NFL Week 9 predictions

 We're officially halfway through the NFL season. I know everyone's focus is on baseball right now, but we've got some good football this week, even though my Eagles won't be playing. Last week I had myself a pretty good week, going 10-3, putting myself at 81-39-1 for the year. Not too bad.

Ravens vs Dolphins (Thursday night) Ravens win 28-10

Ravens fans, I finally have good news. Lamar Jackson is finally coming back. Even though Tyler Huntley got the victory, he was mediocre against an injured Bears defense. It was the Derrick Henry show. He had 71 yards and 2 scores. The defense was good, even though the Ravens were outgained. The Dolphins beat the hell out of the Falcons on Sunday. Tua Tagovailoa torched the Falcons defense with 4 touchdowns and 200 yards. Jaylen Waddle had 99 yards and a touchdown. The defense was incredible, holding Bijan Robinson to only 25 yards on the ground. I am taking the Ravens though, because I think Lamar's return will give them a boost. Maybe even a big one.

49ers vs Giants- 49ers win 35-14

The 49ers had a rough showing in Houston. Mac Jones didn't look great, and the defense was lit up by CJ Stroud. Christian McCaffrey was quiet on the ground as well. The Giants had a worse week. They were blown out by the Eagles, and lost Cam Skattebo for the rest of the season. The defense was horrendous, giving up 4 touchdowns through the air and 250 yards on the ground. I think things will continue. 49ers win.

Chargers vs Titans- Chargers win 31-7

The Chargers cruised to a victory over the Vikings. Justin Herbert had 3 touchdowns, and Kimani Vidal ran all over the defense. The Titans were blown out by the Colts. Cam Ward didn't look that good. Mike McCoy isn't a good coach. He is facing his old team, and he's likely going to get creamed.

Vikings vs Lions- Lions win 28-10

The Vikings, as previously mentioned, were blown out by the Chargers on Thursday Night Football. Not only that, but Carson Wentz is gone for the year. Luckily, JJ McCarthy is returning this week, so that's something. He will be returning to the state where he played college ball. The Lions are coming off a bye after winning on Monday Night Football. They paid Aiden Hutchinson a huge amount of money ($180 million to be exact) yesterday. I think it'll pay off. He'll go off and Detroit wins.

Falcons vs Patriots- Patriots win 31-0

A rematch of one of the most famous (or infamous, depending how you look at it) Super Bowls in history. The Falcons had a bad week. They were blown out by the Dolphins and Kirk Cousins looked terrible. The defense was terrible as well. Michael Penix might be coming back, but it'll be tough against the Patriots. Drake Maye balled out once again. The defense picked off Dillon Gabriel twice, and honestly, I think they're one of the most underrated units in the league (never thought I'd say that). That's why I not only have the Pats winning in a blowout, I don't see Atlanta scoring a point.

Colts vs Steelers- Colts win 31-28

The Colts kept their surprising season going with a blowout over the Titans. Daniel Jones threw 3 touchdowns. Jonathan Taylor ran all over the sorry Titans defensive unit. The defense smothered Cam Ward, dropping him 4 times. They've been one of the feelgood stories of the league this year. The Steelers took a loss on prime time last week. Aaron Rodgers played solid against his old team, with 2 touchdowns and 219 yards. The defense couldn't stop Tucker Kraft on National Tight Ends Day. If they can't slow down a good offense, they can't slow a great one. It's gonna be a close game, but the Colts win.

Broncos vs Texans- Broncos win 30-28

The Broncos beat the Cowboys 44-24. Bo Nix looked really good. 4 touchdowns and 247 yards. The defense was good too. The Texans beat the 49ers. CJ Stroud is back. The defense is good too. Broncos win. 

Bears vs Bengals- Bears win 38-35

The Bears lost to Tyler Huntley, even though they out gained the Ravens. Caleb Williams was very mediocre, only having a 65% completion percentage. The run defense was terrible. The defense in general was terrible. The Bengals had an even worse showing. They were up 14 points with less than 10 minutes left against a winless team. But they blew it. Their defense let Justin Fields and company drive down and get the game-winner off a trick play. The defense is awful. Al Golden is a fine coach, but he's not a miracle worker. Of all the games this week, this has to be the hardest to predict. I think it'll be a shootout less because of good offense and more so bad defense. I am taking Chicago because Cincy's defense is worse. 

Panthers vs Packers- Packers win 31-9

The Panthers were embarassed on home turf by the Bills. They let up 40 points and Andy Dalton looked like trash. James Cook had over 200 yards and 2 scores on the ground against the Panthers defense. The offense wasn't good either. The Packers got a win over their old quarterback. They were slow to begin, but turned it around in the second half. Jordan Love had a fantastic game, with 360 yards and 3 touchdowns. Tucker Kraft had an incredible showing with 143 yards and 2 touchdowns. Micah Parsons had a sack, continuing his incredible debut season in Wisconsin. The Pack are back. And I think it'll stay that way. 

