NFL - Week Ten Recap

The Patriots continued to roll in Tampa Bay. 

The New England Patriots (8-2) proved they are for real by going on the road and beating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 28-23 for their seventh straight win to increase their lead in the AFC East division. Quarterback Drake Maye threw a pair of touchdown passes and running back TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two scores (55 and 69 yards) and had 147 yards on 14 carries to lead the winning effort. The Bucs (6-3) got three TD passes from Baker Mayfield in the losing effort. 

 

 

The surprise of the day happened in Miami as the Dolphins (3-7) beat down the Buffalo Bills, 30-13 as running back De'Von Achane scored on long runs of 59 and 35 yards while gaining 174 yards on 22 carries. Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa had two TD passes along with two interceptions in the win. Buffalo dropped to 6-3 with the setback as QB Josh Allen threw for two scores along with 306 passing yards and one interception and also lost a fumble as the Bills turned the football over three times.

The Chicago Bears (6-3) pulled out another late game victory as they topped the visiting New York Giants, 24-20 in blustery Soldier Field as QB Caleb Williams threw a TD pass and then ran for the go ahead score from 17 yards away with 1:47 remaining in the game. The Giants (2-8) went ahead by a 20-10 count as QB Jaxson Dart scored two rushing touchdowns before leaving the game with a concussion in the second half. A key part of the game happened in the third quarter before Dart left the game and the Giants leading 17-7 as the Bears recovered a fumble by Dart to stop the Giants drive at the Chicago 16-yard line and begin their comeback effort. The Giants fired Head Coach Brian Daboll following the game. 

The Seattle Seahawks (7-2) continued to roll on as they pasted the Arizona Cardinals, 44-22 for the home victory. Seahawks defensive lineman DeMarcus Lawrence returned two fumbles for touchdowns while QB Sam Darnold had a TD pass and running backs George Holani and Zach Charbonnet each had scoring runs. The Cardinals (3-6) fell behind 35-0 in the second quarter and QB Jacoby Brissett was sacked five times while throwing for two scores in the loss. 

The Detroit Lions (6-3) dismantled the host Washington Commanders, 44-22 as QB Jared Goff (320 passing yards) threw for three touchdowns and RB Jahmyr Gibbs scored three times (two rushing, one receiving) and rushed for 142 yards on 15 carries while the Lions piled up 546 yards in offense, including 226 rushing yards. The Commanders (3-7) were without starting QB Jayden Daniels (elbow injury) and were never in this one as backup QB Marcus Mariota had two scoring passes in the blowout loss. 

The Baltimore Ravens (4-5) made it three wins on a row with a 27-19 triumph at Minnesota with QB Lamar Jackson throwing for a touchdown while RB Justice Hill had a scoring run and kicker Tyler Loop made four field goals to lead the way. The Vikings (4-5) had three turnovers in the loss as QB J.J. McCarthy was intercepted twice and had one scoring pass. 

In San Francisco, the Los Angeles Rams dominated the 49ers in a 42-26 win and improved to 7-2 with QB Matthew Stafford passing for 260 yards and four touchdowns. Rams RB Kyren Williams had a pair of rushing touchdowns to bolster the offense, which gained 401 yards. The 49ers (6-4) got three TD passes from QB Mac Jones (319 passing yards on 33-of-39 with one interception) and pulled to within 21-14 in the third quarter before the Rams took over. 

The Sunday night game saw the Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) defeat the visiting Pittsburgh Steelers, 25-10 with QB Justin Herbert throwing for a touchdown and 220 passing yards while RB Kimani Vidal scored on a two-yard run. Meanwhile, the Chargers defense recorded thee sacks, including one for a safety and forced three turnovers with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. The Steelers (5-4) dropped their third game in the last four as QB Aaron Rodgers threw for 161 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions in the loss. 

 

The game in Berlin, Germany went to the Indianapolis Colts, 31-25 in overtime against the Atlanta Falcons, who dropped their fourth consecutive game to fall to 3-6 this season. Colts running back Jonathan Taylor (pictured right) rushed for 244 yards (32 carries) and scored three rushing touchdowns, including the game winner from eight yards out and also an 83-yard romp. The Colts (8-2) tied the game at 25-25 when Mike Badgley made a 44-yard field goal with 25 seconds left in regulation. Falcons running back Tyler Allgeier had two rushing scores in the loss. 

