With about half an hour to go until week 15 gets underway let me get in some quick fire predictions for today's NFL games:
(8-5) Steelers vs Falcons (5-8)
The Falcons almost did the impossible in Lambeau Field when they were very close to pulling off a comeback against Aaron Rodgers and co from a double digit deficit but fell short at the end. With Julio Jones ruled out it will be hard to replicate the offensive clinic they put on in the 2nd half last week but with the NFC South still up for grabs and their opponents Pittsburgh also right in the mix of the fight for the AFC North title it makes today's games one of the most intriguing. Just because of the unpredictability of the NFL I fancy it to be high scoring with Big Ben and Bell leading the way for the Steelers but with the Falcons somehow pulling out a victory and young wideout Harry Douglas having a big game.
(3-10) Redskins vs Giants (4-9)
In one of the most irrelevant games of this NFL 2014 season the two bottom teams in the NFC East go head to head with just pride at stake. As we know Odell Beckham Jr has shown in recent weeks that he has what it takes to become a superstar in this league and I fancy him to tear apart this weak Washington defense which will pile pressure on the Redskins organisation that is facing many big decisions in this upcoming off-season.
(7-6) Dolphins vs Patriots (10-3)
The New England Patriots bounced back from a tough loss to Green Bay a fortnight ago to win a close encounter in San Diego last weekend on Sunday Night Football. Tom Brady and co will be fired up for today's game against Miami as they can win the division as well as clinch a playoff berth with a win today. With the Pats unbeaten at home this season and Tom Brady 11-0 against the Dolphins when he has started and finished a game at home against them all signs point to a New England victory. Personally I feel it could be tougher than many people expect but ultimately it will end in a Pats win.
(2-11) Raiders vs Chiefs (7-6)
The Oakland Raiders pulled off the shock of the season last week when they defeated the 49ers in the battle of the Bay Area last weekend and will look to cause another upset when they walk in to the cauldron that is ArrowHead Stadium. The Chiefs are brilliant at home and have the playoffs in their sights; with San Diego facing Denver this is the perfect weekend for Kansas City to stake their claim for a wildcard spot and given the fact that they were defeated when they faced Oakland last time out they will want to get some revenge when the two teams face off today.
(7-6) Texans vs Colts (9-4)
The Colts can end the race for the AFC South today with a win against divisional rivals Houston. Andrew Luck vs JJ Watt is a rivalry that will continue to dominate this matchup for years to come and last time out Watt almost led his team to a famous win against the Colts with an inspired defensive performance. The Colts won that game 33-28 and despite the Texans offensive woes I expect a similar close and hard fought game today but with Indianapolis at home I fancy the Colts to grab their 10th win of the year.
(8-4-1) Bengals vs Browns (7-6)
With the AFC North about as predictable as the outcome of the Second World War anything could happen in today's game between the Bengals and Browns. With Cincinnati on the road at 4-2 and Cleveland 4-3 at home it makes this game even tougher to determine but with Johnny Manziel making his first NFL start today as QB of the Browns I expect him and Josh Gordon to combine and make the difference to help complement a talented Browns defense giving them a win that will make AFC North even harder to predict for the final two weeks of the regular season.
(2-11) Jaguars vs Ravens (8-5)
98 times out of 100 the Jags are awful where the Ravens are one of the most consistent teams in football which means one outcome... Jacksonville wins! Okay just kidding Baltimore moves to 9-5.
(10-3) Packers vs Bills (7-6)
Green Bay goes up against a talented Buffalo defense but at the moment it seems impossible to stop this green bay wrecking ball that has racked up 5 straight wins and seen Aaron Rodgers cement himself as the best quarterback in football. Green Bay has been scoring points for fun and even if Buffalo make it tough at times the Packers will come out with the win as they look to secure a bye with home field advantage going in to the playoffs.
(2-11) Tampa Bay vs Panthers (4-8-1)
This game has all the makings to be a real car crash... Okay I could have done better there let me try again! This season has been a real car crash for these two teams and with the Panthers missing Cam Newton after his erm car crash it makes this game tough to predict. Thankfully for Carolina their defense has started to show shades of the 2013 class and took Drew Brees and co to town last week when the Panthers were rampant in their win over the Saints; Panthers win.
(2-11) Jets vs Titans (2-11)
Two 2-11 teams with nothing at stake besides maybe having the number one overall pick next year. Considering the Jets need a new QB more than the Titans as their new starter Zach Mettenberger has shown promising signs I'll go with Tennessee winning a close and uneventful meeting.
