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Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 78-41 Screw: 76-43 Alx: 74-45 Jemp: 72-47 Pep: 71-48 It feels good to claw my way back to the middle of the pack. Jemp fell a little closer to the bottom. Hopefully he doesn’t sue me for a recount. Anyway, let’s get to some happier thoughts and pick some games. Packers at 49ers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers A rematch of the NFC championship where Raheem Mostert gashed the Packers terrible run defense, yet Mike Pettine has remained steadfast in his defensive gameplan. Dalvin Cook exploded against them last week, resulting in the Vikings upset win. You would think that Pettine might change his strategy, at least for one week, given that running the ball is what the 49ers do best, and nearly all their pass-catchers are hurt, not to mention their quarterback. The good news is that they still have Kyle Juszczyk, which is all they need on offense. Oh wait, just got the update that Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams are out too. Looking like this game might not even happen, but to be safe, I’ll take the Packers. Prediction: Packers win 23-17 Broncos at Falcons: Jemp: Broncos, Reeb: Falcons, Pep: Broncos, Screw: Falcons This is a game where I feel like both teams are better than people think, but I don’t trust either to win on any given week. Whatever team I pick, I’m not going to feel good about it. The Falcons defense proved once again that they are no longer complete pushovers, but the Broncos have quite a few young talented weapons on offense. The only question is whether their quarterback is the right guy to unlock their potential (pardon the pun). He was dreadful through three quarters last week, but then got hot at the end. Maybe that was just due to the Chargers pulling one of their classic collapses. Good thing the team he plays this week would never do something like that. Prediction: Broncos win 31-24 Seahawks at Bills: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks Really not sure why Reeb is taking the Bills. This is why he isn’t paid. The Bills have been awful the past four games, and even if they manage to make it close, I trust Russell Wilson a little more than Josh Allen in crunch time. Prediction: Seahawks win 35-24 Bears at Titans: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans I kind of feel this would be an ideal time to lone-wolf, because the Bears somehow keep games close, even when it feels like they have the worst offense in the league. And the Titans have been relatively unimpressive, especially where they couldn’t get a sack against a pickup football offensive line. Remember when Jadeveon Clowney was drafted ahead of Khalil Mack? I guess it doesn’t matter now since neither is on the team that drafted them. Although the Raiders got slightly higher value when they traded away Mack. Then again, Bill O’Brien probably would have traded away Khalil Mack for Jimmy Graham and a conditional fifth round pick. Prediction: Bears win 24-21 Ravens at Colts: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens I thought last week was actually encouraging for the Ravens. Lamar didn’t play well as a passer, but the running game was on point and they moved the ball well. I don’t expect Lamar to ever become Dan Marino as a passer, but this Ravens rushing attack looks back on track. Probably just a coincidence that this happened when Mark Ingram went out of the lineup. The Marlon Humphrey COVID situation is a little concerning, but I still think the defense gets a pick or two against Philip Rivers, and the Ravens get back on track. Prediction: Ravens win 24-10 Panthers at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs So, remember how everyone expected the Panthers to have the worst defense in the NFL? Well, they are getting there, as they haven’t forced a punt in the last two games. That isn’t ideal, especially when they are playing Patrick Mahomes this week. Only Robby Anderson can save the Panthers now. Otherwise, this could be a bloodbath. Prediction: Chiefs win 34-30 Lions at Vikings: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Vikings Well I was having trouble deciding who to pick here, because I like both of these teams right now. But, COVID made my pick a lot easier when it took out Matthew Stafford, meaning Chase Daniel will be starting for the Lions. Thanks COVID. Prediction: Vikings win 27-13 Giants at Football Team: Jemp: Football Team, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Giants The league was safe last week with the Football Team on a bye, but now the Giants get to feel their wrath. Kyle Allen gets his redemption here. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Texans at Jaguars: Jemp: Texans, Reeb: Texans, Pep: Texans, Screw: Texans Well, Jake Luton is going to start for the Jaguars this week, so… yeah. Maybe he will be the next Gardner Minshew? Or he could be the next Ben Dinucci. That’s a pretty wide range of outcomes, yet I think all of them result in a loss for the Jaguars. Prediction: Texans win 35-14 Raiders at Chargers: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Oh, hell yeah, I’m definitely lone-wolfing the Chargers here. Feels like old times, and the Chargers will probably let me down like they have so many times before. However, they should be the better team here. The Raiders have played really well, and have an efficient offense, but their defense is bad, despite a strong showing last week against the Browns. Also, while they do have a good offense, the Chargers offense is better. They have become much more consistent, and they still have the ability to explode at any moment. But of course, they are the Chargers, so they’ll probably find a way to lose. Prediction: Chargers win 34-28 Steelers at Cowboys: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Steelers, Screw: Steelers I love how Mike McCarthy announced that Ben Dinucci was going to be benched for either Cooper Rush or Garrett Gilbert. He basically just said he’ll take anyone other than Ben Dinucci. We still don’t even know which of them will start, but does it really matter? We will probably see both of them because TJ Watt and company are going to feast against this offensive line. Prediction: Steelers win 27-0 Dolphins at Cardinals: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Cardinals Well, Tua won his first start, which I guess is all that matters. He did a great job of firing up his defense and special teams at least. However, I don’t know if 12/22 for 93 yards is going to get it done against the Cardinals. Too bad we don’t get to see the Kenyan Drake revenge game. Did I say “too bad”, I meant “praise the good lord because Chase Edmonds is so much better, plus he’s on my fantasy team”. Prediction: Cardinals win 27-17 Saints at Buccaneers: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Saints, Screw: Bucs I love this Sunday Night matchup. These two teams had their struggles early on, but they seem to have regained their stride. Michael Thomas might even return for this game, as might another former All-Pro receiver. Also it will be fun if Brady and Brees go back and forth for the touchdown record in the middle of this game. Prediction: Bucs win 27-24 Patriots at Jets: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Jets, Screw: Patriots Pep is lone-wolfing the Jets against the Patriots. Bold move, but is it even that crazy? Has any team looked worse than the Patriots over the past 3 weeks? Well, other than the Jets. And the Cowboys. And maybe the Jaguars. But definitely the Jets, so I’m taking the Patriots. Prediction: Patriots win 20-13 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 71-34 Screw: 69-36 Jemp: 66-39 Alx: 66-39 Pep: 64-41 Tough week for Pep, but a great week for all the paid staff’s teams. But the Football Team is on a bye this week, which means I can just enjoy some good football this week and relax. So let's pick some games. Falcons at Panthers: Jemp: Panthers, Reeb: Panthers, Pep: Panthers, Screw: Panthers Well, the Falcons might not know how to win, but I do think this team has found a groove, of sorts. They certainly aren’t a playoff team, but their defense has gone from garbage to below average. I know three weeks ago these two teams played and I was all over the Panthers, but they have been unsurprisingly underwhelming these past two weeks, and I think the Falcons are ready to make a little run to finish with 6-7 wins. Prediction: Falcons win 34-30 Patriots at Bills: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills We’re on to Buffalo. The classic Patriots line doesn’t even seem to come up this week, because this has a different feel. While I think these might not be the same old Patriots, I think these might be the same old Bills. After a hot start from Josh Allen, they were pretty much manhandles by the Titans and Chiefs, and even more embarrassingly, they only beat the Jets by one score. I’m gonna take the chance that Belichick and Cam at least somewhat get the Pats back on track here. Prediction: Patriots win 20-17 Titans at Bengals: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans Burrow has bounced back well after that disaster against Baltimore, but he seems to have forgotten about the part where you win the game. However, the Bengals have been more than competitive against two pretty solid teams, and their offense especially has thrived. However, now they have three starting linemen out, and I’m not sure trading for BJ Finney is going to save them. Prediction: Titans win 35-24 Raiders at Browns: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Browns, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Baker must be thanking god that OBJ is done for the year. Baker apparently prefers to throw to guys like Breshad Perriman and now Donovan Peoples-Jones. And he likes guys nicknamed Hollywood. But apparently OBJ just made him bad. However, I still don’t think this Stefanski offense is good for him, but the Raiders offense is perfect