Sports - idleguy.com September 2025

Seattle Seahawks (-1.5, 43.5) at Arizona Cardinals 8:15 pm - Apparently, nobody has figured out the NFC West, as the division figures to be a dogfight until the very end of the season. Arizona lost in the final seconds last week to the 49ers, 16-15, but thanks to getting points, still managed to cover, leaving San Fran unbeaten at 3-0, the other three teams at 2-1, none of which means anything at this early point of the season.

Being that the Cardinals are at home and getting 1.5, it stands to reason that they will win this game outright. Kyler Murray is off to a good start and these teams are essentially a straight-up, even match, which in most instances would have made the Cardinals a 3-point favorite.

Minnesota Vikings (-2.5, 40.5) vs Pittsburgh Steelers (Dublin ,Ireland) 9:30 am - Minnesota absolutely clubbed the Bengals last week, 48-10, which makes them look like a powerhouse, even with Carson Wentz calling signals.

Wentz didn’t even have to play well, though he did. The Bengals might as well have been the Bungles, given their five turnovers. Even the worst NFL team would likely win big given such an advantage. They shouldn’t be favored against the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers is settling in and has Pittsburgh at 2-1 after a 21-14 win at New England. The Steelers need a running game and they’ll probably get one this week courtesy of the Vikings.

Washington Commanders (-1.5, 45.5) at Atlanta Falcons 1:00 pm - Atlanta is having its problems settling in with Michael Penix Jr. at QB. He threw two INTs last week and hasn’t quite caught up to the speed of the NFL. Losing 30-0 to the Panthers isn’t a good look.

Washington QB, Jayden Daniels, is still questionable as of Thursday, but the Commanders may not need him. The offense rolled to a 41-24 win over Las Vegas last week. Atlanta looks to be in a tough spot on the road here. If Washington’s defense steps up even a little, it’s going to be a long day for the Falcons.

New Orleans Saints at Buffalo Bills (-16.5, 47.5) 1:00 pm - Huge line for what appears to be the most lopsided game of the week.

Not much though required in a contest between a 3-0 team that went to the AFC championship last week and the 0-3 Saints with Spencer Rattler running the offense. No thanks.

Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions (-9, 44.5) 1:00 pm - Cleveland stunned everyone, maybe even themselves, beating the Packer last weekend, and one has to wonder if their defense is really that good or whether Jordan Love just had a bad day. It is probably a little of both. Love threw one TD and one pick, was sacked five times and the Browns held Green Bay to 2.6 yards per carry (31 rushes, 81 yards).

Detroit took care of business against the Ravens on Monday night, but they’re facing a much better defensive team who could become very dangerous in a close game.

Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans (-7, 38.5) 1:00 pm - A battle of winless teams in the AFC South figure to go the way of the Texans since they are at home and could have conceivably won at least two of those games.

Tennessee hasn’t covered the spread yet and may not do so again. The trend is usually a friend, and rookie QB Cam Ward hasn’t made a difference yet. Some day he might, but look at the troubles the Bears’ Caleb Williams had his rookie season. The NFL isn’t often kind to #1 draft picks, especially when their team doesn’t have a defense. The Titans have allowed 94 points, just three fewer than the Dolphins, who are the worst in the league.

Carolina Panthers at New England Patriots (-5.5, 43) 1:00 pm - The Panters were shocking 30-0 winners at home over Atlanta. Has Bryce Young finally hit his groove in the NFL, or is Atlanta simply not very good? Either way, Carolina doesn’t appear to be the pushovers they were last year and New England is also improved, but by how much?

This figures otherwise be a close defensive battle as the offenses are not very proficient and the defenses are halfway decent. Panthers with points seems a pretty fair option.

Los Angeles Chargers (-6.5, 44) at New York Giants 1:00 pm - The Chargers are one of six teams that are still undefeated while the Giants are one of six without a win.

New York has passed the baton from Russell Wilson to Jaxson Dart. Guess which way this one’s going to go.

Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5, 44) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1:00 pm - The Eagles have been living dangerously, having won all three of their games by a combined 14 points, and they deserved to lose last week to the Rams. Philly’s offense isn’t really clicking, though the defense has bailed them out thus far.

