Thursday Night Football: Seahawks @ Cardinals, 7:15 PM (Prime)

After a disappointing Week One loss to the 49ers, the Seahawks have responded by scoring 30+ points in back-to-back weeks, while the defense hasn’t allowed more than 17 all season. Sam Darnold might not be putting up the same eye-popping stats as last year, but he’s settled nicely into a veteran game-manager role. The only concern is the lack of a consistent run game—Seattle put up 44 on the Saints without a single rusher breaking 40 yards.

The good news for the Seahawks: they’ll face one of the league’s leakiest pass defenses. Arizona is giving up the third-most passing yards per game. The Cardinals are puzzling—they’ve got all the tools to be an elite NFC offense, but can never seem to put it all together. At some point, potential only gets you so far.

Prediction: 27-21 Seahawks

NFL Dublin Game: Vikings vs. Steelers, 8:30 AM (NFL Network)

We’ve now reached our second unnecessary gimmick international game of the year as the Vikings and Steelers square off in Dublin.

Carson Wentz’s debut in purple went about as well as possible, with Minnesota demolishing Cincinnati 48-10. Wentz looked sharp, and with J.J. McCarthy out a few more weeks, he now has a real shot at claiming the starting job. This week’s test, however, is much tougher. The Steelers have allowed 17 or fewer in back-to-back weeks and now trot out Aaron Rodgers.

Pittsburgh looks exactly like I expected: a mediocre offense wrapped around a stingy defense—the same formula for nearly a decade. Their early wins came against the Jets and Patriots, and they likely thought McCarthy’s injury made the Vikings another soft landing.

But if Minnesota cracks 24 points here, I don’t trust the Steelers’ offense to keep up.

Prediction: 24-20 Vikings

Sunday Noon Window

Commanders @ Falcons (CBS)

It got so bad for Atlanta last week that Kirk Cousins had to come in. That says it all. The Falcons’ offense was so poor against one of the league’s worst defenses that they yanked their first-round QB from last year in favor of the guy they shopped all offseason. A scapegoat firing of WRs coach Ike Hilliard followed, which feels more like appeasing ownership than fixing anything.

Washington, meanwhile, finally looked like the juggernaut offense we saw last year—200 yards both on the ground and through the air, 41 points total. The defense has also taken a step forward. This is the type of game they need to dominate to prove they’re for real.

Prediction: 30-21 Commanders

Saints @ Bills (CBS)

Sometimes the scheduling gods smile on you, and the Bills have to be thanking them right now. Five of their next six games are against non-playoff teams from last year, with the lone “tough” one being a home date with the Chiefs—a team they’ve owned in the regular season. If Buffalo doesn’t secure the No. 1 seed, it’ll be because of arrogance against weak opponents… or catastrophic injuries.

The Saints finally looked like the disaster many expected, getting drilled 44-13 by Seattle. They’ll likely win one game at some point, but after two respectable weeks, last Sunday was a back-to-reality moment.

Prediction: 35-10 Bills

Browns @ Lions (FOX)

Credit to Cleveland: they easily could’ve folded against Green Bay, but instead came up with a late INT and a blocked field goal to steal their first win. That said, the offense is still awful, and the defense can’t count on weekly heroics.

Detroit, meanwhile, has gone from having no identity to being one of the league’s most confident teams. Their 38-30 win over Baltimore was all about trusting players to execute under pressure. I still have concerns about the defense, but against Cleveland, those worries are minimal.

Prediction: 28-13 Lions

Panthers @ Patriots (FOX)

Why is it that the second I hop off the Panthers’ bandwagon, they play their best game of the year?

I want to quit Carolina, I really do. But last week was exactly why I believed in them preseason—Bryce Young managed the game, the offense did just enough, and the defense showed signs of improvement. I’d rather be a week late than a week early on this bandwagon, so I’ll hold.

The Patriots, meanwhile, lost a grind-it-out game to the Steelers. This is who I thought they’d be under Mike Vrabel—competitive every week, but lacking the talent to contend. Against Pittsburgh they were doomed by two turnovers: one setting up a short-field TD, the other killing a 92-yard drive before halftime.

If they clean that up here, they should get the win.

Prediction: 24-17 Patriots

Chargers @ Giants (CBS)

Finally, the Chargers play someone outside the AFC West after going 3-0 inside the division. Now they get a Giants team turning to rookie Jackson Dart after Russell Wilson mustered just nine points against a weak Chiefs defense. This is a desperation move by Brian Daboll, who knows his job depends on sparking life into this team.

For L.A., the formula is simple: beat the teams you’re supposed to beat. If they stack up 12 wins, the AFC West is theirs. The only thing that could derail them? An inexplicable stumble against a team like New York.

Prediction: 26-13 Chargers

Eagles @ Buccaneers (FOX)

Remember last year when the Chiefs kept winning ugly and the media screamed “frauds” for months? Why aren’t the Eagles getting the same treatment? Through three weeks they’ve barely survived the Cowboys, needed a fluky INT to beat Kansas City, and got bailed out by two blocked field goals against the Rams. I’m still waiting for this “super team” to show up.

The Bucs, meanwhile, are quietly 3-0 with wins over respectable-to-mediocre competition. The offense finally clicked against the Jets, dropping 29, while the defense looked as stout as ever outside of one blocked FG return.