How about the big fourth quarter comeback for the Houston Texans as they beat the visiting Jacksonville Jaguars, 36-29 by scoring 26 unanswered points in the final 15 minutes of the game to improve to 4-5 this season. The icing on the cake was defensive lineman Sheldon Rankins scoring on a 32-yard fumble return as time ran out. The Jaguars (5-4) went up 17-0 when Parker Washington hauled in a seven-yard scoring pass from Trevor Lawrence followed by a 73-yard punt return for another score. Texans QB Davis Mills (292 passing yards, two TD, one INT) had two scoring passes and also a rushing touchdown to lead the big fourth quarter comeback. The Texans defense had five sacks and got two turnovers while limiting Jacksonville to just 213 yards in total offense. 

The New York Jets improved their record to 2-7 with a 27-20 win against the visiting Cleveland Browns, which was aided by two kick returns for touchdowns (99-yard kickoff return by Kene Nwangwu and 74-yard punt return by Isaiah Williams) and a 42-yard scoring pass from Justin Fields to Breece Hall. The Browns (2-7) scored twice on passes from Dillon Gabriel, who also was sacked six times in defeat. Will McDonald IV had four of the Jets six sacks.

The New Orleans Saints (2-8) smacked the host Carolina Panthers, 17-7 behind two TD passes by rookie QB Tyler Shough, who had 282 passing yards. The Saints defense limited the Panthers (5-5) to only 175 yards in offense as Carolina RB Rico Dowdle scored their only touchdown in the first quarter on a five-yard run.

On Thursday night in Denver, the Broncos (8-2) won a 10-7 snooze fest against the Las Vegas Raiders (2-7) as Bo Nix threw a seven-yard scoring pass to Troy Franklin and Will Lutz made a 32-yard field goal in the third quarter to help the Broncos win their seventh consecutive game. Running back Ashton Jeanty scored on a four-yard run in the first quarter, but that was it for the Raiders as they only had 188 yards in offense in this game. 

The Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers, 10-7 on Monday Night Football in Lambeau Field to improve to 7-2 this season. Eagles kicker Jake Elliott made a 39-yard field goal in the third quarter to break a 0-0 deadlock. Early in the fourth quarter, Philly QB Jalen Hurts threw a 36-yard TD pass to WR DeVonta Smith for a 10-0 lead. The Packers (5-3-1) answered back with a six-yard scoring run by Josh Jacobs with 5:49 left to play. The last gasp for the Packers failed as kicker Brandon McManus missed on a 64-yard field goal attempt as time expired. 

 

WEEK TEN RESULTS 

Denver 10, Las Vegas 7

Indianapolis 31, Atlanta 25 (OT)  

New Orleans 17, Carolina 7 

Miami 30, Buffalo 13 

Houston 36, Jacksonville 29 

N.Y. Jets 27, Cleveland 20 

Chicago 24, N.Y. Giants 20 

New England 28, Tampa Bay 23

Baltimore 27, Minnesota 19 

Seattle 44, Arizona 22 

L.A. Rams 42, San Francisco 26

Detroit 44, Washington 22 

L.A. Chargers 25, Pittsburgh 10 

Philadelphia 10, Green Bay 7  

NFL - Week Ten Preview

The calendar is now in November and the NFL season is in Week Ten as the contenders are separating from the pretenders around the league. This weekend will see two of the top teams from each conference go at it as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) host the New England Patriots, who are 7-2 and have won six games in a row. Pats quarterback Drake Maye has been a pleasant surprise so far and if the Buccaneers don't get pressure on him, he can carve up their secondary. The Buccaneers lead the NFC South division and are coming off their bye week and QB Baker Mayfield has been solid through the first eight games. 

In San Francisco on Sunday, the 49ers (6-3) will take on the Los Angeles Rams (6-2), who right now share the NFC West lead with the Seattle Seahawks. San Francisco has been getting it done in spite of so many injuries, including going with backup QB Mac Jones in place of injured starter Brock Purdy. Both teams have solid defenses and the big factor in this game will be whether Rams QB Matthew Stafford (2,147 passing yards with 21 touchdowns and only two interceptions) can continue to lead the offense on a torrid pace. 

The Sunday night game will have the Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) taking on the Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) in a road tilt. The Steelers defense finally had a big game last week as they thrashed the Indianapolis Colts, getting five quarterback sacks and forcing six turnovers. The Chargers have been banged up all season long and will be without All-Pro (left) tackle Joe Alt (ankle surgery) for the remainder of the season. The key to this game will be protecting the football and whether the Chargers defense will get after Pittsburgh QB Aaron Rodgers. 

The biggest game (on paper) for Week Ten is the Monday night game in Green Bay between the Packers (5-2-1) and the Philadelphia Eagles (6-2). The Packers were shocked at home last week by the Carolina Panthers as they managed just 13 points. The Eagles cruised past the New York Giants two weeks ago and are coming off their bye. The Packers defense needs to contain the Eagles O-line and if they do, they will have success. The Eagles will look to get after Packers QB Jordan Love and force mistakes. This game should be close and the call here is the Eagles will soar yet again. 