for Derek Carr. It’s weird, it’s kind of old school, and it features Nelson Agholor, but somehow it works, and I like this Raiders team. Prediction: Raiders win 31-27 Colts at Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Lions Man did the Lions get a gift from Todd Gurley, but that shouldn’t take away from the drive by Matthew Stafford. Truthfully, I don’t think there are many quarterbacks I would take over Stafford in that situation. Then again, it’s the Falcons, so even Nick Foles was able to do it. However, I don’t know that Philip Rivers could do it at this point, so I’m taking the Lions. Prediction: Lions win 24-20 Vikings at Packers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers I know I need to stop doing this, but I think the Vikings are due for a win. They almost had the Seahawks and Titans, then caught the Falcons on a bad week. Okay, so maybe they just aren’t very good. I like the offense, but the defense has nothing going for it other than some solid safeties and linebackers. I’m going to wise up and stick with the Packers Prediction: Packers win 34-30 Jets at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs Lev Bell revenge game I guess? Well it is if he feels he needs revenge for stealing the Jets money and having them trade him to the super bowl favorites. It’s a rough life he lives. Prediction: Chiefs win 54-0 Rams at Dolphins: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams I definitely would have gone with the Dolphins if Ryan Fitzpatrick was playing in his most under the radar revenge game. He probably barely even remembers playing on the Rams. As for Tua, this probably isn’t the ideal defense to play in your first start. The Rams defense has been great this year, and no quarterback wants to get sacked by Aaron Donald. But I’m sure Ereck Flowers can take care of him. Prediction: Rams win 24-10 Steelers at Ravens: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Steelers This rivalry might be back in full swing this year, and the defenses are headlining once again. As good as the Steelers pass rush is, I think the Ravens defense is even better overall. The problem is that I don’t trust the Ravens offense at all. Only the Jets pass for fewer yards per game, and the running game isn’t making up for the lack of passing yards this year. They are 27th in total offense. I think the Steelers stay undefeated in a slugfest. Prediction: Steelers win 19-17 Chargers at Broncos: Jemp: Chargers, Reeb: Chargers, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Chargers So this Justin Herbert kid might be pretty good, huh? Sure the Broncos defense might be a little tougher than the Jaguars defense, but Herbert just connects on these big plays each and every week. I don’t expect another offensive explosion by the Chargers, but I think a couple big plays are enough to outscore the Broncos offense. Prediction: Chargers win 24-13 Saints at Bears: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints Is there any offense harder to watch than the Bears? It’s just sad watching any of their quarterbacks try to move the football. I also have no idea what’s going on with Michael Thomas. The Saints really need him back. Not against the Bears obviously, but for when they play some real contenders, because I don’t know if Marquez Callaway and Deonte Harris are going to get it done forever. Prediction: Saints win 24-17 49ers at Seahawks: Jemp: 49ers, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: 49ers, Screw: 49ers You have to give Kyle Shanahan a lot of credit for getting his team through all these injuries. At least now they seem to be through the worst of it. However, I never count out Russell Wilson and the Seahawks. Sure, their defense is pretty bad, but overall I think they are a better roster than last year, and Russ carried them to 12 wins in 2019. I like what the 49ers are doing, but I almost always lean Seahawks in close ones. Prediction: Seahawks win 31-28 Cowboys at Eagles: Jemp: Eagles, Reeb: Eagles, Pep: Eagles, Screw: Eagles I think I predicted the score right of the Cowboys game last week. Or at least it felt like 999-0. This team just seems to have nothing going for it. With the improvement to the Falcons D, the Cowboys have taken over as the worst defense in football. The offensive line might be the worst in football too with all the injuries they’ve suffered. Other than some good WRs, they have nothing to hang their hats on. Even Zeke hasn’t been good. The Eagles might have some problems, but they seem to thrive in the face of adversity, while the Cowboys don’t . Prediction: Eagles win 34-14 Buccaneers at Giants: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs Is this the best team in the NFC? No, I’m not talking about the Giants. I mean this Bucs team has arguably the best defense in the conference, and their offense has truly soared recently. And I heard that they signed a new receiver as well. Regardless of whether or not that works out, Tom has been terrific, and he has plenty of weapons around him. This team throttled the Packers and are much more balanced than the Seahawks, so the NFC better watch out. Prediction: Bucs win 31-13 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 60-31 Screw: 58-33 Pep: 57-34 Jemp: 56-35 Alx: 55-36 Not a great week as we all went .500 except for Pep who was one game under. However, I think we get back on track this week. Let’s pick some games. Giants at Eagles: Jemp: Eagles, Reeb: Eagles, Pep: Giants, Screw: Eagles Hey, Thursday Night Football is back with a vengeance! We get an NFC matchup between two teams right in the thick of the division race. What else could you want to watch? Other than good football teams. However, the Eagles might get back Lane Johnson and Desean Jackson back for this one. It would be huge to get Johnson back, but Desean Jackson seems irrelevant at this point since Travis Fulgham is now the best receiver in the league. Honestly, he is probably the only reason I’m taking the Eagles. Prediction: Eagles win 24-17 Lions at Falcons: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Lions, Pep: Falcons, Screw: Lions Do either of these teams want to be leading in the fourth quarter? I’d try to avoid it until the very end. However, the Falcons are at least rid of the coach who led them to this reputation, and they responded heartily to his firing. My theory is that teams actually give a better performance after a coach they like is fired, rather than say, someone like Bill O’Brien. I think when a coach like Dan Quinn is fired, the players get together and think that their coach was fired because of their play, and they know they need to play better, fueling an emotional performance the next week. The Texans were just like “f*** yeah, that a**h*** is gone, let’s go beat the Jags. Just a theory that has no real value and I have no evidence to support, but thought I’d throw it out there. Anyway, I don’t the Falcons keep it up, and I like this Lions team. Prediction: Lions win 38-34 Browns at Bengals: Jemp: Browns, Reeb: Bengals, Pep: Browns, Screw: Browns Well the Browns needed this. They might not be able to hang around the real competition in the AFC North, but we’ve already seen them smack around the Bengals. They actually remind me a lot of the Andy Dalton Bengals teams that would get knocked out of the first round of the playoffs every year. Except they did win a primetime game. Prediction: Browns win 35-24 Steelers at Titans: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Titans, Screw: Steelers I remember writing this blurb back in week 4 and not much has changed. Still, both these teams are undefeated, and I still wonder a bit about their propensity to eke out wins by the skin of their teeth. I guess the Steelers have nearly put that to bed, but the Titans have played every game close other than the one against probably the best team they’ve faced, the Bills. Maybe they only really turn it on against good teams, which should make them a lock for this one. But as well as Ryan Tannehill has played, I think the Steelers have more going for them, so I’m taking the black and gold. Prediction: Steelers win 31-27 Panthers at Saints: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Panthers, Screw: Saints Last week was a reminder that while the Panthers have been frisky, they don’t have quite the talent to be on the level of some of these NFC teams. The Saints have perhaps the most talent of any team, especially now that Michael Thomas is back. Drew Brees might still be an issue, and their defense isn’t quite playing to potential, but they should be able to fend off even the great Robby Anderson. Prediction: Saints win 34-27 Bills at Jets: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills Josh Allen has received a taste of reality these past two weeks. Maybe he’s not quite the MVP he looked like earlier on, but he has still shown tremendous improvement this year overall. Also, he didn’t need to show any to take care of this Jets team. I mean, Matt Barkley could probably win this one for the Bills. Maybe even Nathan Peterman could. Prediction: Bills win 31-17 Cowboys at Football Team: Jemp: Cowboys, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Cowboys Rough start for Andy Dalton. First he has to play on Monday Night Football, and now he plays the Football Team. Prediction: Football team wins 999-0 Packers at Texans: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers Alright, I just missed out on my lone-wolf of the Texans last week, but I’m doubling down. Deshaun Watson is playing like an MVP right now, and I could see this Packers team going into a little bit of a slump after that trouncing by the Bucs. Nevermind that the Texans defense can’t stop anyone right now, and even Watson knows it, as shown by his reaction to the coin toss in OT last week. However, maybe JJ Watt will rally the troops, and just get a couple stops this week. Prediction: Texans win 38-37 Seahawks at Cardinals: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks Kyler Murray vs. Russell