NFC Playoff Picture: Predictions

The NFC playoff picture is one of the most complicated pictures we have seen in recent memory. The Arizona Cardinals have built on an impressive 2013 season to take the NFC West by storm in 2014 which has left a huge possibility that two of the conferences juggernauts in Seattle and San Francisco may miss out on this years postseason. With Seattle traveling to San Francisco in the third installment of today's NFL Thanksgiving Feast it proves to be a mouthwatering day and one that could really influence the NFC playoff picture but also just over complicate it some more in the short term. So with that being said let us take a look




So far these are the 6 teams currently in the playoffs right now:










And here are the 4 teams on the brink of the playoffs. The NFC South is so bad that either the Saints, Falcons or Panthers will sneak in and that spot is anybody's guess. The Bears would have to win out starting with today's game against Detroit to have any chance whilst the 49ers could leapfrog the Seahawks in to the wild card spots with a win over them tonight before the two lock horns again in a couple of weeks.

Because of the nature of how complicated this playoff picture is I am going to take a somewhat unique take on this and predict each of the teams remaining schedules which will then make it, hopefully, easier to rank who I think will make the postseason and it what seeds so let's start from 1st place onwards.

Arizona Cardinals (9-2):

Week 13: Win @Atlanta
Week 14: Win at home vs Kansas City
Week 15: Lose @ St. Louis
Week 16: Lose at home vs Seattle
Week 17: Win @ San Francisco

Final record: 12-4: NFC West Champions. Their 9 conference wins gives them 1st seed and home field advantage over Green Bay


Green Bay Packers (8-3):

Week 13: Lose at home vs New England
Week 14: Win at home vs Atlanta
Week 15: Win @ Buffalo
Week 16: Win @ Tampa Bay
Week 17: Win at home vs Detroit

Final record: 12-4: NFC North Champions. One less win in the NFC means they have to settle for 2nd in the NFC seedings but they still get a bye week going in to the postseason

Dallas Cowboys (8-3):

Week 13: Win today at home vs Philadelphia *Thanksgiving game*
Week 14: Win @ Chicago
Week 15: Lose @ Philadelphea
Week 16: Lose @ Indianapolis
Week 17: Win at home vs Washington

Final record: 11-5: Finally the Dallas Cowboys are NFC East Champions earning them the 3rd seed and a home playoff game in the wild card round

4th seed: NFC South Winner?

Atlanta Falcons (4-7)

Week 13: Lose at home vs Arizona
Week 14: Lose @ Green Bay
Week 15: Win at home vs Pittsburgh
Week 16: Lose @ New Orleans
Week 17: Win at home vs Carolina

Final record: 6-10

Carolina Panthers (3-7-1)

Week 13: Win @ Minnesota
Week 14: Lose @ New Orleans
Week 15: Win at home vs Tampa Bay
Week 16: Win at home vs Cleveland
Week 17: Lose at Atlanta

Final record: 6-9-1

New Orleans Saints (4-7)

Week 13: Win @ Pittsburgh
Week 14: Win at home vs Carolina
Week 15: Lose @ Chicago
Week 16: Win at home vs Atlanta
Week 17: Lose @ Tampa Bay

Final record: 7-9:

After some crazy final day results during the regular season the Saints lose at Tampa Bay making them the second team to make the playoffs with a losing record. Carolina had a shot to make it in with a win @ Atlanta but they lost meaning the Falcons only have themselves to blame for not winning this dismal division after some narrow losses during the year meaning that Sean Payton's Saints take the 4th seed and the NFC South crown.

Final two spots go to....?

Seattle Seahawks (7-4):

Week 13: Lose today @ San Francisco *Thanksgiving game*
Week 14: Win @ Philadelphea
Week 15: Win at home vs San Francisco
Week 16: Win @ Arizona
Week 17: Win @ St. Louis

Final record: 11-5: The defending Super Bowl Champions sneak in to the postseason and avoid the tie-breaking complications with a win at St. Louis on the final day meaning they take the 5th seed and that they travel to New Orleans during wild card week!