The rest of the NFL action for Week Ten is featured in the capsule style format and the Heftyinfo picks will follow up. 

Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) at Denver Broncos (7-2) - The Broncos shouldn't have to pull off another fourth quarter comeback in this Thursday night home game. 

Atlanta Falcons (3-5) at Indianapolis Colts (7-2) - Both of these teams traveled to Berlin, Germany to play this game. Take the Colts. 

New York Giants (2-7) at Chicago Bears (5-3) - Possible wintry conditions could be a factor in this game in Chicago. The Bears should get the win against a team that has too many injuries on offense. 

Buffalo Bills (6-2) at Miami Dolphins (2-7) - The Bills are coming into this one after a big win against the Chiefs. The Dolphins have been a mess all season long. Take the Bills. 

Baltimore Ravens (3-5) at Minnesota Vikings (4-4) - The Ravens seem to be back on track with players getting healthy, especially QB Lamar Jackson. The Vikings beat the Detroit Lions on the road last week with a healthy (QB) J.J. McCarthy back on the field. Toss up in this game. 

Cleveland Browns (2-6) at New York Jets (1-7) - Who cares?

New Orleans Saints (1-8) at Carolina Panthers (5-4) - Panthers better be ready in this one. The Saints have lost four in a row and their pattern so far this season says they should get the win this week. 

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) at Houston Texans (3-5) - The Texans will be without starting QB C.J. Stroud for this game, so it will be up to their defense to keep it close. The Jaguars finally got off the schnide last week, but barely, against the lowly Las Vegas Raiders. Toss up here. 

Arizona Cardinals (3-5) at Seattle Seahawks (6-2) - The Cardinals have been playing better with Jacoby Brissett at quarterback. The Seahawks just added a big time wide receiver (Rashid Shaheed) to their offense at the trade deadline. Take the Seahawks in what should be a high scoring game. 

Detroit Lions (5-3) at Washington Commanders (3-6) - The Lions will look to rebound after a disappointing loss to Minnesota last week. The Commanders will be without starting QB Jayden Daniels (elbow injury) for perhaps the rest of the season. 

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

DENVER over Las Vegas 

Indianapolis over Atlanta (Game being played in Berlin, Germany) 

Chicago over N.Y. Giants 

Buffalo over Miami 

Minnesota over Baltimore 

Cleveland over N.Y. Jets 

Tampa Bay over New England 

New Orleans over Carolina

Jacksonville over Houston 

Seattle over Arizona 

L.A. Rams over San Francisco 

Detroit over Washington 

L.A. Chargers over Pittsburgh 

Philadelphia over Green Bay  

  

Last Week's Record - 9-5 

SEASON RECORD - 86-48-1 

Lock of the Week Record - 8-1 

 

NFL - Week Nine Recap

Bills QB Josh Allen had a big game to beat the Chiefs. 

The Buffalo Bills held off the visiting Kansas City Chiefs, 28-21 as a "Hail Mary" pass from Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was incomplete near the end zone as time ran out. The Bills (6-2) held a 28-13 lead when quarterback Josh Allen (273 passing yards, one TD) scored his second rushing touchdown of the game late in the third quarter. The Chiefs (5-4) closed to within 28-21 when running back Kareem Hunt scored on a two-yard run and a successful two-point conversion with 11:32 left in the game. That was it for the scoring in the game as the defenses stiffened when it counted and the Bills came away with a hard fought win. 

A couple of surprises in the NFC North on Sunday as the Minnesota Vikings (4-4) went into Detroit and toppled the Lions, 27-24 behind a pair of scoring passes from quarterback J.J. McCarthy, who also had a nine-yard scoring run for a 24-14 lead in the third quarter. A blocked field goal by the Vikings turned the tide even more as they turned it into three points on a field goal for a 27-17 lead in the final quarter. Lions QB Jared Goff (284 passing yards, two TD) threw a 37-yard TD pass to WR Jameson Williams to trim the deficit to 27-24 with 1:55 remaining. But the Vikings ran out the clock and the Lions slipped to 5-3 with the loss. 

In Green Bay, the Packers sleepwalked through a 16-13 loss against the Carolina Panthers (5-4) as Ryan Fitzgerald made a 49-yard field goal as time expired. The Packers (5-2-1) had a pair of turnovers and didn't get a touchdown until RB Josh Jacobs scored on a one-yard plunge with 2:32 left to play in the game to tie it up at 13-13. But the Panthers drove downfield for the game winning kick after leading the whole game, thanks in part to RB Rico Dowdle, who rushed for 130 yards on 25 carries and scored a rushing touchdown to help his team to a 7-6 halftime lead. The Packers lost tight end Tucker Kraft for the season to a knee injury.  

