NFL - Week Three Recap

Jordan Davis goes to paydirt to seal the Eagles win over the Rams. 

The Philadelphia Eagles (3-0) won in an improbable way as they blocked a last second 44-yard field goal attempt by Los Angeles Rams kicker Joshua Karty and added on to the final score with a scoop and score of the blocked kick as Jordan Davis took it back 61 yards for a 33-26 final in Philadelphia. The Rams (2-1) led 26-7 early in the third quarter following the second touchdown pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford, who had 196 yards passing and one interception. From there, Eagles QB Jalen Hurts (226 passing yards) took over and threw for three scores, including the game changer to WR DeVonta Smith (four yards) in the final quarter for a 27-26 lead with 1:48 remaining. 

 

The Thursday night game in Buffalo went to the Bills, 31-21 over Miami as quarterback Josh Allen had three touchdown passes along with 213 passing yards while RB James Cook gained 108 yards and scored a rushing touchdown to pace the offense. The Bills (3-0) put the game away with 22 seconds left to go when Matt Prater kicked a 48-yard field goal. The Dolphins fell to 0-3 as QB Tua Tagovailoa threw for two scores (also one interception) while RB Ollie Gordon had a rushing touchdown in the loss. 

The Minnesota Vikings bounced back BIG TIME in a 48-10 trouncing of the visiting Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) with reserve QB Carson Wentz passing for two scores as the Vikings (2-1) built up a 34-3 lead at the half with their defense scoring twice, both touchdowns coming from Isaiah Rogers (fumble return of 66 yards and an interception return of 87 yards) to lead the rout. Vikings RB Jordan Mason (116 rushing yards on 16 carries) scored twice and Minnesota piled up 169 yards on the ground to balance the offensive attack, which outgained Cincinnati, 352 to 171 in total yardage. 

The Cleveland Browns (1-2) pulled off the shocker of the day with a 13-10 home victory against the Green Bay Packers (2-1) when Andre Szmyt nailed a 55-yard field goal on the final play. The Browns blocked a field goal attempt by the Packers to help set up the winning kick. Green Bay had a 3-0 lead at halftime and increased it to 10-0 in the third quarter after QB Jordan Love tossed a three-yard TD pass to tight end John FitzPatrick. The Browns scored all 13 points in the fourth quarter as rookie RB Quinshon Judkins scored on a one-yard plunge and Szmyt booted the two field goals. In addition, Cleveland's defense had five sacks and intercepted Love following their first field goal with just over three minutes remaining. 

The Washington Commanders improved to 2-1 with a resounding 41-24 win at home against the Las Vegas Raiders (1-2) with reserve QB Marcus Mariota playing for injured Jayden Daniels (sprained knee) throwing a touchdown pass and running for another. Washington RB Jeremy McNichols ran 60 yards for a score and Jaylin Lane took a punt back 90 yards for another touchdown and the Commanders piled up 400 yards in offense. Raiders QB Geno Smith had three TD passes along with 289 passing yards in defeat. 

In Tampa Bay, the Buccaneers (3-0) beat the New York Jets, 29-27 on a 36-yard field goal by Chase McLaughlin (five field goals in the game) as time ran out. The Bucs squandered a 23-6 lead in this game, but got it done in crunch time. The Jets slipped to 0-3 as backup QB Tyrod Taylor was picked off by Jamel Dean, who took it to the house for a 55-yard touchdown. Taylor would throw two scoring passes and Will McDonald IV returned a blocked field goal for another score, but the rally fell short. 

The Carolina Panthers (1-2) dominated the visiting Atlanta Falcons, 30-0 as QB Bryce Young had a rushing TD to get things started. Chau Smith-Wade had a "pick six" INT return as well for Carolina. The Falcons outgained the Panthers in total yardage, but were held off the scoreboard and fell to 1-2 this season. 

Jacksonville held off the Houston Texans, 17-10 for a home victory as their defense came up big in the closing seconds with Antonio Johnson getting the interception. The Jaguars (2-1) scored on a ten-yard run by Travis Etienne, Jr. with 1:48 remaining to account for the final score. Meanwhile, the Texans (0-3) turned the football over three times, including two interceptions thrown by quarterback C.J. Stroud, who passed for a TD and 204 yards in the setback.

The Indianapolis Colts ran their record to 3-0 this season with a 41-20 win on the road against the Tennessee Titans (0-3) as running back Jonathan Taylor scored three touchdowns and rushed for 102 yards while QB Daniel Jones had 220 passing yards along with one TD pass and Kenny Moore II took back an interception 32 yards for the game's first touchdown. The Colts defense sacked Titans rookie QB Cam Ward four times in the easy victory. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the host New England Patriots, 21-14 to go to 2-1 this season . . . Steelers defense had five sacks and five takeaways (four fumble recovories and one INT) in the win, including a fumble recovery at the goal line and also an interception in the end zone to squash Patriots drives. The Steelers gained just 203 yards in offense, but QB Aaron Rodgers threw for two touchdowns and Kenneth Gainwell had a rushing score as well. Pats QB Drake Maye had two TD passes and 268 passing yards along with one interception, but New England fell to 1-2 with the loss. 

 

The Los Angeles Chargers improved to 3-0 this season as they toppled the visiting Denver Broncos by a 23-20 count when Cameron Dicker (pictured right) made the game winning 43-yard field goal as time expired. Chargers QB Justin Herbert passed for 300 yards and led a fourth quarter comeback as he hit WR Keenan Allen for a 20-yard TD pass to tie the game at 20-20 with 2:37 left to play. The Chargers defense got a three-and-out from Denver (1-2) and then the offense drove into field goal range for the winning kick. Broncos QB Bo Nix had a TD pass and running back J.K. Dobbins ran for another score in defeat. The Chargers have also learned they lost running back Najee Harris (Achilles injury) for the remainder of the season. 
  