Only one spot remains!:

Philadelphia Eagles (8-3):

Week 13: Lose today @ Dallas *Thanksgiving game*
Week 14: Lose at home vs Seattle
Week 15: Win at home vs Dallas
Week 16: Lose @ Washington
Week 17: Win vs New York Giants

Final record: 10-6

San Francisco 49ers (7-4):

Week 13: Win today at home vs Seattle *Thanksgiving game*
Week 14: Win @ Oakland
Week 15: Lose @ Seattle
Week 16  Win at home vs San Diego
Week 17: Lose @Arizona

Final record: 10-6

Detroit Lions (7-4)

Week 13: Lose today at home vs Chicago *Thanksgiving game*
Week 14: Win at home vs Tampa Bay
Week 15: Win at home vs Minnesota
Week 16: Win @ Chicago
Week 17: Lose @ Green Bay

Final record: 10-6

Chicago Bears (5-6)

Week 13: Win today @ Detroit *Thanksgiving game*
Week 14: Lose at home vs Dallas
Week 15: Win at home vs New Orleans
Week 16: Lose at home vs Detroit
Week 17: Win @ Minnesota

Final record: 8-8

And the 6th seed is: With the 49ers, Eagles and Lions all on 10-6 I've given myself quite the headache to try and work out who gets the 6 seed. According to NFL Tie-Breaking Procedures this is how it goes:

1. Apply division tie breaker to eliminate all but the highest ranked club in each division prior to proceeding to step 2. The original seeding within a division upon application of the division tie breaker remains the same for all subsequent applications of the procedure that are necessary to identify the two Wild-Card participants.

2. Head-to-head sweep. (Applicable only if one club has defeated each of the others or if one club has lost to each of the others.)

3. Best won-lost-tied percentage in games played within the conference.

So according to my calculations as each of the three teams are from different divisions this we skip to step 2 but as the Lions and Niners didn't play each other step 2 doesn't apply so on to step 3 we go.... Time for me to calculate each of these teams conference winning ratios *stay with me*

Detroit Lions: 8-4 in conference games
San Francisco 49ers: 7-5 in conference games
Philadelphia Eagles: 6-6 in conference games

So with a 75% win ratio in the NFC the Detroit Lions make up our NFC playoff picture and will travel to Dallas in wild card week!

Skye's NFC playoff picture summary:

1st seed: Arizona Cardinals (12-4)
2nd seed: Green Bay Packers (12-4)
3rd seed: Dallas Cowboys: (11-5)
4th seed: New Orleans Saints (7-9)
5th seed: Seattle Seahawks (11-5)
6th seed: Detroit Lions (10-6)

*tie-breaking procedures explained above*

Lucky number 6 or will Luck end the Patriots hot streak? New England vs Indianapolis

Many people associate the "Lucky number" phrase with the number 7 or the movies Lucky Number Slevin and Ocean's Seven but did you know that the number 6 is auspicious in matters with love and relationships in Chinese culture? There was also a fragrance for men made by fashion designer Liz Claiborne called Lucky Number Six and the Patriots will be hoping for their sixth consecutive victory when they face off against Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts tonight.

Out with the old and in with the new is an expression that billions across the globe know very well but in the National Football League that saying doesn't always ring true. Tom Brady has continued to defy the odds in his career and he has done that more than ever since the defeat to Kansas City back in week 4. He and the Patriots continued their fantastic streak last week when they blew out the Denver Broncos 43-21.

The Broncos are in the eyes of many the best team in the AFC if not in football but with the New England victory last week it caused many to rethink their opinions and once again the win gave Terrific Tom some more pulling power in the Brady-Manning debate as he extended his winning record over his long term record to 11-5. After trailing a close first quarter 7-3 the Patriots battled back to completely smash Denver in the second quarter scoring 24 consecutive points.

From then on out the Patriots were in cruise control with Brady, making his 200th career start with the win giving him his 155th win (the most of any QB ever), completing 33 of his 55 attempted passes with Julian Edelman and Rob Gronkowski hauling in 9 receptions each for a combined 194 yards. Those two were Brady's main targets as the Patriots offense continues to up the gears week by week; Gronk was the standout player though as he decimated the Broncos defense and made one of the most spectacular catches of the season.

Now the Patriots walk in to Lucas Oil Stadium tonight to take on the epitome of "the new" type of NFL quarterback in the shape of Andrew Luck and his Indianapolis Colts with huge playoff implications. With seedings, home field advantage and a potential bye week at stake on the line it makes tonight's game an intriguing contest as with New England at 7-2 and the Colts at 6-3 a win for either team would put them in prime position for one of the two byes on offer going in to the postseason.

With both teams coming off a bye week giving them an extra weeks preparation ahead of tonight's crucial game you can expect it to be a fantastic affair. The Luck led Colts have been high flying this season. After starting the season 0-2 the Colts went on a five game winning streak of their own before losing a crazy game to Pittsburgh 51-34 on the road but bounced back at MetLife Stadium when they convincingly defeated the Giants 40-24.

