NFL - Week Eight Preview

 

The Thursday night game between the Green Bay Packers (6-1) and Arizona Cardinals (7-0) highlights Week Eight in the NFL. 

A lot of the Thursday games have been clunkers so far this season, but not this one. At least not on paper. 

Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray is a dual threat with his passing and running abilities and Packers QB Aaron Rodgers can also do damage with both his arm and legs. Although he doesn't scramble and run as much as he used to. 

Murray has 2,002 passing yards with 17 touchdown passes and five interceptions and he has scored three rushing touchdowns. Meanwhile, Rodgers has 15 TD passes with three interceptions and has passed for 1,710 yards. 

The big problem for the Packers in this game is they will most likely not have their top wide receiver Davante Adams, who is out after testing positive for COVID-19. In addition, Allen Lazard (contact with COVID-19) is also a likely scratch for the Thursday night game. Without his two main wideouts, Rodgers will have to rely on (WR) Randall Cobb, the tight ends and also use the checkdowns to his running backs. The Cardinals pass rush will also present a challenge (Arizona has 19 sacks) with Markus Golden (six sacks) and Chandler Jones (five) looking to get to Rodgers. 

All in all, this should be an exciting game that could very well come down to the final minutes. Look for Arizona to escape with a close win. 

Three other games that could be deemed as "Game of the Week" include Pittsburgh (3-3) at Cleveland (4-3), Dallas (5-1) at Minnesota (3-3) and Tampa Bay (6-1) at New Orleans (4-2). 

In fact, the Cowboys and Vikings are the Sunday night "prime time" game and this one could very well go down to the wire. The Vikings have been playing better since their 1-3 start, which included one-score setbacks in all their losses. Dallas has won five in a row, including a thrilling overtime victory in New England two weeks ago. But Cowboys QB Dak Prescott is nursing a calf injury and might not be ready for this one. The high scoring Cowboys will look to keep the good times rolling.

The Saints will host Tom Brady and the red hot Buccaneers in the SuperDome and this one could be closer than a lot of folks might think. The Bucs have been averaging 33 points per game and Brady has 21 TD passes with only three interceptions and leads the league with 2,275 passing yards. The Saints have been relying on a nails tough defense to stay in the hunt in the NFC South division so far, allowing 101 points through the first six games. They have to get pressure on Brady to keep in the game and with just eight sacks so far, that isn't likely to happen. 

The Steelers and Browns are AFC North division rivals and both trail the Bengals and Ravens (5-2) by one game in the loss column. So this game is a big one for both teams, especially with Browns QB Baker Mayfield coming off an injury that kept him out of the Browns 17-14 win against Denver last week. Pittsburgh has won two straight games after a 1-3 start and QB Ben Roethlisberger has improved after the rough start, passing for 1,515 yards with seven TD and four interceptions through six games. 

This game will be close and the Browns will look to keep the ground game going even if they don't have either Nick Chubb or Kareem Hunt again. RB D'Ernest Johnson had a huge game last week and the Steelers will be looking to slow that ground game down. 

The other games this weekend are featured in the capsule style form and the Heftyinfo predictions for all the action follows. 

 

Cincinnati (5-2) at N.Y. Jets (1-5) - The Bengals should roll in this one, but the Jets have something to prove after getting smacked in New England last week. 

Tennessee (5-2) at Indianapolis (3-4) - The Colts need to win this game, having already lost to the Titans a few weeks ago. Titans RB Derrick Henry will be looking to have a big game after not rushing for 100 yards last week. 

L.A Rams (6-1) at Houston (1-6) - Rams roll ! 

Philadelphia (2-5) at Detroit (0-7) - Could this be the week the Lions finally get a win? 

San Francisco (2-4) at Chicago (3-4) - The 49ers have lost four in a row and the Bears got whooped last Sunday in Tampa Bay. Toss up in this one. 

Carolina (3-4) at Atlanta (3-3) - This is a game featuring two teams going in the opposite direction. Take the Falcons. 

Miami (1-6) at Buffalo (4-2) - Bills roll ! 

New England (3-4) at L.A. Chargers (4-2) - The Patriots crushed the Chargers last year . . . but that was then  and this is now. Take the Chargers. 

Jacksonville (1-5) at Seattle (2-5) - Two teams that are reeling so far in the 2021 season. This one could go down to the wire. 

Washington (2-5) at Denver (3-4) - Who cares? 

N.Y. Giants (2-5) at Kansas City (3-4) - The Monday night game in K.C. usually means an easy win for the Chiefs, but that might not be the case this time around. The Chiefs need to step it up quick if they want to win another AFC West crown. 

 

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

Arizona over Green Bay 

Cincinnati over N.Y. Jets 

Tennessee over Indianapolis 

Cleveland over Pittsburgh 

L.A. Rams over Houston 

Detroit over Philadelphia  

Chicago over San Francisco 

Atlanta over Carolina 

BUFFALO over Miami 

L.A. Chargers over New England 

Seattle over Jacksonville 

Tampa Bay over New Orleans 

Denver over Washington 

Minnesota over Dallas 

Kansas City over N.Y. Giants 

Last Week's Record - 8-5 

SEASON RECORD - 69-38 

Lock of the Week Record - 7-0

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Seven Recap

Bengals QB Joe Burrow and his team crushed the Ravens on Sunday. 

The Tennessee Titans and Cincinnati Bengals showed they both belong in the conversation about which is the best team in the AFC this season. 

The host Titans (5-2) destroyed the Kansas City Chiefs, 27-3 while the Bengals (5-2) went on the road and took over first place in the AFC North division with a 41-17 dismantling of the Baltimore Ravens (5-2), snapping the Ravens five-game win streak. 

 

 

The Bengals rattled off 28 unanswered points to seal the game as quarterback Joe Burrow passed for 416 yards and three touchdowns. Two rushing touchdowns went along with the three TD strikes and wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase grabbed eight receptions for 201 yards, including an 82-yard touchdown. The Bengals defense had five QB sacks and Cincinnati out gained the Ravens 520-393 in total yardage. 

