5. Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders (Thurs. 12/25 1pm EST) – Netflix

Get ready for a Christmas NFC East showdown in DC. The up-and-coming Commanders, who have 8 standalone games in the upcoming season, will host their rivals in this intriguing matchup.

Whenever these two teams play it’s always must watch television. Now we get to settle in after unwrapping presents and enjoy Jayden Daniels vs. Dak Prescott. This game could very much have NFC East title implications being this late in the season.

Many including myself expect the Commanders to be in the NFC East title race but the Cowboys are the wild card. If Prescott can stay healthy and newly acquired George Pickens behaves, Dallas could be in the mix by the time they kickoff this one.

4. Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers (Fri. 9/5 8pm EST Brazil) – YouTube

YouTube will join the NFL party this upcoming season by streaming this AFC West battle opening week in Brazil. It’s a rare Friday night matchup but there is plenty of buzz for this one.

The Chiefs are coming of a 15-2 season where they were eventually blown out by the Eagles in the Super Bowl. They will look to start the season on a winning note versus their rival. Justin Herbert and the Chargers surprised many last season by finishing 11-6 and earning a Wild Card berth. It didn’t take long for Jim Harbaugh to make his mark in LA.

I expect the Chargers to take the next step this season and really challenge the Chiefs in this division. They added a much needed weapon in Omarion Hampton and Herbert should thrive in his second year in Harbaugh’s system. Look for this one to go down to the wire.

3. Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens (Mon. 9/25 8:15pm EST) – ABC/ESPN

This game may end up being the best Monday night matchup of the upcoming season. It is also a potential Super Bowl matchup. The Lions will look to bounce back from losing to the Commanders in the Divisional round while the Ravens will look to finally get over the hump.

Baltimore has been one of the best regular season teams the past couple of years but keep finding ways to lose in the playoffs. Case and point Mark Andrews costly fumble last year vs. the Bills. Lamar Jackson takes the majority of the blame for the playoff failures but the team as a whole seems to fade down the stretch.

Detroit was a heavy favorite last year to reach the Super Bowl but ran into a hot Commanders team. Expect them once again to compete for the NFC Title in 2025. The major question for the Lions is health. They were hammered with injuries last year, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

2. Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (Thurs. 9/4 8:20pm EST) – NBC/Peacock

Is there any question about whether the NFC East is the best division in football? The NFL seems to agree with the Cowboys, Commanders and Eagles dominating the primetime schedule. We are also fortunate to kick of the season with a classic Eagles vs. Cowboys matchup.

As we stated before, the Cowboys are a fascinating team to watch this season. On the one hand they could compete for the NFC East title or they could finish 4-13. It all depends on the health of Dak Prescott and if new head coach Brian Schottenheimer can push the right buttons.

The Eagles on the other hand should once again compete for the NFC crown with most of their weapons back. They are the team to beat until proven otherwise.

1. Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills (Sun. 9/7 8:20pm EST) – NBC/Peacock

The Ravens have another big-time matchup against the Bills in our Sunday night opener. Baltimore will be out for revenge after their demoralizing defeat in Buffalo in last year’s playoffs.

Both of these AFC titans need to find a way to get past the Chiefs to reach their goal. Josh Allen and company came close last season but once again fell just short in KC. The Chiefs have had the Bills number for some time now. Can the Bills finally break through?

Meanwhile, the Ravens just need to play better in the playoffs. They have all the makings of a Super Bowl team but need to be more disciplined in crunch-time. This game, although in just week 1 could set the tone for the top of the AFC down the stretch.

The post Top 5 Games of the Upcoming 2025 Season appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Current line (KC -3.0 | O/U 46.5)

Thursday night is the start of regular season football again, and what better way to kick off the season than Patrick Mahomes vs Lamar Jackson. 

Chiefs vs Ravens can turn out two ways in my opinion. Either super high scoring or a chess match, medium scoring game. Let’s take a look at both ways and who I think will win.

If the game ends up to be high scoring I would take the Ravens. I think the Ravens have the firepower to outscore the Chiefs with Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers and Lamar Jackson. 

If it’s a chess match give me the Chiefs, I think the defense and Mahomes ability to control the clock could hurt the Ravens. 

Overall, give me the Chiefs 27-23 over the Ravens in a thrilling opener.

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In my mind, there is a clear favorite and it’s Daniels. Not only that but the more I study his game the more I am convinced Daniels is closer to Williams than Maye.

The Intangibles

Jayden Daniels had the best season of any quarterback prospect in the upcoming draft. Daniels finished his 2023 campaign with 40 touchdowns and just 4 interceptions. He also rushed for over 1,000 yards and had 10 rushing touchdowns. This was all against SEC defenses and he capped off his season by winning the Heisman trophy in December.

Daniels is listed at 6′ 4″ and 210 lbs according to his latest measurements. He has ideal size but will need to put on 10-15 lbs this offseason. He is a top level athlete with an excellent arm and can make all the throws you look for in an NFL quarterback. Perhaps his greatest intangible is his quick release which looks at times almost effortless.

