The Shenoa Report Week 4 '24 #theshenoareport

The Shenoa Report

September 26, 2024

Regular Season Week 4

There are only five undefeated teams left as we go into week 4. There are also three teams that haven’t won a game yet this season. Both lists may surprise you. The Steelers, Vikings, Seahawks, Chiefs, and Bills are still perfect. The Bengals, Jaguars, and Titans have yet to win a game.  I won in one league and lost in the other. PS, it’s not fun losing to my mom.   “CMC Ya Next Season” (1-2),  “Won’t You Be My Nabers” (2-1).  Also, I went 9-7 in my picks, not my best work, but better than last week.

Let’s jump into the recap! 

Patriots @ NY Jets 3-24

Times have definitely changed and the Patriots are definitely bad.  Rhamondre Stevenson did NOT have a good game in real life or fantasy. He earned a whopping 0.3 points for me in one league. Cool. Aaron Rodgers is probably taking some illicit drugs we don’t even know about yet or is drinking from the fountain of youth. Those are the only two possible reasons he could look so spry out there for the oldest person, not only on the field, but in the entire league. Here’s a fun fact for you; Rodgers connected with Garrett Wilson for a touchdown. That connection is the first time EVER that Rodgers has thrown a touchdown pass to a receiver who was a first-round pick. None of his other touchdown passes have ever gone to a first round pick. Crazy. 

Chargers @ Steelers 10-20

Justin Herbert came into this game with a high ankle sprain. He never should have played. Shockingly, he was injured more and will now likely miss time. Justin Fields, on the other hand, is killing it as the backup to Russell Wilson and he’s making his case to Mike Tomlin that he should be the starter moving forward. Steelers fans are just happy they are 3-0 for the first time since the 2020 season. 

Texans @ Vikings 7-34

Why are the Vikings good this season? I think it’s still too early to tell. Also,  the Texans may have just had a really bad day. Sam Darnold had four passing touchdowns and no interceptions to C.J. Stroud’s 1 touchdown and two interceptions. Cool. Stroud is my starting quarterback in one league. This is an upside down backwards world. Is Sam Darnold relevant? Should I pick him up in fantasy and drop Stroud? Nah. 

Eagles @ Saints 15-12

Damnit Saints. You had one job. But you let Saquon Barkley score two touchdowns in the fourth quarter. I’m not mad at that actually because I have Barkley in one league. I just didn’t want the Eagles to win. As it turns out I’m going to lose in that league anyway, so a Saints win would have made me feel better. 

Broncos @ Buccaneers 26-7

Bo Nix got his first touchdown as an NFL starter but it came with his legs not his arm. It was the only touchdown for the Broncos as Wil Lutz kicked four field goals to put them over the Buccaneers. I think Tampa Bay looked past this game and that’s why they came up short. Baker Mayfield was sacked seven times and picked off once in this loss. I think this was a wakeup game for the Bucs, not every game is going to be easy. 

Packers @ Titans 30-14

Malik Willis didn’t need to have a conversation with his former team before or after the game, as his actions spoke loudly on the field. The Titans traded Willis to the Packers in the off season and it looks like Willis enjoys being a cheesehead. He had one rushing touchdown and one passing touchdown with zero interceptions. Titans’ Will Levis also had two touchdowns but also had two interceptions and lost the game for the Titans. 

 

NY Giants  @ Browns 21-15

Guys. This game had the worst start of the day. Well, the worst start if you are a Giants fan. We fumbled the opening kickoff, which was recovered by the Browns, and then fell behind 7-0 in the first 11 seconds of the game after an Amari Cooper touchdown. I immediately regretted turning on the game and benching Cooper in my fantasy league. But, because I’m a Giants fan, I kept watching. You know the saying, a glutton for punishment. Cooper ended up having one of his best games in Cleveland and I watched all those points rack up on my bench. But I don’t want to talk about my fantasy losses, I want to talk about the one Giants win this season. Malik Nabers. Man am I glad we drafted that guy. We all know Daniel Jones will not be our quarterback next season but as long as he is, he FINALLY understands the assignment. Throw the ball to Malik Nabers. Nabers had catches reminiscent of OBJ. I actually think that he’s even better than Odell Beckham Jr. Nabers had eight receptions for 78 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He also had some insane grabs over defenders. He’s fun to watch. On the other side of the ball our defense played incredibly, sacking Deshawn Watson eight times! Of course this win means I care about football again. Thanks G-Men, I was perfectly happy to be numb for the rest of the season after the 0-2 start. Even though we won, it wasn’t pretty.  Our newly signed kicker, Greg Joseph, missed a 48-yard field goal that could have helped ice the game, but at least we actually had someone to kick the ball this week. Devon Singletary had a chance to score in the final minutes of the game but stopped just short of the goal line to ensure a first down and to be able to run out the clock without giving the ball back to Cleveland. Good job Big Blue!

Bears @ Colts 16-21

This game was ugly. It’s not everyday that the winning quarterback has zero touchdowns and two interceptions. But I guess when you have Jonathon Taylor you don’t need to have an accurate QB, just someone who can hand off the ball. You also can’t be expected to win if your opponent starts JT. Taylor had 23 carries for 110 yards and two touchdowns on the day.  Son of a B. At least I got the pick correct. 

Panthers @ Raiders 36-22

Andy Dalton, the savior of Carolina. Well for at least this week. This outcome was the shocker of all shockers. Clearly the Raiders looked past this game. Dalton threw for 319 yards and three touchdowns in this win over Las Vegas. Yes you read that sentence correctly. Andy Dalton, the red riffle quarterback, was the hero. Raiders head coach, Antonio Pierce, was not happy with his team’s performance, nor should he be. It was pretty embarrassing. 

Dolphins @ Seahawks 3-24

The Dolphins are in bad shape. Not only do they not have their starting QB, they also lost their backup QB, Skyler Thompson, to a chest injury in the second half of this game. Dolphins fans and fantasy managers are freaking out. This once explosive team managed only a field goal in the first quarter. The Seahawks, on the other hand, are now 3-0 after this win. Geno Smith threw for 289 yards and one passing touchdown to DK Metcalf and Zach Charbonnet had two rushing touchdowns on the day. It was a good day to be a Seahawks fan. 

Ravens @ Cowboys 28-25

I always like seeing the Cowboys lose and this game was no different. Baltimore is extremely glad they picked up Derrick Henry in the off season. King Henry ran and ran and ran. He had two rushing touchdowns and 151 rushing yards on the day. The Cowboys tried to make a comeback in the fourth quarter but it was a little too late. They were the first team this season to successfully recover an onside kick, so they have that going for them. They can recover all of them as long as they still lose, in my opinion. 

