It was a weird week. I am OK if some think I'm saying this because some player and game predictions didn't work out so great. But the number of road wins (dominant performances, even) by previously winless teams against favored home teams was remarkable. Again (road teams are 16-11 the last two Sundays). Let's survey the wreckage.
Giants at Browns: Bad year for Survivor Pools. Half of most of them were eliminated last week, and the other half (in some) were eliminated this week, with the Browns and Buccaneers getting upset at home. Giants actually fumbled away the opening kickoff and allowed a touchdown to Amari Cooper (probably benched everywhere) on the first play from scrimmage. And then roared back to win with Malik Nabers making plays all over the place and Daniel Jones and Devin Singletary doing their part. Browns, so dominant at home a year ago, have lost both home games to Giants and Cowboys teams who are otherwise 0-4.
Bears at Colts: Big passing quarter for Caleb Williams. I say quarter because for the first three he was struggling and making poor throws. (Matched by Anthony Richardson, who looks pretty rough out there throwing it, with a particular head-scratcher of an end-zone interception.) But then the Bears woke up in the fourth quarter with Williams, Rome Odunze and DJ Moore having big games. Bears and D'Andre Swift still can't run the ball, but at least they did some nice things late. Too much Jonathan Taylor though, as the Colts get their first win.
Texans at Vikings: So the Vikings are really good on both sides of the ball. Seemed to happen overnight, but Sam Darnold is playing great (that one at least we weren't shocked by) and so is their defense (more surprising). A rough day for C.J. Stroud and the Texans offense and defense. Cam Akers at least caught a touchdown, but the run game went nowhere (and with Houston quickly falling behind 14-0, they didn't have much chance to get it going). Good game for homecoming Stefon Diggs, albeit a lot of it in garbage time.
Eagles at Saints: Most were anticipating a wild shootout. Instead it was a defensive struggle throughout, with very little offense from either side. (With the exception of Dallas Goedert, whose quiet games cost me wins the first two weeks and big game on my bench will probably cost me one this week.) Jalen Hurts was pretty rough for most of the game (311 passing yards not withstanding) but so was Derek Carr, and Saquon Barkley and Goedert saved the day for the Eagles. Kamara and Chris Olave came through with good numbers, at least. DeVonta Smith left with a concussion, so we'll see what the Eagles are throwing to at wide receiver next week.
Chargers at Steelers: Justin Herbert left early due to an ankle injury he maybe shouldn't have been playing through. Steelers continued to do their usual, running and playing great defense and Justin Fields scrambling a little bit as needed. And passing better than expected, too. George Pickens again limited by the offense itself (a near TD, at least), but probably coverage on him helped free up Calvin Austin for a good game. At some point there will be big games for Pickens. Just 54 total yards for J.K. Dobbins but he still looked pretty good in defeat.
Broncos at Buccaneers: I had it in the back of my mind the Broncos might spring the upset, but dismissed it figuring it was a homer bias (my son is a Broncos fan). But instead they moved the ball up and down the field at will most of the game, and the Bucs kept shooting themselves in the foot. Looks like Rachaad White is getting bounced from the lineup by Bucky Irving. White got robbed of a touchdown right before the half on one of those classic plays where on-field officials seem to need to see a runner lying on his back in the end zone before ruling the ball to have broken the plane (it did). Annoying to anyone who started Rachaad and lost by less than six. Same thing happened to Javonte; I really don't think those plays are officiated well. Should be one official at the goal line whose job is to watch the ball. If there is already, this one wasn't doing a good job. Chris Godwin had another big game, Mike Evans got the Patrick Surtain treatment, and the pass rush was all over Baker Mayfield. Denver's not good but they're not terrible either.
