8:15 PM SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (2-2) AT LOS ANGELES RAMS (1-3)

Resurgent Niners, Slumping Rams in California Clash

    San Fran got 319 yards passing and a touchdown from QB Brock Purdy who benefttied from a 13 carry, 89 yards rushing, 2 touchdowns effort from HB Christian McCaffrery. Their deeds paced the team to a, 31-22, win over the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. The defense saw Nick Bosa have an incredible day sacking Jags' QB Trevor Lawrence 6 times as part of a 10 sack team performance. At 2-2. they have a chance to make a move in the NFC and get back on track towards a playoff berth. The Rams played a spirited game with the Indianapolis Colts, but came up a shade short, 35-31. The defense, which leads the PFL with 32 sacks, smacked Colts' QB Anthony Richardson into the turf a punishing 14 times. DEs Byron Young and Jared Verse enter the game with 7 and 6 sacks respectively.

   Final Analysis: If SF remains true to a balanced concept and gets McCaffrey going, the team can eleviate much of the expected Rams' pass rush. If the club tries to just lean on the passing of Purdy, the odds are high LA will have success with their pressures. HB Kyren Williams has been a workhorse for the Rams already registering three games in which he has carried the ball at least 22 times. QB Matt Stafford has thrown 5 interceptions leading to a -2 team turnover margin. This one might get down to how the Niners elect to play the game. 

NO LINE DUE TO COACHING UNCERTAINTY

9:00 AM: MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-3) AT CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-2-1)

Browns Hope Vikes' D Cures What Ails Their O

    The Cleveland Browns' offense has been hurting much of the season. The unit comes in ranked 27th in yards per game (312.5) and 26th in scoring (20.663 PPG) but, they get a Vikings' team that does not seem to be able to stop people at key times and is giving up way too many points. Minnesota is allowing 37.88 PPG on defense (31st in the PFL) and has recorded just 11 sacks on the year. Of course, while Cleveland may benefit from the porous Viking defense, the reality is Minnesota averages 330.5 YPG passing and is second in the PFL with 12 passing touchdowns. So, Cleveland will need to find a way to slow down the Vikings at least a bit if they hope to pull off the win. QB Shedeur Sanders continues to work his way through his rookie season. Last week he posted season highs in yards (312), completions, (230 and attempts (41), but he still finished with a completion rate below 60% (23/41/56.1). He might find more success this week if the Viking D does not improve dramatically.

   Final Analysis: Minnesota is having real issues slowing anybody down. They have allowed 28 or more points in every game this season. Cleveland, however, has tallied 17 or fewer points in three of their four outings. Interesting matchup. Minnesota 30-21.

GAME OF THE WEEK

  1:00 PM NEW YORK GIANTS (3-1) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (4-0)

G-Mens' Conservative O VS Mikey-Ball Attack!

   Two coaches with very different styles and concepts meet in the Big Easy. Coach Gabe ElGuapo has taken on a grind-it-up, short passing game approach in recent times, while coach Mike Kleinknecht has been employing his well known tactics of hot routing plays out of various formations to effectively defeat defenses. The Giants nipped the LA Chargers, 22-16, last week that saw Chargers' HC Jim Gamble immediately resign afterwards in frustration. Rookie QB Jaxson Dart had a fine outing throwing for 325 yards and 2 touchdowns while completing 81% (22-27) of his attempts! Fellow rookie HB Cam Skattebo rushed 19 times for 74 yards as part of a 155 yard team effort. meanwhile, the Halos keep right on scoring. Coach Kleinknect's two teams (the Jets being the other) are ranked 1 and 2 in the PFL averaging 39.5 (Saints), and 43.5 (Jets) PPG! New Orleans has scored 32 or more points in every game this season including back-to-back 40+ games! QB Spencer Rattler, yea that guy, threw for over 400 yards and 4 touchdowns in last week's, 48-25, rout of the Buffalo Bills. Rattler has now tossed 14 TD passes with just 1 interception and leads the PFL with a perfect 158.3 QBR (You read that correctly folks. PERFECT 158.3!!!)!  In Kleinknecht's system, it simply does not matter who the quarterback is as the money plays are all hot routed and personally designed to "work" versus  various defenses. 