Another trait that stands out for Daniels is his pocket movement. He has the ability to maneuver the pocket like an NFL quarterback and take off and run when he needs to. The play below vs. Florida is a perfect example of this.

This play is what many NFL execs look for in a modern-day quarterback. It is sometimes referred to as the 2nd play. If the play breaks down does the quarterback have the ability to reset, take off or scramble and find the open receiver. Lamar Jackson is elite at doing this and you can see many of the same traits in Daniels game.

Jayden Daniels is not without weaknesses though. He tends to take too many unnecessary hits and this is a concern considering his frame. Once he gets to the NFL this will be the main focus for whichever team selects him. There are also times he can move on from his reads too quickly. Again, this can be addressed at the next level.

Could Jayden Daniels go #1?

Before the start of the 2023 season, it would’ve been crazy to think Daniels could leap over Caleb Williams. Fast forward to now and it’s worth a debate. As we get closer to the 2024 NFL draft I believe this will be more of a topic and the Daniels hype train to heat up. Still, when the Chicago Bears do make their pick I expect them to grab Williams.

This would mean Daniels would be available for the Washington Commanders and I expect them to select him with the 2nd pick. This is reflected in our latest 2024 NFL Mock Draft. A lot could change between now and April so buckle up!

The post Is Jayden Daniels the Best Quarterback in the Upcoming NFL Draft? appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

#1 Patrick Mahomes

Patrick Mahomes is the obvious choice, he has dominated the league since being drafted in 2017 and sitting a year behind Quarterback at the time Alex Smith. Of course his unreal arm strength and ability to “throw receivers open” is the headliner of his abilities but one under the radar ability is his scrambling.

As we will see on the rest of this list scrambling has completely evolved the Quarterback position and Mahomes still while being mainly a pocket passer makes great use of it. Taking into account all of his success makes him a prime candidate for even maybe the best quarterback of all time; 3 super bowl rings, 2 MVPs and a crazy 3 Super Bowl MVPs. 

#2 Joe Burrow

This may be an unpopular opinion but Burrow comes in at number 2. Injuries have made fanbases forget how good the Bengals QB played in that 2021 season. The main knock on Burrow had been his wideouts carrying him with YAC (yards after catch) plays, but I disagree with this.

We’ve seen Quarterbacks (besides Mahomes) almost need a number 1 wideout to explode onto the scene, for example Josh Allen and Jalen Hurts. Burrow is the only Quarterback in the NFL to really have Mahomes’ number, beating him 3 out of the 4 times they have played. After the Bengals missing the playoffs largely due to Burrow’s injuries I expect them to bounce back next year and potentially get their star studded QB to have another career year.

#3 Lamar Jackson

There is not enough you can say about Lamar Jackson and the way he has changed the game. The two-time MVP’s agility and speed on the field has been unheard of since Micheal Vick. His ability to improvise and make people miss is special, but the knock has been: Can he pass? Well the Ravens QB shut all the haters up and proved he could throw by amassing his best statistical passing year of his career.

Great accuracy, 3,700 yards and 24-7 TD-INT ratio made him nearly unstoppable for defensive coordinators not named Steve Spagnuolo. Of course Lamar got his in the run game, running for 821 yards and piling 5 touchdowns on top of his already 24 passing TDs.

#4 Josh Allen

Putting Allen this low could ruffle some feathers following his very productive (but inconsistent) season just proves my further point on how loaded the league truly is at Quarterback. Allen had a career high in interceptions this year (18) but produced more highlight plays than arguably any other Quarterback in the league. Allen had a combined 44 touchdowns this year with 29 passing and 15 rushing.

The number that pops out is the 15 rushing touchdowns. Of course most come on sneaks very close to the goal line but that also adds to his big arm and improviser skill set. If Allen can cut down on the turnovers (combined 21) he could very easily rise the rankings and even take the Bills to New Orleans, the resting place of Super Bowl LIX.

#5 Justin Hebert

This is where the list gets really challenging. There are so many guys that could’ve taken this spot but the edge goes to Justin Herbert. Herbert is the closest guy to a pure pocket passer on this list. His arm is crazy good and is a sneaky scrambler as well. The problem this year was injuries, started with an original finger fracture then got another finger fracture that ended his season in December.

Herbert has made the playoffs once and infamously lost after having as big as a 27 point lead. I’m sure with a little more time to throw Herbert will bounce back and cement himself among the elites of the elites.

The post Ranking the Top 5 NFL Quarterbacks appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens -3.5 (3:00PM EST on CBS)

Our first matchup on championship Sunday will be in Baltimore where Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Kansas City is once again in position to head to the Super Bowl thanks to a thrilling win in Buffalo last weekend. You can’t count out Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs despite what many are calling a down year in Kansas City. He is already one of the greats and has shown time and again he thrives in big games.

