By Lucas Kochevar
Titans fans, I hope this is the beginning of a new era. The Titans lost to the Ravens in London and quarterback Ryan Tannehill went down with an injury. This forcibly pushed the Titans' hand to put in Malik Willis and it was overdue. Not to kick a man while he's down, but the Titans needed to move on from Tannehill. It's not a win-now move, but the Titans need to look towards developing one of the two quarterback's they've drafted the past two years. The Ravens also continue to look sluggish in the red zone. They'll have to start converting on these opportunities to beat the best teams, but the field goals will do for a game against the Titans. The rest of the league played in nasty low-scoring games, but we saw our last two undefeated teams fall. Both of them upsets with the 49ers losing to the Browns after some tough injury luck and the Eagles just blew a game against the Jets. It'll be interesting to see how these teams rebound this week. Detroit Lions (+2.5) @ Baltimore Ravens The Lions are going to be a playoff team, barring something catastrophic. Now there's a new question brewing in Detroit. Can the Lions win the Super Bowl? It seems far fetched, but there's a real possibility with how this team is playing on both sides of the ball. Jared Goff is playing the best he ever has and the defense can be overwhelming. They'll travel to Baltimore for a test this week as the Ravens look to field a touchdown-based offense instead of kicking all the field goals they have. They continue to make it the redzone, but they just can't put the ball in the endzone to truly separate themselves from their lackluster opponents. They'll have their hands full to keep up with a Lions offense that consistently puts pressure on. The matchup I'm curious to see here is the Lions defensive line versus the Ravens offensive line. The Lions defense has been built through the trenches and we're finally seeing the results of that with Aidan Hutchinson blowing up. John Comisky, an edge they got from the Falcons last year, has also been a very strong rusher for them. It feels like the Ravens have always had a strong offensive line, but I also feel like I've seen Lamar Jackson running for his life every time RedZone flips over to a Ravens game. I really love the Lions in this game with the roll they're on right now. I'm a little worried that they're peaking too early, but I think they have the makings of a great team. They also just need to get healthy at the running back position. Give me the Lions to win this tough road test. Los Angeles Chargers (+6) @ Kansas City Chiefs The Chargers and Chiefs always seem to play a fun, chaotic game and I think that'll be the same on Sunday between these two teams. The Chargers just dropped a very disappointing game against the Cowboys and I think the rumblings are coming out that head coach Brandon Staley could get fired if the losses keep piling up. The Chiefs are coming off a long rest week after a Thursday night win over the Broncos. The offense continues to look pedestrian for the Chiefs as it looks like Mahomes his pressing on most of his red zone opportunities. The offenses are normally the storyline for these games, but I think both defenses will make the difference in this game. The Chargers offense has been very one dimensional with no run game and it's put a clear ceiling on the team. Justin Herbert has been subject to some very tough discourse with his poor performance on Monday. I still think he's stellar but he does need to find another gear to overcome his situation. The Chargers are just special at finding ways to make their lives difficult. The Chiefs are in need of someone to step up on offense. I think rookie Rashee Rice could be that guy as he's built some chemistry with Mahomes over the past couple weeks. Finding the go-to guy that isn't Travis Kelce will be important for the Chiefs once playoff time comes. I like to Chiefs to win this game and Staley to get fired. Miami Dolphins (+2.5) @ Philadelphia Eagles This is the game of the week and the NFL actually made a great decision before the season by having this as Sunday Night Football. These two could potentially be in the Super Bowl at the end of the season, but first things first, they'll meet in Philadelphia. The Eagles are coming off a tough loss against the Jets, meanwhile, the Dolphins handled business against the Panthers. The Dolphins might be running into a buzzsaw with an Eagles team that's mad after their performance against the Jets. The Eagles are also getting some notable guys back like Lane Johnson and Darius Slay. They'll need Slay to comeback when dealing with the likes of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle. This game will also be a very good test for Tua Tagovailoa. Tagvailoa hasn't had a ton of opportunities for high leverage games in the NFL due to his injuries, but this will be the biggest environment for him. It'll also be a challenge for him to navigate the pocket against a super tough Eagles defensive line. Rookie Jalen Carter has come on the scene strong like how many people projected. The Eagles defense will also have to defend against this Miami run game that's been on point all season. The Eagles offense will be just fine, but this game will be decided by how the Eagles defense fares against the Dolphins historically fast offense. LK's Bet of the Week: Cleveland Browns @ Indianapolis Colts U40.5 The Cardinals are dead. The Arizona Cardinals were a fun and frisky team to root for to cover some bets, but last week was the death of that and now I'm sitting at .500 on the season. That's okay, however, as I love this pick. The Browns and Colts under seems like a bet to too good to be true. The Browns boast a historically great defense with Myles Garrett as the star of the show. They're taking on a Colts offense that's actually been better than projected, but they're starting backup Gardner Minshew since rookie Anthony Richardson went down for the year with a shoulder injury. The Browns offense hasn't been lighting the world on fire, but they should get Deshaun Watson back this week. I think the Colts are still trying to find their footing with Jonathan Taylor back and Richardson gone so they won't score a ton. The Browns could have a good day on offense, but I'm still shaky on Watson. Record on the season: 3-3 Sources: John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel/TNS
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By Lucas Kochevar
The NFL season rages on as the contenders are separated from the pretenders. It turns out the Cowboys are the biggest of pretenders as they got curb stomped by the 49ers on Sunday. Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was absolutely atrocious and had me clamoring for Trey Lance. Obviously his job isn't in question, but I think Cowboys fans are starting to turn on him. It's hard to blame them as him and head coach Mike McCarthy were cooking up nothing against the high-powered 49ers offense. The Eagles beat the Rams in a solid road win as rookie Jalen Carter dominated. The Lions also kicked the Panthers in the teeth as they solidified themselves as a legit team in the NFC. The AFC remains a mystery with the Ravens and Bills dropping winnable games. The league continues to show some sense of parity, however, the cream is rising to the top. Seattle Seahawks (+2.5) @ Cincinnati Bengals This is a prove-it game for the Bengals as they take on one of the best teams in the NFC. The Bengals won their game last week against the Cardinals and looked like the old Bengals. Burrow moved the best he has yet and Chase exploded. They did this without receiver Tee Higgins, who was injured. This could be a turning point or they could turn back into a pumpkin. The Seahawks are coming off their bye week and after seeing how other NFC teams have played, it's safe to say the Seahawks are one of the best teams in the conference. This game would be really exciting if the defenses don't show up and we get an old fashioned track meet, however, I think these defenses are underrated. The Bengals are trying to find their footing, but their defensive line remains solid. The Seahawks are looking to rookie Devon Witherspoon to cook again this week. He had a breakout game against the Giants, but he'll have his work cut out for him this week with Chase. It's hard to single out one guy, but I do think this game could fall single-handedly on Witherspoon's shoulders. I'm still not sold on Cincy so give me Seattle as the safe pick in this one. Detroit Lions (-3.5) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers I'm not sure this matchup would've gotten any publicity in the preseason. Now, the Lions are one of the most exciting teams in the league and Baker has Tampa Bay playing some respectable ball. The Lions absolutely steamrolled the Panthers and it was the exact performance you want to see from a top team. I think how a great team handles the poor teams says a lot about them. The Buccaneers are coming off an early season bye. This matchup provides a couple interesting elements. The first battle I'm interested in is Aidan Hutchinson versus the Bucs offensive line. Hutchinson has been stellar so far and could really throw a wrench into the Bucs