The Titans defense had four sacks and limited the Chiefs running game to 77 yards while not allowing a touchdown by one of the league's top offenses. Meanwhile, quarterback Ryan Tannehill had a TD pass and run while running back Derrick Henry threw a TD pass on the option to tight end MyCole Pruitt. The Chiefs turned the ball over three times with two fumbles and one interception. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes left the game but passed the concussion protocol test after the game.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1) rolled over the visiting Chicago Bears, 38-3 as QB Tom Brady threw four TD passes and became the first ever player in NFL history with 600 or more career touchdown passes. Three of the TD passes went to WR Mike Evans. The Bears (3-4) mustered 311 total yards, but turned the ball over five times, including three interceptions thrown by rookie QB Justin Fields. 

The Green Bay Packers (6-1) won their sixth consecutive game, toppling Washington, 24-10 at Lambeau Field as QB Aaron Rodgers had three TD passes and the Green Bay defense forced two turnovers and had four sacks while also making a goal line stand to help maintain the final outcome. 

The Los Angeles Rams (6-1) overcame  a slow start en route to a 28-19 home victory against the Detroit Lions (0-7). The Lions jumped out to a 10-0 first quarter edge with a 63-yard scoring pass from QB Jared Goff to D'Andre Swift and then recovered the onside kick to get another drive that resulted in a field goal. But the Rams took over from there as QB Matthew Stafford had three TD passes (two of them to WR Cooper Kupp) as they built a 17-16 halftime lead. The defense did the rest in the second half, picking off two passes and holding Detroit to just three points. 

                                                       Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . . .   

The New England Patriots (3-4) obliterated the visiting New York Jets (1-5) by a 54-13 count. Pats rookie QB Mac Jones had a pair of scoring passes and 307 yards as the team gained 551 total yards in offense. Jets rookie QB Zach Wilson left the game with a sprained knee . . .  The Las Vegas Raiders improved to 5-2 as they knocked off the Philadelphia Eagles, 33-22 with QB Derek Carr completing 31-of-34 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts had two TD passes in the loss . . .  The Arizona Cardinals (7-0) rolled over the visiting Houston Texans, 31-5 with a stifling defense that limited the Texans (1-6) to only 160 yards in offense while QB Kyler Murray passed for three touchdowns in a balanced offensive game as the Cards rushed for 172 yards along with 225 passing yards . . .  The New York Giants (2-5) smoked the Carolina Panthers, 25-3 as the defense sacked Carolina QB Sam Darnold six times and also intercepted a pass along with limiting the Panthers (3-4) to just 173 total yards in offense. Leading 5-3 at the half, the Giants put up 20 points in the second half with QB Daniel Jones throwing for a score and RB Devontae Booker scored on a 19-yard run . . .  The Miami Dolphins fell to 1-6 as they were victimized by a game winning field goal at the end of the game for the second consecutive week. Atlanta Falcons kicker Younghoe Koo drilled a 36-yard field goal to lift his team to a 30-28 victory to even their record at 3-3. Falcons QB Matt Ryan passed for 336 yards and two TD while Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa had four TD passes and two interceptions in the loss . . .  The Sunday night game went to the Indianapolis Colts (3-4) as they topped the host San Francisco 49ers, 30-18 in a torrential downpour. Colts QB Carson Wentz had a pair of TD passes and one rushing TD in the win while RB Jonathan Taylor scored a rushing TD and went for 107 yards rushing. 49ers QB Jimmy Garoppolo had a TD pass and two interceptions in his return from injuries and RB Eli Mitchell gained 107 yards rushing and scored a touchdown in defeat . . .  On Thursday night, the host Cleveland Browns (4-3) squeaked past the Denver Broncos, 17-14 with reserve running back D'Ernest Johnson rushed for 146 yards and scored a touchdown while backup Case Keenum  had a TD pass. Denver QB Teddy Bridgewater had two TD passes and one interception, but the Broncos (3-4) had only 41 rushing yards in losing their fourth consecutive game . . .  The New Orleans Saints (4-2) defeated the Seattle Seahawks (2-5) in the Monday Night Football game, 13-10 as the defense sacked Seattle QB Geno Smith five times and Alvin Kamara hauled in a  13-yard TD pass from QB Jameis Winston. Saints kicker Brian Johnson made two field goals, including the game winner from 33 yards with 1:56 remaining in the game. (Seahawks QB) Smith had a 84-yard TD pass to DK Metcalf in the loss.  

WEEK SEVEN RESULTS 

Cleveland 17, Denver 14

Cincinnati 41, Baltimore 17

Green Bay 24, Washington 10 

N.Y. Giants 25, Carolina 3 

Atlanta 30, Miami 28 

New England 54, N.Y. Jets 13 

Tennessee 27, Kansas City 3 

Las Vegas 33, Philadelphia 22

Tampa Bay 38, Chicago 3 

L.A. Rams 28, Detroit 19

Arizona 31, Houston 5 

Indianapolis 30, San Francisco 18

New Orleans 13, Seattle 10

 

NFL - Week Seven Preview

Two of the bigger looking games this weekend in the NFL features the Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) facing the Tennessee Titans (4-2) in Nashville while the Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) will play at Baltimore against the Ravens (5-1) in a huge AFC North tilt. 

The Ravens squashed the Los Angeles Chargers last week in Baltimore, 34-6 while the Bengals did the same in Detroit, beating the winless Lions, 34-11. The Ravens defense has been stepping up in recent weeks and they will face a hot quarterback in the Bengals' Joe Burrow, who has passed for 1,540 yard with 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions so far this season. The Ravens continue to run the football, even with their top two running backs gone for the entire season. Quarterback Lamar Jackson leads the team with 392 rushing yards as has also passed for 1,686 yards with nine touchdowns and five interceptions. 

Both teams have registered 14 QB sacks and the Bengals defense has intercepted five passes, including four by linebacker Logan Wilson. The Ravens have four picks so far this year and have allowed 82 yards per game rushing through six games. The Bengals allow an average of 90 yards rushing per game. The task at hand for the Ravens will be slowing down Joe Mixon, who has 480 rushing yards and three touchdowns. 

The Tennessee Titans are coming off a huge win against the Buffalo Bills last Monday night and now they face another formidable offense in the Chiefs, led by QB Patrick Mahomes. The Titans and Chiefs know each other well, so there are no secrets for game planning this Sunday. 