Wilson twice a year for the foreseeable future is something we should really appreciate. Kyler certainly hasn’t risen to Russell’s level just yet, but he is well on his way, and has already well surpassed him as a runner. I think the passing game is starting to get on track as well, though I guess anything you do against the Dallas defense should have an asterisk next to it. However, this Seahawks defense has been pretty generous as well, so I expect the Cards to put up some points. However, I never bet against Russ in a close one. Prediction: Seahawks win 34-30 Chiefs at Broncos: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs You have to be impressed with the Broncos defense. Even with Drew Lock begging the Patriots to get back into the game, they completely stifled Cam Newton and that Patriots offense. Unfortunately, the offense they play this week is a whole different beast. However, the Chiefs haven’t been the aerial assault we were expecting. It seems like Andy Reid pulled out his bag of tricks for the Ravens game, but other than that, the offense has been pretty basic. Perhaps with the COVID offseason, he wasn’t able to prep this team like he usually does, or maybe he’s just saving his best stuff for the playoffs and big games. Not a bad idea since he knows he can just rely on Mahomes and company to get them there anyway. Prediction: Chiefs win 30-17 49ers at Patriots: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Patriots, Screw: 49ers Ah the great Jimmy G revenge game, but I feel like it isn’t quite the same without Tom Brady. After all, Bill wanted to keep Jimmy, but I’m guessing he’s probably okay with having Cam Newton instead at this point. I know the Patriots offenses have typically run a lot of short passes, but Garoppolo and Kyle Shanahan have taken it to another level. Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk are basically used exclusively on end arounds and shovel passes, and those are their top two receivers. George Kittle is the only one who actually goes downfield. Then again, the Patriots offense isn’t exactly Air Coryell either, but I trust Belichick to take advantage of some Jimmy mistakes, which will end up being the difference. Prediction: Patriots win 24-20 Jaguars at Chargers: Jemp: Chargers, Reeb: Chargers, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Chargers Well the Minshew mania has died down in a hurry. If he struggled that much against the Lions defense, what is he going to do against Joey Bosa and company? I also expect Justin Herbert to put the pressure on, because he is just a mad bomber out there. No matter who is out there, he’s going deep, and it makes this Chargers offense so much fun to watch. Also, he’s going against the Jaguars defense, so it shouldn’t be too hard for him coming off a bye. I think this one could get ugly. Prediction: Chargers win 42-17 Buccaneers at Raiders: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Bucs The pirate bowl hasn’t been this exciting since the 2002 super bowl, and this time Jon Gruden is back on the Raiders sideline. Both of these teams are coming off huge wins. The Bucs just dismantled the Packers, and the Raiders just took down the Chiefs before their bye. I feel like we haven’t talked about how difficult the Raiders schedule has been to start the year. Panthers, Saints, Patriots, Bills, Chiefs, and now Bucs? If they come out of this 4-2, Raiders fans should be ecstatic. However, I have to stick with the Bucs after watching it all come together last week, but don’t sleep on the Raiders. Prediction: Bucs win 27-24 Bears at Rams: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams , Screw: Bears The Bears just keep finding ways to win games. Their offense doesn’t always look pretty, but their defense looks much closer to what it was in 2018. Khalil Mack looks like the All-Pro that he is, and the rest of the front can get after the quarterback as well. The offense might not be flashy, but it’s crafty. It just seems to move the ball just enough to score a few more points than the opposing team. It’s not all that pretty, but it gets the job done. Should we give the Bears a little more respect? Nah, probably not. Prediction: Rams win 19-17 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 53-24 Pep: 51-26 Screw: 51-26 Jemp: 49-28 Alx: 48-29 I feel like this exercise is getting more and more tenuous, as we really have no idea which of these games will actually be played. Seems like anything could happen between now and Sunday. But we keep chugging along and hoping everything works out. Let’s pick some games. Texans at Titans: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans What a feel good story for the Titans. Somehow, after all the havoc wreaked by COVID-19 on their team, they were able to put on a show despite their facility being shut down for nearly two weeks. It almost felt like they were practicing the whole time. Now they get the Texans, who are totally fixed as a team now that Bill O’Brien is gone. It definitely wasn’t just because they were playing the Jaguars instead of the Chiefs/Ravens/Steelers/Vikings. However, I still think the Texans aren’t terrible, and Deshaun Watson is bound to win some games he shouldn’t. I think he gets this win. Prediction: Texans win 31-28 Bengals at Colts: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Colts Rough performance by the Bengals offense last week. The Bengals went over 59 minutes without scoring until Randy Bullock did hit a clutch field goal with 30 seconds left to put the Bengals within 24. Considering how well the Colts defense has played, I expect a similar effort here. Assuming Philip Rivers doesn’t throw the game away. Prediction: Colts win 24-13 Falcons at Vikings: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Vikings No idea if this game will even happen at this point, so I won’t waste my time writing about it. Suffice to say that the Falcons are probably just as bad as before Dan Quinn got fired. Prediction: Vikings win 35-24 Broncos at Patriots: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Patriots, Screw: Patriots Well I was going to say just read my blurb from last week, but then I saw that all I wrote about was the Stidham v. Rypien matchup. Not quite as relevant anymore, and neither is my pick of a Broncos upset. With Cam back, I expect the Pats to take this one with relative ease. Prediction: Patriots win 23-13 Football Team at Giants: Jemp: Football Team, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Football Team Great comeback story for Alex Smith. It was nice of Ron Rivera to put him out there to get the s*** beaten out of him by Aaron Donald and company, and now gets to make his return to the bench. Doesn’t matter though, because they get the Giants this week. Prediction: Football Team wins 200-0 Ravens at Eagles: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Eagles, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens Anyone else concerned about the Ravens offense? The Bengals offense gave them three turnovers, four 3-and-outs, and a turnover on downs, yet only mustered 27 points, which included a defensive score. The other two touchdowns they scored were also set up by turnovers (one of them was a turnover on downs, but still). Lamar Jackson isn’t repeating his MVP year, but the good news is that the defense has been suffocating these past two weeks, and while I expect the Eagles to put up a nice fight, I don’t think even Travis Fulgham will be enough to get over on the Ravens. Prediction: Ravens win 23-20 Browns at Steelers: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Browns, Pep: Browns, Screw: Steelers The Browns seem to finally be reaching their potential. They might not be the high-flying team we expected them to be over a year ago when they acquired OBJ and Jarvis Landry, but this version of the offense seems to work just fine. They get a tough matchup against the rival Steelers this week, but I’m betting they get this done. The Steelers have played too many close games for it not to catch up with them eventually. Prediction: Browns wins 30-27 Bears at Panthers: Jemp: Panthers, Reeb: Bears, Pep: Panthers, Screw: Bears I don’t think any team has impressed me more than the Panthers through 5 weeks. They aren’t the most talented team in the world, but they do the most with what they have. Matt Rhule might be the front runner for coach of the year at this point. He probably doesn’t win it because I doubt this team makes the playoffs, but if they somehow do, then he’s got it in the bag. I should also give credit to that young defense, that manages to keep performing despite some injuries. While the Bears should win this, I’ve started to believe in the Panthers, especially with Robby Anderson leading the way. Prediction: Panthers win 24-20 Lions at Jaguars: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Lions, Pep: Lions, Screw: Jaguars This is a perfect scenario for Matt Patricia. He survived the bye week, and now gets the Jaguars. This should be a cake-walk for the Lions, but as a team that is known to blow leads, playing against Gardner Minshew could be dangerous. However, while he’s been pretty solid all year, he has yet to get a win after that upset of the Colts in Week 1. So I’ll stick with the Lions. Prediction: Lions win 34-24 Jets at Dolphins: Jemp: Dolphins, Reeb: Dolphins, Pep: Dolphins, Screw: Dolphins I feel like while we talk about Fitz every week, he remains underrated. Everyone dismisses his awesome games, just saying that the four pick game is coming. He’s been legitimately good for over three years. If we give Ryan Tannehill credit for reviving his career, why don’t we give Fitz the same kind of love? Anyway, I don’t think I need to say anything about the Jets. Prediction: Dolphins win 34-17 Packers at Buccaneers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers Here we go, another opportunity for me to lone-wolf. No one needs to worry about the Bucs. Their defense is great, and their offense might finally have all its weapons back this