Not too much talk on the actual matchup yet. It's only Wednesday.





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Week 5: Prediction Thread: At home to the LA Rams and the return of Sean McVay

Kyle Allen throws 3 TDs and reignites the team. Good guys win a close one 30 - 27
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Los Angeles via St. Louis via Los Angeles Uncastrated Male Sheep - 27
Washington Formerly Known as The Redskins And Before That The Braves Established 1932 - 12
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20-13 Rams
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Redskins 28
Rams 24
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35-10 Rams.
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I think at least for this game, Kyle provides a spark.
Team 30
Rams 28
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Rams win a close one, 24-20.

McClaurin goes for 2 big TD's
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A new QB puts us in quite a stew...

Washington Ratatouilles 74, Rams 3
https://es.redskins.com/topic/44491...-to-the-la-rams-and-the-return-of-sean-mcvay/
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onward and upward ... we could get 6 wins this season - that would be HUGE
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just saw haskins benched. allen starting. stunned
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I have no issue with the benching. Dwayne needs to focus on becoming a better leader and take accountability for his bad play. Kyle is not a world beater so he'll get his opportunity again if he has a strong will to get better. He's not doing the simple things we'll and if you can't grow from there it's not going to get better anytime soon
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Apparently from what I saw Haskins isn’t even #2 this week. Not good
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I'm sure we'll get more info with time, but to this point Haskins is limiting the team and RR isn't beholden to him to do what he thinks best going forward. This might end up just being that DH gets screwed by bad timing, but that happens all the time in this league and at the end of the day you have to produce on the field. WaPo had an article yesterday with various third party statistical sites breaking down DH and it was pretty ugly. Accuracy is a major necessity for a QB and to this point he hasn't shown he has it. I suspect he'll get another shot again this season, but clearly he needs to really step up or this might be it for him.

A thought popped into my head after seeing O'Brien fired in Houston- they have the highest salary total in the league and yet look bereft of talent outside a few positions. Why not flitter about seeing what they'd be interested in for Deshaun Watson?
https://www.burgundyandgoldnation.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=715
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Kyle Allen will be starting vs Rams. Let the board melee begin...

RR obviously thinks Kyle Allen gives this team a better chance to win. Lot of details to follow no doubt.

Deans gonna have himself a field day with self congratulations...lol
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Good we can be in the Trey Lance or Trevor Lawerence sweepbstakes 1-15 should get us there
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No Alex Smith?
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QB 2 now
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I didn't get to watch Allen much last year, but I have a feeling we will be seeing Alex Smith before long
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First major red flag from Ron Rivera.

I don't get this benching at all. It's been 4 games
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Total BS.....he has never started a full season.....he was drafted by Gruden who was already on the hot seat and then Rivera comes in and has no ties to him....goes ahead and benchesc him in favor of Allen.....
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He(Alex Smith) is the backup now and may start before the season is over.....Allen showed a propensity for bad INT's last season in Carolina.
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Unless you think you can get something in a trade for Haskins, I don't get it. Allen isn't a good QB... If you think Haskins sucks, ride him to the top of the draft and get a QB that has the potential to lead you somewhere
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If Allen doesn't do better...Rivera could legitimately be on the hot seat in year one. Like I said many times...if you want Haskins to sit, learn and develop then sit him at the beginning of the season. Don't take him out 4 games in and expect this to help him and/or the future unless RR is just giving up on Haskins altogether in his short stint....he didn't draft him so I guess we will see. This organization seems to just make bad move after bad move...I put this one on Rivera though, wonder if he was getting pressured by the FO?
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I think RR feels he’s got to give him a chance to suit up. He had a convo with Alex before season that definitely influenced him regarding Alex basically saying he WANTS at all costs to get another shot.

I cringe at the thought of our team being the one to give him that shot.
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Well then Haskins isn’t the guy and we will be in the market for a qb .

And if that is the case so be it

Time to support Allen because if he fails ,it sets the team back another year or 2
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This will be the 22nd QB to start under Dan Synder, since 1999.

You can't beat the Browns though lol...the Browns have started 31 QB's since 1999
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I said when we made the trade that Rivera could see Allen as the starter. I think this was always RR’s intention.

i think it is a horrible decision.
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As I said , Haskins isn’t the guy if you make this move .

Now it’s Allen and you hope he plays well and becomes the franchise qb

What’s the over under on country and coach calling Allen a dick vs the rams ?

