Broncos-Jets TNF Pick

 The Broncos are a disgrace right now and a laughingstock of the league. Yes, they are getting crushed with major injuries to their once promising roster, but they just look like a team that is going to be really, really bad this year. There looks like there is no hope of a turnaround. They head to New Jersey on a very short week to take on the 0-3 Jets, who look as equally as bad as Denver. The Broncos are turning to Brett Rypien to start at QB this week after Jeff Driskel's dismal performance last week. I think the Broncos are going to lose this game because of the short week and long travel. I just think they are done and don't have it in them to win this game.

Prediction: NY JETS (PICK) over Denver

Final Score: Jets-24 Broncos-13

Broncos Get Crushed by Buccaneers, Fall to 0-3

 The Broncos fell to 0-3 with an uninspiring beatdown at the hands of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Empower Field at Mile High. The outcome never was in doubt as the Bucs cruised to a 28-10 win. Although the Broncos are banged up and injured everywhere, no one on this team showed any fight or guts. They just took their ass-kicking at the hands of Tom Brady and the Bucs and moved on. This season has started so dreadful that there doesn't seem to be any hope the Broncos will turn this thing around. Another lost season in Denver in the post Super Bowl 50 era. Here are my thoughts and observations on the game....

1) After the Broncos were forced to punt on their first drive of the game, the Bucs blocked the punt and scored on a Brady to Chris Godwin TD pass to go up 7-0. That was the game right there. The Bucs built a 23-3 lead and never looked back.

2) Jeff Driskel was awful in his first start replacing the injured Drew Lock. He was pressured all day, held onto the ball too long, and just looked overmatched out there. Offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur didn't help him out too much either with his play selection..

3) The Broncos defense just didn't have enough to stop Tom Brady and his weapons. Brady looked like vintage Brady and played well. The Broncos defense really doesn't benefit at all with no fans in the stands. It really hurts them without crowd noise. 

4) This game was brutal to watch and now the Broncos are 0-3 and head to the 0-3 Jets on Thursday night. This season is spiraling out of control and Denver lost two more starters for the year with injuries-Jurrell Casey and Elijah Wilkinson. It is going to get ugly and I think they will have a hard time beating the Jets on Thursday. This looks like a 4 win campaign this year.

Broncos-Bucs and Week 3 Picks!

The Broncos are 0-2 for the second straight year, and this season feels like a lost one already. If they had started 0-2 and lost the two tough games like they did to Tennessee and Pittsburgh, but they didn't have all these injuries to their roster, then I would be optimistic that they would be able to turn this season around. But, with the injuries to Von Miller(Ankle and done for the season), Courtland Sutton (ACL and done for the season), A.J. Bouye (Shoulder and on IR until October), Philip Lindsay (Turf toe and week to week), Dremont Jones (Knee and at least a month away), and now QB Drew Lock (Shoulder and 3-6 weeks), this season feels like it is going down the tubes really fast. This week is intriguing because I really don't think the Bucs are better than a 9 win team, but they will probably be too much for Denver and their depleted team. Look for Tom Brady to look like the vintage version of himself, and the Bucs will roll against the Jeff Driskell-led Broncos in Denver.

Tampa Bay (-6) over DENVER

Final Score: Buccaneers-30 Broncos-10

Now, onto the picks for Week 3 in the NFL.....

Last Week's Record: 9-7

Overall Record (17-13-2)

(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Houston (+4) over PITTSBURGH: The Texans are 0-2 and need a win badly. The Steelers are 2-0 and look like the real deal in the AFC. I think Houston gets their first win this week in an upset on the road.

MINNESOTA (+3) over Tennessee: The Vikings are also a surprising 0-2 and they have looked really bad the first two games. I like the Vikings to get their first win here as well.

ATLANTA (-3) over Chicago: Another 0-2 team takes on a 2-0 team. The Bears are 2-0 but no one is buying into them just yet. The Falcons are 0-2 and had a devastating loss last week to the Cowboys. I like Atlanta at home to get to 1-2.

Las Vegas (+6) over NEW ENGLAND: Hate to admit it but you have to give credit to the Raiders. They are 2-0 and got a big win over the Saints on Monday night in Week 2. Derek Carr looks good and Jon Gruden looks like he has himself a good team this year. I don't know if they will win this game, but I like them to keep to close. The Pats and Cam Newton will be contenders in the AFC this year, so this will be a fun game to watch.

NY GIANTS (+4) over San Francisco: The Giants are 0-2 and hosting the banged up 49ers, who are playing in MetLife Stadium for the second straight week after beating the Jets last week. I don't know if the Giants will win this game but I have a hunch that it will come down to the end.