Mahomes has been struggling with turnovers through the first six games, having thrown eight interceptions while trying to make plays rather than taking a sack. He has thrown 18 TD passes already and has thrown for 1,887 yards. Mahomes' main targets are Tyreek Hill (46 receptions for 592 yards and five TD) and tight end Travis Kelce, who has 38 receptions for 468 yards and four touchdowns. Meanwhile, the Kansas City running game has averaged 125 yards per game. The Titans defense is average against against the pass (224 YPG allowed) while the run defense has been good, allowing 94 yards per game. 

When the Titans have the football, running back Derrick Henry is the man who will do the bulk of the work, having already rushed for 783 yards (4.8 ypc average) and he has ten rushing touchdowns. The upside for Tennessee this week is the Chiefs struggle against the run on defense, allowing 137 yards per game. Titans QB Ryan Tannehill has thrown for six touchdowns (four interceptions) and has 1,467 passing yards. 

 

The rest of the action in the NFL is broken down in the capsule style format and then the Heftyinfo predictions for all 13 games follow up. 

 

Washington (2-4) at Green Bay (5-1) - Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are on a roll. Washington has been a disappointment so far this season. 

Atlanta (2-3) at Miami (1-5) - Can the Dolphins get things righted at home against the Falcons? Possibly, but they haven't shown much this season to believe that will happen here. Toss up.

N.Y. Jets (1-4) at New England (2-4) - Patriots have owned the Jets for many years now and that should continue in this game. 

Carolina (3-3) at N.Y. Giants (1-5) - The Giants are due to play a better game after two consecutive blowout defeats. The Panthers have lost three straight games. Something has to give. 

Philadelphia (2-4) at Las Vegas (4-2) - Can the Raiders continue the upward momentum following all the recent drama? 

Detroit (0-6) at L.A. Rams (5-1) - Rams roll !

Houston (1-5) at Arizona (6-0) - Cardinals roll !

Chicago (3-3) at Tampa Bay (5-1) - Buccaneers roll !

Indianapolis (2-4) at San Francisco (2-3) - The Sunday night game between two teams that haven't quite found their stride yet. 

New Orleans (3-2) at Seattle (2-4) - The Seahawks pattern this season has been win, lose, lose - win, lose, lose while the Saints pattern has been win, loss, win, loss, win . . .  see a pattern here?   

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

 

Cleveland over Denver

Green Bay over Washington 

Kansas City over Tennessee 

Miami over Atlanta 

New England over N.Y. Jets 

N.Y. Giants over Carolina 

Baltimore over Cincinnati 

Las Vegas over Philadelphia 

L.A. Rams over Detroit 

ARIZONA over Houston 

Tampa Bay over Chicago 

San Francisco over Indianapolis

Seattle over New Orleans 

 

Last Week's Record - 10-4

SEASON RECORD - 61-33

Lock of the Week Record - 6-0 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Six Recap

 

That thud you heard on Sunday afternoon was the Los Angeles Chargers after they lost at Baltimore, 34-6. The Ravens (5-1) thoroughly dominated the game, scoring three rushing touchdowns (each by a different running back) and gained 187 yards on the ground. Ravens QB Lamar Jackson (pictured left) added in a nine-yard TD pass to tight end Mark Andrews to help his team to their fifth consecutive win. The Chargers (4-2) were never in this one and quarterback Justin Herbert was limited to just 195 passing yards along with one TD and one interception. 

 

The Los Angeles Rams (5-1) went on the road and dismantled the New York Giants, 38-11 with QB Matthew Stafford throwing four TD passes as his team built a 28-3 halftime lead. Rams RB Darrell Henderson had two scores (one rushing, one receiving) and wide receiver Cooper Kupp hauled in two scoring passes in the rout. In addition, the Rams defense forced five turnovers (three interceptions and two fumbles) and had four QB sacks.

The Dallas Cowboys (5-1) held on long enough in overtime to defeat the host New England Patriots, 35-29 as QB Dak Prescott (445 passing yards) connected with WR CeeDee Lamb on a 35-yard scoring pass to win the game. It was Prescott's third TD pass in the game. Cowboys defensive back Trevon Diggs took his league leading seventh interception of the season back for a 42-yard score to give the 'Pokes a 26-21 lead.

Following that, the Patriots (2-4) came right back to grab a 29-26 lead when QB Mac Jones hit WR Kendrick Bourne for a 75-yard passing touchdown. Cowboys kicker Greg Zuerlein made a 49-yard field goal to force the overtime. The Cowboys gained 567 yards in total offense in the game and lead the NFL in scoring with 205 points through six games. 

The Green Bay Packers (5-1) continued their mastery of the Chicago Bears (3-3), winning 24-14 for their fifth straight victory. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers scored on a six-yard run late in the fourth quarter to seal the win. Green Bay RB Aaron Jones scored on a 12-yard run and Rodgers hooked up with WR Allen Lazard on a one-yard scoring pass as well. The Bears had a 7-0 after one quarter thanks to a Khalil Herbert TD run. 

The Arizona Cardinals (6-0) remained the only unbeaten team in the NFL with a 37-14 road win against the Cleveland Browns (3-3), as QB Kyler Murray had four TD passes. The Browns fell behind 20-0 midway through the second quarter before cutting the deficit to 23-14 at the half as QB Baker Mayfield connected twice on scoring passes with WR Donovan Peoples-Jones. The second half was all Cardinals as the Browns had three turnovers in losing their second straight game. 

The Monday Night Football game was a wild one that saw Tennessee Titans running back Derrick Henry take over the game by scoring three rushing touchdowns, including a 76-yard run while also going for 143 yards in the Titans 34-31 victory against the visiting Buffalo Bills (4-2). 

The Bills defense is the top ranked in the NFL, but the Titans (4-2) were able to drive downfield and Henry scored on a 13-yard run with 3:05 remaining in the fourth quarter for the lead. The Bills then drove downfield, but QB Josh Allen was stuffed on fourth-and-one from the Tennessee three-yard line in the closing seconds. Allen passed for three touchdowns and 353 yards in the loss.

                                                         Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . . .    

The Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3) squandered a 14-point lead, but then held off the visiting Seattle Seahawks, 23-20 in overtime on the Sunday Night Football game. Pittsburgh kicker Chris Boswell made a game winning 37-yard field goal with 2:50 left in the OT session for the win. The kick was set up by the Steelers defense recovering a fumble by Seahawks QB Geno Smith at his own 17-yard line . . .  The Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) destroyed the host Detroit Lions, 34-11 as QB Joe Burrow had three TD passes and the Cincy defense held the Lions (0-6) to just 228 yards in total offense . . .  Minnesota (3-3) won at Carolina, 34-28 in OT as QB Kirk Cousins (373 passing yards, three TD) hit WR K.J. Osborn on a 27-yard TD pass with 5:48 remaining to win the game. The Vikings piled up 541 yards in offense and RB Dalvin Cook returned from a two-game absence with a rushing TD and 140 yards on the ground. The Panthers (3-3) did rally from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit before losing in the overtime . . .  The Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) rebounded from a loss last week to defeat the host Washington Football Team, 31-13 as QB Patrick Mahomes had two TD passes and RB Darrel Williams scored two rushing touchdowns to lead the way . . .  Indianapolis (2-4) dominated at home in a 31-3 win against the Houston Texans (1-5) with QB Carson Wentz getting two TD passes and running back Jonathan Taylor going off for 145 rushing yards (including an 85-yard romp) and two touchdowns . . .  Over in London, England, the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) finally snapped their 20-game losing streak in a 23-20 win against the Miami Dolphins (1-5). Jags kicker Matt Wright made the game winning 53-yard field goal as time ran out. Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa passed for 329 yards and two scores in defeat while Jags rookie QB Trevor Lawrence had a scoring pass along with 319 yards passing . . .  The Las Vegas Raiders (4-2) shook off the dust from the week's drama involving former Head Coach Jon Gruden and beat the host Denver Broncos, 34-24 to snap a two-game skid. Raiders RB Kenyan Drake had two scoring runs and QB Derek Carr had two TD passes to help offset three scoring strikes from Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater, which wasn't enough to send the Broncos (3-3) to their third straight defeat . . .  In the Thursday night game, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers improved to 5-1 this season with a 28-22 road win against the Philadelphia Eagles (2-4) as QB Tom Brady had two TD passes and RB Leonard Fournette rushed for two scores and 81 yards while the Tampa Bay defense held the Eagles to 213 yards in total offense.

WEEK SIX RESULTS 

Tampa Bay 28, Philadelphia 22 

Jacksonville 23, Miami 20  

Baltimore 34, L.A. Chargers 6

Green Bay 24, Chicago 14

Cincinnati 34, Detroit 11

L.A. Rams 38, N.Y. Giants 11 

Indianapolis 31, Houston 3 

Kansas City 31, Washington 13

Minnesota 34, Carolina 28 (OT) 

Arizona 37, Cleveland 14

Las Vegas 34, Denver 24

Dallas 35, New England 29 (OT)

Pittsburgh 23, Seattle 20 (OT) 

Tennessee 34, Buffalo 31

 

NFL - Week Six Preview

This weekend around the NFL marks the first "bye" weeks for teams as four of them (the 49ers, Saints, Falcons and Jets) will have the week off. There is another game in London, England on Sunday as the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-5) face the Miami Dolphins (1-4). The Jags will be looking to snap a 20-game losing streak. The Dolphins are off to a terrible start this year as well and a lot of the blame is on their defense as it has not been creating the turnovers and getting the quarterback sacks like they did last season. 

 

The Green Bay Packers (4-1) travel to Chicago to face the Bears (3-2) on Sunday as well and this old rivalry has been dominated by the Packers in recent years. The Bears do lead the NFL with 18 QB sacks through the first five games and if they can get consistent pressure on Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers, there could be an upset in this one. Bears rookie QB Justin Fields will be ready to go again this weekend and has shown improvement each week since taking over for the injured Andy Dalton three weeks ago. 

The Baltimore Ravens (4-1), fresh off their huge comeback win last Monday night, will host the surging Los Angeles Chargers, who also have a 4-1 record. Baltimore QB Lamar Jackson has been putting up MVP type numbers in the first five weeks. The same can be said of Chargers QB Justin Herbert, who had a huge game last Sunday in the win over the Cleveland Browns. Light up the scoreboard.

The big question in Week Six is will the Arizona Cardinals (5-0) suffer their first loss this season? They play on the road against the Cleveland Browns (3-2), who lost a high scoring game to the Chargers last week. The Cardinals have been balanced on both sides of the football and QB Kyler Murray will face a rugged Browns defense that likes to get after the quarterback. The Browns have a strong running game and that could be a big factor in keeping Murray and the offense off the field. Browns RB Nick Chubb is likely out for the game with a calf injury, but Kareem Hunt is a more than ample backup to keep the yardage piling up. This one should go down to the wire.

The Monday night game will see the Buffalo Bills (4-1) traveling to face the Tennessee Titans (3-2) in what should be a hard hitting affair. The Bills defense is solid and if they can contain running back Derrick Henry, the leading rusher in the NFL with 640 yards, they could be in business to run their win  streak to five games. The Titans usually play well at home, so the Buffalo offense will be looking to continue their success.

The rest of the action is featured in the capsule style format and then the Heftyinfo picks for Week Six follow up. 

Kansas City (2-3) at Washington (2-3) - Who would have thought the Chiefs would have the same record as Washington entering Week Six? Chiefs should prevail in this one. 

L.A. Rams (4-1) at N.Y. Giants (1-4) - The Rams should steamroll the Giants, but then again, the game is played on the field. 

Houston (1-4) at Indianapolis (1-4) - The Colts had better get back in form in this one after coughing up a 19-point second half lead in last week's disappointing loss on Monday night. 

Cincinnati (3-2) at Detroit (0-5) - One of these days, the Lions are going to hold on and win a game in the final minutes. The Bengals have been roaring through the first five games. 

Minnesota (2-3) at Carolina (3-2) - The Vikings match up well against this team, plus the Panthers have leveled off big time after a 3-0 start. 

Las Vegas (3-2) at Denver (3-2) - It is said what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. But not when it comes to Jon Gruden. What a mess for the Raiders. The Broncos defense is solid and this one should go down to the wire. 

Dallas (4-1) at New England (2-3) - The Cowboys have been rolling while the Patriots struggled to beat the lowly Texans last week. 

Seattle (2-3) at Pittsburgh (2-3) - Two banged up teams going at it on Sunday night. Toss up.