I am saying 6 minutes into the 1st quarter
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I think Riviera didn’t want Haskins and looked at the schedule and saw that the next six or seven games are not that strong opponents and those games could cement Haskins as his starter. So better to make the move now than later. I know he doesn’t look at any part as a gimmie and if he believed in Haskins, this would be a good opportunity, but I could also see that he believes he’s not long-term and he wants to be able to move on
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take this with a grain of salt but rumors going around Haskins threw his team under the bus and not taking responsibility himself
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i dont think RR is being honest on a lot of things . he came in and said he wouldnt chase cheap wins blah blah bah and then he moves toward going for cheap wins
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Haskins was never given a fair chance because Gruden didn't want him but the worst part was Rivera's crappy and irresponsible offseason. No offensive line help of note was brought in. No TE of note was brought in. No RB or WR was brought in of note. RR made an insane offer to Amari Cooper but he used the team to get a monster deal from Dallas. Austin Hooper chose the Browns over us. In other words, RR swung and missed big time. He instead brought in JD McKissic, Logan Thomas, Corenlius Lucas and Dontrelle Inman to address the NFL's 2019 worst offense. He also decided to bring in a rookie OC in Scott Turner to run said offense.

How in the world was Haskins going to have a chance? I blame Ron Rivera and his absurd plan to fix the offense. I am ok with Rivera as a coach mostly but I am not interested in him making personnel decisions. His first attempt with last year was a failure and we are seeing that now
https://sportshoop.la/threads/wow-k...ing-vs-rams-let-the-board-melee-begin.312817/

Thought this was gonna be kinky didn't you. Haven't noticed these before is it a new thing? He's got a cross and 90 on his, pretty cool.

Hiroshi H. "Hershey" Miyamura

Corporal, U.S. Army, Company H, 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division

Awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on April 24–25, 1951, south of the Imjin River near Taejon-ni in Yeoncheon County, while serving as a corporal in the 2nd Battalion, 7th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Infantry Division. During a night attack by the Chinese, he saw that his squad could not hold much longer, so he ordered his men to retreat. He remained behind to cover their withdrawal.

His Medal of Honor citation reads:
"Cpl. Miyamura, a member of Company H, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. On the night of 24 April, Company H was occupying a defensive position when the enemy fanatically attacked threatening to overrun the position. Cpl. Miyamura, a machinegun squad leader, aware of the imminent danger to his men unhesitatingly jumped from his shelter wielding his bayonet in close hand-to-hand combat killing approximately 10 of the enemy. Returning to his position, he administered first aid to the wounded and directed their evacuation. As another savage assault hit the line, he manned his machinegun and delivered withering fire until his ammunition was expended. He ordered the squad to withdraw while he stayed behind to render the gun inoperative. He then bayoneted his way through infiltrated enemy soldiers to a second gun emplacement and assisted in its operation. When the intensity of the attack necessitated the withdrawal of the company Cpl. Miyamura ordered his men to fall back while he remained to cover their movement. He killed more than 50 of the enemy before his ammunition was depleted and he was severely wounded. He maintained his magnificent stand despite his painful wounds, continuing to repel the attack until his position was overrun. When last seen he was fighting ferociously against an overwhelming number of enemy soldiers. Cpl. Miyamura's indomitable heroism and consummate devotion to duty reflect the utmost glory on himself and uphold the illustrious traditions on the military service."

"Miyamura was captured immediately after the actions that led to his award. As he and other prisoners of war (POWs) were marched away, he helped his wounded friend Joe Annello keep moving, but the North Koreans threatened to shoot him if he did not leave Annello behind. Straggling POWs were routinely killed. Miyamura refused, but Annello himself convinced Miyamura to put him down. Annello survived the war and later visited Miyamura in Gallup. The POWs were forced to march 300 miles (480 km) over five weeks with little food.

Miyamura's was the first Medal of Honor to be classified Top Secret. As Brigadier General Ralph Osborne explained to Miyamura and a group of reporters upon notifying them of his medal, "If the Reds knew what he had done to a good number of their soldiers just before he was taken prisoner, they might have taken revenge on this young man. He might not have come back."

Miyamura was held for 28 months. Following his release on August 20, 1953, he was informed that he had been awarded the Medal of Honor and promoted to sergeant. He was repatriated to the United States and honorably discharged from the military shortly thereafter. His medal was presented to him by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in October 1953 at the White House."

From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiroshi_H._Miyamura

Check out the rest at:

Posted partial article. due to length Link to full article below.
Just wanted to post this to say, Give'em heck coach.
For him to even be on the sideline during chemo is a
testament to the commitment, strength and fight in this man.
# "Rivera Strong"



Ron Rivera draws on lifetime of lessons to face cancer, chaos in Washington

John KeimESPN Staff Writer

ASHBURN, Va. -- The signs of support were as evident Sunday as the signs of reality.
On a day when the Washington Football Team sent multiple messages to coach Ron Rivera -- coaches and players wearing black "Rivera Strong" T-shirts during warm-ups and a section of FedEx Field dubbed "Coach's Corner" with about 400 cardboard cutouts purchased by friends and family -- the effects of his cancer continued to mount a challenge.

