NFL - Week Five Recap

In a game that saw several lead changes in the battle for first place in the NFC West division, the San Francisco 49ers outlasted the host Seattle Seahawks, 32-29 to improve to 5-0 this season as kicker Eddy Pineiro made a 44-yard field goal with 1:56 left to play and the 49ers defense (which had five quarterback sacks and a first half fumble recovery for touchdown by Gracen Halton) held off the Seahawks offense to get the win. 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (number 13, pictured left) had two touchdown passes (and one interception) with 189 passing yards and running back Christian McCaffrey scored a rushing touchdown to pace the win. The Seahawks dropped to 3-2 with the loss as QB Sam Darnold passed for 195 yards with one TD and was intercepted twice while running back Emanuel Wilson scored a rushing touchdown. 

The Minnesota Vikings also stayed undefeated at 5-0 as they went on the road and topped the New Orleans Saints, 23-13 behind a scoring pass from QB Kyler Murray to wide receiver Justin Jefferson and RB Aaron Jones (113 rushing yards), who scored on an eight-yard run early in the fourth quarter for a 20-13 lead. The Saints (1-4) had three turnovers and gained just 142 yards in offense with touchdowns coming on a two-yard run by Kendre Miller and an 87-yard fumble return by Jonas Sanker that tied the game at 13-13 late in the third quarter. 

In Green Bay, the Packers (3-2) erupted with an early barrage of points and coasted to a 31-7 win against the Chicago Bears (3-2) in the NFL's oldest rivalry that was enhanced following the passing of Bears and NFL legend Mike Ditka two days earlier. Packers QB Jordan Love passed for two touchdowns and 367 yards and RB MarShawn Lloyd had a pair of scoring runs in the easy win. Packers WR Christian Watson caught both TD passes and had six receptions for 143 yards. The Bears trailed 14-7 at the half, but committed five turnovers (two fumbles, three interceptions) that proved to be too costly. 

The New York Giants and Washington Commanders played in what was the most bizarre game in recent memory that finished in a 27-27 tie as Commanders QB Jayden Daniels (199 passing yards and 103 rushing yards, two TD) inexplicably ran the ball rather than clock it at the Giants 24-yard line for a potential game winning field goal attempt in the overtime session and time expired. Washington (1-3-1) got the ball  back after Giants RB Cam Skattebo fumbled it away at the Commanders 24-yard line. The Giants (3-1-1) rallied back from a 14-point deficit with QB Jameis Winston (326 passing yards) tossing two of his three touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, including a 17-yard strike to WR Malik Nabers (11 receptions for 121 yards) to tie it up at 27-27 with 1:43 remaining in regulation. Giants kicker Dominic Zvada missed three field goals, including a 46-yard try with 8:01 left in overtime. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) won, 19-17 over the Philadelphia Eagles when kicker Cam Little made a 57-yard boot as time expired in London, England. Jags kick returner Ameer Abdullah took a kickoff back 53 yards to set up the game winning field goal after Eagles kicker Jake Elliott booted a 48-yard field goal with just eight seconds remaining. The Eagles (2-3) dropped their third straight game even with QB Jalen Hurts throwing for a touchdown as they were held to a paltry 22 rushing yards. Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (331 passing yards, two TD, one INT) threw two scoring passes to wide receiver Parker Washington (six catches for 124 yards) to help lead the winning effort. 

The New England Patriots (3-2) won their second straight game as they smashed the Las Vegas Raiders, 45-17 behind four TD passes and 374 passing yards by QB Drake Maye as they built a 35-10 lead after three quarters. The New England offense gained 536 yards, including 165 on the ground. The Raiders (3-2) managed just 38 rushing yards and QB Kirk Cousins passed for 243 yards and one score in defeat. 

On Thursday night in Dallas, the Cowboys (2-3) laid a huge egg and lost to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 24-16 as running back Bucky Irving scored a rushing touchdown and had a TD reception as well and gained 165 yards on 21 carries. The Buccaneers (1-4) piled up 419 yards in total offense and their defense forced three turnovers. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott had a TD pass and two interceptions along with 316 passing yards in the loss. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers won at home, 34-22 in a rain storm against the Indianapolis Colts as RB Jaylen Warren (101 rushing yards and 87 receiving yards) had a big game with two huge scoring plays (80 yard TD reception and 50 yard rushing score) while QB Aaron Rodgers threw for three touchdowns, two of them to tight end Pat Freiermuth and had 235 passing yards in the win, which helped the Steelers improve to 3-2 this season. The Colts (2-3) settled for five field goals by Spencer Shrader and a rushing touchdown by Tyler Warren in the setback. 

Jahmyr Gibbs and Jared Goff led the way for Lions in rout of the Cardinals. 

 

The Detroit Lions (3-2) throttled the host Arizona Cardinals, 45-21 with RB Jahmyr Gibbs (151 rushing yards) scoring twice on the ground while QB Jared Goff (271 passing yards) had three TD passes and one running score with the Lions gaining 412 yards in offense. The Lions defense had five sacks as well. The Cardinals (1-4) dropped their fourth straight game even with QB Jacoby Brissett passing for 292 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. 

In Miami, the Cincinnati Bengals (3-2) snapped a two-game losing streak and kept the Dolphins (0-5) winless with a 31-24 victory as Joe Burrow threw touchdown passes to four different players and defensive back Jordan Battle had two interceptions as Cincinnati's defense forced three turnovers. Miami QB Malik Willis had a scoring run and threw a TD pass and RB Ollie Gordon (88 rushing yards) had a scoring run in defeat. 

The Denver Broncos (3-2) scored 13 unanswered points in the fourth quarter en route to a 23-17 road victory against the Los Angeles Chargers as QB Bo Nix fired a five-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Courtland Sutton to tie it at 17-17 with 8:53 remaining and Will Lutz kicked a pair of field goals to help seal it. The Chargers had three turnovers and QB Justin Herbert (121 passing yards, one TD, one INT) was sacked five times as the Chargers fell to 0-5 this season. 

The Houston Texans (1-4) won for the first time this season as they blasted the host Tennessee Titans, 26-3 behind a rushing and passing score by quarterback C.J. Stroud, who had 261 passing yards. The Titans (0-5) led 3-0 early on, but were dominated the rest of the way as they totaled just 187 yards in offense. 

The New York Jets won 17-12 at home in the rainy weather against the Cleveland Browns (3-2) to improve their record to 2-3 this season as QB Geno Smith (182 passing yards) had a scoring pass to WR Garrett Wilson and Braelon Allen (116 rushing yards on 24 carries) scored on a 22-yard run with 3:01 left in the game to provide the difference. Cleveland QB Deshaun Watson had a 29-yard TD pass to Denzel Boston for a 12-10 lead with 6:15 remaining in the fourth quarter, but he was sacked eight times in the loss and the Browns were held to 198 yards in total offense. 

The Baltimore Ravens controlled the football for over seven minutes in overtime and won, 30-23 against the host Atlanta Falcons (2-3) on Sunday night when Tyler Huntley, filling in as the starting quarterback for injured Lamar Jackson (ankle) scored on a one-yard plunge and then Ravens DB Kyle Hamilton intercepted Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa to end the game. Tagovailoa was in for Atlanta because starting QB Michael Penix, Jr. (240 passing yards, one TD) was injured in the fourth quarter. 

The Ravens (4-1) battled back late in the final quarter to overcome a 23-15 deficit when Huntley (201 passing yards, two TD) threw a seven-yard scoring pass to Devontez Walker with 40 seconds left in regulation. From there, Baltimore RB Derrick Henry (24 carries for 102 yards, one receiving TD) ran in for the two-point conversion to tie the game at 23-23 to force the overtime. The Falcons led 14-9 at the half, but managed only three field goals in the second half as the Ravens defense helped make the difference in the final outcome. 

The Buffalo Bills (4-1) won a 37-34 overtime thriller against the Los Angeles Rams (2-3) on Monday night as QB Josh Allen rushed for a touchdown along with 121 yards (on 10 carries) and also passed for 210 yards with a touchdown and one interception. Bills running back James Cook III (25 carries for 111 yards) had a pair of rushing touchdowns as well and kicker Tyler Bass made the winning 45-yard field goal with 1:55 remaining. The Rams had a chance to win it, but Harrison Mevis' 48-yard field goal attempt was blocked by Greg Rousseau with 4:16 remaining in OT and the Bills took advantage. Rams QB Matthew Stafford had 383 passing yards along with three scoring passes in the loss. Rams running back Kyren Williams tied it up at 34-34 when he scored on a one-yard run with five seconds left to play to force the overtime. 