Meanwhile, in Baltimore there is a lot to like with this Ravens team. The stout Ravens defense once again shut down a high-powered offense last week against the Texans. For the first time this year quarterback C.J. Stroud looked like a rookie as he struggled to dissect the Ravens defense. DC Mike Macdonald has done this numerous times this year and it’s a reason he is being looked at as a head coach. Mahomes though will be the ultimate test for this Ravens defense and they will need to be flawless with their game plan.

This game has the makings of a classic AFC battle. The current line is -3.5 which is right where I expected giving a slight edge to the Ravens at home. I see this game coming down to the wire with a late Justin Tucker field goal securing the win for Baltimore.

Game Pick: Ravens 20 – Chiefs 17

Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers -7 (6:30 PM EST on FOX)

Over on the NFC side, the underdog Lions will look to shock the 49ers who are poised for another Super Bowl appearance. San Francisco looked rusty last week against the Packers, particularly Brock Purdy. Purdy missed open receivers and was lucky to not have a pick-six early in the game. The hope for San Francisco will be that Purdy bounces back and they will need him on top of his game to beat Detroit.

The x-factor in this matchup is clearly Deebo Samuel who is nursing a shoulder injury. Samuel has been limited in practice this week and his status for Sunday is still uncertain. The 49ers offense struggled without Samuel on the field as he is a big piece of their game plan. If Samuel can’t go you can expect this game to go right down to the wire.

For Detroit, it’s much more simple. They really have nothing to lose as they weren’t expected to be here. Jared Goff and the Lions were able to hold off the Bucs last weekend thanks to the winning formula that they have used all year. Play turnover-free football and get the ball quickly to their playmakers. The Lions will once again need to be flawless on offense vs. the dominant 49ers defense to have a chance.

To me, this game comes down to the health of Samuel. San Francisco is just 8-9 without Samuel since he was drafted in 2019. If Samuel sits this out there will be a lot of nervous 49ers fans come the 4th quarter.

Game Pick: 49ers 28 – Lions 24

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Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens -9.5 (4:30 PM EST on ABC/ESPN)

This Houston Texans team continues to impress led by C.J. Stroud. Stroud once again had a near perfect performance against the Cleveland Browns in a blowout win. Going into the game the Browns had the #1 ranked defense in the league but had no answers for the Texans offense. Up next will be a much tougher test in Baltimore with a fresh Ravens team looking to start its Super Bowl run.

The Ravens are stacked on both sides of the ball and quarterback Lamar Jackson is putting up MVP numbers this season. Lamar finally has some legit threats on the outside including stud rookie receiver Zay Flowers. Jackson and the Ravens offense will look to control the clock and keep the Texans offense off the field.

In the end, the Ravens will be too much to handle for Houston putting an end to its Cinderella run. The future is bright for the Texans who have a star head coach and a legit quarterback to build around.

Game Pick: Ravens 31 – Texans 17

Green Bay Packers @ San Francisco 49ers -9.5 (8:15 PM EST on FOX)

In the Saturday nightcap, the Packers will look for another upset against the best in the NFC. San Francisco has looked the part of a potential champion all year and show no signs of slowing down. The 49ers will be rested and mostly healthy except for Dre Greenlaw who is questionable for the game.

Green Bay was the most impressive team last weekend and it’s hard not to be in awe with what Jordan Love is doing. Love is running this offense to perfection with great accuracy and pocket movement. The Packers will need another big game from Aaron Jones as balance will be a key against this 49ers defense.

I see the Packers continuing their momentum and hanging with the 49ers for most of the game. San Francisco will pull away late but this will be closer than most expect.

Game Pick: 49ers 27 – Packers 20

Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Detroit Lions -6.5 (3:00 PM EST on NBC)

Another surprise result from Wild Card weekend was Tampa Bay dominating the Eagles. I did pick the Bucs to win but was impressed at how well they looked and how bad the Eagles played. The Eagles looked like they already checked out and had issues tackling all night long. Up next for Tampa Bay will be the Lions at home and don’t expect the same tackling issues for the Lions defense.

In Detroit, everything is coming together. Their offense is one of the best in the league led by OC Ben Johnson and on defense, they are night and day better than they were last season. The Lions will need a better 2nd half performance than last week as they barely held on to get by the Rams.

Baker Mayfield looks to have found a home in Tampa Bay and I expect him to sign a long-term deal with the Bucs this offseason. Mayfield and the Bucs will keep it close for the first 3 quarters but Detroit will be too much to handle at home.

Game Pick: Lions 28 – Bucs 17

Kansas City Chiefs @ Buffalo Bills -3 (6:30 PM EST on CBS)

The best game in the Divisional round will be in Buffalo. Josh Allen and the Bills will look to finally get past Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs and they get them at home. This will be Mahomes first road playoff game which just shows how dominant the Chiefs have been lately.