Since Luck came in to the league the Colts are 17-4 at home including their amazing comeback against the Chiefs in the wildcard round of last seasons playoffs. Tom Brady and co are use to overcoming obstacles and Indianapolis are slight favourites ahead of tonight's matchup in what many are anticipating to be a close one. In the two previous encounters between Brady and Luck the Patriots have blown out the Colts 43-22 in last years playoff game and 59-24 in Luck's rookie season back in 2012.

Both of these teams have come a long way since last years playoff game and both are very improved in various departments which is what makes, in my opinion, tonight one of the games of the season especially with all that is at stake. If the Patriots get the victory tonight it'll give them a huge boost in terms of going on to clinch the 1st seed as well as home field advantage for the postseason which is what they will want to keep away from Denver so that they can guarantee that the road to Super Bowl 49 goes through Gillette Stadium.

The Patriots and Broncos had an arms race this past offseason to improve their rosters in hope of ensuring a trip to Arizona next February but the Colts are the dark horses in the conference especially as Andrew Luck is the best young quarterback we have ever seen just because of the impact he has had on the NFL in his first 2 and a half years and the talent he has displayed. When the Colts last faced New England they had no running game with only Donald Brown, now a Charger, playing and lacked any offensive weapons due to injuries.

Since then Colts legend Reggie Wayne has returned to action, TY Hilton has broken out to improve his game and become an established wideout in the league who provides a down field threat along with tight end Dwayne Allen who provides a nice balance to Luck's friend from Stanford Coby Fleener. Add that with Hakeem Nicks, who despite not having a good year so far is a good player, along with rookie receiver Donte Moncrief and a one to punch of Bradshaw and Richardson in the backfield and it is clear to see why this Colts offense is on pace to potentially break records in 2014.

With that being said they are facing a Patriots defense tonight which under the guidance of defensive mastermind Bill Belichick has the potential to stop any offense in the league and did stop what many feels to be the best last week when they made Peyton Manning's Broncos look ordinary. Despite having Chandler Jones absent due to injury the brilliance of New England's secondary has given the front seven opportunities to be creative in getting to the quarterback and stopping the run which has helped the likes of Jamie Collins, Hightower and Rob Ninkovich as we saw last week with the latter's interception against Peyton.

With Revis and Browner playing man coverage on the outside they can stop near enough any receivers in the league. Revis' skill set is amazing for a corner and with one of the best safeties in the league in the form of Devin McCourty just behind him it allows for not only Bill Belichick and Matt Patricia to be creative with defensive play-calling but it also benefits the strengths of the two corners as it allows them to be aggressive. This also allows Patrick Chung and, when he gets on the field, Kyle Arrington to be effective in the secondary and break up plays.

When I previewed the Patriots and Broncos game I said it would come down to who wins the battle between the Denver offense vs the Pats D. With the latter winning it ensured that New England held on to their healthy lead which gave their offense the opportunities they needed to score more points to finish their opponent off and I would say that the same applies tonight if not more with the Pats being on the road. The offense will have to deal with crowd noise etc and while we know Tom Brady is one of the best QB's of all-time in road games you need your defense to come up big and make stops in order to take some of the pressure off of your offense as well as give it opportunities.

If this happens I expect the Patriots to have the tools to defeat the Colts. Indianapolis' defense played lights out during their 5 game winning streak but were brought back down to earth against the Steelers after their star cornerback Vontae Davis was knocked out the game. Davis is one of the better players in the league at the corner position but depsite is talents this Colts defense usually struggles against tight ends and when you considering that the Patriots have the best tight end in the league in Rob Gronkowski, 8 touchdowns this season, you would say that the Patriots have a critical advantage which could make the difference needed in a game that is anticipated to be so close.

Offensively you can expect the Patriots to spread the ball round like they've done in the past 5 games to Brandon LaFell, Danny Amendola, Shane Vereen, Julian Edeleman and even Tim Wright who I think will be used a lot more tonight considering the Colt's vulnerability to tight ends. In the big moments though it will be Gronk who is thrown to and if the Colts don't come up with a game plan to try and limit him especially in the red zone then I think the Patriots will pick off any weaknesses this Indie D has and will punish them.

