THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:20 PM Seattle Seahawks (2-0) at San Francisco 49es (1-1)

Streaking 'Hawks Seeking Third Straight, Niners Hope to Rebound    

    A big NFC West game is on tap here. Seattle is hot and hoping to remain untarnished before they face the Rams next week. San Franciso was bounced, 31-21, by Washington last week as the running game was completely abandoned in favor of returning to last season's tactic of airing it out with QB Brock Purdy.

   Seattle has done a very good job of limiting the burden on QB Geno Smith by getting tremendous production out of tailback Kenneth Walker. Walker has put up back-to-back 200+ yard rushing outings including a stunning 35 carry, 241 yard game last week against Detroit! His totals have enabled the Seahawks to utilize Geno Smith and his wide receivers wisely and the newly retooled offensive line has been stellar as well. Smith has completed 73.91% of his pass attempts with just 2 sacks and 1 interception to date leading to a fine 107 QBR. DJ Metcalf, Tyler Lockett, and TE Noah Fant are all seeing the ball come their way. The pass rush has been solid as well with 15 sacks for a defense that has allowed just 16 total points thus far!

   The Niners got 516 yards passing last week out of QB Brock Purdy, but he would be sacked 8 times, picked off twice, and the team would talliy just 21 points. Backs Christian McCaffrey and Elijah Mitchell would combine for only 9 carries and 21 yards rushing on the day. Meanwhile, Washington had balance with 231 yards passing and 150 yards rushing.

   If San Fran can force the Seahawks out of their run dominant patterns they have a real shot here. However, a lopside passing attack could allow the Seattle pass rush to do some damage and the Seahawks' secondary is very good.  Seattle 30-21. 

1:00 PM Minnesota Vikings (0-2) at Detroit Lions (0-2)    

Somebody in NFC North is Gonna be in Big Trouble

    The Lions and Vikings are in the same predicament, but only one will have a chair to sit on when the music stops this week. The two clubs have not been able to keep folks out of the endzone. Minnesota is allowing 37.25 PPG while Detroit is giving up 38.75 PPG, so one can expect a high scoring affair here.

   The one difference could be found on offense. While the Vikings have not been very good, they come in averaging 16.25 PPG compared to the Lions' league worst 1.50 PPG output! Detroit has converted just 6 times on third down to date (25%), which ranks 29th in the PFL, and have not had a single red zone score (0%)! Obviously, those numbers need to change dramatically if this team is to compete. Both teams also get sacked quite a bit. The Vikings have ceded 18 sacks with Detroit right behind allowing their QB to get dropped 17 times.

   Final Analysis: Detroit and coach Mike Russo are in a learning stage and that might continue. Still, the team should improve over time. Minnesota is also in a bit of a learning era and the result could be a wild contest beyween these two. Gonna go with Vikings but...Minnesota 32-26.

 1:00 PM Buffalo Bills (0-2) at New York Jets (0-2)  

Empire State Teams Hunt Initial Win as Gang Green Gets New HC

    The Buffalo Bills' well chronicled troubles have not, so it appears, gone away this season. QB Josh Allen is, yet again, right near the top of football in taking sacks (18) and that is killing any hopes for Buffalo success. Fortunately for them, however, the Jets have not been any better with QB Aaron Rodgers leading the PFL in being sacked with 21! 

   Buffalo has shown it can win if it can protect Allen but, all too often, the team fails in that department. The club has, oddly, been pretty good on third down conversions (54.05%) but the problem is the team has also been in 37 third down situations (18.5 per game)! A big factor in this one could get down to the turnovers. Buffalo is a -2 in that category while the Jets are a +2 and have not turned it over in either of their first two games. On the other hand, New York has given up the second most passing yards (374.5 YPG) in the league and that could open the door for Allen to have a big game.

   Final Analysis: Whichever team can keep their QB afloat should win. Feel Jets have a better upside in the rushing game and Breece Hall could be huge here. Rookie TE Brock Bowers has not gotten used much in the Jets' offense and he could also pose a problem for Buffalo. New York 27-22.

