Have to make another quick blog entry for the preview of Week 3 in NFL action again.
So here goes:
Tampa Bay 29, NY Jets 27 - This game seemed a bit strange. It was going pretty much as I had expected for the most part. I tuned in after getting home and the Bucs were in scoring position, up 23-13. They got a field goal to go up by 13. Figuring the game was pretty much over, I turned another game on. Next thing I saw, the Jets were up, 27-26. Really? How the hell did that happen. Yet, the Bucs did not blow it, winding up just barely earning the win with a very late field goal to lift themselves to a surprisingly tough win to improve to 3-0 on the season. As for Gang Green, they played well, especially towards the end. Yet they fall short once again, dropping to 0-3, still winless. My pick: Accurate
Washington 41, Las Vegas 24 - The game's final score made this seem like a more competitive game than it was in actuality. In truth, the Commanders took control of this game in the first half, and really blew the game open in the third quarter. it was well out of reach before the Raiders made it look more respectable with a couple of late touchdowns. But Washington really dominated this one.. My pick: Accurate
Carolina 30, Atlanta 0 - This one was a shocker. I expected the Falcons to follow up on an impressive win over the Vikings by beating the Panthers as well. But give Carolina credit. They clearly were ready. What's shocking is not that the Panthers won, but that they absolutely dominated this game. What a horrendous afternoon for the Falcons.. My pick: Wildly Inaccurate
Jax 17, Houston 10 - Just like that, the Texans, a team that many people - myself included - figured would likely win the AFC North rather easily, and might compete to go far into the playoffs, have instead dug themselves into an 0-3 hole to start the season. Who knew? This one was a stunner, as I personally expected them to come out swinging. But give the Jaguars credit. They played well, especially defensively, and improve to 2-1 on the year. My pick: Inaccurate
Cleveland 13, Green Bay 10 - This one, like the Jets game, was not what I was expecting. It seemed to be going in a very predictable direction at first. The Packers were up 10-0 in the third quarter, and seemed well on their way to a win. Then something strange occurred. Cleveland came alive in the fourth quarter, first scoring a field goal to get on the scoreboard with under four minutes left, then scoring a touchdown about thirty seconds or so later, tying the game. They got the ball back and put themselves in field goal range right at the end, and the attempt was successful, earning the Browns their first win of the season. Against a quality opponent, and having overcome a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter. A rather stunning outcome that shows you can never tell. Cleveland also wore uniforms which incorporated more of the color brown than I had ever seen them wear before. And you know what? They looked pretty good. Maybe they should wear brown as the dominant color more often. Always wondered how a team named the "Browns" would not have more brown with their uniforms. It makes them stand out in the league aesthetically far more than the orange. Anyway, a solid win for the Browns, who improve to 1-2 on the season. This was a disappointment for the Packers, who drop to 2-1. Their offense looked....well, pedestrian, frankly. My pick: Inaccurate
Indianapolis 41, Tennessee 20 - The Colts may or may not be as good as their record indicates to this point. No way to say this early in the season. Yet there is no denying that as of right now, they have been incredibly impressive. Former Giants QB Daniel Jones is having an amazing year to this point. Clearly, he was not the problem while he played on the G-Men, as many, if not most, Giants fans assumed. The Colts are really rolling and playing exceptionally well, as they improve to 3-0 on the year. As for the Titans, this was fairly predictable from their end, as well. Getting pretty well blown out at home, dropping to 0-3. A solid win for the Colts, another disappointment for the Titans.. My pick: Accurate
Philadelphia 33, LA Rams 26 - A very intriguing match ends up being rather unusual and unpredictable. The Eagles scored first and seemed ready to dominate. Then the Rams responded and went on a run, more or less dominating with 26 unanswered points until well into the third quarter. At that point, they were up by 19, and it seemed that they were on their way to a surprisingly dominant road win against the defending Super Bowl champions, avenging their playoff loss last January in the process. Then Philly finally began to play up to their potential and responded, scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter to make this a competitive game. Two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter lifted them past the Rams and earned them an important comeback win against a tough opponent. They improve to 3-0 on the year, while the Rams fall to 2-1. My pick: Accurate
