The first quarter of the new season is almost over – week 4 is just around the corner! Can the Vikings fight back? Is it preventing New England from falling further behind against Miami? The Browns win again, and what do we see in game 1 after Garoppolo from the 49ers? SPOX takes a quick look at all 16 games of the upcoming matchday – including the forecast by NFL editor Adrian Franke, the Sunday games are as usual in the RedZone conference live on DAZN.
Great matchup on Thursday evening – which comes with some bigger questions. In the rams, among other things, both starting cornerbacks are cancelled, while the Vikings come with the bitter bankruptcy against Buffalo in their luggage. Diggs and Thielen will be a problem for the Rams-Secondary, but vice versa you have to worry seriously about Minnesota’s offensive line. And the Rams-Offense will also be a real problem for Minnesota’s Defense, which should present itself much better than on Sunday.
Tip: Rams vs. Vikings 24:21.
The jets are still very careful with Sam Darnold as far as play calling is concerned and want to protect him; against the Browns this was a central reason why the game was lost. If you take the game as a basis, then New York would have to respect the defense of the Jaguars in a completely different way and the duel with the Jags front promises little good. The Bortles roller coaster was in the low against Tennessee, against a good jet defense he has to deliver much more.
Tip: Jaguars vs. Jets 16:10.
The patriots have to win, and the receiver problem is still an issue – the patriots don’t currently have the individual firepower to win against good man coverage. But does that also apply to the Dolphins Cornerbacks outside Howard? Miami’s safetys against Gronkowski are a very good matchup for Miami, but I guess the Patriots will be more successful in the run game again. Not least because of the Hayes injury. Conversely, New England’s Run-Defense must also hold much better than in Detroit.
Tip: Patriots vs. Dolphins 27:24.
If there’s one thing we can say about the Titans so far, it’s that they’re a poisonous, unpleasant team. The Defense is getting better and better and presents some good Disguise-Coverages, the Offense finds – even unconventional – ways to score enough points. But now the Eagles Defense is waiting, and Mariota is still far away from 100 percent. I rather expect a low scoring game, also because the receiver situation of the Eagles is still difficult. After all, with Jeffery, there’s growing hope. But with Wentz, the tight ends and the backfield it’s enough to win away.
Tip: Titans vs. Eagles 17:20.
I like what we in Indianapolis are currently seeing in broad outlines. The defensive front with Hunt and Leonard as two prominent pillars is already much further than I expected and the short pass open is at least functional – even if here is the hope that Luck will (can?) become more aggressive in the course of the season. A hard test against a Texans Defense awaits the line, in which J.J. Watt looks more and more like the old one, but Houston’s Offense would worry me as a Texans fan. Within the structure there is too little working, the line is a serious problem and when Watson has to improvise there are big plays – and turnovers.
Tip: Colts vs. Texans 21:20.
Some drops, problems in the run defense, now the season out of Mo Wilkerson – the away game in Washington could have gone better for the Packers. Aaron Rodgers is still visibly not fit and now the Bills come with the victory over Minnesota in their luggage. I expect that this game of Green Bay’s Defense Warning is enough and that Packers Josh Allen will cause problems with aggressiveness and complexity – and Rodgers will find enough gaps against Buffalo’s Secondary. In any case, the Packers-Line should withstand much better than the Vikings.
Tip: Packers vs. Bills 27:17.
The cowboy offense will be a problem that will probably accompany us throughout the season. The receivers aren’t good enough to constantly win one-on-one matchups, while the play designs are missing to schematically balance it out – and Dak Prescott needs this schematic help. Without Travis Frederick the Run Game is not that dominant, especially since Defenses can deliver the box. Dallas’ defensive front is good, but so is the Lions’ offensive line – and in terms of passing, Detroit should have the clear advantage on his side.
Tip: Cowboys vs. Lions 16:24.
One can easily argue that Ryan Fitzpatrick is the better short-term option for Tampa, with Winston as the clear medium- and long-term answer. What’s the matter with you? Because he simply plays the downfield concepts better than Winston, and the Bucs – with holes in the secondary and a non-existent run game – need those Big Plays. The question in this game is: Can Trubisky score against Tampas Defense? His season so far has been more than sobering.
Tip: Bears vs. Buccaneers 17:21.
The Falcons are slowly running out of defenders: Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, now also Ricardo Allen – especially the middle of the field becomes more and more open against the pass, Tyler Eifert could score here. Cincinnati’s front should also cause Atlanta some problems, but this was a surprisingly small factor in the game against Carolina and the Falcons-Line has definitely stabilized. Above all, I am increasingly impressed by Atlantas Offense, who looks more and more like what I had imagined in the run-up to the season. Now only the run game has to work better, but the passing game looks spectacular.
Tip: Falcons vs. Bengals 23:20.
If you look into the NFC West, you can defend a curious statement: The division just has the two probably best offensive play callers of the NFC in San Francisco and Los Angeles – as well as the two worst in Arizona and Seattle. So maybe offensive friends should watch another game on Sunday. And defensive? Arizona’s defense isn’t as bad as the numbers suggest – if the Offense with Josh Rosen now also makes longer drives, this might also be statistically noticeable. The two teams were absolute heavyweights 3 years ago, both have a hard season ahead of them.
Tip: Cardinals vs. Seahawks 13:10.
It’s hard to put into words how much better the Browns Open with Baker Mayfield looked. Mayfield will also have his rookie moments, but overall the positive trend should continue now. And then we add a young, highly talented Defense, a good Run Game – and already we have the mixture for a Browns vision that hasn’t existed for many years. And the Raiders? Carr still has absurd throws here and there and the offense lacks consistency, but above all Oakland cannot defend a lead in the second half. A passport Rusher would help here.
Tip: Raiders vs. Browns 20:23.
Drew Brees is playing a monster season so far, he’s still the most accurate passer of the league. In Michael Thomas he has a top 5 receiver at his side and Alvin Kamara’s mismatch against the Giants’ linebackers could be seriously ugly. The Saints will score against this defense, and even if Manning presents himself more stable, I don’t see how New York can keep up with this offensive line.
Tip: Giants vs. Saints 20:27.
How bitter can a season just crash? The 49ers have lost their expensive running back in Jerick McKinnon in the last weeks due to injury, which should become a central point in this offense, and on Sunday there was the Super-GAU with the Garoppolo injury. That throws San Francisco’s season completely off track of course, the still existing weak points – for example in the Pass-Rush and partly also in the Offensive Line – are now even more visible. Also the Secondary is individually stricken, against a strong Chargers-Offense this is a problem in itself. And now the Niners no longer have the firepower to keep up offensively.
Tip: Chargers vs. 49ers 30:10.
Important, important victory in Tampa for the Steelers, which underlines one thing again: Big Ben is playing a really good season so far. This will also be felt by a Ravens defense that looks good after three games, but doesn’t (yet?) count in the elite circle. Sure, Baltimore will also find holes against Pittsburgh’s defense, but the best unit on the field will be the Steelers’ passing game.
Tip: Steelers vs. Ravens 24:17.
Even after three weeks Denver is still quite a miracle bag, just because the Offense is inconstant, which of course also comes through Case Keenum. So you have to ask yourself to what extent the Broncos can exploit Kansas City’s greatest weakness – the Pass Defense. Denvers Secondary is not on the very dominant level and then you won’t be able to keep this Chief’s Open in check.
Tip: Broncos vs. Chiefs 23:27.