week, minus OJ Howard. They thoroughly outplayed the Bears on Thursday, but were done in by penalties. Tom Brady might no longer be on the same level as Aaron Rodgers, but he’s still been pretty good this year, and I think the Bucs can take down the Pack at home. Prediction: Bucs win 24-20 Rams at 49ers: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams Honestly I’m losing steam with this game. The Rams have been good, the 49ers have been bad. I guess the McVay Shanahan matchup is always fun. Let’s move on. Prediction: Rams win 34-24 Chiefs at Bills: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs This is twice in three weeks that ESPN gets the worse of the two Monday games. At least this time there shouldn’t be much overlap, but I’m sure it still isn’t ideal for the network. But I’m for sure leaving work early to get a look at this game. Two high-flying offenses led by perhaps the two best arms in the NFL. But, while Josh Allen has made enormous strides this year, there is no doubt who the better signal-caller is. And we get a look of Lev Bell in a Chiefs uniform, which is fun… I guess. Prediction: Chiefs win 38-31 Cardinals at Cowboys: Jemp: Cowboys, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cowboys, Screw: Cowboys Our resident Bengals fan is the only one to pick against Andy Dalton. He’s had too many bad experiences with the Red Ryder BB gun in primetime (sorry to all the kids out there who are offended by that slur). I’m with our unpaid intern. While I think Dalton does keep this offense afloat, the defense seems to be a cure for what ails any offense. The Cardinals offense could certainly use it, as they have continued to struggle. They couldn’t pull away from the Jets until very late in the game, which they finally did thanks to two gorgeous deep shots to Nuk. I expect more of that in this game. Prediction: Cardinals win 38-34 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 43-20 Pep: 42-21 Screw: 42-21 Jemp: 40-23 Alx: 38-25 Alright, feels like I’m just falling further behind, but I guess it’s just my curse to have to come back from behind. Now that Haskins is gone the Football Team might actually win some games so I’m feeling good. Oh, and just in case you are paying particularly close attention to the standings, Screw changed his pick from the Patriots after the news about Cam Newton having COVID. Now let’s pick some games. Buccaneers at Bears: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs Finally we get a look at the Bucs in primetime, and they better deliver because we’re going to keep watching them in the national spotlight, whether we like it or not. However, I’m very optimistic for this team. The defense is living up to their potential, and Tom Brady has actually exceeded my expectations so far. Their biggest issue is that a team with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin has Scotty Miller leading the team in receiving yards. If they get those guys both healthy, then this team will really be able to make a run. Either way, I think they take care of the Bears, but maybe Nick Foles can outduel Tom Brady once again. Prediction: Bucs win 27-17 Panthers at Falcons: Jemp: Panthers, Reeb: Panthers, Pep: Falcons, Screw: Panthers I said I would give the Panthers defense more respect if they shut down Kyler Murray, and they did just that. The Falcons decided to go in a different direction. They thought they could confuse Aaron Rodgers by leaving everyone so wide open that he wouldn’t be able to decide who to throw to. While it didn't work out all that well, I expect them to try a similar strategy this week. Prediction: Panthers win 38-31 Bills at Titans: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills Well half the Titans roster has COVID, so if this game somehow happens, I think we can chalk it up for the Bills. Prediction: Bills win 35-24 Raiders at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Chiefs Unless Patrick Mahomes gets COVID, I don’t see how the Raiders win this one. Prediction: Chiefs win 38-24 Cardinals at Jets: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Cardinals That was quite the struggle for the Cardinals passing game last week. Kyler Murray’s fantasy numbers might be masking the issues with this offense, which hasn’t really been any better than it was last year despite the addition of DeAndre Hopkins. But it’s all a moot point for this game because the Jets can’t even beat Brett Rypien. Prediction: Cardinals win 27-17 Eagles at Steelers: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Steelers, Screw: Steelers Not a bad bounce-back game by Carson Wentz. He wasn’t perfect by any stretch, but some of the guys he’s throwing to, not even I’ve heard of. Just for context, I took a quiz on all receivers listed on team depth charts at the beginning of the season (you know, just a thing normal people do for fun), and I got all but 6 players. Yet, I had never heard of this Fulgham guy until Wentz hit him for a long touchdown. Fine I saw him thrown to a few times earlier in the game, but my point is still valid. Actually, I think I lost my point, somewhere, so I’ll just take the Steelers and leave it at that. Prediction: Steelers win 28-20 Rams at Football Team: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams Finally! Now the full potential of the Football offense can be unlocked. Prediction: Football Team wins 200-0 Bengals at Ravens: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens So it seems like the Ravens are still pretty good. They might not be as dominant as they were last year, but they are still probably the second best team in the AFC. They also tend to trounce bad teams… so I think we all know what to expect here. Prediction: Ravens win 34-17 Jaguars at Texans: Jemp: Texans, Reeb: Texans, Pep: Texans, Screw: Jaguars Glad the Texans got rid of Bill O’Brien. Now they get DeAndre Hopkins back, right? Also if they could get back their draft picks and the brain function that Deshaun Watson has lost from getting pummelled constantly, that would be great. Unfortunately, all that damage is already done, yet, I still think this team is superior to the Jaguars, and there is no way Watson lets them go 0-5. Prediction: Texans win 31-24 Dolphins at 49ers: Jemp: 49ers, Reeb: Dolphins, Pep: 49ers, Screw: 49ers Well I guess this is what happens when this version of the 49ers has to play a team not from New Jersey. It’s impressive that Kyle Shanahan has kept this team afloat, but at some point it’s too much to overcome. Especially when Fitz is playing for his job, and just doesn’t care about his long-term health. I think the Dolphins can capitalize here. Prediction: Dolphins win 28-27 Colts at Browns: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Browns, Screw: Browns Neither of these teams plays the most exciting brand of football, but so far it has worked pretty well for them. Frank REich is proving that he’s one of the best coaches in the NFL, because he’s generating offense out of very little. Philip Rivers is one of my favorite quarterbacks ever. He was my very first fantasy quarterback. But I think it’s time for him to spend more time with his fifty kids, because he looks pretty washed up. That might be a slight exaggeration, he isn’t terrible (he would be a significant upgrade to Dwayne Haskins), but he isn’t an asset to his team. If Jacob Brissett was out there, I expect the team wouldn’t look much different. That’s why I’m slightly leaning towards the Browns, who may not trust their quarterback much, but I think he has shown a little bit more on the five throws he gets per game. Prediction: Browns win 24-20 Giants at Cowboys: Jemp: Cowboys, Reeb: Cowboys, Pep: Cowboys, Screw: Cowboys I told you it always works out when I lone-wolf against the Cowboys. They just know how to lose games. There is no doubt that this Cowboys offense is explosive and can score points in a hurry. But they aren’t consistent enough to make up for this pathetic defense. Remember how Rod Marinelli made this defense look better than it was for so many years? We thought he may have lost that ability last year, but if this is how bad they are without him, then he deserved coach of the year. All that being said, they’re fine this week because they are playing the Giants. Prediction: Cowboys win 34-20 Broncos at Patriots: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Patriots, Screw: Patriots I think Brett Rypien logged in a nice first start despite the mixed results. He made some mistakes, but he is fun to watch because he’s not afraid to rip it downfield. There is also a chance he is the best quarterback playing in this game, because neither Brian Hoyer or Jarrett Stidham looked all that great against the Chiefs. Stidham should start, and at least showed some poise last week before Edelman let him down. I still don’t expect this game to be all that exciting, but maybe I’m wrong and Stidham v Rypien is the new Brady v Manning. Prediction: Broncos win 20-16 Vikings at Seahawks: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks Let’s not discount Kirk Cousins here. The Seahawks are not a perfect team by any stretch of the imagination, and the Vikings offense is starting to hit its stride. Unfortunately, the Vikings have their share of issues on defense as well, and the safer bet is on Russell Wilson. I’ll still be rooting for you Kirk. Prediction: Seahawks win 38-34 Chargers at Saints: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Saints I am awfully tempted to give Justin Herbert his first win, as he has been so impressive. But the Saints looked to be back on track with a little help from Matt Patricia’s defense. They may also get back Michael Thomas, which could really allow them to fly. Also, let’s not forget this is a Drew Brees revenge game. Prediction: Saints win 31-24 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Screw: 34-14 Reeb: 33-15 Pep: 32-16 Jemp: 30-18 Alx: 29-19 You know it’s a weird season when Screw is at the top of the standings. As for me, I did what I always do, and lone-wolfed a bunch of teams. The Rams and Vikings were oh so close to proving me right, but blew it at the end. That PI call was completely bogus at the end of the Rams game, but I’m not bitter. I’ll come back strong this week I’m sure. Let’s pick some games. Broncos at Jets: Jemp: Broncos, Reeb: Broncos, Pep: Jets, Screw: Broncos The Adam Gase revenge game. Really it’s the Jets and Dolphins who need revenge on the Broncos for tricking them into thinking Adam Gase could be a competent head coach. Anyway, there is more to this game than just seeing if Gase keeps his job another week (or even into the second half). We also get to see Brett Rypien’s first start, nephew of former Redskins Super bowl MVP Mark Rypien. In case you didn’t know, the Redskins are a legacy team that used to be part of the NFL. Anyway yeah, we got Brett Rypien throwing to Tim Patrick and Braxton Berrios and Chris Hogan catching passes on the other end. You gotta love TNF. Prediction: Broncos win 20-17 Ravens at Football Team: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens Rough game for Lamar Jackson, but not as rough as this one is gonna be. Just wait until Kyle Allen gets in there, which I kind of expect to happen in this game. He can do everything Patrick Mahomes did and more. