8:20 PM: KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (0-1) AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (1-0)

Champs Trying to Avoid Going 0-2 Start as Bolts Seek 2-0 Start

    The Defending PFL champions began last season with an 0-3 start and, well, everyone knows how that turned out. While there is certainly no panic in KC, going 0-2 would not be ideal.  The Chargers beat the Chiefs in week 14 last year, 34-20, as QB Justin Herbert three touchdown passes and burly back Gus Edwards ran for 116 yards and a score. The Chargers' defense also sacked Patrick Mahomes a staggering 19 times! Herbert is coming off an excellent 422 yard, 4 touchdown performance in his team's, 43-32, week I shootout victory over the Tennessee Titans.  The concerns over the running game were allayed, at least for one week, as backs JK Dobbins and Edwards combined for 117 yards on 20 carries (5.85 YPC)! Meanwhile, Mahomes would start his season off by getting dropped 15 times and tossing 3 interceptions in the Chiefs'. 34-17, loss to the visiting Jaguars spoiling the evening as the team received their rings. Mahomes was sacked an incredibale 181 times last year, but suffered little to no effects. That is not likely to be the case this season, however, and the sack totals will add up sooner or later.

   When KC is right, the offense clicks with big plays downfield, high run totals from HB Isiah Pacheco, and a defense that is stuffing the run and sacking the opposing quarterback. While Pacheco did rush for 87 yards on 20 carries, the defense was ripped by a powerful Jacksonville running game that amassed 217 yards! Backs Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby totalled 170 yards between them and QBs Trevor Lawrence and Trey Lance would zip around for an additonal 44 yards. The running success made it difficult for KC to unleash its well known pass rush leading to just 2 sacks on the day.  

   Final Analysis: KC seems content with allowing Mahomes to get blasted each week. They did not pay any price for that flaw a season ago, but, again, they almost certainly will not be able to repeat that this season and must find ways to protect him better. They should win this one, but ya just never know. Kansas City 31-22.

SUNDAY 1:00 PM: BUFFALO BILLS (0-1) AT NEW YORK JETS (1-0)   

Bills Look to Rebound as Jets Seek Second in a Row After Big Week1 Comeback W

    Buffalo's defense played well enough to upend the favored Baltimore Ravens last week, but the old bug-a-boo showed up in offense and the club lost, 21-7. QB Josh Allen would be sacked 10 times and complete just 43% (14-32) of his pass attampts as the offense stumbled. HB James Cook was totally shut down gaining a mere 15 yards on 14 carries. The Jets could not really contain New Orleans' Alvin Kamara (29-147 3 TDs) and fell behind, 28-7, at the half. But the team had a remarkable second half rally and stormed back to tie it up, 28-28, and then win it in OT on a Bruce Hutchins 21 yard FG! Rookie QB Jalen Milroe ended up completing 9 of 12 passes for 152 yards and 2 touchdowns coming in the second half for Aaron Rodgers who was sacked 10 times and completed just 50% (4-8) of his throws!

   The Bills will need to get Cook, well, cooking this week in order to keep the pressure off Allen. New York's pass  rush got to New Orleans' rookie QB Jaxon Dart 10 times last week and held him to a 53% completion rate (15-28). Allen is, obviously far better than Dart currently is and should have some success. The Buffalo D limited Baltimore RB Derrick Henry to a low 3 YPC clip (27-79) and did not cede a rushing score and might be able to replicate that type of effort again this week. The problem is the Jets' Breece Hall cruised for 177 yards on 25 carries last week.

   Final Analysis: Jalen Milroe likely earned more playing time with the huge win last week. If NY can get another solid running game out of  Hall and can hold Cook in check, then the game gets down to pass protection for Buffalo again. New York 26-23.

 SUNDAY 1:00 PM: INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (0-1) AT TENNESSEE TITANS(0-1)

Rivals Meet in Game That Will See One Exit 0-2!