1:00 PM Indianapolis Colts (1-1) at Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1)   

AFC South Foes Clash in Critical Early Scuffle

    These two teams both righted their ships last week with wins. The Colts dominated the Bills with a ferocious pass rush that pummeled Bills' QB Josh Allen 12 times and held them to just 201 total yards of offense in a, 34-10, rout. The Jags got a 378 yard, 4 TD performance out of QB Trevor Lawrence as his early season efforts continue to give optimism in Jacksonville. J-Ville dumped the Jets, 37-20, and got to QB Aaron Rodgers 11 times!

   Quarterback play could be big in this one. Indy has gotten solid overall production out of Sophomore QB Anthony Richardson. He has posted back-to-back 110+ QBR outings with 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. He has not been prolific in passing yardage (206.25 YPG) but he has been efficient. Richardson is also a threat to run and ran six times for 59 yards and a TD last week with a long of 37 yards! HB Jonathan Taylor, however, has not gotten it going just yet. The star back has 35 carries for 163 yards but has not eclipsed the century mark in a game yet. That could be an issue against a Jaguars' defense that is giving up only 61.5 YPG rushing. Of course, Indy has been stout against the run as well allowing only 80 YPG. If neither team can consistently run the ball then pass protection becomes the next biggest concern. Both teams have been sack demons thus far. Indy has 15 sacks to its credit while the Jags have blasted their way to 16 traps.

   Final Analysis: Richardson could win this game with his legs. Lawrence has been playing well and can win this one with his arm. Indy is allowing only 169 YPG passing to go along with their run D and could be a tough customer here. Still, feel Jags find a way. Jacksonville 26-22.

1:00 PM Chicago Bears (2-0) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

Bears Roaring and Clawing, Cowboys Near Bottom in Most Stats...Doomsday for Doomsday?

    Head Coach Mike Goodman and his Bears have to be licking their chops to have a shot at the disorganized Cowboys this week. Afterall, the Pokes are at or near the bottom of virtually every major stat in the league on both sides of the ball and have not shown much to give hope that things will improve anytime soon.

   Dallas was able to upset the Giants last week thanks to a 99 yard opening play kickoff return by Tarik Cohen and two key interceptions of Giant QB Daniel Jones. The offense, quite frankly, has been dreadful averaging only 176 YPG. Rookie QB Drake Maye has been largely ineffective and the club's 38% third down coversion rate and deplorable 19.6% team drop rate has been a disaster. Dallas has already dropped 9 passes (3 each from top receivers Cee Dee Lamb and Michael Gallup) out of 46 targets! Maye has, often, seemed out of sorts and his 82.8 QBR ranks 29th out all regulars in the league! The defense did show up last week, however, completely shutting down the Giants' running game (3.27 YPC) and not allowing a run over 10 yards.

   LB David Mayo and DL Zacch Pickens combined for six of the Bears' eleven sacks and CB Mike Hughes had a 24 yard intercetpion return of Arizona QB Kyler Murray in Chicago's, 24-15, win over the Cardinals. 'Zona's coach Mac rejoined the PFL and was immediately reintroduced to the pass protection need in the league. Chicago QB Justin Fields was sacked six times himself and finished with just 145 yards passing, but HB Tony Pollard would post his second straight 100+ yard rushing day with 115 yards on 21 carries. After two games, Pollard is averaging a career best 5.6 YPC heading into this one. Receivers Darnell Moody and Paris Campbell have been effective weapons on reverses and jet sweeps. Moody had a 29 yard scamper against the Cardinals and now has run six times for 50 yards and 3 TDs while Campbell got his first two cracks at running the ball going for 11 yards and a touchdown. 

   Chicago is 3rd in the NFC allowing just 62.5 YPG rushing while leading the PFL with 22 sacks having blasted opposing signal callers Murray and Detroit's Jared Goff 11 times each! That does not bode well, at all, for a Dallas offense that has really struggled this season in all categories.