Talk about winning close games, the Bucs haven’t exactly been blowing people away, though they are 3-0, winning by 3, 1, and 2 points. They seem to play to the level of their competition, so it’s unlikely that the Eagles will have their way with them.

Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Rams (-3.5, 49.5) 4:05 pm - This would have been a match-up of unbeaten if not for the Rams having their potential game-winning FG blocked and returned for a TD last week at Philly, so it’s hard to fault the oddsmakers putting them up as favorites at home.

The Colts were expected to be good this season, but how good? Wins over Miami and Tennessee were blowouts, sandwiching a 29-28 home win over the Broncos. Daniel Jones seems to be loving life with his new teammates, and they may be good enough to win here. There hasn’t been been a lot of consistency in the league yet, so here’s maybe another head-scratcher.

Jacksonville Jaguars at San Francisco 49ers (-3, 47) 4:05 pm - San Fran has beaten Seattle by four, New Orleans by five points and Arizona by one. That’s certainly not domination and Jacksonville has shown a willingness to get the job done in a variety of ways. Their only loss was a 31-27 setback at Cincinnati two weeks ago.

The question is whether Trevor Lawrence is finding his best stride or if the Jags are just good at home. We’ll find out here. Brock Purdy may still not be ready to play and now backup Mac Jones is dinged up and listed as questionable as well. Last season, injuries really hampered the 49ers. Could it happen again?

Baltimore Ravens (-2.5, 48.5) at Kansas City Chiefs 4:25 pm - This game is certain to get the most attention around the league. Both teams were supposed to be top contenders for the AFC chapionship and maybe beyond, but they’ve started out 1-2.

Baltimore has had serious issues stopping anything that moves and the Chiefs offense has looked just a little short of pathetic. Neither QB, Mahomes or Jackson sees to be in a good mood about the way things are going, and Lamar actually seemed irked about Derrick Henry’s inability to crease the line of scrimmage in last week’s loss to the Lions.

Both teams have very tough schedules ahead and a loss here would be damaging to morale. Interestingly, the Ravens are favored, and it cold go either way. Maybe just take the over and hope for the best.

Chicago Bears at Las Vegas Raiders (-1, 48) 4:25 pm - This is an impossible situation. The Raiders haven’t won at home and the Bears haven’t won on the road. Both are 1-2. Geno Smith is a proven commodity at QB for Vegas, while Caleb Williams seems to be still finding his way.

It cold be the most meaningless game thus far this season as neither team is likely to reach the playoffs, and even the oddsmakers are stumped.

Green Bay Packers (-7, 47.5) at Dallas Cowboys 8:20 pm - The Cowboys may get reunited with former teammate Micah Parsons, though he may be limited. The Packers were stunned by the Browns last week, 13-10, but the Cowboys are nowhere near as solid defensively as Cleveland, so one has to figure Green Bay will rebound.

The line indicates that the Cowboys are just pretending to be a good team, but making the Packers a seven-point favorite on the road just smells fishy, especially on a Sunday night contest. If NBC needs the ratings (they do), this one better be close.

New York Jets at Miami Dolphins (-3, 45) 7:15 pm - Is this what Monday night has become? An insufferable contest between 0-3 teams to decide which will own the basement of the AFC East?

Guess that’s it, though the Dolphins deserve an edge if Justin Fields isn’t 100% and they’re at home, which should count for something. Hard to gauge which of these teams is worse, though it actually could be Miami.

Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos (-7, 44) 8:15 pm - Denver should own the Bengals here. Their defense is one of the best in the league and home field against a Cincy team without Joe Burrow is a huge advantage.

It’s too bad about Burrow, but if you can’t avoid repeatedly being injured the Hall of Fame becomes a place you just visit. Meanwhile, the Broncos are probably the best 1-2 team in the league. Bo Nix should have a field day against Cincinnati’s defense.

Miami Dolphins at Buffalo Bills (-11.5, 50.5) 8:15 pm - The Bills were all business on Sunday, dismantling the Jets, 30-10, in New York. Back home, even with the short work week, the Bills should dominate another AFC East foe.

The Dolphins were losers at home, 33-27, to New England, as they could not mount a final scoring drive. The defense has allowed 33 points in each of their first two games, both losses, and that’s a problem against Josh Allen and the high-octane Bills.