offense. The way that Jared Goff and co. work against a really strong defense. The Buccaneers linebackers are some of the best in the league and they'll have the tough task to slow down David Montgomery in the run game and rookie tight end Sam LaPorta in the pass game. I think LaPorta is the X-factor as the Lions offense just looks clean with LaPorta is involved. I think the Lions will win this game, but it'll be a good measuring stick to see how good the Bucs are. Dallas Cowboys (-2) @ Los Angeles Chargers This will either be an awesome and fun game with two explosive teams or it will be a slopfest with coaching malpractices all over. The Cowboys are coming off an embarrassing loss to the 49ers where they got crushed in every way possible. The Cowboys were considered a contender because of how they dominated their opponents, but when you look at who they played it's really not that impressive. They beat the Giants, the Zach Wilson Jets and Patriots. They're all realtively unserious teams and on top of that the Cowboys lost to the Cardinals. This will be a big week for them. The Chargers have had a rollercoaster ride of a year, but they were on bye last week. There is a bit of a revenge factor as Chargers OC Kellen Moore was let go by the Cowboys this past offseason. His offense will have the tall task of taking on this Dallas defense. The defense hasn't looked as good without cornerback Trevon Diggs, who got hurt. Justin Herbert will have to watch his blindside with Micah Parsons lurking, but he should have one of his weapons back in Austin Ekeler. The Cowboys offense will have to figure out its rhythm early and I think that starts with running back Tony Pollard. He started off strong in his new starter role, but has seen a decline in production. Getting him and Lamb going will be key for the Dallas offense. I do like the Chargers in this game, but I can see them executing poorly late that lets Dallas back in this. LK's Bet of the Week: Arizona Cardinals (+7) @ Los Angeles Rams Back-to-back wins on the season have me feeling good about this week, but this is a bit of a risk. Still, this feels like an insane line to me if you've actually seen how the Cardinals have played this season. They've been frisky in all of their games and I can't see them slowing down this week. Losing running back James Connor is tough, but I think Josh Dobbs can continue his good, not great, play. The Rams have been a bit of a covering machine at 3-1-1, but that won't stop the red birds here! I will say I don't love picking a team here that just had a "hostile workplace" report come out. Record on the season: 3-2 Sources: Image via Christian Petersen/Getty Images By Lucas Kochevar
The Bengals are officially dead and maybe Zach Wilson isn't terrible? The Bengals felt dead in the water as they watched their playoff odds diminish before their eyes when they lost to the Titans on Sunday. Its brutal to see a team look as lifeless as the Bengals have this season. It's especially tough when you consider the record-breaking deal they made with Joe Burrow. I don't know what it'll take for them, at the very least, look competent this season, but they need to lose with a little bit of pride. Zach Wilson had his best game as a pro on Sunday night against the Chiefs. He was hitting his spots and made plays with his feet that had some controlled chaos. Obviously his turnover at the end crushed their hopes, but there was some positive signs. Also in the AFC East, the Bills demolished the Dolphins. Josh Allen looked electric as he connected with Stefon Diggs for three scores. The AFC continues to be surprising as we look ahead to next weeks action. Before we get into that, the NFL suffered a tragic loss before Thursday Night Football. Hall of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus passed away at the age of 80. Butkus was an eight-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro. Butkus was so dominant in his time that he was also selected to the All-Decade teams for the 60s and 70s. He's one of the first real defensive monsters in NFL history and it stinks to see him pass away. Butkus' passing comes on a night where the Bears had to show they weren't a joke and they showed up with a 40-20 win over Washington. D.J. Moore had a huge night and made sure to shout out the Bears legend. Dallas Cowboys (+3.5) @ San Francisco 49ers This is the marquee game of the week and it features two of the leagues best teams. The 49ers have been flat out dominant this season whole playing a relatively soft schedule. The dominance of this stretch of games has been very impressive, even when you consider who they're playing. Christian McCaffery is having an MVP season and Nick Bosa is equally as impressive on the defense. Quarterback Brock Purdy has also been impressive and appears to be a legitimate starter in the league. The Cowboys have also been on neutral. Outside of a loss to Arizona, the Cowboys have been hammering teams with their ferocious defense and consistent offense. Both of these teams have a ton of talent, but the real difference will be between the coaches. 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is an offensive wizard, but he'll matchup against his former boss in Dan Quinn. When Quinn coached the Falcons, he hired Shanahan and the whole Super Bowl fiasco happened. Both guys will say they've moved on and they have a great relationship, however, I would bet these guys are fired up to get that negative energy out on the field. The chess match between these two will be fascinating to watch. I think these will be the exciting units to face off. The Cowboys offense against the 49ers defense will be the real test to see. The Cowboys haven't been challenged and their first test will be against the best defense in the league. I won't be shocked at all if the Cowboys start off slow. I like the 49ers to win this game because of a fast start, but don't count the Cowboys out. Kansas City Chiefs (-5.5) @ Minnesota Vikings There's not a ton of games that feel like they could be close and, frankly, this might not be a close either. I think there's a chance this game could be very fun, however, with stars on both offenses. I also think it could be interesting to see how the Chiefs continue to improve, especially since they had a scare against the Jets last Sunday night. Patrick Mahomes wasn't particularly sharp and their continues to be a lack of weapons stepping up outside of Travis Kelce. The Vikings finally got their season on track with a win over the lowly Panthers, but it still wasn't pretty. The defense played better and Justin Jefferson continues to be a cheat code. The Vikings passing offense against the Chiefs defense can be a fun battle to monitor. Jordan Addison has been a productive rookie, but saw zero catches last week. His success this week will predicate on how the Chiefs approach Jefferson. It's no secret that Jefferson can explode for 150 yards on a weekly basis, but will the Chiefs commit to trying to slow him down or will they let him get his and stop everyone else. It's a strategy that's interesting when teams employ it and it could be particularly effective against a Vikings offense that relies on Jefferson. I think this game is a get-right spot for the Chiefs offense as the Vikings defense is bottom half in the league in multiple defensive categories. I think this should be a blowout win for the Chiefs, but maybe we can get a fun game similar to the Bills-Vikings last year that ended with some fireworks. Jacksonville Jaguars (+5.5) @ Buffalo Bills We move over to London town for the last game I'm curious to see. The Bills have been on a war path since their embarrassing loss in week one. It's been straight dominance from their offense and their defense has been really strong too. Now, in a blowout against Miami, they did lose several secondary members to injury. They'll have to navigate these muddy waters, but they're still a great team with a defensive line that's finally come into their own. Gregory Rousseau is showing the signs that had him as a highly-talked about prospect at one point. On the other side, the Jaguars have been stuck in a funk. The offense doesn't look nearly as explosive and the defense continues to look young in spots. The Jaguars might just be a team that starts off the year slow and picks it up, but so far they haven't been inspiring. The slow starts for Jacksonville scare me here, especially against the Bills. If you're caught sleeping, you can quickly find yourself in a three touchdown hole. The Bills offense is finally starting to incorporate the run into their offense and it's working wonders. Funny how that works. Rookie guard O'Cyrus Torrence is doing wonders to the physicality of this offensive line and I think Josh Allen has his swagger back. Gabe Davis will be an X-factor on Sunday because he's an element that works so well when he's under the radar. He's found the endzone in three straight games and if the Jaguars focus on Diggs too much, Davis could have a big day. The Jaguars offensive line will also have their hands full with this defensive line. Outside of my praise for Buffalo's defensive line, the Jaguars offensive line has just been meh. This is another one that could get out of hand quickly, but I'll tune in for Allen versus Trevor Lawrence. LK's Bet of the Week: Philadelphia Eagles -4 @ Los Angeles Rams Another road favorite? Don't mind if I do. The Seahawks bet was the easiest lock of my life. I would've put everything on that blow out. This week, I love the Eagles at this number. They were tested last week against the Commanders, but squeaked out of the game with a win. There's a chance that struggle was because of a look ahead to this game. I wouldn't even say that they looked ahead because they were worried about the Rams, but they weren't concerned about the Commanders. Even then, I think they'll win this game by a lot in the trenches. Their offensive line will handle this defense and their defensive line will make Matthew Stafford's life hell. I also like the way the Eagles passing game has been humming. A.J. Brown had a monster day last week and looks to keep this momentum going. Sources: Image via USA Today By Lucas Kochevar
