THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:20 PM Denver Broncos (2-4) at New Orleans Saints (3-3)

Saints Try to Regroup After Week 6 Debacle

   The New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl, just two seasons ago, utilizing a punishing running game with HB Alvin Kamara and an efficient passing schematic with QB Derek Carr. Those elements have been missing all too often this year and were absent in last week's, 45-7, drubbing by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Carr would throw an uncharacteristic 3 interceptions, and now has 6 picks on the year, after having just 8 all of last season! WR Mason Tipton would cough up a fumble as well as the Halos turned it over 4 times and could not overcome the miscues.

   The formula for New Orleans' success is pretty simple. They can win games as long as they do not turn it over and get the running game going with Kamara. Denver has yielded the 4th most rushing yards (532) in the AFC and that could open the door for a balanced Saints' effort.

   Final Analysis: Saints really need this one and should get it as long as they stick to the plan. New Orleans 23-17.

9:30 AM New England Patriots (3-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (5-1)

White Hot Jags Want to Keep Rolling Against Up and Down Pats

   Jacksonville comes in as one of the league's hottest clubs having won 5 straight after a season opening loss to the Miami Dolphins. They have scored 30+ points in four of their five victories while limiting their opponents to 17 or fewer points in all but one of the wins. The emergence of QB Trevor Lawrence has been a revelation. The Clemson Tiger alum has posted a 116.2 QBR or better in every game this season including two 150+ QBR outings! The Patriots are coming off a spirited, 30-19, upset over the Houston Texans as rookie QB Drake Maye easily put up his best numbers of his young career. Maye would complete 15 of 21 attempts for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. New England has gone 3-0 in every game in which he has ended with a 100+ QBR and 0-3 otherwise...

   It would seem that the success or failure of the Patriots falls on the performance of Maye. Jacksonvile has the #1 pass defense in the league (144.17 YPG) and should hold Maye in check. That would mean the Pats may need HB Rhamondre Stevenson to play like he did last week (17-82-4.8-1) and maybe even more like his week 2 effort against the Seahawks when he rushed 31 times for 155 yards.

   Final Analysis: Kinda feel the Jags will score and the Patriots will not be able to stay with them, especially if Maye cannot balance out the attack with Stevenson. Jacksonville 28-18.

 1:00 PM Seattle Seahawks (4-2) at Atlanta Falcons (2-4)

Under-Rated 'Hawks Thinking Divisional Tiltle? Falcons' D Carrying Load

    The Seattle Seahawks and HC Steve Dillon have been steadily improving each season while remaining a bit under the radar. They have now won three straight games with a solid defense that has held each foe to 19 or less points and a conservative offense featuring a grinding running game. Last week, Seattle knocked the San Francisco 49ers out of the unbeaten ranks with a resounding 15 sack, 24-9,  demoliton of QB Brock Purdy and Co.. The Seahawks have moved away from having QB Geno Smith throw it too much. In weeks 1-3 , Smith tossed the ball 32 times twice (Both losses) and 21 times. He has thrown it just 21, 18, and 13 times during the winning streak and the club has won all four games in which he has attempted 21 or fewer passes.

   While the formula for Seattle's recent success may seem ironclad, it might not play too well against a pretty rugged Falcons' defense that is stingy in terms of giving up points. Atlanta has given up 97 points (16.16 PPG) , but that is a bit misleading when one considers that they gave up 40 in a loss to Tampa Bay two weeks back. In their other five games, the Falcons have held every team to 18 or less points (11.4 PPG)! The one thing that could be worrisome, however, is the fact the Falcons have been giving up 101.16 YPG against the run and their 607 yards allowed is the second most in the league. That could mean the Seattle defense and run game might win the day, although a slogging, running styled game could lead to a low scoring affair.

   Final Analysis: Both teams play solid defense. Seattle is tied for #1 in the league while Atlanta is 4th in the PFL in red zone defense (17% and 22% respectively) and this one could get down to field position and field goal kicking. Atlanta has gone for it on 4th down some 9 times this season and K Young-hoe Koo has attempted just 2 kicks all season as a result. Seattle 17-14.