One thing's for sure and that is that tonight's matchup is a mouthwatering encounter with both QB's at the top of their respective games. Tom Brady has rediscovered his hall of fame form following a run of 5 games which has seen him throw 18 touchdowns to just one interception with a completion percentage of over 70% meaning he is now 5th with 22 touchdowns on the year to just 3 interceptions (tied with Aaaron Rodgers for the lowest among starters). The Patriots winning run also means that Brady now has a passer rating of 103.5 which also ranks 5th. His opposite number Luck ranks 2nd in touchdowns with 26 TD's and leads in terms of passing yardage with 3,085 yards. Despite the fact that Luck thrown more passes than other QB in the league it is a testament to his abilities that he has managed to keep his completion percentage at 63.6%

So with everything being weighed up now we just have to wait a few hours to see who wins when the best of the old guard takes on the best of the new guard in the third dual between Tom Brady's Patriots and Andrew Luck's Colts. A Patriots win means they will take control of the AFC following Denver's defeat to St. Louis earlier on today which is exactly what they need as they have two tough tests against the Lions and Packers coming up. New England would be a game ahead of the Broncos and two games ahead of the Colts with the head to head over both so tonight's game is huge but will their Luck run out when they go in to the Dome tonight?

Historically the Patriots are 9-2 in their last eleven post-bye games. Bill Belichick with an extra week of preparation is a recipe for disaster for any opposing team as he will have planned everything to the exact final details along with the fact that quarterback Tom Brady's record when playing inside a dome is 10-2 record, 26 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions I will go with a New England victory.

Prediction: Patriots 35-27 Colts

Bold Prediction: With the Colts down by a point 28-27 Andrew Luck looks to seal off a memorable 4th quarter comeback victory but a tipped play by Jamie Collins give Brandon Browner a 'lucky' pick 6 to gain some personal redemption after TY Hilton embarrassed him when the Colts faced the Seahawks. The return goes all the way in to the Colts end zone to put the Pats up by 8 and seal the game for New England as the Colts have just 10 seconds remaining and no timeouts!

Broncos vs Patriots: Manning vs Brady XVI

Tomorrow sees the 16th installment in the legendary rivalry between two of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game and as always there are high stakes when Peyton Manning's Denver Broncos go head to head against Tom Brady and the New England Patriots.

With the Patriots on a four game winning streak they have been resurgent after a slow start to the 2014 season but now find themselves at 6-2 after a 2-2 start and with a chance to place themselves in the first seed position for the playoffs if they manage to defeat Denver tomorrow. The Broncos are also on a 4 game winning streak so they will walk in to Gillette Stadium full of confidence especially having beaten the Patriots when the two teams last met in last seasons AFC Championship game.

That victory in January avenged the demons of a 34-31 comeback victory by Brady's Patriots earlier in that season when New England rallied from a 24-0 halftime deficit to knock off the Broncos in their own back yard but with Denver's 26-16 postseason victory a couple of months after that encounter just mentioned Manning tied his head to head postseason record against Brady to 2-2 all-time.

Unfortunately for Peyton history does suggest that the Patriots could well come out as the victors tomorrow with Brady holding a 10-5 all-time winning record over his old foe. With New England's huge 51-23 win over Chicago last Sunday this team is slowly moving through the gears week by week and finding ways to win after winning a narrow one against the Jets 27-25 the week before and knocking off the Bills in their own backyard 37-22.

With a bye week next week for the Patriots a win tomorrow against Denver would set them up perfectly for their remaining 7 games and allow them to focus on their tough tasks ahead as they go in search of claiming home field advantage for the playoffs; something that would definitely benefit the Patriots if they have to play the Broncos in the postseason as taking Peyton Manning out of Mile High stadium would work huge favours for New England.

The most intriguing aspect of tomorrow's matchup is the improved fortunes of both of these teams defenses and that is what makes this game a lot more interesting in comparison to the other meetings we've seen between these two teams in recent years. The Patriots may be without their best pass rusher in Chandler Jones but have made two additions at linebacker before the trade deadline this past Tuesday to cover for the season ending injury to Jerod Mayo and also possess the number one pass defense in the league.

Manning vs Brady Round 16

That will be put to the test by what many considering to be the most devastating offense in the NFL and one that has added a versatile running back to its armory in recent weeks to go along with the ridiculously effective passing game that Manning has going on in Denver. Peyton is tied with Andrew Luck for the most touchdowns in the league with 22 but has to just 3 interceptions to the third years 9. Manning's efficiency will be vital to any success the Broncos want to have tomorrow especially going up against a Bill Belichick defense that thrives on forcing turnovers. 

The Patriots are tied for 7th in the league with 10 forced fumbles and have recovered 8 which leaves them tied for 2nd in that category. They are also tied 8th in interceptions with 8 and 9th in sacks with 21 so you can tell that the Pats defense has been playing at a very high level. Star cornerback Darrelle Revis is back to his superstar best challenging receivers at the line of scrimmage and has locked down star studded wideouts such as AJ Green and Brandon Marshall along with rookie sensation Sammy Watkins in the first half of this season.