Atlanta Falcons (-5.5, 43.5) at Carolina Panthers 1:00 pm - Carolina is arguably as bad, if not worse than they were in 2024. Already 0-2, QB Bryce Young is not likely to be able to settle into any kind of rhythm, as the Atlanta defense tore up Minnesota, 22-6, last week, with six sacks and four turnovers.

If Atlanta’s passing game gets into a groove along with the rushing of Bijan Robinson, this could be over by halftime.

Green Bay Packers (-7.5, 41.5) at Cleveland Browns 1:00 pm - Cleveland has a couple of things going for it as they seek their first win of the season. They have a healthy QB in Joe Flacco, a good defense and they’re at home. Beyond that, they have little in the way of a running game and have scored 16 and 17 points in successive weeks.

Now facing what appears to be one of the better defenses in the league, the Brown will be lucky to find the end zone. They may score three or four field goals, but that’s about it. The Packers are 2-0 for a number of reasons, mostly due to the play of Micah Parsons on defense and QB Jordan Love and RB Josh Jacobs on offense. They look like the team to beat in the NFC right now.

Houston Texans at Jacksonville Jaguars (-1.5, 44) 1:00 pm - Very intriguing divisional game, with Houston already chasing Indianapolis in the Central after a disapointing, 20-19 loss at home to Tampa Bay on Monday night. Now they have to travel and figure out why they couldn’t finish drives all night against the Buccaneers.

Jacksonville is looking like one of the more revitalized teams in the league after a 26-10 laugher over Carolina in Week 1 and last week’s close call - 31-27 - in a loss at Cincinnati.

If Jacksonville’s offense can stay on the field, their defense should be able to shut down the Texans and put them in an awkward 1-2 spot.

Cincinnati Bengals at Minnesota Vikings (-3, 42.5) 1:00 pm - Both teams will be starting backups at QB: Jake Browning for the Bengals and Carson Wentz for the Vikings.

Things could go Cincy’s way if Browning performs. He has skilled receivers and good experience with the Bengals. Wentz, now 32, has never really impressed at any of his stops over the past nine seasons. Don’t forget, despite not having Joe Burrow behind center, the Bengals are 2-0. At this time last season, they were 0-2, headed toward 0-3.

Minnesota may have made a costly error keeping J.J. McCarthy over Sam Arnold. This could be the start of a lot of losses.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-1.5, 44.5) at New England Patriots 1:00 pm - Well, Aaron Rodgers looked great in Week 1, not so good in Week 2 (18-33, 1 TD, 2 INT in 31-17 home loss to Seattle).

New England doesn’t have a great defense, but they’ll probably be good enough if they can take away DK Metcalf and get the Steelers in 3rd-and-long situations. QB Drake Maye is maturing for the Patriots. This is a young squad with loads of upside potential.

Los Angeles Rams at Philadelphia Eagles (-3.5, 44) 1:00 pm - This is a rematch of last season’s NFC Championship, which the Eagles won, 28-22, and then went on to win the Super Bowl.

Both teams enter this game 2-0, but the Eagles are coming off an emotional win at Kansas City in which neither team actually looked very solid offensively. The Eagles may be a bit flat, while the Rams have plenty to prove and the revenge factor in their favor. 3.5 points seems a little generous.

New York Jets at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-6.5, 43.5) 1:00 pm - The Jets have had two home games back-to-back and lost them both. How can they be expected to perform on the road, especially with Justin Fields out. If backup QB Tyrod Taylor gets hurt, who’s next?

Tampa Bay’s defense was very sound against the Texans last week, winning on the road, 20-19. With the triad of Baker Mayfield, Bucky Irving, and Mike Evans getting the bulk of the workload on offense, the Jets will probably fall behind early and just do enough to see the game to its end, go home, and think about the rest of the season.

Indianapolis Colts (-4, 43.5) at Tennessee Titans 1:00 pm - About the easiest thing to do this season is bet against the Titans. Now, it’s unlikely that they’ll not cover in every game this season, but so far they’re 0-2 straight up and against the line. The Colts are on fire, 2-0, and haven’t yet punted this season. RB Jonathan Taylor should rush for 120 yards.

Look for Colts’ DE Lantau Latu to get well-acquainted with Titans’ rookie QB and #1 draft pick Cam Ward, who’s so far shown little. QBR of 20.6, completion % of 50.8, 1 TD, 0 INT.