During Washington's 31-17 loss in Week 4 to the Baltimore Ravens, Rivera walked to the locker room at halftime with a hand placed on the shoulder of a team employee. During the game he would retreat to the bench during a break, taking a seat to rehydrate. But, as has been his habit since arriving in Washington, where he has faced one challenge after another, Rivera pushed through.

This followed a week in which chemotherapy caused him to miss practice Wednesday and leave early Thursday. During an interview Monday with Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America," he said he has three more weeks of treatment and one more round of chemo remaining.
"It's a struggle. It's a battle," said Rivera, who has squamous cell carcinoma, the second-most-common form of skin cancer.

Full Article-

Interesting. Kyle Allen was pretty decent with the Panthers. Wonder how we will handle him.
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First Look: Rams travel to Washington Football Team aiming for NFC East sweep

Following a brief return to SoFi Stadium, the Rams (3-1) head back on the road to face the Washington Football Team (1-3) on Sunday in Week 5, seeking to go 4-0 against the NFC East this season. Kickoff from FedEx Field is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. pacific time on FOX.

In advance of the contest, here is your first look at Rams-Washington on Oct. 11, including notable Washington additions, some of Washington's top statistical performers in Week 4 and key storylines:

Notable Washington additions

Drafted defensive end Chase Young second overall in this year's draft. The Ohio State product made 8 total tackles and 2.5 sacks before sustaining a groin injury in Washington's Week 3 loss to the Browns. That same injury also kept him out of their Week 4 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Washington head coach Ron Rivera told reporters last week that Young would be re-evaluated this week.

Signed cornerback Kendall Fuller to a four-year deal in March. Though he missed the first two weeks of the season due to injury, Fuller has quickly made up for lost time. Just recently, he had a pair of interceptions in Washington's Week 4 loss to Baltimore and was named to Pro Football Focus' Team of the Week for his overall performance. Those two picks lead Washington's defense on the season.

Top Performers in Week 4

QB Dwayne Haskins completed 32 of 45 pass attempts for 314 yards in Washington's 31-17 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. He did not throw a touchdown or an interception.

Rookie RB Antonio Gibson paced Washington's backfield with a team-high 13 carries for 46 yards and one touchdown. He also did damage as a receiver with four catches for 82 yards, second only to WR Terry McLaurin's 118 on 10 catches.

Besides Fuller's two interceptions, veteran linebacker Jon Bostic's 14 combined tackles led Washington's defense.

On special teams, kicker Dustin Hopkins made 1 of 2 field goal attempts and both of his extra point attempts.

Early storylines to watch, and what they mean for the Rams

The Washington Football Team, in some ways, is similar to the Giants.

Like the Giants, Washington has struggled with giveaways. Its eight so far are tied with the Giants and the Denver Broncos for third-most in the league. At the same time, Washington has still been able to create takeaways – its six through four weeks are tied with the Bills, Rams, Titans and Jets for ninth-most in the league.

Washington's offense also has two dynamic playmakers who can stress defenses in McLaurin and Gibson. McLaurin has averaged 15.5 yards per catch in 18 career games so far, while Gibson took a screen pass 40 yards against the Ravens last week.

So while the Rams' defense will have its opportunities to force turnovers, of perhaps greater importance will be their offense's ability to score points off those turnovers and take care of the football, simultaneously keeping the ball out of the hands of McLaurin and Gibson.

Additionally, Young's status will be important to monitor. If he is in position to return against Los Angeles, it would provide a big boost to Washington's pass rush and obviously impact L.A.'s pass protection plans.

Probably, the funniest moment from the game yesterday. Here's my caption:

"How every 'I'm not touching you...' game ends with siblings"

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10/08 8:20 PM Thursday Night
Tampa Bay - 4.5
Chicago
Over Under 44

10/11 1:00 PM Sunday
Carolina
Atlanta - 2.5
Over Under 53.5

Las Vegas
Kansas City - 13
Over Under 56.5

LA Rams - 8
Washington
Over Under 45

Jacksonville
Houston - 6
Over Under 54.5

Buffalo - 1
Tennessee
Over Under 49

Arizona - 7
Jets
Over Under 47

Philadelphia
Pittsburg - 7
Over Under 44

Cincinnati
Baltimore - 13
Over Under 51

10/11 4:05 PM
Miami
San Francisco - 3.5
Over Under 46.5

10/11 4:25 PM
Denver
New England - 8.5
Over Under 48.5

New York Giants
Dallas - 9.5
Over Under 54

Indianapolis - 2
Cleveland
Over Under 47

10/11 8:20 PM Sunday Night
Minnesota
Seattle - 7
Over Under 57.5

10/12 8:20 PM Monday Night
LA Chargers
New Orleans - 7.5
Over Under 51

https://www.tmz.com/2020/10/06/eddie-van-halen-dead-dies-cancer-65/

Below are my notes after rewatching the game:

