NFL week three preview

CINCINNATI — If anybody didn’t learn the mantra of “anything can happen” from week one of the NFL season, week two validated that. From Baltimore’s comeback win over Kansas City to Tennessee’s comeback win at Seattle to, oh hello Carolina!- pummeling New Orleans, what more is there to believe in this league other than Tom Brady still what doing Tom Brady has done for the last 20 years?

Now with week three on the horizon, marquee division games and conference games rule the schedule this week as well as some teams playing their first home games of the season. Here’s a look at the key games this week as well as score predictions for all 16 games this week.

Thursday Night Football: Carolina Panthers @ Houston Texans – 8:20 p.m. on NFL Network (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews, Kristina Pink) Radio: Westwood One (Ian Eagle, Tony Boselli)
Quarterback Sam Darnold and the Carolina Panthers are off to a surprising 2-0 start, but another win tonight against the Houston Texans could make them believers in the eyes of NFL pundits and analysts. Darnold has been enjoying the best season of his career so far, and it helps that he’s now with an organization with the talent and coaching necessary to help him succeed.
Houston has been surprisingly competitive through its first two games, but now have to face adversity with starting quarterback Tyrod Taylor on injured reserve. Enter rookie quarterback Davis Mills making his first career start tonight… against a ferocious Carolina pass rush that has racked up 10 sacks and 21 quarterback hits through the first two weeks of the season,

Game pick: Panthers 27 Texans 20

Los Angeles Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs – 1 p.m. on CBS (Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, Tracy Wolfson)
Sign me up for 18 of these AFC West division matchups this season. This division has been phenomenal so far, and the Chiefs aren’t even in first place. I saw a headline saying that this may be the toughest road to an AFC West title this season for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Kansas City may not win the division by Thanksgiving or even the week before Christmas. Or they may not win the division altogether. Whoa… pump the brakes there Frankie!
Anyway, this is an important game for both teams coming off tough losses. The Chargers hurt themselves with penalties in their home loss against Dallas, while Kansas City’s offense suddenly went stone cold and turnover prone in the fourth quarter against the Ravens in Baltimore. These two teams have played several close games in recent seasons, and this game should be no different.

Game pick: Chiefs 31 Chargers 24

Chicago Bears @ Cleveland Browns – 1 p.m. on FOX (Kevin Burkhardt, Greg Olsen, Pam Oliver)
Let the Justin Fields era begin in Chicago! Well, at least for this week. The Bears rookie first round pick will make his first start Sunday not too far from where he spent the prime of his college career. But it won’t be easy going up against the Browns defensive front with a not so sturdy offensive line to get through to create pressure on Fields.
Cleveland is a good team. But I’m still not sold on them or Baker Mayfield. There’s nothing that makes him or the team special. They play their best when they’re ahead, and even then there’s nothing flashy like a Kansas City or Tampa Bay. The good news for them is that Chicago doesn’t pose much of a threat to playing from ahead.

Game pick: Browns 27 Bears 14

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Los Angeles Rams – 4:25 p.m. on FOX (Joe Buck, Troy Aikman, Erin Andrews)
Game of the week, and the start of a two-game gauntlet of a road trip for Tampa Bay. These two teams are the two best in the NFC, not doubt. What Tom Brady is doing so far this season is unbelievable, considering he’s 44 years old. Tampa Bay’s offense is in mid-season form, but now they’ll have to contend with perhaps the best defense in the NFL: the Los Angeles Rams.
The Rams defense so far ranks eighth in points allowed and has also snagged three interceptions and also recovered two fumbles, meaning they’re also opportunistic. But it’s what they have done offensively that’s impressed me through two weeks. Matthew Stafford has come in and immediately utilized the receivers the Rams have to big play-touchdowns. And if they’re able to get their run game going like they did when Todd Gurley was there, look out.
There is always one game teams Brady has been on in his career that lose an early-season game that start creating questions in print and terrestrial radio mediums. I think this is one of them in a potential postseason preview.

Game pick: Rams 31 Buccaneers 28

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers – 8:20 p.m. on NBC (Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth, Michele Tafoya) Radio: Westwood One (Ryan Radtke, Rod Woodson)
I feel like every time these two teams play, the game is on national television. That’s been the case the last three years and is the case this Sunday night.
These are two proud franchises and two teams who have high aspirations for this season. Green Bay bounced back nicely Monday night from their embarrassing week one loss, but how good are they really? San Francisco is off to a strong 2-0 start, but is dealing with a rash of injuries especially to their running back room. I firmly believe if the 49ers hadn’t had so many injured players last year that they would have made the playoffs. I think this game will be close, but the weather report in San Francisco says that when the lights go down in the city Monday morning, the sun will be shining on the bay.