Packers at Titans: Tennessee was favored in this game, which was a little odd frankly. I understand that Malik Willis hasn't played much, or well, but neither has Will Levis. Yet another awful turnover by Levis that was an easy pick six for Jaire Alexander that really started the rout. A revenge game for Willis, although some probably saw the video this week with him saying nothing of the sort, thanking the Titans for taking a chance on him and bringing him into the league. Refreshing. Jordan Love will likely be back next week, but based on the way the Vikings are playing, Willis should stay loose on the sidelines. Or maybe the Titans will try to trade for him.
Panthers at Raiders: OK, so the Panthers getting a spark from Andy Dalton and winning was not totally out of the question. But a blowout? Where was the Raiders team that won in Baltimore? Crazy. Big games and touchdowns from Chuba Hubbard and Diontae Johnson, and of course Dalton. Adam Thielen also scored but left with a hamstring injury. Raiders managed some late production with Jakobi Meyers and Tre Tucker (who no one started), not with Bowers, Adams and Zamir (who most did).
Dolphins at Seahawks: The Dolphins without Tua were predictably weak on offense, and they don't look good on defense these days either after getting really mauled by Buffalo and Seattle the past two weeks. Zach Charbonnet with a big game, perhaps he heard me ripping him (though that's three big games in a row by running backs against Miami, who lost some defense in the offseason and it's clearly affecting them). With DK Metcalf, looks like he's going to be hitting the big plays, with Tyler Lockett and Jaxon Smith-Njigba trading off the high catch performances (neither did much yesterday, with Seattle running well and not getting much of a threat from Miami's offense). Heard a rumor about the Dolphins being one of the team's hoping to trade for Bryce Young; would probably be a best-case scenario for him.
Lions at Cardinals: Sam LaPorta left this game (and returned, and left) with an ankle injury, adding injury to disappointment in his 2024 resume. Lions defense is improved, their offense isn't quite as good, so I guess it's time to stop predicting the high-scoring shootouts they were engaged in all of last season. Seattle this week though, so maybe we'll get a better all-around performance (and LaPorta notwithstanding, most of the key guys -- Gibbs, Montgomery, St. Brown -- were productive). Trey McBride a concussion in this game. I remember the NFC North seeming like it was going to be mostly weak not too long ago. If there's an NFC division with three playoff teams, this will be it.
Ravens at Cowboys: What has happened to the Cowboys defense. Shutting down the Browns in Cleveland was the mirage, they've been lit up by the Saints and Ravens, in Dallas, the last two weeks. Maybe the people stashing Dalvin Cook were right, because it seems clear the offense has to do something to get the running game going. Big game for Derrick Henry, good enough for Lamar Jackson, painful for those of us starting either Ravens tight end. Next week we'll bench them and they'll go off.
49ers at Rams: This one looked a like a San Francisco win before and during, especially when they took a 10-point lead (monster game by Jauan Jennings) in the fourth quarter. Even after the Rams tied it up, with a great game and cool touchdown by the way under-drafted Kyren Williams, the 49ers looked like they'd pull it out. But the receiver injuries showed up when depth guy Ronnie Bell dropped a perfect pass that would have put them in winning field goal range, enabling the Rams to drive down and score. Saved their season, for now. Impressive game by Brock Purdy (and Jennings), though. Best Rams wideout by far was Tutu Atwell, just like everyone figured.
Kansas City at Falcons: Atlanta marched down the field for a touchdown on their opening possession. Mostly struggled after that, both running and passing. Carson Steele the main runner and fairly effective; I imagine they'll continue with him as that main guy, with Samaje Perine the pass catcher and probably neither being great. I guess I'm saying Kareem Hunt looks more like an insurance policy than a guy who's going to come in next week and start cranking out 15-point fantasy weeks. Good production from London and Mooney and not much else for Atlanta.
Monday, Monday times two: Two games tonight, and what seem to be two teams in the Jaguars and Bengals who need to win to have much hope of contending this year. Cincinnati should, Washington's defense is that bad, while the Jaguars have been depressing on offense so far and things probably won't go much better in Buffalo. I'll call it Bills 24, Jaguars 17 and Bengals 30, Commanders 20. Hope the guys you need to step up do so.