The Chicago Bears (5-3) won the wildest game of the weekend, 47-42 against the host Cincinnati Bengals (3-6) when quarterback Caleb Williams (280 passing yards, three TD passes and a TD reception) hooked up with tight end Colston Loveland for a 58-yard scoring pass with just 17 seconds remaining after coughing up a 41-27 lead with 4:53 remaining in the game. The Bengals scored twice in a span of 49 seconds for a 42-41 lead as QB Joe Flacco (470 passing yards, four TD, two INT) connected with tight end Noah Fant and WR Andrei Iosivas on scoring passes and a successful onside kick. The game started out fast with a 98-yard kickoff return for touchdown by the Bengals return man Charlie Jones and never slowed down. Chicago scored 30 points in the second half to 22 for Cincy as the teams combined for 1,071 yards in offense. Bears rookie running back Kyle Monangai rushed for 176 yards (26 carries) as they piled up 283 yards on the ground to balance the offense, which gained 576 yards. 

The New England Patriots (7-2) escaped at home for a 24-23 victory against the Atlanta Falcons for their sixth consecutive win. Patriots QB Drake Maye had a pair of TD passes and one interception along with 259 passing yards to help out. The Falcons (3-5) scored in the fourth quarter on the third TD pass connection between QB Michael Penix, Jr. and WR Drake London, who had nine receptions for 118 yards in defeat.  However, Falcons kicker Parker Romo missed the PAT kick that proved to be the difference in the final score.  

The Baltimore Ravens (3-5) routed the host Miami Dolphins, 28-6 on Thursday night behind four touchdown passes from quarterback Lamar Jackson while running back Derrick Henry rushed for 119 yards. The Dolphins were limited to a pair of field goals and they had three turnovers (two fumbles, one interception) as they dropped to 2-7 this season. 

 

The Steelers defense dominated the Colts in victory. 

The Pittsburgh Steelers snapped a two-game skid with a 27-20 home win against the Indianapolis Colts (7-2) as their defense had five sacks and also forced six turnovers, including three interceptions of Colts QB Daniel Jones, who also lost two fumbles. Jones did pass for 342 yards and had a TD pass and a scoring run in defeat. The Steelers (5-3) got a TD pass from QB Aaron Rodgers and two rushing touchdowns from RB Jaylen Warren to pace the win. 

The Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) won at Tennessee, 27-20 with QB Justin Herbert (250 passing yards)  running for a touchdown and also tossing two scoring passes to lead the way. The Titans (1-8) went ahead 7-0 on a "pick six" interception return for a 24-yard touchdown by Cody Barton. The other Tennessee touchdown came on a 67-yard punt return by Chimere Dike for a 14-7 lead. The Chargers defense limited the Titans to only 206 yards in offense in the win. 

San Francisco improved to 6-3 this season with a 34-24 triumph over the host New York Giants (2-7) as RB Christian McCaffrey (106 rushing yards) scored twice, once rushing and once receiving and QB Mac Jones threw for two scores. Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart had two TD passes and one rushing score in the loss. 

The Denver Broncos pulled off another last second win, this time an 18-15 decision on the road against the Houston Texans (3-6) as kicker Will Lutz made a 34-yard field goal as time ran out. The Broncos (7-2) tied the game 15-15 early in the fourth quarter on a 27-yard scoring pass from QB Bo Nix to RJ Harvey and a successful two-point conversion with 12:28 left in the fourth quarter. The Texans could only manage five field goals in the loss and starting QB C.J. Stroud left the game with a concussion. 

The Los Angeles Rams (6-2) crushed the visiting New Orleans Saints, 34-10 with QB Matthew Stafford throwing four TD passes along with 281 passing yards and RB Kyren Williams rushing for 114 yards and one touchdown in the rout. The Saints fell to 1-8 as rookie QB Tyler Shough had a TD pass in defeat. 

In Las Vegas, the Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars went into overtime and the Jaguars improved to 5-3 with a thrilling 30-29 win. Jacksonville QB Trevor Lawrence plunged in from one yard out in the OT session for a 30-23 lead following the PAT by Jags kicker Cam Little, who also set a new NFL record for longest field goal in history when he made a 68-yard boot as time expired in the first half. The Raiders (2-6) took a 23-20 lead with 1:52 left in the fourth quarter when QB Geno Smith (284 passing yards, three TD, one INT) threw a 27-yard TD pass to tight end Brock Bowers. But Little connected on a 48-yard field goal to force the overtime. The Raiders scored in the OT on another TD pass from Smith to Bowers (two yards) but the two-point conversion try failed ad the Jaguars got the win to snap a two-game losing skid. 

