NFL 2022-23 Week 3 Preview

     

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Cincinnati at NY Jets - Okay, the Jets did surprise me last weekend. And that gives me hope for this season, that maybe they will not be quite as awful as expected. But the Bengals are off to a surprising 0-2 start or, rather, they are where I thought Gang Green would be at the moment. They are a better team than that, though. Remember, they went to the Super Bowl earlier this year, and very nearly won it. They do have problems, but they should straighten those out enough to get a much needed win here today in this one. My pick: Cincinnati

Buffalo at Miami - This very well may be the game of the week. Two still unbeaten teams facing off for the division lead in the AFC East. I suspect that Buffalo is the better overall team, more complete. Their offense is dangerous and explosive, and their defense may again be the best in the league. The Dolphins are an improving team, but have they improved to the point where they can get past the Bills here in this one? The Bills have won the last seven meetings between these two teams, dating back to the 2018 season. Make it eight in a row after today. My pick: Buffalo

Baltimore at New England - A tough game to make a pick for. The Pats looked better than I admittedly expected them to last week, and the Ravens suffered a dispiriting loss, allowing Miami to mount a major comeback win. Maybe the Pats are fired up from their win, or maybe the Ravens are determined to bounce back from that embarrassing collapse last week. One way or the other, this is an intriguing game. My pick: Baltimore

Las Vegas at Tennessee - That one of these teams would have begun the season 0-2 is a bit surprising. That they are both presently winless at 0-2 is a bit of a shock. Barring the unlikely scenario of a rare tie (rare in the NFL, certainly), that will change today. Here, I suspect that the emotional charge from enjoying home field advantage should help lift the home team, especially after that heartbreaking home opener a couple of weeks ago, as well as the burn from the humiliating rout in Buffalo. Today, I suspect that the Titans do enough right to earn the win. My pick: Tennessee

Philadelphia at Washington - The Eagles are off to a hot 2-0 start. Washington, however, got bounced pretty badly at Detroit last weekend. However, they are usually pretty tough at home. Philly did manage to sweep them last season, but the prior season, Washington swept. My suspicion is that the Eagles do just enough to manage a tight win and remain unbeaten. My pick: Philadelphia

New Orleans at Carolina - The Saints lost an emotionally draining game to the Bucs last week. However, they are still a legitimate playoff contender, and they should be able to get up and dust themselves off. The Panthers, meanwhile, have suffered two tough, close losses in a row. They could possibly win, but my suspicion is that the Saints pull this one off. My pick: New Orleans

Detroit at Minnesota - A nice win for the Lions last weekend against Washington. Unfortunately, they follow that up by having one of the toughest games on their schedule, a visit to Minnesota to take on the Vikings. The Lions can keep it relatively close, perhaps, through the first half, but I suspect that by the fourth quarter, the Vikings will have this game pretty well in hand. My pick: Minnesota

Houston at Chicago - Not sure just yet how good or not so good Da Bears are. But I expected the Texans to be among the worst teams in the entire league this season, and still believe that they will be. Look for the Bears to exert some dominance on both sides of the football in this one, to play a complete game and roll to a victory. My pick: Chicago

Kansas City at Indianapolis - Can't say what's wrong with the Colts so far this season, exactly. But they have looked just awful so far this season. True, they came back from down 17 to tie Houston, but that was the Texans. And getting blanked last weekend to Jacksonville was not a good sign. Playing Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs is not the best way to try and straighten out your act. They may even improve and show more signs of life than they did against Jax, and still lose this one. It feels like the Chiefs are hot and on a roll, and they should nab another "W" in Indy today. My pick: Kansas City

Jacksonville at LA Chargers - The Chargers lost a tough one that they could, and perhaps should, have won last week at KC. But they return home and have a beatable opponent. True, Jax is an improved team. But heading across the country to the West Coast to take on a formidable team is probably going to prove to be a bit too much for the Jaguars. My pick: LA Chargers

Atlanta at Seattle - Two likely mediocre teams square off in Seattle. But Seattle has shown more signs of being a fairly serious team, including actually having won a game. That, plus home field advantage, which tends to be fairly formidable in Seattle, helps push the home town Seahawks past lowly Atlanta in this one. My pick: Seattle

Green Bay at Tampa Bay - They used to call meetings between these two teams the Battle of the Bays. Another big showdown for the Bucs, a third in as many games to start off the season. So far, Tom Brady and the Buccaneers have handled themselves quite well. The Packers, meanwhile, still feel more suspect than expected. With home field advantage, and with Green Bay still a bit out of sorts, the Bucs should take this to remain unbeaten. My pick: Tampa Bay

LA Rams at Arizona - This is another close one that could go either way. It would not be surprising to see the Rams win this one, nor would it be a shock if the Cardinals did. They both have shown some impressive things in wins last weekend, but also both showed reasons for concern in their opening games. Hard to tell which will work out better and for whom in this one. But I suspect that the Rams pull out a win in a squeaker here. My pick: LA Rams

Sunday Night Football: San Francisco at Denver - This is a tough game for both teams. The 49ers looked solid last week, but looked more suspect against Chicago. The Broncos, meanwhile, are looking far more vulnerable than I expected, which frankly negates what I otherwise might have expected to be a decent home field advantage for the Broncos. Expect the 49ers to play a tough, physical game, mostly concentrating on their ground attack on offense, and grinding to a tough win in a low-scoring contest here. My pick: San Francisco

Monday Night Football: Dallas at NY Giants - The Cowboys have basically owned the G-Men in recent seasons, having won 9 out of the last 10. It also seems that the Giants always, always, always try and do something with their uniforms against Dallas, despite it seemingly never working. For example, years ago they always wore their red jerseys against the Cowboys, and always also seemed to lose. In more recent years, they always seem to wear their "color rush" white jerseys and vintage 80's helmets against the Cowboys (as well as at Philadelphia), and again, it always seems that they lose. I love those vintage white uniforms, but why does it always have to be at home against the Cowboys? Already, the Cowboys seem to have their number. Someday, the Cowboys dominance should end. But my suspicion is that it will not end today. My pick: Dallas