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Game of the Week
Buffalo at Baltimore
Not only are both quarterbacks elite, but this game could eventually have playoff seeding ramifications. It’s an early kick, so settle in and enjoy two of the AFC’s best. If it’s a track meet, all the better. Lamar Jackson might be an early MVP front-runner with NFL-bests in touchdown passes (10) and passer rating (119), but the Bills are still three-point road favorites.
Bills 38, Ravens 35
Lock of the Week
New England at Green Bay
The Packers haven’t hit their stride offensively — they do have an excellent running back tandem in Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon — but their defense is stout. As a 9.5-point favorite, not only should Green Bay have more than enough to take care of the Patriots, but with New England quarterback Mac Jones (ankle) ruled out, the Packers should cover even a big spread.
Packers 24, Patriots 14
Upset of the Week
Chicago at New York Giants
A surprising matchup of 2-1 teams. The Giants are three-point favorites after letting an opportunity to get to 3-0 slip against the Cowboys last Monday night. The Bears, meanwhile, have run the ball well to start the season and are attempting to grow behind quarterback Justin Fields.
Chicago 23, Giants 21
Around the AFC
Tua trouble. The Miami Dolphins are facing scrutiny for their handling of quarterback Tua Tagovailoa following Thursday night’s loss to Cincinnati. The young quarterback was visibly unbalanced after hitting the back of his head on the turf Sunday, but cleared a concussion evaluation and returned to the game. He was thrown down and hit his head on the turf again Thursday night, and subsequently taken to the hospital and released later in the evening and returned home with the team. The NFLPA is investigating the handling of Tagovailoa’s situation and how/why he was cleared to play on a short week. More scrutiny for a franchise whose owner is serving a year-long suspension and is also named in Brian Flores’ racial discrimination lawsuit.
Charge needed. Even given Justin Herbert’s clear limitation following an injury to his ribs, the Chargers getting steamrolled by Jacksonville counted as a surprise. Then this week brought about as bad a day on the transaction wire as a general manager could imagine when a pair of mega talents, left tackle Rashawn Slater and defensive end Joey Bosa, were placed on injured reserve on the same day. Ouch. Bosa (groin) may be back, but Slater (bicep) is likely to miss the rest of the season. And Herbert is still on the mend, too. A silver lining: the Chargers have the Texans this week to try to avoid a 1-3 start.
Chubb’s fast start. The NFL’s rushing leader through three weeks? Cleveland’s Nick Chubb, who followed up a three-touchdown performance against the Jets in Week 2 with 113 yards and a score against Pittsburgh last weekend. Now, he and the Browns have a chance to get to 3-1 under quarterback Jacoby Brissett if they can win at Atlanta on Sunday. Chubb (341 yards) and Kareem Hunt (151) pace a Cleveland rushing attack that’s pacing the NFL so far at 190.7 yards per game.
Around the NFC
Fly Eagles? Philadelphia is the lone remaining unbeaten team in the league after Miami lost Thursday night. The path to 4-0 features a surprisingly strong matchup with 2-1 Jacksonville, which features ascending quarterback Trevor Lawrence and a stout defensive front under first-year head coach Doug Pederson. The same guy, of course, who led the Eagles to a Super Bowl title in 2018. Yeah, this should be a good one.
Rush-ing attack. Carson Wentz might have a Super Bowl to his name (kind of), but this week he’s the quarterbacking underdog to… Cooper Rush. Rush has steadily guided the Cowboys to a pair of wins since Dak Prescott suffered a fractured thumb and he’ll try to make it three in a row Sunday against the Commanders. Dallas owner Jerry Jones idly mused about a quarterback controversy recently. That seems far-fetched, but Rush at least has given the Cowboys hope in a way Wentz hasn’t in the Capitol.
L.A. vs. The Bay. The Rams and 49ers gave us three excellent games in 2021 and now square off for the first time this fall on Monday night. After getting beat down by the Bills in Week 1, Los Angeles has responded with a pair of wins, though it does feel as though they haven’t hit their stride yet post-Super Bowl victory. San Francisco, meanwhile, has a stout defense but will need to run the ball better than it did against Denver (88 yards) last week if it’s going to take pressure off quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.
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