The Chicago Bears (1-2) blasted the visiting Dallas Cowboys, 31-14 as QB Caleb Williams had four touchdown passes along with 298 yards through the air while the defense (four takeaways) intercepted Cowboys QB Dak Prescott twice, including an end zone pick in the fourth quarter. Dallas (1-2) was outscored by Chicago 17-0 after tying the Bears 14-14 in the second quarter when Prescott (251 passing yards, one TD, two INT) threw a two-yard scoring pass to wide receiver George Pickens. 

In Seattle, it was all Seahawks as they crushed the New Orleans Saints, 44-13. The Seahawks (2-1) stormed out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter, which included a 95-yard punt return for touchdown by Tory Horton, who also caught one of the two touchdowns thrown by Seattle QB Sam Darnold. In addition, Seahawks RB Kenneth Walker III had a pair of scoring runs in the rout. Saints QB Spencer Rattler threw for a touchdown as they dropped to 0-3 for the season. 

In a battle between two unbeaten teams in the NFC West, the San Francisco 49ers (3-0) nipped the Arizona Cardinals, 16-15 when kicker Eddy Pineiro made a 35-yard field goal as time ran out. The Cardinals (2-1) took a 15-13 lead on a (team) safety when San Francisco was called for holding in their own end zone. Cards QB Kyler Murray and 49ers QB Mac Jones each threw for a touchdown. It's been learned as well that the 49ers lost edge rusher Nick Bosa for the season with a knee injury. In addition, the Cardinals lost running back James Conner for the season with an ankle injury. 

The Sunday night game between the Kansas City Chiefs (1-2) and host New York Giants went to the Chiefs as they finally won a game this season, 22-9 with QB Patrick Mahomes (224 passing yards) throwing a touchdown pass and RB Kareem Hunt scoring on a one-yard run while Harrison Butker made three field goals to help the effort. The Giants (0-3) gained 281 yards in total offense with rookie RB Cam Skattebo scoring a rushing TD while QB Russell Wilson threw a pair of interceptions in the loss.

The Monday night game in Baltimore turned into a Motown special as the Detroit Lions (2-1) rolled to a 38-30 victory. The Lions took over in the final quarter, led by the running game (224 yards), with backs David Montgomery (151 rushing yards) and Jahmyr Gibbs each scoring two touchdowns while QB Jared Goff threw a scoring pass to WR Amon-Ra St. Brown. The game was even at 21-21 after three quarters, but the Ravens (1-2) managed just three points until quarterback Lamar Jackson (288 passing yards) threw his third TD pass with just 29 seconds left. The Detroit defense had SEVEN sacks in the game to help make the difference as well as a fumble recovery deep in Ravens territory that led to another score on offense and a 14-point lead. 

 

WEEK THREE RESULTS 

Buffalo 31, Miami 21 

Minnesota 48, Cincinnati 10

Cleveland 13, Green Bay 10

Pittsburgh 21, New England 14 

Indianapolis 41, Tennessee 20

Jacksonville 17, Houston 10 

Carolina 30, Atlanta 0 

Philadelphia 33, L.A. Rams 26  

Tampa Bay 29, N.Y. Jets 27    

Washington 41, Las Vegas 24 

Chicago 31, Dallas 14  

Seattle 44, New Orleans 13 

L.A. Chargers 23, Denver 20 

San Francisco 16, Arizona 15  

Kansas City 22, N.Y. Giants 9

Detroit 38, Baltimore 30

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Three Preview

The Buffalo Bills will have the opportunity to be the first 3-0 team in the NFL on Thursday night when they host the winless Miami Dolphins and that will likely be the case when the game is over. The Bills have been rolling so far while the Dolphins were blown out in their first game and fell short last weekend at home against the so-so New England Patriots. Look for Josh Allen and company to get it done and the Bills Mafia to celebrate. 

The Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) host the unbeaten Los Angeles Rams (2-0) in what should be another good game. Last January, the upstart Rams gave the eventual Super Bowl champions their toughest test in the playoffs. Both teams have solid defenses, but right now the Rams have the advantage in that area. The Eagles should do just enough to pull out a win in another close one. 

Las Vegas visiting the Washington Commanders (1-1) could be an interesting one as quarterback Jayden Daniels has been nursing a sprained knee and if he cannot go, the Raiders (1-1) could send the Commanders to a second consecutive defeat. Raiders quarterback Geno Smith was terrible last Monday night, throwing three interceptions in a home loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Washington needs to get the ground game going if they want to have success. If Daniels plays, the Commanders win for sure, if he cannot go, it's a toss up. 

Perhaps the game of the week will be in Los Angeles where the Chargers (2-0) take on the Denver Broncos (1-1) who saw a game they had won slip away because of a bone head penalty that allowed the Indianapolis Colts to beat them, 29-28 on a 45-yard field goal on the game's final play. So far, the Chargers have shown good play on both sides of the ball and QB Justin Herbert has been stellar. The Broncos defense is highly touted, but was gashed by Daniel Jones and the Colts last week. Look for a close game and which ever team avoids turnovers will win. 

A pair of 2-0 teams in the NFC West will do battle when the San Francisco 49ers host the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon. The 'Niners are not ruling out QB Brock Purdy playing in this game after he sat out last week with shoulder and foot injuries. The Cardinals nearly blew a 24-point lead to lowly Carolina, so they better be ready because the 49ers are a more complete team, even with their multiple injuries to the roster. 

The Sunday night game between the Kansas City Chiefs (0-2) and New York Giants (0-2) should result in the Chiefs getting their first win, but the Giants showed they can move the football last week, putting up 37 points against Dallas in an overtime loss. The key will be whether the Chiefs defense can keep Giants QB Russell Wilson in check. In addition, Kansas City must get it going on offense as QB Patrick Mahomes has been a one-man show in their first two games, both resulting in close losses. 