Saints vs Rams- Rams win 37-14

The Saints....man. They lost to the Buccaneers 23-3 (I predicted a 24-3 Buccaneers win!) and Spencer Rattler was benched in the middle of the game for Tyler Shough, a 26 year old rookie. The defense wasn't terrible, I guess, but the offense was, without question. The Rams are coming off a bye after a dominant win in London. I don't think it'll be close. Rams win.

Jaguars vs Raiders- Jaguars win 20-14 

Both teams are coming off a bye. This will be a tight-ish game. I think that the Jags offense is a better unit than the Raiders is. 

Chiefs vs Bills (national TV)- Bills win 41-37

Always good when these two meet up. The Chiefs had a dominant win on primetime over the Commanders. Patrick Mahomes had a hell of a game, looking like his old self with 299 yards and 3 scores. Travis Kelce dropped 99 yards and a score. The defense was good, but they were only playing Marcus Mariota. The Bills blew out the Panthers. Josh Allen wasn't great, but James Cook was. The defense was good. The Bills win because they always beat the Chiefs in the regular season.

Seahawks vs Commanders (Sunday night)- Seahawks win 28-17

The Seahawks were on a bye. The Commanders lost to the Chiefs. Jayden Daniels will be returning, but the Seahawks win. Next!

Cardinals vs Cowboys- Cowboys win 21-10

The Cardinals were on a bye. The Cowboys were blown out in Denver. Dak Prescott looked very bad. Javonte Williams was good, though. This might be close, but the Cowboys win because the Cardinals suck.

That's all I've got. We'll see what happens.

NFL Week 8 predictions

Week 8 of the NFL season is here, meaning we're halfway through the year. There's still questions about who is good and who isn't. I'm gonna try predicting these games. Last week I went 10-5, which brings me to 71-36-1. Not bad.

Vikings vs Chargers (Thursday night) Chargers win 24-10

Originally this would be JJ McCarthy vs his college coach, Jim Harbaugh. But McCarthy is out with an ankle injury, so Carson Wentz will be getting the start once again. Against his former team, Wentz looked quite average. He threw for 313 yards and 2 interceptions. His defense didn't help him though. Speaking of defenses letting a QB down, Justin Herbert had a good game, throwing for 420 yards and 3 touchdowns (although it was against backups), but his defense crapped the bed. Jonathan Taylor ran all over them, and Daniel Jones showed out. I am picking the Chargers, though, because I don't have faith in Carson Wentz right now. 

Dolphins vs Falcons- Falcons win 30-7

Oh boy. The Dolphins are BAD right now. They got their asses kicked by a rookie backup quarterback and rookie running back. Tua Tagovailoa looks horrible right now, throwing for 100 yards and 3 picks last week. Mike McDaniel is on the hot seat right now. The Falcons offense looked mediocre last week, but Michael Penix looked good. I think he's going to pick apart the sorry Dolphins defense.

Bears vs Ravens- Ravens win 31-30

This should be a solid game. The Bears got a victory over the Saints, getting their 4th win in a row. It wasn't the prettiest, though. Caleb Williams looked meh, with only 172 yards, and an interception. The game was all DeAndre Swift, who had over 100 yards and a touchdown. The Ravens had a bye week, and are finally getting Lamar Jackson back. Ravens fans, congratulations. You no longer have to watch Cooper Rush play. I think the return of Lamar is going to go well, and he's going to pick up where he left off.

Jets vs Bengals- Bengals win 31-10

You thought the Dolphins were bad? They at least have a win. The Jets' season has been an absolute dumpster fire. They're the only winless team, their quarterback is a joke, and their owner is an idiot. They now have to watch Tyrod Taylor play. TYROD TAYLOR. Yeah, things are bad. The Bengals finally won a game without help from Joe Burrow. Joe Flacco balled out, with 342 yards and 3 touchdowns. He and Ja'Marr Chase lit it up. And I think they'll do the same against the Jets. 

Bills vs Panthers- Bills win 28-10

This might have been a good game if Andy Dalton wasn't starting. Unfortunately, Bryce Young hurt his ankle, and won't be playing. The Bills are coming off a bye week after losing back-to-back games. And the Panthers are coming off an ugly-ass win over the Jets in which neither Young nor Dalton looked good. I am taking the Bills to blow them out because I think they figured some things out over the bye.