(10-3) Broncos vs Chargers (8-5)
The Denver Broncos decimated the Chargers last time the two teams met but with San Diego still holding on the prospects of a wild card spot it makes this divisional matchup one of the games of the day. The Broncos aerial attack wasn't at its best last week with Peyton Manning only throwing 20 times but with Manning and Rivers facing off today 9 times out of 10 that means it will be a shootout. Both of these teams have good units on both sides of the ball so time of possession and turnovers will be key to the outcome of the game. It will be one of the closest games of the day but in the regular season teams led by Peyton know how to get it done especially in divisional matchups and that is what makes me think that Denver will win to keep the pressure on New England in the race for the first seed.
(6-7) Vikings vs Lions (9-4)
Minnesota are looking to ruin their divisional rivals hopes of a playoff berth but this Lions team looks different to those in years gone by as they have the know how to win and now that their roster is getting healthy with key players returning to the mix Detroit will find a way to grab their tenth win of the season.
(7-6) 49ers vs Seahawks (9-4) and (9-4) Cowboys vs Eagles (9-4)
These two games are the biggest of the day with all 4 teams in the mix of the NFC playoff battle. The Niners will travel to Seattle as they attempt to do the unthinkable whilst the Cowboys will be looking to make amends for their Thanksgiving Day home defeat to the Eagles. I fancy Seattle to continue their dominant streak setting up a mouthwatering clash for the NFC West Title next week against Arizona and in the other game the Cowboys are 6-0 on the road whereas the Eagles are 6-1 at home so this game will be determined by the flip of a coin... I'm not going to do that but I am going to for a Dallas win. I do think that somehow they will defy the demons of years gone by and win the division to make the postseason.
Showing posts with label Chargers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chargers. Show all posts
Sunday, 14 December 2014
Sunday, 19 October 2014
NFL Week 7 Predictions:
Last week I tweeted my predictions for the week 6 Sunday games and predicted the Colts and 49ers to win TNF and MNF respectively; here is a recap:
My predictions Results
Colts 27-18 Texans Colts 33-28 Texans
Redskins 27-24 Cardinals Redskins 20-30 Cardinals
Bears 33-30 Falcons Bears 27-13 Falcons
Cowboys 17-27 Seahawks Cowboys 30-23 Seahawks
Giants 24-30 Eagles Giants 0-27 Eagles
Broncos 37-14 Jets Broncos 31-17 Jets
Ravens 24-17 Buccaneers Ravens 48-17 Buccaneers
Jaguars 23-20 Titans Jaguars 14-16 Titans
Chargers 30-13 Raiders Chargers 31-28 Raiders
Patriots 27-17 Bills Patriots 37-22 Bills
Panthers 16-24 Bengals Panthers 37-37 Bengals
Steelers 23-20 Browns Steelers 10-31 Browns
Packers 31-20 Dolphins Packers 27-24 Dolphins
Lions 22-16 Vikings Lions 17-3 Vikings
49ers 27-16 Rams 49ers 31-17 Rams
So for my first full week of predictions to score 10 out of 15 is rather pleasing! Now on to week 7's predictions: *1/1 so far after the Patriots TNF victory*
(1-5) New York Jets vs New England Patriots (4-2)
The Patriots have won two in a row and seem to be back to their best with Tom Brady throwing 6 touchdowns in his past two outings. Despite facing a Jets defense that ranks in the top 10 their secondary has weaknesses that Brady and co will look to take advantage of. As for the Jets well they've had glimpses during the season such as giving Green Bay a good game earlier in the season as well as managing to frustrate Peyton Manning and the Broncos at times last week.
Nevertheless losing 5 of their first 6 games doesn't give the Jets much optimism for tonight's game especially with the Patriots having the majority of the spoils between the two teams over the years. Expect Gronk to have a big game and Revis to haunt his old teammates with a big defensive performance; something the Pats need following the season ending injury to Jerod Mayo.
Prediction: Jets 17-30 Patriots
Result: Jets 25-Patriots 27
A blocked field goal attempt by Chris Jones on the last play of the game was enough to help the Pats grind out a big win against the Jets. Offensively New England did well with Tom Brady throwing 3 touchdowns for over 250 yards to give the resurgent Patriots their 3rd straight win.
