Well, I got my bad week out of the way. I hope. But that 7-9 is in the rear-view mirror. Just like I hope all this furor over the anthem protests is. Seriously, I've never heard more people make such a point out of saying how angry they are and how they're not going to watch the NFL anymore. I'm not one of those people. And I'm ready for Week 4.
Saints (1-2) vs. Dolphins (1-1): Miami-Another week, another London game. This is the Dolphins' first "home" game of the season after playing their first two on the road. And they'll have done a lot of traveling by the time they finally play in Miami. Los Angeles, New York, London (there was supposed to be a Miami before all that). Maybe they'll be travel-weary. Or maybe they'll show that they're better than the team that laid an egg last week against the Jets.
Bills (2-1) at Falcons (3-0): Atlanta-There are two 3-0 teams in football. Atlanta and Kansas City. The Falcons are clearly showing no signs of Super Bowl hangover. In fact, they look like they might even be better than last year. The Bills, meanwhile, enter this game at 2-1 after that impressive win over Denver. But their loss was in their only previous road game, when they were held to just a field goal in Carolina. If they don't find some offense this week, it could be a blowout.
Bengals (0-3) at Browns (0-3): Cincinnati-Both Ohio teams are 0-3 and desperately in need of a win. The loser will fall three games behind the Steelers/Ravens winner, and it's only Week 4. They both looked significantly better last week than they did in their first two games, and the Bengals probably should've pulled it out in Green Bay. They seem to have gotten their mojo back. Their first win shouldn't be too far behind.
Rams (2-1) at Cowboys (2-1): Dallas-Would the real Dallas Cowboys please stand up? They get completely slaughtered in Denver, then come back and win in Arizona despite letting the Cardinals have the ball for the entire first quarter. The Rams, meanwhile, are a first-place team after that highly-entertaining win over the 49ers. Can they keep it going against the Cowboys' defense? Probably not. But I think this game has the potential to be just as entertaining.
Lions (2-1) at Vikings (2-1): Detroit-Call me crazy, but I think the Detroit Lions are one of the best teams in football. I would've loved to have seen them actually get a chance to beat the Falcons last week instead of having the game end on that bizarre replay overturn. I'm sure we'll see that rule be a topic of discussion during the offseason. Anyway, they both need a win to keep pace with the Packers after Green Bay's dominant performance on Thursday night. And I think it'll be the Lions and Packers tied for first come Sunday night.
Panthers (2-1) at Patriots (2-1): New England-The Patriots were thisclose to being 1-2. Then Brady went and did Brady things, and New England once again pulled a victory out of nowhere. I think it's safe to say they've recovered from that season-opening loss to the Chiefs. The Panthers defense will present another tough challenge, especially after playing the Texans, but Brady will likely figure it out again.
Jaguars (2-1) at Jets (1-2): Jacksonville-Is Jacksonville actually a road favorite? What has this world come to? If there's actually going to be an NFL team that moves to London, it might just be the Jaguars. They've won four games in London and three in Jacksonville over the last four seasons. That's just crazy. Now they have a chance to get to 3-1 against a Jets team that won in equally-surprising fashion last week.
Steelers (2-1) at Ravens (2-1): Pittsburgh-Were the Steelers looking ahead to their rivalry game, or were they just too busy trying to figure out how they would protest during the anthem? Either way, losing to the Bears the way they did was just unacceptable. Although, Pittsburgh does have that tendency to have the one random road loss each season. And they usually bounce back by spanking whoever they play the next week. They'll definitely have their focus back for the Ravens.
Titans (2-1) at Texans (1-2): Houston-Houston is the best 1-2 team in football. They had the Patriots beat last week until the final play (did they see the Super Bowl? You don't give Brady time at the end!). Anyway, they need to prove they're still the best team in a suddenly-competitive AFC South. Playing at home, I like them to even up their record.
49ers (0-3) at Cardinals (1-2): Arizona-How did the Cardinals lose last week? That game turned when they had the ball for the entire first quarter and only scored seven points. Fortunately for them, they play the 49ers, at home, this week. San Francisco isn't good. They entertained us last Thursday night, but that game helped exploit the fact they don't have any defense whatsoever. Arizona should roll them and get back to .500, which could also mean a share of first place if the Cowboys beat the Rams.
Eagles (2-1) at Chargers (0-3): Philadelphia-I should be upset about last week's Giants game, but I'm not. I can't help but be impressed by that rookie kicker's ridiculous 61-yard field goal to win the game. If not for their rookie kicker, the Chargers could easily be 2-1. As it is, they're losing touch in the super-competitive AFC West, where it's not unrealistic to think each of the other three teams could make the playoffs. The Chargers are better than their 0-3 record. What I'm curious to see is if the Eagles are as good as theirs. We'll find out as they make the cross-country trip.
Giants (0-3) at Buccaneers (1-1): Tampa Bay-This is a tricky one for the Giants, who are still searching for their first win. Mainly because there are so many questions surrounding Tampa Bay. The Bucs were dominant in their opener, but how much of that was playing the Bears? Because last week in Minnesota, they didn't look very good at all. I'm worried the Giants could be in Bears territory, and it's obvious how much they need a win. We'll find out a lot about both these teams in this one.
Raiders (2-1) at Broncos (2-1): Oakland-Here we go. The first of the four games that will determine which team wins the AFC West, and, potentially, which of the three will miss out on the playoffs altogether. It should be a good one, which probably explains why CBS has it as an exclusive national game. As for who's going to win, I like the Raiders. Not sure why. I just have a feeling.
Colts (1-2) at Seahawks (1-2): Seattle-Why is this the Sunday night game? Even if Luck was playing, this wouldn't be a matchup worthy of primetime. They both come in 1-2, but the Seahawks are obviously a better team. Their losses are at Green Bay and at Tennessee. The close game against the 49ers aside, they're much better at home, too.
Redskins (2-1) at Chiefs (3-0): Kansas City-One of the picks I actually got right last week was Washington over Oakland. Now the Redskins take on the other best team in the AFC West, undefeated Kansas City. This one should be a different story. The Chiefs have a rough stretch coming up (at Houston, Pittsburgh, at Oakland, Denver, at Dallas). They can't afford to look past Washington, and I think they know it. They usually play their best under the lights, too.
Thursday Night: Green Bay (Win)
This Week: 1-0
Last Week: 7-9
Overall: 31-17
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