1:00 PM Tennessee Titans (3-2) at Buffalo Bills (2-4)

Teams in Early Critical Matchup

         Neither team can afford to fall much further behind withinn their respective divisions. The Titans remain without a steady coaching staff and the Bills have been a bit inconsistent this season.

   Final Analysis: Hard to predict an outcome here. NO LINE

1:00 PM Cincinnati Bengals (3-3) at Cleveland Browns (4-2)

Key Clash in Rugged AFC North

   One of these two teams is going to come out of this battle in good shape, while the other might come to rue the loss. Cinci has gone into a bit of a free fall after opening the season at 3-0. They lost their third in a row last week, 17-12, as the offense has gone South. In all three defeats, the Bengals have totalled 16 or less points after averaging 34 PPG over the initial three games of the year! The culprit has been the lack of a running game with the team rushing for 53, 58, and 80 yards over the prior three games. Cleveland has won three of its last four games, but is coming off a depressing, 34-8, whipping by the Philadelphia Eagles. QB DeShaun Watson was dreadful completing just 8-20 (40%) of his passes for 103 yards while absorbing 7 sacks.

   Both teams need a running game to allow their QBs to thrive. Bengals' QB Joe Burrow had 9 touchdown passes in the first three wins of the year, but has just 3 touchdowns during the losing skid. Cleveland has gone 3-0 in games where HB Nick Chubb has carried the ball 20+ times.

   Final Analysis: It should get down to which team can run the ball better. The Bengals no longer have the services of the departed Joe Mixon back there and his absence is beginning to take a toll. The Browns do well when they can stay close or get a lead and allow Chubb to eat. Tight game for sure, but backs Zach Moss and Chase Brown do not seem to scare teams while Chubb does a bit. On the other hand, Burrow looks like the better arm over Watson. Cleveland 22-20?

1:00 PM Houston Texans (3-2-1) at Green Bay Packers (3-3)

Houston-Green Bay Searching For Answers

   It is never a good feeling to be over 1/3rd of the way through a season and still not have one's act together. But, so it seems, that is exactly where these two teams find themselves. Houston has benefitted from the signing of Ex-Bengal back Joe Mixon, but sophomore QB CJ Stroud has not played, thus far anyways, as well as he did last season. Mixon has rushed for 98+ yards in four games this season and toted the pigskin 20 or more times in every game except one this year. It is not as if Stroud has played poorly, mind you, as he has avoided the sack much of the season (2 sacks in four of six games!) as well as the turnover (4 interceptions). The Texans lost both games this season in which Stroud turned it over and have gone 3-0-1 in games in which he has not made a miscue. The Packers came under returning HC Jeff Beyel's guidance a few weeks ago, but they have not shown any semblance of consistency. QB Jordan Love has thrown 7 TD passes with just 1 interception since Beyel took over, but the running game has gone out the window with top back Josh Jacobs rushing for just 45 total yards on 24 carries over his past two games (1.88 YPC) as Green Bay comes in on a two game losing trend. The Packers are second in the PFL with a +8 turnover ratio.

   Final Analysis: Unless Green Bay can score points and get their offense untracked in the running game, losing will continue. They cannot expect to sack Stroud nor get him to turn it over. Houston leads the PFL in rushing (120.33 YPG), while the Packers are 4th in the league in scoring (24.8 PPG). The Texans can keep Green Bay off balance with a mix of run and pass, but the Packers can quickly become one-dimensional if they cannot get the ground game going. Houston 26-20.

1:00 PM Miami Dolphins (3-2) at Indianapolis Colts (1-5)

Return of HC Mike Kleinknecht to Legendary Dolphs as Coach Buck Grabs For Lucky Horseshoe!