On Koch's Corner I alluded to the fact that the Broncos were a very bad team, but good lord I couldn't have predicted a beat down of that proportion. The Dolphins absolutely smashed the Broncos over the head with a hammer, Looney Tunes style. The Bears also solidified themselves as one of the biggest losers in the league with their pitiful performance against the Chiefs. The best part here is that these teams both play each other next week. It's the sucky bowl. I'm hoping that we can get past these games and look forward to this next week and learn more about some of the contenders in the league. The Bengals earned their first win of the season, but didn't look sharp doing it. I'll be curious to see how they do against a lifeless Titans team. The Browns and Ravens face-off in an AFC North battle that could give us more clarity on the best team from that division. The last team I'll be watching out for is the Dallas Cowboys. After dropping a game against the lowly Cardinals, they'll have to take on a frisky Patriots team. Let's get into my three interesting matchups for this week in LK League Notes. Miami Dolphins (+2.5) @ Buffalo Bills The AFC East divisional matchup is the premier game going into week four and it's a shame that this isn't a primetime game. The Dolphins managed to luck out by traveling to Buffalo early in the season compared to last year when they had snowballs thrown at them from the fans in the frigid Buffalo winter. The Dolphins are coming off the most dominant win I've ever seen in their massacre of the Broncos. The Bills are also coming off a dominating win over the Commanders where the defense was the star forcing five turnovers. The Bills have rebounded nicely since their opening game loss and it feels like they're rounding into form with Josh Allen making the chaotic throws that he usually makes. This game will be super interesting to see if the Dolphins keep coming up with new ways to make their offense jaw-dropping. Recently a report came out that Jordan Poyer was ruled as out for this game in Sunday and that's a huge loss for the Bills in dealing with this Miami offense. The Dolphins also welcome back Jaylen Waddle, who was out with a concussion last week. So the Bills will need someone to step up, while the Dolphins welcome back a stud. The game will come down to whether or not the Bills can get some stops. The Dolphins unlocked their run game last week so that's another element to worry about for the Bills. I have confidence in Josh Allen and co. to score some points, but they also can't turn the ball over. The Broncos made that fatal mistake on Sunday and we've seen Allen have that issue already. I like the Dolphins in the game because they're doing things on offense that are so unique and they're so fast. The Dolphins are built for a track meet and I think they'll succeed in winning this track meet on Sunday. Baltimore Ravens (+1.5) @ Cleveland Browns The Cleveland Browns rebounded nicely last week after losing star running back Nick Chubb the week prior. They ran through the Titans in a dominant showing where Deshaun Watson looked largely competent for 90% of the game and that really all they needed. Jerome Ford proved to be a solid fill-in for Chubb and I thought Amari Cooper showed flashes of why he's one of the most underrated receivers in the game. The most impressive part of their win was the defense because they flat out shut down the Titans. I don't think the Titans are an offensive juggernaut, but they're still competent and the Browns didn't let them do anything. The Ravens, on the other hand, didn't have a great showing at home against an Anthony Richardson-less Colts team. They're dealing with injuries, but they still shouldn't have dropped that game. They'll look to bounce back this week. The Ravens offense hasn't inspired a ton of hope early on this season. Lamar Jackson has been sloppy with the ball and they just haven't really hit that groove that I was expecting from them. Rookie Zay Flowers has been a bright spot for them, but that's really it. They'll have their hands full when they take on Myles Garrett and this defense. I'm very curious how they'll try and contain Garrett here. The Browns could be without Watson this week as he's dealing with a shoulder injury, but hopefully he'll play so we can get a good feel about two quality teams in this division. The Ravens are dealing with a ton of adversity with their injury report and I'm not sure they've played the way that head coach John Harbaugh likes to play quite yet. I don't think they'll really hit that spot today, therefore I like the Browns to win this hard nose battle in the AFC North. New England Patriots (+6.5) @ Dallas Cowboys The Patriots travel to Dallas to take on the Cowboys in a battle of the national brands. The dynasty of the 90s and the dynasty of the 2000s. It'll be intriguing to see how these teams respond from very different weeks. The Patriots scrapped by in a game versus the Jets, but they still won the game. The Cowboys dropped a very disappointing game against the Cardinals. The Cowboys defense also didn't help at all and it's curious what the impact Trevon Diggs had on this defense prior to his ACL injury. The Cowboys redzone offense was pedestrian and Prescott had a troubling interception. Overall, the Cowboys will just need an overall better performance this week against a Patriots team that's competed hard in every game they played this season. This game will be big for Mac Jones development because Dan Quinn will throw the book at Jones and how he responds to this test can be a real tone setter for the rest of the season. The offense has looked much more competent under Bill O'Brien and I think they can compete with this Cowboys offense. The Dallas offense will need to show improvement too. They started off the season with little resistance and it set them back when they actually needed to come back in their game against Arizona. They'll have a real test against the Patriots defense. The Patriots defense always shows up and I can imagine they'll show up in this game. I think CeeDee Lamb is the X-factor and if he has a big day, Dallas should be able to handle business at home against New England. LK's Bet of the Week: Seattle Seahawks -1 @ New York Giants So far I'm 1-2 on the year so far on these best bets, but I'm actually 30-19 on every other pick in the ESPN app. We're on to this week and I have to say that I don't understand this line at all. The Seahawks travel to New York to take on the Giants on Monday Night Football. The Giants have yet to really play an impressive game this season. They got smoked by the Cowboys and 49ers and it took an otherworldly performance in the second half of their Cardinals game to win. Yet, they're essentially in a pick em' against the Seahawks, who are coming off a solid win against the Panthers. I think they're starting to get back into a rhythm on offense and the Giants defense hasn't really shown a lot to convince me they can slow down Seattle. I like the Seahawks to win this game so at the very least, we'll get a push. Sources: Image via Jennifer Buchanan, The Seattle Times By Lucas Kochevar
