Week 4 predictions:

Last week I got 8/16 correct giving me a 50% success rate but I did well on quite a few scores; Have a look here.

Week 3 saw some upsets and some surprise performances so what can we expect from week 4? Let's have a look at all of Sunday's week 4 games with my predictions for each match:


(2-1) Baltimore Ravens vs Buffalo Bills (1-2)

The Baltimore Ravens have quietly gone about their business after a heavy week one defeat to the Denver Broncos. Three weeks later and the team has won two on the bounce with the Ravens heading in to a week 4 road-trip to Buffalo hoping to make it three straight victories.

Last week saw Baltimore knock off the Texans 30-9 in a game which many people had Houston to win but that wasn't to be. Special teams came up big for the Ravens on a day where defenses were on top with early signs suggesting it was going to be a low scoring encounter. Neither quarterback threw a touchdown pass with both offenses struggling to get it going.

Heading in to week 4 the Ravens will be happy to be above .500 as they look to keep up with the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North and Baltimore will fancy their chances of moving to 3-1 against a Bills team which fell to the New York Jets last week.

The Bills have the fastest offense in the league with an average of 21.4 seconds per play but will this be enough for them to overcome the Ravens? I doubt it but the Bills are making progress and we saw how they made it difficult for the Patriots when they visited Ralph Wilson Stadium for the opening game of the season. This Ravens team is still adjusting to a new era but the teething problems won't be too sore when they face Buffalo and even if it ends up being a close game expect the Ravens to find a way to grind out the win

Score Prediction: Ravens 20-14 Bills


(2-1) Cincinnati Bengals vs Cleveland Browns (1-2)

Despite some heroics from Brian Hoyer and the Browns last weekend they came up against a lacklustre Minnesota Vikings who have failed to find their feet in 2013. That is not taking anything away from Cleveland but in week 4 they face a focused Bengals team who are coming to town on the back of a fantastic display against the Packers which saw them win 34-30.

The Bengals would be silly to take this game as a gimme especially as it is a divisional rival matchup but they should really take care of business as they look to prove that they are taking a step forward this year.

The offense and defense came up big last week against Green Bay so you can expect the same against the Browns. It is safe to say that Cleveland may not have given up on their season after all and Brian Hoyer has a point to prove after being given the starting job. This game may well be closer than most expect but it seems more than likely that the Bengals will win their third straight game.

Score Prediction: Bengals 24-13 Browns


(3-0) Chicago Bears vs Detroit Lions (2-1)

This game could have a lot of playoff implications even if it is so early on in this season. NFC North clashes are never boring and Calvin Johnson added fuel to the flame when he said it is easy to dislike the Bears ahead of Sunday's clash.

Chicago is unbeaten after three successive wins but the trip to Ford Field will not be easy. Jay Cutler has been releasing the ball very quickly this year and that has helped cut out the mistakes with the quarterback throwing 6 touchdowns to 3 interceptions so far which leaves him 10th in league with a passer rating of 94.2.

The Chicago defense is looking good and Matt Forte has proven himself on the ground again as well as made sure he has been a receiving threat out of the back field. The Lions will fancy their chances though after bouncing back from a week 2 defeat against the Cardinals to knock off Washington 27-20 last week meaning they moved to 2-1.

Detroit ranks 4th in net yards per game 410.7 and will expose any lapses in the Chicago defense. Lions QB Matthew Stafford has defied any critics so far this season by throwing for 6 touchdowns to just 2 interceptions in his first 3 games. The improvement in the Lions' running game thanks to Bell and Bush has helped take the pressure off from Stafford's shoulders plus he has targeted other receiving weapons besides Megatron.

The Bears seem more disciplined so far in 2013 but the Lions seem to have matured so that is what makes this game so hard to call. With the Lions at home I'm going to say they end the Bears' unbeaten start to the season and really shake things up within the division which would be good news for the Green Bay Packers.

Score Prediction: Bears 27-30 Lions


(3-0) Seattle Seahawks vs Houston Texans (2-1)

Despite being at home the Texans are slight underdogs after being blown out by the Ravens last week. They would have been hoping that the Colts lost to the 49ers last week so that if they lost this week it would have ensured they were on an even record with their AFC South rivals if they won this week but the Colts got the win in week 3.

With the Seattle Seahawks looking like a new animal in 2013 Houston will not be looking forward to welcoming them to Reliant Stadium when the two teams meet tomorrow. Seattle are looking to improve on their 3-5 regular season record on the road from last year so tomorrow will be a good test especially as they go up against a good Texans defense.

Despite the fact that the Texans have a talented defense they have failed to rise to expectation so far this year which can't be said for Seattle as they have certainly lived up to their billing as the best defense in the league with the Seahawks only giving up 27 points in their first three matches.

Seattle's defense has been on top form in 2013 and on offense second year quarterback Russell Wilson has been very efficient throwing 6 touchdowns to only 2 interceptions so far this year which has led to a passer rating of 109.6.

While the Texans will have Andre Johnson back for Sunday they'll need DeAndre Hopkins to come up big if they are to trouble the Seattle secondary. The Texans won't be pushed over but the Seahawks have been very impressive this season so I expect them to react to the Niners victory on Thursday night by claiming this road win meaning they remain undefeated and move on to a 4-0 record.

Score Prediction: Seattle 31-17 Texans


(2-1) Indianapolis Colts vs Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3)

The Indianapolis Colts limited Jim Harbaugh's 49ers to just 7 points as Colts quarterback Andrew Luck claimed victory in his first meeting with his former high school head coach. Luck was efficient despite not throwing a passing touchdown with the QB completing 17 of his 26 pass attempts.

He came up with a critical rushing score when it was 13-7 late in the 4th quarter to put the Colts up 20-7. The Colts showed determination and a new found belief with new running back Trent Richardson combining well with Ahmad Bradshaw as both backs rushed for a touchdown a piece.