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

Tampa Bay over Philadelphia 

Miami over Jacksonville (Game played in London, England) 

Kansas City over Washington 

L.A. Rams over N.Y. Giants 

INDIANAPOLIS over Houston 

Cincinnati over Detroit 

Chicago over Green Bay 

Baltimore over L.A. Chargers 

Minnesota over Carolina 

Cleveland over Arizona 

Denver over Las Vegas 

Dallas over New England 

Pittsburgh over Seattle 

Tennessee over Buffalo 

 

Last Week's Record - 11-5

SEASON RECORD - 51-29 

Lock of the Week Record - 5-0 

NFL - Week Five Recap

Without a doubt, the game of the week was the Chargers 47-42 win against the Cleveland Browns (3-2) on Sunday afternoon in Los Angeles. The game had tons of offense as the teams combined for 1,024 yards in offense. Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (pictured left) had 398 passing yards with four touchdown passes and also a rushing score and running back Austin Ekeler scored three touchdowns in the win, which boosted the Bolts to a 4-1 record. 

 

Meanwhile, the Browns blew a 14-point second half lead as they rushed for 230 yards in the game and QB Baker Mayfield passed for a pair of scores and 305 yards in the loss. It was back and forth throughout the second half as Cleveland had a 27-13 lead before the Chargers scored twice to take a 28-27 lead, including the second of two scoring passes to wide receiver Mike Williams, who had eight receptions for 165 yards. 

The Browns took a 35-28 lead on a 71-yard TD pass from Mayfield to tight end David Njoku and then the Chargers came right back to tie it up at 35-35 on the four yard TD run by Ekeler. After that, the teams traded touchdowns, but the Chargers kicker missed a second PAT before Ekeler was literally pushed into the end zone by the Brown defense on a three yard score to give L.A. a 47-42 lead with 1:31 left in the game. The Chargers defense held firm from there to seal the win. 

In the Sunday night game, it was all Buffalo Bills (4-1) as they pasted the host Kansas City Chiefs, 38-20 with QB Josh Allen passing for 315 yards with thee touchdowns and also had a rushing score to lead the way. The Bills rolled up 436 yards in total offense as well. The Chiefs turned the football over four times as QB Patrick Mahomes (272 passing yards and two TD passes) was intercepted twice, including a 26-yard "pick six" by Bills defensive back Micah Hyde to give Buffalo a 31-13 lead in the third quarter. The loss dropped the Chiefs to 2-3 this season. 

The Green Bay Packers (4-1) somehow survived three missed field goals by kicker Mason Crosby to defeat the host Cincinnati Bengals, 25-22 in overtime. Crosby finally made good on a 49-yard kick to win it with 1:55 remaining. On the other side, Bengals kicker Evan McPherson missed a pair of field goal attempts in the final quarter and the OT as well. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers threw two TD passes along with 344 passing yards while Bengals QB Joe Burrow had 281 yards passing with two TD and two interceptions as his team slipped to 3-2 this season. 

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1) crushed the visiting Miami Dolphins, 45-17 as QB Tom Brady had five TD passes along with 411 passing yards as the Bucs totaled 558 yards in total offense and 33 first downs. Tampa Bay wide receivers Antonio Bryant (seven receptions for 124 yards) and Mike Evans (six catches for 113 yards) each had two TD receptions. The Dolphins (1-4) led 10-7 after one quarter, but then it was all Tampa Bay from there. Miami QB Jacoby Brissett had two TD passes in defeat. 

The Dallas Cowboys (4-1) rolled past the New York Giants, 44-20 with a balanced attack that amassed 515 yards in total offense (201 rushing, 314 passing) as running back Ezekiel Elliott rushed for 110 yards and scored two touchdowns. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had three TD passes and 302 passing yards and the Cowboys defense picked off two passes and scored a touchdown. The Giants (1-4) lost three offensive starters to injuries in the game as RB Saquon Barkley, WR Kenny Golladay and QB Daniel Jones left the game. 

The Chicago Bears buried the host Las Vegas Raiders, 20-9 with the defense limiting the Raiders (3-2) to only 71 rushing yards and also getting three QB sacks. The Bears (3-2) saw rookie QB Justin Fields throw his first career TD pass as they built a 14-3 halftime lead. 

 

                                                   Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . . . 

 

The Arizona Cardinals (5-0) stayed unbeaten with a 17-10 home win against the San Francisco 49ers (2-3) with QB Kyler Murray throwing for a touchdown and RB James Conner scoring a rushing TD to pace the victory . . .  The Detroit Lions fell to 0-5 as they lost another heart breaker, 19-17 at Minnesota. The Lions took a 17-16 lead on a seven-yard scoring run by RB D'Andre Swift with 37 seconds remaining. But the Vikings (2-3) drove downfield and kicker Greg Joseph delivered the game winning 54-yard field goal as time ran out . . .  Over in London, England, the Atlanta Falcons (2-3) jumped out to a 17-0 lead against the New York Jets (1-4) en route to a 27-20 win. Falcons QB Matt Ryan had two TD passes to help lead the way . . .  Tennessee (3-2) routed the host Jacksonville Jaguars, 37-19 as RB Derrick Henry rushed for 130 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns to help give the Jags (0-5)  their 20th consecutive defeat, dating back to last year . . .  The Pittsburgh Steelers (2-3) snapped a three-game losing streak with a 27-19 win at home. Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger had a pair of TD passes to offset two TD passes from Broncos QB Teddy Bridgewater as Denver fell to 3-2 this season. The Steelers likely lost WR JuJu Smith-Schuster for the season with a dislocated shoulder . . .  The New England Patriots (2-3) won in Houston, 25-22 as kicker Nick Folk made a 21-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining. Texans QB Davis Mills threw for three scores in the loss, which dropped the Texans to 1-4 . . .  The Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) rallied to defeat the host Carolina Panthers, 21-18 as QB Jalen Hurts scored two rushing touchdowns and the defense intercepted Panthers QB Sam Darnold three times . . .  The New Orleans Saints (3-2) won a road game at Washington, 33-22 as they completed a 'Hail Mary' TD pass to finish the first half and then rode that momentum in the second half with QB Jameis Winston throwing four TD passes . . .  The Los Angeles Rams beat the Seattle Seahawks, 26-17 on Thursday night to improve to 4-1 as QB Matthew Stafford had a TD pass and running backs Darrell Henderson and Sony Michel each scored a rushing touchdown. The Seahawks (2-3) lost starting QB Russell Wilson to a finger injury in the loss . . . The Baltimore Ravens (4-1) pulled off an improbable comeback win at home against the Indianapolis Colts (1-4) on Monday Night Football, overcoming a 19-point deficit and winning, 31-25 as QB Lamar Jackson threw four TD passes and had a career high 442 passing yards. Baltimore tight end Mark Andrews had 11 receptions for 147 yards and two TD and also caught both two-point conversions in the game. Ravens WR Marquise Brown also scored two touchdowns, including the game winner as he hauled in nine catches for 125 yards. The Colts blew a chance to win the game in regulation when kicker Rodrigo Blankenship missed a 47-yard field goal attempt as time expired. Colts QB Carson Wentz passed for 402 yards and two touchdowns in the loss.