Las Vegas Raiders at Washington Commanders (-3.5, 44) 1:00 pm - Jaden Daniels has been ruled out for this contest, meaning Marcus Mariota will start at QB for Washington. It’s helpful that the Commanders are at home and that they’re playing a west coast team on short rest. The Raiders lost to the Chargers 20-9 Monday night.

The Commanders should generate enough offense to stay competitive in this game, though that’s hardly a sure thing. Geno Smith, Brock Bowers, and Ashton Jeanty might get the offense in gear and the Commanders are short some keys on offense.

Denver Broncos at Los Angeles Chargers (-2.5, 46) 4:05 pm - While it’s too early to write off the Chiefs, these two teams are very likely to be in the thick of the AFC West race throughout the season, so this shapes up as a key game.

The Broncos have arguably not looked well on offense. Bo Nix may be suffering from a sophomore setback, though the defense is still top shelf. The Chargers have done nothing wrong, going 2-0 with wins over the Chiefs and Raiders the first two weeks. If they’re -3 or less by game time, take them for the win.

New Orleans Saints at Seattle Seahawks (-7, 42) 4:05 pm - The Saints are 0-2 with both losses coming at home. Hoping to get their first win in 2025 on the road at noisy Seattle is a long shot, worthy of being at least a touchdown underdog.

Seattle’s tough home loss to the 49ers (17-13) was followed up with a stunning 31-17 win at Pittsburgh last week. Sam Darnold is finding out what works on the Seahawk offense and should be on target at home. The Saints have just kind of hung around in their two losses. This one could be worse.

Dallas Cowboys (-1, 51) at Chicago Bears 4:25 pm - Neither team has impress so far. Dallas had to go to overtime to defeat the Giants, in an improbable, 40-37 OT win to get their first W of the season.

The Bears blow a lead in their Week 1, 27-24, loss to Minnesota and then got buried 52-21 by the Lions. Caleb Williams, who’s now starting his 20th game as an NFL QB still hasn’t figured it out. Someday he might and this could be the right place to do so.

Arizona Cardinals at San Francisco 49ers (-2.5, 45.5) 4:25 pm - Both the Cardinals and 49ers are 2-0, so this could shapes up to be a useful game looking forward in the NFC West. SF QB Brock Purdy missed last week’s 26-21 win at New Orleans and he’s still listed as questionable as of Friday.

Arizona is sneaky good this season. Kyler Murray has figured out that he doesn’t have to do everything himself and can use all of his offensive tools. He’s hitting on 70% of his passes this season with 3 TDs and 1 pick. The AZ defense also looks solid and healthy.

Kansas City Chiefs (-6, 45) at New York Giants 8:20 pm - Do the Giants actually have something going offensively with Russell Wilson and rookie RB Cam Scattebo or is the Dallas defense - which gave up 37 points to the Giants last week - just bad?

Most people would think that Kansas City will get its act together and swamp the 0-2 Giants, but this one could be a shocker. The Chiefs haven’t looked 100% since losing the Super Bowl to the Eagles and the offense lacks a deep threat. All great teams go through rough patches and this just seems like one for Kansas City. Being on the road after a tough loss doesn’t help.

Detroit Lions at Baltimore Ravens (-4.5, 52) 8:15 pm - It’s tempting to take the Lions getting points in this contest. Baltimore hasn’t really shown much in the way of defense outside their effort against a punchless Cleveland team last week in a 41-17 win.

By whipping up on the Bears, 52-21, the Lions proved how good the Packers are (Green Bay won 27-13 in Week 1 vs. Detroit) and maybe how porous the Chicago defense is. They also showed they can still score bunches of points, which makes this a shootout kind of affair, one in which the points may come in handy.

US Open

Carlos Alcaraz Takes Second US Open Title

Sept. 7, 2025: Spain's Carlos Alcaraz defeated his main rival, Italy's Jannik Sinner, to capture the 2025 U.S. Open Men's Singles title. Alcaraz first won the Open in 2022. The victory marks the sixth major title for Alcaraz.

Dominating the match, Alcaraz took the championship in four sets, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. The rivals met in a Grand Slam final for the third time this year, with Alcaraz winning the French Open and Sinner winning at Wimbledon. Sinner also won the Australian Open, evenly splitting the majors with Alcaraz.