The Cincinnati Bengals might be bad and the Ravens might be really good. Those two teams faced off in week two and the Bengals once again looked flat to start out the game. The Ravens, meanwhile, looked like a serious team overcoming multiple injuries to get a huge win on the road against a divisional foe. Their performance impressed me and the Buccaneers were really impressive. I understand that they played the Bears, and maybe the Bears are a good litmus test for whether or not your team is good or not, but they handled them with ease. Baker Mayfield played fantastic and might've found a home. A couple other thoughts are that the Chiefs offense is less explosive than usual, despite beating the Jaguars. C.J. Stroud and Anthony Richardson are super legit young guns and hopefully Richardson can recover from his concussion scare. The Dallas Cowboys could easily be the best balanced team with their dominant win over the Jets. The Broncos are the same story as last season, even with Sean Payton. They've collapsed in the second half now in back-to-back weeks. Let's look ahead to week three now. Los Angeles Chargers (-1) @ Minnesota Vikings This feels like an early season test for both teams, however, it's not a test to see who is a real contender. These two teams had legitimate playoff aspirations, but an 0-2 start has put a massive damper on their seasons so far. The Chargers especially because they were in positions to win both games towards the very end. Their most recent loss at Tennessee was a tough one because they made Ryan Tannehill looked fantastic. The Vikings defense continues to struggle as they recently lost to the Eagles in a shootout. These teams feel close to figuring something out, but they're just not clicking yet. This game will be a test to see who can climb back from the trenches first. This game is also intriguing because of how electric both of these offenses are. Justin Herbert and Kirk Cousins are some of the better passers in the game today and they're throwing to some absolute studs. The Justin Jefferson show has been special early-on, despite his fumble touchback last season. Rookie Jordan Addison has been a great compliment to Jefferson with another big touchdown last Thursday. Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen turned back the clock and showed he's still one of the most talented receivers in the league with two touchdowns. Mike Williams continues to be one of the best big targets in the league too. The Chargers also might get back Austin Ekeler, who was out with an ankle injury last week. I say all that about the offenses because I really want to avoid mentioning these defenses. I look forward to this shootout in Minnesota. Atlanta Falcons (-4) @ Detroit Lions The Falcons have quietly put together a strong start to the season with two statement wins. The Panthers are terrible, but the Falcons defense had a great performance. In week two, the Packers looked to be in control of the Falcons until the offense woke up. Bijan Robinson is awesome and looks to be the engine of this Falcons offense. The Lions are coming off a disappointing overtime lost at home against the Seahawks. It was a great game, however, with the Lions offense keeping up with the Seahawks. Both of those teams love to play shootouts. The big note from this game for the Lions moving forward is what's the status of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown? He suffered a toe injury that has him listed day-to-day. This matchup could get ugly quickly if Atlanta comes out of the gate slow like they have the past couple games. This isn't your average Lions team and they could strike quickly if given the opportunity. The Lions offense will be missing running back David Montgomery so rookie Jahmyr Gibbs could get the elevated role and run away with the job. Atlanta has their star rookie running back averaging RB1 type carries, but they also have a bruising back behind him in Tyler Allgeier. Both of these rushing attacks will be key in this matchup. Along with that key will be the trenches. Both of these coaches are hard-nosed, tough coaches so these two lines will be battling all game long. This will be a good litmus test for both teams. The Falcons can see how they stack up against a playoff caliber team. The Lions can see if they can take care of business against a historically unserious team. Los Angeles Rams (+3.5) @ Cincinnati Bengals The Super Bowl LVI rematch takes place on Monday night with a very important game in Cincinnati. The Bengals have started off the season horribly for their standards with two losses to division foes. The offense has played with little life, including Joe Burrow, who definitely doesn't look healthy. It's been a story of discombobulation for Cincy while the Rams have shown great promise early-on in this season. A healthy Matthew Stafford looks like his old self and names like Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell have been huge for their success. The defense still has some kinks to iron out but I love what this team has looked like through two weeks, even in a loss to the Niners. These teams don't look like the ones that competed in the Super Bowl a could seasons ago, however, there's still a number of talented players from that game. The Bengals need to get Ja'Marr Chase going if they want to get back to that elite production they had last season. Chase has been relatively quiet so far with back-to-back five catch games. He's the vertical monster and can really make an impact for the Bengals. Tee Higgins finally had a great game against the Ravens this past week and he could have another big day. The Rams will look to contain that, but also keep their momentum going on the offensive side of the ball. Running back Kyren Williams got the starting nod last week and I think he can be an X-factor for the Rams to hold the ball and keep that Bengals offense off the field. This game should be an exciting one with two offensive coaches and I'm curious to see if Burrow can bounce back. LK's Bet of the Week: Baltimore Ravens -7.5 vs Indianapolis Colts We're officially on the board with a win last week with an easy over between the 49ers and Rams. This week I'm back with a spread and I'm sorry to my good friend Jackson, who is a Colts fan. I love the Ravens this week against the Colts back at home. The Ravens have opened up the season in good shape as a 2-0 teams. The first game was sloppy with some turnovers, but the defense held C.J. Stroud to no touchdowns. The second game was a very impressive win to hold on in Cincinnati. This week against the Colts is another test, especially with the injuries they're dealing with. The Colts have been frisky, but I think this can be the game where they comeback down to Earth. There's also a questionable status of Anthony Richardson, who left last weeks game with a concussion. Give me the Ravens to cover this spread and Mark Andrews to have a big day. By Lucas Kochevar
It's overreaction Monday and I think the Falcons are going to the Super Bowl while Desmond Ridder ends the season with 900 passing yards. I can't wait! Week one is in the books and the NFL delivered some bad, but interesting games. There was some chaos, some silly plays and standout performances. Rookie quarterbacks looked like rookie quarterbacks. Joe Burrow and the Bengals looked atrocious. Jordan Love might be the next Packers quarterback to torture Bears fans for another couple decades. This performance stood out to me the most, but it wasn't just Love that impressed me. The entire Packers team played with some excitement and energy that they never had last season. Their defense did a rather strong job containing Justin Fields and Matt LaFleur called up perfect plays for Love and this offense. Last night, the Eagles re-established the run game behind a huge day from D'Andre Swift. Devonta Smith also had a great day for the Eagles as they start 2-0. Now, let's look ahead to week two for some intriguing match-ups. Kansas City Chiefs (-3) @ Jacksonville Jaguars This is the marquee game of the week for me. I'm super excited to see how this game turns out if Travis Kelce plays. The Chiefs lost last week to the Lions in disappointing fashion, but they're going to get DT Chris Jones back and potentially Kelce. They look to bounce back this week against one of the up-and-coming teams in the league with the Jaguars. The Jaguars squeaked out of Indianapolis with the win, but it definitely wasn't as sharp as they would've liked. Trevor Lawrence threw several jaw-dropping passes with perfect placement on Sunday. New acquisition Calvin Ridley also scored a touchdown in his first game with the Jaguars. This game is also a rematch of last years divisional round matchup where the Chiefs won. This game will come down to whether or not Lawrence can answer the call against a tough Chiefs defense. The Chiefs defense shut down a high octane offense in the Lions with stellar secondary play. Cornerback Trent McDuffie was terrific week one and he'll have his hands full with this Jaguars receiver group. I mentioned Ridley, but Christian Kirk, Zay Jones and Evan Engram are all threats to space out the defense. Lawrence will also have the challenge, as I mentioned, of seeing Chris Jones with his new contract. The Chiefs will need their young weapons to step up, because they can't be any worse than they were in week one. There's a lot of key factors in this game and the hype train will be zooming if the Jaguars can earn this win over the favorited Chiefs. Indianapolis Colts (-1) @ Houston Texans This is a sicko game to pick as one of my favorites, however, there's many layers to why I think this matchup will be fun and a game to look out for. Admittedly, these are two of the worst teams in the league, but they're both led by rookie quarterbacks that were picked in the top four. The Colts and Texans are coming off losses in both of their games. The Texans lost in an ugly matchup versus the Ravens, where C.J. Stroud threw for 242 yards, but no touchdowns or interceptions. The Colts lost to the Jaguars with Anthony Richardson threw for 223 yards, a touchdown and an interception. He also rushed for 40 yards and a touchdown. While Richardson had the best debut out of the rookie quarterbacks, Stroud had a solid performance. If I haven't made it clear yet, the rookie quarterbacks are the storyline in