Seattle Seahawks vs. Arizona Cardinals Preview and Predictions 09-30-2018 in NFL
First-round draft pick Josh Rosen will make his first career start when the winless Arizona Cardinals host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday. Rosen, the 10th overall selection in this year's draft, replaced Sam Bradford as quarterback in last week's loss to Chicago and will look to spark an offense that has scored a league-low 20 points.
First-year coach Steve Wilks acknowledges there will be growing pains, but Rosen is confident he is ready to produce due to his firm knowledge of the playbook. "I will not run a play on the football field unless I know why we are running it and what we are trying to accomplish," Rosen told reporters. "That's just how I function. I don't run a 4.5, so if things go bad, I can't just hit the exit button. I like to understand the playbook in its entirety." Seattle is looking to even its record after defeating Dallas as it is receiving strong play from safety Earl Thomas. After holding out due to his wish for a new contract, Thomas was ready to go when he reported and is tied for the league lead with three interceptions after recording two against the Cowboys.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Seahawks -3. O/U: 39
ABOUT THE SEAHAWKS (1-2): Quarterback Russell Wilson (716 yards, seven touchdowns) has excelled in his last three appearances against the Cardinals, passing for 809 yards and eight touchdowns without being intercepted. Seattle finally showed life in the running game against the Cowboys as Chris Carson rushed for 102 yards for his first career 100-yard outing and he has a team-best 177. The Seahawks figure to be without outside linebacker K.J. Wright (knee) for the fourth straight game, while middle linebacker Bobby Wagner (groin) will attempt to play through his injury for the second consecutive week.
ABOUT THE CARDINALS (0-3): Rosen was 4-of-7 passing for 36 yards with one interception in his brief debut, and Arizona badly needs him to spark an offense averaging a league-worst 190.3 yards. Running back David Johnson (116 yards) is averaging just 3.4 yards per carry while longtime star Larry Fitzgerald (12 receptions, 113 yards) is dealing with a sore hamstring as he made only two catches for nine yards in the loss to Chicago. The defense is allowing 24.7 points and 392.3 yards per game but is receiving strong play from end Chandler Jones, who has recorded an NFL-leading 30 sacks since the beginning of the 2016 season.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Fitzgerald has made 163 receptions against the Seahawks in his career.
2. Seattle WR Doug Baldwin (knee) proclaimed himself ready to return after missing the previous two games.
3. Arizona's longest rush this season is Rosen's late-game 12-yard scramble against Chicago.
PREDICTION: Seahawks 26, Cardinals 13
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Cleveland Browns vs. Oakland Raiders Preview and Predictions 09-30-2018 in NFL
The Cleveland Browns already have matched their victory total from the last two seasons combined and now aim to put together consecutive wins for the first time since 2014 as the Baker Mayfield era begins when they visit the winless Oakland Raiders on Sunday. Cleveland had won just one of its previous 37 contests (1-35-1) before Mayfield came off the bench on Sept. 20 to guide the team to a 21-17 triumph over the New York Jets.
The first overall pick in this year's draft, Mayfield completed 17-of-23 passes for 201 yards and caught a two-point conversion pass as the Browns rallied from a 14-0 deficit to halt their 19-game winless streak. The 23-year-old Oklahoma product will make his first NFL start this week and attempt to help Cleveland record back-to-back wins for the first time since a three-game streak from Oct. 26-Nov. 6, 2014. While the Browns ended their lengthy drought, Oakland looks to register the first victory of Jon Gruden's second go-around as the team's coach. The Raiders, who have lost seven straight dating to last season, held a three-point lead in Miami midway through the fourth quarter last week before allowing 52- and 74-yard touchdown passes en route to a 28-20 defeat.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FOX. LINE: Raiders -2.5. O/U: 45
ABOUT THE BROWNS (1-1-1): Mayfield, who replaced a concussed Tyrod Taylor last week, can join Jim Plunkett (1971), John Elway (1983), Michael Vick (2001) and David Carr (2002) as the only quarterbacks drafted first overall in the Super Bowl era to win their first career start. Of the previous four, only Elway's victory came on the road. Carlos Hyde rushed for two touchdowns versus the Jets, giving him seven during his five-game streak and tying him for the league lead with four.