The Jaguars will be dreading the visit of the Colts after defeat to the Raiders last week meant they have now lost three in a row. The only thing Jacksonville appears to have to look forward to is the trip to London in 3 weeks but even then that pits them up against the 49ers which may mean a sour trip when they fly across the pond later in October.

With the Colts firing on all cylinders on both sides of the ball the defense of Indianapolis will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing the Jags whilst Andrew Luck and co on offense will be relishing the chance of putting up big numbers and that is what I expect to happen. The Colts will leave Florida with the victory and a 3-1 record leaving the Jags rooted to the bottom of the AFC South.

Score Prediction: Colts 27-9 Jaguars


(0-3) New York Giants vs Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)

This game for some reason is a tough call for me. The Chiefs defense has been very impressive so far this year with their front seven causing problems and that would seem to be the perfect recipe for defeating the Giants when you consider the fact that Giants QB Eli Manning has thrown 8 interceptions in just three games.

Alex Smith has been efficient and this Kansas offense is starting to jell together but despite some early season woes the Giants defense can still cause problems with the pass rush and could catch the Chiefs by surprise especially if any complacency creeps in.

In all honesty Chiefs head coach will not allow complacency to come in to play but there is only so much a head coach can do as once the players get on the field it is down to them to get the job done. At 0-3 the Giants need to win to have any chance of saving their season even if it appears the chances of doing that are oh so slim right now.

We know that the Giants perform well when they have a chip on their shoulder and although I personally believe their season is over in terms of making the playoffs I do think that they will upset the Chiefs tomorrow by getting a win on the road. This Chiefs team is still growing accustom to being a winning team and the Giants team will not want to become accustomed to being a losing team so I think tomorrow will be one of the shocks of the weekend as Big Blue comes out with the W in a close one.

Score Prediction: Giants 21-17 Chiefs


(0-3) Pittsburgh Steelers vs Minnesota Vikings (0-3)

Both the Steelers and Vikings have flown over to London for the seventh game in the international series with both hoping to make the trip a memorable one by recording a first win of the season.

With both teams lacking any real spark so far this year it is hard to make a case for either winning tomorrow which weirdly enough will be a good for the Wembley crowd as they should see a close hard fought match.

Ben Roethlisberger and Adrian Peterson will both be looking to help their respective teams seal the win tomorrow afternoon but who will actually get the job done? The Steelers offensive line has been awful and when you throw that in with an abysmal running game as well as limited receiving options it doesn't bode well for Big Ben and the Steelers.

It would have been fitting for Big Ben to grab the win with Big Ben itself only round the corner but I think that the Vikings get this win thanks to Christian Ponder's rib injury. Matt Cassel will start at quarterback tomorrow for the Vikings instead of Ponder and I expect him to make the most of the opportunity. My bold prediction is Cassel throwing the game winning touchdown pass to Greg Jennings along with Adrian Peterson lighting it up in the running game for the sold-out Wembley Stadium to enjoy.

Score Prediction: Steelers 21-27 Vikings


(1-2) Arizona Cardinals vs Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3)

The Buccaneers had playoff aspirations at the start of the season but unfortunately for them even a blockbuster trade for Darrelle Revis has failed to help Tampa Bay this season.

Josh Freeman appear to be on his way out after a falling out with Bucs head coach Greg Schiano which has led to the former starter demanding a trade. Tomorrow Tampa will start with rookie Mike Glennon as their quarterback but it could be a rough day for the former North Carolina State man as the Cardinals defense could cause havoc on him at the rest of the Buccaneers offense.

Arizona will be looking to bounce back from a 31-7 defeat to the Saints last week and improve on offense after a bad day at the office. New head coach Bruce Arians hasn't done too bad for the Cardinals as he has restored some hope in the fans but the project has just become and Carson Palmer is not a long term fix at the quarterback position for the franchise.

In spite of that Palmer has made wideout Larry Fitzgerald a viable threat again which is not good news for Tampa Bay. With their opposition already lingering around the self-destruct button I think the Cardinals will win tomorrow and pile the misery on Tampa Bay.

Score Prediction: Cardinals 19-13 Buccaneers


(2-1) New York Jets vs Tennessee Titans (2-1)

The Jets and the Titans have both got off to good starts of the season to the surprise of many. The Titans will host the Jets tomorrow with both looking to rack up their third win of the season and stay in contention within their respective divisions.

The Jets know that their two AFC East rivals have tough games while the Titans know a win tomorrow ensures they remain at least tied for first in the AFC South.

My prediction between the Jets and Bills last week came down to a coin toss as I couldn't decide who would win. It ended up with New York winning and me being wrong but this week I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the Jets win just because of their defense.

The Jets D has looked solid so far this season and will cause problems for the Titans. As long as Geno Smith and the Jets' offense doesn't collapse then Rex Ryan's team will grind out the win in a close one.

Score Prediction: Jets 17-13 Titans


(1-2) Philadelphia Eagles vs Denver Broncos (3-0)

After a week one victory over Washington the Philadelphia Eagles have lost back to back games and now they go on the road in what seems to be mission impossible in facing the Denver Broncos. The Broncos have scored 127 points in their first three games as the team have put on an offense clinic with their explosiveness tearing apart the Ravens, Giants and Raiders in recent weeks.

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning now has an incredible 12 touchdowns heading in to week 4 and is still yet to throw an interception; His passer rating is 134.7. Manning also have the highest pass competition percentage with 73% as well as the most passing yards with 1143! It is clear to see Manning is enjoying having an outstanding cast of receivers such as Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker and Wes Welker as well as forming a formidable partnership with tight end Julius Thomas.

The Broncos running game as well as its defense have also contributed largely to the team's success which doesn't bode well for the Eagles as their isn't many weaknesses on show that they could obviously try and target in order to try to pull off an upset. The Eagles are 1-2 and will attempt to put their fast paced offense to use at high altitude when they play at Mile High tomorrow.