 

WEEK FIVE RESULTS 

Tampa Bay 24, Dallas 16

Jacksonville 19, Philadelphia 17 

Green Bay 31, Chicago 7 

Washington 27, N.Y. Giants 27 (OT) 

Cincinnati 31, Miami 24 

Minnesota 23, New Orleans 13 

N.Y. Jets 17, Cleveland 12 

Pittsburgh 34, Indianapolis 22 

Houston 26, Tennessee 3 

New England 45, Las Vegas 17 

Detroit 45, Arizona 21 

Denver 23, L.A. Chargers 17 

San Francisco 32, Seattle 29 

Baltimore 30, Atlanta 23 (OT) 

Buffalo 37, L.A. Rams 34 (OT)  

 

 

RIP Mike Ditka

Chicago Bears and NFL legend Mike Ditka passed away today at the age of 86 . . . Ditka was Chicago. 

Ditka was inducted into the Pro Football Hall-of-Fame in 1988 and he had a lengthy playing career as a tight end with the Chicago Bears, Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys before becoming an assistant coach with Dallas and eventually the Chicago Bears, where he was the Head Coach from 1982 through 1992 seasons and the 1985 Bears won the Super Bowl, crushing the New England Patriots, 46-10. 

Ditka won an NFL championship as a player with the Chicago Bears in 1963, defeating the New York Giants, 14-10 under legendary Head Coach George Halas. He later won a Super Bowl as player with Dallas following the 1971 season and he also had a touchdown reception in that game. He also won another Super Bowl ring with the Cowboys in 1977 as an assistant coach before the crown jewel with Da Bears . . . the legendary 1985 Chicago Bears. 

Rest in Peace Coach. 

  

NFL - Week Five Preview

Week Five is here already as the NFL season continues and the divisional races are starting to take shape. There has been some surprises and disappointments in the first four weeks, but also some expectations throughout the league with the four games played and this week two teams (Carolina Panthers and the Kansas City Chiefs) will have the bye week. 

The action gets started on Thursday night in Dallas where the Cowboys (2-2) should dismantle the hapless Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-4) in that one. On Sunday in London, England, the Jacksonville Jaguars play the first of two consecutive "home" games when they face the Philadelphia Eagles (2-2), who have lost two in a row and looked clueless with their passing game last week, gaining just 93 yards in the area while blowing a double digit lead and losing at home against the Los Angeles Rams. The Jaguars are 3-1 and smacked the Cincinnati Bengals last week for a road win and they border on cockiness with their approach each week. 

The Las Vegas Raiders are 3-1 and they take their show on the road against the New England Patriots (2-2), who surprised the Buffalo Bills last week with a 29-26 road victory that saw quarterback Drake Maye snap out of it with three touchdown passes. The Raiders lost at home, 30-27 against Kansas City, but they are one of the surprise teams so far this season with the good start they have had. 

Four other games that should be very competitive include the Chicago Bears (3-1) traveling north to face the Green Bay Packers (2-2) in what is the NFL's oldest rivalry. The Bears will again start Tyson Bagent at quarterback in place of injured starter Caleb Williams, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury suffered three weeks ago. Green Bay did just enough for a road win last week against Tampa Bay, so they need to get the offense going in this one if they want to win. 

Also on tap on Sunday afternoon will be the Seattle Seahawks (3-1) hosting the unbeaten San Francisco 49ers (4-0) in an NFC West battle for first place. The 'Hawks offense scored 30-plus points for the third straight game last week while the 49ers won a game at home against the Denver Broncos, 24-14 with QB Brock Purdy and company continuing their winning ways. Purdy hasn't been sacked yet this season, but the Seattle defense will look to change that in what should be a game that goes down to the final minutes to decide.

On Sunday night, the surging Atlanta Falcons (2-2) host the Baltimore Ravens (3-1) in the battle of the birds and the Ravens will likely be without starting QB Lamar Jackson, who suffered an injury to his left ankle last week in a home win against the Tennessee Titans. The Falcons blew out the host New Orleans Saints, 45-24 on Monday night and will look to make it three wins in a row with Michael Penix, Jr. playing quarterback. This one could get ugly if the Falcons are able to pound the football with running back Bijan Robinson doing his thing against the Baltimore defense. 

On Monday Night Football in Los Angeles, the Rams (2-2) face the Buffalo Bills (3-1) in what could be a shootout type of game. Rams QB Matthew Stafford didn't have a touchdown pass in the win last week in Philadelphia, but the Rams can light it up with their passing attack. Meanwhile, Bills quarterback Josh Allen has to get over the turnovers that plagued his team last week in the loss to New England and the Bills just need to play their game as they did the first three weeks with mistake free football and consistency with a balanced offense. If the Bills can get back to running the football with James Cook while Allen and his wide receiving corps do their part, they can win this game. 

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

Cincinnati (2-2) at Miami (0-4) - The Bengals are banged up on offense and Miami did battle the Vikings in their road loss last week. This one could be a surprise. 

Minnesota (4-0) at New Orleans (1-3) - Can the Saints bounce back after laying a huge egg last week on national TV? The Vikings are unbeaten, but they don't look like a dominant type of team so far this season.  

Cleveland (3-1) at N.Y. Jets (1-3) - Two good defensive teams go at it in this one. The Browns have definitely been a surprise team so far. The Jets need a win in the worst way. 

Indianapolis (2-2) at Pittsburgh (2-2) - Two teams that have been hard to read this season battle it out. Toss up call for this game. 

Houston (0-4) at Tennessee (0-4) - Two winless teams from the AFC South battle in the "stinker" game of the week. 

N.Y. Giants (3-1) at Washington (1-3) - The host Commanders definitely need a win in this game. The Giants have been doing just enough to get by in the three wins they have. Another toss up game here. 

Denver (2-2) at L.A. Chargers (0-4) - This game will go down to the wire . . . will the Chargers fall to an 0-5 record this season? 

Detroit (2-2) at Arizona (1-3) - The Cardinals defense has been getting lit up since their opening game win and the Lions defense allows over 30 points per game. The Red Birds could win this one at home. 

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

DALLAS over Tampa Bay 

Jacksonville over Philadelphia (game played in London, England) 

Cincinnati over Miami 

Minnesota over New Orleans 

New England over Las Vegas 

N.Y. Jets over Cleveland 

Pittsburgh over Indianapolis 

Houston over Tennessee 

Washington over N.Y. Giants 

Denver over L.A. Chargers  

Detroit over Arizona  

Chicago over Green Bay 

Seattle over San Francisco 

Atlanta over Baltimore 

L.A. Rams over Buffalo 

 
Last Week's Record - 11-5 

SEASON RECORD - 41-23 

Lock of the Week Record - 3-1  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Four Recap

Patriots QB Drake Maye and Bills QB Josh Allen meet up after the game. 

The New England Patriots (2-2) kept the AFC East race competitive as they went into Buffalo and beat the Bills, 29-26 thanks to a late scoring pass of 23 yards to wide receiver Efton Chism III yards from quarterback Drake Maye (269 passing yards, three TD, one interception) with 1:50 remaining in the fourth quarter. Buffalo QB Josh Allen (253 passing yards, one TD, one INT) had a TD pass and also a scoring run and running back James Cook scored a touchdown as the Bills suffered their first loss this year and fell to 3-1 and saw their division lead drop to one game instead of three full games. 

In Las Vegas, the Kansas City Chiefs won in the battle of the unbeaten teams as they knocked off the Raiders, 30-27. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes threw two scoring passes to Tyquan Thornton, but the key in the win was late in the fourth quarter after the Chiefs (4-0) took a 23-19 lead when Kenneth Walker III (177 yards, two touchdowns) scored on a two-yard run and the Raiders (3-1) fumbled away the ensuing kickoff. From there, Kansas City quickly scored again when Walker scampered 22 yards for an 11-point lead with 3:02 left to play. The Raiders bounced back on a 20-yard TD pass from QB Kirk Cousins (365 passing yards, two TD, one INT) to tight end Brock Bowers with 1:46 left, but that wasn't enough to avoid defeat. 

In San Francisco, the 49ers won and improved to 4-0 as they topped the Denver Broncos, 24-14 behind two TD passes from QB Brock Purdy and a one-yard scoring run by RB Christian McCaffrey. The Broncos (2-2) lone touchdown in the loss came on a scoring pass by QB Bo Nix.  

The Minnesota Vikings stayed undefeated at 4-0 with a 15-10 win at home against the Miami Dolphins (0-4) as kicker Will Reichard connected on five goals and the defense limited the Dolphins offense to only 198 total yards. 

The Chicago Bears improved to 3-1 with a 23-12 win at home against the New York Jets as running back Kyle Monangai scored twice on the ground and rushed for 146 yards with the Bears piling up 492 total yards in offense, including 232 rushing yards. The Jets (1-3) had the football for only 17:15 in the game and only gained 157 total yards with QB Geno Smith throwing a 58-yard TD pass to Isaiah Williams. 

