JuicyTalk
Seattle Seahawks @ Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals showed their true colors when they allowed Mac Jones to orchestrate a game-winning drive against them with only 1:46 left in the fourth quarter. The Cards are feisty, but there are still plenty of things wrong with this team. The Seahawks are playing better at the moment, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Arizona will have a chance to win the game, but they’ll come up short on their last-ditch attempt to take the lead late in the fourth quarter.
Seahawks win 22-18
NFL Dublin Game
Minnesota Vikings @ Pittsburgh Steelers
With Christian Darrisaw back in the fold and Ryan Kelly likely returning to the lineup, the Vikings’ offensive line should look much better. Unfortunately, that doesn’t change the fact that Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers is incredibly familiar with the Vikes, with 31 games against Minnesota, including one as recently as October of last year. Pittsburgh will also have several key contributors back on defense. Factoring in that and the expected advantage they’ll have in Ireland – where the Steelers are the home team – Pittsburgh should edge out Minnesota in a close one.
Steelers win 23-21
Sunday Early Games
Washington Commanders @ Atlanta Falcons
The Commanders proved to everybody that they can be a good team with or without Jadyen Daniels in the lineup. Whether it’s Daniels or Marcus Mariota, it doesn’t really matter. Washington has enough offensive firepower as a team to outscore Atlanta, which has struggled to put points up on the board (31st in scoring). Apparently, offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is moving from the coach’s box to the sidelines, but something tells me that’s not going to make him a better playcaller. Expect Daniels to start, but Washington could still beat Atlanta with Marcus Mariota.
Commanders win 27-23
New Orleans Saints @ Buffalo Bills
We are kinda getting an idea of what the New Orleans Saints are. They’re a bad team that does an okay job of taking care of the football. However, their offense is only good enough to score two touchdowns per game on average, which would explain why New Orleans is 29th in scoring (15.7 points per game). The Saints don’t have the defensive playmakers to stop the Bills, who are operating like a well-oiled machine in every facet of the game. Buffalo might be ahead by 20 points at halftime.
Bills win 33-17
Cleveland Browns @ Detroit Lions
The Browns have one of the best defenses in the NFL, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are 30th in scoring on the offensive side of the ball (15.3 points per game). Last week, I said that the Browns can be defeated if their opponent scores 18 points. That is once again the case this week. Unlike the Packers, Detroit has the offensive weapons to definitely put up 18 points (they’re averaging 34.3 points per game). In fact, they’ll beat that number by a touchdown and an extra point.
Lions win 25-16
Carolina Panthers @ New England Patriots
Last week was an anomaly because the Panthers always play the Falcons well with Bryce Young at quarterback. Since the start of the 2023 season, Carolina is 3-2 against Atlanta and 5-27 against everybody else. On top of that, the Panthers are 2-9 against AFC teams during the Bryce Young era. The Patriots will be able to right the ship after an unfortunate loss to the Steelers last week. With a pass rush that’s currently tied for sixth in the league with nine sacks, the Pats should have no problem making Bryce Young uncomfortable.
Patriots win 25-20
Los Angeles Chargers @ New York Giants
The Giants are going to be breaking in a rookie quarterback in this game, so don’t expect them to come out on top in this matchup. In reality, New Yorkers are probably just hoping Dart throws at least one touchdown and doesn’t turn the ball over. Los Angeles should have no issue containing the Giants’ offense, regardless of who the quarterback is, because the Chargers have the league’s fourth-best scoring defense (16.7 points per game allowed). Justin Herbert will easily dismantle a Giants squad that is 28th in pass defense.
Chargers win 28-19
Philadelphia Eagles @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
When faced with extreme adversity, both of these teams have answered the call time and time again this season. The difference is that the Buccaneers’ opponents have a record of 1-8, while the Eagles’ wins have come against teams that are 4-5 combined. Regardless, something tells me the Eagles could struggle to play in Tampa on Sunday, where the forecast says the “feels like” temperature on gameday will be between 103℉ and 106℉. It doesn’t matter if you’re the Super Bowl champions or not; there’s no way to replicate that type of environment. The Bucs’ home-field advantage will be too much for the Eagles to handle.