In the Monday night game in Baltimore, the Ravens (1-1) take on the Detroit Lions (1-1), who showed they are not dead in the water by hanging 52 points against the lowly Chicago Bears as QB Jared Goff had five touchdown passes. The Ravens have scored 40 or more points in each of their first two games and lead the league in scoring offense (81 points) and both they and Detroit have a lot to prove again this week. The Ravens have blown double digit leads quite a bit in recent memory, including in the season opener at Buffalo. The Lions showed they are not to be dismissed after a lackluster opener in Green Bay. The main question will be if the Detroit defense can contain Ravens QB Lamar Jackson? This game will be an exciting one and whoever has the ball last, could be the winner on Monday Night Football. 

The rest of the action is featured in the capsule style previews with the Heftyinfo picks following up. 

Atlanta (1-1) at Carolina (0-2) - Take the Falcons, but it will be a closer game that most might anticipate. 

Green Bay (2-0) at Cleveland (0-2) - Packers should get the win in rather easy fashion, especially if their defense gets after old man (Joe) Flacco.  

Houston (0-2) at Jacksonville (1-1) - Toss up here, but the Texans cannot afford to be 0-3 to start the season. 

Cincinnati (2-0) at Minnesota (1-1) - The Vikings will be without starting QB J.J. McCarthy (ankle injury) but their defense will be up to task against Cincy backup QB Jake Browning, who is the guy now that Joe Burrow (toe surgery) is out until at least late December. 

Pittsburgh (1-1) at New England (1-1) - The Steelers better rebound after a terrible second half last week if they want to beat a mediocre looking Patriots team. 

N.Y. Jets (0-2) at Tampa Bay (2-0) - Bucs should blast the Jets, who will have Tyrod Taylor at quarterback in this game. Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield is on a roll through the first two games. 

Indianapolis (2-0) at Tennessee (0-2) - Going on a hunch that the Colts offense with quarterback Daniel Jones hits a speed bump this Sunday in a road divisional game. 

New Orleans (0-2) at Seattle (1-1) - The Seahawks will likely beat the Saints with the offense possibly hanging 40 points in this one. 

Dallas (1-1) at Chicago (0-2) - The Cowboys defense has been pretty bad so far this season as has the Bears, so watch this one possibly go down to the wire with both teams struggling to score 20 points. Toss up here in this game in the Windy City. 

The Heftyinfo picks for Week Three     . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .       (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)  

BUFFALO over Miami 

Atlanta over Carolina 

Green Bay over Cleveland 

Houston over Jacksonville 

Minnesota  over Cincinnati 

Pittsburgh over New England 

Philadelphia over L.A. Rams 

Tampa Bay over N.Y. Jets 

Tennessee over Indianapolis 

Washington over Las Vegas 

L.A. Chargers over Denver 

Seattle over New Orleans 

Chicago over Dallas 

San Francisco over Arizona 

Kansas City over N.Y. Giants 

Baltimore over Detroit 

  

Last Week's Record - 10-6

SEASON RECORD - 21-11

Lock of the Week Record - 2-0 

 

NFL - Week Two Recap

The Eagles used their famous play to beat the Chiefs. 

Ridiculous finishes and a lot of excitement around the entire NFL in Week Two was on the menu and when all the dust settled, some surprising teams are now 2-0 while some others are a disappointing 0-2 so far. 

The Philadelphia Eagles (2-0) held off the host Kansas City Chiefs, 20-17 as the famed "tush push/brotherly shove" play helped make a difference in the final score. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts scored on a one-yard run with 7:48 left to play and then Kansas City got to within 20-17 when QB Patrick Mahomes (187 passing yards, one TD, one INT and one rushing score) threw a 49-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Tyquan Thornton with three minutes to play. From there, Philly ran out the clock and the Chiefs fell to 0-2 for the first time since the 2014 season.  

In Cincinnati, the Bengals (2-0) stormed back to tame the Jacksonville Jaguars, 31-27 behind backup quarterback Jake Browning (241 passing yards, two TD, three INT) as starter Joe Burrow (76 passing yards, one TD) left the game with a severe turf toe injury, which will sideline him for at least three months following surgery. The Jaguars (1-1) led throughout the game, but QB Trevor Lawrence (271 passing yards and three TD) was intercepted twice, including one in the Bengals' end zone that helped turn the tide. Cincinnati finally won the game when Browning scored from one yard out with just 18 seconds remaining in the game.

The wildest game of the day was in Dallas, where the Cowboys (1-1) prevailed, 40-37 on a 46-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey in overtime against the New York Giants. The two teams went back and forth in the fourth quarter (NFL record six lead changes) and Aubrey made a 64-yard field goal as time expired to send the game into the OT session. Dallas (1-1) had gone in front, 34-30 with 52 seconds left and then the Giants (0-2) scored just 27 seconds later on a 48-yard pass from QB Russell Wilson (450 passing yards, three TD, one INT) to WR Malik Nabers (nine receptions for 167 yards, two TD) for a 37-34 lead prior to Aubrey's game tying kick. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had 361 passing yards with two touchdowns and one interception in the win. The Giants (0-2) gained 506 yards while Dallas had 478 total yards. 

The New England Patriots (1-1) beat the host Miami Dolphins, 33-27 in a game that featured back-to-back kick returns for touchdowns. The Dolphins (0-2) went ahead 27-23 on a 74-yard punt return TD by Malik Washington. But New England's Antonio Gibson took the ensuing kickoff back 90 yards for the touchdown and a 30-27 lead with 7:06 left in the game. The Patriots added another field goal prior to stopping the Dolphins on downs in the final minute to seal the win. Pats QB Drake Maye had a pair of scoring passes and also a touchdown run in victory.

 

Lions QB Jared Goff had five TD passes in rout of the Bears. 