    This was not supposed to be as meaningful game as it has now become. Both AFC South rivals lost last week making this one far more significant than anticipated. The Colts began their season last year 0-5 and then, like Secretariat, stormed back, rolled to a 9-3 record the rest of the way, snuck into the playoffs, and then stunned the Miami Dolphins in the first round! That type of journey is not likely to repeat itself. The Titans would drop their final two games of the regular season and finish in a tie with these Colts at 9-8. The two split the season series, but the Titans lost the tie-breaker due to a 1-5 division record compared to Indy's 2-4 resume. QB Anthony Richardson would throw for 335 yards and 2 touchdowns and HB Jonathan Taylor would rush for 90 yards as Indy totally dominated the time-of-possession, 30-18 last week. However, the Colts still lost, 33-29, to the Rams as LA would garner 10 sacks and an interception to thwart the offensive output. Tennessee's expected running problems reared its ugly head right away. Back Tony Pollard was, largely, ineffective rushing 7 times for just 17 yards as the offense had to lean on QB Will Levis almost excusively. Levis would throw for 559 yards and 3 touchdowns, but complete just 58 % (35-60) of his passes and be sacked 11 times! All of the passing by Indy also saw the team lose the TOP battle, 24-23...

   Final Analysis: The complete reliance upon Levis' passing makes the Titans one-dimensional and often puts the defense on the field too much. Indy will need to use Taylor to control clock and have some balance to their offense. Indianapolis 28-22.

SUNDAY 1:00 PM: NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-1) AT MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-1)

Saints and Rook QB Dart Face Dolphs Coming Off Lopsided Loss to Philly

   A season ago the Saints could not get QB Derek Carr to reproduce his championship form of a couple of seasons back and suffered through a miserable 8-9 year. That compelled the organization to go out and draft Mississippi signal caller Jaxson Dart. Dart would complete 15 of 29 attempts for 222 yards and a TD last week, but he would also be sacked 10 times as the team collapsed in the second half and blew a huge, 28-7, half time lead before falling in OT, 31-28 to the Jets. HB Alvin Kamara did rush for 147 yards and 3 touchdowns in the game and the offense did look alot like the title unit of a few seasons ago, but the defense fell off in the second half and the sack totals were just too high. In an amazing stat, the Saints would roll up 15 sacks and still come up short! Miami could not run the ball nor pass protect for QB Tua Tagovailoa in their rout by the Eagles, 31-12. The Dolphins' defense played well stuffing Eagle HB Saquon Barkley for just 24 yards on 15 carries and limiting QB Jalen Hurts to a 54% completion rate (18-33), 283 yards, 6 sacks, and a pick. But, the Philly D would get a strip sack in the endzone for one touchdown and get a another strip sack that would be scooped up by DE Milton Williams and run in from 31 yards out to seal the victory. In all, Tagovailoa would fumble 3 times on the day!

   Final Analysis: Do not see Tagovailoa having a disaster of a day for a second straight week and the Miami defense is better than many think. The Saints' offense played about as well as can be expected this year with Dart managing the game and Kamara power running. That was a SB winning formula a few seasons ago, but the interior of the Dline is not that strong and the outside backers are not very good pass  defenders and that could spell trouble in this one. Miami 30-18. 

 1:00 PM BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-0) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (0-1)

Will Ravens' D Overwhelm Browns' Rook QB Rourke?

   The Baltimore Ravens' defense can be intimidating to even the most experienced quarterback and coaching staff. For Cleveland Browns' rookie signal caller Kurtis Rourke the task at hand might be a bit daunting indeed. Rourke was rudely introduced to the PFL last week by the San Francisco 49ers who would intercept him 5 times, sack him 11 times, and hold him to a nightmarish 59.8 QBR. He would still throw for over 300 yards, but he did not get nearly enough run production out of HB Nick Chubb (18-56-3.1 YPC) to keep the pressure off of him. Batlimore did not roll the Buffalo Bills last week and struggled to run the ball with Derrick Henry (26-79-3 YPC). But the defense played extemely well smashing Bills' QB Josh Allen into the turf 10 times, picking him off twice, and limiting him to a woeful 14-32 (43%) day. Allen would finish with a 44 QBR!