Add Revis to a secondary that includes the likes of Devin McCourty, Patrick Chung, Kyle Arrington, Logan Ryan along with the return of Brandon Browner who made a massive personal improvement last week against the Bears following his debut against the Jets and it is clear to see this team has talent. That is not even including the players at the front of the D such as Dont'a Hightower, Jamie Collins, Rob Ninkovich and Vince Wilfork who are all key contributors to the success of this unit.

They in particular will need to step up in Chandler Jones' absence who is arguably the Patriots best all round defensive player. As for the Broncos defense well they aren't exactly slouches themselves after adding the likes of DeMarcus Ware, TJ Ward and Aqib Talib who left the Patriots for Denver this past offseason. Denver's defense ranks high in key categories too; 6th in sacks with 23, 13th in interceptions with 7 but they are a lowly 31st in forced fumbles with 3 and just one recovery.

On paper despite Brady's historical upper hand over Manning as well as the drastic improvements this Patriots offense has made week by week the Broncos offense is still edges that of New England and I feel that the outcome of this game will be decided by who wins out of the Patriots defense and Broncos offense when these two units go up against each other tomorrow.

As mentioned earlier Manning has 22 TD's to just 3 picks and a host of weapons with the dynamic duo of Julius and Demaryius Thomas with the two having hauled in 15 of Peyton's 22 scores this season. The other 7 are with Emmanuel Sanders who had 3 last week against the Chargers, 4 on the year, along with Jacob Tamme (2) and Wes Welker with just the one this season. Add that with running back Ronnie Hillman, he has broke on the scene in Montee Ball's absence, who has 347 yards and 2 touchdowns in his past 4 games then you can begin to evaluate just how good this Denver offense is.

But as we know the Patriots offense is not looking too shabby either after fantastic performance after performance in October which ended with Tom Brady being announced AFC offensive Player of the month. Brady had a 129.1 passer rating, with 1,268 yards and 14 touchdowns in those 4 Patriots victories and personally I feel this has propelled him in to the MVP conversation along with Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, DeMarco Murray and JJ Watt.

Brady completed 30 of 35 passing attempts for 354 yards and 5 touchdowns last week leaving him with a quarterback rating of 148.4. Rob Gronkowski had 9 catches for 149 receiving yards and 3 TD's and has definitely got back to his devastating best as Gronk now has 7 touchdowns this season leaving him tied for 4th. Brandon LaFell has also built up fantastic rapport with Brady and has 4 touchdowns on the year with 1 last week hauling in 124 yards in the process.

Ever since that Monday Night meltdown against the Chiefs all Brady and co have done is prove the doubters wrong. Anyone who did doubt Tom Brady's abilities is quite frankly an idiot but he did what any fantastic player does and that was silence his critics on the field. The change in fortunes has brought a breath of fresh air along with hope in New England. Brady now has 18 touchdowns to just 4 interceptions on the year which ranks him 5th only behind Manning, Luck, Rivers and Rodgers.

Now that the Patriots have solved offensive line issues and the offense is performing at a high level you would have to say they are one of the best teams in the league due to their all round talent on defense, offense and special teams. Despite the loss of Stevan Ridley on the ground Shane Vereen has continued to be a brilliant weapon for Brady in the running and passing game and is the type of versatile player that Brady and Belichick love.

Vereen has one rushing touchdown for 281 yards giving him a 4.8 average and two receiving touchdowns for 208 yards. Jonas Gray was added to the running game fold last week and put in an impressive debut with the big bodied back racking up 98 yards off 20 carries averaging 4.9 yards a carry. If he can continue to impress he will be the Patriots' equivalent of Denver's Ronnie Hillman and a well welcomed running game addition to a team that possess one of the most efficient passing games in the NFL.

Gronk (7), LaFell (4), Vereen (2), Amendola (1) and Tyms (1) are the recepients of Brady's passing scores this year but the guy who has been particularly important to the improvements of the passing game is Gronks new tight end partner Tim Wright. He possesses the other 3 Brady touchdown scores and Wright's addition to the offense has given Brady a new tight end duo threat to trouble opposing offenses which has given Brady and the Pats offense to get all of these offensive players mentioned involved.