PHILLY (-5) over Cincy: The Eagles got booed off their field last week in a game with no fans. That is how bad the Eagles 0-2 start has been for them this year. They will get their first win and get some of the pressure off of Carson Wentz and Doug Pederson and send Joe Burrow and the Bengals to 0-3.

Washington (+7) over CLEVELAND: I think the Redskins will keep it close to cover the spread. I'm still not sold on Cleveland and that offense yet.

LA Rams (+2) over BUFFALO: You have to like what you see out of the Rams in their 2-0 start. They go back to the East after beating the Eagles in Philly last week. That could be a factor in this game. The Bills are 2-0 and have looked good but they beat the Jets and Miami, so we will find out more about them this week.

NY Jets (+11) over INDY: The Jets have looked so bad in their 0-2 start. The Colts are 1-1, but look like a team that could be hanging around the playoff picture. The Colts will win the game, but I'm not sure they will cover.

Carolina (+7) over LA CHARGERS: The Chargers will start Justin Herbert for the second straight week as Tyrod Taylor still recovers from a punctured lung suffered at the hands of a team doctor who tried to give him a pain injection for a rib injury. Herbert looked good last week, and I think the Chargers will win, but I'll take the Panthers to cover.

Detroit (+6) over ARIZONA: The Cards are 2-0 and Kyler Murray has been fun to watch. I think they will win the game, but I'll take the Lions to cover.

SEATTLE (-5) over Dallas: Fun game in the late window on FOX. Russell Wilson has been amazing to start the season, and I don't see him slowing down at home against the Cowboys. 

NEW ORLEANS (-3) over Green Bay: Fun Sunday Night Football game on NBC. The Saints are 1-1 after losing to the Raiders on MNF last week. The Packers are 2-0 and Aaron Rodgers looks like his MVP self once again. I think the Saints will win and get back on track.

Kansas City (+3) over BALTIMORE: A spotlight game in the AFC in primetime on Monday Night Football. This could be the game of the year in the NFL. This should be fun. Pat Mahomes vs Lamar Jackson. Two young stars going at it. Both teams come in at 2-0 and the Chiefs will leave 3-0

Jaguars-Dolphins TNF Week 3 Pick

 Miami (+3) over JACKSONVILLE

Broncos Fall to Steelers, Drop to 0-2 For Second Straight Year

The Broncos fell to 0-2 after a tough 26-21 loss to the Steelers in Pittsburgh on Sunday. This is the second straight year that the Broncos have started 0-2. The loss was even worse because the Broncos lost QB Drew Lock to a shoulder injury on the second series of the game. Lock is out 2-6 weeks with a bruised shoulder. Denver also lost star WR Courtland Sutton to a torn ACL, and he is done for the year. The Broncos battled back in a game where they trailed at times 17-3 and 26-14. They had a chance down 26-21 late in the 4th quarter in Pittsburgh territory, but the Steelers stopped the Broncos on a 4th and 2 to end the game. It is another disappointing start to the season for the Broncos, and with all the injuries they have endured, it seems like we could be in for another long and frustrating season. Here are my thoughts on the game....

1) The injury to Lock really set the tone for the game. Lock was sacked and fumbled and turned the ball over on the play, but when he got knocked out of the game, it was just a bad sign of things to come. Hopefully, he can come back sooner rather than later, but in any event, the last thing you want to see is him getting hurt.

2) The injuries are really starting to mount up big time. In addition to Lock, Courtland Sutton, DreMont Jones, DeMarcus Walker, and Davontae Harris all got hurt in this game. Sutton is done for the year with a torn ACL and Jones might miss at least a month with a knee sprain. I can't remember a season in which the Broncos have been hit this hard with injuries to key players. We are without Von Miller, Drew Lock, Courtland Sutton, Philip Lindsay, and AJ Bouye. It is going to be very difficult to overcome that type of talent being hurt.

3) Rookie Cb Mike Ojemudia got worked and picked on all day long. He dropped an easy interception in the endzone on the drive that the Steelers scored their first touchdown to take a 7-0 lead. He got beat for an 80 yard touchdown pass by Chase Claypoole, and he got beat for another touchdown in the 4th quarter that gave the Steelers a 24-14 lead. Hopefully, he can improve each week because every QB and offensive coordinator is going to be coming for him.

4) Give the Broncos credit. They could have folded up their tent and gave up down 17-3 and down 26-14, but they fought back and gave themselves a chance to win it at the end.