this game. The rookie head coaches are also an important storyline in this. If these two guys happen to be the coaches of the future for their respective teams, this could be a rivalry we see for years. It's not often we see two divisional opponents traveling alongside each other in their rebuild, but here we get to see the development of two young teams that need to rise from the ashes. The key to this game will be the pass protection. The Texans allowed five sacks on Sunday against the Ravens, while Richardson got sacked four times. Keeping those two guys standing could be the deciding factor between a winner and a loser. Also look to see how Richardson protects himself running the ball as he suffered an injury late in the game versus Jacksonville. New York Jets (+9) @ Dallas Cowboys This game could be an absolute thrashing from the Cowboys, however, I'm super curious to watch the dynamic between both teams. The Jets won their game on a crazy punt return, but they lost their quarterback to an Achilles injury. It's really sad that it might've been the last time that we'll see Aaron Rodgers on the field. The Cowboys, on the other hand, demolished the New York Giants 40-0. It was never really in doubt so we didn't really see what this team is fully capable of. The defense was the star of that performance and they helped my fantasy team win this week. The best part of this matchup is the Dallas offense versus the Jets defense. Dak Prescott has been ridiculed for turning the ball over a lot this season and this Jets defense could force him into some interceptions. On the other hand, the Jets have Zach Wilson and a bad offensive line. The Cowboys defense could wreak havoc on this Jets offense. It's not often we get a star defense versus a star defense, but Sunday should provide that between these two teams. Although I do think the Cowboys will win this matchup, I'm curious what this Jets team will look like when a player like Josh Allen isn't throwing the ball around like a mad man. I also want to see more out of the Cowboys offense since they didn't have to work too hard in week one. This game could set the tone for each team as they move forward in the season. LK's Best Bet of the Week: San Francisco 49ers @ Los Angeles Rams Over 44.5 Well, we lost last weeks bet very badly. Thanks for nothing, Steelers. We are back in on the 49ers as they play the Rams this week. The Rams were a pleasant surprise when they blew out the Seahawks on Sunday. Matthew Stafford looked sharp throwing to Puka Nacua and Tutu Atwell. The run game showed life with the likes of Cam Akers and Kyren Williams. They had this offensive explosion without their main weapon in Cooper Kupp. The 49ers absolutely obliterated the Steelers and showed that Brock Purdy and the offense are as sharp as ever. Brandon Aiyuk was the star of the show this week with two touchdowns. I love this over. This is slightly scary because the Rams could turn into a pumpkin against one of the best defenses in the league. I feel okay, however, given the fact that Sean McVay has Kyle Shannahan's number. I love both of these coaches and they're two of the best offensive minds in the league. I expect big points in this one with the potential for a 30-17 finish. Let's win this bet! Sources: Image via The Kansas City Star By Lucas Kochevar
Week one of the NFL season feels like Christmas with an early gift yesterday between the Lions and Chiefs. Travis Kelce was ruled out hours before gametime and it proved to be a big loss for the Chiefs, who had several drops from their receivers down the stretch. Although people will talk about how the Chiefs lost the game, the Lions did everything to deserve the win yesterday. The Lions offense moved well most of the game and it was clear the connection between Jared Goff and Amon-Ra St. Brown is strong. The Lions defense also held up most of the game with the improved secondary and Aidan Hutchinson causing the tackles trouble all night. There's been a lot of optimism with the Lions since their winning stretch last season and it might have been justified after last nights huge win. In this edition of LK League Notes, I'll be previewing some of my favorite games of week one and my NFL bet of the week! Cincinnati Bengals (-2.5) @ Cleveland Browns This game is intriguing to me in many ways. First off, I love the AFC North and this is our first peek at the division this season. It should be hard-nosed, entertaining football. Joe Burrow tends to struggle at Cleveland so that could make this a close game. Secondly, we have the intrigue of what this Browns squad will look like. I mentioned in my preview on this division that the Browns could be the best team and they have the potential to win the North. It'll be all up to Deshaun Watson. The star quarterback struggled coming back late last season and the reviews haven't been that great in this off-season. This will be the first time with him starting the season with the Browns and his offense is loaded with talent: Nick Chubb, Amari Cooper and an elite offensive line. It'll be up to Watson to get the most out of this team. Lastly, the Bengals are one of the most explosive offenses in the league with the trio of Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. It'll be a treat to see one of the best AFC teams take the field against a potential playoff contender. I'm excited for this one. Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears (-1) The NFC North's two most iconic franchises meet once again for week one in a battle that could be the first of many. Justin Fields is entering his third season with the Bears and looks to make the leap and prove himself as the quarterback. Across the field, a young quarterback is also trying to prove himself. Jordan Love is entering his fourth season in the NFL and it's his first time as a true starter. Love has sat behind Aaron Rodgers for the past couple season and finally has his chance. The Packers have pedigree in finding franchise quarterbacks and it'll be very interesting whether or not Love follows that trajectory. This game will be a good litmus test for Love since the Bears defense isn't all that threatening. This will also be a good litmus test for Fields since the Packers defense is pretty good. Obviously there are more intriguing players outside of the quarterbacks, like D.J. Moore and Christian Watson, but the two young passers will be the story at the end of this one. Miami Dolphins @ Los Angeles Chargers (-3) If there was a game of "Guess the line!" I would have guaranteed that Miami was favored, however, Vegas disagrees. The Chargers are looking at a ton of pressure this season and this will be the first big test. They paid Justin Herbert, drafted a new receiver and hired a new offensive coordinator. Also with everyone coming back healthy, they should be in the running for a playoff spot. Outside of the Chargers, the Dolphins will also be hunting a playoff spot after a disappointing end to last season once quarterback Tua Tagovailoa was hurt. Now with Tagovailoa healthy, the Dolphins look to make the jump to division winners. This game looks to be a track meet between two very talented teams and, once again, the quarterbacks will be at the center of it. With both guys being drafted back-to-back in the 2019 draft, they'll be linked forever and this will be a fun game to see after they've been in the league for a couple seasons. I'm excited to see two fast-paced offenses. NFL Best Bet of the Week: Pittsburgh Steelers (+2.5) vs San Francisco 49ers The bet of the week for me goes to another game I'm excited to see the outcome of. The reason I love this bet, I think the Steelers can win this outright. Giving them 2.5 points is generous and I'll gladly take it. I think the Steelers will be a playoff team next season with their great coaching and an emerging Kenny Pickett. The 49ers are a Super Bowl contender, but I think they're coming back this season to a rocky start. Purdy played out of his mind down the stretch last season, but there was a reason he went in the seventh round last season. Don't get me wrong, he's good and I think he'll be productive, but a defense like the Steelers could give him fits. It also doesn't help that they have to travel from San Francisco to a hostile environment like Pittsburgh. This win will be more about the Steelers defense than anything, but I'm confident in them. Lets have a strong start to the season! Sources: Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images By Lucas Kochevar