The Sunday night game in Washington, D.C. between the Commanders and Seattle Seahawks (6-2) was no contest as the Seahawks roared out to a 28-0 first half lead and coasted to a 38-14 victory behind four TD passes by quarterback Sam Darnold, who passed for 330 yards. The Seattle defense had four sacks and two turnovers in the easy win. The Commanders (3-6) lost QB Jayden Daniels to an elbow injury in the fourth quarter as they lost their fourth consecutive game. 

On Monday Night Football, the Arizona Cardinals (3-5) snapped their five game losing streak with a 27-17 road victory against the Dallas Cowboys. Cardinals QB Jacoby Brissett had 261 passing yards along with two touchdown passes and a one-yard TD run to lead the offense. The Cowboys (3-5-1) turned the ball over three times (two fumbles, one interception) while falling behind by 17 points before QB Dak Prescott (250 passing yards, one TD, one INT) threw a five-yard scoring pass to Ryan Flournoy with 10:51 left in the fourth quarter to make it 27-17, but that was as close as it would get. 

 

WEEK NINE RESULTS 

Baltimore 28, Miami 6  

L.A. Chargers 27, Tennessee 20 

San Francisco 34, N.Y. Giants 24 

Chicago 47, Cincinnati 42 

Carolina 16, Green Bay 13 

Minnesota 27, Detroit 24

Pittsburgh 27, Indianapolis 20

New England 24, Atlanta 23  

Denver 18, Houston 15  

L.A. Rams 34, New Orleans 10 

Jacksonville 30, Las Vegas 29 (OT) 

Buffalo 28, Kansas City 21 

Seattle 38, Washington 14

Arizona 27, Dallas 17 

 

DODGERS REPEAT AS WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS

 

The Los Angeles Dodgers did it! 

They won four games to three and repeated as World Series champions with a 5-4 win in 11 innings thanks to a go ahead home run by catcher Will Smith and then pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, named the World Series Most Valuable Player, closed out the Toronto Blue Jays to finish it up. 

The Dodgers became the first Major League Baseball team to repeat since the New York Yankees in the 2000 season and the first National League team to repeat since the Cincinnati Reds way back in the 1976 season. 

 

How about that? 

Congratulations to the LOS ANGELES DODGERS - 2025 WORLD SERIES CHAMPIONS!!  

NFL - Week Nine Preview

 

Without question, the game of the week around the NFL on Sunday is the Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) facing the Buffalo Bills (5-2) in Buffalo. The Bills have owned the Chiefs in recent years during the REGULAR season, but once the playoffs come around, it's all about the Chiefs. 

This Sunday should once again be a back and forth game and as long as Bills quarterback Josh Allen doesn't turn the football over, his team should come out on top. The Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes have it going again with people back healthy and contributing. Kansas City running back Isiah Pacheco might not play in this game due to a knee injury, but Kareem Hunt has been solid when asked to carry the ball. This game is definitely a toss up, so fans should expect to see another classic as these two teams go at it for the tenth time since the 2020 season. 

 

 

Minnesota at Detroit is another game that has questions that will be answered when the final score is posted. The Vikings (3-4) have been struggling and finally will get starting QB J.J. McCarthy back on the field. The Lions (5-2) are roaring on offense and have also shown more life on defense in recent weeks. Minnesota has lost two in a row and McCarthy hasn't played since Week Two because of a severe ankle injury, so how effective he can be is to be determined. That doesn't bode well for the Vikings playing on the road against the Lions. 

After getting shut down in the second half last Sunday night, the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) will be looking to get back on track at home against the Indianapolis Colts, who at 7-1 have the best record in the NFL. The Colts have been the biggest surprise team in  the league and QB Daniel Jones has continued to confound the so called experts with his steady play this season. Once a turnover machine, Jones has been stellar at protecting the football through eight games and running back Jonathan Taylor is in the conversation as well for NFL Most Valuable Player so far this season. 

Taylor has already scored 14 touchdowns (including 12 rushing scores) and is chasing the "impossible" record of 31 touchdowns in one season set by LaDainian Tomlinson with the San Diego Chargers back in the 2006 season. Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers needs to get everybody involved with the offense and spread it around against a tough Colts defense if they want to get the win and the Pittsburgh defense will have their hands full against the NFL's highest scoring team, averaging 33.7 points per game. 

The rest of the action for this weekend is featured in the capsule style format and the Heftyinfo picks follow up. 