WEEK FIVE RESULTS 

L.A. Rams 26, Seattle 17

Atlanta 27, N.Y. Jets 20

Minnesota 19, Detroit 17

Green Bay 25, Cincinnati 22 (OT)

Tampa Bay 45, Miami 17 

Pittsburgh 27, Denver 19

Philadelphia 21, Carolina 18 

New England 25, Houston 22

New Orleans 33, Washington 22

Tennessee 37, Jacksonville 19 

Chicago 20, Las Vegas 9 

L.A. Chargers 47, Cleveland 42

Arizona 17, San Francisco 10 

Dallas 44, N.Y. Giants 20 

Buffalo 38, Kansas City 20

Baltimore 31, Indianapolis 25 (OT) 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Five Preview

Week Five kicked off on Thursday evening in Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams knocked off the host Seahawks, 26-17 to improve to 4-1 this season in the NFC West divisional battle. Another NFC West tilt takes place this Sunday in Arizona when the unbeaten Cardinals (4-0) play the San Francisco 49ers (2-2). The Cardinals are the only undefeated team left in the NFL. 

Some other marquee games feature the Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) hosting the Buffalo Bills (3-1) in the Sunday night game. A pair of 3-1 teams go at it in Los Angeles when the Chargers will host the Cleveland Browns. In another game featuring 3-1 squads, the Green Bay Packers will travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bears (2-2) finally settled on rookie Justin Fields as the starting quarterback when they face the Las Vegas Raiders (3-1) this Sunday afternoon in a road game.  

The action for this weekend's game are all featured in the capsule style format and the Heftyinfo picks for the games follow up. 

New York Jets (1-3) at Atlanta Falcons (1-3) - (game played in London, England) - Two teams that have struggled so far this year travel to London to settle the matter. Toss up in this one. 

Detroit Lions (0-4) at Minnesota Vikings (1-3) - The Vikings should roll in this game, but it is a divisional match, so expect a tighter game for the home team. 

New Orleans Saints (2-2) at Washington (2-2) - This game could go either way as both teams have been up and down from week-to-week this season. 

New England Patriots (1-3) at Houston Texans (1-3) - Can the host team pull off the win against the Patriots? 

Miami Dolphins (1-3) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) - The Dolphins defense can give Tom Brady fits from time to time, but not likely to happen in this one. 

Green Bay Packers (3-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) - The surprising Bengals host Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. Can young QB Joe Burrow deliver for Cincy? 

Denver Broncos (3-1) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3) - There is no way the Steelers are starting the season with a 1-4 record. 

Philadelphia Eagles (1-3) at Carolina Panthers (3-1) - Can the Panthers stellar defense keep things going? The Eagles have been spotty at best on offense so far this year. 

Tennessee Titans (2-2) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4) - The Jags could be just the tonic the Titans need after losing to the lowly Jets last week. Jacksonville looking to snap a 19-game losing streak.

Cleveland Browns (3-1) at Los Angeles Chargers (3-1) - This game could be a defensive struggle or a shootout. Two of the better young quarterbacks in the NFL will get a test against solid defenses in this game. Toss up. 

Chicago Bears (2-2) at Las Vegas Raiders (3-1) - The Raiders are coming off a beat down loss against the Chargers last Monday night and need to regroup. The Bears defense can get after the quarterback, so this game could be closer than most people might think. 

San Francisco 49ers (2-2) at Arizona Cardinals (4-0) - The 49ers have dropped two in a row and the Cardinals have looked real good, especially last week in crushing the Rams on the road. Take the Cardinals. 

New York Giants (1-3) at Dallas Cowboys (3-1) - The Cowboys are rolling and should get another win against a divisional foe. 

Buffalo Bills (3-1) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) - Two high powered offenses going at it in the Sunday night tilt. Chiefs win in a squeaker.  

Indianapolis Colts (1-3) at Baltimore Ravens (3-1) - Can the Ravens keep the magic going? They should in this home game against a struggling Colts team. 

 

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

Seattle over L.A. Rams 

Atlanta over N.Y. Jets (game being played in London, England)

Minnesota over Detroit 

Washington over New Orleans 

New England over Houston 

Tampa Bay over Miami 

Green Bay over Cincinnati 

Pittsburgh over Denver 

Carolina over Philadelphia 

Tennessee over Jacksonville  

L.A. Chargers over Cleveland 

Las Vegas over Chicago 

Arizona over San Francisco 

DALLAS over N.Y. Giants 

Kansas City over Buffalo 

Baltimore over Indianapolis 

Last Week's Record - 10-6

SEASON RECORD - 40-24

Lock of the Week Record - 4-0 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Major League Baseball Post-Season Preview

The Major League Baseball regular season for 2021 is over now and it's on to the playoffs for ten teams. 

The San Francisco Giants had the best overall record in the majors this year, winning 107 games and beating out the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers by one game for the National League West division crown. Meanwhile, over in the American League, the Tampa Bay Rays won 100 games and ran away with the American League East title as four teams in that division won 91 or more games this season. 

The wild card games will get things started and it will be the New York Yankees playing at the Boston red Sox in the American League. The National League wild card game features the Los Angeles Dodgers hosting the St. Louis Cardinals. The Red Birds were the absolute hottest team in baseball in recent weeks, having reeled off 17 wins in a row at one point. 

The winner of Yankees-Red Sox faces the Rays in A.L. and the Giants will face off against the winner of the Cardinals-Dodgers wild card game in the senior circuit. 

Anything can happen once the action begins and this year will be no different as the baseball postseason gets started. Back in late March, Heftyinfo baseball season preview went with the Chicago White Sox and the L.A. Dodgers to make the 2021 World Series and the Dodgers picked to repeat as World Series champions. 