That may be the downfall for Michael Vick and the Eagles offense as they are still trying to get to grips with Chip Kelly's new style offense. They have adjusted well and were only narrowly beaten by the Chiefs in week 3 but the challenge they face in the shape of the Broncos appears to be one they will likely fail to overcome meaning that the Broncos roll on to 4-0. The question on everyone's minds will be can Peyton Manning avoid throwing a pick tomorrow as he looks to continue his MVP type start to the 2013 season.

Score Prediction: Eagles 24-41 Broncos


(0-3) Washington Redskins vs Oakland Raiders (1-2)

The Washington Redskins were unfortunate to lose to Detroit in a hard fought battle last week 27-20. RGIII still looks out of sorts and it appears that the Redskins' season will not endure a spectacular turnaround like 2012.

The Raiders on the other hand gave the Broncos a fight despite losing by 16 points in week 3's edition of Monday Night Football. Considering that the Redskins have failed to deal with the run this year it bodes well for Darren McFadden and the Raiders but the Redskins will not want to walk out of the Bay Arena 0-4.

RGIII may not look like being close to being back to his best but with each game he plays he is gaining slow strides in regaining his confidence in the pocket as well as rushing himself. The Raiders will try and pressure Griffin like all opposing defenses who face Washington but I feel that Alfred Morris will come up big tomorrow for the road team.

This will be crucial to any success the Redskins hope to have tomorrow and if he does perform to the high standard we know he can then the Washington offense could finally get something going. If so they will get the monkey off their back and claim a first win of the 2013 season leaving both teams with a 1-3 record when it is all said and done tomorrow.

Score Prediction: Redskins 24-17 Raiders


(2-1) Dallas Cowboys vs San Diego Chargers (1-2)

The Dallas Cowboys were very impressive last week as they claimed a 31-7 blowout victory over the St. Louis Rams with quarterback Tony Romo completing 17/24 passes for 3 touchdowns and 210 yards. DeMarco Murray also rushed for an outstanding 175 yards and a score from 26 carries on the day. Murray is now on 286 rushing yards for the year.

It is clear to see when he gets it going he adds a different dimension to this Cowboys offense whilst giving a new lease of life to the team. The new effective running game has helped take the pressure of Tony Romo which is something he has needed for years and it has reaped the rewards with the QB ranking second in the league in the pass completion category with a percentage of 72.2%. Romo has 6 touchdowns and just 1 interception from his first three games along with a passer rating of 103.9; third in the NFL.

The 2-1 Dallas Cowboys look like they could go a long way this year based on their early season form but the trip to face the San Diego Chargers will not be an easy task. Chargers QB Phillip Rivers has been in fine form as well with 8 touchdowns to just 1 interception so far this year and a passer rating of 116.2 leaving him 2nd in the NFL.

With both QB's having various offensive weapons at their disposal from the likes of Dez Bryant of Dallas to Eddie Royal of the Chargers it promises to be a great matchup when these two face off on Sunday. The Cowboys lost by a point on their last road trip when they faced the Chiefs and considering they are coming off a huge victory last week you would have to back them to win again tomorrow. San Diego will cause problems for Dallas; I feel that whichever team gets their running game going will stand a great chance but in terms of a prediction I'm going for a Cowboys win.

Score Prediction: Cowboys 24-20 Chargers


(3-0) New England Patriots vs Atlanta Falcons (1-2)

Sunday Night Football this week brings us a mouth-watering matchup when the New England Patriots go on the road to face the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. Atlanta are 1-2 after being upset by the Dolphins last weekend and will be looking to make amends against their AFC East counterparts tomorrow night.

The Falcons are in need of victory when you consider the fact that if they lose tomorrow and the Saints beat Miami on Monday they will be three games back and in theory four as they lost to New Orleans when the two AFC South rivals faced off against each other on the opening week of the season.

The good news for Atlanta is it looks like Julio Jones will play but the Patriots defense has had a very impressive start to the season as they rank second in points allowed, 11.3 per game, along with being tied for eight in total defense, 309 yards per game. As well as that they are yet to concede a point in the fourth quarter of a game this season.

While that may change tomorrow night the Patriots defense will be hard to break down and that will give Tom Brady and his new look receiving core a chance of winning. Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola won't play tomorrow night Brady's rapport is improving with the likes of Dobson and Thompkins while Julian Edelman is gaining the future hall of fame quarterbacks trust week by week. Although Tom Brady may only have a passer rating of 79.4 he has only thrown 2 interceptions this year he has 5 touchdowns to his name and the pass completion percentage will improve week by week as the offense gets better.

Improving on their red zone woes and having a successful night on the ground will be the decisive factor in whether New England can come out on top tomorrow as they look to remain undefeated and move to 4-0. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have faced many tough Sunday Night games over the years so despite it being tough to call you can expect them to guide the Patriots to victory over Matt Ryan and the Falcons in a close game that could potentially go down as a classic!

Score Prediction: Patriots 28-27 Falcons

3-0 an omen or just a coincidence?

On the last two occasions that the New England Patriots have started a season 3-0 they have gone on to reach the Super Bowl. The 2004 season saw the team defend their Super Bowl crown from 2003 as the team went on to repeat their success from the year before and become back to back champions. In 2007 it appeared they would achieve something greater than that period of dominance as the team dominated the league entirely by finishing the 2007 regular season undefeated 16-0 and advancing to the Super Bowl with an 18-0 record before unfortunately falling at the final hurdle.

2004's team was built around one of the best defenses in the league and on offense Tom Brady was efficient despite not having any real standout receiving options but it was the collective efforts from the likes of Troy Brown, David Givens, Deion Branch and David Patten which helped the team succeed. Brady in 2004 threw 28 touchdowns to 14 interceptions and 5 touchdowns to 0 interceptions in that post-season; It wasn't until the 2007 season when we saw Brady throw over 30 touchdowns for the first time in his career as he went on to break the regular season record for passing touchdowns with 50.