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Chargers at Buccaneers: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Chargers Not sure what to make of the Bucs. Contrary to what I expected, Brady has been great, but their offense has been lackluster. Their lack of depth at receiver is clearly an issue as their top two guys can’t seem to stay healthy at the same time. And who would have guessed that their backfield would lack consistency with Ronald Jones, Leonard Fournette and not-so-Shady McCoy. Their defense on the other hand, has been excellent, something I did expect, but it’s still good to see it come to fruition. Could be a tough day for Justin Herbert, who just had the Panthers defense give him problems. Still some encouraging signs from the rook, but I’ll give this one to the GOAT. Prediction: Bucs win 24-17 Seahawks at Dolphins: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks What is there left to say about this guy? He’s done it for so long with his arm and his legs, and he put on a show last week. Hard not to love watching Ryan Fitzpatrick. However, playing against Gardner Minshew is a little different than going against Russell Wilson. But, we’ve seen Fitz go toe-to-toe with some of the great before. Prediction: Seahawks win 38-31 Vikings at Texans: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Texans, Pep: Texans, Screw: Vikings This hurts to watch my two favorite quarterbacks fight for their lives against each other, both at 0-3, so I’ll keep this one brief. The Texans are the better team though. The Vikings defense is a shell of its former self, and the offense still lacks depth, even with the emergence of Justin Jefferson. And as much as I love Kirk, he’s no Deshaun Watson. Prediction: Texans win 35-31 Saints at Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Lions Remember when I said the Saints had the best roster in football? Now their defense has been shredded in back-to-back weeks and their offense is Alvin Kamara or bust. I feel like the Lions should win this one. They looked like a good offense with Kenny Golladay out there, and their defense got turnovers at least. I don’t know if the turnovers are repeatable, but I don’t know if it matters. If this turns into a shootout, I think I trust the Lions offense more. I could also see Sean Payton dialing up a great gameplan that picks Matt Patricia’s defense apart, but I think I’ll actually go with the Lions here. Prediction: Lions win 34-31 Browns at Cowboys: Jemp: Cowboys, Reeb: Cowboys, Pep: Cowboys, Screw: Cowboys I love when I get to lone-wolf against the Cowboys. I always feel good about it. On the other hand, I never feel good about lone-wolfing the Browns, so we’ll see how this one goes. The Browns defense has been solid and I think they keep the Cowboys relatively in check. Prediction: Browns win 31-27 Jaguars at Bengals: Jemp: Bengals, Reeb: Jaguars, Pep: Bengals, Screw: Jaguars Reeb just refuses to get excited about the Bengals. Sure, their defense stinks and their offensive line couldn’t block me on twitter, but it looks like they got their quarterback of the future. The Jaguars might too, although Thursday night’s performance was certainly disappointing for Minshew. Hopefully DJ Chark returns for him this week, but I still like the Bengals to get their first win here. Prediction: Bengals win 34-28 Colts at Bears: Jemp: Bears, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Bears It’s hard to evaluate any team after playing the Jets. The Colts have made bad teams look bad each of the past two weeks, and I’m still waiting on the real Jonathan Taylor breakout game. Yet, the Bears just keep winning, regardless of who is playing quarterback. But at least they are now going with their best option at QB (not saying much, but still). Weirdly, I’m more sold on the Bears than the Colts, which I wouldn’t have expected. Prediction: Bears win 21-17 Cardinals at Panthers: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Cardinals Not a good showing from Kyler Murray last week. Granted, he still made a few ridiculous plays on the ground and through the air, but I usually prefer my quarterbacks to throw less than three picks. Fortunately, he has the perfect defense to get right against this week in the Panthers. They did contain the Chargers last week, but that was probably more a case of a rookie going through some growing pains. But, they can change my mind if they get the win here. Prediction: Cardinals win 35-28 Giants at Rams: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams Apparently teams can feel free to rest their starters against the Giants if they want. It shouldn’t impact your availability to get a win in any way. So come on Sean, why not give John Wolford some reps? Hell, put me in at QB and I’m pretty sure you’ll be fine. Even with my broken right hand. Prediction: Rams win 38-13 Bills at Raiders: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills These Bills just won’t stop. The whole team is embodying Josh Allen. Exploding to a big lead, spectacularly blowing it, and then miraculously winning at the last moment on the back of some weird circumstances. However, don’t sleep on the Raiders, who might be the exact opposite of the Bills. Methodical, consistent, and sometimes dull, the Raiders offense has been great as well, and I don’t see why they can’t continue their success against a shaky Bills defense. I still think the defense can bounce back since they clearly have talent,and in the meantime, Josh Allen can carry them. Those are words I never thought I’d write unironically. Prediction: Bills win 28-24 Patriots at Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Patriots Yeah I don’t think there is any need for me to write anything for Chiefs games anymore. It used to be the Patriots that I would just autopick because of their quarterback and coach combo, and now the Chiefs have taken over that mantle. Prediction: Chief win 38-31 Eagles at 49ers: Jemp: 49ers, Reeb: 49ers, Pep: 49ers, Screw: 49ers You know things are getting dark for the Eagles when we are all picking a team that is missing half its starters to beat them. I was tempted to take the Eagles, but I shook myself out of that quick. Carson Wentz has been flat-out bad this year, but I feel like people are talking about him like he hasn’t been good since his near-MVP year. Are we forgetting how he carried a decimated Eagles roster to an NFC east title last year? Over a Cowboys roster that was totally loaded. I feel like Wentz has earned a little more rope than he’s getting, and until he proves otherwise, I think this is just a slump for Wentz. Prediction: 49ers win 24-21 Falcons at Packers: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers Don’t know that I’ll ever pick the Falcons this year. Maybe their defense will play hard for Dan Quinn’s job at some point, but I don’t see them stopping the Packers. Prediction: Packers win 45-34 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Reeb: 24-8 Pep: 23-9 Alx: 23-9 Screw: 23-9 Jemp: 19-13 The injury bug was going around last week, and no masks could protect against it. It got me too as I am playing hurt with a broken hand. And no, it wasn’t from punching a wall after the Football Team game. The wall took the brunt of that one. Anyway, typing is more difficult now so let’s get to it and pick some games. Dolphins at Jaguars: Jemp: Jags, Reeb: Jags, Pep: Dolphins, Screw: Jags Well I have to play through the pain for this game. Pep is going with the Dolphins because he can’t stand Minshew Mania, but it isn’t going away just yet. Mostly because Gardner Minshew is actually a good quarterback. What Fitzmagic did for the Dolphins last year, Minshew is doing for the Jags this year. To be fair, the Dolphins put up quite the fight last week as well, but Fitz is boring when he’s on the same team as last year, so I’ll stick with the stache. Prediction: Gardner Minshew wins 31-28 Texans at Steelers: Jemp: Texans, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Texans, Screw: Steelers These poor Texans. They had to deal with possibly the two best teams in the NFL already, and now they may face the third best team in the AFC. Maybe an All-Pro receiver could help them out. But how were they to know that Will Fuller would get hurt? Then again, are we that impressed that the Steelers skated by Jeff Driskel? While they are the more talented team, I think Deshaun Watson can get over the black and gold. Prediction: Texans win 27-24 Bengals at Eagles: Jemp: Bengals, Reeb: Eagles, Pep: Bengals, Screw: Bengals The Bengals look to have found their QB of the future, while the Eagles have to be questioning theirs. I still think Wentz is one of the best in the business,but there is no doubt he’s hit a rough patch. However, so had Baker until he got