   Final Analysis: Dallas finds itself, yet again, in a serious mismatch of a contest. Unless rookie QB Drake Maye really picks it up this week, there really is no way the Cowboys can withstand the power of Chicago. Chicago 31-17.   

1:00 PM Atlanta Falcons (1-1) at Washington Commanders (2-0)

Falcons in Big Test at FedEx as DC Bunch Shoots for NFC East Control

    The Falcons have been playing a bit different style of ball this season than last, but are still retaining some of the tactics of a year ago. They edged the Chargers, 17-14, last week despite totally dominating the game statistically. Atlanta would hold LA to just 85 total yards of offense but still could not pull away as the Bolts got a 98 yard kick return from Elijah Dotson to stay in the fray. Washington gave up 516 yards passing to Niners' QB Brock Purdy but would use 8 sacks, 2 interceptions, and rugged run defense (21 yards on 9 carries) to ease past San Francisco, 31-21. QB Sam Howell stayed hot with 258 yards passing and 3 touchdowns while completing 68% of his throws for a 124.6 QBR. Backs Bijan Robinson and rookie Bucky Irving combined for 150 yards rushing.

   Atlanta has let QB Malik Willis throw it more this year. A prime weapon has been little regarded WR Dion MIller who leads the team with 12 receptions for 184 yards. WR Drake London is averaging 18.2 YPR and has been a big play guy with his 5 receptions while TE Kyle Pitts has 10 catches for 108 yards. Bijan Robinson has been a force both running and catching the ball. The second year tailback has 193 yards rushing on 31 carries (6.2 YPC) and another 82 yards receiving with 9 grabs.

   A key in this one could be the Commanders' passing game against a Falcon defense that has put up just 6 sacks and 1 interception thus far. The Atlanta D has, though, been disruptive up front with 21 TFLs and might need to get into the backfield quite a bit in order to slow down the running of Washington's Brian Robinson. Robinson has run for 240 yards and has eclipsed the 20 carry mark in each of his first two games. The Washigton D has 12 sacks, 3 interceptions, and 2 forced fumbles to go along with 20 TFLs so Atlanta must do what it can to keep out of too many predictable passing situations.

   Final Analysis: Atlanta could pull this one off but they have a tough customer in the Commanders. QB Willis could surprise with his legs but the defense will need to hold Washington in check somehow. Washington 28-20.

1:00 PM Carolina Panthers (1-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2)

Is Carolina Rising or? Bucs Sailing for First W

  One week after stunning the Philadelphia Eagles the Carolina Panthers were trampled by the Denver Broncos, 32-10. The question, of course, is whether or not the Panthers are truly on the upswing or are they still a rebuilding project? Tampa Bay has had a rough start to their season and things got even more depressing when rookie QB Sheduer Sanders tore his labrum and will be put on the shelf for 3 weeks. The Bucs have signed much travelled Trey Lance to fill the void. 

   The Panthers looked terrific in week 1 as second year QB Bryce Young had a stellar performance. But Young came crashing back to earth versus the Broncos finishing with a 76 QBR leaving folks to wonder if the glass is half full or empty?  HB Zach Charbonnet was a bit of an expensive commodity they traded for and, so far, he has not been able to deliver the type of production they envisioned. Charbonnett has averaged 3.62 YPC with his longest run accounting for only 11 yards.

   The Bucs do not seem to have much luck and really need this game here or another long season is probably in store for them. Losing Sanders, of course, lessens expectations, but the show must go on. It will remain a mystery as to who will run the ship, Lance or Kyle Trask. Trask was a complete flop last week throwing 4 picks and finishing with a 54.7 QBR, so Lance has a great shot at stepping in. Tampa's defense actually played very well against the PFL Champion Saints and kept the Bucs in it. They would check the New Orleans' offense to 208 yards passing and 117 yards rushing although the turnovers did create some short field scenarios. Nonetheless, the 28-21 final was surprising given the circumstances Tampa Bay played under.