Despite the 2007 team being a more complete team than any of the Patriots' three Super Bowl winning teams they lost to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII as they missed out on being undefeated for the whole year. They are still arguably one of the greatest sporting rosters of all-time let alone in the NFL but the Lombardi trophy eluded them on that particular occasion. Here we are six seasons later and there have been many changes in New England especially ahead of the current 2013 season as the team entered a period of transition with many of Tom Brady's receiving options being rookies as opposed to an explosive receiving core from 2012 which featured the likes of Wes Welker and Aaron Hernandez.

Despite some doubt surrounding the Patriots going in to the start of the year the team managed to grind out two early season victories over the Bills and the Jets before a solid win over Tampa Bay last week 23-3. At 3-0 is it possible to assume the Patriots could make it to MetLife stadium in February 2014 for an eighth Super Bowl appearance? Well it is impossible to ever rule the Patriots out as they will always contend with Bill Belichick and Tom Brady but it is too early in the season to make Super Bowl predictions for any team in the league as there is still a long way to go.

In spite of that this Patriots team is improving week by week with Bill Belichick's defense on fire so far as they are second in points allowed, 11.3 per game, along with being tied for eight in total defense, 309 yards per game. The Patriots D has had many standout performers this year from the likes of the young Chandler Jones to unsung heroes such as Rob Ninkovich and Kyle Arrington. Aqib Talib and Jerod Mayo have also been impressive for New England and Vince Wilfork is as consistent on defense for this team as Tom Brady is on offense.

New England's defense is tied for eighth on third-down conversions allowed and they are the only team in the league to have allowed zero points in the fourth quarter which is incredible considering that run stretches over three games. With a big game against Atlanta coming up tomorrow night the form of the Patriots defense will stand them in good stead and considering they are doing well in turnovers and in the red zone, two things Belichick' defenses have always relied on, it is clear to see this group have lots of potential. The defense has created seven turnovers in three games leaving them tied for fifth in the league and is tied for having the 12th best red zone defense

How will 2013 end for the Patriots?

Since the 2009 season Tom Brady has needed a defense to help out the Patriots as in recent years the offense has carried the team at times but now it appears the offense is playing catch up to the defense when you look at the start of this 2013 season. The good news for all those involved with the Patriots is that with Tom Brady you have a future hall of fame quarterback leading the offense and a man who is hungry for his 4th Super Bowl ring so if anyone can make a set of rookie wideouts in to productive NFL receivers early on in their careers it is him.

Last week we saw Brady and Kenbrell Thompkins combine for two scores as the rookie showed off the type of display we saw from him during preseason. Aaron Dobson has showed he has lots of potential and racked up the most receiving yards out of the receivers last week. There will be lots of pressure of those two and Julian Edelman who Brady has relied on even more in recent weeks after Danny Amendola joined Rob Gronkowski on the sideline but the Patriots will walk in to the Georgia Dome in high spirits and confident of walking out 4-0.

On the past two occasions the teams have made the Super Bowl when starting 3-0 they have won their fourth game but regardless on tomorrow night's result it is clear to see this Patriots team will grow week by week. The more game time these rookie receivers get the more they will improve as a unit and tomorrow night will be a valuable experience. The Patriots will have to deal without Gronkowski and Amendola tomorrow night; With the Falcons at 1-2 it is a tough game to call which could go either way whilst having the potential to be a thriller but to win tomorrow night the Patriots needs to improve on its red zone woes as the Falcons pose a stronger threat than any other team they faced so far.

Looking ahead at the rest of the 2013 season if the Patriots roster is healthy come the start of the playoffs they have to be considered a contender represent the AFC at Super Bowl XLVIII. Rob Gronkowski will open up the field for the other offensive weapons which will be beneficial for the rookies plus it will give the likes of Edelman and Amendola the ability to have a bigger impact on the field. From an offensive point of view the running game will also be critical to the team’s success as they look to get something going from there various options with Shane Vereen, Legarrette Blount, Brandon Bolden, and Stevan Ridley all on the roster.

There is no coincidence in the Patriots' success as the franchise has been strong for over the last decade and although the Super Bowl is a long way away with the potential on both sides of the ball New England has a lot to be excited about for the future so if things go to plan 2013 could potentially finish with a fairytale ending for all those involved with the franchise.

NFL Week 3 recap:

Week 3 of the 2013 NFL season was eventful and brought some surprise results wise as well as high scoring games for us viewers to savour. We shall recap my top three games of the week and sum up the other results around the league:

Green Bay Packers 30-34 Cincinnati Bengals
            (1-2)                               (2-1)

Terence Newman helped the Cincinnati Bengals move on to 2-1 with a 58 yard fumble return for a touchdown late in the 4th quarter to seal the comeback win over the Green Bay Packers. The Bengals got off to a flying start when Giovani Bernard put them 7-0 up within the first six minutes of the game with a spectacular dive in to the end zone for his second touchdown of the season.

The running game really helped the Bengals early on as BenJarvus Green-Ellis helped his team capitalise on the Packers' special teams fumble just moments after the home team scored their first touchdown; The Bengals put up 14 points in 12 seconds. Bernard and Green-Ellis combined for 79 yards as well as the two touchdowns that put them up 14-0 early in the first quarter.

Turnovers then cost the Bengals as four straight drives resulting in a change of possession caused them to go in at halftime down 16-14. That was a silver lining for Green Bay after tight-end Jermichael Finley left the game early with a concussion. After putting up 14 more points, 30 unanswered, in the third quarter it appeared that his one may be over but when Andy Dalton hit AJ Green for the score late in the third it brought Cincinnati right back in it.