49ers vs Texans- 49ers win 27-24

The 49ers are coming off a win over the Falcons, in which Christian McCaffrey dominated with over 200 all-purpsoe yards and 2 touchdowns. He had his best game in years. The defense was dominant as well. The Texans had a tough loss in Seattle. CJ Stroud had a mediocre game, and the secondary couldn't stop Jaxon Smith-Njigba. This has been a dissappointing year for Houston, and I think it'll continue. 49ers win.

Browns vs Patriots- Patriots win 27-13

The Browns beat the hell out of the Dolphins. Dillon Gabriel didn't even have to do much. It was all Quinshon Judkins. He ran for 3 touchdowns on the sorry Dolphins defense. They suffocated Tua Tagovailoa all game long. The Patriots beat up on the Titans in Mike Vrabel's homecoming. Drake Maye played out of his mind, having as many touchdowns as he did incompletions. Rhamondre Stevenson had a hell of a game and the defense was good. This shouldn't be close. Patriots win.

Giants vs Eagles- Eagles win 30-27

A rematch from 2 weeks ago. The Giants shut out the Broncos in the first 3 quarters. They led 26-8 with 5 minutes left. Then the Broncos, somehow, some way, put up 25 points in the final 5 minutes to shock the Giants. Shane Bowen and Brian Daboll were heavily criticized for their playcalling, and rightfully so. The Eagles finally got a victory over the Vikings, and Jalen Hurts looked damn good. AJ Brown had a hell of a game, with over 100 yards and 2 touchdowns, but he might not play. If he doesn't, the Eagles might be in trouble. But if he does, I think they win. 

Buccaneers vs Saints- Buccaneers win 24-3

The Buccaneers sputtered in Detroit on Monday Night Football. Baker Mayfield didn't have a great game and the run defense was trash. The Saints looked even worse. Spencer Rattler looked terrible, throwing 3 picks. The defense wasn't great. I don't think things will get better.

Titans vs Colts- Colts win 41-14

Ohhh boy. The Titans got mauled at home by their former coach. Cam Ward still isn't good, or maybe he doesn't have good coaching, The defense still sucks. Meanwhile the Colts are kicking ass. Daniel Jones is still on fire. The defense is good. Lou Anarumo is doing a good job. Indy's winning ways continue.

Cowboys vs Broncos- Broncos win 30-28

The Cowboys blew out the Commanders. Dak Prescott had a hell of a game, as did CeeDee Lamb and Javonte Williams. DaRon Bland, the pick 6 king, had another one on Marcus Mariota. Hell of a game by the 'Boys. The Broncos, as previously mentioned, had a wild comeback against the Giants. The defense shut down the Giants offense in the final quarter and Bo Nix went wild. I think they have the momentum to get the win. 

Packers vs Steelers (Sunday night) Packers win 31-27

The Packers got a wild win over the Cardinals. It wasn't pretty, but they got the job done. Josh Jacobs scored twice and Micah Parsons had 3 sacks. The Steelers lost a tough one despite Aaron Rodgers having a hell of a game. Pat Freiermuth had over 100 yards and 2 scores, and Jaylen Warren ran for 127 yards. I am taking the Packers because I do not trust the Steeler defense. 

Commanders vs Chiefs (Monday night) Chiefs win 34-10

The Commanders were blown out in Texas and lost Jayden Daniels. That's all that needs to be said about their weekend. Marcus Mariota is playing on Monday. The Chiefs might be back. They shut out the Raiders and Patrick Mahomes had a hell of a game. I am taking them because I don't trust Marcus Mariota.

Those are my predictions. We'll see if they come true.

2025 World Series preview

 The 2025 World Series is here, and now I will predict how I think the series will go. It's the Dodgers and the Blue Jays. Let's get into it.

The Dodgers came into this year as the reigning champions. Obviously, that comes with a mountain of expectations. Well, they delivered. Shohei Ohtani had another fantastic season, slugging 55 home runs, and having an all-time performance in the NLCS clincher, with 3 home runs and striking out 10. The Dodgers were the 3 seed in the playoffs after winning the NL West once again. They swept out the Reds in the Wild Card, in a very unsurprising result. Then they beat the Phillies in the NLDS off of an inexplicable error by Orion Kerkerking. Then they swept out the Brewers in the NLCS. They look unbeatable right now. We'll see though. Time to meet their opponent.

The Blue Jays came into this year with low expectations. They exceeded those expectations and then some. They finished last in the AL East in 2024. They made some interesting signings, such as Max Scherzer and Jeff Hoffman. No one expected much though. The Jays won the AL East off a tiebreaker with the Yankees. Then they took out said Yankees in 4 games. The ALCS was an instant classic. The Jays lost the first 2 games in the Rogers Centre, then went to Seattle and took 2 of 3. They needed to win both games back home to advance to the World Series. They won the first, but went down 3-1 in Game 7. Then George Springer hit a go ahead 3 run homer. The Blue Jays are in the World Series for the first time since 1993. The bats are on fire, and the pitching is lights-out. 