 

Lions @ Cardinals 20-13

Jared Goff had a day, and of course he did, he was my opponent’s starting quarterback, or as I like to call her, my mom. She beat me badly in fantasy and ruined my perfect record. She also knocked me out of first place in my league. Not cool. Goff had two passing touchdowns in the first half and could be seen picking apart the Cards defense. Kylar Murray struggled against the Lions defense. I would too if I was going up against Aidan Hutchinson, who’s already had 6.5 sacks in the first three games this season. Murray tried to find his favorite target, Marvin Harrison Jr., but instead threw an interception to Kerby Joseph, his first of the season. Detroit’s win came with a loss as Sam LaPorta was injured during the game and may now miss time. I guess I shouldn’t have drafted LaPorta either, I feel like half of my fantasy teams are injured now. So, Please stay healthy Marvin Harrison Jr! 

49ers @ Rams 24-27

Well, I started Kyren Williams in one league, the league I won in, but my mom also started him against me. I lost by 42.28 points. Kyren accounted for 31.6 of those points. Williams had three total touchdowns on the day, two rushing and one receiving. The Rams stunned the 49ers with their late comeback. The 49ers have now lost two in a row. 

Chiefs @ Falcons 22-17

Well, it wasn’t pretty but the Chiefs still have a perfect record, although they are far from perfect. Patrick Mahomes needs to stop throwing interceptions for one. The Chiefs defense is the real hero of this game. Kirk Cousins was sacked twice and hit 10 more times enduring a lot of pressure the entire night. Cousins also threw an interception, probably because he didn’t want Patrick Mahomes to feel bad about throwing one too. 

Jaguars @ Bills 10-47

The Jags are really bad and the Bills are really good. Josh Allen had four passing touchdowns in the first half. He only played one drive in the second half before Mitchell Trubisky relieved him for a job well done. Buffalo’s defense held Jacksonville to just 70 yards in the first half. Jacksonville never got into a rhythm. Safety Damar Hamlin also got his first career interception in this rout over the Jags. As a Bills fan, it was a fun game to watch. 

Commanders @ Bengals 38-33

If you look at the stat lines alone you’d have thought that the Bengals got their first win of the season. Joe Burrow threw for 324 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went to Ja’Mar Chase. Jayden Daniels only threw for 254 yards and two touchdowns, though he did have a rushing touchdown as well. Neither QB threw an interception, but Daniels was near perfect. He finished 21 of 23 completions and set a rookie record for completion percentage at 91.3%. Neither team punted or turned the ball over in this game, that’s the first time it’s happened in the Super Bowl era. 

WEEK 4

Thursday, September 26th

Cowboys (1-2) @ NY Giants (1-2) (8:15pm PRIME VIDEO)

Heading into week 4 I did NOT think that the Giants and Cowboys would have the same record. I count that as a win already. Our teams both suck! I think the Giants can definitely win this game. Will they? Probably not. I’ll be rooting for the Giants but picking the Cowboys to win this game. I’d rather get the pick wrong and have the Giants win than pick the Giants to win and feel doubly bad when they lose and I get the pick incorrect. GO G-MEN! 

Sunday, September 29th

Broncos (1-2) @ NY Jets (2-1) (1pm CBS)

As much as I don’t want to, I’m picking the Jets to win this game. 

Vikings (3-0) @ Packers (2-1) (1pm CBS)

Jordan Love should be back for this game, I hope he is, and I hope the Packers win. The Packers do have the home field advantage so they have that going for them. I talked myself into it, I’m picking the Packers to give the Vikings their first loss of the season. 

Saints (2-1) @ Falcons (1-2) (1pm FOX)

This will be Atlanta’s 3rd home game of the season. They have yet to win in their house. The Saints got their first loss last week, it wasn’t pretty, and Alvin Kamara is questionable heading into this game with a rib injury and hip pointer. He didn’t practice at all on Wednesday but the rest should help. That said, I think it’ll be a good back and forth game but I am picking the Falcons to get their first home win of the season. 

Eagles (2-1) @ Buccaneers (2-1) (1pm FOX)

We all know that I’ll be rooting for the Bucs in this matchup. This is another game that I think the Bucs can win. Baker Mayfield only has two interceptions going into this game, Jaylen Hurts has twice as many. I’m going to use reverse psychology like I did with the Giants pick. I’m picking the Eagles to win this game, in hopes I get the pick wrong. Go Bucs! 

Bengals (0-3) @ Panthers (1-2) (1pm FOX)

With Andy Dalton under center for the Panthers, looking how he looked last week, I think the Bengals are in trouble. Could Carolina win their first home game of the season? Will the Bengals go 0-4? I don’t know. This is a tough one to pick. I’m picking the Bengals to get back on track and get the win. Sorry Panthers fans. 

 

Jaguars (0-3) @ Texans (2-1) (1pm CBS)

The Jags really aren’t good. I am picking the Texans to win this one. 

Steelers (3-0) @ Colts (1-2) (1pm CBS)

The Steelers defense is on point this season and that’s bad news for the Colts. I predict Anthony Richardson is going to have a bad day against Pittsburgh. I am picking the Steelers to win this game. 

Rams (1-2) @ Bears (1-2) (1pm FOX)

I’m going out on a limb and I am picking the Rams to win this game. I have no reason why. I’m just doing it. 

Commanders (2-1) @ Cardinals (1-2) (4:05pm FOX)

Jayden Daniels has his team’s fan base excited and they should be. Can you name a good quarterback who played for Washington before Daniels? I’ll wait. 

Yeah, you can’t. But the Cardinals have Marvin Harrison Jr. and Kylar Murray to throw to him. I’m picking the Cardinals to win this game. 

Patriots (1-2)  @ 49ers (1-2) (4:05pm FOX)

I am shocked that these two teams have the same record. I think that the 49ers will bounce back and win this game. 

Browns (1-2) @ Raiders (1-2) (4:25pm CBS)

The Browns are terrible. Even the Giants beat them. I’m picking the Raiders to win this game. 

Chiefs (3-0) @ Chargers (2-1) (4:25pm CBS)

I feel like every game the Chiefs play is a trap game. They are the luckiest team this season to be undefeated. I actually was thinking about picking the Chargers to win this game but I’ve changed my mind. Justin Herbert is playing with an ankle injury and he’s not his best right now. Therefore, I am picking the Chiefs to win this game. 

Bills (3-0) @ Ravens (1-2) (8:20pm NBC/Peacock)

The Bills have been blowing out their opponents each week but I think that the Ravens are going to give them a good competitive game. I’m still picking the Bills to win this game, but I think it's going to be a lot harder to do this week. GO BILLS! 

Monday, September 30th

Titans (0-3) @ Dolphins (1-2) (7:30pm ESPN)

Both teams are riding the struggle bus this season. Until the Dolphins figure out their quarterback situation I think it's going to be an uphill battle. I’m picking the Titans to win their first game of the season. I’m not confident in this pick though. 