   New York's tendency is to play a conservative style of football. However, the team deviated from their norm last week averaging 12.0 yards per pass attempt after posting 10.7, 7.8, and 8.7 YPA in their prior three games! The team may need to continue to at least threaten verticality or else risk having the Saints compress their defense to underneath coverages. Skattebo will need to have some success for sure, but if Big Blue tries to bludgeon its way to victory, it is probable New Orleans will check them enough to win handily.

   Final Analysis: Nobody has ever been able to truly figure out a method for slowing down the legendary Kleinknecht and his offensive methodology. In the prior matchups between these two coaches, Kleinknecht has had the upper hand by cramping the short game of El Guapo and then scoring enough to win going away. Was the G-Mens' move to more passing downfield last week a sign of things to come or maybe just an anomaly? New Orleans 30-18.

  1:00 PM DENVER BRONCOS (2-2) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-0)

Can New Look Broncos Shoot Down High Flying Eagles?

    The Denver Broncos and their new coaching staff headed by Coach Mac Whyte may have put the AFC on notice with their dominating performance last week versus the undefeated Cincinnati Bengals. Cinci game into the game with a perfect 3-0 record and the #1 scoring defense in the league. Denver's defense would pick off Bengal QB Joe Burrow 4 times (one a 53 yard pick-6 by SS P.J. Locke), QB Bo Nix would throw for 356 yards and 2 touchdowns ending with a season best 122.7 QBR, and HB J.K. Dobbins would rush for a season high 103 yards on 16 carries as the Broncos rolled, 37-17. The Eagles, meanwhile, remained unblemshed with a clean 4-0 slate as they dumped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Philly is one of 5 PFL teams left with an unbeaten record.

   Beating a good Bengals' team is one thing, but upsetting the defending PFL Champions, who have been to back-to-back Super Bowls, is another thing altogether. The Eagles possess a plethora of talent and a myriad of ways to defeat a team. The passing, running, and play making of QB Jalen Hurts is one issue. The electric running of HB Saquon Barkley is another problem. A horde of top notch receivers featuring A.J. Brown, Devonta Smith, Johan Dotson, John Metchie, and TE Dallas Goedert is terrifying. And a tremendous defensive front 7 is yet another dilemma to contend with. Denver will need to find some ways to move the ball, score some points, and contain Hurts and Barkley if they wish to win. Hurts, in particular, can extend plays when he gets out of the pocket where he then becomes a dual threat.

   Final Analysis: The jury is out on the Broncos. This is a stern test, for sure, and should serve as a barometer as to just where the team is at. Even a close loss would be a good result and a solid omen for the future. The Broncos have the talent to win here, of course, with a very good D of their own, but it may get down to how well Nix and Dobbins can play against the rugged Philly front. Philadelphia 26-21.

1:00 PM: DALLAS COWBOYS (0-4) AT NEW YORK JETS (4-0)

Punchless Pokes Saddle Up for Trip to Soaring Jets

    The once proud Dallas franchise has dissoled into a dismal morass with a number of poor seasons that eventually paved the way for long time HC Len Barnhart to resign. Now at 0-4, the team does not have a head coach in place and travels to New York to face a Jets' team that is the lone AFC undefeated squad that also just happens to lead the PFL in scoring averaging a staggering 43.5 PPG. Can you say "rout"?

   Final Analysis: Dallas is in complete disarray, while the Jets are in complete control.

 NO LINE

 1:00 PM: LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (2-2)

Two See-Saw Teams Push for Consistency

    Both of these teams are trying to find a consistent winning formula. Vegas is coming off a disappointing, 38-17, loss to the undefeated Chicago Bears, while the Colts held on for a narrow, 35-31, victory over the Los Angeles Rams. The two teams are sitting at 31st and 32nd in the league for offensive yards per game. Vegas is coming in averaging just 279.25 YPG and the Colts are trudging in with a league worst 236.25 YPG resume. The Raiders are 32nd in passing (144.25 YPG) and Indy is 32nd in rushing (53.5 YPG). The most compelling stat has to be the unreal, and truly amazing, sacks Colt QB Anthony Richardson has absorbed. He has been planted into the ground a league high 48 times (Some 25 more then the second most in the league!) and the number of traps is severely hampering the offense. Meanwhile, Raider QB Geno Smith has had three games where he has thrown for 191 yards or less and two outings where he averaged less than 6 yards per attempt! 