Buffalo has finally found its form and continued its run with a 31 – 17 win against the Steelers last weekend. The Bills have now won 6 straight games and are one of the hottest teams in the league. What has been the winning formula for Buffalo? The ground game. The Bills are relying more on James Cook and running the ball which is putting less on Josh Allen’s shoulders.

This has been a strange year for the Chiefs who for the first time are relying more on their defense. Kansas City’s offense is just not as explosive as years past and it’s clear they miss former OC Eric Bieniemy. The Chiefs will need to break out of their offensive funk to have a chance in Buffalo.

In the end, I see Buffalo moving on as they prove to be too much at home for the Chiefs. This game will be a huge confidence boost for the Bills as they look to continue their run.

Game Pick: Bills 27 – Chiefs 24

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Rookie Sensation

One of the biggest surprises from Sunday was the Houston Texans upset of the Cincinnati Bengals. Rookie C.J. Stroud once again led a game-winning drive to seal the 30-27 win for Houston. At this point in the season, it’s safe to say Stroud is the real deal and even deserves to be in the conversation for MVP.

The biggest takeaway from Stroud’s game is the lack of mistakes. Stroud has only 2 interceptions on the season which is remarkable for a rookie. He is second to only Sam Howell (more on him later) in passing yards with 2,626. It’s safe to say the Texans have their QB of the future.

Ravens with a Rare Collapse

Another surprising result from week 10 was the Baltimore Ravens blowing a 14-point lead at home to the Browns. The Ravens were cruising up 31-17 in the 4th quarter before the Browns came storming back. It was a shocking result for Baltimore who have been dominant at home thus far. Lamar Jackson had a rare off day with 2 interceptions including a crucial Greg Newsome interception that was returned for a touchdown. It’s not time to panic in Baltimore but let’s see how they bounce back from this.

NFC Contenders Taking Shape

The San Francisco 49ers got back their winning ways with an impressive 34-3 blowout of the Jaguars. San Francisco broke their 3-game losing streak with dominant defense and stellar play from Brock Purdy who had 3 passing touchdowns. Newly acquired DE Chase Young took no time to make his impact with several key pressures and half a sack.

Elsewhere the Dallas Cowboys once again dismantled the lowly New York Giants 49-17. We knew the Giants would struggle on offense but there is no excuse for their defense to give up that many points. Dak Prescott was impressive with 5 total touchdowns before getting pulled in the 4th quarter.

The game of the week was in Los Angeles where the Lions beat the Chargers 41-38. This game was an offensive masterpiece and Detroit showed they will be a problem come playoff time. The Lions are well on their way to their first-ever NFC North title while the Chargers dropped a critical game and have questions to answer on defense.

Sam Howell is the Real Deal

Washington may have finally found its franchise quarterback. We knew Sam Howell had potential but no one expected him to be this good. Howell now leads the NFL in passing yards and the former 5th round pick continues to come up big for the Commanders.

Howell once again led Washington down the field for a game-tying touchdown in Seattle. If it wasn’t for another late defensive collapse the game would’ve gone to Overtime. It hasn’t been perfect by any means for Howell who has now been sacked 47 times but you can’t ignore the poise he displays. Washington will likely clean house this offseason and will be a very attractive opening for a GM to take over. They have lots of draft capital, cap space and a potential star quarterback.

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Last Weeks Record 11-4

Tennessee Titans at Cleveland Browns

Cleveland had the worse possible thing happen last week in losing their star RB in Nick Chubb. To replace him, they picked up Kareem Hunt who has familiarity with this offense. Look for the Titans defense to shut down Deshaun Watson and Hunt at home.

PREDICTION: Tennessee 24 Cleveland 17

Atlanta Falcons at Detroit Lions

Detroit will have no David Montgomery in this game, and are coming off a tough loss to the Seahawks. Look for them to bounce back in this game although Atlanta is playing well at 2-0. I think Detroit’s D will be too much for Atlanta in this game, as they will force a few turnovers.

PREDICTION: Detroit 27 Atlanta 23

New Orleans Saints at Green Bay Packers

These teams are pretty even with the Saints undefeated so far. Green Bay is a tough place to play and if they can get Aaron Jones going they’ll win this game. Jordan Love needs to minimize any mistakes and the defense needs to step up.

PREDICTION: Green Bay 24 Saints 20

Denver Broncos at Miami Dolphins

Denver is coming off a tough loss to the Commanders after being in control the first half. Russell Wilson has played well at times but is also still struggling. These two teams are trending in opposite directions and Miami looks awfully tough to beat. They have too many weapons and Tua Tagovailoa is playing exceptional. Denver falls to 0-3 after a dominant win by the Dolphins

PREDICTION: Dolphins 31 Broncos 17

Los Angeles Chargers at Minnesota Vikings

I don’t think the Vikings are going to the Super Bowl, but I also think there better than their record. This is why I see them bouncing back in this game. They can’t just rely on Justin Jefferson, they need to get the run game going which will help set up the pass.