Baltimore (3-1) beat the visiting Tennessee Titans, 24-18 but lost quarterback Lamar Jackson to an ankle injury as he didn't return to the game in the second half after throwing for two touchdowns and 222 passing yards in the first half as the Ravens built a 24-7 lead. The Titans (0-4) got to within 24-18 with 1:32 left in the game when QB Cam Ward threw a three-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson. 

The Seattle Seahawks (3-1) held off the visiting Los Angeles Chargers for a 30-23 win as the defense came up big by getting a strip sack and fumble recovery from linebacker Derick Hall with 54 seconds remaining to help drop the Chargers to 0-4 this season. Seahawks RB Emanuel Wilson had a rushing and receiving touchdown and QB Sam Darnold had two TD passes and one interception in the win. The Chargers had four turnovers, including two interceptions thrown and the fumble by QB Justin Herbert, who had one TD pass and was sacked four times.

Over in London, England, the Indianapolis Colts (2-2) blew out the Washington Commanders, 30-13 with RB Jonathan Taylor scoring two rushing touchdowns along with QB Daniel Jones adding a four-yard TD run. The Commanders (1-3) lost starting QB Marcus Mariota to a knee injury in the first half and backup Athan Kaliakmanis had 186 passing yards with one TD and one interception. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars improved to 3-1 with a 22-17 road victory at Cincinnati led by a TD pass from quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who had 227 passing yards and a 25-yard scoring run by Chris Rodriguez. The Bengals (2-2) fell short as QB Joe Burrow (428 passing yards, one TD two INT) had a TD pass and run in defeat. 

Last Thursday night in Cleveland, the Browns (3-1) knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-24 when kicker Andre Szmyt made a 56-yard field goal with ten seconds left in the game. Brown QB Deshaun Watson had a scoring pass and one interception along with 268 passing yards in the win while Quinshon Judkins and Jaleel McLaughlin had touchdown runs. The Steelers fell to 2-2 as QB Aaron Rodgers had 299 passing yards and three touchdowns and two interceptions in the loss. 

The Los Angeles Rams (2-2) rallied back from a ten-point deficit to beat the host Philadelphia Eagles, 24-20 with two scoring runs by RB Kyren Williams in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia running back Saquon Barkley left the game with a hamstring injury as the Eagles (2-2) were shut out in the second half and only gained 172 yards in offense in the loss with QB Jalen Hurts throwing two TD passes, but he was limited to 93 passing yards. 

 

The Dallas Cowboys (2-2) beat the Houston Texans, 34-30 as QB Dak Prescott (335 passing yards) threw a 12-yard scoring pass to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb (pictured right) with 40 seconds left to play. Lamb finished the game with 17 receptions for 189 yards and the game winning touchdown. The game was back and forth in the second half as Dallas scored 28 points to erase a 16-6 halftime deficit with running back Javonte Williams scoring three rushing touchdowns. The Texans dropped to 0-4 this season even with quarterback C.J. Stroud throwing for two scores along with 347 passing yards. 

The New York Giants (3-1) held on for a 36-24 win at home against the Arizona Cardinals (1-3) as defensive back Deonte Banks took back an interception 98 yards to end the game as the Cardinals were in a fourth-and goal situation with ten seconds left to play. Giants QB Jameis Winston had three TD passes and two interceptions and 250 passing yards to help lead the winning effort. Arizona lost their third straight game as QB Jacoby Brissett had a pair of scoring passes, but was intercepted three times. 

The Green Bay Packers (2-2) won in Tampa Bay, 17-14 to keep the Buccaneers (0-4) winless this season as QB Jordan Love (197 passing yards, two TD, one INT) tossed a two-yard scoring pass to tight end Tucker Kraft for a 17-7 lead early in the third quarter. The Bucs had rookie QB Jalon Daniels starting in place of injured Baker Mayfield (thumb) and he finished with 148 passing yards and one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss. 

The Sunday night game in Carolina saw the Panthers (2-2) beat the Detroit Lions, 32-26 as QB Bryce Young (320 passing yards, two TD) and running back Chuba Hubbard (122 rushing yards, two TD) led the way. Panthers WR Tetairoa McMillan had 14 receptions for 192 yards and two touchdowns as well. The Lions (2-2) piled up  452 total yards, but had just 46 rushing yards in defeat and QB Jared Goff finished the game with 412 passing yards and one scoring pass. 

The Monday Night Football game in New Orleans belonged to the Atlanta Falcons (2-2) as they blasted the Saints, 45-24 behind three rushing touchdowns from running back Brian Robinson (14 carries for 62 yards) and two more from Bijan Robinson, who rushed for 145 yards on 19 carries and scored the first TD in the game on a 59 yard romp. The Falcons gained 420 yards in the game, including 205 yards on the ground. Atlanta QB Michael Penix, Jr. passed for 223 yards and one touchdown in the romp. Saints QB Tyler Shough had one TD pass and 286 passing yards in the loss, which dropped New Orleans to 1-3 this season. 

 

WEEK FOUR RESULTS 

Cleveland 27, Pittsburgh 24

Indianapolis 30, Washington 13  

Chicago 23, N.Y. Jets 12

New England 29, Buffalo 26 

Green Bay 17, Tampa Bay 14 

L.A. Rams 24, Philadelphia 20 

Jacksonville 22, Cincinnati 17

Baltimore 24, Tennessee 18 

N.Y. Giants 36, Arizona 24 

Dallas 34, Houston 30 

Minnesota 15, Miami 10

Seattle 30, L.A. Chargers 23 

San Francisco 24, Denver 14 

Kansas City 30, Las Vegas 27 

Carolina 32, Detroit 26

Atlanta 45, New Orleans 24  

 

NFL - Week Four Preview

Week Four around the NFL got started on Thursday night and the Cleveland Browns got a late 56-yard field goal to defeat the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 27-24 and continue their winning ways this season.  

Quite a few games that can be put into the "toss up" category this weekend as that one was include the Green Bay Packers (1-2) taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3) in Florida. The Philadelphia Eagles (2-1), fresh off their Monday night beating they suffered in Chicago, host the Los Angeles Rams (1-2), who are off to a slow start. The Denver Broncos are 2-1 and travel to play the San Francisco 49ers (3-0) in what should be another tight game while the Jacksonville Jaguars  (2-1) face the Bengals (2-1) in Cincinnati. Another game that could be called a toss up is the battle in Texas on Sunday afternoon when the Houston Texans (0-3) host the Dallas Cowboys, who are 1-2 this season. Both teams are off to disappointing starts so far. 

Other games that look to be too close to call are the Indianapolis Colts (1-2) and Washington Commanders (1-2) playing over in London, England on Sunday morning and the Monday night game in New Orleans as the Saints (1-2) take on their NFC South division rival Atlanta Falcons (1-2) in what is being celebrated as the 20th anniversary "Rebirth" game when the Superdome was re-opened after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the roof of that venue in August of 2005. The Saints reopened the Superdome on Monday Night Football in 2006, and they scored their first touchdown in dramatic fashion as Steve Gleason, who was diagnosed with ALS in 2011, blocked the Falcons punt and Curtis DeLoatch recovered it in the end zone. 

The rest of the games are featured in the capsule style previews and the byes for teams don't start until next week, so there are 16 games this week. Only five teams are still unbeaten and there are also five winless teams through the first three games. 

Tennessee (0-3) at Baltimore (2-1) - Take the Ravens. 

New England (1-2) at Buffalo (3-0) - With a win in this one, the Bills have a shot at creating some big time distance in the AFC East division. 

N.Y. Jets (1-2) at Chicago (2-1) - The Bears offense came back to life last week with third string quarterback Case Keenum in control. The Jets have been competitive so far this season, but will likely fall short in this game. 

Arizona (1-2) at N.Y. Giants (2-1) - Two teams that have been competitive go at it here . . . another toss up? 

Miami (0-3) at Minnesota (3-0) - This game looks to be a total mismatch on paper, but . . . on any given Sunday. Never mind - Vikings roll ! 

Kansas City (3-0) at Las Vegas (3-0) - The Chiefs and Raiders go at it in a battle of unbeaten teams. This game belongs in Oakland with that scenario. Take the Chiefs. 

L.A. Chargers (0-3) at Seattle (2-1) - What is wrong with the Chargers offense? The Seahawks boast a strong defense, but they were lit up for 33 points by Washington last week. Go figure. 

Detroit (2-1) at Carolina (1-2) - Sunday Night Football in Carolina for the first time in eleven years. Lions should win this one in what will be a high scoring game. 