Seahawks (3-0) @ Lions (2-1) (8:15pm ABC ESPN+)

I am picking the Lions to win this game and to give the Seahawks their first loss of the season. The Lions are much better than their record and I would argue that the Seahawks have also gotten lucky on some of their wins this season. Go Lions! 

GO G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report Week 3 '24 #theshenoareport

The Shenoa Report
September 19, 2024
Regular Season Week 3

There are only 9 undefeated teams left as we go into week 3. There are also 9 teams that haven’t won a game yet this season. Both lists may surprise you. The Chargers, Steelers, Texans, Vikings, Saints, Buccaneers, Seahawks, Chiefs, and Bills are still perfect. The Bengals, Jaguars, Rams, Ravens, Panthers, Colts, Giants, Titans, and Broncos have yet to win a game. As a Giants fan, it’s going to be a looooooooooooooong season. My fantasy teams are in the same categories.  I won in one league and lost in the other, thanks again Christian McCaffery! I’ve decided to change one team name to “CMC Ya Next Season” (0-2), but I’m keeping the other “Won’t You Be My Nabers” (2-0).  Also, I went 7-10 in my picks, not my best work, but totally ok to see both Dallas and Philly lose. 

Let’s jump into the recap! 

Bills @ Dolphins 31-10

Damar Hamlin most likely ended Tua’s NFL career. Tua suffered another scary concussion in this loss to Buffalo. He’s been placed on IR. The Bills looked really good though. A tough game to report. Happy for the Bills but sad for Tua and the Dolphins. 

Raiders @ Ravens 26-23

The Raiders stunned the Ravens and Davante Adams helped, a lot. Look up a picture of his catch. It was a toe tap while his body was almost horizontal to the ground. Seriously, google it. 

Browns @ Jaguars 18-13

This is yet another pick I got incorrect. Both teams looked really bad. It’s surprising that either team scored at all. The clever name change of the EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville to TrEverBank did not help Trevor Lawrence or the rest of the Jags one bit. 

Jets @ Titans 24-17

The Jets got 17 points off the Titans' mistakes. So did the Jets really win or did the Titans just lose? The Titans led the entire first quarter but then the mistakes came, like penalties, interceptions, and just dumb plays.  They couldn’t get the lead back in the second half and the Jets capitalized on it. 

49ers @ Vikings 17-23

Yup, got this pick wrong too. I bet you did as well! Sam Darnold isn’t good, right? This was a fluke. What in the world? I guess when you have Justin Jefferson you are expected to win, no matter who your quarterback is. It also helps when your defense picks off Brock Purdy and forces a fumble. The 49ers were sloppy and clearly missing CMC. Me too guys, me too. 

Chargers @ Panthers 26-3

Hey hey! I got this pick correct! Thanks Panthers! Sorry Panther fans. Justin Herbert doesn’t seem to miss Keenan Allen at all now that he has rookie Quentin Johnston, who caught two touchdown passes in this win over Carolina. Bryce Young continues to struggle as the starting quarterback for the Panthers and his fans are letting him know it. Before they left the stadium there were boos a plenty. The Panthers have now been outscored 73-13 this season and they’ve only played 2 games. Ouch. 
 

Seahawks @ Patriots 23-20 OT

Seattle kicker Jason Myers spoiled the Patriots home opener. Myers hit a 31 yard field goal in overtime to give the Seahawks the win. Myers also hit a 38 yard field goal to send the game into overtime and had another 44 yard field goal in the second quarter. I feel like I need to talk about kickers this week because my stupid team wasn’t prepared for kickers. More on that later. 

Saints @ Cowboys 44-19

This game. Dude. I mean. I got this pick wrong and I am completely ok with it. I asked the Saints to prove me wrong and they sure did! The Saints ended a Cowboys 16 game home win streak in the regular season (they did lose a playoff game last season ending their run at the Super Bowl). Alvin Kamara scored 4 touchdowns against the Cowboys “stingy” defense and Derek Carr threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns along with a 1 yard touchdown run.  It was a lovely sight to see. Fun fact: the New Orleans Saints have scored on EVERY DRIVE so far this season. 

NY Giants @ Commanders 18-21

The Giants made history again. They became the first team in NFL history to score 3+ touchdowns, allow zero touchdowns, and lose. I can’t. 
But do you want to know why we lost? I’ll tell you why. We didn’t have a healthy kicker, or a backup kicker, and it’s not the first time this has happened. Do you know who scored alllllllll the Commanders points? Their f-ing kicker!!!!! Austin Seibert had 7 field goals on the day. The Giants kicker, Graham Gano, was injured on the first play of the game as he tried to tackle Austin Ekler during a runback. Gano was put on the injury report Saturday with a groin injury. He expressed discomfort during warmup before the game and then was injured even worse on the first play of the game. The Giants had plenty of time on SATURDAY to elevate kicker Jude McAtamey from the practice squad but didn’t. They also could have had punter Jamie Gillan fill in on kickoffs to preserve a fragile Gano for field goal and extra point attempts but didn’t. This is Daboll’s fault. Shame on him for not having a backup plan. So, in a game that was decided by three points, let me remind you that the Giants failed on 3 extra point attempts because of Gano’s injury. ALSO, Daboll bypassed a potential go-ahead field goal late in the fourth because he didn’t trust Gillan to at least try. 
Daniel Jones, I apologize. You did not lose the game for us this time. Brian Dabol did. I know that Malik Nabers is also beating himself up for not catching a pass late in the 4th. This loss isn’t your fault either, Malik, it’s Brian Daboll’s. This loss hurt more than last week. Brian Daboll failed his team and his fans. Cool. Good news, we started 0-2 the year we beat the Patriots in the Super Bowl for the first time, so we can do it again. BAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHA. This girl’s got jokes. 

Buccaneers @ Lions 20-16

It’s like the Lions just looked past this game. Jared Goff had a not so great game with zero touchdowns and two interceptions (there should have been two more but thankfully for Goff they were dropped). Baker Mayfield had a more efficient game completing 12 of 19 passes for 185 yards, a touchdown, and an interception.  The Bucs are looking decent early this season and the Lions still have a chance to turn things around. One thing that could definitely help the Lions is getting the ball to Sam LaPorta waaaaaaay more often! Please?!

Colts @ Packers 10-16

Both starting quarterbacks had one touchdown each but Colts QB Anthony Richardson had three interceptions. You tend not to win many games if your interceptions are 3:1 to touchdowns. Malik Willis made his first start at quarterback for the Packers. He’s had to come up to speed rather quickly and get through some really bizarre experiences. One of which happened in the second quarter. The Packers were facing a third and ten and a pass play was called. Well, Willis scrambled and ran 3 yards. When head coach Matt LaFleur asked Willis why he didn’t throw the ball, he wasn’t expecting the answer he received. You see, Green Bay’s center Josh Myers had vomited on the ball before snapping it. Ewwwww. Grossssssss. I’m personally glad I didn’t catch that play live and I will not be watching the replay. Puke rule alone, Willis deserves this win. I’m sure Colts fans felt like puking after this loss. 
 