ABOUT THE RAIDERS (0-3): Derek Carr was 27-of-39 for 345 yards and a TD last week but also threw a pair of interceptions, giving him five through his first three games (one shy of his total over 15 contests in 2016) and only two scoring tosses. However, the 27-year-old leads the AFC with a completion percentage of 76.6 and ranks second with 936 passing yards. Oakland will have a new kicker on Sunday as Matt McCrane was signed after Mike Nugent, who suffered a hip injury against Miami, was placed on injured reserve.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Taylor exited the league's concussion protocol and returned to practice on Thursday but still may not be in uniform due to a back injury he also suffered against the Jets.
2. Oakland RB Marshawn Lynch (shoulder), who has rushed for a touchdown in each game this year, has been limited in practice this week.
3. Cleveland WR Jarvis Landry has made at least five catches in 20 consecutive games, which ties him for the second-longest streak in NFL history.
PREDICTION: Raiders 33, Browns 27
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New Orleans Saints vs. New York Giants Preview and Predictions 09-30-2018 in NFL
While the NFL has embraced the young quarterback in recent years, grizzled veterans Drew Brees and Eli Manning keep trucking along at the helm of their respective teams. Brees aims to continue his success as the NFC Offensive Player of the Week leads the New Orleans Saints into MetLife Stadium on Sunday to face Manning and the New York Giants.
"Obviously there is a mutual respect," the 39-year-old Brees told Newsday of Manning, 37. "The job we do is a great one but a difficult one. It requires a lot of time, a lot of energy, a lot of effort both mentally and physically and emotionally." Brees showed his dedication by capping his 396-yard, five-touchdown performance (three passing, two rushing) with a leap over the top in overtime to secure New Orleans a 43-37 win against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. While the Saints have scored an NFC-best 104 points through three games, the Giants have mustered nearly half that total (55) -- with almost half of those points coming in Sunday's 27-22 win over Houston. Manning completed 25 of 29 passes for 297 yards with two touchdowns in that contest and faces a Saints' defense that has been gashed for a league-worst 34.3 points per game.
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Saints -3.5. O/U: 50.5
ABOUT THE SAINTS (2-1): The talented twosome of the electric Alvin Kamara and 6-foot-3 wideout Michael Thomas have figured prominently in New Orleans' third-ranked scoring offense (34.7 points per game). The former collected 15 receptions and 190 scrimmage yards (66 rushing, 124 receiving) last week while the latter set an NFL record with 38 catches in his first three games to begin the season. Fellow wideouts Ted Ginn Jr. and Cameron Meredith made defenses pay for perhaps overcompensating on Kamara and Thomas, as they each had touchdown receptions last week.
ABOUT THE GIANTS (1-2): Odell Beckham Jr. was on the receiving end of the richest NFL contract for a wide receiver over the summer, and while the flashy wideout leads the team in catches (24) and receiving yards (271), he hasn't found the end zone this season. "I love being in the end zone. It's been a while," Beckham said. "... Getting in the end zone, of course I want to get in there, but when it comes, it's going to come." Fellow wideout Sterling Shepard found the end zone to cap a six-catch, 80-yard performance last week and erupted for eight receptions for 117 yards in his last encounter with New Orleans. Rookie Saquon Barkley has scored twice and averages a robust 4.7 yards per carry, although he'll face a Saints' rush defense that surrendered just 48 yards last week.
EXTRA POINTS
1. New York's Rhett Ellison is expected to replace fellow TE Evan Engram, who is considered week-to-week after spraining his MCL against Houston.
2. New Orleans DE Cameron Jordan had two sacks last week to increase his total to 34.5 since 2015, which is fourth best in the league.
3. The Saints have forced just one turnover this season, tied with Oakland for the fewest in the NFL.
PREDICTION: Saints 38, Giants 17
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San Francisco 49ers vs. Los Angeles Chargers Preview and Predictions 09-30-2018 in NFL
It's back to the drawing board at quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers as they turn to C.J. Beathard when they visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. San Francisco is forced to rely on the 2017 third-round draft pick as Jimmy Garoppolo's season came to an end due to the torn ACL he suffered in last week's loss at Kansas City.