In Detroit, the Lions (1-1) bounced back from a poor first game and smashed the Chicago Bears, 52-21 with QB Jared Goff (334 passing yards) throwing five touchdowns, including three of them to WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (nine receptions, 115 yards) while running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery each found paydirt with Detroit using balanced offense (177 rushing, 334 passing yards) to amass 511 total yards. The Bears fell to 0-2 as QB Caleb Williams had two TD passes, but was sacked four times and threw one interception. 

 

The Indianapolis Colts (2-0) shocked the Denver Broncos, 29-28 when kicker Spencer Shrader (five field goals) made a 45-yard field goal as time ran out. The Broncos were penalized 15 yards for "leverage" that set up the game winning boot. The Colts trailed the Broncos (1-1) 28-23 after three quarters before Shrader nailed two more, including the game winner, to wrap things up. Colts QB Daniel Jones threw for 316 yards and had a TD pass and scoring run while RB Jonathan Taylor ran for 165 yards and scored a touchdown. Broncos QB Bo Nix had three TD passes and one interception in the loss. 

Last Thursday night, the Green Bay Packers (2-0) manhandled the visiting Washington Commanders, 27-18 with QB Jordan Love passing for two scores, including an eight-yard TD strike to tight end Tucker Kraft (six receptions, 124 yards) in the fourth quarter that gave the Packers a 24-10 lead with 8:57 left. Green Bay running back Josh Jacobs had a rushing touchdown as well. The Commanders (1-1) cut the deficit to 17-10 on a 20-yard TD pass from QB Jayden Daniels to tight end Zach Ertz early in the fourth quarter, but then the Packers took over and put the game away. Washington RB Austin Ekeler suffered an Achilles injury in the loss and is out for the season. 

The Baltimore Ravens (1-1) hit the 40-point mark again this week, but this time they won as they blasted the visiting Cleveland Browns, 41-17 with Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (225 passing yards) leading the way as he had four scoring passes and linebacker Roquan Smith took a fumble recovery back 63 yards for another touchdown to pace the rout. The Browns (0-2) managed to outgain the Ravens, 322-242 in yardage in the blowout loss. 

The Buffalo Bills (2-0) went on the road and dominated the New York Jets, 30-10 behind tremendous defense that limited the Jets (0-2) to only 154 yards in total offense. The Bills rushed for 224 yards in the game and running back James Cook ran for two scores and gained 132 yards on 21 carries to lead the way. Jets QB Justin Fields left the game with a concussion.

The San Francisco 49ers (2-0) held on for a 26-21 road win against the New Orleans Saints (0-2) with backup QB Mac Jones passing for three touchdowns and 279 yards to offset three scoring passes by Spencer Rattler. 

Arizona (2-0) won a wild one against the visiting Carolina Panthers, 27-22 as they almost blew a 24-point lead. The Cardinals built a 27-3 lead behind QB Kyler Murray (220 passing yards and one TD along with an interception) and RB James Conner scoring a rushing touchdown and a fumble recovery score by Zaven Collins. The Panthers (0-2) scored 19 unanswered points in the second half as QB Bryce Young had three TD passes and finished the game with 328 passing yards, but the comeback fell short. 

The Seattle Seahawks (1-1) beat the host Pittsburgh Steelers, 31-17, taking advantage of a fumbled kickoff return which they recovered for a touchdown (24-14 lead) and the defense intercepted a pair of passes to help make the difference. Seahawks QB Sam Darnold had a pair of scoring passes and Kenneth Walker III (13 carries for 105 yards) scored on a 19-yard run with 3:41 left to ice the game. The Steelers (1-1) led 14-7 at halftime, but their defense gave up 395 yards and allowed 30-plus points for the second straight time. 

The Los Angeles Rams (2-0) won on the road, 33-19 against the Tennessee Titans (0-2) as WR Puka Nacua scored on a 45-yard run and QB Matthew Stafford (298 passing yards) threw two TD passes, including a 16-yard TD strike to WR Davante Adams, who had six grabs for 106 yards in the win. Titans rookie QB Cam Ward had a touchdown pass in defeat. 

The Sunday night game in Minnesota saw the Atlanta Falcons (1-1) dominate in a 22-6 win. Falcons kicker Parker Romo drilled five field goals and Tyler Allgier scored a five-yard rushing touchdown while Bijan Robinson rushed for 143 yards (on 22 carries) as they gained 218 yards on the ground. The Vikings fell to 1-1 as they only managed 198 total yards.  

There were two Monday Night Football games and in the early one in Houston, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) stunned the Texans (0-2) in a thriller, 20-19 when Rachaad White scored on a two-yard run with six seconds remaining in the game. Houston had gone ahead 19-14 on a 25-yard TD run by Nick Chubb with 2:10 left. Bucs QB Baker Mayfield (215 passing yards) had two touchdown passes that gave  his team a 14-10 halftime lead. Tampa Bay had good balance on offense, rushing for 169 yards and also had 191 passing yards. Texans QB C.J. Stroud had 207 passing yards and one TD pass in the loss. 

Out in Las Vegas, the host Raiders dropped to 1-1 this season by losing to the Los Angeles Chargers, 20-9 as QB Geno Smith was intercepted three times, including a pick by Chargers defensive back Donte Jackson in the end zone late in the fourth quarter. The Chargers (2-0) took a 17-6 lead into the half as QB Justin Herbert (242 passing yards, two TD) threw scoring passes to wide receivers Keenan Allen and a 60-yard bomb to Quentin Johnston just before halftime. The second half was about the defense with the Chargers getting two of the three interceptions and finishing with three sacks while limiting the Raiders to only 68 rushing yards and 218 total yards in offense.  