Rams @ Cardinals 10-41

As it turns out, it IS Kylar Murray’s job to pass the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr.! Harrison had 4 receptions, for 130 yards and two touchdowns. After the game the first thing Harrison said to the press was, “I’m not going to lie to you. I think I saw Kylar’s stat line and he had 4 incompletions, all were to me so I’m not very happy about that, we’ve gotta get that fixed.” I like this kid’s energy and drive and I am so glad I drafted him in one of my leagues! 

Steelers @ Broncos 13-6

Justin Fields said he wanted to get this win for his fellow quarterback Russell Wilson. He knew how horribly Denver was to Wilson and made sure to beat them. Fields had one touchdown pass and zero interceptions, it was just enough to win the game. Bo Nix, Denver’s rookie quarterback, didn’t fare as well. He had zero touchdowns and two interceptions. Peyton Manning often jokes about hoping someone comes along and breaks his NFL record of 28 interceptions as a rookie. And with four passes picked off so far, Nix is on pace to do just that. Karma, Broncos. Head coach Mike Tomlin made sure to give the game ball to Russell Wilson. It was sweet. 

Bengals @ Chiefs 25-26

The Chiefs did not look good in this game, nor did the Bengals, but in the end one team had to win I suppose.  It’s really frustrating starting Patrick Mahomes in fantasy. He had two touchdown passes and two interceptions. He’s killing me. The game was pretty back and forth. Harrison Butker kicked the game winning field goal as time expired. As much as I wanted him to miss it, I was glad to get this pick correct. 

Bears  @ Texans 13-19

I’m not impressed with Caleb Williams.  He needs to connect with DJ Moore way more often! Please? I can say the same thing about CJ Stroud and Tank Dell. After I drafted CJ I thought it would be smart to get Dell too to double dip in points. This was not the right decision, and probably the reason I’m 0-2 in that league. Anyway, this was an underwhelming game in which I don’t have much to talk about. 

Falcons @ Eagles 22-21

This game was so good I watched it twice. True story. I watched the MNF broadcast Monday night and then I watched the Manning Cast after the fact. The Manning Cast has added Bill Belichick as a regular and he’s GREAT! He’s actually funny, very engaging, and knowledgeable, go figure. This game was even more fun to watch knowing that my partner’s fantasy teams depended on the outcome of this game (my games had already been decided even though I still had Saquon to play). In one league he had Drake London, Kyle Pitts, and Saquon Barkley and his opponent, a huge Eagles fan, had Jalen Hurts and Dallas Goedert. In his other league he had Kyle Pitts and Bijon Robinson and his opponent (my mom) had Devonta Smith. It was stressful. I kept refreshing the scores. The projection seemed to go back and forth after every play in the last 5 minutes of the game.  I knew the assignment, root for the Falcons + Saquon, but only rushing plays, no passing plays. It wasn’t hard for me as a Giants fan. I hate the Eagles. I don’t really like Kirk Cousins or the Falcons either but I like them much more than Philly. Duh. In the final minutes my partner was down a couple of points and the Eagles had the ball. Not a good combination. Every time Hurts rushed or threw the ball we both flinched and I watched his opponent’s points climb. So when Barkley dropped a short pass that stopped the clock with 1:46 left and forced the Eagles to settle for a field goal instead of a game-sealing first down I knew there was a chance for my partner to beat his opponent and maybe, just maybe, for the Falcons to beat the Eagles. Cousins led an amazing drive down the field and found Drake London in the endzone for a touchdown!
The only problem was Atlanta left time on the clock. I just kept saying, it's time for Hurts to throw an interception.  And guess what? That’s just what he did, ending the game!
The Eagles lost and my partner got a win in both leagues! Woot!!!

 

WEEK 3

Thursday, September 19th

Patriots (1-1) @ NY Jets (1-1) (8:15pm PRIME VIDEO)

When you’ve watched this matchup for the past 20 years you know that the Patriots have DOMINATED the Jets. But Bill Belichick is no longer coaching and Tom Brady is a commentator. Your mind might need to shift. That said, I’m going to pick the Jets to win this game, but I’ll be rooting for the Patriots. I’ve got Rhamondre Stevenson on one of my fantasy teams and I don’t like A-Aron. 

Sunday, September 22nd

Chargers (2-0) @ Steelers (2-0) (1pm CBS)

Two unlikely 2-0 teams. This game will probably end in a tie, but I am going to pick the Steelers to win this one. The Chargers are already dealing with a lot of injuries. 

Texans (2-0) @ Vikings (2-0) (1pm CBS)

Another two unlikely 2-0 teams. I’ll be pulling for the Texans for fantasy reasons and I am picking them to upset the Vikings at home. Let’s go C.J. Stroud! I’d like to win in both leagues this week (and moving forward, duh).

Eagles (1-1) @ Saints (2-0) (1pm FOX)

I am all in on the Saints especially since they are playing the Eagles. I am picking the Saints to win this game! 

Broncos (0-2) @ Buccaneers (2-0)  (1pm FOX)

Sorry, not sorry, to harp on this. I hope the Broncos don’t win another game this season because of the way they treated Russell Wilson. And I’m not even a big Wilson fan, I just think people should be treated with respect. I’m picking the Bucs to win this game. Go Baker Mayfield! Throw it to Chris Godwin alllllllllll day. Please and thank you. 

Packers (1-1) @ Titans (0-2) (1pm FOX)

Jordan Love might actually play this Sunday. It’s a gamble, but even if he doesn’t, I think I am still leaning toward picking the Packers to win this game. I just made up my mind. I’m picking Green Bay for the win. 
 

NY Giants  (0-2) @ Browns (1-1)  (1pm FOX)

It’ll be the duel of the worst quarterback contracts going head to head. The Browns, even though they owe more money to a mediocre QB, still have a better defense. As long as Danny is the Giants quarterback we won’t be winning any games. I predict we’ll go at least 0-8. Fun times to be a Browns fan or a Giants fan. I’m picking the Browns to win. Go Giants. 

Bears (1-1) @ Colts (0-2)  (1pm CBS)

The narrative right now is that these young quarterbacks, who were lights out in college, maybe shouldn’t be thrown into the starting quarterback position their rookie year. All the greats, Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, and even Aaron Rodgers had time to develop and learn from their predecessors. It’s like the NFL forgot what works and what doesn’t work. Caleb Williams and Anthony Richardson, the two starting quarterbacks for the Bears and Colts respectively are struggling. It’s Williams’ first year in the NFL and Richardson’s second. Neither person had anyone to learn from and it shows. I’m picking the Colts to win this game, but only because they are home. 