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

Cleveland over Pittsburgh 

Indianapolis over Washington (game played in London, England) 

Baltimore over Tennessee 

Buffalo over New England 

Chicago over N.Y. Jets 

Cincinnati over Jacksonville 

Houston over Dallas 

N.Y. Giants over Arizona 

L.A. Rams over Philadelphia 

Green Bay over Tampa Bay 

MINNESOTA over Miami 

Kansas City over Las Vegas 

Seattle over L.A. Chargers 

San Francisco over Denver 

Detroit over Carolina 

New Orleans over Atlanta   

  

Last Week's Record - 8-8

SEASON RECORD - 30-18 

Lock of the Week Record - 2-1  

 

 

Major League Baseball - 2026 Postseason Preview & Predictions

The 2026 Major League Baseball playoffs begin today with the Wild Card rounds in both the American League and National League. And this MLB postseason could be more wide open than in recent years, even with the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers once again in the mix. 

The Dodgers won 100 games and are the number two seed in the senior circuit, behind the Milwaukee Brewers, who won a franchise record 103 games this year and are the favorites to win it all. In the American League, the two teams getting the bye will be the top seeded Tampa Bay Rays and also the Cleveland Guardians, who won the A.L. Central division by one game over the Chicago White Sox, the surprise team of the 2026 baseball season. Just two years ago, the White Sox set the record for worst ever single season record with 121 losses and now here they are in the post season after three consecutive 100-loss seasons. 

There are always surprises once the playoffs begin and just three years ago, two of the lowest ever seeded teams faced off in the 2023 World Series with the Texas Rangers beating the Arizona Diamondbacks. So, the bottom line is, when it comes to sports, especially baseball, the unexpected can and likely will happen in October. 

The New York Yankees will take on the Boston Red Sox in The Bronx and the Houston Astros, winners of the American League West division with an 81-81 record, will host the White Sox. The National League wild card series will feature the Chicago Cubs against the host San Diego Padres and the Atlanta Braves, winners of the N.L. East division, hosting the Philadelphia Phillies. 

There are many questions once again this year, including teams having injured players who may or may not play once the action gets started, but taking into account where things are right now with the 12 teams involved, Heftyinfo will attempt to figure it out and take a guess at what happens.  

Over the years, the picks here haven't always been accurate when it comes to October baseball and the eventual Fall Classic, but here it goes anyhow with picks for what could unfold in the next month. 

Play Ball !  

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

Wild Card Round - Chicago White Sox over Houston (2-1); Boston over New York Yankees (2-1)

ALDS - Tampa Bay over Boston (3-1); Cleveland over Chicago White Sox (3-1) 

ALCS - Cleveland over Tampa Bay (4-3) 

NATIONAL LEAGUE 

Wild Card Round - San Diego over Chicago Cubs (2-1); Philadelphia over Atlanta (2-1) 

NLDS - San Diego over Milwaukee (3-1); Los Angeles Dodgers over Philadelphia (3-1)

NLCS - San Diego over Los Angeles Dodgers (4-2)   

 

 

                                                                WORLD SERIES 

 

                                      San Diego Padres over Cleveland Guardians (in  six games)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Three Recap

Newsflash  . . . The Dallas Cowboys defense is still terrible. 

The Baltimore Ravens won in the most improbable way in Rio de Janeiro when Tyler Loop (number 33 pictured left)  kicked a 56-yard field goal as time expired for a 34-31 win over the Cowboys. The Ravens (2-1) were able to get set up for the game winner when quarterback Lamar Jackson (186 passing yards, two touchdowns) completed a 27-yard pass to Zay Flowers and called timeout with one second remaining. 

The Cowboys (1-2) settled for a  game tying 23-yard field goal by Brandon Aubrey with seven seconds left in regulation after having the ball with first-and-goal on the Ravens 2-yard line following a pass interference penalty against Baltimore with 20 seconds left. Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott had 276 passing yards and one touchdown pass in defeat while Ravens running back Derrick Henry had two rushing touchdowns to help lead the winning effort. 

The Minnesota Vikings improved to 3-0 this season with a 23-16 road win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3) as Myles Price took a punt back 86 yards for a touchdown and QB Kyler Murray threw his first scoring pass of the season with a 41-yard effort to wide receiver Jordan Addison for a 17-10 halftime lead. The Vikings defense picked off two passes and knocked Buccaneers starting QB Baker Mayfield (217 passing yards, one TD, one INT) out of the game with a dislocated thumb injury late in the fourth quarter. 

In New Orleans, the unbeaten Las Vegas Raiders scored 19 unanswered points in the second half and won, 35-27 over the Saints (1-2) as QB Kirk Cousins had three TD passes along with 248 passing yards while running back Mike Washington, Jr. had a 36-yard scoring run to lead the offense. Saints QB Tyler Shough had four scoring passes (and one interception) and 255 yards passing in the loss. 

Even with five turnovers (two interceptions, three lost fumbles) the Buffalo Bills also improved to 3-0 in this young season as they held on for a 24-16 home victory against the winless Los Angeles Chargers, who were limited to just two field goals after leading 10-0 after the first quarter. Bills QB Josh Allen scored two rushing touchdowns and RB James Cook had a three-yard TD run and 154 yards on 24 carries. Chargers QB Justin Herbert (226 passing yards) threw for one score and also one interception in defeat. 

The Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) blasted the visiting New England Patriots, 35-6 with QB Trevor Lawrence passing for three scores as the Jags used balanced offense (137 rushing yards, 178 passing) to build a 28-3 lead entering the fourth quarter. Patriots QB Drake Maye was intercepted twice and also lost a fumble as New England (1-2) had three turnovers in the loss. 

In a back and forth game in Pittsburgh, the Steelers (2-1) knocked the Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) from the ranks of the undefeated teams with a 30-27 win. Pittsburgh QB Aaron Rodgers had three scoring passes and 292 passing yards while the defense recovered two fumbles to help offset three touchdown passes from Bengals QB Joe Burrow, who passed for 282 yards in defeat. Steelers kicker Chris Boswell made three field goals, including the game winner from 33 yards with 2:15 remaining in the game. 

The Cleveland Browns made it unanimous in the AFC North division as every team is now 2-1 this season as they bested the visiting Carolina Panthers, 21-18. Browns QB Deshaun Watson threw his second TD pass in the game to tight end Harold Fannin, Jr. (from 14 yards) with 1:48 left to play. The Panthers managed four field goals and a TD pass from quarterback Bryce Young, who had 291 passing yards and one interceptions as well in the losing effort, which dropped the Panthers to 1-2 for the season. 

 

Washington Commanders running back Rachaad White celebrates a touchdown. 

How about the host Washington Commanders (1-2), playing without starting QB Jayden Daniels (elbow injury) knocking off the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, 33-31 behind three TD passes from QB Marcus Mariota and a 50-yard  "pick six" interception touchdown by linebacker Kain Medrano? Seattle (2-1) out gained the Commanders by 437-258 in total yards and QB Sam Darnold had four TD passes and two interceptions with 379 passing yards, but the Seahawks fell short in this one. 

The New York Giants improved to 2-1 this season with a 12-7 home win in a rain storm against the winless Tennessee Titans as kicker Dominic Zvada made four field goals for a 12-0 lead before Titans QB Cam Ward threw a four-yard scoring pass to Wan'Dale Robinson late in the fourth quarter. 

In Detroit, the Lions (2-1) won a nail biter against the New York Jets, 31-24 with running back Jahmyr Gibbs (20 carries for 99 yards) scoring three times, including a receiving touchdown to lead the way. Lions QB Jared Goff had two TD passes along with 269 passing yards and the Lions defense had five sacks and a fumble recovery. Jets QB Geno Smith passed for 321 yards and three touchdowns in the loss, which dropped the Jets to 1-2 this season.

The Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0 as they won, 24-10 over the host Miami Dolphins (0-3) with QB Patrick Mahomes (246 passing yards) throwing for two scores, including an 11-yard effort to tight end Travis Kelce to seal the game. Kansas City running back Kenneth Walker III had a rushing and receiving touchdown as well. Dolphins RB Ollie Gordon had a rushing touchdown in the loss and starting running back De'Von Achane left the game with a knee injury and it was reported he will be out for the rest of the season. 

Last Thursday night in Green Bay, the Packers (1-2) were throttled by the Atlanta Falcons in a 35-14 defeat as the Falcons (1-2) piled up 498 total yards, including 194 rushing yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns by RB Bijan Robinson. Falcons QB Michael Penix, Jr. had 256 passing yards and one TD pass and one interception as well. Green Bay took an early 7-0 lead when QB Jordan Love (312 passing yards, two TD, one INT) connected with WR Christian Watson on a four-yard scoring pass. After that, it was all Falcons and their defense limited the Packers to just 17 rushing yards in the game. 

The San Francisco 49ers (3-0) topped the visiting Arizona Cardinals, 36-30 with QB Brock Purdy throwing four touchdown passes along with 297 passing yards in the win. The Cardinals (1-2) fell behind 23-6 in the third quarter before QB Jacoby Brissett (280 passing yards) threw for two scores and ran for another to make it close. Big plays were the difference as the 49ers used an 80-yard TD on a lateral play to Deebo Samuel and two scoring passes to tight end George Kittle to hold off the Cardinals, who had the ball for nearly 39 minutes in the loss. 

