2021 NFL SEASON
P R O F O O T B A L L M E D I A
Tuesday's Gone: Week 2 #NFL Game Reviews
Good luck at the window this season!
New York Giants 0-1 (-3) @ Washington Football Team 0-1 (40.5): Football Team 21-17 WFT 30-29
Thursday, 8:20 PM, FedEx Field, Landover, MD (Weather: 30% rain; high 60s)
Keys: One can only imagine the Football Team will rebound from their embarrassing pass rush performance week 1 by getting after Daniel Jones, a.k.a., Eli Manning 2.0. Jones is actually 4-0 all time v. Washington, but that just means a regression to the mean. Maybe it’s the week Saquon Barkley reminds the league how good he is, but then we’d have to watch Barkley carry seven defenders from five yards behind the line of scrimmage to two yards beyond the line scrimmage on half of his carries. The Giants won’t have much tape of Tyler Heinicke to study, but it might not matter for this Giants secondary. I was weary to take the under on a 40-point O/U opening week, but I’m not scared this Thursday night, the season’s first short week.
We could talk about Taylor Heinicke playing much better than he did a week ago when he was tossed into action after Ryan Fitzpatrick's injury, or we could talk about how the Washington Football Team hit the game-winning FG as time expired, but I'd rather talk about a team in which Daniel Jones and not Saquon Barkely led in rushing yards.
Cincinnati Bengals 1-0 (+2.5) @ Chicago Bears 0-1 (45): Bengals 26-23 Bears 20-17
Sunday, 1:00 PM, Soldier Field, Chicago, IL (Weather: Sunny; low 80s)
Keys: Things get a lot easier for both teams week 2, but unless the Bears surprise everyone with rookie Justin Fields I wouldn’t expect any different results for the Bears this week, either, as the Bengals are just talented enough on offense to give these Bears trouble.
Joe Borrow threw
three INTs on three consecutive throws and that about sums up the Bengals loss
Sunday. Andy Dalton was conveniently injured, paving the way for Justin Fields,
who didn’t really look that great, either.
Houston Texans 1-0 (+13) @ Cleveland Browns 0-1 (48): Browns 30-20 Browns 31-21
Sunday, 1:00 PM, First Energy Stadium, Cleveland, OH (Weather: Sunny; low 80s)
Keys: The Browns lost a heart breaker to the reigning AFC Champion KC Chiefs last week, but the Texans showed us a little something that is cause for some pause when considering giving them 13 points. Then again it was the Jacksonville Jaguars, which everyone forgets only drafted Trevor Lawrence because of how terrible they are. The Browns are the kind of team to see a 13-point spread and believe in it more internally than any gambler ever could. Combine that with a Texans wagon circling for the ages and you have Houston covering the nearly two-TD spread, especially with the Browns offensive line already banged up.
It doesn't get much closer to perfect than that. Baker Mayfield was briefly injured with a separated shoulder, but came back; the same couldn’t be said for Tyrod Taylor, who landed on the IR. The game belonged to Nick Chubb, who rushed for 95 yards and a TD on 11 carries and a Browns defense that sacked Taylor’s replacement seven times to deter any chance of a late comeback.
Los Angeles Rams 1-0 (-3.5) @ Indianapolis Colts 0-1 (48): Rams 27-24 Rams 27-24
Sunday, 1:00PM, Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN (Weather: Indoors)
Keys: The Rams looked great, albeit against the Chicago Bears, but suffice it to say Matthew Stafford looked great with a team not named the Detroit Lions. The Colts aren’t the Bears, however, on either side of the ball for that matter, and Carson Wentz is itching to prove he’s still a star, or even relevant. The Rams will likely take the run away from the Colts, leaving it to the aforementioned Wentz, who has a history with these Rams that isn’t exactly positive from a personal standpoint. It’s funny to think these Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles drafted Jared Goff and Wentz #1 and #2, respectively, and neither of them are on the teams that drafted them five years later.