5) Punter Sam Martin dropped a snap in his own endzone and the play resulted in a safety to give Pittsburgh a 26-14 lead. It came back to be a huge play because the Broncos cut the lead to 26-21, and if Martin simply doesn't drop the ball, then the Broncos can tie the game at the end with a field goal when they drove down deep. a

6) There is a lot of criticism about the plays call on 3rd and 2 and 4th and 2 late in the game deep in Pittsburgh territory. I don't have a problem with calling two passes in those spots. The 4th down play actually have Melvin Gordon and Tim Patrick wide open but Jeff Driskel didn't throw it and got sacked to end the game.

7)  There are no excuses and no one feels bad for you in the NFL. That is just the nature of the beast. The Broncos are banged up and lost a lot of key talent-especially at QB with Lock out. They must come together and find a way to win one game and stay afloat until Lock comes back. That's all they have to think about right now. Go out on Sunday and somehow beat Tom Brady and Bucs in front of 5,700 fans in Denver. Other teams in the NFL have a slew of injuries all the time and they find a way. The Broncos must do the same. 

Broncos-Steelers and Week 2 Picks

The Broncos enter Week 2 in the same position they entered Week 2 last year: 0-1 and trying to avoid an 0-2 start. This year, they head to Pittsburgh to take on the 1-0 Steelers. The Steelers got Ben Roethlisberger back from injury this year, and the Steelers looked good on their Monday night win over the Giants. The Steelers looked like they are primed for a big season. The Broncos are banged up even more heading into this game. Philip Lindsay and AJ Bouye are out, and this season just has a bad vibe to it. The only thing Denver has going for them is the fact that Pittsburgh won't have any fans in the stands for this game. Other than that, I can't see a way in which the Broncos win this game.

Denver (+8) over PITTSBURGH:
Final Score: Steelers-27 Broncos-20

Now, onto the picks for Week 2 in the NFL.....

Last Week's Record: 8-6-2
Overall Record (8-6-2)
(HOME TEAM IN CAPS)

Jacksonville (+9) over TENNESSEE: The Titans will win the game and get to 2-0, but I am sticking with big underdogs to cover the spread to start the season.

NY Giants (+6) over CHICAGO: I feel like everyone is counting out the 0-1 Giants already, and I think they pull the upset over the Bears on the road this week. 

DALLAS (-4) over ATLANTA: Dallas is looking to have about 20,000 fans in the stands this week and I think that will give the game some juice. I think they get back on track and get to 1-1 with the win and send the Falcons to 0-2

Minnesota (+3) over INDY: The Vikings get back to 1-1 with a win on the road over the Colts, who will fall to 0-2.

Carolina (+10) over TAMPA BAY: I'm not sold on the Bucs and I'm sticking with big underdogs on the road once again.

MIAMI (+6) over Buffalo: The Bills will win this game, but look for a back and forth affair.

San Francisco (-7) over NY JETS: The 49ers will be angry after losing a close game to the Cardinals last week. I like them in this spot, even if they are traveling across the country. 

PHILLY (-1) over LA Rams: The Eagles will get to 1-1 with a hard fought victory over the Rams. 

GREEN BAY (-6) over Detroit: The Packers will go to 2-0 with an easy home win over the Lions in a game at Lambeau with no fans. 

Washington (+7) over ARIZONA: Two surprising 1-0 teams meet in Arizona. One of these teams will be 2-0. Look for Washington to keep it close.

Baltimore (-7) over HOUSTON: You have to be impressed with how the Ravens looked in their Week 1 win over the Browns. The Texans were no match in their loss to the Chiefs. The Texans don't want to fall to 0-2. Normally, I would give the Texans an edge in their home opener, but with no fans, I think the Ravens will take care of business.

Kansas City (-8) over LA CHARGERS: The Chiefs are rolling and nothing is going to stop them-not even the 1-0 Chargers in an empty Sofi Stadium.

SEATTLE (-4) over New England: Fun game in Seattle on SNF. Cam Newton looked good in his Patriots debut with a win over Miami. The Seahawks and Russell Wilson looked great in their blowout win over the Falcons. I think Seattle does enough to pull away.

New Orleans (-5) over LAS VEGAS: Another new stadium opens to an empty crowd. This time it is the home debut of the Las Vegas Raiders. The Raiders got a win late over the Panthers in Week 1 and the Saints took down the Bucs. I think the Saints are the better team, and without the home crowd, I think the Raiders will have trouble. 

Browns-Bengals Week 2 TNF Pick

Cincinnati (+6) over CLEVELAND