(2-4) Atlanta Falcons vs Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
The Atlanta Falcons have dropped 3 straight since a huge Thursday Night Football victory over Tampa Bay in week. That 56-14 win was a dominant display but since then Atlanta have been lacklustre losing to the Vikings, Giants and Bears. The league this year has had a lot of inconsistency but for the Falcons to be 2-4 at this stage is a real surprise.
The Panthers lead the NFC South with a 3-2-1 record and while that tie is bound to cause a headache for the division as well as have huge playoff implications the Falcons can revitalise their season with a big road performance today before heading to London. The Ravens enjoyed a similar display against Tampa Bay last Sunday 48-17 with Flacco throwing 5 games but despite that huge win I expect them to endure a similar defeat to the one they had against the Colts following their huge win over the Panthers 38-10 the week before they faced Indianapolis.
Prediction: Falcons 27-20 Ravens
(2-4) Tennessee Titans vs Washington Redskins (1-5)
I predicted the Jaguars to beat the Titans this week, yes that's how bad the Titans are playing, and if it wasn't for a missed field goal late on they would have had the embarrassment of being the first team to lose to Jacksonville this season. Instead they won a close game and now walk in FedEx field with a better record than their hosts.
I expect the Redskins to end their 4 game slide which will be particularly pleasing for Kirk Cousins who has suffered a tough time as a starter. Despite his awful showing against the Giants when he threw multiple picks I personal feel he has done well for a the team. and they have endured painfully close losses to the Eagles and Seattle. Regardless of outsiders opinions he needs to put a team like the Titans to the sword now that RG3 is back in training from his dislocated ankle to prove his worth and with other playmakers like Alfred Morris and DeSean Jackson this could be a blowout win for Washington.
Prediction: Titans 13-31 Redskins
(3-2) Seattle Seahawks vs St. Louis Rams (1-4)
The Rams host the Seahawks as St. Louis prepares for a second straight divisional matchup when Seattle comes to town. The Austin Davis led Rams have showed glimpses of potential but ultimately came unstuck on Monday Night Football against the 49ers but Davis and co can take great pride in their performance after taking last year's NFC Championship participants to the wire.
Unfortunately for them they're coming up against the Super Bowl champions who also suffered a rare home defeat last week and following that the Seahawks will be looking to bounce back with a bang and stamp their authority on the NFC West as they look to keep up with the Cardinals and Niners. Although the Rams have a good defense I think they will come unstuck against Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch as I expect both of them to lead the way in an impressive road victory especially now that the locker room distraction of Percy Harvin has been shipped to Gotham you'd expect Seattle to return to their focused and impressive selves.
Prediction: Seahawks 34-19 Rams
(3-2) Cleveland Browns vs Jacksonville Jaguars (0-6)
The Browns took chewed Pittsburgh up last week and dismantled them 31-10 so it is safe to say that this years Browns team could be for real. The team looked to be going somewhere last year before quarterback Brian Hoyer suffered a season ending injury but the QB has picked up where he left off in 2013 with some good displays in 2014 including the huge comeback with against Tennessee.
Despite rookie Blake Bortles' best efforts the Jags lack an identity and while I expect them to somehow win a game this year it won't be today against the Browns no matter how much they try.
Prediction: Browns 24-10 Jaguars
(3-1-1) Cincinnati Bengals vs Indianapolis Colts (4-2)
The Bengals had the perfect chance to make amends for a horrendous week 5 display against the Patriots last week but Mike Nugent's field goal miss in overtime gave us our first tie of the year for the 2014 NFL season. The chance at regaining some of their early season momentum may have just disappeared as the Bengals travel to Indianapolis and walk in to Lucas Oil Stadium against a Colts team that has won its last 4 straight.
Those 4 victories including a hard fought contest against the Texans on the last edition of TNF have given the Colts huge confidence and will fancy their chances when they take on the Bengals. The Colts have early season MVP candidate Andrew Luck as their QB who leads the league in passing yards with 1987, yards per game with 331 as well as leading the league in touchdowns with 17. With the Bengals giving up a combined 80 points against the Patriots and Panthers in their last two outings I'm expecting the leagues number one ranked offense to dismantle Cincinatti's defense with Bradshaw and TY Hilton each getting a receiving touchdown.
Prediction: Bengals 21-38 Colts
(2-4) Minnesota Vikings vs Buffalo Bills (3-2)
I had to flip a coin to choose the outcome of this one and it is... Heads! So I'm going with the Vikings. The Bills had their big home matchup against the Pats last Sunday but came up short so after investing all that energy only to lose could be detrimental to the team's confidence.