 

WEEK TWO RESULTS 

Green Bay 27, Washington 18  

Detroit 52, Chicago 21 

L.A. Rams 33, Tennessee 19

Baltimore 41, Cleveland 17 

Cincinnati 31, Jacksonville 27 

Buffalo 30, N.Y. Jets 10 

New England 33, Miami 27 

Seattle 31, Pittsburgh 17 

San Francisco 26, New Orleans 21 

Dallas 40, N.Y. Giants 37 (OT) 

Philadelphia 20, Kansas City 17

Indianapolis 29, Denver 28 

Arizona 27, Carolina 22  

Atlanta 22, Minnesota 6

Tampa Bay 20, Houston 19  

L.A. Chargers 20, Las Vegas 9  

 

NFL - Week Two Preview

After a wild first week of football in the NFL, there's no time to exhale as the Thursday night action kicks off in Green Bay with the Washington Commanders taking on the Packers, fresh off their thrashing of the Detroit Lions at Lambeau Field. The Commanders dominated their opening game with a 21-6 victory against the New York Giants. 

The Packers and their tough defense will be ready for whatever Commanders QB Jayden Daniels can dish out and likewise, the Washington defense showed they are strong and will attempt to prevent Packers QB Jordan Love and company from doing their thing. This game will be close and whoever protects the football better will win. 

The big game on Sunday will feature the Kansas City Chiefs hosting the Philadelphia Eagles in a rematch of the most recent Super Bowl. The Chiefs got knocked out by the Los Angeles Chargers, 27-21 last Friday in Brazil while the Eagles won a tight one against Dallas, 24-20 in the NFL opener last Thursday night in Philly. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes was running for his football life in that Super Bowl loss last February and would like to have more time to lead the offense this time around. 

The Eagles look to be the better team yet again, but they have to prove it out on the field. Their win last week against Dallas featured a lackluster second half as the teams combined for only three points after a back and forth first half that saw Eagles QB Jalen Hurts score two rushing touchdowns. Expect the Eagles to do their thing and come away with a hard fought win against Kansas City. 

The Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears were both losers last week and in Detroit this Sunday, expect a good game as Bears Head Coach Ben Johnson returns to the Motor City to attempt to beat his old boss Dan Campbell and the Lions. Detroit definitely rates the edge on offense, but the Bears looked better on defense (at least until the fourth quarter last Monday night) in their game than did the Lions, who should emerge with the win in this one. 

The Buffalo Bills had the biggest comeback win as they shocked the Baltimore Ravens, 41-40 behind the heroics of QB Josh Allen and will face the New York Jets, who lost a heart breaker, 34-32 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Jets do not want to start out 0-2 at home to begin the 2025 season, but can their defense slow down the Bills attack? Not likely . . . but QB Justin Fields showed something in hanging 32 points on the scoreboard against the Steelers defense. It won't be easy, but look for the Bills to win. 

The Sunday night game will see the Minnesota Vikings host the Atlanta Falcons as they attempt to go 2-0 to open the season. The Vikings woke up in the fourth quarter against Chicago to win, 27-24 as quarterback J.J. McCarthy showed why he was first round draft pick last year. The Falcons lost, 23-20 (at home) to Tampa Bay and kicker Younghoe Koo was the goat, missing a potential game tying 44-yard field goal in the closing seconds. Minnesota showed some moxie on both offense and defense and that should carry over in their home opener against the Falcons. The key for the Vikings will be keeping the Falcons ground game in control while airing it out on offense against a suspect Atlanta secondary. 

The two Monday night games (yes, there are two for some reason this week) should be good ones, especially the night cap in Las Vegas where the Raiders host the Los Angeles Chargers, who rolled the Kansas City Chiefs in the season opener with QB Justin Herbert having a huge game, including three touchdown passes. The Raiders knocked off New England on the road, but would like to see rookie running back Ashton Jeanty get moving this week as he only ran for 38 yards on 19 carries in his pro debut. 

The Chargers will look to continue that trend and get after Raiders QB Geno Smith as well. Meanwhile, the Raiders boast "mad" Maxx Crosby on defense and the Bolts offensive line will be hard pressed to keep him off Herbert. If they succeed, the Chargers will win this one. But if the Las Vegas defense can contain Herbert and their offense picks it up, they should have success. This game is truly a toss up, pitting two very good coaches (Jim Harbaugh with L.A. and Pete Carroll with Vegas) against each other. 

The first Monday night game will be in Houston with the Texans facing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Baker Mayfield, who helped lead the come from behind win in Atlanta last Sunday. The Texans offense never got started as they lost to the L.A. Rams, 14-9 and were kept out of the end zone. They will need quarterback C.J. Stroud to get it going early in this game. The Bucs will have a far tougher test against a good Houston defense, so this one could be a low scoring affair with a late field goal by the Texans pulling it out. 

The rest of the action in Week Two is featured in the capsule style previews and the Heftyinfo picks follow up. 

Jacksonville (1-0) at Cincinnati (1-0) - The Jaguars looked good beating up on Carolina last week. Meanwhile, the Bengals struggled against the Browns, but did come away with a win. Toss up here. 

N.Y. Giants (0-1) at Dallas (0-1) - If the Cowboys don't win this game at home, they might as well just mail it in for the rest of the season. 

L.A. Rams (1-0) at Tennessee (0-1) - The Titans could spring a surprise at home in this one. Both teams have solid defenses, so expect a close game. 

New England (0-1) at Miami (0-1) - The Dolphins completely laid an egg last week while the Patriots weren't much better in their home loss to the Raiders. Toss up here. 

San Francisco (1-0) at New Orleans (0-1) - The 49ers are already beat up with injuries, including QB Brock Purdy (shoulder and foot) as well as tight end George Kittle (hamstring), so expect a tough game with the Saints, who battled last week down to the final minutes in a home loss to Arizona. 

Seattle (0-1) at Pittsburgh (1-0) - The Seahawks blew their game late last week and are looking to rebound on the road against a Steelers team that will be jacked up in their home opener. Can Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers have another big game? 

Cleveland (0-1) at Baltimore (0-1) - The Ravens have to be seething after their epic fourth quarter collapse last Sunday night while the Browns looked decent against the Bengals in defeat. These two teams usually play close games against each other, but the Ravens should get it done if they really are the team most people think they are. 