The rewards are key to see and after analysing both Denver and New England's offenses tomorrows game will be a mouth watering encounter especially as we know the quality of both sides defenses as well. Personally I feel this is the most exciting regular season game since the November 7th encounter in the 2007 season when the 8-0 Patriots faced off against Manning's 7-0 Colts. Despite the quality of both offenses both defenses can force mistakes in the opposing offenses and that is why I feel that it will be a nail biting game for fans of both teams that will end in a close one. I will go out on a limb and say that the Patriots get a repeat of that close win back in 07 and triumph over the Broncos 24-20 setting up a thrilling race for the first seed position come playoff time!

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

Perfect Patriots Pounce On Bengals!

The Cincinnati Bengals walked in to Gillette Stadium licking their chops at the possibility of defeating the New England Patriots in their own back yard but walked out on Foxborough with the same deflated feeling that the Pats had experienced themselves last week. Defeat to the Chiefs 41-14 had raised many questions over the brightness of the future for the legendary duo of Brady and Belichick but the two executed tonight's game plan brilliantly as they rallied to an early 14-0 first quarter lead against the Bengals.

Brady was back to his magical best completing 23 of 35 passing attempts for 2 touchdowns to Tim Wright who had a breakout night and Rob Gronkowski who looks to be back to his best which is fantastic news for the Patriots. I called for Timothy Wright's breakout game to be last week but it came tonight and whilst many have questioned the Logan Mankins trade which exposed New England's offensive line problems after tonight everyone will be praising the genius of Belichick as Wright, the man who moved the other way as part of that trade with Tampa Bay, had an Aaron Hernandez type performance and had 5 receptions for 85 yards and one score.

This helped Rob Gronkowski get free and avoid double coverage throughout the game with the big man catching 6 passes from Brady including the catch which saw Brady eclipse 50,000 passing yards during his NFL career becoming only the 6th quarterback to do so; Gronk finished the night with 100 yards, one score and averaged 16.7 yards per catch. The fantastic performances by the two tight ends along with an inspired performance by the offensive line which helped Brady get his flow back in the passing game as well as also helping the team establish the running game, something New England fans have been crying out for.

The 6th QB to reach the landmark for passing yards

Josh McDaniels made the right play calls and used the one-two punch of Ridley and Vereen to devastating effect with the two combining on the ground for 203 rushing yards; Ridley had over 100 and got one touchdown. The effectiveness in the run game really did give the Patriots the balance they needed to win tonight's game and is something they have been renowned for having over the years. The passing game had 8 different receivers haul in a catch from Brady with the efficient display on offense seeing them post 36 points with Stephen Gotskowski kicking all 5 of his field goals successfully.

The other touchdown was a fumble return by Kyle Arrington who had a brilliant night on the defense. The defense did what I and many people expected after last weeks humiliation if not better by bouncing back in style with Darrelle Revis having his best game in a Patriot uniform to date limiting AJ Green in the passing game. Coach Belichick gave him the freedom to match up with the receiver one on one with Revis winning the battle throughout the game; Revis also had a forced fumble on a night which saw the Patriots force 3 turnovers with Jamie Collins causing the other. The Patriots also managed to get a pass rush going which unsettled Andy Dalton at times who despite actually having a good night personally, 15/24 for two touchdowns, suffered as the rest of the team around him depleted.

Tonight's 43-17 victory is just the bounce back performance that the New England Patriots needed to silence the doubters and get their season back up and running. They now sit joint first in the AFC East with a 3-2 record ahead of two divisional games coming up against the Bills next Sunday and the New York Jets the following week on Thursday Night Football. Before the Chiefs game I sang the Patriots praises regarding their ability of performing under the lights of prime time television and while last week didn't go too well for them they sure as hell did well tonight! Brady now owns a 13-8 record on Sunday Night Fooball and the Patriots are an NFL best 38-9 in the month of October since 2003 including a home record of 23-1 in that time which is very impressive.

Brady was all fired up after guiding New England to victory

Brady himself knows there's a long way to go on the season but to beat a team that many had down as the most complete in the conference has to boost morale; this victory was New England's 32nd straight regular season victory at home against AFC opposition. That record will definitely be put to the test in week 9 when they host Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos which comes after the two divisional matchups mentioned earlier on and just after a home encounter against the Chicago Bears. That means that 3 of the Patriots next 4 games are at Gillette Stadium which could give this team even more confidence before they head in to their bye week come week 10.