   The Ravens are clearly not the type of team one would want their rookie quarterback to face in week 2 after the type of outing Rourke just had. Nonetheless, the Indiana Hossier alum will be baptized by fire and into the cauldron he shall go. The Browns must find some running game in order to keep Rourke afloat. Their defense played pretty well last week versus Niners' QB Brock Purdy (18-34-177 and a 67.8 QBR) but was porous against the run as San Fran found its ground game with Christian McCaffery (25-134).

   Final Analysis: Baltimore should ease past this one. Rourke might have a bright future, but he is not ready for the Big Time just yet and getting the Ravens now is just not a good situation. Baltimore 32-15.   

1:00 PM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (1-0) AT HOUSTON TEXANS (0-1)

Niners Find Their Running Game! Texans Coming off Stunner vs Broncos

    Last season the San Francisco 49ers all but eskewed the running game in favor of becoming a nearly exclusive passing team. QB Brock Purdy did throw for 5879 yards with 682 attempts, but he would be sacked some 135 times while top back Christian McCaffrey would not even get 800 yards rushing! The net result was a 9-8 season in which the team failed to make the playoffs yet again. Last week, however, San Fran got McCaffrey invovled right away and the top level back responded with a fine 35 carry, 135 yard game that helped the team dispose of the Cleveland Browns, 22-9. Purdy did not have a good game, but the willingness to find an offensive balance could push this team into the post-season, if not NFC West contention since the defense can be dominant at times. The Texans began their season on a negative note as they were knocked off by the Denver Broncos, 23-20! The team stayed true to its "run first" personality and saw rookie HB Treveyon Henderson rush for 151 yards on 27 carries, but the results they got last year, when HB Joe Mixon led the league in rushing, were very different. The defense did get to Denver QB Bo Nix 9 times, but the unit also saw Nix rip them for 351 yards, 2 TDs, and a solid 25-34 (73%) completion rate.

   Final Analysis: Houston can defend the run, but the team must play better pass defense. The Niners passed all the time last year, but did not do that last week, so it remains to be seen what MO they adopt going forward. The Texans have to get a better effort out of QB CJ Stroud (15-29-253-81.5 QBR) in order to win games vs top level competition. A tight one seems probable. Houston 23-20.

1:00 PM LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-0) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-0)

Rams With Big W under Belt, Jags' Lawrence Coming into His Own?

   There are quite a few question marks surrounding the Rams this season. QB Matt Stafford threw for 256 yards and 3 TDs in last week's wild, 33-29, win over the Indianapolis Colts. The offensive line played well ceding just 2 sacks and the Rams used 4 different running backs to get the job done. Blake Corum, Kyren Williams, A.J. Dillon, and rookie Cam Skattebo combined for 20 carries and 121 yards on the ground. The defense needs to improve, however, The group saw Colt QB Anthony Richardson throw for 335 yards and 2 scores while completing over 70% of his attempts and let HB Jonathan Taylor run for 90 more yards. The defense now has to confront Jacksonville's Trevor Lawrence who seems to be coming into his own as an elite signal caller after several maligned campaigns. He only threw for 169 yards in last week's, 34-17, win over the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs, but he completed 68 % of his throws, with 2 TDs, just 2 sacks, and a fine 142.9 QBR. Lawrence's abilities opened up the running game as backs Tank Bigsby and Travis Etienne rushed for a combined 170 yards on the ground! The defense was excellent a season ago and seems to have carried that over into this year. The unit sacked Patrick Mahomes 15 times and intercepted him 3 times!

   Final Analysis: LA could have some issues versus the Jags' defense and the D might get caught trying to stop both Lawrence and the running game. Jacksonville 30-20.