The next time NFL football is played, the game will actually matter. The longest offseason in sports has ended with the preseason wrapping up. The teams are cutting players, which sucks, but it is the closest step to kicking off the 2023 NFL season. There's a ton of intrigue around the league regarding the exciting quarterbacks, talented defenses and big play receivers. The last true domino to drop is where Jonathan Taylor will land. It's looking like he'll be traded, but he's still in Indianapolis. There's two teams that I think make the most sense is Chicago and Miami. Chicago has a stable of okay running backs, but Taylor would be a clear upgrade. They aren't paying anyone big money so they could extend him too. The Dolphins also could turn their offense up a notch with this addition. We'll see what team gambles on him once he comes off the PUP list in Indianapolis. In this last LK League notes before the season starts, I want to touch on some last minute predictions with the awards and the Super Bowl. MVP: Jalen Hurts QB, Eagles The MVP for me will be the guy who received runner-up last season. Hurts was excellent last season in leading Philadelphia to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, he lost the MVP race after an injury sidelined him the last month of the season. I think this season will be some sort of revenge tour to claim the MVP he lost. Last season he was a touchdown machine, mainly through the ground. I think he'll make a significant jump in passing touchdowns this season and that'll put him over the other quarterbacks that could be in the running here like Joe Burrow, Josh Allen or Patrick Mahomes. Hurts is also going into his second season with star receiver A.J. Brown and their chemistry should be sharp. The MVP may only go to one player, but it takes a village to win the award and the Eagles have one of the best villages in the league for Hurts to lead. Barring another injury, I really like Hurts to take home this award. Offensive Player of the Year: Tyreek Hill WR, Dolphins Tyreek Hill was close to joining the 2K yards club last season, but quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's injury complicated that for him and he was 300 yards short. This season, I think Hill will have a big season and help the Dolphins clinch a playoff spot. I was questionable about how Hill would look without Mahomes throwing him the ball, but he still had a huge year. Hill's speed is game-breaking and his ability to turn nothing into something is second to none. Hill should knock on the door of Calvin Johnson's record this season. Justin Jefferson and Cooper Kupp won the award before so it would shock me if the voter gave them the nod, therefore, Hill should get the award. Defensive Player of the Year: T.J. Watt LB, Steelers The defensive player of the year award went through a repetitive, but fair, stretch when Aaron Donald was the name penciled in year after year. This season, I think we get a familiar name again, this time it's T.J. Watt. Similar to Hurts, injuries slowed him down last season and his presence was missed severely. Watt is a sack artist and should push for season record, similar to how he did in his first DPOY campaign. On top of his individual success, I think the Steelers defense will be very good and as the leader of that, Watt will get big time credit. The Steelers are 1-10 without Watt on the field and that tells the story of Watt's impact on the field. Comeback Player of the Year: Damar Hamlin S, Bills This feels like a fairly easy lay-up pick when it comes this award. Typically, it's given out to a player that suffered a tough injury and had a good season. Hamlin returning to the field in any capacity is a miracle and it should be celebrated. He literally died on the field and has managed to comeback and play in whatever capacity he can. It's truly a remarkable story and it'll, once again, be a big deal when this time comes for him to accept the award. There's not much more explanation needed for this. Offensive Rookie of the Year: Bijan Robinson RB, Falcons The offensive rookie of the year typically goes to a quarterback and there are plenty of worthy candidates, but I'm going to choose the best overall offensive player that isn't an offensive lineman. Robinson was an absolute star in college and that warranted a top ten selection for the former Longhorn running back. I love his fit in Atlanta and it should be a big year for him. The Falcons were the best rushing team in the league last season and Arthur Smith knows how to get a running back involved. If the Falcons manage to win their division and Robinson is the star for the offense, Robinson should walk to the award. He's the odds-on-favorite for a reason and I'm excited to see how he looks in the pros. Defensive Player of the Year: Devon Witherspoon CB, Illinois The Seahawks have a knack for finding talent at cornerback and I think they found another stud with Witherspoon at the fifth pick. Transitioning to the NFL as a corner is perhaps the hardest adjustment and it's rare for rookies to be playmakers. I think Witherspoon can really pop out of the gate. Sauce Gardner showed us how a rookie corner can be an All-Pro and although I don't think Witherspoon can be at that level, I think he can be elite enough to win this award. He also pops as a corner with his physicality and tackling. If Witherspoon can be a leader among this very talented defense, pencil in the former Illinois star for this award. Coach of the Year: Dan Campbell, Lions This feels like another obvious pick if the Lions make the playoffs. The Lions have always been our lovable losers and they have big expectations. If they manage to win the division for the first time since 1993. Last time the Lions won the division, it was called the NFC Central. The Lions getting to this point has largely been behind the overhaul in culture with Campbell. I talked a lot about the Lions in last weeks LK League Notes, but I want to reiterate that the Lions should be a playoff team this season behind Campbell's leadership. Super Bowl Prediction: Buffalo Bills 31, Philadelphia Eagles 23 Look away, Eagles fans. Rejoice, Buffalo fans. The Bills have suffered from sky high expectations the past couple of seasons and I don't want to say they aren't high this season, but they feel tempered. The Jets are the team everyone is talking about in the division and I think that takes a little bit of weight off the Bills shoulders. They dealt with a ton of adversity over last season, but I think they'll come back to a sense of normalcy and have a solid season. The Eagles will also walk through the NFC with no serious teams to challenge them. Buffalo will need their defense to take a leap from what it was last season and I think they do that with the return of Von Miller and emergence of defensive end Gregory Rousseau. I'm very excited for this season and I can't wait to share all my thoughts with you guys! By Lucas Kochevar
The first couple weeks of preseason football has come and gone and the reactions are out of control, in the best way. It means that we've finally made it to NFL football. The only thing missing from the beginning of the season is the ending of my divisional preview series! It's the ending of this journey throughout the NFL and it's fitting that we end in the NFC North given the fact that these teams were really prominent in the first week of the preseason. The Bears were the big talk with Justin Fields connecting for two touchdowns with his three passes. I truly don't know what the Titans were doing on defense, but the Bears did look explosive. Their rival, the Packers, had a great showing during their preseason game against the Bengals. Although the stat line wasn't as flashy, Jordan Love had a positive showing. The Vikings and Lions didn't play their starters so it's hard to gauge them, but since they're the two favorites, they don't need to show too much. For the first time in a long time, the NFC North feels like it's up for grabs with all four teams in the running. It should be a very exciting division. Minnesota Vikings (13-4 Last Season) The Minnesota Vikings from last season were one of the most fascinating teams last season because they loved to play on one score games. Even with 13 wins on the board, the Vikings were a huge disappointment by losing in the Wild Card round against the Giants. There are many issues with how they operated last season, but they're all fixable issues. I'm also overselling the issues they've had because when you look at the bigger picture, they had a successful season. First year coach Kevin O'Connell ran a super successful offense with record-breaking receiver Justin Jefferson. Kirk Cousins even had his best season as a pro, in my opinion. The biggest X-factor will be their defense. Following a season as one of the worst defenses of all-time, the Vikings hit a hard reset on the unit and made some changes. The most important one of those bunch would be the hiring of Brian Flores. Following his exit from the Dolphins, Flores went through a spat with the league. He's back in the mix now after a season on the Steelers staff. Flores is one of the best defensive minds in the league and can likely coach up a defense that needs guidance. They made some changes to the cornerback room and they'll also get back second year safety Lewis Cine. The Georgia safety missed all of last season with a broken leg and I think he can be a game changer coming back. With this defense hopefully improving, the offense looks to keep up their success. Veterans Dalvin Cook and Adam Thielen were critical in the past couple years, but now they're gone. They'll need the replacements to step up with Alexander Mattison and rookie Jordan Addison. The Vikings have a high floor with all the talent they have and the solid coaching from O'Connell. They also have a low ceiling with Kirk Cousins at quarterback. I like Cousins and I think he's underrated by many, however, it's clear that