Panthers (0-2) @ Raiders (1-1) (4:05pm CBS)

Remember what I just said about rookie quarterbacks not being mentored? Monday it was announced that former No. 1 overall pick Bryce Young was benched. Andy Dalton was named the starter. Young didn’t stand a chance. He was drafted by a terrible team and didn’t have anyone to learn from and now, in his second season, he’s being benched because he didn’t have time to develop. With that said, I am picking the Raiders to win this game. Good luck to all the rookies out there. One thing’s for sure, this isn’t college football anymore. 

Dolphins (1-1)  @ Seahawks (2-0) (4:05pm CBS)

I don’t think that the Dolphins are going to win many games without Tua. I’m picking the Seahawks to win this game. 

Ravens  (0-2) @ Cowboys (1-1) (4:25pm FOX)

Will the Ravens go 0-3? They’d have the same record as the Giants! That's insanity. I mean, I’d like them to turn it around and beat the Cowboys and I’ll be rooting for them too. But the Cowboys are also embarrassed that they lost their home opener last week and want to bounce back. Fun fact: Dallas has given up the most points in consecutive home games — 92 — since they were a winless expansion team in 1960 and allowed 93 in back-to-back contests at the Cotton Bowl. So, who’s going to win this game? The Ravens blew a lead in week one and lost by a last minute field goal last week. The Cowboys got annihilated by the Saints last week. I’m going to pick the Ravens to win this game, mostly because, well, how many reasons do you want? I don’t like the Cowboys. 
 

Lions (1-1) @ Cardinals (1-1) (4:25pm FOX)

The Lions are a much better team than their record, and I am surprised that the Cardinals actually have a win. I am picking the Lions to bounce back and win this game, but I do need Kylar to continue to throw completions to Marvin Harrison Jr. for fantasy purposes. I’d also like Jared Goff to connect with Sam LaPorta again. That’d be super helpful. 

49ers (1-1) @ Rams (0-2) (4:25pm FOX)

Both teams are riding the struggle bus early this season. The Rams have already lost two of their wide receivers to injuries (Cooper Kupp and Niko Collins) and the 49ers have lost their top playmakers to injuries as well (Christian McCaffrey and Deebo Samuel). Guess who has the latter two players on their fantasy teams? This girl. Are the Rams going to go 0-3? I think so. I am picking the 49ers to win this game.  

Chiefs (2-0) @ Falcons (1-1)  (8:20pm NBC/Peacock)

The Falcons are riding a super high after knocking off the Eagles on Monday night. It’s a shorter turnaround for them. They could give the Chiefs their first loss of the season. Kansas City has been super lucky in their first two games. Now, I hope that the Chiefs don’t look past this game because I need Patrick Mahomes to play like he did two seasons ago. These 15 points a game he’s been putting up for me is not going to cut it this week. I am projected to lose to my MOM! This is not ok. Now that she’s retired she is paying much closer attention and making changes. I’m proud of her but I don’t want her to beat me! I’m picking the Chiefs to win this game. 

Monday, September 23rd

Jaguars (0-2) @ Bills (2-0) (7:30pm ESPN)

I’ve got to pick my side piece team to win this game! LET’S GO BILLS! 

Commanders (1-1) @ Bengals (0-2) (8:15pm ABC ESPN+)

I'm picking the Bengals to win this game, but only because they are playing the Commanders and Washington beat my Giants last week. I hold grudges. 
GO G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report Week 2 '24 #theshenoareport

The Shenoa Report

September 12, 2024

Regular Season Week 2

Week one is in the books! I guess it’s a good thing that I am playing in two fantasy leagues, better chances at winning, because we all know that’s not in the NY Giants future. I won in one league and lost in the other, thanks Christian McCaffery! Also, I went 12-4 in my picks.

Let’s jump into the recap! 

Ravens @ Chiefs 20-27

Honestly, I went to bed before the game was over. It was late and I was turning into a pumpkin or just an overly tired, sleepy girl. I was frustrated that Patrick Mahomes wasn’t lighting the world on fire and also hoping that I could claim Isaiah Likely off waivers. The end of the game was a wild one. It looked like the Ravens were going to send this game to overtime until the touchdown with just seconds left in the game was overturned because the receiver came down with the ball with his toe on the out of bounds line. I’ve seen the pictures. His toe was on the line. Just like when Kevin Durant was with the Brooklyn Nets and he had a chance to win the game advancing the team further into the playoffs. But no. KD’s toe was also on the line and his 3 pointer became a 2 pointer and the Nets lost the game. Maybe KD will reach out to Likely and tell him to wear smaller cleats. No touchdown. Chiefs win. Patrick Mahomes had some advice for Isaiah Likely after the game, simply “Wear white cleats”. 

Packers @ Eagles 29-34

As you can imagine I wasn’t too excited to watch this game. I did like Saquon’s first play as an Eagle though. He got the ball and promptly slipped and fell in the backfield for a 3 yard loss. After that, not so much. Every time he got the ball and did something well I called him an f-ing a-hole traitor or some rendition of that. I said the phrase a lot.  Saquon had his best game of his career. Cool. The Packers tried to win this game but instead their quarterback Jordan Love was injured on their last series stalling the comeback. Thankfully Love avoided a season ending injury and will only be out for the next few weeks. 

Cardinals @ Bills 28-34

I don’t think that Bills fans expected to be down 14 points to the Cardinals in week one but I do know that they expected to win this game. So when the going got tough the fans got loud. Josh Allen showed everyone he didn’t need receivers like Stefon Diggs or Gabe Davis, he just needed his legs and body to barrel through to the endzone. I am happy the Bills got the win, as they’ll be my side team this season, though I would have liked to have seen more targets for Marvin Harrison Jr on the Cardinals. 3 is just not enough, Kyler! 

Patriots @ Bengals 16-10

I think this game shocked all football fans. I know I got this pick wrong. Fun fact, Rhamondre Stevenson went off in this game.. Stupid me had him on my bench. Next week I’ll start him. I’ve learned my lesson. Jerod Mayo won his first game as a head coach in the NFL and the Bengals definitely don’t look the same without Joe Mixon. They went three and out on all three of their first possessions. Their only touchdown came in the third quarter. It’s safe to say that the Bengals have some work to do to improve this season. 

Vikings @ NY Giants 28-6

For the first time as a New York Football Giants Fan I wasn’t mad at the conclusion of this game. I wasn’t anything. I didn’t yell. I didn’t cry. I didn’t rage text. I didn’t go into the kitchen and start baking. I didn’t knit or crochet. I didn’t even call my dad. I didn’t feel anything. I was numb. I’ve resolved myself to just having a bad football team. Like the historic Bills, Lions, or Browns. If those teams can still have fans, man, that shows resilience. Just add the Giants to the list of teams who have had more losing seasons than winning. The fact is Daniel Jones is BAD and until the organization finds a more talented quarterback these are the games Giants fans have to look forward to. We built up our O line, our D line, we even got a lights out wide receiver and for what? Nothing. It all means nothing without a talented quarterback. Here’s a not so fun fact about Daniel Jones; since signing a $160 million contract with the Giants, Danny has thrown more touchdown passes to the OPPOSITION THAN HIS OWN TEAMMATES. Let that sink in. Wait! The last touchdown pass he threw to a Giant was week 2 of 2023. Now let THAT sink in... 