Sabalenka Wins Second US Open Singles Title

Update, Sept. 6: Aryna Sabalenka won her second straight U.S. Open title and fourth major, defeating Amanada Anisimova 6-3, 7-6 (3). Sabalenka is the first woman to win the Open in back-to-back years since Serena Williams won three straight from 2012-2014.

The victory was the first major win of the year for Sabalenka, who lost in the finals of the Australian and French Opens earlier this year.

The men's final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner is Sunday at 2:00 pm ET.

US Open Finals Set

Saturday, Sept. 6, the women's final at the US Open features Aryna Sabalenka (left) and Amanda Anisimova (right) at 4:00 pm ET.

On Sunday, Jannik Sinner (left) and Carlos Alcaraz (right) meet for the third consecutive time in a grand slam final (French, Wimbledon). Match time is 2:00 pm ET.

Washington Commanders at Green Bay Packers (-3.5, 48) 8:15 pm - A shame this isn’t on a national TV network (it’s on Prime) because it should be one heck of a game. Both teams are coming off convincing wins. The Packers routed Detroit, 27-13, and they are allowed the luxury of a second straight home game.

Washington was clearly heads and shoulders above the Giants in their debut, winning handily, 21-6. Given that Micah Parsons may be one of the few linebackers or edge rushers that can keep up with the Commanders’ Jayden Daniels and the Packers at at Lambeau, they deserve an edge, though that 1/2-point may be the spread differential as Washington is for real. If it goes to -3, definitely, but if -4, tread lightly.

Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens (-11.5, 45) 1:00 pm - The Browns put up a very good fight against the Bengals, losing by just one point, 17-16. Cleveland’s defense is not to be doubted. While Joe Flacco was efficient, Cleveland needs to be effective in the red zone. Don’t forget, Flacco won a Super Bowl with the Ravens in 2013 (34-31 over the 49ers), so there’s motivation for him.

Baltimore’s defense left much to be desired in Buffalo last week, losing 41-40, but Flacco is no Josh Allen. There’s a chance the Browns could turn in the upset of the week here. Worth a shot with the biggest line on the board.

Jacksonville Jaguars at Cincinnati Bengals (-3.5, 48.5) 1:00 pm - The Jags looked solid in their 26-10 win over Carolina last week, but they hit the road here for Cincinnati’s home opener. One has to think that the Bengals will open the floodgates offensively against a Jacksonville defense that was tied for 31st defensively and allowed an average of 25.6 points per game in 2024. They may be improved, but not that much.

Joe Burrow threw for just 113 yards against Cleveland, going 14-for 23 with one TD and was sacked three times but did not throw any picks. Expect his fantasy believers to get bigger numbers this week.

New York Giants at Dallas Cowboys (-6, 44) 1:00 pm - Dallas showed they were not going to be taken lightly in the season-opening, 24-20 loss at Philly last week. If CeeDee Lamb had held onto a few more passes, the result could have been different.

The Giants are still seeking their first touchdown of the season after their 2-16 loss at Washington and may not get one here. Russell Wilson may be on a very short leash as Jaxson Dart appears to be the future for this sorry squad.

Chicago Bears at Detroit Lions (-5.5, 47.5) 1:00 pm - Detroit was embarrassed by the Packers in the 27-13 opener loss, but the Bears were their own worst enemy in their Monday night loss to the Vikings, allowing 21 unanswered points in the 4th quarter, losing 27-24. Chicago needs to be more urgent on offense, but it’s a question of whether or not Caleb Williams will be making the right decisions. The defense was also a letdown late in that game.

Detroit is good enough to understand they were taken to the cleaners by a very focused Green Bay squad and should make amends, though it could be a bit dicey. We’ll see if the Lions are as good as advertised.

New England Patriots at Miami Dolphins (-1, 43.5) 1:00 pm - Daniel Jones and the Colts schooled the Dolphins in Week 1, 33-8, but Miami looked bad on both sides of the ball because the Colts are a better team this season and are likely to vie for the top spot in the AFC South.

The Patriots lost at home, 20-13 to Las Vegas, and they have no running game to speak of, so, if Miami gets off to an early lead, it may be a long afternoon in the heat for Drake Maye and company. Head coach Mike Vrable is probably not too happy with this group, as he is very much about physicality, time of possession, and running the football. May be a bad mix.