Game pick: 49ers 31 Packers 24

Monday Night Football: Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys – 8:15 p.m. on ESPN (Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters) ESPN2 (Peyton and Eli Manning and select guests) Radio: Westwood One (Kevin Harlan, Kurt Warner)
I’m one of those who gets annoyed when Philly and Dallas appear on prime time every season, but I’m actually intrigued by this game. This will be the first time Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts will be featured on Monday Night Football, and it’s a great opportunity for him and the Eagles to show how good they can potentially be.
On the other side, Dallas has looked rather impressive through their first two weeks of the season. They went toe-to-toe against the Super Bowl champions and then beat the Chargers in Los Angeles in a tight low-scoring affair. Quarterback Dak Prescott has silenced any doubts on what impact his ankle injury would have on this season, and the defense stepped up in crucial situations last week in SoCal.
I can’t remember the last time there was a blowout between these two teams, and that leads me to believe this game will be close once again. But playing at home with the more-talented team, I will take the Cowboys in this one.

Game pick: Cowboys 20 Eagles 17

Other week three games
Indianapolis Colts @ Tennessee Titans – This is another crucial early-divisional game. Tennessee is looking to build off its overtime comeback win at Seattle while Indianapolis is looking for its first win of the season that is very quickly teetering to the brink. The road team has won this matchup each of the last four games, and I think that will continue on Sunday.

Game pick: Colts 27 Titans 24

Atlanta Falcons @ New York Giants – These two teams badly need a win this week, especially the Giants. New York has lost too many close games in recent seasons and maybe just need one win to break their way to turn that into several more wins. I disagree with Atlanta looking like a playoff team coming into this season. They’ve lost their first two games by a combined score of 80-31. Not much early promising returns from first-year head coach Arthur Smith for a fanbase who has been through a lot of losing since 28-3.

Game pick: Giants 28 Falcons 17

Cincinnati Bengals @ Pittsburgh Steelers – More on this in my Bengals weekly preview on Saturday. The big point: until I see the Bengals beat the Steelers in Heinz Field, I can’t pick them to win.

Game pick: Steelers 20 Bengals 17

Baltimore Ravens @ Detroit Lions – Baltimore may have saved their season on Sunday with their win over Kansas City, and that’s not an exaggeration. Now they get the opportunity to build off it with a road game against a defense that is horrendous.

Game pick: Ravens 31 Lions 14

New Orleans Saints @ New England Patriots – How will Jameis Winston handle going up against Bill Belichick’s defense? It’s worth finding out, but he can’t make too many mistakes.
On the other side, Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones has been efficient through his first two starts. New England could easily be 2-0 had it not been for a late red zone fumble against Miami in their season-opener. I worry about their offense being able to score points, but so long as their defense is showing up every week they will win games. Including this one on Sunday.

Game pick: Patriots 27 Saints 14

Arizona Cardinals @ Jacksonville Jaguars – I really feel bad for Trevor Lawrence. He’s not in a good situation in Jacksonville, and his subpar start doesn’t help his fortunes. Arizona has too much talent for Jacksonville to even compete in this game.

Game pick: Cardinals 34 Jaguars 20

Washington Football Team @ Buffalo Bills – While Buffalo’s offense has struggled the first two weeks, its defense has been really solid. Against Miami, they pitched a shutout while recording six sacks. I’m not worried about Josh Allen not putting up huge numbers just yet, especially when you consider his best games in the end of the regular-season in 2020.
Washington was led by Taylor Heinicke in their thrilling week two win over the Giants. But their defense has been suspect through the first two games. Now facing Allen and the Bills lethal receiving corps, can they generate a pass rush to prevent the Bills offense from getting into rhthym?

Game pick: Bills 27 Football Team 20

New York Jets @ Denver Broncos – I’m really happy for Teddy Bridgewater. He’s finally playing on a good team again and he’s a big reason why they’re 2-0, and likely to go 3-0. Four touchdowns and zero interceptions will help, and Denver doesn’t have to score a lot of points to win games thanks to its stellar defense.

Game pick: Broncos 28 Jets 10

Miami Dolphins @ Las Vegas Raiders – This is a really interesting game. Las Vegas has been surprising so far this season. It turns out there is more to their passing game than Darren Waller- what’s up Bryan Edwards, Zay Jones, Foster Moreau, Kenyan Drake, etc.?!
Miami presents a tough matchup, though, because their cornerbacks are really good. And if Las Vegas can’t run the ball to offset any rough goings in the passing game, that can spell trouble. The good news is, if their defense can copy Buffalo’s tape against Miami, they will win this game.

Game pick: Raiders 24 Dolphins 17

Seattle Seahawks @ Minnesota Vikings – If there’s any 0-2 team that needs a win, it’s Minnesota. They have been so close the first two weeks, but they just haven’t finished. Good news for them is they return home to a full stadium for the first time since week 17 of 2019, and that stadium will be rocking.
Also, coming off a tough overtime loss, a game which they led by 15, now Seattle has to travel far for the second time in three weeks. For as much of a road warrior Russell Wilson is, I think this is trap game for the Seahawks and I think the Vikings get off the schneid and save their season.

Game pick: Vikings 31 Seahawks 28