Titans @ Bears 17-24

Caleb Willians didn’t have the game he wanted to but the Bears defense stepped up and got the team the W.  I am just shocked! After all the amazing footage from Hard Knocks I thought it would be different. That is sarcasm. 

Panthers @ Saints 10-47

Oooofffff. That’s a tough one for Panthers fans. At least your team scored a touchdown, my team sure didn’t. This doesn’t make losing any easier. I’m sorry. Derek Carr and the rest of the Saints had an incredibly good day. Carr had three passing touchdowns and the Saints scored on their first NINE possessions! Like I said, bad day for the Panthers. 

Steelers @ Falcons 18-10

Kirk Cousins also did not have a good day. Chris Boswell, the Steelers kicker, had an incredibly amazing day. Boswell was the only one to score for the Steelers. He made six field goals, three of them were longer than 50 yards. Justin Fields got the start for the Steelers as Russell Wilson was inactive due to a calf injury. 

Jaguars @ Dolphins 17-20

The biggest headline is what happened before this game even took place. On the way to the stadium Tyreek Hill was pulled over for a traffic violation. He was physically forced out of his vehicle, put face down on the ground, and handcuffed with a knee on his back, from an officer. Seeing that Hill was handcuffed, defensive tackle Calais Campbell stopped to assist as he drove past the scene. He, too, was handcuffed, saying officers told him the reason why was that he disobeyed their direct orders. Thankfully they were released and able to play in the game. Hill had an 80 yard touchdown catch and celebrated by placing his hands behind his back as if to simulate being handcuffed. He made light of a very serious situation. After the incident Hill spoke, “I wasn’t disrespectful because my mom didn’t raise me that way. Didn’t cuss. Didn’t do none of that. Like I said, I’m still trying to figure it out, man… What if I wasn’t Tyreek Hill?” The Dolphins organization stated, “It is both maddening and heartbreaking to watch the very people we trust to protect our community use such unnecessary force and hostility towards these players.” Miami-Dade officials said an investigation was already opened into the officers’ conduct and that one of the officers was placed on administrative leave. Said officer was back on the clock the next day. SMH. Another sad situation. 

Texans @ Colts 29-27

The Colts still have the NFL’s longest active opening-day winless streak of 11 straight losses. But Anthony Richardson had some phenomenal throws, one was a 66 yard completion and another was a 54 yarder to Ashton Dulin who scored a TD. When he gets all of it dialed in, the kid is going to be pretty hard to stop. The Texans looked really good and CJ Stroud is loving his new targets. Stefon Diggs caught two touchdown passes and Joe Mixon ran for 159 yards and another score in their first games as Texans. 

Raiders @ Chargers 10-22

J.K. Dobbins had a day. One of his best. He rushed for 135 yards on 10 carries, including a 12 yard touchdown in the fourth quarter helping his new team to victory. The Raiders, not so much. The team never clicked. 

Broncos @ Seahawks 20-26

This wasn’t a pretty game. It was pretty sloppy actually. But the Seahawks turned it around and got the win thanks to Kenneth Walker III who rushed for 84 yards, had 19 receiving yards and a touchdown in the second half. 

Cowboys  @ Browns 33-17

I really wanted to be wrong about this game. Unfortunately Deshawn Watson is not good. I mean really not good. Like Danny Jones, not good. Both guys got paid and got worse. Dak Prescott just got paid, but he’ll probably stay the same or get better. Even his getting worse is better than Jones and Watson. Ok that was mean. Maybe I should take a break and have a snack. 

Commanders @ Buccaneers  20-37

The Bucs ruined Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels' day. Clearly, Baker Mayfield has really settled into his role on the team. He looks like he’s having fun again. I’m glad. Baker Mayfield is fun to watch. 

Rams @ Lions 20-26 OT

I tried to stay up for the whole game but then it went into overtime and I went to bed. The game was pretty back and forth and it looked like the Rams were going to pull off the upset when Cooper Kupp scored a touchdown late in the fourth. The Lions answered back with a field goal to send the game into overtime. The Lions won the toss and marched down the field and David Motgomery scored the winning touchdown. Lions fans are happy. Rams fans are suffering not only from a loss but also from losing WR Puka Nacua for at least 4 weeks after he sustained a knee injury. 

Jets @ 49ers 19-32

Both of my fantasy teams relied on this game. I had Christian McCaffrey in one league and my opponent had him in the other league. Needless to say I won going up against McCaffrey and lost having him. You see, McCaffrey was ruled out of the game an hour before the start.  Fill-in back Jordan Mason made a run for it. So punny. The 49ers, even without their star running back, were the better team. They definitely spoiled Aaron Rodgers’ return to football. I’m ok with this. 

 

WEEK 2

Thursday, September 14th

Bills (1-0) @ Dolphins (1-0) (8:15pm PRIME VIDEO)

This should be an interesting game for the Dolphins. They are still reeling with the aftermath from last week.  Raheem Mostert has already been ruled out due to a chest injury. De’Von Achane is a game time decision with an ankle injury. Achane is on one of my teams so I hope he goes. Josh Allen also has an injury but it’s his non throwing hand and he’s a beast. I am rooting for a Bills win and that's who I am picking. 

Sunday, September 17th

Raiders (0-1) @ Ravens (0-1) (1pm CBS)

Even though the Ravens lost last week I don’t think they’ll lose two weeks in a row. I am picking the Ravens to beat the Raiders. 

Browns (0-1) @ Jaguars (0-1) (1pm CBS)

Both teams did not have the start to the season they wanted. The Browns have a serious problem at quarterback and the Jags didn’t really click last week.  I’m picking the Jags to win this game, but only because they are at home. 

Jets (0-1) @ Titans (0-1) (1pm CBS)

The Fantasy Focus crew has picked the Jets for this game. Mike Clay is super high on Aaron Rodgers. I’d love to see the Titans beat the Jets but the Titans have problems of their own. I guess I’m going with the fantasy crew and also picking the Jets to win this game.

49ers (1-0) @ Vikings (1-0)  (1pm CBS)

I really just need Christian McCaffrey to feel better and play. OH and I need Deebo to stay healthy. Also, I am picking the 49ers to win this game. 

Chargers (1-0) @ Panthers (0-1) (1pm CBS)

The Panthers are terrible this year (and I know it’s only week 2) and I don’t see them winning many, if any games. I’m picking the Chargers to get their second win of the season.