Drive Killers

1. Everett Fumble -- Turnover

2. Goff doesn't find Brown on left side, takes a sack -- Punt
(Earlier in the possession - Two failed screens in red zone (1) Edwards fails to let his man rush through Brown tackled on the screen (2) Everett fails to block his man, Woods stuffed)

3. Malcom Brown bobbles underneath throw and gets only 2 yards after catch, though defenders are 7 yards away -- Punt
(Earlier in the possession - Kupp screen snuffed out for no gain)

4. Reynolds route covered perfectly. Goff overthrows -- Punt

5. Kupp overthrow great coverage on 3rd and 6. Had Brown for the checkdown -- Punt

6. Mcvay goes conservative and calls a run on third and long -- Punt

Summary: Goff needs to find his checkdown a little better, Mcvay a little too conservative and predictable, a turnover, a few missed blocks, Good coverage by Giants.

Other Observations

• Obo had a great game rushing the QB, tremendous quickness on those stunts especially with Donald.
• The Entire front 4 was getting excellent pressure.
• Staley dialed some blitzes which forced incompletions and made the QB uncomfortable. Though on one play Reeder failed to cover the RB.
• Young and Kiser had trouble shedding blocks but Kiser is still overall a plus player and a solid tackler.
• Darius Williams made more plays then just the interception.
• Troy Hill had a few solid plays including a key breakup in crunch time.
• Ramsey's 3rd and 3 stop was HUGE, he blew past a blocker to make that play.
• Rapp's ability to diagnose a play and come up and make the tackle is excellent. He had some great coverage at times as well. Bad angle on one tackle but overall he is a difference maker.
• JJ had a solid game, showed the solid coverage, tackling and diagnosis that makes him a solid player.
• Floyd's overall game really is excellent. Several pressures and a sack called back due to Hill's penalty. Floyds ability to chip the back or TE coming into his zone and then rush the passer is text book perfect. He has grown on me and I would say his overall game is very positive to our defense. He plays smart and in this game made several positive plays.
• Brockers appears to be getting better on the stunts, I think his work with Donald on Technique is really rubbing off.
• Gaines made at least a few strong plays coming off his man to blow up the run. He had one play where he got beat though, still a work in progress but flashing.
• SJD is better then he gets credit for. In this game he defeated blocks several times and got in on tackles.
• Burgess was in on a few plays and showed quick reaction.
• Hollins starting to flash some, got a sack. He's not as destructive or quick as Obo at this stage.
• Ebukam was a man possessed this game and actually made some plays. He did get juked a few times and take some bad angles as he often does but overall redeemed himself from a rough start to the season. Some hustle on the backside allowed him to get in on some plays.
• Everett missed more than a few tackles and this is a common thing I have seen on tape all year. He is the Noteboom of the TE group. He just misses blocks or takes a bad angle. If we opted for a better blocking TE I believe the offense would be more consistent. He would probably be better in a scheme where he is more of a pass catcher and less of a blocker in my opinion. He often hurts the offense.
• Higbee is hit or miss on his blocks, a few plays were blown up because he missed a block. He is more consistent then Everett and often gets critical blocks executed perfectly.
• O-line in general had a real solid game. The lack of runs was mainly due to our RB's unable to break a tackle vs a LB on occasion. Edwards had some strong blocks, one in particular he moved a guy completely out of the play opening a massive hole for a 9 yard gain. The pass blocking was solid by the entire line from what I could tell, with the exception of the one breakdown between Blythe and Corbett. I didn't review each block play by play to give a score in this game.
• Play calls were very conservative. I think Mcvay was playing it safe and emphasizing 2nd string players to avoid injury. Reynolds, Brown, Everett, Muntz.
• Brown is a solid backup. Great short yardage back. But his inability to make moves in the open field or juke a defender in space shows. It effects the offense. His bobbling balls and dropping balls also slows down the offense. In this game there were two catches he made where he got nearly zero yards ultimately resulting in punts. Top backs can commonly juke and get bigger gains. I'm looking to see if Cam can really get going and make people miss in open space and catch the ball better.
• Goff needs to calibrate his timing and be a tad more patient. I am the biggest Goff fan but in this game he missed Brown twice near the sideline on third down wide open that could have resulted in a first down instead of a punt. The pass protection was really solid and I believe he his internal clock is a little off. He doesn't realize he has another second to find that open guy. I don't blame him, it may take a few games to build that trust and confidence. His overthrows to Kupp and Reynolds in this were actually good overthrows due to perfect coverage, not sure if they were intentional but they were neccessary to avoid interception. Especially in a close game vs the Giants offense.
• The Rams Defense is now #2 in the NFC in points allowed. Lots of room to grow but if we stay healthy it could be good enough to take us deep in the post season with our top offense. The pass rush in this game was really good and Staley's willingness to dial up some blitzes is a real good sign.

Interesting.