Aaron Rodgers ended the game with two interceptions meaning it was his first game since 2010 in which he threw more than one pick and it proved costly as after the second turnover the Bengals scored quickly again to bring themselves within three points with over 10 minutes left in regulation.

Newman's touchdown return came as a result of a forced fumble when Green Bay were looking to move the chains on 4th&inches but that turnover meant they trailed the Bengals by 4 points with less than four minutes on the clock. The Packers couldn't convert on a 4th&5 play which sealed their fate and saw them move to below .500 leaving at them after 1-2 after three games for the second year running. The Packers will be in a hurry to forget this defeat and have a bye next week before hosting the Detroit Lions in week 5 as they look to get their season back as track after falling two games behind the Chicago Bears in the NFC North

Meanwhile quarterback Andy Dalton more than held his own against Aaron Rodgers and played his part in this Bengals victory which saw them move to 2-1. Dalton was efficient with 20 out of 28 passes completed for 235 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Cincinnati leads the AFC North after this big win but now need to prove they can keep grounded by going out and getting a win against the Browns next week with the team hoping to win their third straight game in a row.


Atlanta Falcons 23-27 Miami Dolphins
         (1-2)                          (3-0)


This was the potential upset on the cards that I was personally certain of happening and I even predicted the Dolphins to win 27-24! After the first quarter though Miami were down 10-0 but Lamar Miller helped the offense come alive and the team finished the half behind by just three points, 13-10, with Daniel Thomas the scorer of the Dolphins lone first-half touchdown.

The Falcons came out for the second half all guns blazing and regained their two possession lead early on in the third quarter when Matt Ryan combined with Levine Toiolo on a play-action pass at the goal-line to put Atlanta up 20-10.

With divisional rivals the New Orleans Saints looking good the Falcons needed a win but so did the Dolphins considering that their divisional rivals the Patriots were also on a roll. With high stakes on the line so early in the season somebody needed to come up big and there was a big hit on special teams by Don Jones on Falcons returner Harry Douglas which forced a fumble and gave Miami the opportunity to tie things up.

On the resulting drive Ryan Tannehill threw to the left side of the end zone on an 18 yard touchdown play to Brian Hartline which made it 20-20. That set up a tense 4th quarter and the Falcons took the lead again early on within it with a Matt Bryant field-goal putting the pressure on the Dolphins once again.

The game winning drive by Miami couldn't have been tenser but it was very well executed with the team converting three times on third down and eventually scoring the winning touchdown with less than 40 seconds to go when Tannehill lopped a throw to the big rookie tight-end Dion Sims to put the Dolphins up by four.

Matt Ryan tried his best to help the Falcons pull off a very late win but was picked off on a 2&10 play but was picked off by Jimmy Wilson sealing the game for Miami and taking them to 3-0 for the first time since 2002. With the Falcons at 1-2 they find themselves two games behind New Orleans in the NFC South and need to get their season back on track to avoid falling even further behind the resurgent Saints but week 4 won't be easy as they host the undefeated Patriots.

As for Miami well there came up big in this match despite some key injuries and on offense quarterback Ryan Tannehill has built up a good rapport with his receivers which has been on display throughout the team's first three victories; Tannehill was 24/35 for 236 yards, two touchdowns and one pick. This game against Atlanta was definitely a benchmark with the win proving they can mix it with the better teams in the league but it is a long season and that is proven by the fact that they face fellow unbeaten team the New Orleans Saints 3-0 next week on Monday Night Football in what should be a great matchup.


Indianapolis Colts 27-7 San Francisco 49ers
           (2-1)                              (1-2)

The Indianapolis Colts came up trumps on Sunday by frustrating the 49ers offense with their quarterback Colin Kaepernick being limited to 150 passing yards. Kaepernick also completed less than 50% of his pass attempts going 13/27 with an interception thrown and was also limited on rush attempts as he only managed 20 yards from 7 attempts.

The first half was close with the Colts going in to the break 10-7 up. The highlight of the first half for Indianapolis was that new acquisition Trent Richardson scored a touchdown on his first running attempt as a Colt.

Richardson and Bradshaw ran the ball well all day for the Colts and were crucial in ensuring that the team pulled off the surprise win at Candlestick Park. It is taking away credit from this Colts team by saying it is a surprise when you consider that this roster has lots of talent and new running back Richardson could turn Indianapolis in to a potential contender.

With just over 6 minutes left in the fourth quarter there were only six points in it with the Colts up 13-7 but that is when their offense came alive with Andrew Luck running in the end zone on a 3rd&3 play in the red-zone to put them 20-7 up. Then the Niners fumbled on the resulting drive on a 3rd&10 with less than 4 minutes left which gave the Colts the ball in a red-zone situation again with Ahmad Bradshaw finishing the quick drive off on 3rd&goal to make it 27-7.

Ahmad Bradshaw rushed for 95 yards from 19 carries with Trent Richardson rushing for 35 from 13 and both had one score. The ground game really helped Andrew Luck and gave him the opportunities to put the Colts in scoring positions which effectively won them the game. Luck may not have thrown a touchdown pass but his rushing score came at a time which pretty much killed the game off and the second year QB completed 17 of his 26 pass attempts.

Credit must also go to the defence for limiting a talented Niners offense to just 7 points; they have scored just 10 points in the past two weeks after being blown away by the Seahawks in week 3. Two poor results leave the Niners 1-2 after three weeks and although it is early days this is unfamiliar territory for this San Francisco team.

They face divisional rivals the Rams on Thursday night who are also 1-2 as they look to bounce back and ensure they remain within touching distance of the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC West. As for the Colts well they bounced back well from their week 2 loss to Miami and moved above .500 ahead of a week 4 matchup with the 0-3 Jaguars. That road trip to Florida should be well enjoyed by the Colts as it looks all but certain that they will move to 3-1 whilst piling on the misery for Jacksonville.