Now for my predictions. I think this will be a close series. But I do think the Dodgers are repeating in 6 games. Shohei Ohtani has an incredible series and is named MVP. And Clayton Kershaw rides off into the sunset as a 3-time champion. 

I'm excited for this series. We'll see how it goes.

NFL Week 7 predictions

 Week 7 of the NFL season begins in 2 days (writing this on October 14) so here are my predictions. Last week I went 9-6, which brings my record for this year to 61-31-1.

Steelers vs Bengals (Thursday night) Steelers win 28-17

The Steelers are coming off a surprisingly stress-free win over the Browns. Aaron Rodgers looked solid with 235 yards and 2 touchdowns. The defense looked great, racking up 6 sacks. The Bengals looked the best they have all year without Joe Burrow, but couldn't get the job done in Green Bay. Joe Flacco looked good in his Cincinnati debut, with over 200 yards and 2 touchdowns. Ja'Marr Chase had 94 yards and a touchdown. The defense was iffy, and I think that'll be the difference in this game. Steelers win.

Rams vs Jaguars (London) Jaguars win 28-24

The last game in London is a good one. The Rams got a win in Baltimore, but the offense sputtered. Matthew Stafford looked mediocre, and they were out gained by 55 yards. Derrick Henry ran all over the defense, and even though the quarterback play wasn't good, they were up against Cooper Rush and Tyler Huntley. The Jaguars are making their annual trip to London after a tough home loss. Trevor Lawrence looked alright, but they couldn't stop Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I do think they can rebound and get the victory because the Rams might be missing Puka Nacua.

Eagles vs Vikings- Eagles win 27-26

The Eagles got dominated by the Giants with a rookie quarterback and running back on prime time. People are calling for Kevin Patullo to be fired. Things are ugly in Philly, and they need to get back on track. The Vikings are rested up after a bye and a win in London. I am taking the Eagles because they need a win right now.

Patriots vs Titans- Patriots win 30-16

The Patriots are back, folks. They beat the Saints and reclaimed the AFC East's top spot after the Bills loss. Drake Maye had 3 touchdowns and 2 of those were to Kayshon Boutte. The defense was okay. Nothing spectacular, but it could become spectacular. Great job by Mike Vrabel. The Titans lost to the Raiders, but won by firing Brian Callahan. I've never liked him as a coach, and seeing him ruin Cam Ward just was sad to see. I don't think Mike McCoy will magically fix everything. Pats win again.

Panthers vs Jets- Panthers win 20-7

The Panthers pulled off a huge upset over the Cowboys, and Rico Dowdle ran all over his old team. Bryce Young had himself a day as well. The defense needs work, but luckily they're playing the Jets. The Jets are the only winless team in the NFL. They sure look like they are. Justin Fields looked horrific, throwing -10 net passing yards. No, I did not hit the negative button on accident. It was the worst passing performance in Jets history, and one of the worst in NFL history. And Aaron Glenn was defending Fields in his post game conference, saying, "There are guys that have bad games. That doesn't mean you just bench him. Come on, you know better than that." Yeah, Panthers win.

Dolphins vs Browns- Browns win 14-7

Oh, boy. The Dolphins are coming off a heartbreaking loss to the Chargers in which the Bolts got a last second field goal to win it. Tua Tagovailoa looked terrible, throwing 3 interceptions. He also called out players for not taking players-only meeting seriously. De'Von Achane is a rare bright spot in this mess. The Browns aren't any better, losing in Pittsburgh as previously mentioned. Honestly, I'm just taking Cleveland because they're at home. 

Saints vs Bears- Bears win 28-17

The Saints, as previously mentioned, lost to the Patriots. Spencer Rattler looked alright, but nothing special. The offense was mediocre and the defense was as well. The Bears had a huge come-from-behind win in DC on Monday Night Football. Jake Moody had a damn good game, as did Caleb Williams, but DeAndre Swift was the star of the show. He had over 160 total yards and a score. The Bears are on a 3-game win streak, and I see them making it 4.

Raiders vs Chiefs- Chiefs win 31-17

The Raiders are coming off a victory over the Titans. Ashton Jeanty had a nice game, with 75 yards and a touchdown. The defense was good. The offense was solid. The Chiefs might be back. They had a big time win against the Lions. Patrick Mahomes had 3 touchdowns and no interceptions. The defense wasn't great, but the offense had a great showing that overshadowed that. Chiefs win.