   Final Analysis: The Tampa Bay defense will likely have to carry the day in this one and the offense cannot turn it over like it did a week ago. Carolina needs to get that running game going and clearly needs consistency from Young. The Bucs have given up 281 yards rushing in their first two games but can Carolina capitalize on that stat?  The lack of solid quarterback play might prove too much for the Bucs. Carolina 24-20.

1:00 PM New England Patriots (2-0) at Houston Texans (1-1)

Improving Texans Face White Hot Pats and Perfect Passer Jones

   The PFL has taken notice of the early season successes up in New England. The Patriots come into NRG Stadium having won their first two games averaging an absurd 54.75 PPG! And, as if those numbers are not impressive enough, consider that the two wins came against the LA Rams (who were in the NFC title game last season) and the Baltimore Ravens (who were in the Super Bowl last year)! Houston would represent a third consecutive divisional champion from a season ago (As the Texans are the defending AFC South champs) they will have faced to start their season. The Texans, meanwhile, have a new HC in Jim Hatzis and are coming off a big victory over the Tennessee Titans that put all four AFC South teams into a tie with identical 1-1 records.

   New England has carried over some momentum from last year when they won the AFC East and then shocked the Kansas City Chiefs in the playoffs before losing the AFC title game to the Ravens. The play of QB Mac Jones has been spectacular beyond anyone's imagination. The under-valued Jones is throwing for 370+ YPG and has flipped an amazing 10 TD passes without a turnover and been sacked just three times all while completing an incredible 85.11% of his attempts for a perfect 158.3 QBR (Note: 158.3 is the highest rating a QB can attain)! And it has not all been Jones. HB Rhamondre Stevenson just ran over a good Ravens' defense for 178 yards last week and is averaging 103 YPG with a stirling 5.82 YPC average. His backup, Tyler Algier, is chiming in with another 136 yards and an even better 6.18 YPC average! And who has been on the receiving end of all these pyrotechnics you ask?  Well, none other than Tyquan Thornton who has hauled in 15 Jones' passes for 6 touchdowns and, hold on to your hats folks, for 380 yards and a spectacular 25.33 YPC average! In short, the first two games of the Patriots' season rank near the very top of PFL history...

   Final Analysis: The outrageous numbers by the Patriots is startling and the Texans have their work cut out for them. Houston played very well last week but that was versus a very conservative Titans' offense and this is the complete opposite so who knows?  New England 33-23.

1:00 PM Baltimore Ravens (1-1) at Cincinnati Bengals (2-0)

Has the Worm Turned in the AFC North?

    It is common knowledge that the defending AFC champion Ravens lost some key elements in the off-season. And their week 1 over-time win against the Steelers only added to the specualtion that, perhaps, they might not be as mighty as they were last year. The question marks only became more numerous after Baltimore was blasted by the New England Patriots last week, 52-21, with the defense getting shredded for over 600 yards and QB LaMar Jackson getting pounded for 9 sacks. They now head to Cincinnati to meet a Bengals' team that, quite franckly, seems to be playing at a much different level than in recent times and is trending upward despite, like the Ravens, having lost some key pieces (like current Pittsburgh Steeler NT D.J. Reader) in the off-season. 

   Bengal QB Joe Burrow is off to his best start in quite a while. He was awesome in last week's, 35-20, rout of the Steelers completing 32 of 36 pass attempts for 414 yards and 3 touchdowns. He has been terrific in his first two outings completing a near impossible 59 of 68 passes (86.64%) for 770 yards and 5 touchdowns. Baltimore has surrendered the sixth most passing yards on the season (303 YPG) and, beyond all belief, has not recorded a single sack yet! Obviously, it would seem in the Ravens' best interest to find some way to get a pass rush going. While their numbers have been distressing, it is a decent bet that the D will come around sooner or later and that time could be now.