Just announced.

Four weeks into the season.

Better coach than GM.

Time for my weekly data dump... and my review of the first quarter of the season:

1. The Elias Sports Bureau has confirmed that ugly wins count as much as pretty ones.

2. Still, I really thought this one would be a laugher.

3. The offense seemed a bit out of synch, and way too conservative. I'll call it an anomaly for now, unless it becomes a pattern.

4. Have to give credit to the defense, though. They were stifling in the first half, and made enough plays in the second to keep the Giants out of the End Zone. Sure, the Giants have a bad offense, but they're still an NFL team.

5. Our imperfect defense has also allowed less than 20 points in 3 of 4 games. That's a trend I want to see continue.

6. I don't have much to say about the Jalen Ramsey/Golden Tate brawl. Stupid thing for two grown men to do. I don't really care about the backstory.

7. Five sacks (plus one called back by penalty) was nice to see.

8. My Offensive MVP for the first quarter of the season: Jared Goff. Can't ask for much more from Goff. He is on a career-best pace in completion percentage (72.1), yards per attempt (8.7) and passer rating (108.1).

9. My Defensive MVP for the first quarter of the season: Aaron Donald. Shocker, I know. His 3.5 sacks and 10 QB hits only tell part of the story. The attention he receives makes the whole defense better.

10. The Rams are currently 9th in yards/game and 11th in yards/game allowed. I like that balance.

11. I'm hoping we'll see a spark in Quarter 2 from Cam Akers and Terrell Lewis.

12. Right now, I'd say our second best pass rusher is Morgan Fox.

13. If I had to list a concern when it comes to the offense, I'd say it my fear that our pass protection could falter if forced into a greater degree of difficulty (i.e. giving Goff a pocket that allows him to make deep throws).

14. On defense, my concern continues to be the consistency of the pass rush. I do think its improving, though.

15. Our MVK (most valuable contract) is Darious Williams' deal. We're paying him $750K this year, and he's an RFA next year. His play may obviate the need to pay UFA Troy Hill this offseason.

16. Raymond Calais' 41 yard KR was nice to see. More please.

17. The Seahawks look strong on offense, but that defense... 415 yards allowed to the Dolphins who might have beaten the Hawks if they could score in the Red Zone. They're very beatable.

18. San Francisco's injuries are taking their toll. If we can take advantage in 2 weeks, we'll have some nice breathing room over the hated Whiners.

19. Didn't I tell you to pump the breaks on the Cardinals, national media? Yes, Kyler Murray is an exciting player, but he's also 27th in yards/attempt and only three QBs have a higher INT% than he does.

20. Looking at the schedule (@Washington, @San Francisco, Chicago, Miami), I'm expecting the Rams to have at least 6 wins at the halfway point, and won't be surprised if they have 7

Rams defense continues habit of timely takeaways and stops

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – With the Giants keeping things close due to both their offensive and defensive execution, and the consequent missed opportunities by the Rams offense, it became apparent that the Rams' defense would be needing more than just one stop.

Similar to previous games, it was a position they embraced.

"Defense, that's why we're out there. No matter how rough it gets, we're the backbone," said Los Angeles cornerback Darious Williams, who had the game-clinching interception in the Rams' 17-9 victory. "We've always got our offense's back."

They proved as much midway through the fourth quarter, when the pressure was seemingly at its highest for the Rams.

A 27-yard field goal by New York kicker Graham Gano had trimmed Los Angeles' lead to one with 14:15 remaining, then L.A.'s offense went 3-and-out. On the ensuing offensive series, running back Wayne Gallman's 26-yard run, 4-yard run and 3-run had the Giants in Rams territory.

However, facing a 3rd and 3 from the Rams 47, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones' pass short left to wide receiver Golden Tate resulted in a one-yard loss thanks to the instincts of Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The 3rd-down stop helped set up a pivotal 55-yard touchdown touchdown pass from Rams quarterback Jared Goff to wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

"We just couldn't get into a rhythm offensively, but defense did a great job," Rams head coach Sean McVay said. "You win as a team, and I thought they made enough plays to be able to win."

Neither team had much success on third down. The Rams were 5 of 13, while the Giants were 4 of 13, but the Rams were able to get the stops when it mattered most. It wasn't always on third down, either – just look at how the game ended.

After Goff's touchdown pass to Kupp gave the Rams an 8-point lead, their defense responded with cornerback Darious Williams getting the game-sealing interception on 2nd and 5 from their own 18.

In a way, it's representative of timely takeaways and stops that have become a habit for the unit through the first quarter of the season.

In Week 1 against the Cowboys, it was rookie safety Jordan Fuller stopping Dallas wide receiver CeeDee Lamb a yard short of the line to on 4th and 3 in the redzone. In Week 2 against the Eagles, Williams and cornerback Troy Hill each had a pair of momentum-changing interceptions in the second half. And while Week 3 against the Bills was a loss, safety John Johnson III's interception and Aaron Donald's sack-fumble were still critical plays that put the Rams in position to rally.

