3 advantage by halftime, only to see Mahomes and that dangerous KC offense catch fire late in third and take a 17-14 lead. The fourth quarter went back and forth, but in the end, it was the Chargers who capitalized on a bad KC turnover and got a shot to win it with a successful field goal, which is what happened. Mahomes had a solid day, with three touchdowns, but he also threw two INT’s, including that crucial interception late in the fourth that handed the Chargers a golden opportunity. They capitalized to improve to 2-1 for second place in the AFC West. Meanwhile, who could have foreseen that Kansas City would be in last place at 1-2 just three weeks into the season? Another bit of bad news for KC: head coach Andy Reid was taken into the hospital and treated for dehydration. Not a good start for the Chiefs this season. My pick: Inaccurate

Cincinnati 24, Pittsburgh 10 - If the Bengals are truly building towards a brighter future, then this was a landmark win for them. Traditionally, the Steelers have been the team that has tormented the Bengals the most, and the most consistently, over the course of decades of struggle for Cincy. So this win, on the road in the Steel City, was simply huge. Quarterback Joe Burrow continues to develop into a seeming real force in the NFL, as he completed 14 of 18 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns, although he also had one INT. But it was a solid overall showing. But it was their defense that came up the biggest on this day, bending but rarely breaking, clamping down on Pittsburgh's chances, holding them to a pedestrian 10 points. With the win, the Bengals are now tied with the Ravens and Browns atop the AFC North with identical 2-1 records. And for once, Pittsburgh is in last place at 1-2. Can you even remember the last time that the Steelers were alone in last place? I can't. What a win for the Bengals, because in years past, this is exactly the kind of game that they would have surely lost. Not this time. My pick: Inaccurate

Minnesota 30, Seattle 17 - I thought that this would be a tough game for either team to win.  But the Vikings finally broke through after two "close but no cigar" kinds of losses. How did they do it? Well, they held onto the ball for nearly 36 minutes, and produced an impressive 453 yards of offense, including 28 first downs.  After Seattle seemed to take over the game early in the second quarter, building a 17-7 lead, the Vikings just absolutely took over the game, shutting the Seahawks out the rest of the game, and outscoring them 23-0 the rest of the way. That was a dominant finish, and the Vikings went from winless to just one game behind the division leaders, Green Bay. A solid and necessary win for them. As for Seattle, they now trail two teams in their division by two games, and are in trouble if they cannot stop the bleeding. My pick: Inaccurate

LA Rams 34, Tampa Bay 24 - The clash of two unbeaten NFC teams indeed proved to be a big game. Usually, when Tom Brady completes over 40 passes for over 400 yards, you would figure that he wins the game. But for all of those completions and yards gained, he also only threw one touchdown pass, which suggests that the Rams defense bent but did not break. Also, Matt Stafford had a very impressive game himself, completing 27 of 38 for 343 yards and four touchdowns. That really showed the difference, as the Rams just took better advantage of their opportunities, handing Tampa their first defeat of the season, snapping a 10-game winning streak that stretched from last season. As for the Rams, they remain unbeaten, and will now host the also undefeated Cardinals in a huge battle for sole possession of first place in the NFC West. Tampa Bay also have a huge game coming up, as Tom Brady goes up to Foxboro to take on his former team up in New England on Sunday night. My pick: Accurate

Las Vegas 31, Miami 28 - In the old days, when I first got into football back in the early eighties, this would have been a big game, a renewal of one of the biggest rivalries in football. The two teams kept qualifying for the Super Bowl, reaching a combined four of five Super Bowls in the first half of the eighties, before both teams seemed to fall into obscurity simultaneously in the second half of the decade. Neither team has been the same ever since. The Raiders made it to the Super Bowl once, in 2002, after three straight years of being serious contenders. But they lost, and then it seemed like they never quite recovered from the loss. Both teams are trying to get right again, and both teams entered this one feeling like legitimate playoff contenders at the very least. Now, the Raiders appear on the verge of a breakout season, at least if they can keep this up. The Fins proved to be a tough challenge, and it appeared that Miami was well on their way to a win early on. But the Silver and Black battled back, and ultimately, they prevailed. They do not make winning look easy, to be sure. Yet, they keep doing it. They have a serious challenge to their unbeaten record next weekend at the Chargers in Los Angeles, who are coming off a huge upset win at Kansas City. That should be interesting. Meanwhile, the Dolphins have dropped two straight, and will look to rebound next weekend in Florida, when they host the Colts. My pick: Accurate

Tennessee 25, Indianapolis 16 - The Titans managed to win what was easily their most important game to date this season. The Colts figured to be their toughest opponent this season, the most serious obstacles Tennessee would face on their road to a hopeful division title. So this game was huge. Win, and they have a lead of two games over the Colts. Lose, and they would be tied atop the AFC South with Houston and Indianapolis, each with identical 1-2 records. So it was a big game for both teams, but especially for the Titans, who surely felt that they needed to win at least the home game between these two teams. They did it mostly by hanging onto the ball for over 34 minutes, and capitalizing on their opportunities better than the Colts did. Tennessee overcame three turnovers and managed to outlast the Colts, more than anything. A huge win for the Titans. Indianapolis, meanwhile, has had a rough start. Three tough games, and all of them losses. They will try to get right next weekend at Miami, while the Titans maybe should be salivating with a date at the Jets. My pick: Accurate