Colts vs Chargers- Colts win 30-27

This should be a good one. The Colts continued their great run, beating the Cardinals. Daniel Jones had a great game, as did Jonathan Taylor. The defense wasn't great, though. The Chargers had a close win over the Dolphins, thanks to Justin Herbert. The defense was okay. Nothing crazy. I don't think they can stop the high flying Colts offense. 

Giants vs Broncos- Broncos win 28-27

The Giants dominated the Eagles, thanks to Cam Skattebo and Jackson Dart. The defense shut down Jalen Hurts and company. The offense was clicking. The Broncos got bailed out by good defensive play. Bo Nix looked shaky, as well as the whole offense. I will take the Broncos due to homefield advantage.

Packers vs Cardinals- Packers win 35-20

The Packers got an unimpressive win over the Bengals. Jordan Love looked good but not great, and it was a way more stressful game than it needed to be. It was a good win, but not a great one. The Cardinals had a tough loss, and the seat's hot for Jonathan Gannon. I am taking the Packers here.

Commanders vs Cowboys- Commanders win 27-20

The Commanders had a tough loss to the Bears, despite a good performance by Jayden Daniels. The defense couldn't stop DeAndre Swift, though. Speaking of defenses not able to stop the run, the Cowboys' old running back ran all over them. Dak Prescott and George Pickens looked good, but the defense has big holes. Commanders win.

Falcons vs 49ers (Sunday night)- Falcons win 28-20

The Falcons had a big upset win over the Bills. Bijan Robinson had a hell of a game. Michael Penix had a nice game as well. Josh Allen was picked off twice. The 49ers had a tough performance in Tampa. Mac Jones had a mediocre game, with 347 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 picks. The defense couldn't stop Baker Mayfield. I am taking the Falcons because of how shaky the San Francisco defense looked.

Buccaneers vs Lions (Monday night)- Buccaneers win 35-31

The Buccaneers. as previously mentioned, smoked the Niners while Baker Mayfield strengthened his MVP case. The defense was good, and Rachaad White had a good game as well. Tez Johnson showed out, as a rookie. The Lions had a rough loss in Kansas City.  I am taking the Bucs by a smidge.

Texans vs Seahawks (Monday night)- Seahawks win 28-17

The Texans had a bye after spanking the Ravens. The Seahawks took down the Jags. Sam Darnold played well. So did Jaxon Smith-Njigba. I will take the Seahawks due to their great offensive production. 

Those are my predictions this week. We'll see what happens.

Penn State fires James Franklin

 Penn State has announced that they are firing head coach James Franklin following a 3-game skid that saw them go from the #2 team in the country to out of the rankings entirely, including a shocking defeat at the hands of previously winless UCLA. Franklin was the coach for over 10 years, being hired from Vanderbilt in 2014. Franklin had two mediocre seasons to start his tenure, and it looked like a third one was in store in 2016 before a signature victory over #2 Ohio State. They finished that year 10-2, and won the Big 10. They went 10-2 in 2017, capped off with a Fiesta Bowl win over Washington. In 2018 they went 9-3, losing to Kentucky in the Citrus Bowl. In 2019 they went 10-2, winning the Cotton Bowl over Memphis. In 2020 they had a losing record, going 4-5 in the bizarre COVID-shortened season. In 2021 they had a very lackluster 7-6 year, losing to Arkansas in the Outback Bowl. In 2022 they returned to their winning ways, going 10-2 and beating Utah in the Rose Bowl. In 2023 they went 10-2 again, but lost to Mississippi in the Peach Bowl. And last year they went 11-1, losing the Big 10 Championship to Oregon. They made the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff (the CFP had existed since 2014 but only included 4 teams) and beat SMU in the first round on campus. They beat Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, but lost a heartbreaking Orange Bowl to Notre Dame.

As a Penn State fan, I am happy about this. I am very surprised that it happened today. I thought they'd at least wait until the end of the year. I'm not mad about it at all. Franklin was a good coach, but he couldn't beat good teams. His only win against Ohio State came in 2016. His record against ranked teams was 17-37, and his record against top 10 teams was 4-21. 4-21! That's awful! I was turning a corner on him. He did a damn good job last year, even though they couldn't go all the way. Now? He might be the most overrated coach in the game. We saw the same damn things year after year, and he never evolved. I used to love him, but he shouldn't have lasted this long. I do wish him good luck, though.

Terry Smith will be filling in for Franklin the rest of the way. Penn State will find a permanent replacement in the offseason. Smith will be taking over a 3-3 team. We'll see if he can right the ship, although it'll be difficult without Drew Allar the rest of the way.

NFL Week 6 predictions

 We're now a third of the way through the NFL season. Here are my predictions for this week after a wild week 5. Last week was my worst week yet, as I went 7-7. That brings my record to 52-25-1.

