NFL Week 3 Short Takes

My forecast of NFL games for week three did not turn out so well. Seven games right, nine games wrong, with one game coming close to what I had called. That would be the Cleveland Browns/Washington football team result for which I had said the browns would win 34-20 and the final was 31-20.

Very briefly, here is my immediate reaction to what took place on the field last Thursday through Monday night’s big showdown.

Dolphins 31 / Jaguars 13

I picked the Jags who were playing at home and against a team, they are better than, Jacksonville failed to show up.

Titans 31 / Vikings 30

Minnesota had this one in the bag and let it slip away Leading 17-9 at halftime, the Titans came back to flip the score by a 16-7 margin in the third quarter and then hit a late field goal to close the game out.

Rams 32 / Bills 35

Are the Bills for real? It will be interesting when they face the Tom Brady-less Patriots for the first time this season. For now, they are undefeated and the Rams lose their first of the season.

49ers 36 / Giants 9

What injuries? New York City has two awful teams at their disposal.

Steelers 28 / Texans 21

Pittsburgh is quietly 3-0 and playing good football but once they butt heads with Baltimore, then we’ll know how good they are.

Patriots 36 / Raiders 20

The big question is “is New England a better team with Cam Newton and not Tom Brady?” Cam and his offense are rolling and the Patriots still seem like the team to beat in the AFC East.

Bengals 23 / Eagles 23 (overtime)

Rookie quarterback Joe Burrow said he hates to lose so at least he didn’t do that in week three. But he failed to win also. Philadelphia has been a disappointment thus far.

Bears 30 / Falcons 26

Atlanta Head Coach Dan Quinn should prepare to jump on the unemployment line. His “Dirty Birds” are playing like dirt as they became the first team in NFL history to blow at least a 15-point lead in back-to-back games. Holding a 16-point lead on Chicago, in came Nick Foles replacing Mitch Trubisky and Foles not only won the game for Chicago he won himself another starting job. What he could not do in Jacksonville he did in Chicago and everyone is predicting he’ll be the starter going forward.

Browns 34 / Washington Football Team 20

Are the Browns back where they are supposed to be? Only time will tell but their offense is looking pretty sharp.

Colts 36 / Jets 7

What’s that smell? It’s the New York Jets. In a word…they stink. Sam Darnold three interceptions? Some blame can be put on the lack of talent around him, but anyone that loses to this team in 2020 should be embarrassed. On the flip side, Philip Rivers had a very efficient day going 17-21 for 217 yards and a passing touchdown.

Panthers 21 / Chargers 16

Two teams in transition with new quarterbacks and probably no chance of making the playoffs in 2020. Simply planning to 2021.

Seahawks 38 / Cowboys 31

Russell Wilson is on fire. He is playing lights out and his team is 3-0. One week Dallas looks bad the next they are in the loops as a serious competitor in the NFC. They didn’t play badly in this game but their firepower was no match for Wilson and gang.

Buccaneers 28 / Broncos 10

There will be many that think Tom Brady is still one of the best in the league and while he might be, don’t get carried away thinking he’s taking Tampa deep into the season. Their one loss was to the Saints who have lost their last two and last Sunday to Denver who has yet to win a game. Their next game is with the 1-2 Chargers and then the undefeated Bears before meeting Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. At that point, we should have an idea of how good the Bucs truly are.