The Indianapolis Colts (1-2) won at home, 19-17 against the Houston Texans, who dropped to 0-3 for the second straight year. The Texans defense forced three turnovers (one interception, two fumbles) but the offense gained only 223 yards as quarterback C.J. Stroud had a scoring pass and Woody Marks had a touchdown run. Colts kicker Spencer Shrader made four field goals, including a 53-yard kick with 16 seconds left to win it. 

The Sunday night game in Denver saw the Broncos win, 30-26 as QB Bo Nix (186 passing yards, two TD, one INT) scored on a one-yard run  following a penalty called against the Los Angeles Rams defense in the end zone on third down to set up first-and-goal in the final minute of the game. Nonetheless, Denver overcame a 16-0 halftime deficit to improve to 2-1 this season. The Rams (1-2) had taken a 26-23 lead when QB Matthew Stafford (390 passing yards with two TD and two interceptions) threw a 48-yard scoring pass to Konata Mumpfield with 3:38 remaining in the fourth quarter. 

Earlier in the final quarter, Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga (two interceptions) took his first interception back 66 yards for a touchdown that gave Denver a 23-19 lead with 4:49 left in the game. This one was back and forth in the second half with Denver tying the game at 16-16 with two scoring passes and two successful two-point conversions in the third quarter. The Rams totaled 482 yards to just 257 for the Broncos, but the two turnovers and four sacks by the Denver defense helped provide the final outcome. 

The Chicago Bears (2-1) dominated the visiting Philadelphia Eagles, 27-7 on Monday Night Football with veteran backup QB Case Keenum turning back the hands of time leading the offense with two touchdown passes and 247 passing yards and he also scored on a one-yard touchdown plunge midway through the final quarter to ice the game. The Eagles (2-1) had closed to within 10-7 at halftime when QB Jalen Hurts scored on a one-yard run as time ran out, but the second half was all Bears in this game. 

 

 WEEK THREE RESULTS 

Atlanta 35, Green Bay 14  

Jacksonville 35, New England 6 

N.Y. Giants 12, Tennessee 7 

Kansas City 24, Miami 10 

Detroit 31, N.Y. Jets 24 

Buffalo 24, L.A. Chargers 16 

Cleveland 21, Carolina 18  

Indianapolis 19, Houston 17 

Washington 33, Seattle 31

Pittsburgh 30, Cincinnati 27

Minnesota 23, Tampa Bay 16

San Francisco 36, Arizona 30 

Las Vegas 35, New Orleans 27

Baltimore 34, Dallas 31

Denver 30, L.A. Rams 26  

Chicago 27, Philadelphia 7  

 

NFL - Week Three Preview

 

 

When it comes to the NFL, expect the unexpected.

That seems to be the case every season and could very well hold true as this season goes along. This weekend could prove that as there are some games that feature very desperate teams going against what looks to be a prohibitive favorite. 

The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-2 and face the unbeaten Buffalo Bills on the road. The Bills have looked like world beaters so far with quarterback Josh Allen scoring at will it seems with 582 passing yards and five touchdowns and no interceptions. He also has scored four rushing touchdowns in the first two games. The Chargers have looked listless in their two home losses to Arizona and the Las Vegas Raiders, committing numerous turnovers and averaging only 14 points per game. 

That sounds like a genuine recipe for a Buffalo Bills rout this Sunday afternoon. However, the way teams play these days in pro sports, in particular the NFL, anything is possible. The longer the underdog hangs around in the game, the better their chances are to win. The Bills should win this one, but it could be much closer than people would think. 

Some other games of interest include the Dallas Cowboys taking on the Baltimore Ravens in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday. Dallas bested the Washington Commanders last Sunday while the Ravens blew a 14-3 lead and lost at home to the upstart New Orleans Saints. Once again, a team (Saints) that was allowed to hang around eventually won the game. This one should be a battle for sure as Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and company want to atone for the embarrassment they suffered last week. The Cowboys defense hasn't lived up to the off-season hype with the new faces in place, so this one could be a higher scoring game. 

On Sunday night in Denver, the Broncos face the Los Angeles Rams in what should be another exciting game. The Rams crushed the New York Giants on Monday Night Football with QB Matthew Stafford throwing four touchdown passes while the Broncos woke up and beat the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars with the defense limiting the highly powered Jags offense in check in the second half. Look for a defensive struggle here as both teams have solid defenses. This game will most likely go down to the final minutes. 

Another game featuring two desperate teams will be played in Indianapolis between the Colts and Houston Texans and both teams are off to 0-2 starts this season. The loser of this game will be staring at longer odds of making the AFC playoffs, but at least they're not too far gone as they play in the AFC South, which features three 0-2 teams and Jacksonville (1-1) in first place. Once again, anything is possible in this one.  

Another interesting game looks to be in Pittsburgh where the Steelers (1-1) take on the unbeaten Cincinnati Bengals and their new look defense that has been beating up on the opposition. Cincinnati has allowed just 33 points through two games while scoring 53 points with Joe Burrow and the offense doing their part so far. The defense dominated against the Houston Texans last week in a 20-6 road win and could do the same in this one against a Steelers team that was manhandled by the New England Patriots last Sunday in a 20-3 defeat.

 Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers is really looking his age (42 years old) in the early part of the season and if the offensive line doesn't give him protection against a rugged Bengals defense, this one could get ugly. This is an AFC North tilt, so these teams do know each other well and that could make for a close game. The Bengals rate the edge, but if Pittsburgh's defense can rattle Burrow with pressure, they could win this one. 

The Monday night game in Chicago should be a good game as well with the 2-0 Philadelphia Eagles looking to topple the Bears (1-1) who could be starting Case Keenum, their third string quarterback in this game due to injuries to Caleb Williams (hamstring) and Tyson Bagent (concussion). Philadelphia survived in Tennessee last Sunday for a 24-20 win while the Bears lost, 9-3 in a rain storm against Minnesota with Williams going down with the hamstring injury late in the game. 

Philly will be looking to exact some revenge from the beating the Bears gave them last season the day after Thanksgiving in an easy road win that helped pave the way for the Bears to eventually make the playoffs. This game is definitely in the toss up category. 

The rest of the NFL action for Week Three is presented in the capsule style format and the Heftyinfo picks for all the games follows. 

Atlanta (0-2) at Green Bay (1-1) - The Thursday night game in Lambeau Field. Packers rate the edge here as Falcons QB Michael Penix, Jr. makes his first start this season. 

Carolina (1-1) at Cleveland (1-1) - Two teams coming off impressive wins go at it in this game. Can the Panthers defense stymie Deshaun Watson and the Browns? Will the Browns defense be able to contain Panthers QB Bryce Young? Stay tuned this Sunday. 

N.Y. Jets (1-1) at Detroit (1-1) - The Lions will look to get back in the win column against a Jets team that let one slip away late against Green Bay last week. 

New England (1-1) at Jacksonville (1-1) - The Jaguars bounce back at home for a win in this one, but the Patriots will not be an easy opponent. 

Kansas City (2-0) at Miami (0-2) - The Chiefs have been rolling so far this season with QB Patrick Mahomes looking good. The Dolphins are huge underdogs at home in this one. 

Tennessee (0-2) at N.Y. Giants (1-1) - The Giants lost starting QB Jaxson Dart for the season (knee injury) and face a Titans team that took the Philadelphia Eagles to the wire last week. Beware! 

Seattle (2-0) at Washington (0-2) - The host Commanders will be without starting QB Jayden Daniels (elbow injury) and face a rugged Seattle defense. Take the Seahawks, but the game will be closer than one might think. 

Arizona (1-1) at San Francisco (2-0) - The 49ers have looked impressive so far, but the Cardinals are a divisional foe and this one could be a tight one. 

Minnesota (2-0) at Tampa Bay (0-2) - The Buccaneers need a win in the worst way, but the Vikings defense is legitimate and will look to keep things rolling in this road contest. 

Las Vegas (2-0) at New Orleans (1-1) - The Saints should burst the Raiders bubble in The Big Easy this Sunday. 

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

Green Bay over Atlanta 

Buffalo over L.A. Chargers 

Cleveland over Carolina 

Detroit over N.Y. Jets 

Houston over Indianapolis 

Jacksonville over New England 

KANSAS CITY over Miami 

N.Y. Giants over Tennessee 

Pittsburgh over Cincinnati 

Seattle over Washington 

San Francisco over Arizona 

Tampa Bay over Minnesota 

Dallas over Baltimore  (game played in Rio de Janeiro) 

New Orleans over Las Vegas 

L.A. Rams over Denver 

Philadelphia over Chicago 

Last Week's Record - 10-6 

SEASON RECORD - 22-10 

Lock of the Week Record - 1-1  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Two Recap

The 2026 NFL season took a strange twist in the second week as star quarterbacks were injured and some major upsets occurred throughout the league. 

