Cincinnati 20, Houston 6 - Last year, the Texans started off winless after three games. It took them a very long time to truly recover and, frankly, it could be argued that they were not AFC South division winners, nor a significantly higher seed in the AFC playoffs, mostly because of that disastrous start early in the season. So I thought that they would come out with far more urgency to avoid that kind of a fate this season. Yet here we are, 0-2 after two games, both at home. I had expected them to be among the elites in the AFC. But they shoot themselves in the foot all of the time. As for the Bengals, there really is no doubt in my mind that with Joe Burrow, they are among the most dangerous teams in the entire NFL. My pick: Inaccurate
Philadelphia 24, Tennessee 20 - Tennessee lost their second straight this season, also at home to a team wearing green. However, the Eagles are a better overall team than the Jets, and the Titans played much better, and this game was a lot closer. So despite this loss, there is a silver-lining in this dark cloud of a loss. As for the Eagles, they did not play their best, but still managed to win to improve to 2-0. That is a good sign. My pick: Accurate
New Orleans 24, Baltimore 17 - So while I strongly suspected that the Saints would be significantly improved from last season, they have surprised me with just how much better they actually look. First, nearly beating the Lions in Detroit. Next, outright beating the Ravens in Baltimore. That was not the result I was expecting, admittedly. Kudos to them, they played extremely well. Early on, the Ravens enjoyed a comfortable 14-3 lead, and I had assumed - wrongly - that this game was going pretty much the way I had expected. Then a few hours later, to see the Saints having come back and found a way to win? Now that's impressive.. My pick: Inaccurate
Minnesota 9, Chicago 3 - Another game which did not go the way it was expected to. Not just my expectation, but it seems, everyone else's, as well. Chicago seemed like the kind of team that had such an explosive offense that we could expect something like 30 or more points on a consistent basis. And while the injury to the starting QB clearly had an impact, I was a bit surprised that the Bears could not do more than muster one single field goal. An impressive divisional road win for the Vikings in this one improves them to 2-0 and, at least for now, sole possession of first place in the NFC North. As for Chicago, they fall to 1-1, tied with both Detroit and Green Bay for second in the division.. My pick: Inaccurate
Cleveland 23, Tampa Bay 19 - Perhaps I was too dismissive of the Browns following that embarrassing Week 1 loss to Jax. They just looked so miserable and lifeless. But Cleveland bounced back with an impressive road win against another team that figured to beat them. However, the Bucs fell short of the mark, and thus remain winless at 0-2. Meanwhile, the Browns surely felt that this was the shot in the arm that they needed to get excited about this season, as they improve to 1-1, tied with the Steelers and the Ravens for second in the AFC North.. My pick: Inaccurate
New England 20, Pittsburgh 3- There were some unpredictable outcomes from this past weekend in the NFL. However, this one was not one of them. The Steelers may have beaten the Falcons in week 1, but they never really were in this one on the road in New England, to no one's surprise. Aaron Rodgers was roughed up and looked like an old and all too vulnerable veteran during this game, and Pittsburgh offense produced virtually nothing. The Pats earned their first win in dominant fashion, looking solid in every aspect of the game. An impressive win for them, and both teams walk away with 1-1 records for the year to this point. My pick: Accurate
Carolina 34, Atlanta 3 - Okay, I expected the Panthers to win this one. But the way that they absolutely dominated the Falcons was actually pretty shocking. I had assumed - clearly wrongly - that the Falcons would actually show more life. You know, put up a fight? But they looked pathetic, frankly. Very impressive win for Carolina, who now improve to 1-1 on the year. As for the Falcons, they fall to 0-2, and look among the least impressive teams even amongst the 0-2 bunch. My pick: Accurate
Las Vegas 26, LA Chargers 14 - The Silver & Black either are much better than I expected them to be, or the Chargers are much worse than I expected them to be. Or maybe both. But this was one of the most unexpected results, as well. While the Raiders played well and should be credited with now two convincing wins to start the season and improv to 2-0, you cannot help but think something is really, really wrong with the Chargers. They fall to 0-2 and have lost in highly unimpressive fashion, looking like one of the most disappointing teams to this point of the season. My pick: Inaccurate
Denver 20, Jacksonville 13 - This was one of those games where, once the end result came up, I kind of kicked myself for not having gone with what a part of me insisted would be the case. Playing on the road in Denver, with that high altitude, can always be tricky. Plus, the Broncos are a solid team. They took care of the Jaguars to earn their first win of the new season. Both teams walk away with identical 1-1 records on the season.. My pick: Inaccurate
Seattle 31, Arizona 7 – One week after the Cardinals surprised a lot of people with a big win over the Chargers, they returned to looking like….well, the Cardinals. The Seahawks beat the Patriots in the rematch of the Super Bowl to open the season, then go on the road and earn a very solid, dominant win on the road in Arizona to improve to 2-0. They remain tied with the 49ers for first in the NFC West. The Cardinals, meanwhile, drop to 1-1 on the season, tied with the Rams for 1-1 for second (or third, technically). My pick: Accurate
San Francisco 35, Miami 13 - The 49ers pretty well dominated the Fins in perhaps the most predictable outcome of any NFL game this past weekend. Did anyone really think that Miami stood any chance? San Fran pretty much made short work of the Dolphins, to absolutely no one's surprise. With the win, the Niners improve to 2-0. With the loss, the Dolphins fall to 0-2 on the year. My pick: Accurate
Dallas 37, Washington 20 – Well, to their credit, the Cowboys were able to put their disappointment from the season opener against the Giants behind them rather quickly. In the battle between the two remaining winless teams in the NFC East, Big D earned their first win of the season in quite convincing fashion, dominating Washington thoroughly at home in Dallas. The Cowboys offense looked solid, and their defense was far more effective than they were against the Giants in Week 1. The ‘Boys improve to 1-1 on the season, while Washington, with this loss, remains winless at 0-2. My pick: Inaccurate
Sunday Night Football: Kansas City 33, Indianapolis 30 (OT) - A lot of people likely are rolling their eyes at this point, tired of the Chiefs. Like approaching the level of how people were of the Patriots a few years ago, towards the very end of their dynasty. Except the Chiefs maybe have proven that, in their specific case, their dynasty might be far from done. For me, I expected that KC would be tougher than to simply allow last season to be the point from which they faded away. But they hardly blew the Colts out and, frankly, looked more vulnerable and far less dominant than I expected. Still, they managed to win, even if it took overtime for them to do it. My pick: Accurate
Monday Night Football: LA Rams 28, NY Giants 6 - This game more or less went the way I expected, in terms of the final result. A massive win for the Rams to notch their first victory in this promising season. What was a surprise was how disastrous this game was for the G-Men in terms of injuries, obviously especially with quarterback Jaxson Dart going out within the first few minutes. Hard to tell how much closer the game would have been had he been in it, but the Big Blue offense was virtually non-existent from that point onward. Major setback for the Giants, who will have to go without Dart for some unknown duration. Big and necessary win for the Rams, who avoided what would have been a truly disastrous 0-2 start. Now they can focus on trying to stay within striking distance of the 49ers and the 'Hawks. My pick: Accurate
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