So Brady and co are back with a vengeance with quarterback's career record after a loss now standing at 35 wins with just 8 losses (won last 9). As well as this since 2009 in 33 games Brady is 29-4 throwing 65 touchdowns to just 13 interceptions with a QB rating of 112. Anyone who questioned the Patriots will now surely feel foolish and the team will now have their road trip to Buffalo in sight as they look to take control of the division which after tonight many analysts and experts will expect them to do. Tonight may have been just one game but it showed the heart as well as the spirit that this New England team has and that is something you cannot teach and will definitely come in hand throughout the long regular season and more importantly come playoff time.

The End Of An Era? Bengals vs Patriots

Following last Monday's humiliation at Arrowhead Stadium the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in particular have come under a lot of criticism. Last week was one of Tom Brady's worst ever performance in the NFL with the future hall of fame quarterback finishing the game sitting on the sidelines looking deflated and just pure angry.

But you see this is when Tom Brady always brings out his best, right in the face of adversity. We all know this fairytale story; drafted as the 199th pick in round 6 back in the 2000 draft to then go on and move up the depth chart from 4th string quarterback all the way to beating out the well established Drew Bledsoe and then go on to new unthinkable heights as Brady made a massive contribution to the Patriots dynasty that won 3 Super Bowl titles in 4 years (2001 season, 2003 and 2004)

Since then he has only furthered his legacy making two more Super Bowl's, winning MVP awards in 2007 and 2010, most playoff wins as a quarterback with 18 playoff wins among many other records so yes the list is endless. Now I or any other NFL fanatic could sit here all day praising Tom Brady's abilities but after last Monday's blowout defeat to the Chiefs the question is that is there any more magic left from Tom Terrific?

Tom Terrific has it all to prove again starting with tonight

Well I say yes there is but there are definitely more concerns around this Patriot's offense now then there have been over the past decade. 2nd year wide-out Kenbrell Thompkins was released yesterday which leaves the receiving core with Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, Aaron Dobson and Brandon LaFell along with special teams specialist Matthew Slater and undrafted free agent Brian Tyms who remains inactive.

Edelman is a fantastic receiver but when your best receiver is a former high school quarterback that says it all. Amendola was supposed to be the second coming of Amendola but the realistic scenario happened with him being a flop. Dobson has a lot of potential but injuries have haunted him over this first quarter of the season and I personally feel like LaFell is building up a good rapport with Brady albeit rather slow; he was one of if not the only positive from last week's loss in Kansas.

Tight end Rob Gronkowski remains Brady best and most reliable weapon in this offense as he is a superstar when healthy but unfortunately he'll take time to get back to his best. Brady is not surrounded with the weapons that Peyton Manning has right now in Denver but Colts fans from the past will say Brady had better weapons at his disposal when the two use to face of years ago. That debate is for another day but one things for sure Tom Brady is a man who is known for making average receivers look good.

Sadly for Brady you can't do that when you have a depleted offensive line and the play-calling is terrible. Josh McDaniels was using Vereen as a 3 down back last week which was horrible as every Patriot knows his skills come off screen and trick plays. While I have criticised running back Stevan Ridley in the past there are no denying this young mans talents; he finished last season with 10 touchdowns in the regular season and 2 in the divisional round playoff win against the Colts.

The Patriots need to establish a running game to take the pressure off Brady as at the moment opposing defenses are not afraid of the passing game and a talented group like Cincinnati will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing New England tonight. Despite 9 out of 10 people ruling the Patriots out tonight I personally think they will bounce back and win tonight as the Pats defense has so much talent and will put in a much better performance than last week which will provide a platform for the rest of the team to believe again.

Brady may not have the weapons that everyone believes he deserves but that can't be changed and the Patriots just need to get on with it. Once the team has a offensive line that is starting together regularly then they'll hope that in time it will come good. Many people will be choosing the Bengals to walk in to Gillette stadium and win tonight but I remember last season when the 4-0 Patriots walked in to Paul Brown Stadium against the 2-2 Bengals with all the praise in the world being heaped on the Patriots only for them to lose 13-6 in a game which was contested in monsoon like weather.

A year later and now the tables have turned with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick saying in his press conference that "They [The Bengals] have a lot of good players. They're well-coached. They're tough, they're physical, they're explosive. It's been a while since I've seen a team that's as complete as they are." so yes tonight will be a heavy challenge but the turnover in who is the top dogs in the NFL is what makes it so exciting to watch. That is why Bill Belichick, Tom Brady and the New England Patriots deserve so much credit for the level of consistency they have shown for over the past 10 years. They thrive off adversity and will take it head on when it's right in their face, some people say good things can't last forever well I think tonight will prove otherwise and whether it's ugly or pretty the Patriots will move on to 3-2 and leave the Bengals at 3-1 come the end of Sunday Night Football.