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (pictured left) suffered a hamstring injury on a scramble run late in the fourth quarter of a 9-3 home loss for the Bears against the Minnesota Vikings in a steady downpour of rain all game long. It was all field goals accounting for the final score in this one, but the Vikings came up with a huge block on Bears kicker Cairo Santos 23-yard attempt with just over six minutes left in the fourth quarter and holding a 6-3 lead. Minnesota kicker Will Reichard made his third field goal (from 39 yards) in the game with 1:09 left to help provide the final outcome as the Bears final drive was thwarted on fourth and goal when Bears backup QB Tyson Bagent was sacked on the final play. 

In Dallas, the Cowboys throttled the Washington Commanders, 37-20 as QB Dak Prescott had four touchdown passes, including two of them to wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who caught eight passes for 153 yards in the win. Washington QB Jayden Daniels left the game with a severe elbow injury in the second quarter and was replaced by Marcus Mariota, who had one TD pass in the loss. 

The New Orleans Saints stunned the Baltimore Ravens, 24-17 as QB Tyler Shough scored on a one-yard run with 1:28 left to play in the fourth quarter. The Saints outscored Baltimore, 18-3 in the second half and intercepted Ravens QB Lamar Jackson in the red zone with just 20 seconds remaining in the game to seal the victory. The Ravens led 14-3 after Jackson threw a scoring pass to wide receiver Rashod Bateman late in the second quarter. In the decisive fourth quarter, Shough threw a 21-yard TD pass to WR Chris Olave to tie the game at 17-17 and later scored the winning touchdown to stun the Baltimore crowd in the Ravens home opener.

In Los Angeles, the Chargers lost again, this time to the Las Vegas Raiders, 26-14 as they turned the football over three times, including a crucial fumble by RB Omarion Hampton in Raiders territory and the deficit at three points (17-14) with just over three minutes remaining in the game. From there, the Raiders scored on an 11-yard TD pass from QB Kirk Cousins (253 passing yards, three TD, one interception) to Cody White with 2:59 remaining to ice the game. 

The Cleveland Browns beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 23-19 for a road win that featured a lengthy weather delay which lasted over two hours. Browns QB Deshaun Watson had two scoring passes along with 238 passing yards as they overcame a second half ten-point deficit. Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield had a scoring pass along with one interception in defeat as the Bucs dropped to 0-2 this season. 

How about the Cincinnati Bengals going into Houston and knocking off the Texans, 20-6 behind solid defense, including four sacks and limiting the Texans to just two field goals? Despite being out gained by over 100 yards and getting just 12 first downs, Cincinnati won as QB Joe Burrow twice hooked up with wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase for touchdown passes to make the difference. 

The Green Bay Packers came back from ten points down in the final quarter and eventually won, 20-17 in overtime against the host New York Jets as Trey Smack made a 26-yard field goal to decide the game. Green Bay totaled only 199 yards in offense, but QB Jordan Love had a pair of TD passes. Jets QB Geno Smith had a scoring pass in the loss.   

In Arizona, the Seattle Seahawks dismantled the Cardinals, 31-7 as QB Drew Lock hit WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (nine receptions for 155 yards) for three touchdown passes while the defense held the Cardinals to just 155 yards in total offense and ten first downs. The Seahawks gained 381 yards with a balanced offense that included 162 yards on the ground as they dominated the second half after a 7-7 tie score in the first half. 

The Denver Broncos rallied back from a ten-point second half deficit to defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars, 20-13 as QB Bo Nix threw for a score and rookie running back Jonah Coleman scored on a three-yard run with 7:39 left to play to provide the final outcome. 

Bills QB Josh Allen had a huge game in win over the Lions. 

 

On Thursday night in Buffalo, the Bills opened their new stadium with a resounding 41-31 win against the Detroit Lions as QB Josh Allen threw for three touchdowns along with 248 passing yards and rushed for two more scores while running back James Cook had a touchdown and 135 rushing yards. The Bills totaled 446 yards with a balanced offense (203 rushing, 223 passing) in the win. Lions QB Jared Goff had four TD passes and 327 passing yards in defeat. 

The Philadelphia Eagles survived the extreme heat in Nashville (reported to be as hot as 150 degrees on the playing surface) as well as the stubborn Tennessee Titans for a 24-20 road win with QB Jalen Hurts (264 passing yards, two TD, two INT) throwing the winning three-yard touchdown pass to WR Darius Cooper with only 14 seconds remaining in the game. Eagles WR DeVonta Smith had ten receptions for 117 yards and one touchdown to contribute to the win. Tennessee took a 20-17 lead with 1:56 left to go when Joey Slye kicked a 33-yard field goal. Titans QB Cam Ward had two scoring runs in the loss. 

The Carolina Panthers went on on the road to Atlanta and punished the Falcons, 34-3 as QB Bryce Young had 287 passing yards and three touchdowns. The Panthers defense forced five turnovers, including a 16-yard  "pick six" touchdown by linebacker Devin Lloyd, who had two interceptions in the rout. 

The New England Patriots beat down the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 20-3 as the defense had four sacks,  including a scoop and score 19-yard fumble return for touchdown by linebacker Elijah Ponder. Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson rambled 39 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter as the Patriots took a 10-3 halftime lead. 

In San Francisco, the 49ers crushed the Miami Dolphins, 35-13 as running back Christian McCaffrey had two scoring runs and QB Brock Purdy (287 passing yards on 20-for-22 passing accuracy) ran for another score and threw two touchdown passes to pace the rout. The 49ers broke it open with 21 points in the third quarter and coasted the rest of the way. 

In the Sunday night game in Kansas City, the Chiefs won, 33-30 in overtime when Harrison Butker (two field goals in OT) made a 40-yard field goal as time expired. The Colts had tied the game with 3:11 left in OT when Spencer Shrader drilled a 38-yard field goal. Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes had three TD passes and 382 passing yards as Kansas City gained 523 yards in offense with running back Kenneth Walker III gaining 117 yards on 24 carries and tight end Travis Kelce with nine receptions for 101 yards and one touchdown. Colts QB Daniel Jones had 210 passing yards with one TD pass and one interception while running back Jonathan Taylor had two scoring runs while gaining 92 yards on 24 carries in the loss. 

The Los Angeles Rams squashed the visiting New York Giants, 28-6 on Monday Night Football behind 481 yards in total offense, led by QB Matthew Stafford, who had four touchdown passes (and one interception) along with 327 passing yards. Rams wide receiver Davante Adams had a huge game with eight receptions for 195 yards with two touchdowns. The Giants were limited to just 182 total yards and eleven first downs along with two field goals in the loss. In addition, Giants starting quarterback Jaxson Dart left the game with a knee injury in the first quarter and didn't return. 

 

WEEK TWO RESULTS 

Buffalo 41, Detroit 31  

Minnesota 9, Chicago 3 

Philadelphia 24, Tennessee 20 

Carolina 34, Atlanta 3 

New Orleans 24, Baltimore 17 

New England 20, Pittsburgh 3 

Green Bay 20, N.Y. Jets 17 (OT) 

Cincinnati 20, Houston 6 

Cleveland 23, Tampa Bay 19 

Denver 20, Jacksonville 13  

Las Vegas  26, L.A. Chargers 14

Seattle 31, Arizona 7

San Francisco 35, Miami 13 

Dallas 37, Washington 20 

Kansas City 33, Indianapolis 30 (OT)  

L.A. Rams 28, N.Y. Giants 6  

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week Two Preview

After so many high scoring games in the opening week of the 2026 NFL season, will there be more of the same in Week Two around the league? 

The action gets started on Thursday night in Buffalo where the Bills will play their first ever regular season game in their new stadium, taking on the Detroit Lions, who won their opener, 31-30 in overtime last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints. The Bills won a 36-31 contest on the road against the Houston Texans to open their season. 

Bills quarterback Josh Allen will look to lead the offense to a big game against the Lions defense, which allowed 30 points after shutting out the Saints in the first half. The Lions feature many weapons on offense, including do everything running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who rushed for 156 yards and scored twice last week and also had five receptions. This game will likely be a high scoring one and could come down to the last possession. One thing for sure, the Bills fans will be jacked up sky high for this one. 

The Chicago Bears put up 59 points (tied for second highest ever) in their season opener and will likely have a harder time doing that against a tough Minnesota defense, which shut down Green Bay in the second half in a 39-22 win last week. The Vikings will probably have to go with Carson Wentz again at quarterback after starter Kyler Murray was knocked out in the opener with a concussion. 

The Bears defense was torched for 37 points by the Carolina Panthers, but it didn't matter because they put up the 59 points on the scoreboard while rushing for close to 300 yards. The Vikings defense got two big turnovers in their comeback win in the final quarter and will need to do more of that against the Bears if they are going to win. The game between these two teams could be high scoring (30-plus points for both teams) but don't be surprised if it isn't. 