PREDICTION: Vikings 30 Rams 23

New England Patriots at New York Jets

New England will bounce back in this game and get their first win on the road. Zach Wilson is clearly not the answer at QB and unless the Jets defense scores 21 points, they will not win this game.

PREDICTION: Patriots 23 Jets 13

Buffalo Bills at Washington Commanders

Washington is coming off an impressive come from behind road win against the Russell Wilson led Broncos. Their defense has struggled at time especially with giving up the big play. Washington will try and take away that big play threat against Buffalo and most likely force them to run and keep things in front of them. Eric Bieniemy has experience against the Bills which should help them with play calling. I’m gonna take Washington at home by a field goal.

PREDICTION: Washington 23 Bills 20

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville bounces back this week against a young Texans team. Houston is rebuilding and trying to figure out how good CJ Stroud is.

PREDICTION: Jaguars 28 Texans 10

Indianapolis Colts at Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore is on a roll and Lamar Jackson appears to be playing at a high level two games in. Gus Edwards has stepped up in JK Dobbins’ absence and hasn’t skipped a beat. Baltimore’s D will be too much for the Colts and so the Ravens will remain undefeated.

PREDICTION: Ravens 23 Colts 10

Carolina Panthers at Seattle Seahawks

Similar to the Texans/Jaguars game, Seattle is playing a young inexperienced QB who they will try to make life difficult for. Seattle is a tough place to play for an offense. Look for the Seahawks to create turnovers and hold the Panthers to around 10 points.

PREDICTION: Seattle 24 Panthers 10

Chicago Bears at Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs haven’t looked like themselves the last few weeks and stand at 1-1. Folks are wondering if there offense is so different after their OC left this year. I think they’ll start running on all cylinders in a few games, especially when you have Patrick Mahomes at QB.

PREDICTION: Chiefs 31 Bears 13

Dallas Cowboys at Arizona Cardinals

This game could be really, really bad for the Cards who will go up against the #1 ranked defense. Even with Trevon Diggs out for the season, the pass rush is way too good. Cards need to run the ball to have any success, but even that will be tough. The Cowboys win big in this one.

PREDICTION: Cowboys 38 Cards 7

Pittsburgh Steelers at Las Vegas Raiders

When will Najee Harris break out? Will their offense take a step foward this week? These are the questions I’m asking coming into week 3 with the Raiders playing against the Steelers. The Steelers D will keep them in this game the question will be can their offense score at least two TD’s. I like the Steelers in a close one.

PREDICTION: Steelers 24 Raiders 21

Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Bucanneers

The Eagles are 2-0 but if you dig deeper they haven’t played their best football. Tampa is playing well with Baker Mayfield but he could struggle in this game. The Eagles D-line is too good and will make Baker’s life miserable. I’ll take Eagles in a close one.

PREDICTION: Eagles 30 Tampa 27

LA Rams at Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals are struggling but as a team where too good to go to 0-3. Especially at home they should win this game. Pay attention to Joe Burrow‘s ankle as he’s battling through that. The Bengals need to get Ja’Marr Chase involved more and mix in more Joe Mixon.

PREDICTION: Bengals 28 Rams 24

The post 2023 Week 3 NFL Picks appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Stock Up

Baltimore Ravens: For all the Lamar Jackson doubters he has shown he is a pocket passer after Game 2. Now it is only one game and defenses will try to defend him better but the Ravens appear to be on the up and up. If Gus Edwards can run like he did in Game 2 they will be hard to beat.

San Francisco 49ers: Brock Purdy didn’t have his best game, but the 49ers still won with a stiff D and and another strong game from Christian McCaffrey. Also, Deebo Samuel came alive, who they will need as they compete with the good teams in the NFC.

Dallas Cowboys: Two words, Micah Parsons! He is a difference maker on defense and a big reason Dallas will be hard to beat this year. There D is extremely fast and talented. Even if Dak Prescott doesn’t play his best, Dallas should be in every game.

Stock Down

Houston Texans: We all didn’t expect Houston to be a Super Bowl favorite but they haven’t looked that good. This is a rebuilding year with their first year QB.

Denver Broncos: Denver had a 21-3 lead against the Commanders and somehow found a way to lose at home. Russell Wilson had flashes of good plays and then plays that left me scratching my head. He has to learn to be smart with the ball and not be so tentative in the pocket.

Cincinnati Bengals: Cincinnati should be OK in the long run, but right now they don’t look good. The offensive line is struggling to protect Joe Burrow, which is effecting the solid WR corps of the Bengals. I feel like they have to utilize Joe Mixon better to relieve some pressure off Burrow.

The post NFL Stock Up/ Stock Down Week 2 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Seattle Seahawks 37, Detroit Lions 31

The Seattle Seahawks won 37-31 in walk-off fashion on the road in Detroit as Geno Smith found Tyler Lockett, who reached out for the pylon. Smith led Seattle to a turnover-free victory, going 32-for-41 with 328 yards and two touchdowns. Both passing touchdowns were to Lockett, who racked up eight catches for 59 yards. Seattle also found success on the ground, rushing for 82 yards and two touchdowns.