Ok, it does get closer to perfect. Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Carson Wentz was badly injured by Aaron Donald and the Los Angeles Rams. The game was still tied midway through the 4th quarter, but we can put that squarely on the shoulders of a good defense and a great running game. You may have noticed PFM nailed this game.
Buffalo Bills 0-1 (-3) @ Miami Dolphins 1-0 (47.5): Bills 27-23 Bills 35-0
Sunday, 1:00 PM, Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, FL (Weather: 40% storms; mid-80s)
Keys: The season didn’t start quite the way Buffalo wanted it to and now they face the possibility of starting 0-2 and being two games back in the AFC East after two games. The Bills aren’t trying to return to that life. The Dolphins get their second defensive battle in as many weeks as Tua Tagovailoa tries to establish himself as the new era in Miami. As long as this Bills team is distracted internally by Who Asked Cole Beasely then anything goes.
Tua Tagovailoa was
injured and the Buffalo Bills trampled the Dolphins.
New England Patriots 0-1 (-6) @ New York Jets 0-1 (43): Patriots 24-17 Patriots 25-6
Sunday, 1:00 PM, MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ (Weather: Sunny; low 70s)
Keys: We all know what Bill Belichick does to rookie coaches, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but that was with Tom Brady at QB. We all know what Belichick does to rookie QBs, too, but that’s all on the famous Belichickian defenses, and this Patriots defense is one for the ages. The Carolina Panthers weren’t the best barometer, but Zack Wilson had a fine first NFL start (2 TDs; 1 2PT; 1 INT), but this Patriots team might have the best secondary in the NFL. Bobby Saleh is a defensive guy, himself, but the rookie head coach will be taking notes from the guru Sunday.
One of these Jets rookies is terrible, but it’s to be seen whether it’s the coaching staff or
Zach Wilson, who threw 4 INTs to the best secondary in football. On the other
side it was largely smooth sailing for the rookie Mac Jones as the Patriots
looked like the Patriots of old, winning by large margins against terrible AFC
East teams. I wonder which QB the Jets will draft in the 1st round next year?
San Francisco 49ers 1-0 (-3) @ Philadelphia Eagles 1-0 (49.5): 28-27 49ers 17-11
Sunday, 1:00 PM, Lincoln Financial Stadium, Philadelphia, PA (Weather: Sunny; high 70s)
Keys: Both teams surprised everyone week 1, with the 49ers going down to the wire versus the Detroit Lions and the Eagles destroying an evenly-matched Falcons team on the arm of Jalen Hurts. Now the Eagles are home facing a 49ers team that has to come all the way across the country to play what feels like a 10 AM game. I claimed that didn’t matter week 1, because it doesn’t, but as soon as the season starts the routine sets in and intercontinental travel becomes an issue. Shanahan is the cerebral type to stay east for the week, so perhaps it’s a moot point, but regardless, the 49ers face one of the best front sevens in the league. The 49ers are no slouches themselves, hence them giving three points despite traveling 3,000 miles. Or maybe they just traveled 600 miles from Detroit and they’ve been sleeping in Philadelphia all week and none of that matters.
One of the most
anticipated games of week 2 didn’t disappoint, unless you were looking for
offense. Every single RB who has ever played for the
49ers was hurt in this game.
Las Vegas Raiders 1-0 (+6.5) @ Pittsburgh Steelers 1-0 (49.5): Steelers 26-23 Raiders 26-17
Sunday, 1:00 PM, Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA (Weather: Partly sunny; low 80s)
Keys: Both teams came away with convincing wins against AFC powerhouses to the surprise of most people week 1, but I’m going to chalk most of the Raiders win to a Ravens team that squandered two 14-point leads and a new stadium that was rocking…despite being down by 14 points twice. The Steelers defense showed they can still shut things down and Derek Carr showed us he can still force the ball and create TOs so we begin to understand the 6-point spread, although the Steelers offense isn’t nearly as dynamic as the Ravens offense, but perhaps the rookie Najee Harris can get off on a Raiders defense that gave up 189 yards on the ground to the tune of 5.6 ypc.