San Francisco 49ers (-4.5, 42.5) at New Orleans Saints 1:00 pm - The 49ers needed a late TD to escape Seattle with a 17-13 win last week, and they’ll need to keep up the intensity against the Saints, a team that looks as bad as their 5-12 mark from last season after their home-opening loss to Arizona, 20-13.

Not forgetting that the 49ers slumped to 6-11 in 2024, they are In a somewhat rebuilding mode, so the Saints may keep it close if not pull an upset. They are at home for the second straight week and San Fran hasn’t seen the Bay yet this season.

Buffalo Bills (-6.5, 46.5) at New York Jets 1:00 pm - This should be a high-scoring affair as the two teams were involved in last week’s biggest offensive showings, the Bills winning 41-40 at home over the Ravens, the Jets losing at home, 34-32.

The Jets lost twice to the Bills last season: 23-20 at home and 40-14 in Bills’ country. The Jets are better with Justin Fields than they were with Aaron Rodgers, so expect them to find the end zone fairly often as Buffalo has shown no defensive prowess. Home teams getting 6 or more in divisional games is a 65% winner over time.

Seattle Seahawks at Pittsburgh Steelers (-3, 40) 1:00 pm - Aaron Rodgers looked revitalized in the Steelers’ 34-32 win at the Jets last week and the team is likely to improve defensively.

Seattle toughed it out in a 17-13 home loss to the 49ers, but this may be a road too far for Geno Smith and his fellow Seahawks. Rodgers should light it up for a few scores at least and the defense should manage to improve over last week’s somewhat shoddy performance.

Los Angeles Rams (-5.5, 42) at Tennessee Titans 1:00 pm - The Rams’ 14-9 win over Houston last week was a very hard-fought win, proving that LA is the likely best team in the NFC West. Houston did not score a touchdown and Matthew Stafford had a 109.1 QB rating. He found Puka Nacua 10 times for 130 yards alone.

The Titans couldn’t generate much offense against Denver. Cam Ward was just 12 of 28 for 112 yards and was sacked six times. While Ward can hum it, he’s still a rookie, and rookies make errors. LA wins big.

Carolina Panthers at Arizona Cardinals (-6.5, 44.5) 4:05 pm - Carolina got taken apart at Jacksonville in their opener, 26-10, and they appear to be no better than their 2024 squad that went 5-12 last season.

The Cardinals took care of business in a 20-13 win at New Orleans and the fans will be loud for their home opener. Kyler Murray seems to be hitting his stride as an NFL QB, making the right reads and the right moves though he was sacked five times by the Saints. Should have an easier time of it against the Panthers. Arizona is a real sleeper to make the playoffs this season.

Denver Broncos (-2, 42.5) at Indianapolis Colts 4:05 pm - Bo Nix didn’t look very sharp, even though the Broncos prevailed at home over the Titans last week, 20-12. He’s a fiery kind of leaders and should keep the Broncos in this one, but Denver’s defense is the real story. They held the Titans to just 133 yards of offense.

Daniel Jones lit up Miami for 272 yards on 22-27 passing and the Colts’ defense sacked Tua Tagovailoa three times, force a fumble and picked him off twice in Week 1’s biggest rout, 33-8. Hard to see why the Broncos are favored. The Colts could win big here.

Philadelphia Eagles (-1, 47) at Kansas City Chiefs 4:25 pm - A rematch of last year’s Super Bowl is likely to not be a lot of fun for the team that lost that game, 40-22. While the Eagles didn’t overpower the Cowboys in their 24-20 win last Thursday, the Chiefs were shown up by division rival Chargers in a 27-21 loss down in São Paulo, Brazil on Friday. KC trailed the entire game.

There’s a big difference between being at home for your opener and having to play thousands of miles away before getting back home. The Chiefs may show some wear and tear from their trip south of the border and Philly is likely to make them pay.

Atlanta Falcons at Minnesota Vikings (-3.5, 44.5) 8:20 pm - Though there were plenty of doubters, J.J. McCarthy showed his mettle in a 27-24 comeback win at Chicago Monday night. The Vikings defense was also solid, especially in the late stages of the game.