a load of this Bengals defense. I don’t think Burrow is ready to carry this team just yet. Prediction: Eagles win 31-27 49ers at Giants: Jemp: 49ers, Reeb: Giants, Pep: 49ers, Screw: 49ers Is this the early season injury bowl? Nick Bosa, Jimmy G, Raheem Mostert, Richard Sherman, Solomon Thomas, Dee Ford, and Deebo Samuel are all out for the niners, with Kittle questionable as well. This is still just week 3, right? I guess the Giants only lost Saquon and Sterling Shepard, but if you look at the rest of their lineup you’d think they were dealing with a ton of injuries. Ultimately, I still will go with Kyle Shanahan to figure out a gameplan even with this depleted roster, but I’m not feeling super confident about it. Prediction: 49ers win 20-17 Raiders at Patriots: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Patriots, Screw: Patriots Still not a lot of respect for the Raiders and Derek Carr after an impressive Monday Night win against the Saints. That stout Saints defense we talked about last week couldn’t stop the Raiders down the stretch. Their offense has continued their tremendous efficiency from last year and their defense exists too. I do expect the Raiders to move the ball well again, but Cam has been too good for me to pick against the Pats. Prediction: Patriots win 35-30 Titans at Vikings: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans I don’t know if any team has had a worse two weeks than the Vikings. Their defense was so terrible in Week 1, but couldn’t outdo their offensive performance in Week 2. Kirkland Cousins was on full display, and while I am probably the biggest fan of Kirk there is, Sunday was brutal. Kirk usually bounces back after these horrific games, so I’m sticking with the Vikings. If the offense from week 1 and the defense from week 2 show up, then they might have a football team. Still not an amazing one, but still. Prediction: Vikings win 27-24 Football Team at Browns: Jemp: Browns, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Browns Nice bounce back game for the Browns. Too bad it has to be cut short by the best defense in football. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Rams at Bills: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills I guess it’s all aboard the Josh Allen hype train! I’m not sure I’m ready to jump on just yet, but there is no doubt we’ve seen encouraging signs. He still does have some hideous misses, but his overall efficiency has been exceptional. He is so elite now that he was able to trounce the Dolphins by a whopping 3 points. The Rams defense is a little better though, so I’ll reserve judgement for one more week. Prediction: Rams win 27-20 Bears at Falcons: Jemp: Falcons, Reeb: Falcons, Pep: Falcons, Screw: Bears The pain in my hand is not worth talking about this game. The Falcons defense is complete garbage but I still don’t think Mitch can take advantage of that. Prediction: Falcons win 34-28 Panthers at Chargers: Jemp: Chargers, Reeb: Chargers, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Chargers Nobody was happy to hear about Tyrod’s punctured lung, except maybe Charger fans. So like 3 people. People like to say how they like Tyrod, as long as he isn’t the quarterback for their team. Fact is, he’s past his prime, which wasn’t even that good to begin with, and Josh Herbert at least utilizes the talented weapons he has. This Chargers team could actually be fun with him at the helm. Prediction: Chargers win 35-17 Jets at Colts: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Colts I’m assuming I don’t need to explain this one. Prediction: Colts win 24-13 Cowboys at Seahawks: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks Great job Cowboys, you managed to come back against the invisible defense. Let’s try again this week against the new-look LOB, while the 2020 MVP continues to rack up points against them. Also, I’m pretty sure the Seahawks special team units know the rules of football. Prediction: Seahawks win 35-27 Buccaneers at Broncos: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs Two words “Jeff Driskel.” Maybe we get a Blake Bortles sighting. Prediction: Bucs win 23-13 Lions at Cardinals: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Cardinals, Screw: Cardinals Well, so much for my call of the Lions winning the NFC North. Yeah, they get back Golladay this week, so maybe Stafford can get back on track. I could see the offense pulling this one out for the Lions, but it’s the Cardinals offense that I trust more right now. Kyler is on a tear, and Matt Patricia’s days might be numbered. Prediction: Cardinals win 34-31 Packers at Saints: Jemp: Packers, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers Ugly loss for the Saints. The inconsistency of this defense is nothing new, but looking back at the game, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. The Raiders were patient and methodical, and other than having no answer for Darren Waller, and some bad tackling on the Jalen Richard TD, I wasn’t all that concerned with the defense. The offense on the other hand, looked lost without Michael Thomas. They were solely reliant on Alvin Kamara, and you do have to wonder whether we might see Jameis start some games in 2020. Definitely not there yet, but this team can’t squander the talent they have on this roster. But I actually think they rebound nicely. I don’t think Brees is completely done just yet. But I’ve been wrong before... Prediction: Saints win 31-28 Chiefs at Ravens: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens Figure I can skip this game since it doesn’t seem important. Prediction: Chiefs win 38-34 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Pep: 12-4 Reeb: 11-5 Alx: 11-5 Screw: 11-5 Jemp: 9-7 Not a bad start for the pick’em, but the reigning champ had a tough week. I’m feeling pretty good, as I did go on a limb for a couple teams that let me down, but I’m still up with everyone else. This week’s slate of games might not be as good as last week’s, but still plenty of good football to play. Let’s pick some games. Bengals at Browns: Jemp: Bengals, Reeb: Bengals, Pep: Browns, Screw: Bengals The Browns know exactly how the Bengals feel right now. Sure, they took a tough loss thanks to a missed field goal, but there is so much optimism thanks to the promise of their young quarterback. Now our unpaid intern just has to hope things turn out differently in Cincinnati than they have in Cleveland. I’m still one of those suckers who hasn’t given up on the Browns, for some reason that I just can’t put my finger on. There was a moment last week where they looked like a real offense. They had a touchdown drive, followed by another drive where they took the ball from deep in their own territory to near field goal range. They followed this up with 3 penalties and a sack to leave them in 3rd and 41. The rest of the game felt about the same, and Baker Mayfield and OBJ picked up right where they left off last year. Still, the Ravens are pretty good so I’ll give the Browns one more chance to turn it around. They just have so much more talent than the Bengals, that they can’t lose this game, can they? Prediction: Browns win 24-17 Jaguars at Titans: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Titans, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans So tempted to take the Jags here, but I’ll actually refrain. Gardner Minshew was the saving grace for the team, as he became the first quarterback in history to throw 3 TDs with a 95% completion percentage, which we all know is the mark of a good quarterback. That, and having a killer mustache. However, the once mighty Jags defense is so devoid of talent, and I don’t think Minshew is able to have another day like he did on Sunday. I’m not sure if the Titans are a playoff team either, but they should have enough to get this win and start 2-0. Prediction: Titans win 24-20 Panthers at Buccaneers: Jemp: Bucs, Reeb: Bucs, Pep: Bucs, Screw: Bucs Time to panic about the Bucs after they lost to the best roster in the NFL. They’ll never make it after that. I was actually pretty impressed by Tom Brady, as I thought he had a pretty nice day, other than the pick six. He missed a couple throws badly, which isn’t unusual, but he also made a number of impressive throws that late-stage Peyton Manning (and perhaps current Drew Brees) couldn’t make. Brady won’t carry this Bucs team, but he doesn’t need too. He just needs to not be a liability, and this team can go far. Anyway, the point is moot, because he just needs to be above Nathan Peterman standards to get past this Panthers defense. Prediction: Bucs win 38-21 Broncos at Steelers: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Broncos, Screw: Steelers I’m not sure I’ve figured out this Steelers team yet. You look at each of their pieces individually, and it seems like they all played well. They ran for over 100 yards, Juju caught two touchdowns, their other young receivers flashed in spots, and Big Ben started off slow, but had a good game overall. Oh, and their defense looked just as relentless as year. However, they made the game against the Giants much more competitive than it should have been. I’d still be optimistic if I was a Steelers fan, and they should easily take care of the Broncos. The Broncos defense is still solid, and they proved they have some great offensive weapons. Despite a couple bad drops, Jerry Jeudy looked like a future All-Pro receiver, and once Courtland Sutton comes back, those two will be great complements to Tim Patrick. The only downside is that I don’t quite trust Drew Lock, but if he figures it out, then this team could be very fun. Prediction: Steelers win 23-10 Rams at Eagles: Jemp: Rams, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Rams, Screw: Rams Is everyone giving up on the Eagles already? It’s no shame to lose to the Football Team in their building. No team could handle that pass rush, and the good news is that this week, they only have to go up Aaron Donald. Alright, that could be a problem, but with Lane Johnson