Other week 3 results:

(3-0) Kansas City Chiefs 26-16 Philadelphia Eagles (1-2)

(0-3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-23 New England Patriots (3-0)

(2-1) Houston Texans 9-30 Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

(0-3) New York Giants 0-38 Carolina Panthers (1-2)

(1-2) St. Louis Rams 7-31 Dallas Cowboys (2-1)

(1-2) Cleveland Browns 31-27 Minnesota Vikings (0-3)

(1-2) Arizona Cardinals 7-31 New Orleans Saints (3-0)

(1-2) San Diego Chargers 17-20 Tennessee Titans (2-1)

(2-1) Detroit Lions 27-20 Washington Redskins (0-3)

(1-2) Buffalo Bills 20-27 New York Jets (2-1)

(0-3) Jacksonville Jaguars 17-45 Seattle Seahawks (3-0)

(3-0) Chicago Bears 40-23 Pittsburgh Steelers (0-3)

(1-2) Oakland Raiders 21-37 Denver Broncos (3-0)

Week 3 NFL Predictions:

After predicting Andy Reid's Chiefs to move on to 3-0 with a 27-24 win I can say I am satisfied with my prediction after they recorded a 26-16 win. Alex Smith defied my assumption that both he and Michael Vick would throw their first picks of the season but Vick made up for that by throwing two. The running back battle between Jamaal Charles and LeSean McCoy was great to watch with both putting up more than respectable numbers. 

Now that the Chiefs have moved on to 3-0 how will the other unbeaten teams fair in week 3? The New England Patriots host the winless Buccaneers while their AFC East rivals the Miami Dolphins host the talented Atlanta Falcons hoping to also go 3-0 in a match that will surely be used a benchmark for the Dolphins. The 2-0 Texans go on the road to M&T bank stadium to take on the Ravens and the New Orleans Saints will look to also continue their good start to the 2013 season when they take on the Cardinals whilst the Seattle Seahawks welcome the Jaguars to CenturyLink Field as Russell Wilson looks to help the team make in 10 straight home wins.

The final two unbeaten teams are the Chicago Bears and the Denver Broncos. The Bears are on a high after a last grasp victory in week 2 against the Vikings and will be looking to get a win on the road. As for Denver well they host fellow AFC West rivals the Raiders as Peyton Manning and co look to wrap up another easy looking victory. With those six games on show as well as nine others let us take a look at the rest of my predictions for week 3:

Houston Texans (2-0) vs Baltimore Ravens (1-1)

Andre Johnson is expected to play on Sunday for the Texans and after rookie wideout DeAndre Hopkins stepped up to help Houston overcome the Titans in overtime the two could well become a formidable force. Quarterback Matt Schaub is performing well with 6 touchdowns in two games whilst averaging 322 yards per game; add that to a running game which includes a potential breakout star in the form of Ben Tate to go with superstar back Arian Foster and this Texans offense is suddenly starting to show potential signs of becoming devastating for opponents plus we know what their defence can do to!

They will show their talents against this new look Ravens defense which kept their team in it last week against the Browns as the team edged out their divisional rivals 14-6. Joe Flacco and the offense need to step up accordingly and haven't done so yet. Now that the nerves of their opening home game as Super Bowl champions has passed by they may perform better than last week but it is hard to look past the Texans.

Score: Texans 27-17 Ravens

New York Giants (0-2) vs Carolina Panthers (0-2)

Both of these NFC teams have looked equally unimpressive in the first two weeks of the season but the good news is that one of them will get their first W of the season this Sunday when they go head to head. Carolina have only lost by a combined total of 6 points so in a sense they have been unlucky after suffering narrow defeats to Seattle and Buffalo respectively. 

The Giants have brought back running back Brandon Jacobs who will help in goal line situations and put points up which is what they need after failing to keep up with the Broncos last week; Jacobs had one touchdown from 7 carries last week. Despite throwing five touchdowns in their first two games Giants quarterback Eli Manning has an awful seven interceptions to his name already and with that has thrown the most interceptions in the league since 2004.

The Panthers do have a chance but they are probably beating themselves up after the one point loss to the Bills last week whereas Big Blue know how to bounce back and even from 0-2 as that was a record they came back from to win the Super Bowl in 2007 and with the NFC East being so competitive they will be eager to get back to winning ways on Sunday.

Score: Panthers 16-24 Giants

Detroit Lions (1-1) vs Washington Redskins (0-2)

Despite two disappointing defeats the Redskins have showed fight and will be looking to record their first win of the season when they welcome the Lions on Sunday. I get the impression many people are favouring a Washington win just because this young Lions team is so unpredictable and you don't know who will turn up.

Reggie Bush is optimistic of playing for Detroit but regardless of that I'm going with a Lions win. I think after losing a nail biter to Arizona this team has to bounce back in style and I'll bank on them to do so. Many people have split opinions on this Detroit team as they are reaching the stage of needing to either put up or shut up. We know they have the talent and that will shine threw on Sunday with Stafford throwing a couple of touchdowns to Megatron along with Suh doing something outrageous plus when you take in to consideration RGIII is having a Cam Newton type sophomore season it is starting to look like 2013 may be dismal for Washington.

Score: Lions 31-20 Redskins

San Diego Chargers (1-1) vs Tennessee Titans (1-1)

This encounter will be interesting with both teams looking to go above .500 with a victory on Sunday. The Titans stunned the Steelers when they knocked them off in week one but narrowly lost in an overtime thriller vs the Texans last week.

San Diego blew a lead in week 1 vs the Texans but bounced back last week with Nick Novak kicking the game winning field-goal against the Eagles. Chargers quarterback Phillip Rivers has been something of revelation with the 10th year man throwing 7 touchdowns to just one interception in his first two. His 419 yards last week was part of a fantastic display as he connected with receiver Eddie Royal for all three touchdowns; Royal leads the NFL with 5 touchdown receptions.