 

Seahawks (1-0) @ Patriots (1-0)  (1pm FOX)

I know both teams have new head coaches and both teams were pretty terrible last season. Last year I had Metcalf on my fantasy team so I think I picked more Seahawks wins because of it. This year I have the Seattle defense in one league and Rhamondre Stevenson in another league. I’m going to favor my running back and pick the Patriots for the win. 

Saints (1-0) @ Cowboys (1-0)  (1pm FOX)

As much as I’d like to see the Saints beat the Cowboys I’m picking Dallas to win this game. Prove me wrong Saints! 

NY Giants (0-1) @ Commanders (0-1) (1pm FOX)

I am going to go against my rule and pick the Giants to win this game. It may be the last time I pick them to win this season.  I don’t have many good things to say about Daniel Jones on the best of days, I mean I let him have it in my recap, the thing is, Danny Dimes was the nickname given to Jones after his first win over Washington. In fact DJ is 5-1-1 against this team. If the Giants can’t beat the Commanders on Sunday, we will not win a game this season. It’ll make my picking super easy though. Week 3- will the Giants win? Did they beat the Commanders? No. Then I’m not picking them to win! Go G-Men! 

Buccaneers (1-0)  @ Lions (1-0) (1pm FOX)

I think this will be a good game, and a close game, but I also think that the Lions will win this game and that’s who I’m going to pick. 

Colts (0-1) @ Packers (0-1) (1pm FOX)

The Packers have not ruled out Jordan Love for this game against the Colts, which is kind of insane. Love has a knee injury and initially was said to be out for at least a few weeks. If Love can’t go, Malik Willis will get the start for Green Bay. Either way, I think I am going to pick the Colts to get their first win of the season. 

 

Rams (0-1) @ Cardinals (0-1) (4:05pm FOX)

I mean, the Cardinals looked better last week even though they lost. I could say the same thing for the Rams. I’m picking the Rams to win their first game of the season. Also, side note, Kylar Murray, I’m talking to you. It actually IS your job to get the ball to Marvin Harrison Jr. When Murray was asked why Harrison only had 3 targets in the entire game last week he said, “As a quarterback, obviously, you’re going through your reads. Sometimes the ball goes to him, but that’s not my job.”

Ummmmmmm. What? 

And that is why I am picking the Rams to win this game. At least Matt Stafford knows how to find Cooper Kupp. 

Steelers (1-0) @ Broncos (0-1) (4:25pm CBS)

I know that Russell Wilson will be suited up with pads and everything just like last week even though he probably won’t play his former team. It’ll be Justin Fields again at starting quarterback. I don’t usually say this, but I’ll be rooting for and picking the Steelers to win this game. I still don’t like how the Broncos handled Russell Wilson’s situation. 

Bengals (0-1) @ Chiefs (1-0)  (4:25pm CBS)

I am picking the Chiefs to win their second game of the season. It’s not really a tough pick. The Bengals definitely didn’t play starters in the preseason and it really showed last week. The Chiefs still have some tightening up to do but not as much as the Bengals. 

Bears (1-0) @ Texans (1-0) (8:20pm NBC/ Peacock)

I’m picking the Texans to win this game. I need both quarterbacks to do well but mainly throw to DJ Moore on the Bears and Tank Dell on the Texans. Please and thank you. Monday September 18th

Falcons (0-1) @ Eagles (1-0) (8:15pm ABC)

As much as I don’t like it, I’m picking the Eagles to win this game. 

GO G-MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the edit Eric!

The Shenoa Report Regular Season Week 1 #theshenoareport

The Shenoa Report
September 5, 2024
Regular Season Week 1

Welcome back football, welcome back readers, welcome back The Shenoa Report. 

This will be my 15th season writing this blog. I started it a lifetime ago, while living in North Carolina. I had felt so disconnected from my family, especially my dad, whom I had watched football with the most, that I wanted an outlet to talk about football. I also had a number of people ask me for my opinion on football and what teams they should root for. And that’s how The Shenoa Report got its start. Please know that I am very biased, and this report is just my opinion! I really just like talking about football. 

The last time I wrote, the 49ers and Chiefs were headed to the Super Bowl. Spoiler, Taylor Swift, I mean the Chiefs won.  

Caleb Williams went  #1  in the draft to the Bears. He’s already been named their starting quarterback going into this season. 

Some notable moves in the off season include, but are not limited to, Kirk Cousins is now a Falcon, Stefon Diggs is now a Texan, Brian Burns is now a New York Football Giant (woot!), Jerry Judy is now a Brown,  L'Jarius Sneed is now a Titan, Keenan Allen is now a Bear, Russel Wilson and Justin Fields are both Steelers, and Saquon Barkley is now a traitor, I mean an Eagle. 

There is also a new kickoff rule. If you watched any of the preseason it seems to be all they could talk about. To address the lowest kickoff return rate in NFL history during the 2023 season and an unacceptable injury rate on kickoffs prior to that, NFL clubs approved a new kickoff rule for the 2024 season. What does that mean? Let me tell you! PS this is very wordy and I don’t really care if you skip this part, but if you want to nerd out, by all means, continue reading the new kickoff rules. 

All kicking team players other than the kicker will line up with one foot on the receiving team’s 40 yard line. The kicker cannot cross the 50-yard line until the ball touches the ground or player in the landing zone or end zone. The 10 kicking team players cannot move until the ball hits the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone.

The receiving team will line up as follows: The Setup Zone – a 5-yard area from the 35 to the 30 yard line where at least 9 receiving team players must line up. At least 7 players with a foot on the 35 yard line (restraining line) with alignment requirements (outside numbers, numbers to hashes, and inside hashes). Players not on the restraining line must be lined up in the setup zone outside the hash marks. All players in the setup zone cannot move until the kick has hit the ground or a player in the landing zone or the end zone. The Landing Zone is the area between the receiving team’s goal line and its 20-yard line. Any kick that hits short of the landing zone – is treated like a kickoff out of bounds and the ball is spotted at the 40 yard line; the play would be blown dead as soon as a kick lands short of the landing zone.

Any kick that hits in the landing zone must be returned. Any kick that hits in the landing zone and then goes into the end zone must be returned or downed by the receiving team. If it’s downed then there is a touchback at the 20 yard line. If the kick hits the end zone, stays inbounds and is downed then the touchback is moved to the 30 yard line. 

Any kick that goes out of the back of the end zone (in the air or bounces) the touchback is moved to the 30 yard line. Got that? Easy peasy. 

For the first time ever Hard Knocks did an “off season” set of episodes where they followed the NY Football Giants. We saw how they came to draft Malik Nabers in the first round of the draft and how and why they moved on from Saquon. Joe Schoen seems to know what he’s doing and Brian Daboll seemed to have his shit together. I’d like to say I’m hopeful this season after watching Hard Knocks, but I’m a Giants fan and we don’t have much hope. 