   Another troubling sign in Baltimore has been the lack of a power running game in short yardage situations. A season ago, powerful back Gus Edwards played a key role in that area, but the team may have moved off utilizing D'Onta Foreman in that role as he was held to a mere 5 snaps and no carries last week.

   Final Analysis: The Ravens appear to be a team searching for its identity at the moment. They have the talent to contend with any team out there, but clearly are working their way through some wrinkles. One would expect a better performance from the defense than in the first two games, but nobody knows to what degree. Cinci has found a groove and it will be up to the Ravens to find a way to get them out of their rhythm. Cincinnati 26-22.

4:05 PM Arizona Cardinals (0-2) at Green Bay Packers (2-0)

New Staff in Desert Seeking First W Versus Unblemished Pack

    The Arizona Cardinals have fallen on tough times of late. Last week they played a competitive game against the Chicago Bears, but could not protect QB Kyle Murray at all watching him get sacked some 11 times in a, 24-15, loss. The defense played pretty well posting 6 sacks of QB Justin Fields, but the offense never really got going. Green Bay's Triple Tramplers of backs Aaron Jones, AJ Dillon, and Tyler Goodson were held to just 51 yards on 25 combined carries last week by the rugged Philadelphia Eagles' run defense, but the team showed it is not one dimensional at all as QB Jordan Love responded with a glittering 23-28-424 effort averaging 15.1 YPA and completing 82% of his throws! The fact the Pack can hit teams from both the air and ground will make them a rugged foe going forward.

   Arizona QB Kyle Murray has been getting hammered. To date, he has been smashed into the turf some 20 times and has an 86.95 QBR. Backs James Connor and Austin Ekeler are averaging 7.3 and 8.2 YPC respectively, but they have a total of just 18 carries between them. The Cards have been awful on third down coming in with a lowly 28.57% rate (8-28). The defense, meanwhile, has zero takeaways and just 6 sacks and that is not gonna get it done. The Packers, conversely, have not turned the ball over yet, are averaging 37.5 PPG, and have converted on 50% (12-24) of their third down situations.

   Final Analysis: Cards under a new HC and have some real problems especially on defense. Green Bay should be able to get their running game back on track and lean on Love if they have to. Green Bay 32-17.

4:15 PM Los Angeles Chargers (0-2) at Las Vegas Raiders (0-2)

Power Outages in Charger-land, Injury Woes in Vegas 

   It seems like a century ago when the Chargers last won a game. Last week the Bolts' offense acted as if somebody had flipped the entire switch board off as the unit went virtually powerless. Los Angeles would total 85 yards in a surprisingly tight, 17-14, loss to Atlanta! QB Justin Herbert would be sacked six times,complete 56% of his passes, throw a long of just 18 yards, and finish with a 40 QBR! Vegas, meanwhile, dropped its second in a row with a, 28-14, loss to the rival Kansas City Chiefs. The defense played pretty well, overall, but rookie QB Caleb Williams continued to struggle completing less than 60% of his throws and top tailback Josh Jacobs would go down with a groin injury for the next 3 weeks.

   The Chargers have not been able to figure out a way to get their offense going despite an influx of talent in the off-season. No receiver has more than 5 receptions and rookie Marvin Harrison Jr. has only 57 yards receiving thus far. Fellow rookie tailback Treveyon Henderson has 32 carries for 115 yards and is averaging 3.59 YPC.

   The Raiders have not been their normal hi-octane selves mostly due to the play of Williams. He has been sacked 13 times already and has 3 TDs compared to 2 INTs. With Jacobs out, Zamir White will step in. White was electric last season filling in for Jacobs and is more than capable of filling the void. The secondary has not recorded an interception yet and the D has just 6 sacks, so one can expect the defense to pick it up in this one.

   Final Analysis: The Chargers could be the perfect fix for Vegas. If The Bolts cannot score then it should allow Williams to play under less stressful conditions than he did in weeks 1 and 2 against the PFL Champion Saints and the overpowering Kansas City Chiefs.  Las Vegas 32-13.