With both teams performing respectably well so far this year it is close to call but I feel that San Diego's week two win may be the catalyst for further good performances which gets them the win on Sunday.

Score: Chargers 27-14 Titans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-2) vs New England Patriots (2-0)

The New England Patriots may not have found a more desirable opponent than the Bucs considering the turmoil going on in Tampa after it was reported superstar cornerback Darelle Revis had a falling out with head coach Greg Schiano as well as quarterback Josh Freeman reportedly requesting a trade. Despite reports of the air being cleared between Revis and Schiano this is a tough road game for Tampa Bay.

To be honest though the Buccaneers will feel that there isn't a better time to take on the Patriots considering their offensive woes. New England got by a tough divisional match on Thursday Night Football in week 2 against the Jets and despite the criticism of their rookie receivers Tom Brady is helping them develop while the defense has come up big especially in the win over the Jets; tied for 6th in points per game only giving up 15.5.

Belichick's defense has 3 interceptions in two games along with the team recovering 3 of its 4 forced fumbles. The likes of Chandler Jones and Aqib Talib have been standout performer but we know that the Patriots' success always comes down to working as a collective. Tom Brady will look for an improved running game on Sunday to help the Patriots' attack. Expect Aaron Dobson to have a big game but Brady will probably look to Julian Edelman to produce while Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola recover from injuries. While it may be another hard fought victory I have the Patriots to take the spoils on Sunday and move to 3-0.

Score: Buccaneers 17-24 Patriots

Arizona Cardinals (1-1) vs New Orleans Saints (2-0)

Both of these teams seem rejuvenated in 2013 with Sean Payton and Bruce Arians both showing of their coaching skills for their respective franchises. The Saints overcame a tough trip to Tampa in week 2 by grinding out the win 16-14 while the Cardinals left it late to knock off of the Lions in that week 2 match.

Both teams have improved on the sides of the ball that let them down for the duration of the 2012 season. For Arizona it was their offense but Carlson Palmer has helped restore some stability in their passing game and also managed to get Larry Fitzgerald going again. As for New Orleans well we know that their offense has major weapons which can cause anyone trouble but thankfully their defense has stepped up as well so far in 2013 thanks to Rob Ryan's influence; they rank tied for 6th in points given up per game with just 15.5 and have recovered 2 of their 3 forced fumbles.

Arizona's defence may keep them in it but the danger of facing Drew Brees is that if he gets going only certain teams can make it a shoot-out and with the Saints at the Superdome it appears likely that Payton's side make it three wins in a row.

Score: Cardinals 14-24 Saints

Green Bay Packers (1-1) vs Cincinnati Bengals (1-1)

Both the Packers and Bengals bounced back from narrow week one defeat by winning their week two game against the Redskins and Steelers respectively. The main factor for this game will be if Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton can hang in there with Aaron Rodgers in a shootout. The Bengals put in a convincing performance when they beat their AFC North rivals the Steelers on Monday Night Football so will be confident of holding their own when they host Green Bay on Sunday.

We know that both of these teams have plenty of offensive firepower and you can expect a high-scoring game on Sunday. With both teams keen to throw the ball it shouldn't disappoint in what promises to be a mouth-watering encounter. Aaron Rodgers is second in the league for passing yards but has played a game less than league leader Michael Vick and despite that is only 19 yards behind him.

Rodgers is on for another monster season as Green Bay's offense is already red shot with the quarterback currently on 7 touchdown passes to just one pick after two games. The Packers defense has improved and to be honest generally speaking head coach Mike McCarthy probably doesn't get enough credit for the teams performances. Personally I feel although that this road game is a potential banana skin for the Packers they will find a way to get the win in a close fought encounter.

Score: Packers 31-28 Bengals

St. Louis Rams (1-1) vs Dallas Cowboys (1-1)

The Rams look like a much better team already just from their two performances so far this season. They gave the Falcons a scare last week and rookie Tavon Austin showed off his dynamic skill-set which has probably put the entire league on watch in particularly their week 3 opponents the Dallas Cowboys.

The Cowboys know that this game won' be easy but being at home should stand them in good stead as they look to bounce back from a one point loss to the Chiefs last week. Tony Romo & co will want to take advantage of the fact that the Giants and Redskins are in a bit of a rut at the moment and that the Eagles are inconsistent.

Dallas could take the early initiative in the NFC East if they start to get some wins together but I think that their success unlike other teams stems down to their offense. DeMarco Murray makes the Cowboys tick when he get the run game going and he will put up impressive numbers on Sunday helping Dallas get the win.

Score: Rams 17-26 Cowboys

Atlanta Falcons (1-1) vs Miami Dolphins (2-0)

As predicted by myself the Miami Dolphins overcame a tough test last week when they knocked off the Colts 24-20 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Despite being branded by many to underachieve after their big spending during the offseason the Dolphins have impressed in the first two weeks of the season with sophomore quarterback Ryan Tannehill leading the way with two good displays.

Mike Wallace has also played well and the wideout will cause the Falcons secondary problems while Miami's defence has also taken a step forward from last year. As mentioned in the intro to these predictions this match is a benchmark for Miami to see where they are right now considering they are coming up against one of the best regular season teams in the league.

The Falcons are a team stacked full of talent but in a sense are staring adversity in the face now that NFC South rivals the Saints have re-established themselves early on this year. A defeat for Atlanta could prove costly come the end of the year and I think you can expect to see an upset this Sunday at Sun Life Stadium

Score: Falcons 24-27 Dolphins

Buffalo Bills (1-1) vs New York Jets (1-1)

With both of these teams narrowly losing out to the New England Patriot the Bills and Jets stand at 1-1 after two weeks of the 2013 season. Both will feel that they need to win considering there other two divisional rivals are 2-0 and will not want to be the one team to slip below .500.