I don’t think I
know these Raiders. Derek Carr shook off an injury and then threw a 65-yard
bomb to Henry Ruggs in what was essentially the difference in the game. Ben
Roethlisberger was injured and the Steelers usually sound running attack looked
anemic as the Raiders are now 2-0 against two of the tougher teams in the NFL.
New Orleans Saints 1-0 (-3) @ Carolina Panthers 1-0 (44.5): Saints 30-20 Panthers 26-7
Sunday, 1:00 PM, Bank of America Stadium, Charlotte, NC (Weather: Mostly Sunny; mid-80s)
Keys: The Panthers squeaked out a win against a rookie QB and a rookie head coach last week v. the New York Jets and the Saints destroyed the Green Bay Packers in Green Bay, so at the risk of overreacting to week 1 I’m going to run with 3.5 points and one of the more complete teams in the NFL in the Saints.
Two things
immediately stand out: Many of us were fooled by those videos of Jameis Winston
standing on a exercise ball juggling tennis balls while reciting playing cards
being thrown at him and the Carolina Panthers and Sam Darnold are much better
through two weeks then we anticipated. You can’t always believe the hype…or the
hate.
Denver Broncos 1-0 (-6) @ Jacksonville Jaguars 0-1 (45): Broncos 24-23 Broncos 23-13
Sunday, 1:00 PM, TIAA Bank Stadium, Jacksonville, FL (Weather: 70% storms; mid-80s)
Keys: This Denver defensive front could have a field day with Trevor Lawrence if rookie head coach Urban Meyer tries to make Lawrence throw 51 times again. Lawrence threw three INTs and wasn’t even pressured much by a bad Texans defense, which doesn’t compare to the Broncos defense. I’m not really sure the Jaguars can slow Denver’s running game, either, because Houston gained 160 yards on 41 carries v. Jacksonville, which beat the Jaguars down throughout the game. The Broncos are also coming down 5,280 feet to play, which has the opposite effect that thin air does to those not used to it, so Von Miller could be picking up Lawrence and running him into the end zone for a safety on his shoulders. Denver will need their defense as they’ve already lost their best weapon in Jerry Jeudy for the season.
This game played
out the way most thought it would, with Denver winning easily, but not wowing
anyone. The learning curve continues in Jacksonville for the Jaguars, and
for rookie Trevor Lawrence, who threw two more INTs and was sacked four times.
Minnesota Vikings 0-1 (+3.5) @ Arizona Cardinals 1-0 (50.5): Cardinals 28-27 Cardinals 34-33
Sunday, 4:05 PM, State Farm Stadium, Glendale, AZ (Weather: Indoors)
Keys: It didn’t take long for one of the better teams on paper led by the insufferable Kirk Cousins to fall flat on their faces against an inferior team, while the Cardinals took the mighty Tennessee Titans to the wood shed on both sides of the ball, hence the 3.5-point spread. The Vikings defense will make things a little tougher for Kyler Murray in week 2, but Cousins could fall prey to Chandler Jones unless the vaunted Vikings offensive line can keep him in check or they can get Dalvin Cook going and take some pressure of Cousins, who will ultimately leave the game up to god.
Likely the game of
the week after the dust settled, this barn burner produced 67 points and eight
lead changes after the Vikings led by as many as 14 points midway through the 2nd
quarter. The Vikings ran all over Arizona, to the tune of 177 yards and a 6.7
ypc average, while Kirk Cousins threw three TDs, but Minnesota missed the
game-winning FG in the final seconds. Kyler Murray threw two INTs, but also
threw for 400 yards and 3 TDs, clearly doing enough to keep the Cardinals in
the game.
Atlanta Falcons 0-1 (+12.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-0 (52.5): Buccaneers 33-20 Buccaneers 48-25
Sunday, 4:05 PM, Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, FL (Weather: 50% storms; high-80s)
Keys: The revenge of Matt Ryan…is what this game would be called if the Falcons had any chance. Now that I’ve said that they probably will have a chance, but only at covering the 12.5 points.
For a little while
it looked as if the Falcons might cover after all, scoring a TD with 1:45 left
in the 3rd quarter to bring it to a 28-25 game. Then Tom Brady and
the Buccaneers went on a 20-0 run in the 4th quarter Kansas
City-style and made it look like the blowout we all expected.
