2023-24 NFL (Week 3)

Games I saw (some of):

Giants 12-30 Niners

The Niners were just better at everything. The Giants didn't have Saquon Barkley, never could get a pass rush going, they were never in this game. In fact, the score is closer than it looks. 

Titans 3-27 Browns

The Titans had no offense, just could not move the ball at all. The Browns D looked good and the offense was good enough to control the clock. The Titans better find a QB quick or their season is going to be over sooner rather than later.

Saints 17-18 Packers

The Saints were rolling along until David Carr left with a shoulder injury and from then on, the Packers found their mojo and scored 18 straight in the 4th quarter to pull it out. I'm pretty much in on Jordan Love, I think he's above average, but I still think the Packer D has trouble getting stops when need be. As for the Saints, they just fell asleep, they had this and they didn't control the clock and it got away from them. 

Colts 22-19 (OT) Ravens

The Ravens are weird, man, the Lamar Jackson era is one of the most puzzling I've ever seen: they have moments where they look like they could beat anyone anywhere, then they flounder around, fail to move the ball, don't get stops and I have no idea why the variance. Their highs are unnaturally high and they lows are far beneath them, I don't get their lack on consistency. As the Colts, man, I thought they had a shot at the #1 pick and I don't think that any more. They can move the ball on offense, they have really good special teams, their D makes plays and they have 2 fascinating QBs--I kinda like this team and this division is in play, keep an eye on the Colts!

Steelers 23-18 Raiders

The Steelers didn't exactly blow me away with this performance but they were better than the Raiders all night long. The Raiders had a nice run late but it took them forever to get anything going and their defense wasn't impressive either. I'm not that big on the Steelers, I think they're kinda overrated on both sides, but I can't excited about any part of the Raiders so far.

Eagles 25-11 Bucs

The Eagles weren't dominant but they were plenty better than the Bucs, who couldn't generate much offense. I think this is who the Eagles are: they will get control of games by halftime, build up enough of a lead and then slack to the finish. If/when they lose it'll be getting blitzed in the 1st quarter or they'll squander leads in the 4th quarter. As for the Bucs, meh, they're not awful and that division is winnable, so while I don't think they're out of it by any means, I don't see them getting good enough to be much of a contender in the NFC.

The rest of the slate:

Falcons 6-20 Lions

Would've expected more scoring in this game. The Falcons have a lot of weapons but no one to pull the trigger and the Lions are the Lions, man, up and down. 

Broncos 20-70 Dolphins

A 70-burger? Check out the Bronco stats, they're not bad, the offense played okay and were never at any point ever in this game. The Dolphins went to the house every time they touched the ball and, well, you ain't gonna beat a team that does that. The Dolphins have shown off plenty of offense so far and the Broncos have shown off, well, nothing, so this isn't as shocking a score as it probably should be. Just a really good for the Dolphins and a bad day for the Broncos. Nothing see here. 

Chargers 28-24 Vikings

The Chargers didn't blow it in the 4th quarter? The Vikings didn't pull a totally improbable W out of their asses? Huh....things are changing. 

Pats 15-10 Jets

Not exactly a resounding W but the Pats are better than the Jets (the Aaron Rodgers-less Jets, anyway), so this isn't surprising. If the Pats can put together a competent string of W's or the Jets can keep from getting pummeled week after week remains to be seen. 

Bills 37-3 Commanders

Good road W for the Bills, wake up call for the previously undefeated Commanders.  

Texans 37-17 Jags

What's this? That Texans rookie QB (Stroud) looks like the real deal and the Jags' D looks like a sieve. This is a surprising result, can the Texans keep it going? Can the Jags turn it around? Tune in and find out. 

Panthers 27-37 Seahawks

(Hmmm....switch the scores with the Falcons-Lions game and this makes more sense)

Bears 10-41 Chiefs

The Bears are not good, man. They may as well look to trade Fields since obviously they'll be drafting a QB next spring, no reason to give Fields the opportunity to accidentally be good in a Bears uniform. The Chiefs were just fucking around on this day, weren't even trying hard. 

Cowboys 16-28 Cards

What happened here? The Cards have been kinda miserable all year long and the Cowboys have been a juggernaut....so....what's this?

Rams 16-19 Bengals

Looks like the Rams could've won this, the fact that the Bengals are still rather sluggish and pulled out the W anyway is probably a positive development for them. The Rams struck me as a team that was mailing it in this year--and there's still time for them to do that--but so far, they are playing hard and putting up good effort (so when they're ready to trade Aaron Donald and Matt Stafford, that's the signal they are draft-devoted). The Bengals typically start slow and, well, it seems like they are slowly getting started. Can the Bengals sustain this or are they in for a long disappointing season? Not sure yet.