and Miles Sanders coming back, you’d think the Eagles offense shows up for this one. But, I will have to agree with my colleagues here. The Rams looked back on track on Sunday Night, and I think they continue their win streak in Philly. Jared Goff will show Carson Wentz why he was picked ahead of him. Prediction: Rams win 24-21 49ers at Jets: Jemp: 49ers, Reeb: 49ers, Pep: 49ers, Screw: 49ers Disappointing first game for the 49ers. The loaded defense couldn’t get a stop against Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins when it counted. The injuries to their pass-catchers are starting to become a serious problem, with George Kittle now banged up in addition to their top two receivers. On the other hand, the Jets would probably kill to have the problems the 49ers are having. The Jets are near full health, and still didn’t look functional against the Bills (other than the little bit of life they showed at the end). It’s only been a week, but the Jets seem to be really making a strong play for that first overall pick. Prediction: 49ers win 24-7 Bills at Dolphins: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills The first of six Ryan Fitzpatrick revenge games this year, if he stays the starter for that long. It wasn’t a great start for Fitz, but it was a tough defense he was facing. Good thing he only has to play the Bills this week. Eventually I think that Josh Allen will get them into trouble playing hot potato with the football, but I’d still think they aren’t folding to the Dolphins. Then again, the Dolphins aren’t the hot mess they were at the start of last year, and if good Ryan Fitzpatrick shows up for this one, they could certainly make this one interesting. However, if he didn’t come out of the gates hot, I don’t think he’s turning it around this fast, he’s streakier than that. Prediction: Bills win 21-17 Vikings at Colts: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Vikings, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Vikings Which of these teams had a more disappointing Week 1? .The Vikings couldn’t buy a stop against their division rivals. The defense looked like a shell of Mike Zimmer’s former units. We shouldn’t be too surprised, with a brand new set of cornerbacks, and being without Danielle Hunter, their defensive line was a problem. However, his return won’t solve everything, as it was clear Michael Pierce opting out was a huge blow to the interior of the line as well. It was about as bad a start as you can have… unless you were to lose to the Jaguars. The Colts defense that I thought was going to be good, allowed Gardner Minshew to carve them up. Philip Rivers tossed a couple interceptions, and I expect that to show up regularly this season. I trust the Vikings a little more to bounce back, but I think both these teams somewhat get it together by the end of the season. Prediction: Vikings win 27-20 Lions at Packers: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Packers, Screw: Packers I talked about a couple disappointing teams in the last blurb, but I don’t think any team disappointed me as much as the Lions. They had the game in the bag… until they didn’t. Of course, it’s hard to keep Mitch Trubisky down for four quarters. The good news is that this week they just have Aaron Rodgers to deal with. They also have their top 3 corners hurt, and Kenny Golladay status isn’t looking promising to play on Sunday. So any chance Matthew Stafford had to keep up with Aaron Rodgers might go out the window with that. I still think the Lions can bounce back, but this is a rough start. Prediction: Packers win 35-27 Falcons at Cowboys: Jemp: Cowboys, Reeb: Cowboys, Pep: Falcons, Screw: Cowboys I’m guessing the Falcons could be involved in a lot of shootouts this year. Probably mostly on the losing end of them, but they do have the offensive firepower to keep up. Julio Jones and Calvin Ridley were both fantastic last week, and even Russell Gage played well. Those three (or at least the first two) should eat up a Cowboys secondary that isn’t very good. Unfortunately, it isn’t as bad as the Falcons secondary, which might have some trouble against the trio of Cowboys receivers. The Falcons best chance is to just have Younghoe Koo kick an onsides kick on all of their kickoffs. Seriously, that’s not even a joke, if they can recover two each game, which might honestly be conservative, then I think they are golden. Prediction: Cowboys win 38-35 Giants at Bears: Jemp: Giants, Reeb: Bears, Pep: Bears, Screw: Giants This is one where I’d just like to put “who cares?” as my answer. These are two middle of the road teams who probably won’t make the playoffs, and I certainly haven’t figured them out yet. The Giants looked a little frisky on offense, and their defense looked like it wasn’t a complete pushover. But Daniel Jones still made the crucial mistake, and Saquon Barkley couldn’t get anything going on the ground. Now they play another tough defense, so I’m a little wary of taking them. However, I don’t trust the Bears either, and when in doubt, pick against Mitch Trubisky. Prediction: Giants win 20-17 Football Team at Cardinals: Jemp: Cardinals, Reeb: Cardinals, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Cardinals How about dat Football Team? Eight sacks in the opener is just the start of what this team is capable of. Kyler Murray might be good, but that 49er defense pales in comparison to what he will see this week. Prediction: Football Team wins 100-0 Chiefs at Chargers: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs I’m not feeling too great about the Tyrod Taylor led Charger offense. It appeared to be a run-heavy attack with a 200 lb lead back, and a mobile quarterback who doesn’t run. Add that together and you get 16 points against the Bengals. Keenan Allen is arguably the best route runner in the NFL, Mike Williams is an elite deep threat, Hunter Henry is top-10 tight end, and Austin Ekeler is a top-3 receiving back. But, instead, let’s just pound the ball between the tackles with Joshua Kelley. I’m sure that will allow them to keep up with the Chiefs. Prediction: Chiefs win 31-17 Ravens at Texans: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens So, that DeAndre Hopkins trade isn’t looking so great now, is it? And by “now”, I meant “ever”. Everyone who has a lick of football knowledge knew that Bill O’Brien got fleeced, but I at least expected some of the replacements to work out. Brandin Cooks, Randall Cobb, and Kenny Stills were all invisible in the season opener, but I guess that happens when you’re going up against L’Jarius Sneed, Rashad Fenton, and Antonio Hamilton. I’m loving the fact that Will Fuller is getting funneled targets, but someone else has got to step up. This probably isn’t the week though, because if they couldn’t beat the Chiefs corners, then they’ll have a tough time against the Ravens. I’d love to see Deshaun Watson pull out the heroic victory, but this just doesn’t seem like the week. Prediction: Ravens win 27-20 Patriots at Seahawks: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks Is Cam Newton really back? It’s hard to believe that everyone passed on this guy for five months. But I guess when you have guys like Teddy Bridgewater, Tyrod Taylor, Nick Foles/Mitch Trubisky, or Philip Rivers, why would you need Cam Newton? I sincerely apologize to Philip Rivers for lumping him in with Mitch Trubisky, but that is where we are in the world. Anyway, Cam looks like he will have a pretty good season on the Pats, but I doubt he gets all the way back to MVP station, while Russell Wilson has been camped there for years, just waiting for his turn. This just might be it based on what we saw last week. Prediction: Seahawks win 27-20 Saints at Raiders: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints Monday Night Football is really starting off with a bang, huh? Maybe ESPN didn’t want to distract from the NBA playoffs? Smart. I’ll still be watching though, even if the Saints should dominate here. Derek Carr played pretty well last week, but that was against the worst defense in the NFL. But, uh… Josh Jacobs is pretty good? I’m trying to think of positive things to say about the Raiders here, but it isn’t easy. The Saints could win this with any one of their three quarterbacks, so I’m not sure even an injury could win this for the Raiders. Maybe if the Saints all get COVID. Prediction: Saints win 34-17 Feels like this season snuck up on everyone. Just the other day I remember, f***, I have to write the pick’em article, and I still have a bunch of fantasy drafts to do. But I know this is too important to the vehement PFJ fanbase, so I got it done for you. Let’s pick some games.