Eagles vs Giants (Thursday night)- Eagles win 24-10

The Eagles are coming off a rough loss at home against the Broncos, in which they had a 17-3 lead, which disappeared in the 4th quarter. They need to work things out, and they need to do it soon. Jalen Hurts, AJ Brown and Saquon Barkley had a meeting following the loss, and hopefully they have figured things out. The Giants are coming off a loss to the previously winless Saints. Jaxon Dart didn't look exactly good, going 26-40. The offense as a whole wasn't good. That's why I think the Eagles get a bounce back win. 

Broncos vs Jets (London)- Broncos win 35-14

This one might get ugly. The Broncos, as previously mentioned, came from behind to beat the reigning champs in their house. Bo Nix had a solid game, throwing for 242 yards and a score. JK Dobbins had a heck of a game with 79 yards and a score, and the defense made plays when it mattered. The Jets had a rough showing, allowing 37 points to the Cowboys. The defense didn't have a great showing at all, and things are rough for the Jets. Broncos win.

Seahawks vs Jaguars- Jaguars win 23-20

The Seahawks had a heartbreaking loss in Tampa last week, even though Sam Darnold had a career game.  Jaxon Smith-Njigba had a hell of a game with over 130 yards and a score. The problem was the defense, allowing over 370 yards passing and 3 scores to Baker Mayfield. If the defense plays better, the Hawks might come away with a win. The Jaguars shocked the world on Monday Night Football, taking down the 3-time defending AFC champs in a wild way. Trevor Lawrence ran in for the game-winning score after falling down, getting up and running it in. Liam Coen is a hell of a coach, and he is unlocking Lawrence's full potential. After a huge primetime upset, I think the Jags have a ton of confidence coming into this game, and I think they can definitely beat the Seahawks.

Chargers vs Dolphins- Chargers win 30-20

The Chargers are coming off back-to-back losses, and people are wondering if they're for real. I've got my doubts about them for sure, but Justin Herbert is still a solid QB, and Jim Harbaugh's a good coach. The Dolphins are also coming off a choke against the Panthers and it was an embarrassing one. Tua Tagovailoa didn't look good in the second half, and the run defense was trash. That's why I'm taking the Chargers here.

Rams vs Ravens- Rams win 31-7

The Rams are coming off a tough loss in overtime at home to the 49ers, and Sean McVay was criticized heavily for the way he handled that last drive. The defense was okay. Matt Stafford played insane, with 389 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Ravens were blown out 44-10 by the Texans in a game where absolutely nothing went right for them. Cooper Rush looked bad, the defense looked terrible, and John Harbaugh might be on the hot seat. This should be a Rams blowout.

Cardinals vs Colts- Colts win 31-21

The Cardinals had the most embarrassing loss of the week, by far. They were up 21-6 against arguably the worst team in the league, then running back Emari Demarcado appeared to make that 27-6, but he dropped the ball before crossing the plane Desean Jackson style. Then they picked off Cam Ward, but the defensive back dropped that as well, and the Titans returned it to the house. Then they lost on a game-winning field goal. Not a great week. The Colts demolished the Raiders 40-6. Daniel Jones had 200 yards and 2 TDs. Jonathan Taylor had 3 TDs. It was just a rough day for the Raiders. The Colts will get the win here.

Cowboys vs Panthers- Cowboys win 24-17 

The Cowboys are coming off a blowiout against the Jets, and their offense was clicking. The defense was good. It was an all-around solid win. The Panthers got a comeback win over the Dolphins, where they were a completely different team in the second half. Rico Dowdle went insane, running for over 200 yards and  a score. I think it will be close, but I am taking the Cowboys here.

Patriots vs Saints- Patriots win 30-16

The Patriots stunned the Bills on Sunday Night Football, and Drake Maye looked solid. Stefon Diggs showed out in his revenge game, with 146 yards. The defense slowed down Josh Allen. It was probably their best win since Tom Brady and Bill Belichick left. The Saints surprised the Giants. Spencer Rattler looked solid, as did the defense. I think the Patriots have this game in the bag.

Browns vs Steelers- Steelers win 28-21

The Browns had a decent showing in London, even though they couldn't get the job done.The defense looked good, but Dillon Gabriel looked shaky in his NFL debut. The Steelers are coming off a bye week, meaning they had no game. I think they will be well rested and get a victory this week.

Titans vs Raiders- Raiders win 21-20

The Titans had a wild win over the Cardinals, and Cam Ward got his first NFL win. He looked mediocre, and they probably would've been blown out if the Cardinals weren't a bunch of dumbasses. The Raiders were blown out by the Colts, and it was just an all-around ugly game. This is a coinflip, really, but I will take the Raiders due to homefield advantage.