there's a limit to how far he can take a team. That being said, I like this Vikings team and they've improved, primarily on the defense. They should be the favorites to win the NFC North heading into the season, due to the uncertainty of the other teams. I don't know if they'll win the division but I expect them to make the playoffs in some capacity. Barring injury, Jefferson should break more records and continue his climb as the best receiver of his generation. Detroit Lions (9-8 Last Season) The Detroit Lions could potentially win the NFC North for the first time in my lifetime, at least since I can remember. In the past, the Lions have entered the year and it's been doom and gloom, but there's an energy of excitement in Detroit. It all goes back to the hiring of Dan Campbell. I was low on the hire, but he's proved me wrong and can be one of the best culture guys in the league. Last season, their offense was explosive and quarterback Jared Goff had a career renaissance. The defense started off poorly, but finished the season strong and they were the reason Detroit had a shot at the playoffs in week 17. The expectations have taken a big as they're the team that's featured on opening night taking on the Kansas City Chiefs. The offense will still be the focal point of this team as they were very fortunate to retain offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. Goff solidified himself as the franchise guy for the Lions last season and looks to build on that success. It's fascinating to see two quarterbacks from the 2016 draft in Goff and Wentz that have taken such different career paths. Outside of Goff, he has a top notch offensive line and some talented weapons, most notably Amon-Ra St. Brown. He's a very underrated receiver in my eyes and I think he has top five potential. An X-factor for the Lions in my eyes would be Iowa rookie Sam LaPorta. Iowa has a great reputation with making NFL level tight ends and LaPorta could be added to that list. The defense improvement over last season was key in their turnaround and hot finish. If that unit can start out the season in a strong way that can help this team significantly. The Lions will rely on defensive end Aidan Hutchinson to make that second year improvement. My biggest concern for the Lions is the increase in expectations. The Lions have gotten by as the plucky, lovable loser and it's benefited them when they do have a good team because the opponents don't expect it. Now that the Lions are being slotted higher than a lot of teams in the league across the media, they'll have more of a target on their back. This is where the culture king in Dan Campbell will be paramount for the Lions locker room. He'll need to keep them level-headed across this important season. I like the Lions to make the playoffs at the very least. They have too much talent to not make that jump and they're in a division that shouldn't challenge them too much. Green Bay Packers (8-9 Last Season) The Green Bay Packers are entering uncharted territory this season. They faced it when shifting from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers and it turned out pretty good for them. Now, they make that same transition with Jordan Love. The 2020 first round pick was drafted to sit behind Rodgers as he was a raw prospect and Rodgers was getting older. The Packers set the succession plan, but it was quickly ruined when Rodgers rattled off back-to-back MVPs. With Rodgers being traded to the Jets, the Packers get to see what they drafted in full-time action. He's clearly the biggest X-factor for the Packers. If he does turn out to be good, the Packers could be in the mix for the division, like they normally are. The offense will run as Love runs, but they'll still need to step up. It's not an impressive skill position group with so many young receivers. Christian Watson started off slow last season, but found his groove later in the season. Romeo Doubs was a productive guy too, but outside of that it's very shaky. They'll need running backs Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon to provide consistent offense. Their offensive line remains great and Matt LaFleur is still the play caller. If anything, this season is huge for LaFleur. He's always had Rodgers to help cover up any deficiencies and LaFleur might get exposed since he doesn't have a first ballot Hall of Famer under center. I like LaFleur and think he'll have an average season, but it'll be a storyline to follow. Their defense, however, should be very good. Kenny Clark, Jaire Alexander and Rashan Gary are all in their primes and they're some of the best players at their positions. They also have several role players who can step up when needed too like Devonte Wyatt and Darnell Savage. The Packers defense should be cohesive and dangerous out of the gate. It'll be up to the offense whether or not they make the playoffs. The Packers have been blessed with Hall of Fame level quarterback play for the past 30 years and they'll finally have to deal with an unknown player at that spot. I don't think it'll be a smooth transition and the scheme will be working hard to cover-up Love's weaknesses. I do believe that he can be a starter in the league, but I have my questions about his ceiling. I don't think he'll reach his potential in year one and this will be a big time development year. I like the Packers to win around six-to-right games and miss out on the playoffs. Chicago Bears (3-14 Last Season) The Chicago Bears are entering a critical year in Justin Fields development. He's entering year three after a breakout season. The issue is the Bears still lost three games and Fields great play was led by his running, not passing. To be fair to Fields, the Bears surrounded him with some swill. That's why this season will be critical because the Bears made a conscious effort to give Fields weapons and a defense. Fields development and an actual chance at winning the division is in play for the Bears and we'll see if they can live up to the hype. The biggest acquisition they made involved trading away their first overall pick to Carolina since it netted them D.J. Moore. Moore is the best weapon that Fields has seen in the NFL and they also used their first round pick from the Panthers to draft Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright. These type of investments are huge for building up Fields and we'll see if it pays off. The rest of their offense is pretty solid too with weapons like Darnell Mooney and Cole Kmet. The running back position will be interesting with David Montgomery leaving and Khalil Herbert stepping up to fill his shoes. The offensive line doesn't have great names, but they should be slightly better. The defense will be the concerning group for me. It's a mixture of good young players and free agents they spent money on this past offseason. The secondary will be the make-or-break group as they drafted heavily last season and veteran safety Eddie Jackson is the leader among them. Head coach Matt Eberfleus will have his work cut out for him to cause pressure because I'm not sure how this unit will get sacks. Defensive end Yannick Ngakoue is the most notable edge rusher and, with all due respect, he's on his fourth team in three years. The Bears still feel like they're a year away, but I think they can make strides this season. The Bears faithful are ready to pencil in Chicago for the division win, but I can't with how this team looks in the trenches. Once again, I like them, but I don't think they'll be in the running for the division win this season. I'm expecting a big season from Fields, at least from a fantasy perspective, and I think he'll be subject to the same discussions Lamar Jackson had at the end of his rookie contract. The Bears should prioritize development over winning this season, but they could be a sneaky team to make a leap to the playoffs. By Lucas Kochevar
