While there is plenty of football yet to be played, the reality is this game could have major ramifications when the stretch runs start. Neither team can afford a loss here. Buffalo dropped its most recent, and seemingly annual, Sisyphus Game versus the Jets last week, while the Raiders got past the Denver Broncos to stay right on the heels of the Chargers. This is an interesting matchup pitting the power running of Vegas and the Running/Passing combo of Buffalo's QB Josh Allen and HB James Cook. If the Bills can get Allen going they have a real shot here. If Vegas can simply run Ashton Jeanty all game long then the tide shifts back towards the Raiders.

   Final Analysis: Whichever team can exert their desired play philosophy the best should win here. Do feel Raiders are more committed and set in how they go about business. Las Vegas 28-20.

CHICAGO BEARS (2-2) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-1)

Have Bears Cleaned Up Their Den? Eagles' Continue Success Under Latest Coach

    It seemed as if the naysayers were beginning to hold sway when the Bears lost their first two games of the season, However, since then, the team has bounced back with a vengeance scoring 41 points in each of its last two games including last week's, 41-24, big time win over the divisional rival Green Bay Packers. What made the wiin even more impressive was the fact Chicago was without the services of QB Caleb Williams and simply ran over Green Bay with backs D'Andre Swift and Dameon Pierce doubling up for a combined 236 yards on 35 carries! Backup QB Kyle McCord was, to say the least, somewhat ineffective, but he did not lose the game. The Eagles seem to win no matter who is running the squad. Philly keeps coming up with huge plays at key times including a fumble that would be scooped by Zach Baun and run back for a touchdown in last week's, 47-23, dismantling of the previously undefeated Seattle Seahawks. Philly fell behind, 14-0, after the first quarter, but would turn the page and never look back. HB Saquon Barkley had new HC Len Barhart totally agog as he ran for 178 yards on 22 carries and backup A.J. Dillon chipped in an addtional 70 yards on 13 totes! Barnhart has been begging to coach a team that has an elite back and running game and now has one of the league's crown jewels at his disposal. The defense, as stated, showed up big time again at key moments.

   Final Analysis: Huge game for both teams here. The Bears are 2-2 and now playing within an NFC North that seems weaker this season. Still, they do not want to fall to 2-3, and a win here would give them the same record as the Eagles, but holding the tie-breaker if it comes to that at the end of the season. The Eagles also appear to be facing little resistance, once again, in the NFC East. Washington is at 2-2 while Dallas (1-3) and New York (0-4) are nearly out of the running already. However, any hopes to seize the coveted top seed in the NFc will almost certainly require a win here as the Cardinals appear near invincible at the moment and, in any case, are not projected to lose many games. Much will still depend upon the game time status of Caleb Williams.  NO LINE DUE TO INJURY STATUS

1:00 PM- TENNESSEE TITANS (3-1) AT JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-0)

AFC Hopefuls In Panhandle Argle-Bargle

    Tennessee is licking its wounds from last week's critical, 30-24, loss to rival Indianapolis. They could also be without the needed presence of HB Tony Pollard, who could be out with an injury. Jacksonville was able to put away the Miami Dolphins, 28-17, with a final dagger TD with a little over 2 minutes remaining. They are now standing at 4-0 and tied with the Colts atop the AFC South. A division that has been notoriously weak in recent years could now be seen as, perhaps, the toughest in football from top to bottom! At any rate, both clubs are vying for the divisional crown and neither will want to fall too far behind the Colts.

   Final Analysis: If Pollard cannot go, it could place a huge burden on the arm of QB Cam Ward. Jacksonville continues to get good play out of QB Trevor Lawrence and, if they can keep that going, they can be one tough out. Jacksonville 27-22.

1:00 PM-PITTSBURGH STEELERS (1-3) AT CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-2)

Steelers Need to Dust Off Rust! Panthers proving They Can Have Claws

    Pittsburgh can ill-afford to slip much further behind in the AFC North and a win here in Charlotte could be a near Must-Win type contest for them. Carolina has shown that it can be competitive and is a dangerous team to play. Last week, the Steelers got into an up and down affair with the Houston Texans and the defense would give up a late score that the offense and rookie QB Ty Simpson lacked enough time to respond to. Simpson threw for 368 yards in the, 31-26, loss. Carolina eased past the New York Giants, 30-13, with the defense coming up with 3 interceptions of Jaxson Dart.