Seahawks receiver D.K. Metcalf left the game in the first quarter with a rib injury, and headed to to the locker room. He returned shortly after, finishing the game with six receptions for 75 yards, as Geno Smith spread the targets around all game. Turnovers proved to be the downfall for Detroit. The Lions fumbled the ball away twice in a row, one to end the first half and another to begin the second half. Jared Goff then threw a pick-six to Seattle cornerback Tre Brown, who ran it back 40 yards to the house. Late in the fourth quarter, Goff led the Lions down the field for a game-tying field goal, forcing overtime with a score of 31-31. However it was not enough for the Lions, who fall to 1-1 after the loss. Meanwhile, Seattle also moves to 1-1 with the victory.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Buffalo Bills 38, Las Vegas Raiders 10

Josh Allen led the Buffalo Bills to a stress-free victory at home, going 31-for-37 with 274 yards and three touchdowns. Both the Bills and the Las Vegas Raiders move to 1-1 on the season.

The ball seemed to be in the hands of the Bills all game, as the Buffalo defense forced three turnovers. Linebackers Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard both intercepted Jimmy Garoppolo, and Taylor Rapp recovered a Zamir White fumble. Josh Allen spread the touches throughout the offense, finding Gabe Davis, Khalil Shakir, and Dawson Knox for touchdowns. The run game was unstoppable for the Bills, led by James Cook who ran for 123 yards, as Damien Harris and Latavius Murray ran in a touchdown each. Allen had no turnovers and looked comfortable in a bounce-back victory.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Baltimore Ravens 27, Cincinnati Bengals 24

Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens went on the road to Cincinnati and avoided a Bengals second half comeback, winning the game 27-24. The Ravens move to 2-0 on the year, as the Bengals fall to 0-2.

Jackson completed 24 passes on 33 attempts for 237 yards and two touchdowns. He added 54 yards on the ground, as the Ravens ran for 178 yards as a team, including a Gus Edwards touchdown. Safety Geno Stone intercepted Joe Burrow to begin the second half, and the Ravens turned it into a touchdown on the next drive.

Burrow and the Bengals made a late push in the second half, with a final drive consisting of 16 plays for 80 yards and a touchdown, making the score 27-24. The Cincinnati offense struggled, rushing for just 66 total yards as Burrow went 27-for-41 with 222 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Kansas City Chiefs 17, Jacksonville Jaguars 9

In a low scoring affair, the Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 17-9. Both teams move to 1-1 on the season.

The first five possessions resulted in punts, before Jacksonville finally took a 3-0 lead on a field goal. The Chiefs fumbled the ball away on the following possession, before Patrick Mahomes was picked off by Jaguars safety Andre Cisco. Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars offense struggled to move the ball all day, as the third year quarterback went 22-for-41 for 216 yards and no touchdowns. The ground game was no better, producing just 74 yards as the Jaguars failed to find the endzone. Kicker Brandon McManus was the lone scorer for Jacksonville, going 3-for-3. Mahomes finished the game 29-for-41 with 305 yards and two touchdowns, finding Travis Kelce on one of them.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Tennessee Titans 27, Los Angeles Chargers 24

The Tennessee Titans beat the Los Angeles Chargers 27-24 in an overtime thriller, as Nick Folk kicked the game-winning 41 yard field goal. The Titans move to 1-1 on the season, as the Chargers fall to 0-2.

Los Angeles got out to an early 11-0 lead after a Keenan Allen touchdown and a converted two-point conversion. Ryan Tannehill came back with a 70-yard pass to Treylon Burks, as Derrick Henry finished the drive with a touchdown, making the score 11-7. Both teams went back and forth all game, with impressive outings from both quarterbacks. Justin Herbert found Keenan Allen and Mike Williams consistently, with both receivers finishing the game with 8 receptions and a combined 194 yards. Allen brought in two touchdown passes, as the Chargers marched down the field for a field goal to send the game to overtime with a score of 24-24. The Chargers won the coin toss and got the ball first in overtime, but went three and out and punted the ball back to the Titans offense. Tannehill led them down the field for an 8 play, 37 yard drive to give Nick Folk a 41 yard field goal for the win, which he put down the middle.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Atlanta Falcons 25, Green Bay Packers 24

The Atlanta Falcons squeaked by the Green Bay Packers by a score of 25-24, including an electric fourth quarter comeback by the Falcons. Green Bay falls to 1-1 on the season as Atlanta goes to 2-0.