No reason to change that pick, so here goes nothing in picking the rest of the series leading up to the World Series. 

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

Wild Card Game - Yankees over Red Sox 

ALDS - White Sox over Astros; Rays over Yankees 

ALCS - White Sox over Rays 

 

NATIONAL LEAGUE 

Wild Card Game - Dodgers over Cardinals 

NLDS - Dodgers over Giants; Brewers over Braves 

NLCS - Dodgers over Brewers 

 

                          WORLD SERIES - Dodgers over White Sox 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Four Recap

 

Bucs QB Tom Brady talks with Patriots rookie QB Mac Jones.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1) escaped with a 19-17 win at New England on Sunday night. Patriots kicker Nick Folk's 56-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright with just under a minute left in the fourth quarter. Tampa Bay kicker Ryan Succop made four field goals and running back Ronald Jones scored on an eight-yard run to help provide the final outcome. 

Patriots rookie quarterback Mac Jones passed for two touchdowns (one interception) and 275 yards in the loss. In addition, the Pats (1-3) were limited to minus-one yards rushing for the game by the Tampa Bay defense. Bucs QB Tom Brady threw for 269 yards in the game, which put him on top of the all-time NFL career passing yardage list. Drew Brees held the record until last night.

The Arizona Cardinals improved to 4-0 this season with a resounding 37-20 road win against the Los Angeles Rams (3-1) as Chase Edmonds ran for 120 yards and QB Kyler Murray passed for two touchdowns. The Cardinals amassed 465 yards in total offense, including 216 rushing yards against the vaunted Rams defense. Rams QB Matthew Stafford had a pair of TD passes and one interception in the loss. 

The Green Bay Packers (3-1) won their third consecutive game with a 27-17 home victory against the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-3), who dropped their third straight game. Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers passed for two touchdowns and ran for a TD as well while the Packers defense forced two turnovers and limited the Steelers to just 62 rushing yards for the game. 

Dallas (3-1) won 36-28 at home against the Carolina Panthers (3-1) behind a big game from QB Dak Prescott, who had four TD passes to go with a big ground game (245 rushing yards) led by Ezekiel Elliott, who ran for a touchdown and gained 143 yards. Carolina QB Sam Darnold ran for two scores and also had two TD passes in defeat. 

The Kansas City Chiefs (2-2) got back on track on Sunday in Philadelphia, winning 42-30 behind five touchdown passes from QB Patrick Mahomes. Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill caught three scoring passes and wound up with eleven receptions for 186 yards in the game. Kansas City rushed for 200 yards and totaled 486 yards in offense in the win. Eagles QB Jalen Hurts passed for 358 yards and two touchdowns in the loss. 

The Baltimore Ravens (3-1) knocked the Denver Broncos (3-1) from the ranks of the undefeated NFL teams with a 23-7 road win. Baltimore kicker Justin Tucker made three field goals and RB Latavius Murray scored a rushing TD while QB Lamar Jackson passed for another score to lead the way. The Ravens defense limited the Broncos to 15 first downs and had five QB sacks. 

In the Monday Night Football game, the host Los Angeles Chargers (3-1) beat the Las Vegas Raiders, 28-14 behind a huge first half from QB Justin Herbert (222 passing yards), who threw three touchdown passes for a 21-0 halftime lead. The Raiders (3-1) cut the deficit to just seven points with two third quarter scores as QB Derek Carr threw two TD passes. The Chargers sealed the win in the final five minutes of the game when running back Austin Ekeler (117 rushing yards and also a receiving TD) scored on an 11-yard run. Safety Derwin James intercepted Carr's pass on the ensuing Las Vegas drive to help the Chargers give the Raiders their first loss this season.

                                                       Elsewhere Around the NFL  . . . . . . . . .   

The Chicago Bears (2-2) rolled past the visiting Detroit Lions, 24-14 with RB David Montgomery scoring two rushing touchdowns and gaining 106 yards before leaving the game with a knee injury. The Bears defense recovered two fumbles and had four sacks. Lions QB Jared Goff threw TD passes in the loss, which dropped the Lions to 0-4 this season . . .  The Seattle Seahawks (2-2) beat the host San Francisco 49ers, 28-21 with QB Russell Wilson passing for two scores and also rushing for a touchdown. 49ers rookie QB Trey Lance threw two TD passes in the loss, which left them with a 2-2 record . . .  The New York Giants (1-3) rallied back from an 11-point fourth quarter deficit to stun the host New Orleans Saints, 27-21 in overtime. Giants QB Daniel Jones had a pair of scoring passes, including a 54-yard scoring pass to RB Saquon Barkley, who also scored the game winning TD on a six-yard run in OT. Saints QB Taysom Hill scored two rushing touchdowns, but the Saints defense couldn't get the stop in the overtime and they fell to 2-2 this season . . .  The Indianapolis Colts (1-3) won a road game, 27-17 in Miami as the defense did the job, holding the Dolphins (1-3) to just 203 yards in total offense, including 35 yards rushing. Colts QB Carson Wentz had two TD passes in the win . . .  The New York Jets (1-3) beat the visiting Tennessee Titans, 27-24 in OT as Titans kicker Randy Bullock missed a 49-yard field goal in the final seconds of OT. Jets rookie QB Zach Wilson passed for 297 yards and two touchdowns and the Jets defense had seven sacks. Tennessee (2-2) out gained the Jets in the loss, which included RB Derrick Henry going for 157 rushing yards and one touchdown . . .  The Washington Football Team (2-2) scored a late touchdown on a 30-yard pass from QB Taylor Heinicke (three TD passes and 290 passing yards) to running back J.D. McKissic to stun the host Atlanta Falcons, 34-30. Falcons QB Matt Ryan passed for four touchdowns in the loss . . .  The Cleveland Browns (3-1) won a defensive game, 14-7 at Minnesota as RB Kareem Hunt scored on a one-yard run and kicker Chase McLaughlin made two field goals. The Vikings (1-3) had a chance late in the game, but Browns defensive back Greedy Williams intercepted Kirk Cousins pass in the end zone to seal the win . . .  The Buffalo Bills (3-1) crushed the visiting Houston Texans, 40-0 for their third straight victory. Bills QB Josh Allen threw two TD passes and kicker Tyler Bass made four field goals while the defense held the Texans (1-3) to just six first downs and 109 yards in total offense . . .  The Cincinnati Bengals (3-1) won at home on Thursday night, 24-21 against the Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4), on a 35-yard field goal by Evan McPherson as time expired. Bengals QB Joe Burrow had 348 passing yards and two TD passes in the win while Jags QB Trevor Lawrence had a scoring run and RB James Robinson two rushing touchdowns in the loss.