   Final Analysis: The Steelers have enough to won this game, but backs Jaylen Warren and Nick Chubb have combined for just 43 carries (10.75 carries per game). The lack of a running game, at times, is putting a bit too much pressure on Simpson and the defense. Should be a tight one, but the Panthers can beat ya. Carolina 24-21.

 1:00 PM- MIAMI DOLPHINS (0-4) AT MINNESOTA VIKINGS (1-3)

Seasons lost? Dolphs/Vikes On Brink

   Yes, it is true teams in the PFL have begun their campaigns going 0-4 and 1-3 and still found their way to the playoffs. But, in truth, such an occurrence is a rare event indeed. The rarity, though, is what both these two franchises can only cling to as they find themselves on the precipice of disaster. The Dolphins were a playoff club just last year but, as has been well documented, the team took a bit of a nose-dive to conclude the year and seems to have not recovered. Minnesota still remains without a full-time coaching staff and the results have been predictable.

   Final Analysis: Miami plays in the same divison as the Jets and Patriots and it would seem a near impossible vision to think this team can compete for the divisional title. That would relegate them to wild card hunters and the AFC has a long history of having 10 win teams filling out the wild card slots. If that trend holds, the Dolphins will need to go 10-3 the rest of the way. Do see them getting win #1 this week. Miami 26-18.

 1:00 PM- CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-2) AT ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2)

Which Yo-Yo Team Can Finally Settle In?

    Both these franchises have a growing reputation for being maddingly inconsistent. The  Bengals seem to be a team that takes one step forward only to stumble back a step. The Falcons won the NFC South two seasons ago and then tumbled to the bottom of the barrel last year. So far this season, each club has shown it can be a force to be reckoned with, while also displaying some misfortune that has led to defeats. Cinci is coming off a, 32-19, loss to the winless Cleveland Browns as the running game was virtually non-existant. Atlanta looked good in their convincing, 37-14, romp over the rival Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week and looked terrific in week 1 when they upset the Chicago Bears. However, they have sandwiched two losses to the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens between the two victories.

   Final Analysis: The Falcons do not have to deal with Coach Mike Kleinknecht and the Saints this season and the division appears to be relatively average again. That should open the door for Atlanta to take advantage. Their win over TBay last week was a huge stepping stone. Feel the Falcons seem to be playing the better overall ball at the moment. Atlanta 27-21.

   1:00 PM- WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-2) AT NEW YORK GIANTS (0-4)

Can Washington Challenge Eagles in East? G-Men in Free Fall!

    If the Washington Commanders see themselves as legit contenders in the NFC East then the time is now to go out and prove it. A win here would keep them on the heels of the Eagles and, for all intents and purposes, virtually eliminate New York from divisional consideration. But to accomplish the win today, they will need to shut down the Giants' running game. The Giants have had all types of problems on defense allowing 30+ points in all four games thus far this seasonn. Washington tallied 30+ points in each of its first three games.

   Final Analysis: Still waiting for the Giants to kick it in gear, but the D has to improve quite a bit and the running game needs to be more dominant. Washington can score and is hungry. Just have a funny feeling the G-Men are due. New York 26-21.

 1:00 PM- HOUSTON TEXANS (2-2) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-0)

Time's Up For Texans: They Need Big Win Here in Indy 

   Indy has lost tailback Jonathan Taylor for the season and will also be without the services of DT DeForest Buckner and rookie edge rusher R Mason Thomas. The key injuries does at least open the door a bit for the Texans to step through. The Colts did not miss, no pun intended, a step in last week's big, 30-24, win over the Titans as DJ Giddens took over and ran for 129 yards on 18 carries! The pass rush was also extremely effective racking up 9 sacks of Titan QB Cam Ward! Houston may have salvaged their season with their exciting, 31-26, win over the Steelers. QB CJ Stroud showed up throwing for 365 yards and 2 TDs but, more importantly, the running game re-emerged with Joe Mixon galloping for 146 yards on 18 carries, while finding the EZ twice. If there was a slight concern it would have to be his two fumbles.