   The Miami Dolphins have won more titles than any other team in PFL history (6) and were a recent terror under the leadership of the late, great Pete Russo. Now, the organization gets another all-time great in Kleinknecht who won championships with the Dallas Cowboys in seasons 42 and 45 and is just one of four coaches to have ever won 3 titles! The Colts and HC Tony "The Buckster" get first glimpse of the Fish under Coach K and can only hope that they catch him before he gets his team up to speed. 

  Miami has all the weapons Kleinknecht loves in a team, but the lack of arm strength in QB Tua Tagovalioa and a suspect offensive line could dampen the expectations just a bit. Indy won its first game of the year last week as they finally got HB Jonathan Taylor going. Taylor rushed for season highs in carries (23) and yards (103) in last week's, 27-21, win over the Tennessee Titans. The 27 points marked the team's best offensive output, by far, and could signal a solid uptick going forward. The Colts have been victims of a woeful offense that had been averaging just 8.8 PPG. Despite the lack of points, Indy has held every opponent to 24 or less points and lost its last two games by 3 points.

   Final Analysis: Hard to predict how this one will go for obvious reasons. The increase in Taylor's productivity has helped QB Anthony Richardson, who has now compiled three consecutive 100+ QBR outings after recording ratings of 67.3, 40.3, and 21.8 in the first three games of the season. Indianapolis 21-20?

1:00 PM Detroit Lions (1-4) at Minnesota Vikings (2-2-1) 

Loser in Trouble? 

   The Detroit Lions cannot lose this game...period. Minnesota is, basically, tied with Green Bay atop the division although they did lose their first meeting with the Packers this season. If Detroit falls to 1-5, they could find themselves just too far back to recover. Minnesota has to hope the Pack loses another few games over the next few weeks, while they try to take control of the division.

   The Lions have had all types of problems scoring this season. They have been held to 14 or fewer points in four of five games this season after being one of the top offenses in the PFL over the past couple of years. QB Jared Goff has played much of the year under duress. He has been sacked 9 or more times in four of the five games to date and, not coincidently was dropped just twice in the team's lone win this year. HB Jahmyr Gibbs has been solid when given the ball, but he has run the ball 17 or fewer times in every game this year, except in last week's loss when he ran it 20 times.

   The Vikings moved off QB Sam Darnold last week after the team had lost 2 of 3 games with the third game ending in a tie. Michigan Wolverine rook JJ McCarthy took over the reins and engineered a, 23-17, win over the New York Jets as he completed 17 of 21 pass attempts (80%) for 204 yards, 2 touchdowns, and a stirling 138.8 QBR! One can only assume he gets the nod again this week. HB Aaron Jones appears to have found his footing rushing for a season best 114 yards last week. This was a great sign as he doubled up on his week 4, 98 yard effort.

   Final Analysis: The running of Jones is very encouraging and should help either McCarthy or Goff. The Lions just seem out of sorts and have not found a way to protect Goff yet. Minnesota 27-22.

1:00 PM New York Giants (3-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (4-1)

NFC East Rivals Battle in City of Brotherly Love

   Like the Vikings, the Giants benched their starting quarterback in an effort to jump start their offense. Drew Lock would lead the team to a much needed, 17-12, upset of the Cincinnati Bengals and, although his production was not eye-popping, he did not turn it over and he did not absorb a single sack! The question now, of course, is whether or not Lock gets a second start or if Daniel Jones returns to the pocket. The Eagles have been playing like a super bowl contender and seem like the top team in the East. The team has won 4 straight with QB Jalen Hurts completing 73 of 103 (71%) passes with 6 touchdowns and just 2 picks. The running game still has not hit its stride with star back Saquon Barkley coming off a dismal 35 yards rushing on 20 tries (1.8 YPC). He has finished four of five games averaging under 4 YPC. 