4:15 PM Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2) at Denver Broncos (2-0)

Steelers Playing Better but Need a Win, Broncos' and Wilson Having a Revival in Mile High Land?

    Excitement was in the air two weeks ago, despite losing, in Pittsburgh following the team's encouraging, narrow, over-time loss to the Baltimore Ravens. But, the club was ripped to pieces by the Cincinnati Bengals last week, falling behind by a whopping 31-7 margin, and the enthusiasm has now switched to a small case of urgency. Nothing short of a win seems acceptable at this moment in time.

   Denver remains without a full time staff, but the current managers are doing just fine thank you. Bronco QB Russell Wilson, seen as the poster-child for past Denver ineptitude, has had a resurgence. He has thrown for 705 yards and 5 touchdown without a pick and a 133.1 QBR so far on the season leading an offense that is third in football averaging 38.75 PPG! The defense leads the AFC against the run ceding only 46 YPG and is giving up only 20.5 PPG.

   The Steelers have to get a win here. The Steelers elected to forego selecting USC QB Caleb Williams in the draft and decided to tab DB Kool-aide McKinstry instead. That meant that Kenny Pickett was going to their guy. He had an outstanding season opener against the Ravens, but completed just 61% of his throws versus the Bengals last week and often just seemed out of sync. He has had consistency problems in the past and the first two games have done little to alter that viewpoint. The other major worry has to be the season HB Najee Harris has been having so far. The bruising back is coming off a staggering season in which he rolled up 2142 yards, 16 touchdowns, and a 5.6 YPC average, but he has mustered just 104 yards on 33 carries (3.2 YPC) so far this year.

   Final Analysis: Hard to figure out exactly where Pittsburgh actually is at the moment. The offense, without a doubt, has to play much better and Pickett has to show he can be a steady leader on the field. If the attack can get back to where it was a season ago then the defense should slowly begin to shine. Denver has found an oldie but goodie in Wilson. His Phoenix-like return has opened the door for tailback Javonte Williams to break through as well. Williams had just 168 rush attempts and 6 TDs last season, but already has 48 carries and 3 TDs this year and is averaging 104 YPG. The Steelers can win here, but need some things to come around. Denver 28-24.

GAME OF THE WEEK

4:15 PM New Orleans Saints (2-0) at Kansas City Chiefs (2-0)

Are Halos Still Atop the Mount or are Arrowhead Denizens Gonna Push 'Em Off? 

   The PFL Champion, and still undefeated, New Orleans Saints are set to face a frenzied Arrowhead Stadium and fired up Kansas City Chiefs' squad in a top billing, early season, inter-conference showdown. The Saints inched past a depleted Tampa Bay Buccaneers' team last week, 28-21, with the defense abusing backup QB Kyle Trask to the tune of 4 interceptions while also gobbling up a fumble. The offense was not prolific, but it did have its same MO. QB Derek Carr was solid, HB Alvin Kamara bulled his way for 100+ yards, and WR Rashid Shaheed had 9 receptions for 226 yards and 2 TDs. That offense may need to be quite a bit better, though, if it wishes to hang in there with the Chiefs. QB Patrick Mahomes was nearly flawless again, HB Isiah Pacheco rushed for 98 yards, and the defense accumultaed 6 sacks and an interception as KC dropped the rival Vegas Raiders, 28-14, last week. 

  The Saints' defense has been hurt by the running game. The unit is allowing 155 YPG rushing and that is a bad omen, indeed, against a Chiefs' team that has the defending PFL rushing champ in Pacheco. If the group has to over-commit to stop Pacheco then Mahomes is going to find success. However, New Orleans has been impeccable at protecting the football and have not turned it over at all in their first two games while forcing 8 takeaways for a league best +8 turnover ratio. The pass protection has been pretty good too allowing only 6 sacks, but will need to be excellent in this one.