Denver (1-0) at Indianapolis (1-0) - The Colts looked impressive with Daniel Jones having a big game as their new quarterback. The Broncos defense dominated, but the offense needs to improve and must cut down on so many turnovers (four last week) even though they won the game. 

Carolina (0-1) at Arizona (1-0) - The Cardinals won a tight one on the road against the Saints, but Kyler Murray and company must be ready for a Panthers team that will be looking to make amends for a dismal opener at Jacksonville. 

The Heftyinfo picks for Week Two     . . . . . . . . . . .          (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS) 

 
Green Bay over Washington 

Cincinnati over Jacksonville 

Dallas over N.Y. Giants 

Detroit over Chicago 

Tennessee over L.A. Rams 

Miami over New England 

San Francisco over New Orleans 

Buffalo over N.Y. Jets 

Pittsburgh over Seattle 

BALTIMORE over Cleveland 

Denver over Indianapolis 

Arizona over Carolina 

Philadelphia over Kansas City 

Minnesota over Atlanta 

Houston over Tampa Bay 

L.A. Chargers over Las Vegas  

Last Week's Record - 11-5 

SEASON RECORD - 11-5 

Lock of the Week Record - 1-0  

 
 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week One Recap

 

Bills QB Josh Allen led the huge comeback win. 

The Sunday night game in Buffalo was THE GAME OF THE WEEK and for most of the evening it was all Baltimore Ravens until the final five minutes as they blew a 15-point lead and lost, 41-40 to the Bills as Matt Prater drilled a 32-yard field goal as time ran out. Ravens running back Derrick Henry dominated most of the game with 169 rushing yards and two touchdowns while QB Lamar Jackson had 209 passing yards and two TD passes as well as 70 rushing yards and one running TD to lead the charge as Baltimore piled up 432 yards in total offense. But the Bills amassed 497 yards in offense in the wild comeback win. 

Baltimore led 40-32 with 3:56 left, but then Henry fumbled the football and the Bills defense recovered to help them eventually trim the 15-point deficit down to two points when QB Josh Allen (394 passing yards and two TD passes along with two rushing touchdowns) scored from one yard out with 1:58 remaining. But the two-point try failed . . .  however the Ravens then went three-and-out, which allowed Allen and company to get the ball back. From there, the Bills drove downfield for 66 yards in nine plays to set up the game winning field goal by Prater.  

 

The 2025 NFL season got underway last Thursday night in Philadelphia and the home team and defending Super Bowl champion Eagles won, 24-20 against the Dallas Cowboys in a game that was interrupted for over an hour by lightning and heavy thunderstorms during the second half. Only three points were scored in the final two quarters as Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts had two rushing touchdowns to lead the offense. Dallas running back Jamaal Williams scored two rushing touchdowns in the loss. 

The Los Angeles Chargers beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-21 on Friday in Brazil as QB Justin Herbert had three touchdown passes (two to wide receiver Quentin Johnston and one to Keenan Allen) along with 318 passing yards while also sealing the win with a 19-yard scramble run for first down with under two minutes remaining. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw for a score and ran for another in defeat. 

The Green Bay Packers served notice they are a new team with edge rusher Micah Parsons on the roster this season as he had a sack and the defense pressured Lions QB Jared Goff in a 27-13 win at Lambeau Field. The Packers defense limited the Lions to only 46 rushing yards and also had one interception as neither team cracked 300 yards in offense. Green Bay QB Jordan Love had a pair of touchdown passes and RB Josh Jacobs added a scoring run in the win. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers got a 60-yard field goal from Chris Boswell with 1:03 left in regulation to defeat the host New York Jets, 34-32 with QB Aaron Rodgers throwing four touchdown passes along with 244 passing yards. Jets QB Justin Fields had a TD pass and two scoring runs in the loss. 

In Seattle, the San Francisco 49ers rallied late in the game for a 17-13 win as QB Brock Purdy (277 passing yards, two TD, two INT) threw a four yard scoring pass to Jake Tonges with 1:34 remaining. The Seahawks led 13-10 and had intercepted Purdy twice in the second half, but couldn't seal the deal when it mattered most. Seahawks RB Zach Charbonnet had a rushing TD in defeat. 

The Cincinnati Bengals escaped Cleveland with a 17-16 win thanks to a kissed PAT kick and also a missed 36-yard field goal by Mike Szmyt. Bengals QB Joe Burrow had a TD pass, but was limited to 113 passing yards and Cincy managed only 141 yards in total offense. Browns QB Joe Flacco also had a scoring pass, but was intercepted twice in defeat. 

The Indianapolis Colts buried the visiting Miami Dolphins, 33-8 with QB Daniel Jones passing for 272 yards and one TD pass along with two scoring runs to lead the rout. The Colts defense forced three turnovers (two INT and one fumble) and held the Dolphins to 211 yards in offense.

 

 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won a 23-20 thriller on the road against the Atlanta Falcons as QB Baker Mayfield (pictured right) had167 passing yards and three touchdowns to rally the team from behind with a 25-yard TD pass to WR Emeka Egbuka with 59 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. The Falcons had a chance to force overtime, but kicker Younghoe Koo missed a 44-yard field goal in the closing seconds. Falcons QB Michael Penix (298 passing yards) had a TD pass and run in the setback.

 

Washington knocked off the visiting New York Giants, 21-6 as their defense dominated and Commanders QB Jayden Daniels had a scoring pass along with 233 passing yards and 68 rushing yards in the win.  Deebo Samuel clinched the win with a 19-yard TD run late in the fourth quarter. The Giants had 231 total yards in offense in the loss. 

The Arizona Cardinals beat the host New Orleans Saints, 20-13 behind two scoring passes from QB Kyler Murray to help offset a 18-yard scoring run by Saints RB Alvin Kamara. 