   The Giants' defense was awesome just two seasons back, but dropped off last year. That D seems to be back and the G-Men come into this one allowing an NFC low 14.66 PPG! If they can contain the Eagles' passing game and keep Barkley under wraps, they can win this game. Still, even with a solid defensive effort, Big Blue will need to score some points in order to win. They lead the conference in rushing again, but cannot afford to fall behind and have to lean on the passing game. Philly has been tough versus the run giving up only 64 YPG and that run D could be the difference here. Philadelphia 23-17.

4:05 PM Las Vegas Raiders (3-3) at Los Angeles Rams (4-1)

Stafford and Rams Butt Heads With Ambitious Raiders

    QB Matt Stafford has posted a 100+ QBR in every game this season and comes in with 13 touchdown passes and only 3 interceptions. He has not had a turnover over his last three games and has tossed at least 2 TD passes in all five games this season. That creates quite the challenge for a Vegas Raiders' bunch that is tied atop the AFC with 6 interceptions and an AFC best +6 turnover margin...

   The Rams have not run the ball well and rely on Stafford to get the job done. Vegas is a bit more balanced with QB Gardner Minshew throwing the ball and backs Dylan Laube, Kareem Hunt, and Alexander Mattison powering the ground game. The reality is, though, the Raiders need takeaways and the Rams simply do not do turn it over. That being said, Vegas has a solid secondary and a pretty disruptive defensive front led by Maxx Crosby.

   Final Analysis: This could develop into one intriguing matchup. If the Raiders can stop the Rams' running game and force Stafford to become predictable, they might get a few sacks or picks. LA will need to stop the Raiders on early downs and compel Mishew to throw more than he wants to. Los Angeles 26-23.

4:05 PM Carolina Panthers (2-4) at Washington Commanders (0-6)

Pair of Teams That Need Some Positive Vibes

        It has been a rough year for both of these teams thus far. The Panthers, literally, did not complete a single pass and finished with a -20 passing yards due to 4 sacks as they lost, 13-7, to the Atlanta Falcons last week!  Instead, HB Jonathon Brooks would be handed the ball some 43 times for 180 yards. Washington rookie QB Jayden Daniels continued to show promise, but his team lost to the Ravens, 28-20. Daniels would throw for 337 yards and a touchdown in the defeat and he now has 11 TD passes with just 3 interceptions on his rookie resume. 

   Final Analysis: Another hard game to figure as Carolina's game plan is unknown. They have clearly lost all confidence in Bryce Young at quarterback, while Washington has plenty in theirs. Washington gets its first W. Washington 22-13.

4:25 PM Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) at San Francisco 49ers (5-1)

Will the Real Chiefs Show Up? Do Niners Have a Protection Problem?

     The Kansas City Chiefs have plenty of talent to win games, but they have had some issues with their coaching staff not always being present. If Coach Logan runs the team, look out, but that remains to be seen. Meanwhile, the Niners came into their game against the Seahawks last week undefeated and then Baw QN Brock Purdey get smashed, time and again, into the turf for 15 sacks and a humbling, 24-9, defeat that saw them fall into a tie with the Los Angeles Rams on top of the NFC West and just 1 game ahead of the aforementioned Seahawks! They will need to contend with a traditionally ferocious Chiefs' pass rush and must be sure they find a way to keep Purdy upright.

   Of course, KC has always been seen as a top offensive force in the league. The main problem has been the running, or lack of running, from HB Isiah Pacheco. Pacheco has been an elite back in the PFL for the past couple of years, but he has been a major disappointment, thus far, this campaign. In four of five games, he has rushed the ball 14 or less times while posting totals of 33,29, 20, and 15 yards! He has had one good game (A week 4 win over the Chargers) when he blasted his way for 195 yards on 32 carries! If KC and coach Hogan get him going, things should be just fine.

   The big worry in San Fran has to be whether or not they now have a pass protection problem. Obviously, they cannot have a repeat performance like last week. The solution, though, might be easier said than done as it will require some adjustments by the Niners' coaching staff.