The Packers got out to a 24-12 lead in the third quarter after Jordan Love found Jayden Reed in the endzone for his second touchdown of the game. Desmond Ridder and the Falcons ground-and-pound offense put together an eight play, 75 yard drive for a touchdown of their own, as Ridder ran it in himself to make the score 24-19. The Falcons defense forced a punt and drove down the field for a field goal, cutting the deficit to 24-22. After forcing yet another punt, Atlanta went 12 plays for 66 yards, setting up a 25 yard field goal for Younghoe Koo. The made field goal put the Falcons ahead 25-24, ultimately winning them the game. Jordan Love finished the game 14-for-25 with 151 yards and three touchdowns, but it wasn’t enough to hold off the Falcons.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Tampa Bay Buccaneers 27, Chicago Bears 17

Baker Mayfield shined, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a 27-17 victory over the Chicago Bears. The Buccaneers move to 2-0 on the season, as the Bears fall to 0-2.

Although the Bears scored on their first possession, it was all Baker Mayfield and the Buccaneers for the rest of the afternoon. Mayfield found Mike Evans wide open on a deep pass that Evans took 70 yards downfield, inside the 10 yard line. The big play setup for a Rachaad White touchdown run, giving the Buccaneers a 10-7 lead. Mayfield connected with Evans again in the third quarter for a 32 yard touchdown, making the score 20-10.

The Buccaneers defense gave Justin Fields fits all game, sacking him six times. In the fourth quarter, Fields connected with Chase Claypool for a 20 yard touchdown, making the score 20-17. The bears got the ball back after forcing a punt, beginning the drive on their own seven yard line. After a couple penalties, Justin Fields dropped back and had his pass tipped and intercepted by Shaquil Barrett, who brought it just a few steps into the endzone, giving the Buccaneers a convincing 27-17 victory at home.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Indianapolis Colts 31, Houston Texans 20

The Indianapolis Colts stole a game on the road in a divisional matchup as they beat the Houston Texans 31-20. The Colts move to 1-1 on the season as the Texans fall to 0-2.

Anthony Richardson ran it in for a touchdown on the Colts’ first two drives of the game, making it 14-0. On the second touchdown, he took a shot causing his head to bounce off the turf, forcing the fourth overall draft pick to be evaluated for a concussion. The rookie quarterback was ruled out for the rest of the game, leaving the Colts with backup quarterback Gardner Minshew. Minshew took over and went 19-of-23 for 171 yards and a touchdown, maintaining the lead. The new acquisition at running back Zack Moss contributed 18 carries for 88 yards and a touchdown, as the Texans couldn’t stop the Indianapolis offense.

Rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud had an impressive outing in the loss, going 30-for-47 with 384 yards and two touchdowns. Stroud connected with Nico Collins and fellow rookie Tank Dell seven times each, for a combined 218 yards. Each of the receivers brought in a touchdown, as the Colts bounced back from their week one home loss.

NFL Week 2 Recap: New York Giants 31, Arizona Cardinals 28

The New York Giants rallied for a 21 point comeback on the road against the Arizona Cardinals, the third comeback that size in Giants history. With a 20-0 lead at halftime, and a 28-7 lead in the third quarter, Arizona allowed 24 unanswered points to fall to 0-2 on the season. Meanwhile, the Giants move to 1-1 on the season following the rollercoaster of a week two game.

The Giants went scoreless for the first six quarters of the season, the first time since 1934. Cardinals quarterback Joshua Dobbs showed his athleticism all first half, using his legs to gain yards along with scrambling out of the pocket to make throws on the run. On Arizona’s third possession, Dobbs dropped back to pass and found an opening up the middle, taking it 23 yards for a touchdown, trucking a giants defender just before falling into the endzone. The play gave Arizona an early 14-0 lead, which would quickly grow before the half ended. 

Daniel Jones and the Giants offense came storming back in the third quarter, with help from Saquon Barkley, who scored both a receiving and rushing touchdown before leaving the field with an ankle injury towards the end of the game. The injury took away from the stunning comeback, as the Giants await the information on his ankle.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: San Francisco 49ers 30, Los Angeles Rams 23

The San Francisco 49ers went on the road to SoFi Stadium, pulling away with a 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Rams. San Francisco elevates to 2-0 on the season as Los Angeles falls to 1-1 following the divisional matchup.

Two interceptions thrown by Matt Stafford proved to be the difference Sunday afternoon. With just under five minutes remaining in the game and the Rams trailing 27-20, Stafford looked across the middle for Van Jefferson but was picked off by Deommodore Lenoir.

Christian McCaffrey was in mid-season form, rushing for 116 yards on 20 carries to go with a touchdown. Brock Purdy missed some throws on big plays throughout the game, but was sufficient, going 17-for-25 for 206 yards, along with a rushing touchdown of his own. All three of the 49ers touchdowns came on the ground and the Rams defense had no answer. 

With Cooper Kupp sidelined, Puka Nacua was the focus once again for the Rams offense. He racked up 15 receptions for 147 yards, making him the first player in NFL history to record at least 10 receptions and 100 receiving yards in his first two games of his career. Meanwhile running back Kyren Williams got 20 total touches with both a receiving and rushing touchdown, proving why he should replace Cam Akers in the backfield.

