Ugh! The torturous, agonizing, miserable experience of being a Redskins fan. We got our arses handed to us by the Bears (31-15). It was a pathetic experience, the first 2 quarters, Case Keenum looked helpless against the Bears defense. Our defense looked unsteady and anemic. Our offense was nonexistent, and by halftime, the score was already 28-3. The annoying talking heads over at Monday Night Football were talking about firing Gruden, firing Manusky and benching Keenum over Haskins. First of all, somebody will be fired soon if we do not turn this thing around immediately. Manusky might be the first casualty, and Rob Ryan will be elevated to defensive coordinator, which I am not sure that would be the best solution for our defensive woes.
The second half was a different tale. The defense kept the Bears from scoring any more touchdowns and limited them to only one field goal in the 4th. That made the game a lot more exciting to watch. Our offense begun to move the ball around better, we put together some drives, but Keenum still seemed shaky, and made one of the dumbest 4th & 1 plays I have ever seen!! We only managed to score 2 touchdowns and failed twice to score on a 2 point conversion. They got away from the run in the first half; they were unable to utilize Adrian Peterson and Chris Thompson effectively throughout the whole game. The only positive from our offense is the emergence of Terry McLaurin and Paul Richardson as our best offensive targets. This team is in complete disarray, and I feel for the fan base living in the DC area who have to endure this misery week after week. Plus, the unpleasant experience of actually attending Redskins games at FedEx Field, which is another thing that sucks about being a Redskins fan.
My current overall disposition regarding the state of my Redskins: DISTURBED!!
And now for the rest of the league:
49ers 24-Steelers 20: The 49ers are beginning to make some noise in the NFC West, their defense is solid, and they have a well-balanced running game. They are 3-0, and their future looks promising. The Steelers are winless, and Mike Tomlin’s seat will be getting hotter and hotter if they fall to 0-4 after next week. Although they did play well enough under Mason Rudolph to keep the game competitive.
Panthers 30-Cardinals 20: Kyle Allen showed up big time for the Panthers replacing Cam Newton; throwing multiple touchdowns with zero interceptions. McCaffrey was on fire again, and old man Olsen did his thing when it mattered. They finally got it done, although against a struggling team like the Cardinals, but a win is still a win and the NFC South is entirely up for grabs. Kyler Murray continues to struggle.
Lions 27-Eagles 24: This Lions team is better than I expected; their defense is pretty good and can keep their offense in games. The Eagles losing brought much joy into my Sunday afternoon, they are now 1-2, which gives my Redskins a chance to make a run at this division still.
Cowboys 31-Dolphins 6: I said it before and I will repeat it, the Dolphins are playing for the future and the #1 overall pick in next year’s draft. The Cowboys are nothing but smoke and mirrors. They are currently 3-0, but it is all just a mirage, their record is fool’s gold, and they will collapse soon enough.
Vikings 31-Raiders 14: Dalvin cook is making a case for the best running back in the league. Kirk Cousins did minimal work and did not turned the ball over, which is a significant factor for the Vikings to have a chance to make some noise in the NFC North. Minnesota’s defense is elite and will keep them in games. The Raiders are getting better quarterback play from Derek Carr, and I still feel they are a much-improved team from last season.
Giants 32-Buccaneers 31: The Daniel Jones era has begun, and I am not impressed. He can run that is for sure, he is more of a mobile quarterback than Eli Manning ever was, and he seems to have a strong arm, but this victory is more about Tampa Bay blowing this game than NY wining it. Sure, NY did what they were supposed to do to win the game, but the Bucs defense allowed way too many big plays in the 4th quarter. Both these teams are now 1-2, but the Buccaneers have a better chance to make it to the playoffs than the Giants.
Chiefs 33-Ravens 28: Lamar Jackson woke up in the 4th quarter and tried to make it interesting, but to no avail. Mark Ingram scored 3 touchdowns, and that was the main highlight for now 2-1 Ravens. Kansas City is 3-0, and Patrick Mahomes continues to dazzle, he made big plays and had no interceptions. Picking up LeSean McCoy was the right move, partnering him with Darrel Williams in the running game adds an extra dose of firepower for this very explosive Chiefs offense.
Texans 27-Chargers 20: The running game was nonexistent in this game, both Phillip Rivers and Deshaun Watson turned this game into an aerial affair with each QB throwing for over 300 yards, but the Chargers ran out of ammunition by the second half, and the Texans came on top. The Chargers need to resolve the Melvin Gordon contract situation soon; their season is hanging by a thin thread.
Patriots 30-Jets 14: I still stand firm with the belief that the Patriots are way overrated, they are 3-0, but they have not played anyone dangerous as of yet. The Bills should make things interesting next week. The Jets cannot get anything going on offense. They cannot get their wide receivers involved in the passing game, and they do not stay committed to the run, even though they have Leveon Bell who is one of the most talented running backs in entire the game of football. Their 0-3 record reflects how terrible and disappointing this team is.
Bills 21-Bengals 17: The Bills defense is one of the best in the league right now, they kept the Bengals scoreless until the 3rd quarter. Nobody expected the Bills to be 3-0 at the start of the season; Josh Allen is a dual-threat, it seems Buffalo has something special here, but their big test comes next week in the form of Belicheater and his overrated Patriots. The Bengals are a mess, and Andy Dalton seems to have regressed.
Saints 33-Seahawks 27: Russell Wilson and the Seahawks came crashing down at home against Terry Bridgewater, Alvin Kamara, and company. This victory was huge for the Saints without Drew Brees. It proves that the Saints can win games away from New Orleans without their star QB. The Seahawks took over the game in the 4th quarter and came close to taking this game into overtime. Both teams are 2-1, and there is much football left to play this season.
Jaguars 20-Titans 7: Gardner Minshew won his first game as a starting QB in the NFL, and apparently he is somewhat of a celebrity due to his very eccentric personality. I had no idea who he was until this past Thursday night game. He played a great game and protected the ball well with zero turnovers. The Jaguars might be on to something with this kid. The Titans are struggling to put points on the board, Mariota moved the ball around well but failed to score any TD’s. Both teams are 1-2, and it is still very early in the season, so write them entirely off.
Rams 20-Browns 13: Wade Phillips and his defense made things tough for Baker Mayfield. They stopped the Browns from making a late-game run, and they are now 1-2. The AFC North is a mess right now; the Ravens-Browns game will be an interesting one. This game was way too close for a Rams team that has Superbowl aspirations; they need to get Todd Gurley going soon.
Colts 27-Falcons 24: Jacoby Brissett is slowly but surely becoming an exciting quarterback to watch. Marlon Mack and TY Hilton are the Colts top offensive weapons. The AFC South is wide open for the Colts. The Falcons got completely shut out from scoring until the 3rd quarter, and they turned it on in the 4th, but you cannot expect to win games in this league getting way behind in the score like Atlanta did. I find it interesting that the Falcons have not been the same team since Kyle Shanahan left.
Packers 27-Broncos 16: Flacco is apparently not the answer at quarterback for Denver, and the Broncos find themselves at 0-3. Will Vic Fangio get a second season? We shall see how this season unfolds for the Broncos. The Packers are 3-0 and 2 games ahead in their division, but the Vikings, the Bears, and even the Lions will make things tough for Green Bay as the season progresses.
Rod Rioja 