Misery and agony that is what this Washington football team evokes from week to week for me. This was another disgusting loss — we lost to one of the worst teams in the league, made out of a roster of backups.
Sam Howell continued to be under siege with mediocre protection. In 7 games, Howell has been sacked 40 times — that is an insane stat. It baffles me that this coaching staff has not figured out ways to provide better protection for this young QB. And yes, I get it; some of those sacks are Howell’s fault — At times, he hangs on to the ball for too long. Nevertheless, the protection sucks. Howell’s day ended with 249 yards, 0 TDs and 1 pick. Not great, but not awful.
On top of all that, the O-Line’s subpar performance is affecting the effectiveness of the Ground game. Brian Robinson, Chris Rodriguez, and Antonio Gibson combined with 17 carries for 61 pathetic yards. This is another ridiculous statistic.
In the first half, the Defense was pushed around and dominated — and they allowed 2 TDs. But in the second half, to their credit, they adjusted and did not allow any more scores. Still, I’m sick and tired of watching this Defense starting games flat, slow, and having to make drastic adjustments halfway through games.
Next, Washington hosts Philadelphia. We already lost to Phily in Overtime back in week 4. So this is another must-win game for Washington. They cannot afford to fall 3 games down in the Division. Jalen Hurts is not 100%, so his mobility should be limited. He needs to beat us with his arm, and I prefer to take our chances with stopping their Passing game.
Washington showed they could hang in there with Phily by taking them into Overtime. However, for this rematch, Washington must improve the QB protection massively, even if we have to use multiple RBs and TEs for extra protection. The secondary needs to step up and neutralize the big yardage plays. My pick, Washington Commanders.
WASHINGTON 7 — NY GIANTS 14
And for the rest of the league…..
EAGLES 31 — DOLPHINS 17
The Eagles outlasted Miami by pulling away from 17-17 late in the game. Jalen Hurts continues to show signs of wear and tear from all the running around. Nevertheless, Hurts managed to pull through the pain and deliver the win. AJ Brown was sensational, finishing with 137 yards and 1 TD. At 6-1, Philadelphia needs to adjust to go without Jalen Hurts for a few weeks potentially. Next, Philadelphia visits Washington. My pick, Washington Commanders.
The Dolphins went toe-to-toe with Philadelphia. But by the 4th quarter, they had run out of ammunition to keep up with the Eagles. At 5-2, Miami remains on top of the AFC East. Next, Miami hosts New England. My pick, the Miami Dolphins.
VIKINGS 22 — 49ERS 17
The Vikings shocked the entire NFL world. They never trailed, and their Defense had an outstanding game at slowing down San Francisco’s dynamic Offensive attack. Kirk Cousins was efficient with 378 yards, 2 TDs, and 1 pick. Rookie WR Jordan Addison had an exceptional game, finishing with 123 yards and 2 TDs. Next, Minnesota visits Green Bay. My pick, Minnesota Vikings.
San Francisco has lost 2 games in a row. Brock Purdy’s turnovers need to be addressed. But there is no reason to panic; the absence of Deboo Samuel and Trent Williams contributed to this disappointing loss. I expect San Francisco to bounce back in week 8. Next, San Francisco hosts Cincinnati. My pick, San Francisco 49ers.
CHIEFS 31 — LA CHARGERS 17
The Chiefs were firing on all cylinders against the Chargers. Patrick Mahomes threw for 424 yards, 4 TDs, and 1 Pick. Travis Kelce was unstoppable, finishing with 179 yards and 1 TD. At 6-1. the Chiefs have a commanding lead in the AFC West. Next, Kansas City visits Denver. My pick, Kansas City Chiefs.
The LA Chargers should be in panic mode. And Brandon Staley’s job is in the hottest seat in the entire NFL. At 2-4, the Chargers risk missing the playoffs altogether. Next, the LA Chargers visit Chicago. My pick, LA Chargers.
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STEELERS 24 — LA RAMS 17
The Steelers won another ugly game. They trailed narrowly for most of the game, but their Offense clicked in the 4th quarter to pull away from the Rams. Their Defense has kept them in close games, but their Offensive deficiencies will eventually come back to haunt them. Next, Pittsburgh hosts Jacksonville. My pick, Jacksonville Jaguars
The Rams’ lack of productivity in the Red Zone was their undoing. They spread the ball around to their playmakers but came out of drives with little to show for. There’s no reason to panic. At 3-4, the Rams are overachieving this season. Next, the Rams visit Dallas. My pick, LA Rams.
BEARS 30 — RAIDERS 12
The Bears pulled off another impressive win. However, they did it without Justin Fields. Rookie QB Tyson Bagent managed to move the Offense around efficiently. At 2-5, Chicago is still alive. Next, Chicago visits the LA Chargers. My pick, LA Chargers.
The Raiders had nothing on Offense to show for — their only points came through 2 Field Goals and 1 late-game TD in garbage time. Josh Jacobs needs more than 11 carries. Brian Hoyer is not providing the steady QB play required by this Offense to thrive. Next, Las Vegas visits Detroit. My pick, Detroit Lions.