The match sees rookie quarterback's EJ Manuel and Geno Smith go head to head and considering both have already had a taste of a rivalry matchup you can expect all guns to be blazing when they go head to head on Sunday.

EJ Manuel has been more impressive throwing 3 touchdowns to 1 interception whereas Smith has 1 touchdown to 4 interceptions although to be fair to Smith he lacks a running game and is in dire need of some help in the Jets' offense. This game will come down to which defense outperforms the other as both are talented and will make the most of any mistakes the opposing offense makes.

Score: Bills 19-16 Jets

Jacksonville Jaguars (0-2) vs Seattle Seahawks (2-0)

You would bet your life savings on Seattle beating the Jags tomorrow when you considering how talented the Seahawks are and how talentless their AFC South opposition is. That is not being disrespectful to Jacksonville but the fact of the matter is that the franchise seems to be lacking an identity and no real direction despite being taken over by the wealthy Shahid Khan in 2012

The Jags face mission impossible when they walk in to CenturyLink Field tomorrow as they bid to become the first team to put a blemish on Russell Wilson's unbeaten home streak which now stands at 9-0 after Seattle easily dispatched of arch rivals the 49ers last weekend 29-3.

The chances of that happening are oh so slim and you can expect this to be a blowout with Pete Carroll's high flying Seahawks remaining undefeated leaving Jacksonville still winless. Expect Seattle's defence to have a field day against this lacklustre offense of the Jags.

Score: Jaguars 6-34 Seahawks

Cleveland Browns (0-2) vs Minnesota Vikings (0-2)

After trading away franchise running back Trent Richardson to the Colts it appears that the Cleveland Browns have given up on the 2013 season and will look to start fresh from next year's draft now that they are stacked with picks.

That is good news for another running back who goes by the name of Adrian Peterson as last year's league MVP looks to help the Viking get their first win on the board. Unfortunately for anyone watching this game on Sunday both team's lack any real passing game but I believe this could be the week the Vikings put up big numbers as they look to reassert themselves.

Whether that is on the ground alone or we see a passing threat from the Vikings remains to be seen. Matching up against this Browns defence won't be easy when you consider they gave the Ravens a massive headache last week but you can expect Minnesota to please their fans with a win.

Score: Browns 13-26 Vikings

Indianapolis Colts (1-1) vs San Francisco 49ers (1-1)

The acquisition of Trent Richardson was a blockbuster trade by the Colts as they look to take advantage of a weakened AFC conference by hoping to make a run come playoff time. It would be hard to bet against Indianapolis making it back to the postseason but they do have a tough schedule and after a narrow defeat to Miami last week they now face the Niners in week 3 as well as Seattle in week 5.

The Colts vs 49ers game has given me much food for thought especially after the Niners were humiliated by Seattle last weekend. It was probably Colin Kaepernick's worst performance as a starter and now it will be intriguing to see how he bounces back when the Niners welcome the Colts on Sunday evening.

Richardson will be a force for the Colts and will have affected the San Francisco's planning of their opposition's offense but the 49ers D is more than capable of dealing with problems. I think the Colts will put up a fight and it will be very enjoyable watching Andrew Luck battle against Colin Kaepernick but I am going to go with the Niners to bounce back and win with Kaepernick throwing at least two touchdowns and getting one on the ground two.

Expect Luck to put up great numbers like he always does. My bold prediction is that the Colts fall to 1-2 with defeat tomorrow but bounce back in week 4 to beat the Jaguars and then go on to beat the Seahawks when they visit Lucas Oil stadium in week 5. By then Trent Richardson will have settled in and we will see what this new look Colts offense can do now they have a ground game to complement the talents of quarterback Andrew Luck.

Score: Colts 24-30 49ers

Chicago Bears (2-0) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (0-2)

The Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers have endured different fortunes at the start of the season with the Bears undefeated after two games while Pittsburgh remains winless after defeats to Tennessee and Cincinnati.

The Bears roll in to Heinz Field for Sunday Night Football on the back of a memorable victory over the Vikings last week when Jay Cutler hit Martellus Bennett down field with 11 seconds to go to win the game. Many people will feel that Marc Trestman's Bears will walk out with the win on Sunday night but Pittsburgh are not to be underestimated despite their lack of threats in the passing game and a poor running game.

Thankfully for the Steelers they have a defense that can unsettle Chicago and their home fans will create a tough atmosphere for the visitors. Of course the Bears have one of the most talented defenses in the league but I just get the impression that complacency may creep in for the visitors and that the Steelers could manage to pull off the win; if they do you can expect it to be because Ben Roethlisberger came up big. The beauty of the NFL is that week by week there are shocks and the Steelers are capable of pulling one of come game-time tomorrow.

Score: Bears 17-19 Steelers

Oakland Raiders (1-1) vs Denver Broncos (2-0)

The Denver Broncos welcome division rivals the Oakland Raiders as they look to steamroll through another opponent after two fantastic wins so far this season. Week 1 saw Denver tear the Ravens apart 49-27 and last week they knocked off the Giants 41-23 with another convincing victory.

Peyton Manning is stacked with a load of talented receivers from Wes Welker to Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas. Tight end Julius Thomas has been a revelation for Denver and his two stellar performances have made him a valuable part of this offense. Peyton Manning has thrown 9 touchdowns to zero interceptions so far and leads the league with a passer rating of 131.0. When you take in to consideration that Knowshon Moreno is getting it done on the ground too as well as the fact that Denver's defence is one of the best in the AFC and has Von Miller to return to the fold you have to say the Broncos are looking like a force to be reckoned with.

All of that doesn't bode well for Oakland but the Raiders appear to have a good QB in Terrelle Pryor who is developing and making plays. The Raiders will almost certainly struggle to keep up with the Broncos but it makes for an interesting Monday night divisional rival matchup.

Score: Raiders 17-37 Broncos