A 20-13 road win by the Las Vegas Raiders against the New England Patriots was led by QB Geno Smith (362 passing yards, one TD, one INT) and a three-yard scoring run by rookie RB Ashton Jeanty in a hard fought game. New England QB Drake Maye had a TD pass along with 287 passing yards and one interception in the loss. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars beat the visiting Carolina Panthers, 26-10 as RB Brian Thomas had a nine-yard scoring run along with a six-yard TD pass from QB Trevor Lawrence to Hunter Long and four field goals from Cam Little to pace the victory. Panthers QB Bryce Young threw for a score and also one interception in the loss. 

In Denver, the Broncos defense dominated in a 20-12 win against the Tennessee Titans as they amassed six sacks and two takeaways to go with a balanced offense which included 151 rushing yards and 166 passing yards. Broncos QB Bo Nix had a TD pass and running back J.K. Dobbins had a 19-yard TD sprint to aid the win. Tennessee managed just four field goals and only gained 133 yards in total offense. 

The Los Angeles Rams won a 14-9 yawner game at home against the Houston Texans with RB Kyren Williams scoring on a one-yard run in the second quarter while QB Matthew Stafford had a TD pass to help make the difference. Stafford went over the 60,000 passing yards mark in his career as well in this one. The Texans had three field goals in the defeat as they were shut out in the second half and had two turnovers.

The Monday night game in Chicago saw two different games within the one as the Minnesota Vikings woke up in the fourth quarter to beat the Bears, 27-24 with quarterback J.J. McCarthy overcoming throwing a "pick six" interception (3rd quarter) that gave Chicago a 17-6 lead, by throwing for two scores in a span of less than three minutes in the final quarter and then adding a 14-yard touchdown run with 2:53 remaining to ice the game. Bears QB Caleb Williams (210 passing yards) rushed for a touchdown and threw for another to go with Nashon Wright's 74-yard interception return for touchdown, but it wasn't enough. 

 

WEEK ONE RESULTS 

Philadelphia 24, Dallas 20  

L.A. Chargers 27, Kansas City 21 (game played in Brazil)  

Arizona 20, New Orleans 13  

Cincinnati 17, Cleveland 16 

Indianapolis 33, Miami 8 

Pittsburgh 34, N.Y. Jets 32 

Washington 21, N.Y. Giants 6 

Las Vegas 20, New England 13 

Tampa Bay 23, Atlanta 20 

Jacksonville 26, Carolina 10 

Green Bay 27, Detroit 13 

L.A. Rams 14, Houston 9 

Denver 20, Tennessee 12  

San Francisco 17, Seattle 13  

Buffalo 41, Baltimore 40 

Minnesota 27, Chicago 24  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week One Preview

Here we go! 

The 2025 NFL season is ready to kickoff and it starts on Thursday night in Philadelphia when the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles take on the Dallas Cowboys, who just saw their best defensive player traded to the Green Bay Packers last week. Edge rusher/linebacker Micah Parsons was dealt after a long standoff over a contract extension with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and that has been the big story around the NFL. But now it's time for real football and no more about speculation on what could happen.

The Eagles return most of their roster from last season, including key players on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Jalen Hurts leads the offense and running back Saquon Barkley had a monster season in 2024, going for over 2,000 rushing yards while the defense rode roughshod against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl victory. As Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni and many players have been saying . . . that was last year and we are focused on this year. 

The Cowboys have many questions heading into this season, but the main focus is keeping quarterback Dak Prescott on the field after he missed so much time last year  with an ankle injury. The defense will look to do better than last year and without Parsons, it will likely be a tall task. The Eagles should win this game and get off to a good start this season. 

The game on Friday night features the Kansas City Chiefs taking on the Los Angeles Chargers in Brazil. Last year, it was the Eagles defeating the Green Bay Packers in that same place on a Friday in Week One. The Chiefs are out to prove they are not washed up after the beating they got in the Super Bowl last February. Meanwhile, the Chargers got their asses handed to them in the wild card round of the AFC playoffs against the Houston Texans, losing 32-12 as QB Justin Herbert threw four interceptions after being picked off only three times during the entire regular season. He will be out to prove the doubters wrong this season. Look for a back and forth game with the Chiefs getting the big break to pull it out in the closing minutes. 

On Sunday, there are some good matches set and the Green Bay Packers will host the Detroit Lions in an NFC North tilt. The Packers are suddenly being touted as one of the top dogs in the NFC following the trade that brought Parsons to Title Town. The Lions are out to prove they haven't been flukes after they lost at home to the upstart Washington Commanders in the NFC playoffs last January. Head Coach Dan Campbell saw both of the teams' coordinators leave for head coaching jobs in the off-season, so for sure he will be pushing the team to get to the Super Bowl this season. 

On Sunday night, perhaps the best game of opening week could take place as the Buffalo Bills host the Baltimore Ravens in a rematch of last year's classic divisional playoff game in Buffalo, where the Bills held on for a thrilling 27-25 win. Both the Ravens and Bills have been bridesmaids to the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs in recent years and have much to prove in the 2025 season. The last two NFL Most Valuable Players (Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and Bills QB Josh Allen) will lead the way in this prime time game in what should be another classic. 

Finally, on Monday night in Chicago, the Bears and Minnesota Vikings will go at it as Bears new head coach Ben Johnson will try to lead the team to victory against a team with essentially a rookie quarterback (J.J. McCarthy) who missed all of last year due to a knee injury. The Vikings were one and done in the NFC playoffs after a 14-3 record and they let QB Sam Darnold leave for Seattle after he had a career season, but imploded in two straight games to hasten the quick exit last year. Look for a good battle at Solider Field with the Bears winning in a squeaker that just might go into overtime. 

It's time for football and while the first couple of weeks in the NFL schedule are always the hardest to figure out, here is a capsule preview of all the action for Week One around the league with the Heftyinfo picks following. 

Thursday Night Game

Dallas at Philadelphia - The defending Super Bowl champs should get it done in the opener against a team that has many questions this year.  Fly Eagles Fly!

