Pick 6: NFL Week 3
The early NFL season has been anything but ordinary. Just this past week, the Jags got their revenge in New England with a 31-20 win, the Packers and Vikings delivered the second tie game of the season, and, craziest of all, the Browns actually won a football game in the week 3 Thursday game. But the real story of the young season has been surprising QB performances. If I asked you before the season who would lead each conference in TD's and passer rating in the first couple weeks, you would probably answer with names like, Brady, Roethlisberger, Rodgers, Brees, Goff, Wilson, and so on. But no, it's none of them. It's actually Patrick Mahomes and Ryan freakin Fitzpatrick. These two have dominated in the start of the season. It will be interesting to see how long they can keep this going.
This week I'll cover the games featuring both of those unlikely 2018 stars in my six games. QB matchups is a common theme for this week, but we have a some other variety as well. Let's dive into what should be some great football games.
Saints vs Falcons
This matchup has all the makings of an offensive firework show. The meeting of two of the best passers in the game is only heightened by the fact that these defenses stink. Each team normally has a great backfield tandem to go with their QB as well. This time around, Mark Ingram is suspended and Devonta Freeman may be out with an injury. But trust me, Kamara and Coleman are plenty good enough to slice through their opposing defenses.
Although I do believe that both these teams are very good, I find myself second guessing after the first two weeks, particularly on New Orleans. The Saints may have scored 40 in the opener, but they got completely shown up by Tampa Bay and FitzMagic. The next week, they barely scraped by in Cleveland. I had high expectations for this team, but it's hard for me to see them in the same way after this start. The Falcons had a rough opener in Philadelphia, but a strong showing against the Panthers makes me think they'll be okay.
Atlanta at home seems to be the clear choice. I expect at least a decent showing from the Saints to make this a good shootout, but a win appears unlikely.
Falcons win, 37-30
49ers vs Chiefs
Jimmy Garoppolo and Patrick Mahomes. These two could be tearing up the league for years to come. We've seen very little of either, yes, but they seem to have almost endless potential. It's a shame we'll only see them play each other once every four years. That is, excluding a Super Bowl meeting.
I don't know who is better between the two passers, but I do know that one has Tyreek Hill, Kareem Hunt, and Travis Kelce, and the other doesn't. Kansas City's defense isn't much to brag about, but the crowd at Arrowhead does present a challenge for opposing offenses. Garoppolo and the 49ers are clearly outmatched. The game might not end up close, but these two QB's makes this must-watch football.
Chiefs win, 41-27
Colts vs Eagles
Andrew Luck and Carson Wentz are both healthy and ready to play. Luck made his return in week 1 after a season-long absence, while Wentz will be taking his first snap since week 14 last year in L.A..
This may seem like a no-brainer. After all, it is the reigning Champs taking on a very thin roster outside of the QB position. However, given Philly's early performance, we may have a real game on our hands. Maybe Wentz's return will spark the turnaround, but there's no guarantee with him coming off his first major injury. Playing against an Indianapolis defense is a good way to ease in though.
Luck looked pretty good against a good Bengals defense in week 1, and I think he will fare well against Philly's. However, I don't think he can overcome his own team's defense, or lack there of. Even if Wentz isn't fully on his game, the Eagles offense should do enough.
Eagles win, 24-20
Bengals vs Panthers
Amidst the explosive offensive performances, we could have defensive thriller in Carolina. Although neither defense has looked stellar through two weeks, I think they just haven't hit their stride. Both defenses have favorable matchups this week. Cincinnati specializes in stopping the run. That could be an issue for the Panthers who play best when they establish a consistent running game. Carolina is typically more dominant in controlling the air. That puts the Bengals in a tough spot as their plan of attack puts a lot of emphasis on getting A.J. Green the ball.
I can't see either team finding the endzone more than once or twice. I don't think either team will put together many good drives. I think this game will be decided by a couple big plays. The Bengals have the best playmaker on the field, A.J. Green, but the Panthers can neutralize him. Just last week they held Julio Jones to just 5 catches on 9 targets. The Falcons had no problems with Jones' limited role because they have a surplus of weapons. The Bengals don't. If Green is taken out of this game, Cincinnati will be shut down.
After Green, Cam Newton is the biggest playmaker on either side. I don't know if Cincinnati can contain him all day. I think Cam will manage a few big plays, and that will be the difference.
Panthers win, 20-13
Chargers vs Rams
The first L.A. vs L.A. battle since 1994 takes place in the Coliseum this Sunday. I'm sure no one expected this game a few years ago. Not only was neither team in L.A., but neither team had much hope. Now, both teams have very high potential. Before the season started, I predicted a #1 seed finish for the two of them. Both have tons of talent on both sides of the ball. I had this game marked several weeks ago.
While the Rams have lived up to everyone's expectations through two games, the Chargers have been lacking. Two games isn't much to go off of, but they didn't look to good against Kansas City and beating Buffalo isn't exactly an accomplishment. I think this team is better than this. They might just be going through a slow start like last year. I think they will start to heat up this week. They're gonna have to if they want to compete with the Rams.
Even if the Chargers do heat up though, the Rams should take this one. The Chargers are a great team at their best, but the Rams are something else. They went all in to win this year, and it looks like they're in good shape. It's hard to see them losing any time soon.
Rams win, 31-20
Steelers vs Buccaneers
This game's narrative has taken quite a turn. A few weeks ago, it was just a lousy, lopsided, and uninteresting Monday night game. Now the tides have turned. The Steelers are desperate to avoid a 0-2-1 start. Standing in their way, Ryan Fitzpatrick. This isn't the old Ryan Fitzpatrick that we're used to. This is the Ryan Fitzpatrick that's fresh off of back-to-back 400+ yard, 4 TD performances to start his team 2-0. But can "FitzMagic" do it again?
I say he can. The Steelers are a mess. It started with Le'Veon Bell's holdout. Now Antonio Brown's outbursts are adding to the mix. This is adding to the fact that Roethlisberger isn't getting any younger, and the defense sure ain't what it used to be. I'm not sure what to expect from this team anymore.
Pittsburgh got burned by Mahomes last week. I think Fitzpatrick will continue the trend.
Buccaneers win, 34-23