"We have 11 guys on the field that at any time one of these guys can make a big play, make a game changing play, (so) you tend to continue to close out games and make big plays like that when we need it," Rams defensive lineman Aaron Donald said.

Monday Night Football: Atlanta Falcons vs. Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers will host the Atlanta Falcons on "Monday Night Football" in a matchup of teams headed in entirely different directions. Both entered the 2020 NFL season with high hopes, but just three weeks into their respective campaigns, the Packers are undefeated and the Falcons are winless. Nevertheless, a showdown between two of the league's most potent offenses should make for an intriguing matchup.

The first three weeks of the season have been nothing short of brutal for the seemingly snake-bitten Falcons, who fell to 0-3 with last week's 30-26 loss to the Bears. Following Week 2's shocking collapse against the Cowboys, the Falcons now have the unfortunate distinction of being the first team in NFL history to squander a fourth-quarter lead of 15 points or more in back-to-back games. The last two weeks also have conjured up painful memories of the Falcons' colossal meltdown against the Patriots in Super Bowl LI.

A rash of injuries and a struggling defense have played significant roles in Atlanta's early-season demise. If there is a silver lining, there are plenty of games left on the schedule for arguably the most dangerous 0-3 team in the league. But if head coach Dan Quinn has any hope of getting off the hot seat, now is the time to reverse the curse. An upset win on the road against the red-hot Packers might do the trick.

The Packers are sitting pretty at 3-0 on the young season following last week's 37-30 road victory against the Saints. They also made NFL history last week, but for all the right reasons, becoming the first team to score 35 or more points in each of their first three games without committing a single turnover. Matt LeFleur's offense is clearly hitting on all cylinders, averaging an NFL-best 6.9 yards per play and 40.7 points per game. However, there is plenty of room for improvement on the defense, where Green Bay is giving up an NFL-worst 6.6 yards per play. That should make for an interesting dynamic as the Packers look to keep their perfect record intact against the upset-minded Falcons and their high-powered offense on Monday night.

Monday Night Football: Atlanta at Green Bay

Kickoff: Monday, Oct. 5 at 8:50 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Spread: Packers -7

Three Things to Watch

1. Green Bay passing game

Despite injuries along the offensive line and in the receiving corps, Aaron Rodgers has managed to make easy work of all three defenses that he's faced so far this season - completing 67 percent of his passes for 887 yards with nine touchdowns and zero interceptions. The two-time NFL MVP will be tasked with going into Monday night's matchup a little shorthanded in the supporting cast department as well.

After posting career-best numbers against New Orleans, wide receiver Allen Lazard became the latest Green Bay pass catcher to fall victim to the injury bug. The hope now is that star wide receiver Davante Adams can return this week after sitting out Week 3 with a hamstring injury. Adams practiced on a limited basis this week, which is promising, but he also claimed that he would need to be 100 percent to take the field on Monday night.

If Adams does return, Aaron Rodgers should have little trouble carving up a depleted Atlanta secondary. The Falcons have been atrociously bad against the pass through the first three weeks - allowing 350.3 yards per game (31st in the NFL), nine touchdowns (tied for the most in the league), and 15 pass plays of 20 yards or more (tied for 31st).

If Adams is unable to play, Rodgers will be forced to lean on a skeleton crew of wide receivers, led by inconsistent deep-threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Darrius Shepherd. A tight end committee - consisting of Robert Tonyan, Jace Sternberger, Mercedes Lewis, and Josiah Deguara – will need to step up to help fill the void, along with running backs Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams out of the backfield. But Rodgers should find a way to keep the Green Bay passing attack afloat against the beat-up Atlanta defense on Monday night.

2. Atlanta passing game

The Falcons' shortcomings so far this season have been well documented. However, quarterback Matt Ryan has maintained the high standard that we have grown accustomed to seeing from the former MVP. Through three games, Ryan ranks third in the NFL with 961 passing yards to go along with seven touchdowns and two interceptions. But much like Rodgers, Ryan's top targets are dropping like flies.

The good news is that Julio Jones returned to practice this week after missing last week's game against the Bears with a hamstring injury. The bad news is that the elite wide receiver stopped short of declaring himself 100 percent healthy. To make matters worse - Calvin Ridley, who ranks second in the NFL with 349 receiving yards and is tied for the league lead with four touchdown catches, is also questionable for Monday night with ankle/calf injuries. And it hasn't been determined if Russell Gage, the Falcons' No.3 receiver, has cleared concussion protocol. Tight end Hayden Hurst (9 rec, 111 yds., 2 TDs) is Atlanta's fourth-leading receiver and the only top option for Ryan that isn't currently nursing an injury.