Speaking of the Giants, one of the highlights of my summer was meeting and chatting with Tom Coulghlin. It was Epic. True story. 

Hard Knocks followed the Chicago Bears this preseason and it was pretty lackluster. Pretty G rated. Not real life. Would not recommend. 

I’ll also be playing fantasy football again this season, two separate leagues this time around. I had a draft on Monday and Tuesday of this week so, fingers crossed, all my players are still healthy coming into week one. 

Ready, set, let’s do this! 

Now...

WEEK 1

Thursday, September 5th

Ravens @ Chiefs (8:20pm NBC/ Peacock/ Universo)

The reigning Super Bowl Champs will host the Ravens in the opening game of the season. The last time these two teams met was last post season for the AFC championship game in Baltimore. We all know how that ended. I hope the outcome is the same. In my keeper league I kept Patrick Mahomes and he can’t possibly have back to back down seasons. Go Chiefs! I’m picking KC to win this game! 

Friday, September 6th

Packers @ Eagles (8:15pm Peacock)

Yes, you read that correctly. A Friday night football game at Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil. This game is ONLY streaming on Peacock NOT on regular TV or cable or YouTubeTV or, or. You’ll have to sign up for the streaming service or sail the high seas Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrr, wink wink. . Fun fact, this sporting arena and its fans very much dislike the color green… You see, the Corinthians’ top rivals, SE Palmerias, wear green. The Eagles, technically the host, will be ditching the color for Friday’s game, instead wearing white jerseys with black helmets and pants for the first time. These are the same colors the Corinthians wear. The “visiting” Packers will wear green but the city has assured that any fans that wear green will be safe. I don’t know, soccer fans are crazy. As for who wins this game, I’m picking the Eagles to win. In my same keeper fantasy league I did keep Saquon. I don’t like the guy anymore, but I do like to win. 

Sunday, September 8th

Cardinals @ Bills (1pm CBS)

The Bills will host the Cardinals in their season opener. Both teams will look a little different this season. Buffalo has made sweeping changes at wide receiver, most notably Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis who are no longer Bills. Damar Hamilin will get his first start since he was hospitalized in Cincinnati two seasons ago. The Cardinals will start rookie Marvin Harrison Jr which will give Kyler Murray a target he has needed desperately since DeHop left the team. I did draft MHJ in my other fantasy league so I’ll be paying close attention to him this season. With all that said, I am picking the Bills to win this game. 

Patriots @ Bengals (1pm CB)

The Patriots drafted quarterback Drake Maye and let Mac Jones go. They also parted ways with Bill Belicheck. It’s safe to say that New England is looking a lot different this season. The Bengals also made some changes. They no longer have running back Joe Mixon on the team. I am still picking the Bengals to win this game. 

Vikings @ NY Giants (1pm FOX)

Oh lord. Well, the Giants should win this game. It may be one of the two games they win this season but with the Vikings starting Sam Darnold, after J.J. McCarthy suffered a season ending injury, I have a tiny bit of hope. The Giants strengthened their offensive and defensive line in the off season and picked up wide receiver Malik Nabers in the draft. I’m picking the Giants to win this game. Please don’t make me wrong week one. GO G-MEN! PS one of my fantasy teams is “Won’t You Be My Nabers”.

Titans @ Bears  (1pm FOX)

Caleb Willians will start his first NFL regular season game on Sunday. I saw a wild stat that since 2003 no rookie quarterback won their first game. Kyler Murray was the only quarterback that didn’t lose his first rookie game, they tied. Will Williams make some history? He’s got some pretty incredible targets in Keenan Allen and D.J. Moore. The Titans did some revamping in the offseason but they lost King Henry (Derrick Henry) and DeAndre Hopkins is out for at least the first 4 games with a knee injury. Therefore, I’m going to keep picking the home teams to win their first game of the season. I’m picking the Bears to start 1-0. 

Panthers @ Saints (1pm FOX)

After the Panthers sent Brian Burns to the Giants (thank you) they made their team even weaker. Bryce Young will start for Carolina in his second season with the Panthers, but hopefully he’ll stay healthy and play the full season. With that said, I am picking the Saints to win this game.

Steelers @ Falcons (1pm FOX)

Both teams made some pretty big changes in the off season. The Steelers got rid of Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph at QB and added Justin Fields and Russel Wilson. As for the Falcons, their starting QB is Kirk Cousins and their new head coach is Raheem Morris. This should also help Bijan Robinson actually get some touches this season. I’m going to pick the Falcons to win this game, but only because they are the home team. 

Jaguars @ Dolphins  (1pm CBS)

I’m going with the Dolphins to win this game but I’d like Evan Engram to have a good day for the Jags. 

Texans @ Colts (1pm CBS)

The Colts have the NFL’s longest active opening-day winless streak of 10 straight losses. No other NFL team owns a season-opening winless streak longer than three years. The Colts have been involved in every kind of contest, from blowouts to close calls and even a 20-20 tie at Houston in 2022. So, is this the year? I have C.J. Stroud and Tank Dell on one of my fantasy teams so I hope the Texans have a big day. I am picking the Texans to win and the Colts losing streak to continue. 

Raiders @ Chargers (4:05pm CBS)

Jim Harbaugh is the head coach of the Chargers. The last time Jim coached in the NFL he was with the 49ers and he took them to the Super Bowl. The Chargers lost a lot of playmakers in the off season, most notably Keenan Allen and Austin Ekler. As for the Raiders, they still have Davante Adams and even quarterback Minshew Gardner can find him on the field. I’m picking the Raiders to win this game. 

Broncos @ Seahawks (4:05pm CBS)

Bo Nix is the rookie quarterback starting for the Broncos. So I am picking the Seahawks to win this game. 

Cowboys  @ Browns (4:25pm FOX)

I’ll be rooting for the Browns but I don’t think they’ll win their home opener. I hope I’m wrong. I’m picking the Cowboys to win this game. 

Commanders @ Buccaneers  (4:25pm FOX)

The Commanders are also starting a rookie quarterback in Jayden Daniels. So, It looks like I’m picking the Buccaneers for the win! 

Rams @ Lions (8:20pm NBC/ Peacock/ Universo)

Detroit opens the season on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Rams in a rematch of their wild-card game in January. The Lions won that game, achieving the franchise’s first playoff victory in 40 years. I think they’ll do it again and beat the Rams. I’m picking the Lions to win!

Monday September 9th

Jets @ 49ers (8:15pm ESPN/ABC/ESPN+)

I had drafted the Jets defense in my league initially. I saw they were playing the 49ers week one and dropped them straight away. I’m picking the 49ers to win this game, not because I drafted Christian McCaffery first overall pick in one of my drafts or because I have Deebo on my other team. I really just don’t want A-A-ron to win. There, I said it. 

Happy Week One!!!!!

GO GMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the edit Eric!