The surprising Arizona Cardinals take on the Seattle Seahawks in their home opener on Sunday. The Cards shocked the Chargers in Los Angeles last week, 26-14 as their defense stifled the Chargers offense and forced two turnovers while the special teams also came up big with a blocked punt that led to an easy score (three-yard TD pass) to seal the game early in the fourth quarter.

 The Seahawks put away the stubborn New England Patriots, 13-10 last week, but the offense was lacking as starting QB Sam Darnold was knocked out of the game with a hip injury. Seattle better be ready because the Cardinals looked like a team that was out to prove something to all the doubters with their season opening road win. This game will be close and don't be surprised if the Cardinals win this NFC West tussle. 

The Kansas City Chiefs will host the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday night and could be 2-0 after this one is over. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes played well in his first game back from the off-season knee surgery and new running back Kenneth Walker III had a huge game, scoring twice and rushing for 173 yards in the 31-10 rout over the Denver Broncos. Meanwhile, the Colts were manhandled by the visiting Baltimore Ravens, 41-23 as their defense had no answers for the Ravens offensive attack that piled up 506 total yards in the easy win. Look for the Chiefs to get another win in this game. 

The Monday Night Football game in Los Angeles will feature two teams on opposite ends as the host Rams look to bounce back after their lethargic performance in the opener against the San Francisco 49ers in Australia. The Rams lost 27-7 and the offense was stuffed in a goal line situation that swung the game completely to the 'Niners as they went 99 yards on a touchdown drive for a 24-7 lead following the big stop.

 The New York Giants served notice they will be a team to beat in the NFC East as they knocked off Dallas, 28-20 last Sunday night with QB Jaxson Dart and running back Cam Saktebo leading the way. The Giants defense also came up with big plays to keep the highly touted Cowboys offense in check. This game will be a tight one as the Rams will be without defensive star Myles Garrett (knee injury) for the next four games. A toss up call here is in order, so look for anything to happen when the dust settles in this game. 

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

Carolina (0-1) at Atlanta (0-1) - The entire NFC South division is winless, so something has to give. 

New Orleans (0-1) at Baltimore (1-0) - The Ravens should roll in this one. 

Cincinnati (1-0) at Houston (0-1) - The Bengals will be going against a buzz saw team in this one. The Texans will be looking to right the ship after laying an egg at home in their season opener. 

Pittsburgh (1-0) at New England (0-1) - The Steelers will have a much tougher game this week against a Patriots team that looked unprepared in their opening game loss. 

Green Bay (0-1) at N.Y. Jets (1-0) - The Jets will look to fly high again this week, but the Packers need this one after getting smashed in the opening game. 

Cleveland (0-1) at Tampa Bay (0-1) - Bucs QB Baker Mayfield has a chance to rip his old team in this game. The Browns looked pathetic in their blowout loss last week. 

Philadelphia (1-0) at Tennessee (0-1) - The Eagles soar again this week in this game. 

Jacksonville (1-0) at Denver (0-1) - Can the Broncos bounce back in their home opener against a Jaguars team that looked really good last week? Toss up here. 

Las Vegas (1-0) at L.A. Chargers (0-1) - If the Chargers are really going to contend in the AFC this season, they better win this one convincingly. 

Washington (0-1) at Dallas (0-1) - The Cowboys should win this game at home, but the Commanders will not go down without putting up a fight. 

Miami (0-1) at San Francisco (1-0) - 49ers roll ! 

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

Buffalo over Detroit 

Atlanta over Carolina 

Baltimore over New Orleans 

Chicago over Minnesota 

Houston over Cincinnati 

New England over Pittsburgh 

Green Bay over N.Y. Jets 

Tampa Bay over Cleveland 

Philadelphia over Tennessee 

Denver over Jacksonville 

L.A. Chargers over Las Vegas 

Seattle over Arizona 

Dallas over Washington 

SAN FRANCISCO over Miami 

Kansas City over Indianapolis 

L.A. Rams over N.Y. Giants 

Last Week's Record - 12-4 

SEASON RECORD - 12-4 

Lock of the Week Record - 0-1  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NFL - Week One Recap

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and the offense had a huge day in the season opening win.

High scoring was the order of the day around the NFL and the Chicago Bears routed the host Carolina Panthers, 59-37 to set a  record for most combined points scored in a season opening game. Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had 269 passing yards with two passing scores and scored twice on the ground, including a 29-yard touchdown run. Bears running back D'Andre Swift rushed for three touchdowns and piled up 124 yards on 18 carries along with RB Kyle Monangai going for 100 yards on just ten carries and he scored on a 61 yard touchdown run. Panthers QB Bryce Young had three TD passes and one rushing score along with 361 passing yards and one interception thrown in the loss. The Bears and Panthers combined for over 1,000 yards in offense in this game as the Bears gained 552 total yards in offense and Carolina amassed 478 yards.

Jacksonville rolled past the visiting Cleveland Browns, 34-10 as Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence had four touchdown passes and 245 passing yards in the easy win. Browns QB Deshaun Watson was sacked five times in the loss as he had one TD pass and one interception.  

In the season opening game last Wednesday night, the Seattle Seahawks rallied for a 13-10 win over the visiting New England Patriots. The Seattle defense intercepted Pats QB Drake Maye (178 passing yards, one TD) three times in the fourth quarter, including a pick in the end zone in the final seconds to seal the win. Seahawks QB Drew Lock, playing in place of injured starter Sam Darnold, threw a 45-yard scoring pass to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba that tied the game 10-10 early in the fourth quarter. Seattle kicker Jason Myers 26-yard field goal with 5:50 left to go provided the final score. 

In Minnesota, the Vikings rolled up 22 points in the fourth quarter and toppled the Green Bay Packers, 39-22 behind three TD passes by QB Carson Wentz, who came into the game for Minnesota after starter Kyler Murray left with a concussion. The Packers led 22-10 in the third quarter as QB Jordan Love had two scoring passes (along with one interception and 387 passing yards) and Trey Smack drilled three field goals. Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson hauled in two touchdown passes to help lead the way even with the Vikings being out gained by 419 to 239 in total yardage. 

The San Francisco 49ers served notice they also reside in the mighty NFC West division as they crushed the Los Angeles Rams, 27-7 with Brock Purdy throwing three TD passes in the game played in Melbourne, Australia on Friday. The Rams lone score was a five-yard run by RB Kyren Williams. 

Cincinnati held off the visiting Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 33-27 as Bengals QB Joe Burrow threw a scoring pass to tight end Mike Gesicki and the defense scored on a 27-yard fumble return by Demetrius Knight, Jr. and RB Chase Brown added a five-yard scoring run to go with four field goals by Evan McPherson. The Bucs linebacker Josiah Trotter had a "pick six" interception touchdown and QB Baker Mayfield and RB Bucky Irving scored rushing touchdowns in the loss. 

 

Ravens RB Derrick Henry scored three times in big win. 

The Baltimore Ravens routed the host Indianapolis Colts, 41-23 behind big games from RB Derrick Henry (144 rushing yards, three TD) and QB Lamar Jackson (324 passing yards and one rushing TD), who connected with wide receiver Zay Flowers (five receptions for 150 yards) for a 54-yard touchdown pass. The Colts were out gained by Baltimore 506-251 in yardage as running back Jonathan Taylor (98 rushing yards) scored twice on the ground in defeat.

The Buffalo Bills went into Houston and punched the Texans and their rugged defense in the mouth en route to a 36-31 win behind a huge game from QB Josh Allen, who had 334 passing yards and two rushing touchdowns along with two scoring passes, including the game winner of 34 yards to WR Joshua Palmer with 1:36 remaining in the game. The Texans turned the football over twice on fumbles and were penalized for 106 yards in the loss as RB David Montgomery scored three times, including a seven-yard TD pass from C.J. Stroud (274 passing yards), who also threw a 12-yard scoring pass to WR Niko Collins. But a strip sack fumble recovery in the final minute by the Bills defense stopped the Texans drive and clinched the victory. 

The Sunday night game saw the New York Giants knock off the visiting Dallas Cowboys, 28-20 behind a balanced offense (165 rushing yards, 229 passing yards) with RB Cam Skattebo (81 rushing yards) scoring on a three-yard run and QB Jaxson Dart throwing for three touchdowns along with 230 passing yards. The Cowboys offense managed just 244 yards as Dak Prescott had two TD passes and running back Javonte Williams scored twice in defeat.  

The Las Vegas Raiders won at home, 27-13 against the Miami Dolphins with running back Ashton Jeanty scoring twice on receptions and gaining 102 rushing yards. Raiders QB Kirk Cousins had three TD passes to overcome two interceptions to help lead the way as well. The Dolphins also had a pair of turnovers and QB Malik Willis ran for a score and was sacked five times in the loss.  