   Final Analysis: If the Chiefs have their staff on the sidelines, QB Patrick Mahomes and Pacheco are gonna cause problems. If San Fran is forced to swap points with the Chiefs, and have not addressed their pass protetction problem, it could be another long day for Purdy. Kansas City 26-18. 

SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:20 PM New York Jets (3-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

Gang Green Ventures to Heinz Field to Face Steel Curtain?

   The New York Jets remain without a full time coaching staff, but are still right in the AFC East mix! The Steelers continue to play top level defense and come in with the top scoring defense in the PFL allowing just 13.84 PPG! However, there is a growing concern as the club has given up 31 and 26 points in its last two games and that trend could begin to exert more pressure on an offense that, quite frankly, does not want to have to carry the load. The stats can prove this out. In the team's first four games, QB Russell Wilson did not throw a single interception and HB Najee Harris recorded 3 rushing touchdowns. With the defense faltering these past two games, Wilson threw 6 picks while Harris had 1 rushing score!

   Final Analysis: Without a steady staff, predicting a score is hard to do. For the Steelers to win, though, the defense has to return to the form it had in weeks 1-4. NO LINE

GAME OF THE WEEK

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

8:15 PM Baltimore Ravens (5-1) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) 

Big Time Inter-Conference Duel Between Title Contenders

   The Baltimore Ravens could, arguably, be the most talented team in the AFC, if not all of football. QB LaMar Jackson has not finished any game with a QBR below 92.4. His 12 TD passes is tied for the 4th most in the league and his 118.4 QBR rates fifth among all full-time signal callers. Edge rushers Odafe Oweh and Nnamdi Madubuike are ranked 2nd and 3rd in the AFC with 12 and 11.5 sacks respectively pacing a defense that has the second most sacks in football with 47! Tampa Bay, for its part, comes in leading the PFL in scoring averaging 30 PPG as well as a PFL best 14 passing touchdowns. The defense has been troublesome as well ceding just 15.33 PPG with 40 sacks. QB Baker Mayfield has a 126+ QBR, halfback Rachaad White has rushed for 534 yards, and WR Mike Evans has 6 touchdown receptions while averaging 17.1 YPC. Ya-Ya Daby leads the Bucs in sacks with 10.5 and mammoth DL Vita Vea is up to his usual disruptive self. 

   The separator could be the play of veteran back Derrick Henry. The long-time Tennessee Titan was brought into Baltimore to bolster an ailing running game, but, he has not, as of yet, truly brought the hoped for payoff on the investment. He did roll up 106 yards on 23 carries two weeks ago in a, 16-13, win over the Cincinnati Bengals, but the crushing back has not run for more than 64 yards in any other game and has found the endzone just once...

   Final Analysis: Both teams can end drives with their pass rushers and both teams can be explosive at times. Likely to be a hard fought battle, but do have to figure the steady coaching in Raven-land will win out. Baltimore 26-20.

MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL

9:00 PM Los Angeles Chargers (0-5) at Arizona Cardinals (2-4)

Winless Bolts Head to Desert to Meet Resurgent Cards

   The Los Angeles Chargers cannot get a break. They now get an Arizona squad that is fresh off its, 27-21, upset of the Green Bay Packers and has now won two of its last three games...

   To say the Chargers' offense has not played well would be an understatement. The running game has been deplorable with Gus Edwards averaging just 3.3 YPC. QB Justin Herbert has been a turnover machine tossing 10 picks while completing just 58% of his passes for a woefully low 63.6 QBR. Arizona's Kyler Murray has compiled a nice 107.9 QBR with 8 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions on the season. His 69 yard scamper to paydirt in his team's big win over Green Bay last week was electric. 6'3" rookie WR Marvin Harrison has lived up to his pre-draft hype coming out of Ohio State. Harrison has 4 touchdowns and is averaging 14.2 YPC with 22 receptions. The Cards own a +2 turnover ratio compared the Chargers' league worst -7 margin.

  Final Analysis: Cards should win if the Bolts play anything like they have up to this point in the season. Arizona 30-15.