49ers vs Buccaneers- Buccaneers win 34-31

The 49ers are coming off a Thursday night overtime win. Mac Jones continued his career revival with over 300 yards and 2 scores. The defense was solid as well. The Bucs won a wild one, with Baker Mayfield balling out, with 379 yards and 2 scores. This should be a good one, but the Bucs win because they're at home.

Bengals vs Packers- Packers win 35-17

The Bengals lost 37-24 to the Lions, and then traded for Joe Flacco because of Jake Browning's terrible showings. The defense still sucks, and I don't see that changing. The Packers were on a bye. This should be all Green Bay.

Lions vs Chiefs (Sunday night)- Lions win 35-26

The Lions are coming off a beatdown of the Bengals. Jared Goff balled out with 258 yards and 3 TDs. The defense was mediocre. The Chiefs were upset on Monday Night Football, and now I'm wondering if they're done for. They could turn around, but I think the Lions are too good right now for a loss.

Bills vs Falcons (Monday night)- Bills win 28-17

The Bills were upset on Sunday Night, and Josh Allen didn't look that good. The defense was very vanilla. The Falcons were on a bye. I think the Bills can bounce back, and they will.

Bears vs Commanders (Monday night)- Commanders win 28-22

The Bears had a bye. The Commanders got a victory in LA. Jayden Daniels returned and looked solid. The defense was great. I think the Commanders get it done.

That's my predictions for this week. We'll see if I'm right.

NFL Week 4 Predictions

 The first week of October is here. I know many people, myself included, are more focused on the MLB playoffs, but let's not forget about the NFL. It's week 5, and it's starting to become more clear who's good, and who's not. Last week I went 11-4-1 (the tie being the Packers-Cowboys game), making my record for the year 45-18-1. 

49ers vs Rams (Thursday night) Rams win 30-21

Starting off with an interesting game, although it would be more interesting if Brock Purdy was playing (no disrespect to Mac Jones). The 49ers are 3-1, suffering their first loss to the Jaguars last week. Despite their good record, they're riddled with injuries. Nick Bosa, Purdy, George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk, the list goes on and on. The Rams have had some injuries, but not nearly as many. They are likely to be without Tyler Higbee and Rob Havenstein for this game. They are also 3-1, beating the Colts last week. Matthew Stafford looked incredible, throwing for 375 yards, 3 touchdowns and a 70% completion percentage. Puka Nacua had 13 catches for 170 yards and a touchdown. The offense is clicking on all cylinders right now, and they're hard to stop. That's why I have them winning this game.

Vikings vs Browns (London) Vikings win 27-10

The first game in London this year is not the most appealing one. The Vikings went to Dublin last week and nearly came back from a 24-6 deficit. But Carson Wentz's early struggles proved to be the difference. The defense wasn't great for most of the game. The receiving core was solid, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison both having over 100 yards. The Browns got dominated in Detroit. The defense had no answers for the high-powered Detroit offense, and Joe Flacco did not look good, so Kevin Stefanski benched him in favor of Dillon Gabriel, a third-round rookie out of Oregon. I don't think it'll fix much. Vikings win.

Cowboys vs Jets- Cowboys win 28-21

The Cowboys are coming off a tie on Sunday Night Football, the first tie in 3 years. The defense looked terrible, but the offense looked great. Dak Prescott threw for over 300 yards and 3 scores, and George Pickens had over 130 yards and 2 scores.It was an interesting game. The Jets are coming off a loss in Miami to start 0-4, which isn't a surprise. The team just looks bad. Aaron Glenn hasn't fixed anything. The defense is bad, the offense isn't good. Nothing has gone right, and so I am picking the Cowboys to win.

Giants vs Saints- Giants win 24-21

The Giants benched Russell Wilson, and that turned out to be a good thing. The offense looked much better,  and they took down the Chargers, but lost Malik Nabers for the season. So it was a bittersweet victory. The Saints kept it tight-ish with the Bills, and Spencer Rattler actually looked decent. This might be an interesting game, but I am taking the Giants.

Raiders vs Colts- Colts win 28-24

The Raiders lost in heartbreaking fashion, with their last-second kick getting blocked. Geno Smith looked like crap, throwing 3 interceptions. Ashton Jeanty had his best game of the year, though. The Colts lost a close game, thanks to Adonai Mitchell being an idiot and costing them 2 touchdowns. This should be a tight one, but I am picking the Colts. 

Dolphins vs Panthers- Dolphins win 17-14

This should be a boring game. The Dolphins are no longer winless, but they lost Tyreek Hill for the rest of the year. Darren Waller played his first game in almost 2 years, and he scored twice. The defense looked okay, against a trash Jets team. The Panthers got demolished in New England, and their defense,which shut out the Falcons a week earlier, had no answers for Drake Maye. I am taking Miami because of how bad the Panthers looked last week.