1:00 PM GREEN BAY PACKERS (1-0) AT PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-0)

Two Rugged Hard-Hat Clubs Meet in Pittsburgh

    The Packers and Steelers bring a culture of top level defense and in your face offense. Green Bay edged the Detroit Lions last week, 16-13, utilizing rookie HB Nicholas Singeton's 29 carry, 148 yard effort to eventually put the game away. The defense did not allow Lion QB Jared Goff to complete a pass longer than 28 yards while getting to him 7 times. QB Jordan Love, though, would suffer through a 53% completion day (15-28), 5 sacks, 1 pick, and a long completion of just 19 yards. The defense only surrendered 216 total yards of offense and held Detroit to 127 yards passing. Pittsburgh did, indeed, go with Texas rookie QB Quinn Ewers in last weeks' hard fought, 28-14, win over the Bengals. Ewers excited the Steeler faithful with an excellent 365 yard, 3 touchdown game in which he completed 81% (17-21) of his throws! He did get sacked 7 times and tossed 1 interception but, still, his debut was a huge success.

   Final Analysis: The Steelers were just 1-11 (11%) on third down last week and recorded only 10 total first downs and went 0-4 inside the red zone (0%)). Those numbers will need to be improved upon for sure. Green Bay struggled to consistently move the football and had much of the same problems that plagued them a season ago going just 6-16 (37%) on third down. Both teams need to address their shortcomings, but feel the Packers might be able to disrupt Ewers more than the Steelers can rattle Love. Green Bay 26-22.

1:00 PM ATLANTA FALCONS (1-0) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (0-1)

Falcons' D and Run Game Flying High. Dallas D Shredded In Loss to G-Men

    Both teams coming off critical intra-divisional games. The Falcons powered their way for 195 yards rushing and used a stingy defense to smother the Carolina Panthers, 16-3 while Dallas was destroyed by the Giants' Daniel Jones (who threw 6 TD passes in the, 40-21 New York victory) in a game that was tied, 21-21, entering the fourth quarter! Cowboys' rookie tailback Dylan Sampson would carry it just 13 times for 38 yards as Dallas opted to let veteran QB Dak Prescott carry the load with a 36-53-335 outing.

   Atlanta could not shake the Panthers for much of the game, but the defense was stellar. The D would clamp down on the Panthers for only 133 total yards of offense while also gobbling up 4 turnovers. QB Malik Willis would complete 77% of his throws (14-18) but for only 102 yards and no touchdowns and the Falcons were just 3-13 (23%) on third down. Dallas would not be much better on third down (6-16 37%) and also went 0-4 on fourth down efforts! 

   Final Analysis: Dallas was hoping to improve upon their rushing issues of last season and really did little to address that outside of drafting Sampson. His 13 carry output just is not going to get it done. Prescott is still a solid QB, but he cannot carry this team to wins each week. The Falcons will need Willis to be much better on third downs this season if they wish to improve their stature in the league. This one gets down to the Cowboys' ability to slow down Atlanta's early down running game in order to force Willis into third down conversion scenarios. The Dallas secondary, expected to be vastly improved, did not have a single pass deflection last week and the front seven had just 14 TFLs. Atlanta, on the other hand, had 19 TFLs and 5 deflections. Tough game to call but...Atlanta 21-17.

4:05 PM DETROIT LIONS (0-1) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (0-1)

Blue Clad Teams Feeling Blue

  The Detroit Lions and Carolina Panthers both played well enough on defense to win their respective games last week. However, the two teams had all types of offensive issues and the inabiltiy to generate enough offense doomed two solid defensive efforts. The Lions could not get any big plays downfield and HB Jahmyr Gibbs, while solid, could not run enough to get Detroit over the top. The Panthers had all types of offensive woes in QB Sheduer Sanders' debut. They would convert just 18% (2-11) on third down, get inside the red zone just once all game, turn it over 4 times, and see Sanders complete only 10 of 21 attempts for 110 yards, 9 sacks, and an interception! The pass D was good, but the front seven allowed the Atlanta Falcons to rush 37 times for 195 yards 5.27 YPC) and control the time-of-possession by over a 2:1 margin (33-15)!