   Both clubs do have elite running backs. Indianapolis, of course, has veteran Jonathan Taylor, while Las Vegas struts out rookie Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty has been fairly steady, but he has not come close to his rookie debut in week 1 when he ran for 196 yards on 29 carries. Taylor, meanwhile, has been an unmitigated disaster thus far. The superstar back has now had three games in which he has averaged less than 2 YPC and just had his best game of the year last week as he ran for 45 yards on 14 carries (3.21 YPC). The apparent inability to get Taylor untracked is forcing Richardson into tough passing situations that do not fit his style or skill set.

   Final Analysis: Despite all the offensive negatives, including a 31st rated third down conversion rate (16-55-29.09%), Indy is still averaging a very healthy 30.27 PPG! But they also have been ceding over 37 PPG on D and that could open the door for a Vegas' offense that is averaging 22.98 PPG. The Raider defense is giving up 27.13 PPG. Envision the Colts being able to score enough to get by in this one, but those sack totals and the lack of a running game is going to make winning a weekly chore. Indianapolis 28-23. 

 1:00 PM: HOUSTON TEXANS (1-3) AT BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-2-1)

Is it Time to Hit the Panic Button in Houston and Baltimore?

    One of these teams is going to come out of this matchup, perhaps, feeling like the season has gotten away from them. However, and maybe fortunately, the Texans and Ravens are playing in divisions that just seem to lack a true power house that is running away with the divisional race just yet. Houston is just 1 game behind the Colts and Titans in the AFC South, while the Ravens are within striking distance of the front running Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers. Still, at some point, a team has to find its legs and start winning some games.

   The Texans are hoping that last week's upset of Tennessee, 48-38, is a sign of good times to come. The running game was excellent paced by HBs Joe Mixon (14-165-3) and Nick Chubb (10-56-1), but the passing woes of QB CJ Stroud continued. Stroud would throw 2 more interceptions (5 on the season) and finished with his fourth consecutive sub-100 QBR. Baltimore also won their game, 42-40 last week. It was a huge win over the Kansas City Chiefs, but the defensive concerns linger.. The D is allowing a league most 360.25 YPG against the pass, 150.75 YPG versus the run, and some 511 YPG overall! They have now given up at least 31 points in all four games to date. The saving grace, though, has been an offense that is barreling ahead averaging 507.75 YPG and 34 PPG. Compared to Houston's 29th rated 17.56 PPG offensive number, it would seem Baltimore likely has the edge here.

   Final Analysis: Houston must score if it wants to hang in with the Ravens' attack. Stroud simply must play better and can if the running game is helping him out. The poor Baltimore defense could see Stroud get it going, but even then, will it be enough? Baltimore 32-25

 1:00 PM: MIAMI DOLPHINS (2-2) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-2)

Which Team Ends Day Above .500?

    One sure method to make the playoffs in the PFL is to at least finish above .500. Both the Miami Dolphins and Carolina Panthers will be making efforts this weekend to stay above that threshold. The Dolphins are coming off an inspiring game against the New York Jets in which they lost by a narrow, 31-29, margin. QB Tua Tagovailoa threw for a season high 377 yards and 3 touchdowns and the defense did pick off Jets' QB Justin Fields twice, but Tagovailoa would also be intercepted twice and the D saw Fields throw for 359 yards and 3 TDs of his own. Carolina started off strong against the New England Patriots only to see the same old bugaboos show up. QB Bryce Young would throw for over 300 yards, but complete just 50% (15/30) of his pass attempts, and the running game just was not there. In addition, the defense simply could not stop Patriot QB Drake Maye (32/46/401/3 TDs).

   Final Analysis: Carolina's complete lack of a pss rush (A league low 4 sacks all season) will probably give Tagovailoa time to find WRs Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. Miami leads the AFC with 27 sacks, which is a good thing considering the club has been allowing teams to throw for 343.5 YPG (Third most in the league). If Bryce Young can find a rhythm he might post some solid numbers here this week, The Dolphins' D is giving up just 72.5 YPG against the run (Tops in the AFC) and that could put too much of a burden on Young. Miami 31-18.