Denver 26, NY Jets 0 - The Raiders remained unbeaten by defeating an AFC East opponent, yet another team in their same division can boast the same thing. The Broncos just dominated the obviously grounded Jets, who produced exactly 20 points through their first three games. That is not only worst in the NFL, but far and away the worst. It is less than half of the other teams struggling on offense, Atlanta and Miami, both of whom have scored well over 40 points so far each, and both of whom have also won games. How bad was Gang Green's offense? Well, they held the ball for barely over 24 minutes, earned only 11 first downs in the game, and produced 162 yards total on offense. Plus, rookie quarterback Zach Wilson threw two INT's. The Bears kind of overshadowed the Jets this weekend in terms of offensive ineptitude, yet at least the Bears scored some points. If the Jets do not turn this thing around even a little bit, they might be in serious contention for a distinction that nobody wants: one of the worst seasons ever suffered through by an NFL team. Just abysmal. As for Denver, a very impressive overall performance, especially by their defense. They remain unbeaten while the Jets remain winless. My pick: Accurate

New Orleans 28, New England 13 – Both of these teams are hard to figure out. The Saints did not appear in great shape once Brees retired. Yet they crushed the Packers, and then wound up beating Belichick’s Patriots in this one. The two teams were mostly even statistically, with the Pats actually producing significantly more overall years than the Saints. But New Orleans benefitted by three Patriot turnovers, and committing none themselves. They jumped ahead early with two touchdowns for a 14-0 lead by the second quarter and they simply never really allowed the Patriots to gain enough momentum to flirt with a comeback. A 13 play, 75-yard touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter culminated with a touchdown by Taysom Hill, and that was enough to ice the game. The Saints improve to 2-1 on the season, while the Patriots fall to 1-2, with a big showdown against Brady and the Bucs coming up next. My pick: Inaccurate

SNF: Green Bay 30, San Francisco 28 – This was a very entertaining game. Yet, it was also a game with some horrendous officiating, particularly in the fourth quarter, when it counted most. The calls were coming in favor of the home team so consistently, that it was hard not to suspect that this was deliberate. There was a very weak interference call that allowed the 49ers to pick up over 30 yards, and from which they seemed to gain a ton of momentum on what wound up being a touchdown drive for them. Shortly after that, there was a helmet to helmet hit where a 49er defender injured a Packer receiver, but there was no call when there clearly should have been. It was so partisan, that it frankly skewed the game. Since it was such a tight game, coming down to literally the final play of the game to be decided, it felt a little too much like the officials could have decided this game. It was really outrageous, and I think that they might need to look at this game again to see why the officiating here is something to be avoided. That felt particularly true of the helmet to helmet hit that was missed. Otherwise, these were team teams that figure to be in the playoffs this season matching up and playing what turned out to be not just entertaining, but perhaps even a classic. Some players on both sides truly stood out for their brilliance. Aaron Rodgers, who had a typically great game, who passed for 261 yards and tow touchdowns, and remained composed in the fourth quarter, calmly leading his offense on key scoring drives that ultimately proved to be just enough for them to earn the win. There was George Kittles on the 49ers, who made some incredible catches and then proved very difficult for the defense to bring down, picking up some key yards after catches. Green Bay running back Aaron Jones was solid, especially in the fourth quarter, as he picked up 82 yards and one touchdown on 19 carries. San Francisco fullback Kyle Juszczyk reminded me of Tom Rathman back in the old days of the 49ers, and that touchdown that he scored late in the fourth to put the Niners ahead was a very impressive effort. And as was already stated, it all came down to the final play, where Packers placekicker Mason Crosby kicked a 51-yard field goal attempt that split the uprights, giving the Packers their second consecutive win, and now sole possession of first place in the NFC North even after a disastrous blowout loss to New Orleans to start the season. This was the first loss suffered by the previously unbeaten 49ers, who fall to 2-1 on the year. Again, what a game! My pick: Inaccurate      

MNF: Dallas 41, Philadelphia 21 - This was a rather thorough ass-kicking. The Cowboys may have lost the first game of the season in Tampa (albeit just barely), but they have gotten things right since. They won last weekend on the road in Los Angeles against the Chargers to notch their first win of the season, and then they beat the Eagles in the first division showdown for them of this season. Philadelphia did manage to score some points, but not nearly enough, obviously. One thing for sure: the Dallas offense looks solid to this point in the season, and rank as one of the highest scoring teams in the NFC. They also are alone in first place in the NFC East, at least for the moment. As for the Eagles, an impressive showing on opening weekend by blowing out the Falcons in Atlanta has now given way to two consecutive losses. It will not get too easy for the Eagles in the next game, either, as they host the Chiefs next. Meanwhile, the Cowboys will host the Panthers this coming weekend, in what has to be considered a big NFC showdown, quite unexpectedly. Some people surely pegged the 'Boys as a playoff team, but most likely, very, very few people would have predicted a 3-0 start by Carolina. I certainly was not expecting it. My pick: Accurate