Friday Night Game 

Kansas City vs. L.A. Chargers (in Brazil) - These two teams are traveling a long distance just to see the Chiefs beat the Chargers again. 

Sunday Games 

Tampa Bay at Atlanta - The Buccaneers and Falcons in a big NFC South game . . . The Bucs pull it out late in a shootout. 

Cincinnati at Cleveland - Will the Bengals lay another egg in the early season? The Browns look to be a mess as the season starts. Bengals QB Joe Burrow and company will get it done. 

Miami at Indianapolis - Two teams with many questions in this season opener . . . Miami wins a close one. 

Carolina at Jacksonville - This game should be a tight one . . . take the Jaguars at home. 

Las Vegas at New England - The new look Patriots are out to show that last season was a mirage . . . the Raiders are in the same boat with a new head coach and many new players on board. Toss up in this one. 

Arizona at New Orleans - The visiting Cardinals are out to show the skeptics are wrong and here's their chance against perhaps the worst team in the NFL. 

Pittsburgh at N.Y. Jets - Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers going back to New York to try and show up the team that cut him after last season. This one will go down to the wire, but the Steelers emerge with the win. 

N.Y. Giants at Washington - Take the Commanders in this one . . . Giants still have too many questions on offense. 

Tennessee at Denver - Broncos roll ! 

San Francisco at Seattle - The Seahawks have a new quarterback and will be out to prove their doubters wrong . . .  The 49ers are nursing injuries on offense, so they better be ready. 

Detroit at Green Bay - This will be a fierce battle at Lambeau Field . . . take the Packers in a close one. 

Houston at L.A. Rams - Both teams have solid defenses, but the Rams rate the edge on offense, especially in the running game. 

Baltimore at Buffalo - The Game of the Week on Sunday night in "prime time" . . . look for a high scoring game with the Bills finding a way to win. 

Monday Night Football

Minnesota at Chicago - The Bears get it done in head coach Ben Johnson's debut as their defense forces a "rookie" mistake by Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy to make the difference. 

The Heftyinfo picks for Week One    . . . . . . . . . .         (Home teams are listed in bold; Lock of the Week is listed in BOLD CAPS)

Philadelphia over Dallas 

Kansas City over L.A. Chargers (game played in Brazil) 

Tampa Bay over Atlanta 

Cincinnati over Cleveland 

Miami over Indianapolis 

Jacksonville over Carolina  

New England over Las Vegas

Arizona over New Orleans

Pittsburgh over N.Y. Jets 

Washington over N.Y. Giants 

DENVER over Tennessee 

Seattle over San Francisco 

Green Bay over Detroit 

L.A. Rams over Houston 

Buffalo over Baltimore 

Chicago over Minnesota 

Last Season's Record - 187-85

Lock of the Week Record - 15-3  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - 2025 Season Preview And Predictions

The 2025 NFL season kicks off this week and as usual the defending Super Bowl championship team will host the Thursday night opener. This year it will be the Philadelphia Eagles playing host to the Dallas Cowboys to get the new season started. The Eagles throttled the then two-time defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, 40-22 behind a huge game from quarterback Jalen Hurts. 

The Eagles are looking real good heading into the new season and could be the second consecutive team to repeat as champions. The teams expected to give them the biggest challenge in the NFC include the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Washington Commanders and perhaps Tampa Bay, San Francisco or the Los Angeles Rams, who gave the Eagles their toughest battle last January in the playoffs during the divisional round in snowy Philadelphia. 

Over in the AFC, the Kansas City Chiefs remain the team to beat until someone else proves otherwise. The Chiefs will be looking to get back to their fourth straight Super Bowl, which is a feat no team has accomplished since the Buffalo Bills in the early 1990's. Quarterback Patrick Mahomes and company are always a tough out and this season should be no different. 

It's baffling to so many teams in the AFC, especially the Bills and the Baltimore Ravens, who probably have the best shot at knocking the Chiefs off in the playoffs. The last team to beat K.C. in the AFC playoffs is the Cincinnati Bengals (back in the 2021 season) and they have the talent to contend for a Super Bowl appearance, but their defense is among the worst in pro football, so there's that. Other teams that appear to be in the mix are the Houston Texans, Denver Broncos, Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers. 

When it's all said and done in early January and the regular season is complete, we'll see where the chips lie and then the real fun begins. So here goes nothing in predicting the standings for the 2025 season along with the playoffs and Super Bowl. 

Picks for regular season and playoffs . . . Playoff teams are in bold; Teams in bold italics are wild card playoff teams.  

NFC 

East - 1. Philadelphia 2. Washington 3. Dallas 4. N.Y. Giants 

North - 1. Detroit 2. Green Bay 3. Minnesota 4. Chicago 

South - 1. Tampa Bay 2. Atlanta 3. Carolina 4. New Orleans 

West - 1. San Francisco 2. L.A. Rams 3. Seattle 4. Arizona 

AFC 

East - 1. Buffalo 2. Miami 3. New England 4. N.Y. Jets 

North - 1. Baltimore 2. Pittsburgh 3. Cincinnati 4. Cleveland 

South - 1. Houston 2. Indianapolis 3. Jacksonville 4. Tennessee 

West - 1. Kansas City 2. L.A. Chargers 3. Denver 4. Las Vegas 

 

NFC Playoffs 

Wild Card Round

Detroit over L.A. Rams; San Francisco over Washington; Green Bay over Tampa Bay

Divisional Round 

Green Bay over Philadelphia; Detroit over San Francisco 

NFC Championship Game 

Detroit over Green Bay 

AFC Playoffs 

Wild Card Round 

Baltimore over Pittsburgh; Kansas City over Denver; L.A. Chargers over Houston

Divisional Round 

Buffalo over L.A. Chargers; Baltimore over Kansas City 

AFC Championship Game   

Buffalo over Baltimore 

 

 

 

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                                                             Buffalo Bills over Detroit Lions