Baltimore (2-5) at Miami (2-6) - Thursday night in Miami and the Ravens have QB Lamar Jackson coming back from his hamstring injury. That is a big deal for the most celebrated sub .500 team in recent memory. 

Chicago (4-3) at Cincinnati (3-5) - The Bears laid an egg in Baltimore last week and face yet another AFC North team on the road, so this will not be easy. The Bengals could be without QB Joe Flacco (shoulder injury) and that's not a good thing. Toss up here in this one. 

Carolina (4-4) at Green Bay (5-1-1) - The Packers are rolling and should continue to do so at Lambeau Field in this game. 

L.A. Chargers (5-3)  at Tennessee (1-7) - This game looks like a complete blowout on paper, so will the Chargers find a way to help keep it close against perhaps the worst team in the NFL?

Atlanta (3-4) at New England (6-2) - Patriots should get their sixth consecutive win, but the Jekyll-and-Hyde Falcons might show up this week and keep it close. 

San Francisco (5-3) at N.Y. Giants (2-6) - The Giants are 2-6 for a reason and now they are without both Malik Nabers and rookie RB Cam Skattebo for the rest of this season. The 49ers should get a bounce back win after a terrible effort in Houston last week. 

Denver (6-2) at Houston (3-4) - The Broncos offense has suddenly come alive in last two games, but this time they face a team from Texas that actually plays good defense. The Texans offense woke up last week, but they face one of the best defenses in the NFL this week. Toss up here in what should be a low scoring game. Turnovers will decide the outcome. 

Jacksonville (4-3) at Las Vegas (2-5) - In an unusual turn of events, the Jaguars have not won a football game since that corny TV ad with Trevor Lawrence and rookie Travis Hunter started airing. The Raiders are due for a win and this week it could happen. 

New Orleans (1-7) at L.A. Rams (5-2) - The Rams are coming off the bye week and should plaster the Saints in this home game. 

Seattle (5-2) at Washington (3-5) - If quarterback Jayden Daniels (hamstring injury) can play this week for the Commanders, this "prime time" Sunday night game will be competitive. Seahawks looking to keep pace with the Rams and 49ers in a very competitive NFC West race. 

Arizona (2-5) at Dallas (3-4-1) - The Monday night game featuring two so-so teams. Cowboys have a far better offense, but that defense they play is putrid. This game could go down to the wire and the Cardinals need to get QB Kyler Murray (foot injury) back on the field to have shot at winning this game. 

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

Baltimore over Miami 

Chicago over Cincinnati 

Detroit over Minnesota 

GREEN BAY over Carolina 

L.A. Chargers over Tennessee 

New England over Atlanta 

San Francisco over N.Y. Giants 

Pittsburgh over Indianapolis 

Houston over Denver 

Las Vegas over Jacksonville 

L.A. Rams over New Orleans 

Buffalo over Kansas City 

Seattle over Washington 

Dallas over Arizona 

 

Last Week's Record - 9-4 

SEASON RECORD - 77-43-1 

Lock of the Week Record - 8-0  

 

NFL - Week Eight Recap

Packers tight end Tucker Kraft had a huge game in victory on Sunday night.  

On Sunday night in Pittsburgh, the Green Bay Packers (5-1-1) dominated the second half and overcame a 16-7 halftime deficit to win, 35-25 against the Steelers (4-3), who dropped their second straight game.  Packers quarterback Jordan Love threw for three touchdowns and had 360 passing yards with two of the touchdown strikes going to tight end Tucker Kraft, who had seven receptions for 143 yards as the Packers scored 21 fourth quarter points. Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers passed for 219 yards and two scores in the loss. 

The Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) avenged their loss to the New York Giants two weeks ago with a resounding 38-20 home victory as quarterback Jalen Hurts had four TD passes along with running back Saquon Barkley rushing for 150 yards (on just 14 carries) and he scored on a 65-yard run and also had a touchdown reception. Philadelphia rushed for 276 yards in the game and piled up 427 yards in total offense. Giants QB Jaxson Dart had a scoring pass and run in defeat as they dropped to 2-6 this season and also lost RB Cam Skattebo for the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

The New England Patriots (6-2) woke up in the second half and steamrolled the visiting Cleveland Browns, 32-13 behind three TD passes by QB Drake Maye, who passed for 282 yards along with one interception in the rout. The Browns (2-6) had a brief 7-3 lead in the first half as rookie QB Dillon Gabriel finished the game with a pair of scoring passes while their defense had six sacks, including five by Myles Garrett in the loss. 