   The Chiefs present an awful lot for teams to contend with. The offense is fantastic and the defense can be devastating. The pass rush, that was incredible a season ago, has not been quite as good with 11 sacks, but it can be disruptive. The team is second in the AFC running the ball averaging 149 YPG and that could be the #1 factor in this matchup. Mahomes can be electric, especially if he has the running game going. He has been amazing so far completing 81.75% of his passes with 7 touchdowns, zero picks, and a near perfect 147.1 QBR!

   Final Analysis: Can Mahomes keep up this pace or can the Saints find some way to slow down the KC attack? Carr will need to play well, Kamara will need to keep the chains moving, and the defense will need to shut off Pacheco. Too much you say?  Kansas City 26-17.

4:15 PM Miami Dolphins (1-1) at Los Angeles Rams (1-1)

Can Miami Match Rams' Offense?

   The Miami Dolphins narrowly edged the Buffalo Bills in week 1 and then dropped a close game to Cleveland last week, 31-24, so tight games has been their mantra so far. The Rams were annhilated in week 1 by the hot New England Patriots, but rebounded against the Minnesota Vikings winning, 41-14, and piling up some stats along the way.

   The Dolphins found a decent balance between the passing of southpaw QB Tua Tagovailoa and the diverse running duo of HBs De'Von Achane and Chuba Hubbard, but the defense was lacking. The offense, though, remained very conservative limiting the true explosiveness this team could have. Rookie TE Ben Sinnott, and not WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, has been the primary focal point of the passing game. Sinnott has now hauled in 36 passes for 226 yards and 3 TDs but is averaging a mere 6.28 YPC! Hill, meanwhile, is averaging a paltry 8.92 YPC and Waddle is averaging an equally low 8.81 YPC! Those type numbers simply are not what this team is about and the lack of offensive verticality is a welcome tactic, indeed, for every opposing DC Miami faces. The running game did show up last week with Achane leading the Fish with 87 yards on 14 carries a week after not having a single carry versus the Bills!

  The bigger worry in Miami has to be a pass defense that has allowed an average of 297.5 YPG. That is not a good number, albeit both Buffalo and Cleveland boast big time QBs, to have against a Rams' team that always wants to be at or near the top of the league in passing yardage stats. The Rams will throw and throw and will always seek big numbers in the passing game. They lost rookie tailback Blake Corum for an extended period of time and had to turn to oft-injured Mike Boone last week. The Rams signed speedster veteran WR Marquise Goodwin this week to give Coach Mike Kleinknecht the very same offensive formula he has employed since time eternal. At age 33, Brown was inexplicably not signed by any other PFL team despite possessing speed (95) that only 14 other WRs in football can boast of being faster than! Still, despite their efforts to bolster up the defense, LA has not been very good on that side of the ball yet. The team is allowing 414 YPG and some 122 YPG rushing. Both the Patriots and Vikings had success running the ball. 

   Final Analysis: One can easily expect the Rams to use the crosser speed of Brown right away along with WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua. Kupp has had 124 and 163 yard games thus far and the receiving corps will likely find big numbers against the Miami defense.  Los Angeles 35-20.

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

 8:20 PM New York Giants (1-1) at Philadelphia Eagles (0-2)

G-Men Hit Turnpike to Philly, Eagles Trying to Get Out of Nest

   It is still early in the season, but the windows are already beginning to close a tad in the NFC East with the start the Washington Commanders have had. The Giants could not get their running game going against Dallas last week in a driving rain as special teams and two critical Daniel Jones' interceptions doomed them. The Eagles were upset in week 1 by the Carolina Panthers and then lost an unexpected shootout, 32-25, to the Green Bay Packers to begin their year at 0-2. An 0-3 start combined with a possible 3-0 Washington team out there could create a hill, that might turn into a mountain, to scale. 