 WEEK FOUR RESULTS 

Cincinnati 24, Jacksonville 21

Chicago 24, Detroit 14

N.Y. Jets 27, Tennessee 24 (OT)

N.Y. Giants 27, New Orleans 21 (OT)

Cleveland 14, Minnesota 7

Dallas 36, Carolina 28

Kansas City 42, Philadelphia 30 

Buffalo 40, Houston 0 

Indianapolis 27, Miami 17

Washington 34, Atlanta 30  

Baltimore 23, Denver 7

Arizona 37, L.A. Rams 20

Green Bay 27, Pittsburgh 17

Seattle 28, San Francisco 21

Tampa Bay 19, New England 17 

L.A. Chargers 28, Las Vegas 14

 

 

NFL - Week Four Preview

The big game is finally here.  

No, not the Super Bowl. That will not happen until the middle of February.

The New England Patriots will host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night and that game will mark the return of quarterback Tom Brady to face his former team. Brady, along with Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, helped lead the Patriots to six Super Bowl titles in nine trips over a 20-year period between the 2000 to 2019 seasons. 

The Buccaneers (2-1) are the defending Super Bowl champions and Brady now has seven rings with six of those coming from the days with the Patriots. However, the Bucs were humbled last week in Los Angeles as the Rams beat them, 34-24 with the defense sacking Brady three times. The Patriots have been smarting without Brady, having gone 7-9 last season and are off to a 1-2 start this year. 

Tampa Bay should win this game, but do not discount Belichick and the New England coaching staff to put together a game plan to perhaps slow down Brady and company on offense. The Buccaneers defense should run rough shod on the Patriots (so far) anemic offense. The Patriots average just 18 points per game this season to this point. 

All in all, it should be a fun time for all the fans at Gillette Stadium on Sunday night as the national television audience watches the action. The memories are many for the two most common faces of the New England Patriots franchise. 

Another "prime time" game to see will be the Monday Night Football game between the Las Vegas Raiders (3-0) and the host Los Angeles Chargers (2-1) at SoFi Stadium. The Chargers beat the Kansas City Chiefs, 30-24 last week while the Raiders outlasted the Miami Dolphins, 31-28 in overtime in Vegas. 

These two teams have a long rivalry going back to the old AFL days and the Chargers helped to keep Las Vegas out of the post-season last year with a late season win against the Raiders. Chargers QB Justin Herbert and Raiders QB Derek Carr are both off to hot starts in the 2021 season. Carr has thrown for 1,203 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions in the first three games. Meanwhile, Herbert has six TD passes as well and three interceptions along with 956 passing yards to date. 

This game should be a shoot out with the game going down to the wire and the team with the last possession likely to win the game. 

The Baltimore Ravens (2-1) face the host Denver Broncos (3-0) in what could be a defensive struggle. The Ravens struggled, but finally won against Detroit on the road, 19-17 last weekend when kicker Justin Tucker made a record setting 66-yard field goal as time ran out. The Broncos are unbeaten, but many point to the fact they have fattened up on three winless opponents so far this season. 

Another game that could be an exciting one is the Arizona Cardinals (3-0) at the Los Angeles Rams (3-0) on Sunday afternoon in a battle for first place in the NFC West, which looks to be the best division in the NFL this season. 

The Rams roughed up the defending Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 34-24 last week while the Cardinals got it going in the second half in a 31-19 win at Jacksonville. Cards QB Kyler Murray has been brilliant so far this season, passing for 1,005 yards with seven TD and four interceptions while also rushing for three touchdowns. 

The Rams offense has been tearing it up as well with QB Matthew Stafford passing for 942 yards with nine touchdowns and just one interception. Both teams can also get after opposing quarterbacks and have amassed nine sacks through the first three games. In addition, the Rams and Cardinals have three interceptions on defense. 

The rest of the NFL action is featured in the capsule style format with the Heftyinfo picks for all the games following. 

 

Washington (1-2) at Atlanta (1-2) - This game could feature no touchdowns, but don't bet on that happening. Toss up. 

Houston (1-2) at Buffalo (2-1) - Take the Bills. 

Detroit (0-3) at Chicago (1-2) - A battle between two snake bitten teams. Toss up. 

Carolina (3-0) at Dallas (2-1) - The Cowboys should humble the unbeaten Panthers in this one. 

Indianapolis (0-3) at Miami (1-2) - Both of these teams have struggled big time so far this year. Something has to give in this one. 

Cleveland (2-1) at Minnesota (1-2) - The Vikings could very easily be 3-0 heading into this game, so the Browns better be ready. 

New York Giants (0-3) at New Orleans (2-1) - Which Saints team will show up this week? The Giants have been awful so far, so it might not matter. 

Tennessee (2-1) at New York Jets (0-3) - The Titans should roll in this game, but their defense has been really bad so far this season. 

Kansas City (1-2) at Philadelphia (1-2) - The Chiefs cannot possibly lose three games in a row, can they? 

Seattle (1-2) at San Francisco (2-1) - The Seahawks are in a bad spot playing on the road against an angry 49ers team. This game will probably go down to the final minutes. 

Pittsburgh (1-2) at Green Bay (2-1) - Aaron Rodgers and the Packers will likely be too much for the Steelers to handle. 

 

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

 

Cincinnati over Jacksonville 

Washington over Atlanta 

BUFFALO over Houston 

Chicago over Detroit 

Dallas over Carolina 

Miami over Indianapolis 

Minnesota over Cleveland 

New Orleans over N.Y. Giants 

Tennessee over N.Y. Jets 

Kansas City over Philadelphia 

L.A. Rams over Arizona 

San Francisco over Seattle 

Baltimore over Denver 

Green Bay over Pittsburgh 

Tampa Bay over New England 

L.A. Chargers over Las Vegas 

 

Last Week's Record - 11-5 

SEASON RECORD - 30-18

Lock of the Week Record - 3-0