Prediction: Bengals 24-27 Patriots

Prime Time Patriots

Monday Night Football!

 The New England Patriots travel to Arrowhead Stadium tonight for the season lone appearance on Monday Night Football. This is one of 4 straight games against AFC opposition with the Patriots welcoming the Bengals to Gillette Stadium for Sunday Night Football before facing divisional rivals Buffalo and the New York Jets.

After starting the season with a lacklustre performance against Miami the Patriots have bounced back to win their last two games with a convincing 30-7 victory versus the Vikings and a hard fought victory against Oakland last week 16-9. While the 2014 edition of the New England offense is going through some teething problems the defense has looked steady often producing good play and signs of potential to be one of the best in the league.

They rank 1st in the NFL with the fewest yard against them over the first 3 weeks of the season giving up just 818 yards and 3rd in points against with just 49 given up leaving them just behind Arizona on 45 and Cincinnati with 33. Success at forcing turnovers has also been impressive in the opening weeks of the 2014 campaign for New England, something Bill Belichick's defense have always been known for, with the team having racked up 6 interceptions already on the year which is tied for 2nd in the league. As well as these stats they have forced 3 fumbles so far recovering 2 and have sacked opposing quarterbacks 7 times.

The Chiefs didn't start 2014 too well themselves going down heavily against the Titans 26-10 before almost taking the Broncos to overtime in week 2 when they narrowly lost 24-17. Last week was much better for Andy Reid's team as they dismantled the Dolphins 34-15 to chalk up their first win of the year. Kansas City will be the hardest opposition that the Patriots have faced so far this year especially as Arrowhead stadium can often conjure up quite an atmosphere. Tonight they're attempting to regain the crown they once had as "The loudest stadium in the world" so Tom Brady and co could be in for a tough task.

While tonight's matchup could be rather tough for New England especially as they've had early season offensive woes so far this year it has to be said that typically on Monday Night Football Tom Brady excels in front of the prime time cameras; his MNF record is 13-5. Brady has thrown three or more touchdowns in a Monday Night game nine times, including four four-touchdown performances. He has also thrown four touchdowns in three of his last four Monday Night games. It's also worth noting that Brady is tied with Steve Young for third place with 42 touchdown passes on Monday Night Football, behind Brett Favre (69) and Dan Marino (74). Steve Young threw 42 touchdown passes in 25 Monday night games, while Brady has 42 touchdowns in just 18 games!

Last week was Brady's 150th career regular-season victory as a starting quarterback.

With Rob Gronkowski's snap count growing as the season has begun it's only a matter of time before the Brady-Gronk partnership lights up and tonight could be that night. There have been struggles on the offensive line but every team has its own individual chinks in their armour to deal with especially during the early stages of the season. Julian Edelman, Shane Vereen along with Stevan Ridley offer the Patriots versatility in the offense and either of the two could have a big game tonight as New England will look to take advantage of a Kansas City secondary that has looked sloppy at times during the early stages of the 2014 season.

Spare a thought for Danny Amendola as he is struggling performance wise while Aaron Dobson is still recovering from injury, as for Brandon LaFell well he saw some more targets from Brady last week and either him or Kenbrell Thompkins will be looking to build up some rapport with Brady tonight also watch out for Timothy Wright who seems to be growing in to the system week by week following his trade to the Patriots from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers earlier on in the season.

As mentioned before New England's defense has been playing well so far this season and will have to be at their best tonight when they go up against the likes of Alex Smith, Dwayne Bowe and Jamaal Charles. The likes of Chandler Jones, Dont'a Hightower and Jamie Collins continue to made big stride week by week and these 3 young defensive players are becoming big time assets to the Patriots along with the likes of Jerod Mayo and Vince Wilfork. The secondary has been progressing well as Darelle Revis settles in along with Devin McCourty who always seems to perform at a high level and I personally can't wait to see Brandon Browner make his debut for the Patriots which should be next week versus the Bengals now that he has served his four game suspension.

Chandler Jones is coming for you Chiefs!

With Tom Brady's record on Monday Night Football and Bill Belichick revitalising his team following their week one defeat I expect the Patriots to put in their best performance of the season as despite the Chiefs ranking 7th in yards against their defense and 6th in points given up so far this season they giving up an average of 354 yards a game. Ahead of that mouthwatering encounter against the Bengals next Sunday New England will be hoping to return back to Boston with a 3-1 record and give Bill Belichick his 16th victory as the head coach of the Patriots on Monday Night Football games.