4:05 PM: TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (1-3) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (0-4)

Is Bucs' Ship Sinking? Seahawks Cannot Find Land?

    A pair of organizations that have really been struggling meet in The Great Northwest this weekend. The Buccaneers just dropped their third game of the season, a loss to the Philadelphioa Eagles, while the Seahawks seemed in complete disarray following their, 44-15, drubbing at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals. Neither team has the appearance to be positioned to make a positive run at the moment, but perhaps a win this weekend can turn things around...

   Seattle QB Sam Darnold just has not been mobile or creative enough to keep the offense moving. He has now had three games where he has thrown for less than 200 yards and has not had a single game this season where he finished with a QBR above 84.1! His ineffectiveness has limited the attack to a large degree and placed way too much pressure on a defense that, quite frankly, is not as stout as in past seasons.

   Final Analysis: Tough one to call. The Seahawks look like the club that is in worse shape and it might be time to take a long look at rookie QB Jalen Milroe. Tampa Bay 30-19.

4:05 PM: TENNESSEE TITANS (2-2) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-1)

Titans Look to Rebound. Cards Eying Another NFC West Crown

    The AFC South is, yet again, looking like a wide open battle with no team seemingly capable of grabbing the proverbial bull by the horns. The Titans looked like they might have the upper hand after their convincing, 38-7, thrashing of the Indianapolis Colts, but then they stumbled last week and dropped a, 48-38, stinker to the winless Houston Texans throwing the entire division back into play. The offense hummed again with rookie QB Cam Ward connecting for 4 touchdowns and 421 yards passing and HB Tony Pollard galloping for 100 yards on 19 carries, but the defense was riddled all day long by the Houston offense and ended up allowing HBs Joe Mixon and Nick Chubb to tag team them for 221 yards rushing on 21 carries. Ward, who did play well, nonetheless absorbed 9 sacks in the loss. The Cards, on the other hand, have been rolling along ever since their season opening loss to the New Orleans Saints. They utterly dismantled the Seattle Seahawks last week, 44-15, as the running game steam rolled to 258 yards and 2 touchdowns due to the unified efforts of backs Trey Benson (19-160), James Connor (9-43), and Jaleel McLaughlin (9-43).

   Final Analysis: Both teams boast solid defenses that hang their hats on different aspects of the game. Tennessee is 4th in the league against the pass allowing 197.75 YPG, whereas the Cards are 10th versus the run ceding just 87.5 YPG. This poses an intriguing question: Which team is best suited to shutting the other down? While the Titans have had Pollard run well at times, his output has not been the main barometer for his team's success. That mantle falls on the arm of Ward. In the team's two losses, Ward has completed 59% (39/66) of his passes, while in the club's two victories he has completed 78% (53/78) of his attempts! Arizona is decent against the pass and might be able to hold Ward down enough to allow their offense to pull away. Arizona 30-22

4:25 PM: WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (1-3) AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (1-3)

Loser Could be in Serious Hot Water!

    This is a game where neither team can afford a loss. For Washington, falling to 1-4, in a divison that has both the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants playing well, could all but be eliminated from any hopes fo competing for the NFC East title. In the case of the Chargers, life could not have gotten any worse as HC Jim Gamble resigned suddenly following a frustrating, 22-16, defeat to the New York Giants. Still, the rest of the AFC West has stumbled along of late and the Bolts are just 1 game behind the Kansas City Chiefs, Denver Broncos, and Las Vegas Raiders! So, folks, it would seem the Commanders have control of the battle field this week. 

 NO LINE AS BOTH TEAMS WITHOUT A COACHING STAFF

4:05 PM: DETROIT LIONS (1-2-1) AT CINCINNATI BENGALS (3-1)

Game Between Big Cats in Ohio

   The Detroit Lions are coming off a tense, 12-12, tie with the Cleveland Browns. The tie was one thing, but the lack of points has to be a concern for a team that exploded for 48 points the week before in a win over the Baltimore Ravens. The Lions have scored, outside of that win, 24 or fewer points in its other three games with QB Jared Goff finishing three of his games with a QBR below 100. Cinci is coming off a disappointing, 37-17, debacle against the Denver Broncos that saw their modest 3-0 start to their season come to an abrupt end. The running game went dormant (11 carries for 27 yards from HB Chase Brown), but the passing game was fine as Brown continued his excellent season of catching the ball out the backfield grabbing 9 more receptions. He now has 25 catches on the season for 142 yards!