The Philadelphia Eagles squeaked out a 24-22 home win against the Washington Commanders as they stopped a two-point conversion try after Commanders QB Jayden Daniels threw for his second touchdown in the game with just 1:01 left to play in the game. The Eagles got three scoring passes from QB Jalen Hurts to lead the way to the win. 

The surprise of the day was the Arizona Cardinals beating the host Los Angeles Chargers, 26-14 behind four field goals by Chad Ryland and a blocked punt that led to a three-yard scoring pass from QB Jacoby Brissett (277 passing yards) to tight end Trey McBride early in the fourth quarter for a 23-14 edge. The Chargers had two turnovers on offense and QB Justin Herbert had a TD pass with one interception thrown in defeat. 

The Detroit Lions held on for a 31-30 overtime win at home against the feisty New Orleans Saints. Detroit took a 31-24 lead in the OT session when QB Jared Goff threw his second TD pass to WR Amon-Ra St. Brown with 5:04 remaining. Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs scored twice and had 156 rushing yards on 29 carries and the defense registered five sacks to help out in the win. The Saints came back from a 21-0 deficit behind three scoring passes from QB Tyler Shough, who had 410 passing yards and two interceptions, but the effort fell short in overtime as the Lions thwarted the two-point attempt. 

In Pittsburgh, the Steelers won a yawner, 20-13 against the Atlanta Falcons behind T.J. Watt returning an interception 35 yards for a touchdown and one TD pass from QB Aaron Rodgers. Falcons QB Cooper Rush started in place of injured Tua Tagovailoa and was sacked four times along with two interceptions thrown, which offset his one scoring pass in the loss. 

The New York Jets won, 23-10 on the road against the Tennessee Titans as their defense limited the Titans to only 195 yards in total offense and they held the ball for over 38 minutes in the win. Jets running back Breece Hall (102 rushing yards) had a TD run and wide receiver Kenyon Sadiq added a three-yard scoring run. Titans QB Cam Ward threw a TD pass in the loss. 

In the Monday Night Football game, the Kansas City Chiefs crushed the visiting Denver Broncos, 31-10 behind two touchdown passes and a rushing touchdown by QB Patrick Mahomes, who had 184 passing yards with two TD and one interception. In addition, Chiefs running back Kenneth Walker III had a receiving and rushing touchdown (60 yard scoring run) while piling up 173 yards on 23 carries. The Kansas City defense had four QB sacks and held the Broncos to 176 yards in total offense. The only Broncos touchdown came on a 19-yard scoring pass from quarterback Bo Nix to tight end Evan Engram. 

 

WEEK ONE RESULTS 

Seattle 13, New England 10

San Francisco 27, L.A. Rams 7  

Chicago 59, Carolina 37 

Jacksonville 34, Cleveland 10 

N.Y. Jets 23, Tennessee 10 

Buffalo 36, Houston 31

Detroit 31, New Orleans 30 (OT) 

Cincinnati 33, Tampa Bay 27

Pittsburgh 20, Atlanta 13

Baltimore 41, Indianapolis 23 

Arizona 26, L.A. Chargers 14 

Las Vegas 27, Miami 13 

Philadelphia 24, Washington 22

Minnesota 39, Green Bay 22  

N.Y. Giants 28, Dallas 20  

Kansas City 31, Denver 10 

 

 

 

25 Years Ago

 

NFL - Week One Preview

It's time for football as the 2026 NFL season gets started on Wednesday evening in Seattle with the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks taking on the New England Patriots in a "re-match" of the game last February. The 'Hawks crushed the Patriots in that one as their defense dominated the entire game. 

The Thursday night game will be in Melbourne, Australia between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers in what should be a good NFC West battle. On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills travel to take on the Houston Texans in a game between two teams that lost in the AFC divisional playoffs last January. Both of these teams are regarded as teams that could get to the Super Bowl this time around. 

There are four games featuring division rivals as the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings go at it in an NFC North tilt. The NFC East will have all four teams facing off in the opener as the Dallas Cowboys face the New York Giants on the road on Sunday Night Football while the Philadelphia Eagles will host the Washington Commanders earlier in the day. On Monday Night Football, the Denver Broncos will face the host Kansas City Chiefs in what should be another exciting one. 

All in all, the opening week around the NFL is one of the most unpredictable as the 32 NFL teams don't usually show too much from their starting players during the pre-season and this time around it was no different. 

This is the 18th season this blog is picking games on a weekly basis and it's always fun to try and figure out how things might go during the course of the NFL season. These picks made here are strictly predictions and are not to be taken serious for gambling point spreads or straight up plays or anything like that. So if people like to do that sort of thing, you're on your own with the sports odds makers. 

With that said, here goes nothing as Heftyinfo makes the picks for Week One around the NFL with the capsule style previews for all 16 games featured and then the actual picks for the games. 

New England Patriots at Seattle Seahawks - The home team should come out on top, but in a season opener, expect the unexpected. The Patriots will be without running back TreVeyon Henderson (ankle injury) in this game, so quarterback Drake Maye will have the chance to throw more often to his two new wide receivers. Seattle's defense will be ready for the challenge and the offense will look to do the same. 

San Francisco 49ers at Los Angeles Rams (Melbourne, Australia) - When these two teams go at it, expect a battle and this one should be no different. Both teams feature very good defenses in this game in the "land down under." The call here is the Rams win in a close finish. 

Chicago Bears at Carolina Panthers - The Bears have higher expectations entering this season and the Panthers won the NFC South a year ago. This game will likely come down to the wire. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Cincinnati Bengals - Bucs QB Baker Mayfield has a new contract and should be flying high for this one. The Bengals have Joe Burrow at quarterback with two of the best wide receivers in the game and what they hope will be an improved defense with several new players. 

New Orleans Saints at Detroit Lions - Take the Lions in what should be a high scoring game. 

Buffalo Bills at Houston Texans - This game is a test in the opener for two starting quarterbacks looking to shed the "choker" label following earlier than expected playoff exits last year. 

Baltimore Ravens at Indianapolis Colts - The Ravens looking to bounce back in 2026 after a disappointing season while the Colts will look to do the same after so many injuries ruined a great start last year. 

Cleveland Browns at Jacksonville Jaguars - Take the Jaguars at home against a Browns team being led by QB Deshaun Watson, who hasn't started in nearly two years. 

Atlanta Falcons at Pittsburgh Steelers - The Steelers rate the edge in this opener as QB Aaron Rodgers begins his final NFL season. Falcons QB Tua Tagovailoa is looking to revive his career. 

New York Jets at Tennessee Titans - In a game between two teams that went 3-14 a year ago, something positive has to happen. Some payback perhaps for Titans new head coach Robert Saleh as he goes against the team that fired him two years ago. 

Arizona Cardinals at Los Angeles Chargers - Arizona appears to be in total rebuild mode this year while the Chargers are looking to improve a stagnant offense with new coordinator Mike McDaniel on board this season. This one should be an interesting game. 

Miami Dolphins at Las Vegas Raiders - Two teams with new head coaches looking to rebuild on the fly as the season gets started. Toss up. 

Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings - NFC North rivals in this one and the Vikings have Kyler Murray now playing quarterback, looking to get the offense back in gear this season. Packers are expecting good things in the 2026 season after making the playoffs last season. This game will likely go down to the final possession and perhaps even into overtime. Definite toss up here. 

Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles - The Eagles coming into this season with a chip on their shoulders as QB Jalen Hurts has been questioned by many following a down 2025 season right after a Super Bowl title. The Commanders also looking to prove themselves after falling hard with QB Jayden Daniels being injured for most of the 2025 season after his spectacular rookie year. 

Dallas Cowboys at New York Giants - The Sunday night "prime time" game between two teams that dislike each other. Dallas will attempt to prove all the hype about them is correct as they enter 2026 with a huge revamping of the NFL's worst defense from a year ago. The Giants appear to be up and comers, led by second year QB Jaxson Dart. This game should be a good one with the Cowboys sneaking it out against the home team. 

Denver Broncos at Kansas City Chiefs - Monday Night Football in Kansas City with Patrick Mahomes and company taking on the Broncos, the team that took over AFC West crown a year ago. Take the Chiefs in a squeaker. 

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

Seattle over New England 

L.A. Rams over San Francisco (game played in Melbourne, Australia) 

Chicago over Carolina 

Cincinnati over Tampa Bay 

Detroit over New Orleans 

Buffalo over Houston 

Baltimore over Indianapolis 

Jacksonville over Cleveland 

Pittsburgh over Atlanta 

Tennessee over N.Y. Jets 

L.A. CHARGERS over Arizona 

Las Vegas over Miami 

Minnesota over Green Bay 

Philadelphia over Washington 

Dallas over N.Y. Giants 

Kansas City over Denver

 

2025 FINAL SEASON RECORD - 176-95-1

Lock of the Week Record  - 16-2