NFL Week 2 Recap: Washington Commanders 35, Denver Broncos 33

The Washington Commanders completed the thriller comeback on the Denver Broncos, holding off a late game hail mary to win by a score of 35-33. Denver completed a hail mary as time expired, but couldn’t convert the two point conversion to force overtime. The Commanders move to 2-0 on the season as the Broncos fall to 0-2.

The Broncos jumped out to a 21-3 lead early into the first half, including a Marvin Mims Jr. one-play, 60 yard touchdown pass from Russel Wilson. The Commanders cut the lead to 21-14 before halftime, and continued into the second half as the defense immediately forced a punt. The offense took over and scored a touchdown on its first drive as Sam Howell found Terry McLaurin in the middle of the endzone for a 30 yard touchdown, tying the game 21-21.

Denver eventually got the ball back with a chance to tie the game. After moving the ball to midfield, Russel Wilson and company had one last chance to force overtime. The deep hail mary pass was tipped around before being brought in by Brandon Johnson for his second touchdown of the game, making the score 35-33. The two point conversion, a pass intended for Courtland Sutton was incomplete as the Broncos looked for a pass-interference call but didn’t get it.

Sam Howell finished the game with an impressive 27 completions on 39 attempts for 299 yards and two touchdown passes. Running back Brian Robinson Jr. also ran in for a pair of touchdowns himself.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Dallas Cowboys 30, New York Jets 10

The Dallas Cowboys beat the New York Jets handedly by a score of 30-10 as the Cowboys defense dominated for the second week in a row. Dallas moves to 2-0 on the season as the Jets fall to 1-1.

Micah Parsons and the Cowboys defense looked unstoppable in week two, intercepting Jets quarterback Zach Wilson three times. Parsons recorded two sacks and four hits on Wilson, as Jayron Kearse, Malik Hooker, and Trevon Diggs each intercepted a pass.

Ceedee Lamb showed he didn’t need the help of Brandin Cooks, who missed the game due to a sprained knee. Lamb recorded 11 catches for 143 yards, with big plays setting up for multiple scores for Dallas. Kicker Brandon Aubrey went five-for-five on field goals, as Dak Prescott found tight ends Jake Ferguson and Luke Schoonmaker for a touchdown each. 

The lone touchdown for the Jets came from star receiver Garret Wilson, who caught a pass across the middle and took it 68 yards to the house, marking his longest touchdown of his career thus far. Other than that, there wasn’t much going for Zach Wilson and the Jets offense, who recorded 215 total yards. Parsons along with the rest of the ruthless Dallas front four pressured Wilson all game, showing why they are one of the best defenses in the NFL.

NFL Week 2 Game Recap: Miami Dolphins 24, New England Patriots 17

The Miami Dolphins held off a late comeback by the New England Patriots, winning the game 24-17 as a lateral to Cole Strange came up short on fourth down. 

Tua Tagovailoa took what the defense gave him for most of the night, finding Jaylen Waddle five times for 86 yards. The Dolphins had plenty of success on the ground as well, as Raheem Mostert took 18 carries for 121 yards and two touchdowns.

Rookie Cornerback Christian Gonzalez kept Tyreek Hill in check for the most part, holding the star receiver to four receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown, with the touchdown coming on a play where Gonzalez was not covering Hill.

Mac Jones finished the game 31-for-42 with 231 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The interception came at the end of the third quarter after the Patriots drove down the field into the redzone. Xavien Howard picked off the pass intended for DeVante Parker on the sideline at the Miami three yard line, putting an end to New Englands’ drive and keeping the score at 17-3.

The Patriots cut the lead down in the fourth quarter following a Mac Jones scramble for 18 yards, the longest run of the night for New England. Jones found Hunter Henry on the run for a six yard touchdown pass, making the score 17-10.

On the next Miami possession, Tagovailoa threw it deep down the left side of the field to Tyreek Hill as the pass was intercepted by Christian Gonzalez. The rookie first round pick made a leaping catch over Hill, giving the Patriots the ball back.

The Dolphins forced a three and out, getting the ball back on the New England 43 yard line. On the first play of the drive, Raheem Mostert took a handoff up the middle 43 yards untouched to the endzone, extending the lead to 24-10.

Mac Jones led the Patriots to a 9 play 75 yard drive ending with a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown run to cut the lead down to 24-17.

The Dolphins took the ball and drove it into Patriots territory, before the snap was fumbled on third and one. Tua recovered the fumble, but the mistake forced Miami to kick a 55 yard field goal. With concern for Brenden Schooler, who blocked the previous field goal, Jason Sanders missed the field goal, giving the Patriots an opportunity to tie or win the game.

After finding Kendrick Bourne for a pair of completions, Mac Jones was sacked by Bradley Chubb for a loss of 8 yards. New England was faced with a fourth and four, where Mac Jones completed a pass to Mike Gesicki short of the first down line. Gesicki threw a lateral to offensive lineman Cole Strange, who was stopped short of the marker, ending the comeback for the Patriots.

The win brings the Dolphins to 2-0 on the season, as the Patriots fall to 0-2.

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