   Final Analysis: Up until last week, the Bengals were #1 on defense in the league. They still come in ranked third in the PFL giving up 305.25 YPG and a league best 12.48 PPG. The Lions have given up the third most yards in the NFC (428 YPG) and are 28th in points allowed (35.38 PPG). Unless they can fix their defensive shortcomings or light a fire under their offense, an upset of the Bengals is not likely. Cincinnati 26-21.

8:20 PM:  NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-1) AT BUFFALO BILLS (0-3-1)

Pats Try to Keep Pace With Jets in AFC East Race. Once Hopeful Bills Now in Desperate State

    The New England Patriots always seem to find a way to be in the mix when it comes to the AFC East. From the days battling with the late, great Pete Russo's Miami Dolphins (Coach Mike Kleinknecht as well) to the current challengess of the New York Jets, the Patriots always seem to be right there. True to their history, they are once again embroiled in a fiercely contested AFC East race. At 3-1, they are now 1 game behind the Jets and cannot afford to take on any unexpected losses. Last week, QB Drake Maye was able to throw for over 400 yards and 3 touchdowns as his club dumped the Carolina Panthers, 37-22. Maye finally returned to form, easing some growing tensions in New England, and had his first game this year without throwing an interception. He would finish with 401 yards and 3 TDs and a season best 118.1 QBR. Buffalo would be stomped by the New Orleans Saints, 48-25, as the defense was rolled for a stunning 653 yards that included an incredible 240 yards rushing from tailback Kendre Miller. The Bills also allowed Spencer Rattler, yep that guy again, to rip them for 401 yards and 4 touchdowns! The inability to slow down the Saints, of course, took the running game out of play, neutralized HB James Cook, and put much of the load onto the arm of QB Josh Allen. Allen would conclude his day with a season low 47.22% (17/36) completion rate and would throw an interception for the third game in a row.

   Final Analysis: Maye will probably have success against a Buffalo secondary that is yielding 342.5 YPG. Conversely, New England comes in ranked #4 against the pass (216.75 YPG) in the PFL,  so Allen will need help from the running game and Cook. That might be possible, though, since the Pats are letting teams rush for 134.5 YPG. Sadly, however, Buffalo has the worst run defense in football (187,25 YPG). The Bills' defense has been shredded all season long and will likely get blitzed again this week. New England 34-23.

    In years past, the Kansas City Chiefs would employ a powerful offense combined with a sack happy defense to run up weekly scores and wins. The team saw its grip on the AFC West ended last season by an upstart Vegas Raiders' team and now finds itself battling just to stay above .500. The defense, to put it mildly, has not been able to put teams away and comes in surrendering some 463 yards per game.  At the same time,  the offense has not always been cooperative. To date, the Chiefs have committed 8 turnovers (2nd most in the league) and QB Patrick Mahomes is tied for the most interceptions thrown (6) in the PFL! Still, the attack is ranked #2 in the league averaging 499.25 YPG and scoring at a 34.63 PPG clip.  Jacksonville had a tremendous debut two weeks ago as HC Jim Cruiser stepped onto the sidelines. The team would whip the Houston Texans, 36-13, setting off a wave of enthusiasm in the Florida Panhandle. That feel good moment, though, came crashing down to earth last week as the team would be upended, 31-22, by the San Francisco 49ers. A good omen, perhaps, would be the solid play again from QB Trevor Lawrence who would improve upon the season highs he attained in the Cruiser debut with a 443 yard outburst, The downside was the evaporation of any semblance of a running game as backs Travis Etienne and Tank Bigsby could only gain 10 yards on a combined 10 carries. Etienne's performance, in particular, was striking as he had blasted his way to 161 yards on 24 carries in the big win the week before!

   Final Analysis: Jacksonville is a dangerous team with Lawrence at the helm and Etienne posing a possible running weapon. While they did not win last week, the team was able to post 22 points and has averaged 29 PPG in the two games under Cruiser. If the KC defense does not improve, there is a good chance this one could become another up and down the field affair. Just feel KC will probably have enough power to outgun the Jags. Kansas City 31-26.

TEAMS ON A BYE