In Denver, the Broncos (6-2) smashed the Dallas Cowboys, 44-24 behind four TD passes by QB Bo Nix (247 passing yards and one INT) while they amassed 426 yards in offense. Running back RJ Harvey scored three times (two rushing, one receiving) and J.K. Dobbins had 111 yards on the ground to pace the attack. Cowboys QB Dak Prescott was intercepted twice as they fell to 3-4-1 for the season. 

The Indianapolis Colts improved to an NFL best record of 7-1 as they crushed the visiting Tennessee Titans, 38-14 with RB Jonathan Taylor going off for 153 rushing yards (12 carries) and he also scored three touchdowns (two rushing, one receiving) which included an 80-yard burst in the third quarter to open things up after Indy had built a 17-7 halftime lead. Colts QB Daniel Jones had three TD passes and also passed for 272 yards while the Titans fell to 1-7 as they allowed 420 yards in offense for the Colts in the loss. 

The Baltimore Ravens (2-5) showed they still have life with a 30-16 home win against the Chicago Bears (4-3), who saw their four game win streak come to an end. Ravens RB Derrick Henry scored two rushing touchdowns and their defense came up with a big interception to keep the Bears in check. Chicago settled for three field goals and their only touchdown came on a two-yard run by D'Andre Swift early in the fourth quarter to cut their deficit to 16-13 before Baltimore put the game away with 14 points, including a ten-yard TD pass from QB Tyler Huntley.

 

The Buffalo Bills (5-2) went on the road and blasted the Carolina Panthers, 40-9 with RB James Cook (pictured right) scoring twice, including a 64-yard TD run while rushing for 216 yards on 19 carries. Buffalo QB Josh Allen also had a pair of rushing touchdowns and threw a 54-yard TD pass to wide receiver Khalil Shakir. The Panthers (4-4) were never in this one as they turned the football over three times (two fumbles and one interception) while allowing seven sacks. 

 

Tampa Bay beat the host New Orleans Saints, 23-3 to improve to 6-2 with Anthony Nelson scoring on a three-yard interception return while RB Sean Tucker had a scoring run and Chase McLaughlin kicked three field goals. Despite outgaining the Buccaneers in yardage, the Saints fell to 1-7 while settling for just one field goal in the loss.

The New York Jets (1-7) won their first game this season with a huge second half comeback to beat the host Cincinnati Bengals, 39-38 as running back Breece Hall threw a four-yard scoring pass to tight end Mason Taylor with 1:54 remaining. Hall also ran for 133 yards on 18 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns to lead the fourth quarter charge as the Jets scored 23 points. The Bengals (3-5) led 31-16 entering the final quarter with QB Joe Flacco throwing for two touchdowns and also scoring on a one-yard run. The Jets had their best offensive game this season, racking up 502 total yards, including 254 rushing yards. 

The Los Angeles Chargers crushed the Minnesota Vikings, 37-10 on Thursday night in Los Angeles as quarterback Justin Herbert (227 passing yards) had three touchdown passes (one interception) and running back Kimani Vidal scored a rushing touchdown while going for 117 yards on 23 carries. The Chargers (5-3) piled up 419 yards in total offense with good balance, gaining 207 yards on the ground along with 212 passing yards. Meanwhile, the Chargers defense limited the Vikings (3-4) to just 164 total yards, including just 34 rushing yards, while sacking Minnesota QB Carson Wentz (144 passing yards, one TD, one INT) five times in the rout. 

The Houston Texans improved to 3-4 with a 26-15 win at home against the San Francisco 49ers as quarterback C.J. Stroud (318 passing yards) threw two TD passes to offset a pair of scoring throws by San Francisco QB Mac Jones. The Texans had 475 yards in offense in the win and dominated in time of possession, holding the ball for over 41 minutes. The 49ers dropped to 5-3 with the loss. 

In Atlanta, the Falcons lost, 34-10 to the Miami Dolphins (2-6) as Miami QB Tua Tagovailoa tossed four touchdown passes while their defense allowed just 213 yards for the Falcons, who dropped to 3-4 this season. The Dolphins held the ball for over 37 minutes in the blowout win. 

The Monday Night Football game in Kansas City turned into a blowout in the second half and the Chiefs won, 28-7 against the Washington Commanders (3-5) with QB Patrick Mahomes throwing for three touchdowns. Running back Kareem Hunt scored twice, getting a TD run of one yard and also hauling in a two-yard scoring pass from Mahomes (299 passing yards, three TD, two INT) as the Chiefs (5-3) gained 432 yards in offense. Washington had tied the game 7-7 on an 11-yard scoring pass from Marcus Mariota to WR Terry McLaurin just before halftime, but were shut down in the second half.