Buccaneers win 27-25
Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans
There are plenty of reasons why the Texans should be favored in this one. The Titans have the worst offensive line in the NFL, while the Texans are towards the top of the league in quarterback sacks (tied for sixth). At the same time, Tennessee is one of the worst defensive teams in the league, allowing opponents to score 31.3 points per game (30th in the NFL). At the end of the day, though, Houston will win this game because they’re desperate to turn their season around. The Titans are in a clear rebuild, so that creates a favorable matchup for H-Town.
Texans win 23-15
Sunday Late Games
Indianapolis Colts @ Los Angeles Rams
The Colts are hot right now, while the Rams are still trying to shake off that totally uncharacteristic collapse against the Philadelphia Eagles. Los Angeles has a good defense, but they have not yet faced an offense like Indy’s, which is ranked in the top four in total yards (second), passing yards (fourth), rushing yards (third), and points (third). This will be the best matchup of the weekend, and it will be decided by Matthew Stafford, who puts together a game-winning drive that ends in a successful field goal this time around.
Rams win 29-27
Jacksonville Jaguars @ San Francisco 49ers
The Jags have quietly gone 2-1 in the first three games of the Liam Coen era and already have a divisional win over the reigning AFC South champions. Then again, they somehow lost to a backup quarterback playing in his first game since January 2024. The 49ers are a much better-coached team than the Texans, Panthers, and Bengals. Even if Brock Purdy is unable to go, and Mac Jones is leading the charge, the Niners have enough ammunition to take down Jacksonville.
49ers win 20-17
Baltimore Ravens @ Kansas City Chiefs
The Baltimore Ravens looked incredibly immature on Monday Night Football. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry were shouting, making faces, and throwing temper tantrums on the sidelines. Travis Kelce does that sometimes, too, but he has earned the right as a future Hall of Famer and a three-time Super Bowl Champion. This is going to come down to Patrick Mahomes leading a game-winning drive to beat the Ravens on a last-second field goal. In Kansas City, I am confident he will be able to do that.
Chiefs win 25-23
Chicago Bears @ Las Vegas Raiders
The Bears have a young quarterback and a young head coach, who are coming off the best game of their careers. That type of momentum will be incredibly difficult to derail. The Bears are trending in the right direction. The same cannot be said for the Raiders, who are winless since Week One and have allowed 61 points in their last two matchups. Playing indoors against a team that cannot protect its aging quarterback should lead to more success for Chicago.
Bears win 24-20
Green Bay Packers @ Dallas Cowboys
The Packers are the better team, but Cowboys owner Jerry Jones will probably be hyping up this game as the most important one of the season. Dallas will win simply because members of the coaching staff will be fired the next day if the Cowboys lose this game. The Packers can afford to lose this matchup. The Cowboys cannot. For that reason, they get the nod over the Green Bay, which is still the better team.
Cowboys win 26-24
New York Jets @ Miami Dolphins
The movable force meets the stoppable object. The Dolphins have some consistency working in their favor. They have been playing with the combination of Mike McDaniel, Tyreek Hill, Jaylen Waddle, De’Von Achane, and Tua Tagovailoa for a few years now. The Jets are still figuring out what their identity is under Aaron Glenn and don’t even know who will be the starting quarterback on Monday. Since I refuse to predict a tie, I give Miami its first victory of the 2025-26 campaign. However, the Jets are just as likely to win this game as the ‘Phins. This one will be a toss-up. Whoever makes the last mistake loses.
Dolphins win 23-22
Cincinnati Bengals @ Denver Broncos
The Bengals have to go on the road with a backup quarterback and somehow beat a team that has the best tandem of cornerbacks in the NFL and the league’s best pass-rush? That’s not going to happen. Also, Cincinnati is 25th in passing defense and tied for the fifth most passing touchdowns allowed. Denver’s defense will cause turnovers, giving the offense a short field and allowing them to rack up plenty of touchdowns. The Broncos should be able to breeze by the Bengals.
Broncos win 30-17