As for the Vikings well at the moment they have nothing to lose and despite the fact that rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater has to go up against a talented defense without Adrian Peterson he has weapons in the form of Patterson, Jennings with the Viking also gaining production out of young backs Jerod McKinnon and Matt Asiata so I expect them to find a way to win.
Prediction: Vikings 21-18 Bills
(2-3) Miami Dolphins vs Chicago Bears (3-3)
The Chicago Bears picked up an important road win in Atlanta last weekend to get their season back on track. With the Packers and Lions both at 4-2 in the NFC North the Bears can't afford any more slip ups and are hosting a Miami Dolphins team who's own season is starting to not look so great having dropped 3 of their first 5 games. With that being said Miami managed to hold their own against the Packers last week but unfortunately for them were undone by the magic of Aaron Rodgers and lost on the final play of the game.
With Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno out for the year the majority of the load falls to Lamar Miller who had a good start to the season and will now need to step it up a gear if this Dolphins offense is to be a success and take the pressure off Ryan Tannehill. The Dolphins can take pride in their performance last week but need to make sure they don't feel sorry for themselves when they head to Solder Field today. With Jay Cutler bouncing back from some sloppy 2nd half slumps in previous weeks I fancy the Bears to edge out the Dolphins just because of their playmakers on offense as Matt Forte, Brandon Marshall as well as Jeffrey can all make big plays at crucial times.
Prediction: Dolphins 20-28 Bears
(2-3) New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions (4-2)
This is possibly the hardest game of the week to predict just because both of these teams have been so unpredictable. The Detroit Lions bounced back from defeat to the Bills in week 5 to win 17-3 against the Vikings last week. Without Calvin Johnson, who may sit out today and next weeks game in London, the Lions lose their most dangerous offensive weapon and when healthy the best receiver in the league but with a defense that ranks 1st in net yards per game, first in sacks and is in the top half of various other categories the Lions have what it takes to grind out wins.
As for the Saints well they have not been the team that many hyped them up to be in the offseason with defensive woes and offensive struggles clear for anyone to see. Drew Brees has been a shadow of himself throwing 9 touchdowns and 6 interceptions in his first 5 games as well as not having tight end Jimmy Graham playing at his usual superstar level and who has been struggling with injury but is reported to play today but may not start. With the two most dynamic players on each team questionable it makes today's result even harder to predict but I think despite the Saints not being renowned for playing well on the road Sean Peyton will find a way for his team to win today to get New Orleans back to .500 and sent the Lions to London licking their wounds.
(3-2-1) Carolina Panthers vs Green Bay Packers (4-2)
The Panthers played out a tie against the Bengals last week but put on an offensive clinic led by Cam Newton who put in one of his classic "Superman" performances as a dual threat, 2 touchdowns for 284 passing yards and 1 rushing TD for 107 rushing yards, to give Carolina a narrow lead in the NFC South. As complex and frustrating as a tie can be for many other NFL teams come the end of the regular season for the Panthers it will probably come in handy. The Panthers are 3-0 in conference games this year so they will be confident that they can cause an upset today at Lambeau Field.
Unfortunately for them Aaron Rodgers, as usual, has been in inspired form so far this season and has already propelled himself in to the MVP conversation with the QB tied for second with 15 touchdowns to just 1 interception and a QB rating, 2nd place, of 111.4. A Rodgers led Packers offense with the like of Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb and Eddie Lacy in the backfield among other role players will give even a quality front 7 that the Panthers possess a tough time.
Prediction: Panthers 27-31 Packers
(2-3) Kansas City Chiefs vs San Diego Chargers (5-1)
The Chiefs lost narrowly at the hands of the Niners last week by 5 points to fall to 2-3. Kansas has performed well in the tough games but despite dismantling the Patriots a few weeks back narrow losses to Denver and San Francisco have left them in a tough spot heading in to today's divisional game. If they lose today their playoff hope take a massive hit but sadly for Kansas the Chargers have been so impressive and should grab a win in this hugely crucial matchup.
With MVP candidate Phillip Rivers having an amazing year to date; 15 touchdown to just 2 interceptions for 1756 yards and having weapons such as Antonio Gates, Kennan Allen, Eddie Royal and running back Brandon Oliver bursting on the scene along with a defense led by Flowers in the secondary who are all collectively playing brillantly this Chargers team should take control of the AFC West with a win today making next Thursday's game against Denver a mouthwatering encounter.