   Final Analysis: Nobody has found a way to slow down the Colts' running game and, until somebody does, continued success is likely to remain. Houston, though, comes into this one as the #2 rated team against the run (69.5 YPG) and has a pretty stout defensive front. The success of Giddens suggests the offense is more scheme related than talent generated and the scheme might stymie the Texans. The Colts have been stellar on defense as well, allowing only 14 PPG. while rolling up an AFC best 28 sacks! Not sure Texans can run enough keep Stroud out of harm's way. Indianapolis 30-19.  

 1:00 PM- NEW YORK JETS (4-0) AT KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (1-3) 

Champs Keep Winning. KC Seeking That Old MoJo

    This should have been a heavy-weight type meeting. While the game still features some of the league's top players, the reality is the Chiefs just have not been their traditional dominant selves for quite awhile now. They did play a spirited game against the Cardinals last week, but QB Patrick Mahomes would be sacked 7 times and throw 2 interceptions as the club went down, 45-29. Mahomes has now thrown 2 picks in each of his last three games! The Jets were able to get by the Bills.

   Final Analysis: This could become a bit of a shootout. The Jets remain unbeaten, but their offense seems to be a bit below the standard they set a season ago. Still, KC has not shown consistency. New York 32-24.

4:05 PM-DENVER BRONCOS (0-4) AT SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-1)

Frustrations Continue For Denver. 'Hawks Try to Regain Flight After Big L to Philly

    Bronco QB BO Nix just cannot seem to get it going in Denver. He would toss 3 more picks last week as his Broncos lost, 28-17, to the Raiders and now has 6 interceptions on the season compared to just 3 touchdown passes! Seattle saw QB Sam Darnold flip 2 picks against Philadelphia last week as his squad saw an early 14-0 lead quickly dissapate leading to a lopsided, 47-23, whipping by the Eagles. HB Keneth Walker recorded his fourth consecutive 100+ rushing game slashing, dashing and, at times, bashing his way to 143 yards and 2 touchdowns on 20 carries. The defense could not get a takeaway and the club lost the turnover battle 3-0.

   Final Analysis: Turnovers could be key here. Nix has had his problems for sure, but Darnold's numbers coincide with his turnovers as well. He has had two games without a pick and two where he has thrown two picks. Seattle 26-17.

    4:05 PM- LOS ANGELES RAMS (0-4) AT DALLAS COWBOYS (1-3)

Loser Starts Looking at Draft! Two Teams in Desperate Need of Some Upside Meet

   To say it has been a disaster of a season, thus far, for these two clubs would be a serious under-statement. The Rams cannot seem to stop anyone and their top rooks are not playing as well as hoped for. In fact, Rookie tailback Jeremiyah Love is out with an injury. Dallas was decimated by the 49ers, 47-18, as the team committed 5 more turnovers! The Cowboys have now turnedd it over an incredible league most 15 times in just 4 games with rookie QB Diego Pavia tossing an almost impossible 7 picks in just three games!

   Final Analysis: Neither team has shown much ability to compete, but somebody has to win this one. Dallas is a complete mess with zero answers for the turnover bug. The Rams have a bunch of injuries. Dallas 3-2?

4:05 PM- ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-0)  AT LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (4-0)

Cards Romping Away In PFL! Are Bolts Ready For First Stern Test?

  Normally, this would be seen as a sure-fire GOTW candidate. But the Cardinals have taken on all comers and easily won, while the Chargers have played only one team (New England) with an above .500 record. If Arizona stuffs the Charger running game, it will compel QB Justin Herbert to throw the ball in the face of a well schemed Cardinal defense and the results, based upon past results, will almost certainly not be in favor of Herbert. The Bolts' QB threw 20 interceptions last season often as a result of his having to throw the ball under pressure. It seems probable that he will be tasked with having to do much more than game manage in this one. Arizona leads the league in scoring (42 PPG) and is second in scoring defense (12.25 PPG) with a league leading 32 sacks! The Chargers are #1 in scroing defense (7.75 PPG) and are 8th in scoring (27.8 PPG).

   Final Analysis: See the Cards shutting down the Chargers' running game and forcing Herbert into bad down and distance situations where the 'Zona pass rush will either get some sacks or picks (if not both). Doubt the Bolts can hold down the Cardinals enough to let Herbert play game manager. Arizona 35-16.