We're inching closer and closer to NFL football as the preseason officially starts this week. The Hall of Fame game showed us a little bit of nothing, but Dorian Thompson-Robinson was pretty fun. The division preview series is starting to slow down too as we approach the season with two more divisions to go. The one today is the toughest division in football, in my opinion: The AFC North. The division has four playoff caliber teams superstars all over. Despite Joe Burrow's calf strain, the Bengals are a big time offensive threat and could race with any team in the league. The Ravens finally put the Lamar Jackson contract dispute in the rearview and brought in great offensive coordinator Todd Monken. The Steelers are always reliable under head coach Mike Tomlin. Even the Browns feel like a competitive team now that the nasty man at quarterback has a full offseason under his belt. Cincinnati Bengals (12-4 Last Season) The Bengals have now been a competitive team for two seasons with the emergence of superstar Joe Burrow. They'll look to make it three consecutive AFC North titles behind the leadership of Burrow and this offense. I'm not so sure it'll be as easy as it has been the past couple of years. Burrow is already dealing with a calf strain that'll keep him out "several weeks" according to head coach Zac Taylor. The Bengals have been fortunate with the Steelers figuring out the new era at quarterback and Lamar's injury woes with the Ravens, but that could change this season. The Bengals lost a couple of guys in the offseason that could tough to replace. I've praised safety Jessie Bates III multiple times on this site and I think his reliability in the back end will be missed. Hayden Hurst was also a very dependable target at tight end for this Cincy offense. The departures shouldn't be all the talk with this team still. They made a big splash in free agency by signing the top tackle on the market in Orlando Brown Jr. and he should provide some big support to an offensive line that's struggled. The Bengals offensive skill positions will be the same as they have been for the past couple of seasons with star receiver Ja'Marr Chase leading the way. He's one of the best young talents in the league and should have a big year. On the other side of him is another super talented receiver in big body Tee Higgins. The passing offense should be crisp once again, but the run game will be important if they want a balanced attack with Joe Mixon. The defense should also be talented again as they've managed to retain their defensive coordinator through two off-seasons. As I mentioned, losing Bates is a blow, but they've drafted the safety position the last couple of drafts and Dax Hill from Michigan will be an X-factor entering his first year as a starter. I'm expecting big things from the Bengals. Similar to the Bills, they're one of the premier teams that could get over the hump once they beat the Chiefs. It all depends on the supporting cast to help Burrow. There are certain players on the team that you know what you're gonna get, but it's up to the guys in between the margins to get them to the next level. Linebacker Logan Wilson, who just got a contract extension, and tight end Irv Smith Jr., who they acquired in the offseason, come to mind as two of those guys. Their good players have to pull their weight. I like the Bengals to make the playoffs at the very least. I'm still unsure they'll win the division, but they should be the favorites. Baltimore Ravens (10-7 Last Season) The Baltimore Ravens entered the offseason with a lot of questions surrounding Lamar Jackson and they answered them all by extending Jackson. There was some doubt whether or not he would return, however, he signed the extension and the Ravens are going full steam ahead as a team that wants to compete. The Ravens feel like an energized club now that Lamar is tied down to their future and they hired offensive coordinator Todd Monken from the national champion Bulldogs. With John Harbaugh at the helm, the Ravens could be a dark horse Super Bowl Contender. I emphasize the arrival of Monken for this Ravens team because I've seen what he can do for an offense and I was crushed to see him leave as UGA student. Monken's pass happy attack should help Jackson make easier decisions and improve his decision-making. Monken makes the offense just easier and cohesive. The pass offensive coordinator played to Lamar's running and I think that put a cap on them. Monken comes in and I expect big things from Mark Andrews. Brock Bowers turned into a Super Bowl with this offense and if Andrews can look like him, it'll be a great connection between Jackson and Andrews. On top of that, they brough in Odell Beckham Jr. and rookie Zay Flowers. This receiving group is the best Jackson has had since becoming the quarterback. That bar is low, but this group does easily clears it. The defense should be decent too as they re-signed Roquan Smith. It always feels like they have some mean dudes along the defensive line and this group is no different. Kyle Hamilton is the guy I'm excited to see as he had a solid rookie year and remains a fantastic athlete. It's true Jackson has had limited success in the playoffs, but this feels like a team that can change that. Overall, it's a solid team and the coaching is top notch. The Ravens are one of those teams that just look like trash some weeks, but you look up and they have double digit wins. I think they've upgraded from last season and they still managed to win ten games. I expect a big year from Jackson and I think their offense will be humming by the time December rolls around. I also really like Flowers to have a strong rookie season. I think the Ravens will finish near the playoff race, but a tough AFC might keep them out. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-8 Last Season) The Pittsburgh Steelers have been over .500 every season under Mike Tomlin and they barely squeaked over the mark last year. This season, I'm expecting more from them. They go into the season fully committed to Kenny Pickett and the rest of this young offense. Last season with Mitchell Trubisky, they never seemed serious, but when Pickett was in a rhythm they were a serious threat. With Pickett's continued growth and the Steelers typical elite defense, the Steelers should look to make a jump. They didn't make a ton of moves in free agency so they are relying heavily on the development of this young group. The group is, obviously, led by Pickett and I'm very curious to see if he does make a jump this season. The rest of this division has guys that have done it at the highest level and Pickett is the worst of them. Still, he can have a very solid year and keep up the steady improvement that most young quarterbacks have in that sophomore season. He has talented players around him in Najee Harris, George Pickens and Diontae Johnson. Those three will be important, but the biggest X-factor has to be the offensive line. Their O-line has been dreadful the past couple seasons so they need that unit to be better for Pickett's sake. I haven't mentioned the potential best defensive player in football in T.J. Watt. The star pass rusher was hurt last season so him being healthy would be a big boost to this defense. The Steelers are also very young on the defensive side of the ball with rookies Joey Porter Jr. and Keanu Benton. I really like both of these guys, but they'll need time to grow into their own. I still have hope that this defense will be among the leagues best. Minkah Fitzpatrick is also another guy I forgot to mention but his playmaking will be huge for this defense. The Steelers are going to be a good team. I would bet on that. The Steelers will need their guys to make big strides if they want to compete in the AFC. As I mentioned earlier, the AFC will be a slaughterhouse and the Steelers won't have time to wait on young players development. There should be some patience with these young guys. It's an important year for development and they should be focused on the long term, not the short term. The Steelers could be pretty good in the very near future, but pump the brakes for now, Steeler nation. Cleveland Browns (7-10 Last Season) The Cleveland Browns have a win-now mentality and the way that they've approached this offseason backs that up. They still have a good base roster and they added a couple pieces that could be very productive players. They rescued Elijah Moore from the Jets and signed Za'Darius Smith from the Vikings. Two minor players to the general public, but they could be big time contributors. On top of that, they have Deshaun Watson for the entire season. No matter how you feel about Watson, he's a very talented player. The issue he ran into last season was just the lack of play. He had to knock off the rust after not playing for well over a year. Now, he looks to return to normalcy and if he can reach the level he was at before, the Browns will be dangerous. The Browns offense will clearly depend on how Watson performs and he doesn't have any excuses. They have one of the better offensive lines in the league with strong veterans. They have the best pure running back in the league in Nick Chubb and some very formidable receivers in Amari Cooper, Elijah Moore and Donovan Peoples-Jones. Those three aren't household names, but they're pretty talented guys. They also have some peak guys on the defense. Myles Garrett is one of the best defensive players in the league and Denzel Ward is one of the better corners in the league. Ward just got rewarded with a big contract so he'll look to live up the that hype. They are similar to the Steelers and Bengals defense in the fact that they have some young, talented players that are going to be starters for the first time. Grant Delpit is the name that sticks out to me as someone to watch out for. The Browns have the talent to be a really solid team. I once again have to iterate that the AFC is super tough this season. The biggest factor for the Browns could be their coaching staff. Head coach Kevin Stefanski came out of the gates hot with the Browns faithful by making the playoffs and beating Pittsburgh, however, these past couple of seasons has thrown his position into question. I like him and think he schemes up a great offense behind some good play-action. The Browns have a solid overall team and I can see them fighting for a playoff spot, but this division will be a war. |
Lucas KochevarI love sports and I'm a local fan of the Falcons, Hawks, and Braves. You can find my quick thoughts and more on my twitter @lucaswkochevar |