Pittsburgh 21, New England 14 - The Patriots played well in this one. That is particularly true of their young quarterback Drake Maye. He completed 28 of 37 for 268 for two touchdowns and one INT, and added an additional 45 yards with his feet. Yet, the Steelers defense played tough, and did just enough to secure an important road win. That allows the Steelers to stay right in the thick of things in the AFC North. Meanwhile for the Pats, these are simply growing pains.. My pick: Accurate
Minnesota 48, Cincinnati 10 - Yikes! The Bengals had entered this game undefeated, and were hoping for a win with their backup quarterback at the helm. That would be tough, but going on the road in Minnesota would surely be tougher. Still, though, you don't want your first loss of the season to be this dreadful. The Bengals offense produced five turnovers, and their defense could not contain the Vikings production. It was 34-3 by halftime, and it felt like Minnesota then took their foot off the gas and cruised. A stunningly easy victory for them. Cincy needs to go back to the drawing board after this one. My pick: Accurate
LA Chargers 23, Denver 20 - The Chargers had to hold on in this one, coming back from a touchdown down in the fourth quarter to first tie the game and then ultimately, on the final play of the game, to successfully convert a field goal attempt for the win. So the Bolts remain undefeated at 3-0, and earn yet another divisional win in the process. Can't ask for much more than that, right? Still, the Chargers had two turnovers, to none by Denver. The Broncos played impressively, particularly on defense. But they also were a bit sloppy with too many turnovers. They came fairly close to producing an important road win, but not quite close enough. So Denver now drops to 1-2 on the year. Still figure that they should be a playoff team this season. My pick: Accurate
Seattle 44, New Orleans 13 - The stats might look like these two teams played evenly, if you did not look at the scoreboard. Seattle had only one more first down than New Orleans, both teams committed a single turnover, and the Saints actually held onto the ball for longer than the Seahawks did. The yards gained favored Seattle, but not by an outrageous and overwhelming amount. Yet, the Seahawks scored and scored, and the Saints...well, didn't. It was 38-3 before New Orleans managed a field goal to cut it to a 38-6 lead by halftime for Seattle. That's kind of embarrassing. My pick: Accurate
Chicago 31, Dallas 14 - No, admittedly I did not see this one coming. Thought that the 'Boys were one of the contenders for the playoffs this year. They still might be, but they sure didn't look the part last night. To be fair, Dallas looked good until sometime in the second quarter. That is when Da Bears simply took over the game, and the 'Boys were shut out from that point onwards. Chicago picks up their first win, while Dallas loses ground to both Philly and Washington. My pick: Inaccurate
San Francisco 16, Arizona 15 - A very tough, defensive battle in a game that was decided on the final play. San Fran's field goal attempt was successful, securing the win for them. In the process, they handed Arizona their first loss of the season. Couple that with the Rams also losing, and San Francisco is now alone atop the NFC West standings. But the Cardinals played well and look solid so far this season. My pick: Accurate
Sunday Night Football: Kansas City 22, NY Giants 9 - The Giants lately make watching their games as a fan feel almost like a punishment. They just cannot seem to get anything going on offense. A single touchdown and a total of nine points for Big Blue in this one. Granted, KC's defense is solid. But that's not going to get the job done against most teams in the league, and especially not the Chiefs. An ugly loss for the G-Men. My pick: Accurate
Monday Night Football - Detroit 38, Baltimore 30 - Admittedly, I had wrongly assumed that being in a hostile road environment in Baltimore against a quality team like the Ravens would probably be a bit too much for the Lions. Apparently, even though I had expected them to enjoy success this season, I still managed to underestimate them. They looked fantastic in producing a tremendously impressive road win. One of the most important wins for this franchise in recent seasons, and that is saying something. As for the Ravens, a 1-2 start is rather shocking, but don't expect them to linger with a losing record. My pick: Inaccurate
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