   The Baltimore Ravens lost their season opener to the New York Jets, but come into this matchup having won all three games since. The Cleveland Browns finally got the monkey off their back last week as they dumped the Cincinnati Bengals, 32-19. The question, then, becomes which of these two AFC North teams can keep the good vibes going? For Baltimore, it really is just keeping the defense rolling and letting QB Lamar Jackson manage games and HB Derrick Henry and Co. run the group to glory. For the Browns, it's a surging defense that has to come up big here as the running game is till lacking and QB Shedeur Sanders has not proven he can carry the team.

   Final Analysis: Which D is gonna win out? Kinda feel Lamar is a better weapon than Sanders when all factors are added in. Baltimore 24-18.

4:15 PM-TAMPA BAY BUCANNEERS (2-2) AT NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-4)

Bucs Need a W to Hang With Falcons. Saints a Shadow of Last Season's NFC Title Team?

    Coming off a big, and disappointing, loss to the Atlanta Falcons, 37-14, has Tampa Bay in a sour mood. The game was significant as it was the first test of the year for the Bucs and, well, the grade was not above a D! QB Baker Mayfield was relatively ineffective and the running game was kinda moot given the score. The defense was unable to contain Atlanta's Bijan Robinson who ripped through them for 155 yards on just 15 carries. New Orleans has scored 13 or fewer points in each of its last three games. QB Spencer Rattler did complete 22 of 29 passes (76%), but he would be sacked 6 times and picked off twice. Backs Javonte Williams and Kendre Miller were limited to just 64 total yards rushing.

   Final Analysis: Bucs not playing great ball, but they are playing better than the Saints. Halos having all types of problems scoring. Tampa Bay 24-14.

   The Niners will head East coming off one of the more incredible two week turn-arounds in league history! Two weeks ago, they were throttled by the Arizona Cardinals, 55-0, but the team would then smash the hapless Dallas Cowboys, 47-18, as virtually everything went their way. After being pummeled into the turf over the first three weeks of the year, QB Brock Purdy would not suffer a single sack last week, while throwing for 318 yards. As if that was not impressive enough, the running game also joined in the fun with backs Brian Robinson and Christian McCaffrey totalling 158 yards on 36 carries! And, on the defensive side, San Fran would get 5 takeaways! The Patriots got by the Minnesota Vikings, but the team is still searching for consistency out of QB Drake Maye.

   Final Analysis: Doubtful San Francisco comes close to the heaven-sent romp they had last week. The Patriots have been winners for quite a few years now, but still cannot seem to catch the Jets. New England 29-22.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-2) AT DETROIT LIONS (2-2)

Can Pack Return to Divisional Supremacy or Are Lions Set to Finally Break Through?

    Every season is different in the PFL and this year is no exception. The Green Bay Packers have been relegated to also-ran status the past couple of years and wish to regain their position atop the NFC North. However, they were slammed down last week, again, by the defending divisional champion Chicago Bears, 41-24, dousing any immediate flames in Titletown. The Detroit Lions have been cemented in the lower half of this division for, what seems to be, forever now. They have played a pretty rough first few games, so their record could be a bit deceiving. Now, though, if they wish to finally break through, they really need to show up here and beat a Packers' team that has, quite frankly, owned them for many years running. In many ways these two teams line up fairly evenly. Green Bay has the better defensive numbers, but the Lions hold an edge in takeaways (9-6) and turnover margin (+2 to -1). The Lions, though, will be without HB Jahmyr Gibbs and LT Taylor Decker again and that could prove to be the slight wedge Green Bay needs. The Packers are, yet again, struggling to run the football compelling QB Jordan Love to do a bit too much at times or for the defense to save the day. Edge Micah Parsons missed a number of games last season and is really making up for lost time. The premier pass rusher has piled up 8.5 sacks already and could be a handful for LT Giovanni Manu who is playing in Taylor's stead. Manu gave up 2 sacks last week and another the week before.

   Final Analysis: Injuries could be a factor here especially if Parsons can disrupt the Lions' offense. If Green Bay can limit the Detroit running game, that would get QB Matt Stafford throwing the ball under duress. Should be a good one. Green Bay 26-23.