Prediction: Chiefs 19-28 Chargers
(4-1) Arizona Cardinals vs Oakland Raiders (0-5)
The winless Raiders host the high flying Cardinals a week after almost upsetting the Chargers who like Arizona are taking the NFL by storm in this first half of the 2014 regular season. Unfortunately for Oakland despite an unusual solid showing a close and painful loss like last week's game only spells disaster for today.
With QB Carlson Palmer returning the Cardinals continue to go from strength to strength especially as now Larry Fitzgerald will start getting involved more in the offense again and you can expect him to build on his 2014 breakout game of 98 yards and his first touchdown on the year last week with another big game today.
Prediction: Cardinals 34-14 Raiders
(3-3) New York Giants vs Dallas Cowboys (5-1)
Since the 2009 season the Cowboys have failed to make the playoffs but after years of almost returning but losing week 17 winner takes all games America's team have come out of the blocks in full flight in 2014. With a stellar defense that managed to stop Seattle last week in Seattle 30-23 to give Dallas victory over the defending Super Bowl champions the Cowboys are arguably the most complete team in football right now. With 5 straight wins to their name since the opening week defeat to the 49ers the Cowboys have their best chance of making the postseason in 5 years. Tony Romo is playing well and it helps that he has the league's in form running back as DeMarco Murray continues to rip NFL defenses apart. Murray is a sure bet to win this seasons rushing title and leads the league in yardage with 785 yards in 6 games giving him an average of 130.8 yards a game! Despite 3 fumbles on the year he leads the league with 6 touchdowns and is critical to this teams success.
As for Tony Romo well he is 5th in the passer rating category with 100.5, 5th all-time for his critics by the way, and has 11 touchdowns to 5 interceptions and just over 1,500 passing yards. His 3rd and 20 completion to Terrance Williams last week vs the Seahawks was a moment of brilliance and his spin against JJ Watt for a long TD to Williams the week before was spectacular. I thought the Cowboys could beat Seattle but didn't have it in me to bet against them and while usually Dallas find a way for things to go wrong there's no doubt that at this moment in time they are for real. With the Giants having lost Victor Cruz to a season ending injury Eli Manning is without is best WR and that is a real shame for the Giants. This latest setback makes me believe that the Cowboys find a way to win and go 6-1 but this game will probably be closer than most people believe.
Prediction: Giants 17-23 Cowboys
(4-2) San Francisco 49ers vs Denver Broncos (4-1)
Tonight's Sunday Night Football matchup is a real treat for NFL fans as Jim Harbaugh's Niners travel to Mile High Stadium to take on the well equipped Peyton Manning led Broncos. The 49ers are on a 3 game winning streak and while some of their performances haven't been great they continue to find ways to win. Colin Kapernick has a ton of offensive weapons with V. Davis, Crabtree, Stevie Johnson, Boldin and even Brandon Lloyd adding fuel to the fire last weekend along with a 1-2 running back punch of Hyde-Gore.
While we know the quality and strengths of the 49ers defense the offense needs to play at a high level to keep up with this devastating Denver offense. A lack of running game is no problem for Peyton and the Broncos as he has two Thomas', Sanders and Wes Welker to throw to. Manning has 15 TD's to only 3 picks on the year as he continues maintain a high level of performance from 2013. Offensively the Broncos need not worry but defensively they have improved drastically with a killer pass rush led by Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware and an improved secondary led by TJ Ward. This will cause Colin Kaepernick problems but the dual threat QB will also offer the Broncos a challenge they find difficult as the Seahawks have proved. Colin has 10 TD's to just 4 picks so with both teams rarely turning the ball over but both possessing stellar defenses it is clear that whoever wins the turnover battle wins the game.
Prediction: 49ers 24-30 Broncos
(3-3) Houston Texans vs Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)
After the Steelers were humiliated 31-10 by the Browns last week I have no kind words for them and I lack much optimism as they go up against a Houston defense that has the best defensive player if not the best overall player in football right now in JJ Watt; 4 sacks, 26 tackles, god knows how many batted passes, 3 touchdowns including one offensively and one 80 yard pick 6.
Add rookie Jadeveon Clowney to the defense and Houston are a nightmare to face. Offensively there's room for improvement but Arian Foster has returned to his brilliant best and Andre Johnson has been finding ways to get more involved in the passing game. One things for sure Big Ben vs Watt is something everyone will love to see and should make for a great installment of Monday Night Football.
Prediction: Texans 27-23 Steelers
Saturday, 28 September 2013
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
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
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