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)
Skye Laurence Pank 25 years old with my views on the National Football League. Previously written for Boston Sports Then And Now and had an article read by Sky Sports' own Kevin Cadle! Journalism and PR graduate.
Wednesday, 25 September 2013
Saturday, 21 September 2013
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
Wednesday, 18 September 2013
Thursday Night Football: Week 3
Chiefs vs Eagles:
Both new head coaches have settled in well for their respective franchises which makes for a mouth watering encounter on Thursday Night Football. Last year both of these teams had poor seasons but 2013 looks bright for both Kansas City and Philadelphia.
Andy Reid returns to his old hunting ground where he coached the Eagles for 14 years before departing after a disappointing 2013 season. Reid will forever have fond memories of his time in Philly as he helped take the team to six NFC East titles, five NFC Championship Game appearences and one Super Bowl which ended in defeat. He will lead his 2-0 Chiefs team in to Lincoln Financial Field hoping to knock off the new looks Eagles who are led by Chip Kelly.
Kelly's offensive genius has been a breath of fresh air to the Eagles and he has helped Michael Vick recapture the type of form many people had forgotten he was capable off. Vick threw 428 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 33-30 week 2 defeat to the Chargers as well as 203 yards and two touchdowns in the 33-27 week one win over the Redskins. It is well known the Vick's downfall was his turnover ratio but he has thrown no interceptions in his first two starts under Kelly and lost just one fumble. On the ground he rushed for 34 yards and a touchdown from 5 carries vs the Chargers and had 54 yards with a touchdown from 9 carries during the opening weekend.
His 38/61 completed passes is a welcomed site personally and for everyone involved with the Eagles but can they get the in a high stakes emotional matchup so early in the season? This Eagles offense suits the up tempo style Chip Kelly has implemented as it utilizes the threats of running back LeSean McCoy who has had a monster start to the season as well as dynamic receiver DeSean Jackson. Jackson has hauled in 297 yards and two touchdowns already this year so if he can continue this good start with Vick and McCoy then the Eagles could be a surprise package in 2013.
With that being said it is early days and the same can be said for the Chiefs who have matched their 2012 win tally already this season with two straight wins so far in 2013. Alex Smith is thriving in his new environment with the QB yet to throw an interception and helping the Chiefs improve on clock management whilst bringing the best out of their receiving corpse. Jammal Charles has also contributed in both of the teams win and you could argue that Charles Vs McCoy is just as important as Smith Vs Vick come tomorrow night.
The Chiefs first win was straight forward over the Jags but the week 2 win over Dallas showed they have the metal to contend for a spot in the post-season this year. Victory for either team would be beneficial and although it is early days it could go a long way come the end of the regular season. It will be a close call my bold prediction is that you can expect both quarterbacks to throw their first interceptions of the year.
I feel the emotions of facing Andy Reid may be too much for certain players within the Eagles' ranks and keeping their emotions in check will be crucial to any success the Eagles hope to have tomorrow night. As for the result well I'm going to stick my neck out and choose the Chiefs. It will be a close game but I think their defense is more likely to cause turnovers than Philly's which will give Alex Smith the opportunity to manage the game and get Kansas the win on the road with the QB throwing at least two touchdowns tomorrow night.
Predicted Result: Kansas City 27-24 Philadelphia Eagles
Both new head coaches have settled in well for their respective franchises which makes for a mouth watering encounter on Thursday Night Football. Last year both of these teams had poor seasons but 2013 looks bright for both Kansas City and Philadelphia.
Andy Reid returns to his old hunting ground where he coached the Eagles for 14 years before departing after a disappointing 2013 season. Reid will forever have fond memories of his time in Philly as he helped take the team to six NFC East titles, five NFC Championship Game appearences and one Super Bowl which ended in defeat. He will lead his 2-0 Chiefs team in to Lincoln Financial Field hoping to knock off the new looks Eagles who are led by Chip Kelly.
Kelly's offensive genius has been a breath of fresh air to the Eagles and he has helped Michael Vick recapture the type of form many people had forgotten he was capable off. Vick threw 428 passing yards and two touchdowns in the 33-30 week 2 defeat to the Chargers as well as 203 yards and two touchdowns in the 33-27 week one win over the Redskins. It is well known the Vick's downfall was his turnover ratio but he has thrown no interceptions in his first two starts under Kelly and lost just one fumble. On the ground he rushed for 34 yards and a touchdown from 5 carries vs the Chargers and had 54 yards with a touchdown from 9 carries during the opening weekend.
His 38/61 completed passes is a welcomed site personally and for everyone involved with the Eagles but can they get the in a high stakes emotional matchup so early in the season? This Eagles offense suits the up tempo style Chip Kelly has implemented as it utilizes the threats of running back LeSean McCoy who has had a monster start to the season as well as dynamic receiver DeSean Jackson. Jackson has hauled in 297 yards and two touchdowns already this year so if he can continue this good start with Vick and McCoy then the Eagles could be a surprise package in 2013.
With that being said it is early days and the same can be said for the Chiefs who have matched their 2012 win tally already this season with two straight wins so far in 2013. Alex Smith is thriving in his new environment with the QB yet to throw an interception and helping the Chiefs improve on clock management whilst bringing the best out of their receiving corpse. Jammal Charles has also contributed in both of the teams win and you could argue that Charles Vs McCoy is just as important as Smith Vs Vick come tomorrow night.
The Chiefs first win was straight forward over the Jags but the week 2 win over Dallas showed they have the metal to contend for a spot in the post-season this year. Victory for either team would be beneficial and although it is early days it could go a long way come the end of the regular season. It will be a close call my bold prediction is that you can expect both quarterbacks to throw their first interceptions of the year.
I feel the emotions of facing Andy Reid may be too much for certain players within the Eagles' ranks and keeping their emotions in check will be crucial to any success the Eagles hope to have tomorrow night. As for the result well I'm going to stick my neck out and choose the Chiefs. It will be a close game but I think their defense is more likely to cause turnovers than Philly's which will give Alex Smith the opportunity to manage the game and get Kansas the win on the road with the QB throwing at least two touchdowns tomorrow night.
Predicted Result: Kansas City 27-24 Philadelphia Eagles
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