Dallas Cowboys 0-1 (+3.5) @ Los Angeles Chargers 1-0 (55): Cowboys 30-27 Cowboys 20-17
Sunday, 4:25 PM, SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA (Weather: Indoors)
Keys: This is a juicy opportunity. You’re telling me the team that just took the reigning NFL champions to the brink is more than a FG underdog to an inconsistent Chargers team led by a second year QB? Give me a break. I don’t even have to analyze this game, I already ran to the window to take the points.
Two of the game’s
most talented and inconsistent teams played Sunday afternoon and it went
exactly how you’d expect: A low-scoring affair in which the stars played
terribly, won on the leg of a 56-yard FG as time expired.
Tennessee Titans 0-1 (+6.5) @ Seattle Seahawks 1-0 (54): Seahawks 26-23 Titans 33-30
Sunday, 4:25 PM, CenturyLink Field, Seattle, WA (Weather: 90% rain; low 60s)
Keys: This is another brain teaser. The Titans were Super Bowl contenders in 2020 and are essentially the same team, so how they’ve managed to end up nearly TD underdogs against a Seahawks team that doesn’t have a clear identity on either side of the ball save for saying it’s Russell Wilson’s team is beyond me. I guess it’s because Seattle beat a sound Indianapolis Colts team with many similarities to the Titans, but that’s not enough for me to warrant 6.5 points.
I told you not to
give the Tennessee Titans 6.5 points.
Kansas City Chiefs 1-0 (-4) @ Baltimore Ravens 0-1 (54.5): Ravens 30-28 Ravens 36-35
Sunday, 8:20 PM, M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, MD (Weather: Clear; low 70s)
Keys: The two teams most expect to come out of the AFC should put on a show Sunday night, especially after one team was down nine points in the 4th quarter and nearly lost to the Cleveland Browns and one team squandered two separate 14-point leads and did lose to the Las Vegas Raiders. The Ravens are one of the best teams in the NFL top to bottom, and although the losses of Gus Edwards and Marcus Peters are yet to be fully quantified, they still feature one of the best defensive fronts and secondary's in the league, which is trouble for Patrick Mahomes. The Ravens can’t afford to fall two games back in a competitive AFC North no matter how banged up they are, and four points is too much anyway for a hyper-talented Ravens team at home coming off a loss, I don’t care how good the Chiefs are.
Another “I told
you” game after suffering the worst week of our six-year career calling games
against the spread at PFM, the Ravens didn’t just cover - they won. Both teams
turned the ball over, both teams committed a number of errors, but Lamar
Jackson led the Ravens in everything again, including two 4th
quarter drives that produced 12 unanswered points to turn a 35-24 deficit into a
one-point victory, despite failing to convert both 2-point conversions. It
wasn’t pretty for Jackson, but he finally beat the Chiefs after four grueling
tries.
Detroit Lions 0-1 (+11.5) @ Green Bay Packers 0-1 (48): Packers 27-17 Packers 35-17
Monday, 8:15 PM, Lambeau Field, Green Bay, WI (Weather: 60% storms; low 60s)
Keys: It’s pretty safe to assume the Packers won’t be losing this game, despite not winning a game of any type so far in 2021, so it’s really a matter of how badly they beat Detroit. Considering the dome team could be playing in the slop there’s a good chance Green Bay covers, but that depends on Aaron Rodgers, and by the looks of that hair and mustache he’s hit Lebowski-esque nihilist levels.
Well, the Lions almost covered. Up 17-14 entering the 2nd half, Aaron Rodgers finally stopped pouting and took the Packers on a 21-0 2nd half unanswered whirlwind to snatch the soul right out of the Detroit Lions, their new QB Jared “I Might Be Dead” Goff and their new head coach and steroid distributor, Dan Campbell.
Stay tuned for PRO FOOTBALL MEDIA Week 2: #NFL Game Predictions (w/ spreads & analysis) TNF Edition coming Thursday!
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