   Final Analysis: Have to believe both teams can play better on offense then they did last week. The Panthers are probably going to take some time to figure out how they want to play with Sanders at the helm. The Lions lack a FT staff and that did not help last week and might not help much going forward. Still, Carolina does not have much speed at tailback with Jonathon Brooks (90 speed, 91 acceleration) basically a between-the-tackles banger. The Lions have more speed there with Gibbs and might have more bigger plays in their tank as a result. Much goes into who runs the team though.  NO LINE

4:15 PM NEW YORK GIANTS (1-0) AT LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-0)

G-Men Look Dominant. Youthful Raiders Learning on the Job

    The New York Giants were in a dead even match with the rival Dallas Cowboys last week, but then got a couple of big time RPO plays that broke the contest wide open as they rolled to a , 40-21, win. The running game was not as prevalent, but QB Daniel Jones more than picked up the slack with a spectacular 21-23 (91%) day with 6 touchdown passes and 365 yards! WRs Darius Slayton and Wan'Dale Robinson each had over 100 yards in receptions with Slayton cashing in with 3 touchdowns that included a 73 yarder. Robinson's score came on an explosive 84 yard strike! As expected, The Big Blue run defense was tremendous stuffing Dallas' new HB Dylan Sampson for just 38 yards on 13 carries. The Giants still ran the ball some 30 times for 107 yards, but were not truly able to break through the Cowboys' front seven for much of the game. Vegas would get a week 1 win over the Washington Commanders, 23-20, with a last play FG from kicker Daniel Carlson. The game featured the debut of quite a few rookies on the LA side of the ball. QB Cam Ward completed 12 of 16 (75%) of his attempts for 192 yards and 2 TDs and, more importantly, did not turn it over and absorbed just 3 sacks. HB Omarion Hampton rushed a workmanlike 26 times for 78 yards while rookie WRs Jaden Higgins and Savion Williams combined for 6 catches, 125 yards, and 2 scores. The defense recored 8 sacks, and 2 picks off last year's star rookie QB Jayden Daniels.

   Final Analysis: The Giants are way too strong for this young Raiders' team and the Vegas' defense has holes everywhere that New York should be able to exploit. New York 35-16.

4:15 PM DENVER BRONCOS (1-0) AT CHICAGO BEARS (0-1)

Surprising Broncos Head to Soldier Field to Face Wounded Bears

   Few pundits would have picked the Broncos to upend the Houston Texans last week. The defense played well and second year quarterback Bo Nix threw for 351 yards and 2 touchdowns in the, 23-20, win. The Bears, on the other hand, got a disappointing effort out of their second year signal caller, Caleb Williams, who would throw for only 137 yards in Chicago's, 24-5, loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Williams' total was the second lowest of his career and worst since his very first game in the league!

   While Denver's defense is better than many realize, the fact is the unit did give up 151 yards rushing to rookie tailback Treveyon Henderson and some 182 rushing yards overall. Chicago's De'Andre Swift is very capaable of putting up solid run numbers and Williams is not likely to have a second bad game in a row. That could mean the Broncos might need a little bit more out of halfback Javonte Williams (16-52).

   Final Analysis: Both teams under new coaching staffs and might need some time to figure things out. Chicago is a dangerous team with some serious talent, but the team must get much better production out of Williams. Close game is probable but it seems Denver is a bit ahead more ahead of schedule than Chicago is. Denver 22-18.  

4:15 PM NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (1-0) AT WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (0-1)

Jeanty-Time in New England? Commanders' TOs Costly in Week 1 Loss

   The Ashton Jeanty Era got off on the right foot last week as the Boise State Alum rushed for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns in the Patriots', 32-29, win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Jeanty's running meshed well with second year QB Drake Maye who completed 21 of 30 throws (70%) for 216 yards. The defense could have been better, but the fact the offense could match points was encouraging. Washington began their year with a great deal of enthusiasm and could have been celebrating a win, but key turnovers and the inability to run the football proved costly in their, 23-20, loss to Las Vegas.