Beathard, who made five starts last year prior to the acquisition of Garoppolo, completed 123-of-224 passes for 1,430 yards with four touchdowns and six interceptions over seven games overall in 2017. Despite the change in quarterbacks, the Chargers will not be taking the 49ers lightly as they look to bounce back from a 35-23 road setback against the Los Angeles Rams. The Chargers, who are averaging over 27 points per game, can take solace in the fact that both of their losses have come against undefeated teams in the Chiefs and Rams. Philip Rivers has gotten off to a strong start this season, throwing eight touchdown passes and only one interception while averaging more than 300 yards per contest.
TV: 4:25 p.m. ET, CBS. LINE: Chargers -10.5. O/U: 46
ABOUT THE 49ERS (1-2): San Francisco likely will rely heavily on Matt Breida, who enters Week 4 tied for the league lead with 274 rushing yards. The 23-year-old, who has been limited in practice due to a knee issue, has registered at least 100 yards from scrimmage in each of his last two contests. Rookie linebacker Fred Warner has recorded 10 or more tackles in each of his first three NFL games.
ABOUT THE CHARGERS (1-2): Rivers needs 222 passing yards to pass John Elway (51,475) for eighth place on the all-time list. Wide receiver Mike Williams caught a pair of scoring passes in the loss to the Rams, marking the first multi-touchdown performance of his career. The Chargers' backfield duo of Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler is the NFL's only pair of teammates at the running back position with at least 250 yards from scrimmage apiece this season.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Chargers DE Joey Bosa (foot) stated on Wednesday that he is unlikely to return until after the team's bye week, which follows its seventh game of the season.
2. To replace Garoppolo, who was placed on injured reserve, San Francisco promoted QB Nick Mullens from the practice squad.
3. The Chargers have won four straight meetings with the 49ers to take a 7-6 lead in the all-time series.
PREDICTION: Chargers 34, 49ers 13
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Baltimore Ravens vs. Pittsburgh Steelers Preview and Predictions 09-30-2018 in NFL
The series between the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers is typically noted for the hard-hitting defenses on both sides, but both offenses will be in the spotlight in Sunday night's matchup at Pittsburgh's Heinz Field. The Ravens rank fifth in the NFL in scoring while the Steelers feature the league's No. 2-rated passing attack.
Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has already thrown for 1,140 yards in the first three games, but he pointed out the only one number matters. "It's about winning and losing," said Roethlisberger. "We didn't put up any goals this year, in terms of points or yards or where we wanted to rank. We just wanted to win football games. So, to have only one win, I would say offensively we're not doing our job." Roethlisberger's counterpart, Joe Flacco, also is off to a strong start but he echoed a defensive mindset on how Baltimore is approaching the matchup against its bitter AFC North rival. "It's more than just winning and losing a game," said Flacco. "It's beating a division opponent up a little bit, so they feel the effects the next week."
TV: 8:20 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Steelers -3. O/U: 50.5
ABOUT THE RAVENS (2-1): Flacco threw for only 196.3 yards per game in 2017 but is averaging exactly 100 yards more in the first three games while getting solid production from the trio of wide receivers signed in the offseason. Michael Crabtree has a team-high 15 catches while John Brown and Willie Snead have 12 apiece, but Baltimore needs to get its running game going. Alex Collins, who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards last season, is averaging only 38.7 yards but ran for a season-high 68 yards and a TD in last week's 27-14 victory over Denver. The Ravens lead the NFL in total defense (273.0 yards) but linebacker Terrell Suggs missed practice again Thursday.
ABOUT THE STEELERS (1-1-1): Antonio Brown has surpassed 100 receptions in each of the past five seasons and is on pace for another with 24 catches, but JuJu Smith-Schuster has emerged as a force with team-high totals of 27 receptions and 356 yards. Roethlisberger rebounded from a five-turnover season opener with his second straight three-touchdown performance to earn AFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. James Conner had a magnificent season opener before turning in a dud in Week 2, but he ran well in the fourth quarter to close out last week's 30-27 win over Tampa Bay. The Steelers rank 29th overall defensively but are tied for second in the NFL with 11.0 sacks.
EXTRA POINTS
1. Roethlisberger has thrown for 1,125 yards and 11 TDs in the last three home matchups versus Baltimore.
2. Collins rushed for 202 yards and a TD on 27 carries in the two meetings against the Steelers in 2017.
3. Nine of the past 13 meetings have been settled by four points or fewer.
PREDICTION: Steelers 27, Ravens 23
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