Broncos vs Eagles- Eagles win 28-27

The Broncos demolished the Joe Burrow-less Bengals, and Bo Nix balled out. Vance Joseph's defense has looked decent thus far, but they have their biggest test this week against the defending Super Bowl champs. The Eagles dominated the Bucs for a half, but then Jalen Hurts didn't complete a pass in the second half, and the offense looked horrible. They still pulled it out, thanks to getting a stop on 4th down. I wouldn't be surprised if the Broncos make this a tight game, or even pull out a win. But I think (and hope) that the Eagles win.

Texans vs Ravens- Texans win 10-7

Oh, God. This was expected to be a huge game at the start of the season. Now it's turned into a potential slog. The Texans finally got a win last week, but it was against the Titans and Brian Callahan. Their offense looked like trash in the first 3 quarters, but finally started clicking in the final quarter. The defense looked good, but again, it wasn't impressive. The Ravens not only got their ass kicked by Kansas City (again), but they lost Lamar Jackson for a few weeks, and Cooper Rush doesn't look good. You saw how the Bengals look with no Joe Burrow, I wouldn't be surprised if Baltimore looks the same. This looks like it'll be a sloppy-ass game, but I am going with the Texans because Lamar Jackson is hurt.

Titans vs Cardinals- Cardinals win 34-14

As previously mentioned, the Titans lost to the Texans and Brian Callahan's seat is flaming hot. Cam Ward doesn't look good, but he's in a bad situation right now. Things are not fun in Tennessee, and it doesn't look like it'll get better. The Cardinals lost a heartbreaking game to the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football. They kicked the ball short of the landing zone, which gave Seattle a good field position to walk it off. Marvin Harrison Jr. redeemed himself after running a bad route by catching a touchdown to tie it up. Kyler Murray also turned it around by throwing 2 touchdowns in 5 minutes. The defense looked alright. Not awful, just alright. I do think Arizona will win this with ease.

Buccaneers vs Seahawks- Seahawks win 37-30

This should be a good one. The Buccaneers came close to shocking the reigning champs, but got stopped on 4th down to end it. Baker Mayfield had himself a solid game, wth 289 yards and 2 touchdowns. Chase Laughlin kicked the 2nd longest field goal in history, making a 65 yarder. Emeka Egbuka had a 100 yard game, as did Bucky Irving. As previously mentioned, the Seahawks got a win over the Cardinals thanks to an error they made. The defense held the Cardinals in check, until the last 5 minutes. Sam Darnold had a nice game, with 242 yards and a TD. I am taking Seattle because they are at home.

Lions vs Bengals- Lions win 35-7

This is another one that was hyped before the season and is now looking less appealing. The Lions wrecked the Browns. Amon-Ra St.Brown balled out with two touchdowns, and Jahmyr Gibbs had a score. The defense grinded it out. And they even had a punt return score. The Bengals look completely lost without Joe Burrow. Jake Browning looks awful, the defense looks awful, everything looks awful. That's why Detroit should easily win this one.

Commanders vs Chargers- Commanders win 31-28 (if Jayden Daniels plays); Chargers win 27-17 (if Daniels doesn't play)

This should be an interesting one. The Commanders lost to Atlanta, and Marcus Mariota looked very average. The defense didn't look good. It just was not a good game. The Chargers lost to the Giants, and Joe Alt was injured and might not come back for a while. The defense was okay, but the offense struggled. I think that whether or not Jayden Daniels plays will determine the outcome of this game. The offense hasn't been good without him.

Patriots vs Bills (Sunday night)- Patriots win 34-31

The Patriots blew out the Panthers last week, and Drake Maye couldn't be stopped. The defense was very good, but the offense won them this game. The Bills won a closer-than-anticipated game with the Saints. Josh Allen looked damn good, but there were some flaws by the Bills. That's why I am taking the Pats here, although I wouldn't be surprised at all if Buffalo pulled it out.

Chiefs vs Jaguars (Monday Night)- Chiefs win 30-27

The Chiefs are back to being elite, at least it looks like it. They steamrolled the Ravens, and Patrick Mahomes threw 4 touchdowns. The defense looked damn good as well. I really like Steve Spagnuolo as a defensive coordinator. This is what we expected from the Chiefs heading into the year. Can they keep it up? I don't know, because the Jaguars are coming off a good performance of their own. They upset the 49ers in their house, and Trevor Lawrence had a solid game. Travis Ettienne had a good game on the ground. The defense was not bad as well. Liam Coen is a good coach, but I don't think he can beat Andy Reid.

Those are my predictions for this week. Will I be right? We'll see.