   Final Analysis: The combination of Maye and Jeanty has serious upside and New England's pass rush piled up 14 sacks last week! If they can control the clock with offensive balance, stop the Washington ground game, and get after Washington QB Jayden Daniels they could be walking out of DC with a 2-0 record. The Commanders, at times, seem too reliant upon the passing game and could use more balance. New England 26-21.

4:15 PM ARIZONA CARDINALS (1-0) AT TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (0-1)

Can Hi-Flying Cards Keep Outscoring Teams? Bucs Hurting After Week 1 Defeat

    The Arizona Cardinals staged an upset of the Seattle Seahawks last week, 40-38, by outgunning Seattle. The defense, though, was porous to say the least allowing Seahawk RB Kenneth Walker to rush for 161 yards and 3 touchdowns and quarterback Geno Smith to throw for 302 yards and 2 touchdowns. The obvious question, then, is can the Cards outscore folks enough each week to consistently win games?  They will face a Tampa Bay team that is coming off a tough, 32-29, loss to the Patriots, but showed it can still put up points. The reality for both teams is that neither played well on defense last week so.....

   Final Analysis: Tampa Bay has the superior defensive personnel and probably the better offense too. This one could still become a bit of a shootout. Cardinal QB Kyler Murray was knocked out of the game last week and is injury prone and he needs to stay healthy in this one. Tampa Bay 32-24.

GAME OF THE WEEK

8:20 PM PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (1-0) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-1)

NFC Title Game Rematch! Are 'Hawks in trouble?

   The Eagles resumed their PFL domination last week with a convincing, 31-12, rout of the Miami Dolphins in last week's GOTW. The Philly defensive line was over-powering leading to constant pressure on Dolphin QB Tua Tagovailoa (sacked 11 times) and the Dolphins struggling to run the football. The Eagles, though, were not able to get HB Saquon Barkley going at all (15-24), which was a recurring theme last season. Seattle got plenty of offense out of QB Geno Smith (22-35-302-2) and HB Kenneth Walker (22-161-3), but still lost to Arizona, 40-38, as the defense just could not get stops. A major concern had to be Seattle's lack of TFLs in the loss to 'Zona. They generated just 11 TFLs which is way below what they normally did in games last year. 

   Final Analysis: This is an intriguing matchup and there are, now, some questions that are looming over Seattle. Last year, the team routinely got 19+ TFLs a game, which was huge and critical to their success. If those numbers melt away for some reason, it stands to reason the defense could suffer as opposing teams would then have much better down and distance situations. Philly's D is tough to beat. Philadelphia 27-18.

8:30 PM MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-0) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (0-1)

Vikings Setting Sail to Compete in NFc North? Declawed Bengals Need to Regroup

   The Minnesota Vikings came close to making the playoffs last season, and have their sights set on making it there this year. They clipped the Chicago Bears, 24-5, last week in a key NFC North game and can get to 2-0 with a win here. The Bengals have been notorious slow starters over the years and then have late season runs. Last year, though, they began fast going 3-0 out of the gate and then went 6-8 the rest of the way. They were soundly beaten by the rival Pittsburgh Steelers, 29-14, last week in a big AFC North matchup as the defense faltered. Pittsburgh rookie QB Quinn Ewers carved them up for 365 yards and 3 touchdowns. The D did record 7 sacks and a pick, but it was not nearly enough. Cinci had problems on third downs converting just 33% (6-18) of the time and went 0-3 on fourth down efforts. The Vikings got a balanced attack going last week with second year QB JJ McCarthy throwing for 294 yards and 2 scores while completing 79% (30-38) of his attempts! RB Aaron Jones ran 21 times for 89 yards and a TD.

   Final Analysis: There are worrisome trends with the Cinci defense as well as the team's ability to get good down and distance, early down plays, with plodding rookie HB Ja'Quinden Jackson. The 6'2" 233 Lbs bruiser can run over folks inside, but his top end speed is limiting his breakaway or outside running potential. If the Bengals cannot get QB Joe Burrow into more favorable passing downs, the poor third down rate will probably continue. Minnesota 26-23.