RAVENS 38 — LIONS 6
From beginning to end, Baltimore dominated Detroit. Lamar Jackson was outstanding, throwing for 357 yards and 3 passing TDs. 1 Rushing TD and no picks. All of their playmakers contributed to their Offensive production. Plus, their Defense was exceptional at shutting Detroit’s dynamic Offense down to only 1 TD. Next, Baltimore visits Arizona. My pick, Baltimore Ravens.
By halftime, the Lions were in a resounding 28-0 hole, from which they could not crawl out. But there’s no reason to panic; Detroit must shake off this loss and focus on winning their Division. Next, Detroit hosts Las Vegas. My pick, Detroit Lions.
BROWNS 39 — COLTS 38
The Browns are starting to get on a roll. Their top playmakers on all sides of the ball are stepping up and delivering the goods. Surprisingly, Deshaun Watson was pulled out in the 1st quarter — backup QB PJ Walker came in and provided a steady hand to help deliver the win. At 4-3, Cleveland will be under the microscope to see which direction they decide to go on starting QB. Next, Cleveland visits Seattle. My pick, Seattle Seahawks.
Well, Gardner Minshew did what he always does: turn the ball over multiple times per game. And even though 3 of those turnovers became points for Cleveland, the Colts kept his game close to the end. Indy needs to minimize Minshew’s mistakes by relying more on their Ground game. Especially since Jonathan Taylor is back on the active roster. Next, Indianapolis hosts New Orleans. My pick, New Orleans Saints.
BRONCOS 19 — PACKERS 17
The Broncos got a much-needed win — it was an ugly win, but a win nonetheless. Russell Wilson had an effective game, throwing for 194 yards with 1 TD and no picks. At 2-5, Denver has an excellent chance to salvage some of this season. Next, Denver hosts Kansas City. My pick, Kansas City Chiefs.
Strangely, the Packers are on a 3-game losing streak and are starting to implode. As a first-year starter, Jordan Love has been inconsistent. Head Coach Matt LaFleur needs to figure out how to get more balance out of this Offense. Most notably, their Running game needs to improve behind AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones. Next, Green Bay hosts Minnesota. My pick, Minnesota Vikings.
SEAHAWKS 20 — CARDINALS 10
The Seahawks are slowly getting into a rhythm as an entire team. Their Defense is starting to step up, and they are getting solid productivity from their young Offensive players. Second-year RB Kenneth Walker III had his first 100-yard game of the season. At 4-2, Seattle is trailing San Francisco by 1 game in the NFC West. Next, Seattle hosts Cleveland. My pick, Seattle Seahawks.
The Cardinals are starting to fall apart. Their Offense has stalled, and Josh Dobbs hasn’t been as effective as earlier in the season. So now the question is whether to allow Kyler Murray to return or shut him down for the year. Next, Arizona hosts Baltimore. My pick, Baltimore Ravens.
FALCONS 16 — BUCCANEERS 13
The Falcons had to overcome Desmond Ridder’s shaky play and multiple fumbles to outscore Tampa Bay. The combination of Tyler Allgeier and Cordarrelle Patterson was impressive, rushing for a combined 115 yards. Also, Kyle Pitts is getting more involved in the Passing game. At 4-3, Atlanta seats on top of the NFC South. Next, Atlanta visits Tennessee. My pick, Atlanta Falcons.
The lack of a productive Running game is becoming a problem for Tampa Bay. Their top RB, Rachaad White, hasn’t been utilized properly this season, averaging 13 carries per game and 45 yards per game. That is not a recipe for success, especially when Baker Mayfield is their 2nd most productive Rusher. At 3-3, Tampa Bay needs to make adjustments to keep up in the NFC South. Next, Tampa Bay visits Buffalo. My pick, Buffalo Bills.
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JAGUARS 31 — SAINTS 24
The Jaguars overcame multiple mistakes and turnovers to survive a New Orleans late-game comeback. Trevor Lawrence showed up banged up but pulled through, throwing for 204 yards with 1 TD and no picks. Travis Etienne was limited on the ground but scored 2 TDs. Christian Kirk made the game-changing 44-yard TD to make up for an earlier fumble. I want to see Calvin Ridley more involved in the Offense. Next, Jacksonville visits Pittsburgh. My pick, Jacksonville Jaguars.
The Saints should be concerned with all their Red Zone issues. Offensively, they move the ball around well to all their top players. However, they are having a hard time scoring TDs. And Derek Carr is visibly frustrated by the lack of production. At 3-4, the Saints have some favorable back-to-back matchups in the upcoming weeks. Next, New Orleans visits Indianapolis. My pick, New Orleans Saints.
PATRIOTS 29 — BILLS 25
Shocking upset by New England; they needed this win badly. Bill Belicheater gets a one-week respite from all the questions regarding his coaching future. Mac Jones had his best performance of the season, throwing for 272 yards with 2 TDs and no picks. But Defensively is where the Patriots stood out: pressuring Josh Allen, making crucial stops, and keeping Buffalo at bay. Next, New England visits Miami. My pick, Miami Dolphins.
The Bills are a perplexing team. They have been inconsistent from week to week — on any given week, they look like contenders, blowing out teams. And then, they follow that up by looking like pretenders. Buffalo needs to start putting together some back-to-back wins and regain their mojo. Next, Buffalo hosts Tampa Bay. My pick, Buffalo Bills
Rod Rioja 