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Wednesday, September 20, 2023 |
Hi everyone, and happy Wednesday. Joe Burrow and the Bengals are in disarray, so John Breech has taken the day to breathe slowly and deeply. Or at least that's our guess. In the meantime, you've got me, Cody Benjamin, to deliver all the latest. |
This is the Pick Six newsletter. Now let's get to it. (And please, do yourself a favor and make sure you're signed up to receive this newsletter every day! You don't want to miss our daily offerings of everything you need to know around the NFL.) |
We've got quarterback power rankings, Week 3 predictions, injury updates and much more: |
1. Today's show: Which 0-2 teams will bounce back? Plus other rankings |
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Pete Prisco, Ryan Wilson and John Breech joined Will Brinson on the latest "Pick Six NFL Podcast" to preview Week 3 and debate Prisco's latest Power Rankings. Among the topics: Which winless teams are best suited to rebound? Some highlights: |
- Prisco is willing to bet on a Bengals turnaround, but only if Joe Burrow is healthy. And that doesn't appear to be the case. "That's a problem," he said. "The offense is entirely different because of his calf injury."
- Breech, who thinks Cincy would be better off putting Burrow on injured reserve and giving him four games to rest, likes the Vikings more: "They're only one game out of first place" in the North. "It's gonna take 10 or 11 [wins] to win that division."
- Wilson can't bring himself to maintain hope in the Chargers, echoing the common sentiment that Brandon Staley "hasn't figured it out" as the leader of a team with an elite quarterback and plenty of other talent.
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Catch the full episode (and subscribe for all kinds of daily NFL talk) right here. |
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2. Prisco's Week 3 Picks: Jets stun Patriots, Bills sneak past Commanders |
Pete Prisco is enraged by his own performance making Week 2 picks -- so enraged that he's vowed for a turnaround this weekend, making every Week 3 prediction with a previously unknown passion. Or at least that's our read on it. Here's a sampling of his boldest prognostications for the upcoming NFL slate: |
- Jets 19, Patriots 16: The Patriots have owned the Jets in recent years, winning 14 straight. The Pats are in survival mode after opening 0-2 with two home losses. The defense has played well, and it will here against Zach Wilson. But do they have enough offense? I don't think they do. It's a close, low-scoring game.
- Bills 24, Commanders 23: The Commanders are 2-0 and coming off an impressive come-from-behind victory over the Broncos on the road. The Bills got back on track last week against the Raiders, but this is a tough challenge for Josh Allen and especially his offensive line. Even so, I look for the Bills to go in and win a tight one.
- Eagles 25, Buccaneers 23: This is a game featuring two 2-0 teams, the Bucs being the surprise of the two. Tampa Bay has played well so far and Baker Mayfield has done some good things. The Eagles haven't looked right yet on ether side of the ball. Is this the game Jalen Hurts gets it going? I think the Bucs will hang around, but the Eagles will win it late.
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3. Ranking every 2-0 team: Cowboys, 49ers are for real |
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Two weeks into the season, nine different teams remain unbeaten. But which 2-0 clubs are legit, and which still have something to prove? We ranked all nine according to the trustworthiness of their "perfect" records: |
9. Commanders 8. Falcons 7. Buccaneers 6. Saints 5. Ravens 4. Eagles 3. Dolphins 2. 49ers 1. Cowboys |
There's probably no better-balanced team than in San Francisco. The Rams offered a scare in Week 2, but when everything is clicking, the 49ers aren't lacking anything: Brock Purdy remains reliable under center, Christian McCaffrey remains in peak multipurpose form and the defense has made plays when it matters most. Meanwhile, in Dallas, America's Team = Dream Team? OK, not so fast, but consider that Dallas has outscored opponents 70-10 through two weeks without really needing its Dak Prescott-led offense to explode. Prescott, by the way, did plenty against the Jets' elite "D" in Week 2, all while Micah Parsons and the Cowboys defense stole the show yet again. The premium playmakers they have are undeniable. |
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4. QB Power Rankings: Tua Tagovailoa rivaling Mahomes in top five |
Every week throughout the 2023 season, we're ranking all 32 starting quarterbacks according to current standing. This isn't a big-picture rundown as much as an immediate assessment, which means plenty of young signal-callers are rivaling Patrick Mahomes as the smoothest gunslingers taking the field going into Week 3. Here's a sneak peek at our latest top 10: |
- Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs)
- Tua Tagovailoa (Dolphins)
- Brock Purdy (49ers)
- Jordan Love (Packers)
- Josh Allen (Bills)
- Justin Herbert (Chargers)
- Dak Prescott (Cowboys)
- Kirk Cousins (Vikings)
- Jared Goff (Lions)
- Jalen Hurts (Eagles)
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How did Tagovailoa catapult to the No. 2 spot? Well, for one, his early 2022 explosion doesn't appear to be a fluke. Does he underthrow a ball here and there? Sure. But how about every other pass, when he's dropping dimes to effortlessly execute Mike McDaniel's speed attack? This guy has "it" for Miami. |
5. Injury updates: Saquon not ruled out, Hunt replacing Chubb |
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Here's a roundup of the latest on the medical front: |
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6. Extra points: Odell and Kim, Tom Brady on return, 2024 mock draft |
Hungry for more headlines? We've got you covered: |
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| | | | | | Watch NFL Slimetime, co-hosted by Nate Burleson and Young Dylan, on Wednesdays at 7:30/6:30c on Nickelodeon and streaming the next day on Paramount+! Tune In | | Looking for your fix of NFL news and analysis? Look no further. Host Katie Mox and a cast of characters get you up to speed with what's trending in the NFL world so that you're always in the know. Listen Now |
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