Texans vs. Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: Chiefs, Screw: Chiefs We start the season with what will be known as the Trubisky bowl, even after Mitch is out of the league, which will probably be next year, if he’s lucky. Excuse the run-on sentence, I’m still getting back into the swing of things. Man, it is incredibly tempting to start off the year with a Deshaun Watson lone-wolf, but the Chiefs are just too stacked. The Texans couldn’t come close to stopping Mahomes in the playoffs, and I don’t think anything has changed over the offseason. Unless their plan is to give them COVID. Deshaun will do his best to keep up, but I don’t think it will be enough this time. Not with the roaring crowd of Arrowhead, even if it’s only 22% full. Prediction: Chiefs win 38-31 Eagles vs. Football Team: Jemp: Eagles, Reeb: Football Team, Pep: Football Team, Screw: Eagles Time for the best team in football to show their dominance. That’s right, I’m talking about the Football Team. Scary Terry will go for 300 yards in this one. Darius Slay is pretty good, so I’m being conservative. Prediction: Football Team wins a lot - a little Dolphins vs. Patriots: Jemp: Patriots, Reeb: Patriots, Pep: Patriots, Screw: Patriots Remember last year when Dolphins at Patriots seemed like the biggest mismatch in the NFL? Oh how things have changed. Sure, it’s still a clean sweep for the Pats, but I think most of us expect the Dolphins to get within two scores. At least they look like a legitimate football team now. Not to be confused with THE Football Team. Regardless, watching Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. Cam Newton should be fun as hell. Prediction: Patriots win 20-14 Packers vs. Vikings: Jemp: Vikings, Reeb: Packers, Pep: Vikings, Screw: Packers You think Aaron Rodgers is coming to Kirk’s house and get a win? Nah, Captain Kirk is ready to lead this team to victory. I am very curious what will happen to this offense with the departure of Kevin Stefanski. I’m guessing it was Zimmer who wanted the run-heavy approach more than Stefanski, so I think the Vikings maintain that. I’m not sure if it’s the best approach, but guess that’s not my call. I am available though in case they want to give me a ring. Gary Kubiak and I can work together on this offense. Anyway, a bad quarter for Rodgers could bring in Jordan Love, so he better watch out. Prediction: Vikings win 27-24 Colts vs. Jaguars: Jemp: Colts, Reeb: Colts, Pep: Colts, Screw: Colts Week 1 is full of great matchups, so it’s good to mix things up with this game. At least the Colts get one preseason game. They need it to get Philip Rivers warmed up, and Jonathan Taylor up to speed. I say he runs all over this Jaguars defense. I feel like this will be the game Scott Hanson neglects on Sunday, other than the game updates on touchdowns about five minutes after you’ve already seen the fantasy points pile up. Prediction: Colts win 41-14 Bears vs. Lions: Jemp: Lions, Reeb: Lions, Pep: Bears, Screw: Bears The only thing that could have made me love this Lions team more was them signing Adrian Peterson. It does make me worry a little about drafting DeAndre Swift, because we all know AP isn’t going to just go away. Well, unless the Swift is as good as Kamara and then the Lions cut him. Entirely possible, but I don’t want to root for that. Sorry, I’m off on a tangent now, but I feel like I already made fun of Mitch enough for this week. Then again, he probably gets benched for Foles next week so I might not get another chance. Eh, I’ll still find a way. Prediction: Lions win 28-20 Raiders vs. Panthers: Jemp: Raiders, Reeb: Raiders, Pep: Raiders, Screw: Raiders Do I have to talk about this game? Who can check the ball down more, Derek Carr, or Teddy Bridgewater? I’m glad we’re finally past the point where we have to talk about Teddy Bridgewater like he’s a war hero. I know, great story, he broke his leg and now he’s a starter again. One day they can make a movie about Teddy Two-Gloves leading the Panthers to 3-13. I’m sure it will be a blockbuster hit. But in all reality it’s the Panther defense that is the bigger concern. The Raiders should shred them. Prediction: Raiders win 31-24 Jets vs. Bills: Jemp: Bills, Reeb: Bills, Pep: Bills, Screw: Bills Our first look at the new and improved Bills. They wasted no time this offseason getting Josh Allen a fantastic new receiver to overthrow. The defense should be just as good as last year, and the offense should be, well, probably about the same too. However, that’s plenty good enough to beat the Jets, who might have the worst roster in football this side of the Jaguars. And even the Jags have some good players like DJ Chark and the other Josh Allen. The Jets have Frank Gore. Prediction: Bills win 23-6 Browns vs. Ravens: Jemp: Ravens, Reeb: Ravens, Pep: Ravens, Screw: Ravens This is just the type of game where in the past, I would feel the need to lone-wolf the Browns. I know the Ravens are the better football team. They have the best rushing attack in the NFL, and they only got more loaded on defense with the addition of Calais Campbell. We shouldn’t discount Derek Wolfe either. However, the Browns did take down the Ravens once last year, and they have plenty of talent themselves. Their offensive line should be fixed after adding two high-pedigree tackles. OBJ should be healthy again, and I like Baker to have a bounce-back season. Let’s be real, I haven’t learned sh*t. I’m taking the Browns. Prediction: Browns win 24-23 Seahawks vs. Falcons: Jemp: Seahawks, Reeb: Seahawks, Pep: Seahawks, Screw: Seahawks This is the most predictable game on the slate. The Seahawks will run Chris Carson and Carlos Hyde into the ground, leaving Russ in inevitable 3rd and long situations, where his pathetic offensive line will fold against Grady Jarrett and company. The Falcons offensive will garner a lead, but the new-look LOB will keep it close. Then Russ does some fourth quarter magic and the Seahawks go home with a win. He should have an easy time of it since once they open up the passing attack, Lockett and Metcalf should toast the worst group of cornerbacks in the NFC. Prediction: Seahawk win 21-20 Chargers vs. Bengals: Jemp: Bengals, Reeb: Bengals, Pep: Chargers, Screw: Bengals Surprise, surprise, the Chargers have an injury to one of their star players. I guess two if you count Mike Williams, but you probably shouldn’t. However, I still don’t like the outlook for Burrow’s first NFL game, as the Chargers still have a loaded secondary, and Bobby Hart blocking Joey Bosa could be a problem. I also think Tyrod will be good enough to make this Chargers team average, considering he’s paired with a really good defense and some talented playmakers. Prediction: Chargers win 24-17 Cardinals vs. 49ers: Jemp: 49ers, Reeb: 49ers, Pep: 49ers, Screw: 49ers I’m not even going to pretend here. I’m obviously taking the Cardinals, and yes, I know it’s a terrible idea. The 49ers are a much more complete team that should take advantage of the lack of depth on the Cardinals defense. However, they are lacking receivers, and if Isaiah Simmons can be somewhat of an answer to George Kittle, then this passing attack can be contained. If the offense can come out hot, then this Cardinals team has a good shot at this one. Prediction: Cardinals win 24-21 Buccaneers vs. Saints: Jemp: Saints, Reeb: Saints, Pep: Saints, Screw: Saints I don’t know how this missed out of primetime. These are two NFC Super Bowl contenders, not because of their HOF quarterbacks, but in spite of them. However, if one of them can hold off father time, then their team will really be on track to a Lombardi. I still think the Saints are the most loaded roster in the NFC, but I think Brady and the Bucs get them in Week 1. I say both old QBs have good games here, but Tom comes up clutch at the end. Prediction: Bucs win 34-31 Cowboys vs. Rams: Jemp: Cowboys, Reeb: Rams, Pep: Cowboys, Screw: Cowboys Here we go, everyone’s NFC super bowl favorite against the lowly Rams. Dak paired with a trio of potential WR1’s, arguably the best runner in the league, and still a good offensive line. How could he not make it to a Super Bowl with that? Sure he didn’t make the playoffs last year with comparable talent, but that was a fluke. It was all Jason Garrett’s fault. Now that they have Mike McCarthy, he will fix everything. Don’t worry about the Rams who had a better record than the Cowboys last year. Prediction: Rams win 31-24 Steelers vs. Giants: Jemp: Steelers, Reeb: Steelers, Pep: Steelers, Screw: Steelers Well, it might not be a good game, but at least it’s easy ratings thanks to two large fanbases. Oh, I guess you probably aren’t that concerned about how much money ESPN makes. But at least it allows them to recruit stellar broadcast talent. I guess the Giants offense could be fun, and we’ll get to see how Big Ben comes back from injury. Plus, it’s week 1, so we’re just happy to have football back. Prediction: Steelers win 27-14 Titans vs. Broncos: Jemp: Titans, Reeb: Broncos, Pep: Titans, Screw: Titans Eh, I was all ready to take the Broncos here until I found out Von Miller was out for the year. Still trying to decide if it is worth staying up until 1 am watching this game. On the one hand, it’s the first week of football. On the other, it’s Drew Lock against the Titans. I know Mariota’s gone, but I now have become trained to get sleepy when I look at the Titans uniforms, no matter how many times they change it. Prediction: Titans win 17-14 Let’s take a look at the standings:
Jemp: 167-109 Pep: 166-110 Reeb: 162-114 Alx: 158-118 Screw: 156-120 It all comes down to this. 266 games in the books, and all comes down to this one. Two contenders left to win it all, so who will it be, Jemp or Pep? Let’s pick the final game. 49ers vs. Chiefs: Jemp: Chiefs, Reeb: Chiefs, Pep: 49ers, Screw: Chiefs Finally, 49ers fans get to witness their team back in the Super Bowl. It has been 7 long and hard years for that tortured fanbase. The Chiefs have waited 50 years to get back here, but don’t worry about that. But let’s start with the 49ers, a great defense and a killer running game, and usually an efficient passing game, the 49ers have been maybe the most consistent team all year. They battled through injuries, and now are as healthy as they could ask for. If they can slow down the Chiefs offense, Kyle Shanahan should be able to cook up enough to run roughshod over the Chiefs defense. Of course, the only way for the Chiefs to win this game is on the back of their quarterback. The Chiefs have spent years leeching off other teams used quarterback, several from the 49ers like Steve Bono, Alex Smith, and a guy by the name of Joe Montana. Now, they finally have a home-grown stud of their own, someone who has already been penciled in to be the next great Quarterback. Patrick Mahomes has a chance to be even greater than Joe Montana, but no matter how many touchdowns he throws, no matter how many records he breaks, and no matter how many jaw dropping plays he makes, he’ll never reach that upper echelon of greatness without the hardware. If he lights up this 49ers defense for a Super Bowl ring, which is not remotely out of the question, we might as well induct him into the hall of fame right there. However, I think the 49ers have the better all-around team, and I’m taking them in a close one. Prediction: 49ers win 34-31 |
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