The Packers have allowed the third-highest passer rating (113.4) in the NFL through three games and rank near the bottom of the league in yards allowed per attempt (8.4) and touchdown passes allowed (7). It's a favorable matchup, but Ryan will need to have his top weapons on the field (and reasonably healthy) to take full advantage of Green Bay's suspect pass defense on Monday night.

3. The run game

With injuries threatening to hamper both of these high-powered passing attacks on Monday night, the Packers and Falcons may need to lean more on the run game to help carry their respective offenses. There's also reason to believe that both teams can find success in that regard.

The Falcons' 18th-ranked rushing attack hasn't been anything to write home about so far this season, averaging 109.7 yards per game. But Atlanta is coming off its best performance on the ground to date, rushing for 144 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Chicago. Todd Gurley showed flashes of his former self with 80 yards and a score on just 14 carries, while fellow running back Brian Hill added 58 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. It is an encouraging sign heading into Monday night's favorable matchup against a Green Bay run defense that will be without leading tackler Christian Kirksey (shoulder). A defense that was already giving up a very generous 5.5 yards per carry with Kirksey in the lineup.

The Packers currently boast the No. 2-ranked rushing attack in the NFL, averaging 171.7 yards per game. Running back Aaron Jones spearheads the Green Bay ground assault. He ranks second in the NFL with 303 rushing yards (6.1 ypc) and is tied for the league lead with four touchdowns on the ground. Meanwhile, Jamaal Williams has picked up 98 yards on 21 carries.

The Green Bay backfield will be paired against a Falcons' run defense that has been middle-of-the-road so far this season, giving up 113.0 rushing yards per game. Atlanta has also allowed five rushing touchdowns through three games. Even with tackling machine Deion Jones roaming the middle, it will be a tall order for a dinged-up Atlanta front seven to slow down the potent Green Bay run game on Monday night.

Final Analysis

The Falcons should be 2-1 right now and a dangerous Atlanta passing attack is more than capable of racking up yards and putting points on the scoreboard against a suspect Green Bay defense. But with Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley and Russell Gage all nursing injuries, Matt Ryan may not have the firepower he needs to drive the Atlanta passing game to explosive levels on Monday night. Even if Ryan does get the passing game hitting on all cylinders, along with help from Todd Gurley and the run game will it be enough to keep pace with a Green Bay offense that is averaging 460 yards and an NFL-best 40.7 points per game? If the last two weeks are any indication, the answer is no.

Aaron Rodgers may also have to make do with a somewhat depleted receiving corps if top target Davante Adams is unable to go on Monday night. But even if Adams does sit this one out, Rodgers shouldn't have too much trouble exploiting a paper-thin Atlanta secondary. The Packers also have Aaron Jones and an elite ground attack to lean on. That will prove to be too much for an injury-riddled Atlanta defense that has allowed the most points in the NFL (36 ppg).

Prediction: Packers 38, Falcons 24

Monday Night Football: New England Patriots vs. Kansas City Chiefs

There's no rest for the weary when you're the Super Bowl champs. Fresh off a dominant win over the Ravens, the Kansas City Chiefs will face another potential playoff preview when they host the New England Patriots on Monday after the game was rescheduled due to positive COVID-19 tests on both teams.

Notably, the Patriots will be without Cam Newton, who reportedly tested positive on Saturday and is perhaps the biggest star to test positive for the coronavirus across any sport. Brian Hoyer will get the start for New England, which was already 7-point underdogs before they had to prepare without their one-time MVP.

Patrick Mahomes and Co. looked nearly unstoppable on the road at Baltimore on "Monday Night Football," which ought to frighten even the Patriots' vaunted secondary. Mahomes went 31-for-42 for 385 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions — good for a nearly perfect 97.7 QBR.

The Chiefs raced out to a 27-10 halftime lead, and even when the Ravens mounted a second-half comeback, head coach Andy Reid reached into his creative playbook to draw up a touchdown catch for left tackle Eric Fisher, who was masquerading as a tight end in a jumbo goal-line formation.

New England, meanwhile, regained its dominant form in a 36-20 romp over Las Vegas when it rediscovered the ground game. Cam Newton didn't have to push the ball downfield much when the team was averaging 6.6 yards per carry on 38 attempts. Sony Michel led the way with nine carries for 117 yards, which was a welcomed development after he opened the season with 17 carries for 56 yards (3.3 ypc). They will need that kind of rushing attack once again to have a shot this week.

When Newton was slated to start, this game was undoubtedly Week 4's premier contest, but now it will merely be an intriguing appetizer to the Falcons-Packers "Monday Night Football" game with plenty of playoff implications. It's not out of the question for these division favorites to finish with the same record, and with only one team receiving a first-round bye in the playoffs, the tiebreaker for the top seed will be even more important than in the past.