   New York saw the Dallas Cowboys get a 99 yard kick return for a touchdown on the game's very first play and never seemed to get untracked. The running game, without the injured Saquon Barkley, never got going as backup tailback Corderrelle Patterson could not replicate his week 1 effort and was checked for a 25-79-3.16 YPC stat line. Jones would flip an ill-advised pick in the endzone and the Big Blue defense could not create a takeaway resulting in a, 26-18, defeat. 

   However, the defense did play, overall, very well and often resembled the top tier unit of a season ago. Dallas did not even get 300 yards of offense and rookie QB Drake Maye suffered his second consecutive poor outing throwing for only 192 yards. The bigger issue was an offense that went 5-13 on third down (38%), the lack of a solid ground game, and the key turnovers.

   Philly, as noted, is really in a near Must-Win deal here. The traditional run defense is still humming along holding teams to just 70.5 YPG but, so far, the pass defense and rush has been lacking. The Eagles are giving up a league worst 402 YPG against the pass! They do have 8 sacks to their credit, but the group has not recorded a single takeaway yet. Offensively, Philly has had major problems running the ball with QB Jalen Hurts actually leading the club with 77 yards on 11 carries! Neither Damien Harris nor Kenneth Gainwell have had much success combing for a meager 89 yards on 28 carries (3.18 YPC).

   Final Analysis: A tight one is likely. However, the Philly run defense could stuff the Giants and force Jones to the air. That would mean the Eagles' secondary, that has been under seige, will go up against a New York passing game that has been inconsistent and one or the other has to win out. Philly is due for a good game out of their defense in terms of takeaways and that could be the difference here. Philadelphia 21-20.

8:30 PM Tennessee Titans (1-1) at Cleveland Browns (2-0)

Can Titans' Style Match Browns' Attack?

   The Tennessee Titans had some big problems against AFC South rival Houston last week and were soundly beaten, 30-16. The running game with HB Cam Akers was not strong enough and the usual West Coast styled offense got into the type game it does not function well within. QB Ryan Tannehill, who was rarely sacked last season, would be dropped 10 times and throw for only 219 yards while the defense could not contain Houston HB Damien Pierce (22-113-2) nor QB CJ Stroud (24-36-319). Cleveland scored 30+ points for the second straight week and outlasted Miami, 31-24. The defense allowed the Dolphins to roll up 400 yards of offense with 27 first downs, but the team was still able to pull out the win.

   Tennessee is a tough team to play especially if the opposing defense cannot figure out how to combat their style of ball. TE Chigoziem Okonkwo continues to be a mainstay of the offense and has 17 receptions already! However, while Tannehill has not thrown an interception yet, he has been sacked 13 times already after absorbing just 29 all of last year! Part of the problem is the lack of a ground game. It was hoped that HB Cam Akers would replace Derrick Henry but, so far, Akers has posted just 106 yards on 36 carries (2.94 YPC) and that has forced the team into 29 third down situations. That number trails only the Buffalo Bills (37) and Miami Dolphins (31) in the AFC. The defense has been solid allowing only 15 PPG with 13 sacks, but has not recorded a takeaway as of yet.

   The Browns have not met a defense as good as Tennessee's, but have been effective offensively. QB DeShaun Watson has been outstanding passing for 361 yards in week 1 and another 335 yards last week while tossing 7 TDs and piling up an eye popping 141.45 QBR! If the team can get out on the Titans, they can force Tennessee out of their normal style of play. The D has been a bit of a mixed bag and there is at least some concern about the pass defense following the Miami game. 

   A factor could be red zone defense and offense. Tennessee has been pretty good on D inside the RZ at 40% while having a very good 85.71% rate on offense. The Browns, conversely, have a 60% defensive rate compared to a 50% offensive number.

   Final Analysis: Cleveland is a good team and are off to a great start. Still, they have to contend with a team in Tennessee that has a unique style of play that can be frustrating to play against. Do feel Watson is better than Tannehill and the Titans are having issues running the ball. Close one. Cleveland 26-23.

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