The match-up between McCarthy and Atlanta QB Michael Penix Jr. is intriguing. Both of them could be around for a long time. Atlanta’s Younghoe Koo missed a 44-yard field goal with time expiring that could have tied the game in Atlanta’s 23-20 home loss to Tampa Bay. Look for the Falcons to keep this one close and maybe Koo will get redemption.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Houston Texans (-2.5, 42.5) 7:00 pm - The Buccaneers gutted out a 23-20 win at Atlanta last week but hit the road again in Week 2, facing a very tough Houston squad that went down begrudgingly to the Rams last Sunday, 14-9.

C.J. Stroud and the Houston offense is still looking for their first touchdown and they may get more than a few against the Bucs. Tampa Bay is solid, but Houston is home and they were 5-3 at home last season with a heady schedule. Should be some fireworks in this one, but plenty of rugged defense as well.

Los Angeles Chargers (-3.5, 47) at Las Vegas Raiders 10:00 pm - The Raiders and Chargers are both 1-0 heading into Week 2, the difference being that LA took down the Chiefs, 27-21 in São Paulo while the Raiders won at New England 20-13. The quality of opponent matters.

If the Chargers can avoid a letdown and fatigue from the road, they should manage a solid win in Vegas. The Chargers beat the Raiders twice in 2024, 22-10, and 34-20. The seem to have their number.

Week 3 Preseason Results: Rick: 4-12; Flip: 8-8
Cumulative Preseason: Rick: 21-27; 21-27

Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles (-8.5, 47.5) 8:20 pm - These teams meet twice every year, so it’s not like the Cowboys - minus Micah Parsons - don’t know what to expect. The last time these two teams met with Dallas QB Dad Prescott healthy was December 10, 2025, the result a 33-13 Cowboys win.

Much has changed since then, but it’s a new season, a divisional rivalry and a fat spread. The Cowboys have had ample time to get over the Parsons soap opera and move on against the reigning champs. Philadelphia has the usual awesome offense and stingy defense, but this game might be a little closer than people suspect. Dallas hasn’t imploded yet and a win here - or even a close loss - could go a log way towards building confidence.

Kansas City Chiefs (-3.5, 47) vs Los Angeles Chargers (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 8:00 pm - The long-awaited trip south to South America should be a showcase for two teams that figure to reach the playoffs again in 2025.

Kansas City players, having been to multiple Super Bowls, should be able to shrug off all the excitement and get down to the nitty-gritty. The Chiefs won both meetings in 2024, 17-10, in LA, and 19-17, at home. Being these are usually close games and the line tilted toward the AFC champs, a field goal may decide it, so taking the points may prove out.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2.5, 47.5) at Atlanta Falcons 1:00 pm - Here’s another divisional game with a home dog.

Atlanta, which missed making the playoffs last season by going 2-6 down the stretch, won both games against the Bucs, at home, 36-30 in overtime, and at Tampa, 31-26. Michael Penix Jr. replaced Kirk Cousins at QB for the Falcons after having played the final three games of 2024, so he should be ready to go.

Cincinnati Bengals (-4.5, 47.5) at Cleveland Browns 1:00 pm - Joe Flacco gets the start at QB for the Browns, but he’s overmatched on the other side by Joe Burrow, who rallied the Bengals from a 4-8 start last season by winning their final five games and just missing the playoffs with a 9-8 record.

The Browns harbor no intentions of making the playoffs, or, at least they won’t by mid-season, and the lost to the Bengals twice last year, 21-14 in Cleveland, and 24-6 at Cincy.

Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts (-1.5, 48) 1:00 pm - Both WR Tyreek Hill and RB De’Von Achane are listed as questionable, which helps explain the Colts being the slight favorite.

Both teams went 8-9 last season and have aspirations for post-season play this year. New York outcast, Daniel Jones, won the starting job over Anthony Richardson, and rightfully so. Jones has enough experience to lead the Colts through the season and if Miami isn’t fully healthy, Indy could get off to a solid start.

Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars (-3.5, 46.5) 1:00 pm - These were two of the worst teams in 2024, so it’s fitting they should open the season against each other. Carolina was actually the better of the two, posting a 5-12 mark to Jacksonville’s 4-13.

Both teams are sticking with their young QBs: Bryce Young for the Panthers and Trevor Lawrence for the Jags, but Young probably has more upside despite having played fewer seasons than Lawrence. He matured later in 2024 and should have ample confidence to deliver a victory here. Lawrence missed the second half of last season and is healthy again, but the Jaguars were just 2-7 before his injury.

Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots (-2.5, 43) 1:00 pm - A couple more bottom feeders in this match-up, but the Patriots feel they can improved dramatically over their disappointing 4-13 record from 2024.

Patriot QB Drake Maye has the skills, a year under his belt, and may get some assistance from his defense. The Raiders picked up Geno Smith from Seattle, so this game might actually become interesting. The Raiders were also 4-13 last season and 2-7 in road games, so giving them less than a field goal shouldn’t be an issue.

Arizona Cardinals (-6.5, 43.5) at New Orleans Saints 1:00 pm - Hard to believe the Saints are such heavy underdogs, but, given their 5-12 record from 2024 and Spencer Rattler starting at QB, maybe it isn’t such a stretch.

Arizona missed out on the playoffs last season, going 2-5 after a promising 6-4 start and are always dangerous with Kyler Murray in the backfield. The defense figures to be improved as well.

Pittsburgh Steelers (-2.5, 38.5) at New York Jets 1:00 pm - The long-awaited debut of Aaron Rodgers as a Steeler will be a prime consideration here, especially going up against the team he just left in a shambles.

On the flip side, the Steelers released Justin Fields and the Jets picked him right up and he will start. New York’s secondary may make the aging wonder think twice about taking downfield shots. Jets, as home dogs, may pull off the minor upset.

New York Giants at Washington Commanders (-5.5, 46) 1:00 pm - Russell Wilson gets the start at QB for the Giants, but the big question is what will Jayden Daniels do for an encore after taking the Commanders to the playoffs in his rookie season.

Figure on Daniels to pick up right where he left off, driving opposing defenses crazy. If Washington’s defense improves just a little, Wilson won’t have a promising future as a Giant, where Jaxson Dart awaits his role as starting QB.

Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos (-7, 42.5) 4:05 pm - By game time, the Broncos may be more than a TD favorite as Bo Nix had a swell season as a rookie and plans of making an even better showing in 2025.

For the Titans, all the hope and hype is behind the #1 pick in the draft, QB Cam Ward, out of Miami. Tennessee should generate reasonable offense, but their defense allowed 27 points per game (30th) last season and making a debut at Mile High isn’t the easiest of assignments for Ward.

San Francisco 49ers (-3, 43) at Seattle Seahawks 4:05 pm - There’s no reason to believe that Sam Darnold can’t reproduce the kind of season he had with the Vikings last year and the 49ers don’t appear to have worked out all of the issues from their miserable showing from 2024, finishing at the bottom of the NFC West with a 6-11 mark.

The Seahawks just missed making the playoffs last year, losing a tie-breaker to the Rams at 10-7. They really should be the favorite here.

Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers (-2.5, 47.5) 4:25 pm - The Packers solidified their defense with the addition of Micah Parsons, but he’ll see limited action if he plays at all. The Lions won both meetings last season, but the second game, at Detroit, was a close one, 34-31, which may be a clue to how this plays out.

The league should be catching up to the Lions’ offense and the Packers know their opponent well. This may be the highest total score of the weekend given both teams have potential for big plays.

Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams (-3.5, 43.5) 4:25 pm - Matthew Stafford is listed as the starter, though there remain questions regarding his overall health (back problems).

Both teams were 10-7 last year, won their respective divisions and went 1-1 in the playoffs. The Rams were a play or two away from the Super Bowl in a close loss to the Eagles, while the Texans were ousted by KC after whipping the Chargers, 32-12. Possible down-to-the-wire affair here, which favors the team getting points.

Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills (-2, 51) 8:20 pm - Rematch of last season’s divisional playoff game won by the Bills, 27-25, though the Ravens lost it on a dropped TD pass. Look for Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry and the Ravens to exact a bit of revenge as the Bills are breaking in a host of newcomers on both sides of the ball.

Minnesota Vikings (-1.5, 43.5) at Chicago Bears 8:15 pm - The Vikings tossed Sam Darnold to the wind in favor of J.J. McCarthy, so their potential may be limited. With Justin Jefferson listed as questionable and Jordan Addison suspended for the first three games, McCarthy may not have many downfield options.

Plenty of buzz in Chicago with a new head coach, Caleb Williams entering his second year at QB, and a revamped defense.