"The Stack" 9-29-17
It’s a Football Friday and I just realized that I didn’t offer a prediction for last night’s game. Needless to say I had the Packers winning and they did 35-14 though everyone is talking about the hit on Devante Adams. That was brutal. How will the rest of week 4 fair? Let’s find out how the rest of the picks will be in “the stack” for today, Friday, September 28th:
New Orleans Saints @ Miami Dolphins 9:30 PM ET FOX (London)
A second game in London. The Dolphins looked like crap last week against the Jets while the Saints played really well in Charlotte. Can the Dolphins defense contain Drew Brees? It’s going to be tough. Their offense needs to perform much better, but against a bad Saints defense, I think they can get it done.
Prediction: Dolphins 27 Saints 23
Buffalo Bills @ Atlanta Falcons 1 PM ET CBS
The Falcons survived a scare and were essentially gifted a win last week against the Lions. Matt Ryan did not play well. He will play much better this week and the Falcons won’t need to sweat it out in the final seconds as they begin the first of four straight games against the AFC East. And no, Chick-Fil-A will not be open. They are still closed on Sundays.
Prediction: Falcons 30 Bills 17
Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens 1 PM ET CBS
The Ravens were essentially a no show in London last weekend. The Steelers were a no show in Chicago. Something has to give. Perhaps the Steelers were a little preoccupied. I don’t think the Ravens offense can keep up with the Steelers and while the Ravens defense will be better than they were last week, the Steelers offense does just enough to get the win.
Prediction: Steelers 24 Ravens 16
Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns 1 PM ET CBS
The battle for Ohio. If both teams are winless, does this game even make a sound? Does anyone really care? The Bengals should have beaten the Packers last week. I think they eke a win out in the Factory of Sadness.
Prediction: Bengals 20 Browns 17
Los Angeles Rams @ Dallas Cowboys 1 PM ET FOX
The Rams offense is the highest scoring offense in the league. I’ll let that sink in. Against a Cowboys defense that may be without linebacker Sean Lee, I do think they keep this game close, but I think Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott are just too much and the Cowboys pull away late.
Prediction: Cowboys 30 Rams 24
Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans 1 PM ET CBS
The Titans have looked impressive the last two weeks, but you have to give Houston major props for how they played last week in New England. Deshaun Watson will make his first home start and I think playing at home will help the Texans squeak one out in a slugfest with a Titans team that certainly won’t mind a grind-it-out sort of game.
Prediction: Texans 20 Titans 17
Detroit Lions @ Minnesota Vikings 1 PM ET FOX
No Sam Bradford again this week for this week for the Vikings. That sucks, but Case Keenum played really well last week. The Lions are salty after that loss last week, but the Vikings are salty after getting swept by the Lions last year. Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen and Dalvin Cook have good games and the Vikings exact revenge and take down the Lions.
Prediction: Vikings 27 Lions 16
Carolina Panthers @ New England Patriots 1 PM ET FOX
The Panthers offense is in serious trouble. Good thing the Patriots defense isn’t that good. Cam Newton hasn’t played great, but the recovery from shoulder surgery has to have played a factor. Tom Brady and the Patriots offense will be too much and they will run away with this one.
Prediction: Patriots 37 Panthers 17
Jacksonville Jaguars @ New York Jets 1 PM ET CBS
The Jets played well last week which was a surprise, but what the Jaguars did was even more surprising. They have more talent and if Blake Bortles can be even slightly competent, the Jaguars should come away with a victory.
Prediction: Jaguars 20 Jets 10
San Francisco 49ers @ Arizona Cardinals 4:05 PM ET FOX
The Cardinals really let one get away from them Monday night against Dallas. The 49ers I’m sure are still a little upset with how they lost last week to the Rams. The Cardinals will be a desperate team and they have more talent. They’ll find a way to win this game.
Prediction: Cardinals 27 49ers 13
Philadelphia Eagles @ Los Angeles Chargers 4:05 PM ET FOX
The Chargers have not enjoyed a nice homefield advantage their first two games. They didn’t look great last week against the Chiefs. At some point they will get a win, but until they can show they can put it all together, I think I will take Carson Wentz and the Eagles for the win.
Prediction: Eagles 23 Chargers 17
New York Giants @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4:05 PM ET FOX
OBJ is in the Giants doghouse, but there is good news. They get to play the Buccaneers who don’t have a great secondary. If OBJ has a big game, the Giants can get a win and maybe salvage the season. Jameis Winston has to play better than he did last week if the Bucs want to win and show they can take that next step. Thinking upset here.
Prediction: Giants 24 Buccaneers 20
Oakland Raiders @ Denver Broncos 4:25 PM ET CBS
The Raiders looked terrible Sunday night in our nation’s capital. Derek Carr put the blame squarely on his shoulders. If he doesn’t play extremely well in this game against a vaunted Broncos defense, the Raiders are going to be 2-2 and likely two games back of the Kansas City Chiefs by the end of the week. I fear that might happen.
Prediction: Broncos 23 Raiders 20
Indianapolis Colts @ Seattle Seahawks 8:30 PM ET NBC
The Colts have looked far more competent with Jacoby Brissett as their quarterback than they did with Scott Tolzien. T.Y. Hilton is not going to have a big game and Russell Wilson should have a field day against that bad Colts defense.
Prediction: Seahawks 27 Colts 13
One final thing before we go. Just to expand on what I said Tuesday regarding the owners and the national anthem. I'm glad the owners stood with the players, released statements and backed their players up after they were verbally assaulted. They need to continue to do this so that it doesn't seem hollow or like a one-time publicity stunt. Signing Colin Kaepernick would be something too. It's interesting how San Francisco 49ers owner Jed York has come out so strong against the comments last week yet it was his team that chose to move on from Kaepernick. That's where the words seem hollow. I hope to continue to do what they did last week or everything will seem hollow and my support for them will wane and go out the window.
Coming up Monday: Sunday week 4 NFL reaction plus MNF preview