 

WEEK EIGHT RESULTS 

L.A. Chargers 37, Minnesota 10  

Houston 26, San Francisco 15 

Baltimore 30, Chicago 16 

Miami 34, Atlanta 10 

Buffalo 40, Carolina 9 

New England 32, Cleveland 13

N.Y. Jets 39, Cincinnati 38 

Philadelphia 38, N.Y. Giants 20 

Tampa Bay 23, New Orleans 3

Denver 44, Dallas 24  

Indianapolis 38, Tennessee 14 

Green Bay 35, Pittsburgh 25

Kansas City 28, Washington 7  

 

 

NFL - Week Eight Preview

Thursday night football in Los Angeles will feature two struggling teams as the Chargers (4-3) host the Minnesota Vikings (3-3) and looking to keep pace with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC West division race. The Vikings have dropped into last place in the rugged NFC North division and will be without starting quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle injury) yet again. This game should be close and the team that does the best job of protecting the football wins it. 

 

 

The Dallas Cowboys (3-3-1) and their high powered offense travel to Denver to take on the Broncos (5-2), who lead the AFC West race and were very fortunate to win last week against the New York Giants. Dallas blew away the Washington Commanders, 44-22 last week and have been averaging 31.7 points per game while allowing just under 30 points per game. The Broncos can get after the opposing quarterback and will look to bring pressure against Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. The Broncos can mix it up on offense as well and this one should be a higher scoring game. A possible X factor in this tilt could be Cowboys running back Javonte Williams, who has been rolling lately and would love to stick it to his old team. 

The Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) lead the NFC East and take on the New York Giants at home, looking to avenge their loss to them just two weeks ago on a Thursday night. The Giants (2-5) have been scoring points in the last two games (66 total points in a win and loss) with rookies Jaxson Dart (quarterback) and running back Cam Skattebo leading the charge. If the Giants can implement the same game plan and execute like their big win two weeks ago, they could sweep the Eagles this year. However, look for Philly to make the adjustments and be ready this time. 

The Sunday night game will have the Green Bay Packers (4-1-1) on the road and facing the Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2), who were humbled in Cincinnati in Week Seven, losing 33-31, which snapped their three-game winning streak. The one team that Steelers QB Aaron Rodgers has never beaten is the Packers, where he played for 18 seasons. This game should be a thrilling one and Rodgers knows the tendencies of his old team and vice versa. The Packers will try and get after Rodgers and the Pittsburgh offensive line will have to keep Packers linebacker Micah Parsons (three sacks against Arizona last week) from getting to Rodgers. Watch for a little of the old Aaron Rodgers "magic" in this game with the Steelers coming away with the victory.  

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

Chicago (4-2) at Baltimore (1-5) - The big question here is whether Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (hamstring injury) will be able to play. The Bears are seeking their fifth straight win and lead the NFL in takeaways. 

Miami (1-6) at Atlanta (3-3) - This game should be a bounce back for the up and down Falcons against a Dolphins team that cannot get out of their own way. 

Buffalo (4-2) at Carolina (4-3) - Can the Panthers keep their magic carpet ride season going against a desperate Bills team that suddenly has been struggling to score points? 

N.Y. Jets (0-7) at Cincinnati (3-4) - The Bengals and QB Joe Flacco should have their way in this home game. 

San Francisco (5-2) at Houston (2-4) - The 49ers are rolling, even with backup QB Mac Jones leading the offense. The Texans have to win this game or could risk falling too far back in the AFC South race. 

Cleveland (2-5) at New England (5-2) - On paper, this one looks to be a mismatch, but the Browns defense will keep them hanging around in the game. Patriots looking to make it five wins in a row. 

Tampa Bay (5-2) at New Orleans (1-6) - The Buccaneers will look to the right the ship in this road game. The Saints usually play the Bucs tougher at home, so it could be a close one. 

Tennessee (1-6) at Indianapolis (6-1) - Colts roll ! 

Washington (3-4) at Kansas City (4-3) - These two teams are heading in opposite directions and the visiting Commanders will be without starting QB Jayden Daniels (hamstring injury) as well. Chiefs and QB Patrick Mahomes are once again clicking on offense. 

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

L.A. Chargers over Minnesota 

Baltimore over Chicago  

Atlanta over Miami 

Buffalo over Carolina 

Cincinnati over N.Y. Jets 

Houston over San Francisco 

New England over Cleveland 

Philadelphia over N.Y. Giants 

Tampa Bay over New Orleans 

Dallas over Denver 

INDIANAPOLIS over Tennessee 

Pittsburgh over Green Bay 

Kansas City over Washington  

 

Last Week's Record - 12-3 

SEASON RECORD - 68-39-1 

Lock of the Week Record - 7-0