New England at Kansas City

Kickoff: Monday, Oct. 5 at 7:05 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Spread: Chiefs -11

Three Things to Watch

1. Can the Patriots bring enough pressure with just four rushers?

One thing that the Chiefs have made clear over their dominant run the last two seasons is that you cannot beat them without generating a pass rush. But you also can't sell out and leave their skill position players in man coverage. Essentially, unless you can generate pressure with just four rushers, Patrick Mahomes is too good and his receivers are too fast to not find an open man.

The Ravens found that out the hard way last week when they blitzed on 45 percent of downs but only generated two pressures, per Next Gen Stats. Mahomes ate Baltimore defensive coordinator Don Martindale's lunch by completing 15-of-19 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns on such plays. The Patriots can't afford to make the same mistake.

The Patriots have struggled to generate much pressure this season; their 5.9 percent adjusted sack rate ranks 18th in the NFL after they ranked sixth at an 8.1 percent clip in 2019. Bill Belichick did have success running unique "read" Cover 0 blitzes last season, but the key will be finding the same success without big playmakers like Jamie Collins Jr., Kyle Van Noy, and Dont'a Hightower, who are not with the team this season. If they can't, they're going to get burned in a lot of man coverage.

2. The turnover battle: unstoppable force vs. immovable object

New England was able to be so aggressive on defense last season because of how talented their secondary is and was. Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore is the standard-bearer for a shutdown corner in today's game, and the unit is deep with the McCourty twins, Adrian Phillips, and J.C. Jackson — even without Patrick Chung, who was one of eight Patriots to opt out of the season.

The Pats' 25 interceptions in 2019 were five more than any team, and their 36 turnovers forced were the most since the 2015 Panthers. The team once again paces the league with seven turnovers thus far, and only the Colts (six) have more than their four interceptions.

Sunday will present their toughest matchup yet, though, since the Chiefs only have one turnover all season — and even that was a Darwin Thompson fumble. Mahomes has faced the Patriots three times (including a memorable AFC Championship Game two seasons ago), and has thrown three interceptions against them. But he's also totaled eight touchdown passes in those games and has beaten New England, a 23-16 win in Foxborough in Week 14 last season). So if the Chiefs can hold themselves to just one turnover, they'll be hard to beat at Arrowhead Stadium.

3. Can Brian Hoyer win you a big game?

The Patriots have used Newton selectively in his first season in New England, but as he showed in Week 2, he is more than capable of stepping up when needed. With Brian Hoyer under center, the Patriots' playbook will be far narrower.

Hoyer, who turns 35 later in October, has only started one game in the last two years and hasn't won one since 2016. In 38 career starts, he has a 58.4 percent completion rate with 43 touchdowns to 29 interceptions and just 6.9 yards per attempt. Those numbers go down even further if you just look at his six starts the last three years (56.2 percent passing, 5:7 TD:INT, 5.9 ypa).

Newton is a huge reason the Patriots have been able to lead the league in rushing, and his absence will make that distinctly harder to continue. Not only is Newton the team's second-leading rusher, but his arm talent also makes other teams have to respect the pass a lot more than they will have to when facing Hoyer.

Making matters harder is how well the Chiefs' secondary has played to this point. They're fourth in pass defense and completely shut down Lamar Jackson to just 97 passing yards. Even Deshaun Watson "only" threw for 253 yards. Even with the return of running back James White, who missed the past two games because of a car accident that killed his father and injured his mother, Hoyer has a daunting task ahead of him.

Final Analysis

The Chiefs definitively showed last week that they are the league's premier team, but don't sleep on the Patriots. This defense, which remains strong despite a bevy of departures, has held Mahomes to his second-lowest total quarterback rating of any opponent he's faced multiple times — even if it's still a healthy 68.8 QBR.

The problem is that it's hard to see these Patriots keeping up with the Chiefs' high-flying attack. That might have been possible with a healthy Newton, and perhaps we'll see a rematch in January. But the Patriots' tight path to victory got a lot more narrow with his absence. Without a potent offense, it will take a historic defensive performance to keep the defending champions in place on Monday.

Prediction: Chiefs 31, Patriots 17

Gurley and Barkley used to do this every week. The news coverage on Aiyuk makes it seem like it’s the first time it’s ever been done.

He sounded a little more annoyed than I've seen him before. Don't think he was thrilled with there performance. He mostly says positives like usual, but his tone and body language.

Ok, maybe I'm a little over caffeinated, but that tops off the day, The whiners are in last place in the division and have a tough road ahead.

so I am thinking of a new PTS contest starting next week. I am thinking of a predict the score by each quarter with a 2500 sportsbook prize for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd quarters, and the final score contest will be the original PTS game.



Any thoughts on this?

For you sci fi and even game geeks like me this was a pretty cool watch. Know where most of these are from but I've never played Destiny or Eve Online and a few others here.

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