Tampa already knows they can beat Philly—they did it in the playoffs a few years back. The key is not leaving the door cracked this time.

Prediction: 28-23 Buccaneers

Titans @ Texans (CBS)

It’s tough watching C.J. Stroud and the Texans spiral after being a trendy Super Bowl pick last year. The offense is statistically the worst in the league, averaging just 12.7 ppg—three fewer than even the Saints and Browns. The defense is elite, but it doesn’t matter when you need perfection just to compete.

The Titans being 0-3 isn’t shocking—they’ve faced Denver, L.A., and Indy, and just don’t have the talent. Cam Ward has already seen two elite defenses and now draws another in Houston. This feels like a “get right” game for Stroud and the Texans.

Prediction: 23-13 Texans

Sunday Afternoon Window

Colts @ Rams (FOX)

The Colts are the league’s surprise 3-0 team, powered by a resurgent Daniel Jones. While their schedule hasn’t been brutal (though Denver was a playoff team), this will be their steepest test yet. Are they really a top-five offense? We’ll see.

The Rams, meanwhile, let one slip against Philly, blowing a halftime lead and allowing three TDs on the Eagles’ final four drives. A blocked FG return sealed the loss. Shutting down Saquon Barkley was nice, but the pass defense folded late.

I’m not hopping off the Rams yet, but if Indy steals this one, their bandwagon is going to get crowded.

Prediction: 26-21 Rams

Jaguars @ 49ers (FOX)

I don’t know what to make of Jacksonville. Yes, they’re 2-1 with a divisional win over Houston. But they’ve looked unimpressive, and Trevor Lawrence hasn’t played well in any game so far.

The 49ers look like they’ve returned to form after a down year, but a closer look shows smoke and mirrors—narrow wins over shaky competition.

This is a “prove it” game for both. San Francisco needs momentum heading into a Rams showdown. Jacksonville needs a statement win to prove they’re legit.

Prediction: 24-14 49ers

Bears @ Raiders (CBS)

How did this game sneak into the national window? Probably because CBS had Chiefs-Ravens as its main draw.

Both teams are 1-2. The Bears finally saw a breakout from Caleb Williams—300 yards, four TDs—in a loss to Dallas. But their run defense remains a mess, giving up 120+ on the ground.

Vegas got smoked by Washington, but this is a chance to rebound. Rookie RB Ashton Jeanty has struggled behind a leaky O-line, averaging just 3 YPC. If there’s a defense for him to break out against, it’s Chicago’s.

Prediction: 24-21 Raiders

Ravens @ Chiefs (CBS)

Both teams are 1-2, but in very different ways.

Baltimore has let two wins slip away, thanks in part to Derrick Henry’s late fumbles. Kansas City, on the other hand, has looked completely overmatched in every game except a lucky win over the Giants. Patrick Mahomes is trying to drag a UFL-level roster across the finish line weekly.

Baltimore’s defense is the concern—they’ve been shredded by Detroit and Buffalo, but looked great against Cleveland. If they get torched by this Kansas City offense, the alarm bells should go off.

Prediction: 24-23 Chiefs

Sunday Night Football: Packers @ Cowboys (NBC, 7:20 PM)

Green Bay has to be kicking itself for blowing that game to Cleveland. Their offense sputtered for the first time this season, and their failure to finish cost them dearly. That type of loss can shift a season’s trajectory, so they need to bounce back here.

Dallas, meanwhile… yikes. That Bears loss was one of the ugliest in recent memory. Giving up 31 to a below-average offense while scoring just 14 themselves? That’s rock-bottom stuff. Their season is on the line here—lose, and the playoffs look like a pipe dream.

Prediction: 27-20 Packers

Monday Night Football

Jets @ Dolphins (ESPN, 6:15 PM)

Why is this in primetime? Everyone knew the Jets would be spinning their tires again, and Miami’s playoff hopes were a coin flip. Instead of Chiefs-Ravens or Bucs-Eagles, we get this.

That said, it could be entertaining in a chaotic way. Both defenses are awful—Miami has allowed 30+ in every game, and the Jets only avoided that because Tampa “only” scored 29.

Shockingly, the Jets’ offense has been better, scoring 32 vs. Pittsburgh and 27 vs. Tampa, compared to Miami’s paltry 18.7 per game. The Dolphins’ fall from dropping 70 on Denver two years ago to struggling for 20 is remarkable—and says a lot about how stale Mike McDaniel’s message has gotten.

Prediction: 27-23 Jets

Bengals @ Broncos (ABC, 7:15 PM)

This one isn’t the schedulers’ fault—you can’t predict Burrow being out for the year or Denver stumbling out of the gate.

Since Burrow’s injury, Cincinnati hasn’t protected the ball. They turned it over three times in their lone win vs. Jacksonville, then five more against Minnesota (two returned for TDs). Denver’s defense should feast on that.

The bigger question: can Bo Nix figure it out? Through three games he has just five TDs to three INTs, averaging under 200 yards per game. A fifth of his passing yards have come on just three plays. Splash plays are nice, but he needs consistency before this spirals.

Prediction: 21-17 Broncos

Overall Record: 31-17 (Last Week: 7-9)