Some wild games in Week 3.
Congratulations to Adam Vanguilder from Whitehall, who emerged as the North Country's top picker in Week 3. He'll receive a $50 Gift Certificate to Bogie's Pub and Grill on Cronin Road in Queensbury. You could be next -- make sure you get your picks in for your chance to win!
WEEK 3 RECAP
So it wasn't as clean of a week as it was in Weeks 1 and 2, as I wind up going 11-5. There was no way I was going to go with Cleveland or Carolina based on who they were facing and how those two teams had played in the first two weeks. Arizona and San Francisco was one that was going to go either way, it just seemed to go against the direction I picked. Chicago looked good for three quarters against Minnesota and those Bears showed up against the Cowboys, instead of the team that didn't show against the Lions.
And speaking of those Lions, that game against Baltimore was another that was destined to go one way or another and it just went the opposite of how I picked.
Onward to Week 4.
WEEK 4 GAMES
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals, Thursday, 8:15pm on Amazon Prime
Marvin Harrison Jr. needs to start catching wide open shots, not just for my fantasy roster hopes but because Arizona could have really used another opportunity to put points on the board in a game where they lost by 1. The loss of James Conner is going to hurt. Seattle looked great last week, but it was against the New Orleans Saints. This will be a harder test.
RICK'S PICK: Seattle
Minnesota Vikings vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (in Dublin, Ireland), Sunday, 9:30am on NFL Network
Minnesota's defense made things really easy for Carson Wentz to be comfortable against the Cincinnati Bengals. Unless Aaron Rodgers regresses to his Jets form, the defense will not be giving extra cushion to Wentz to stick to the game script. Pittsburgh needed help from the Patriots turnover woes to survive Sunday at Foxborough, but I never can count Mike Tomlin out.
But who will be more jet-lagged?
RICK'S PICK: Minnesota
Washington Commanders at Atlanta Falcons, Sunday, 1:00pm
Marcus Mariota showed he had something still to show in the Washington Commanders win over the Raiders last Sunday, but the eyes will be on Jayden Daniels still as we head into the Friday injury reports. Atlanta comes in after surrendering the first shutout of the season, at the hands of the Carolina Panthers as Michael Penix looked uncomfortable to the point that the Falcons leaned on Kirk Cousins. So which Falcons team is showing this week? Week 2's or Week 3's?
RICK'S PICK: Washington
New Orleans Saints at Buffalo Bills, Sunday, 1:00pm - WRGB CBS 6
This is going to be a mismatch, as long as the Bills learned from last Thursday's game against the Miami Dolphins. They cannot be looking too far ahead, otherwise they're going to be caught by surprise. Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills should have the backups in by the 4th quarter.
RICK'S PICK: Buffalo
Cleveland Browns at Detroit Lions, Sunday, 1:00pm
The Detroit Lions have figured stuff out after their Week 1 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Cleveland has a good defense as we saw against the Packers, but still questions exist on the offensive front. Not sure if they have enough tools to counter the awakening lion.
RICK'S PICK: Detroit
Tennessee Titans at Houston Texans, Sunday, 1:00pm
This one will be difficult to pick. C.J. Stroud has regressed since last season and has been making quite a few questionable throws in the first three weeks of the season. Cam Ward has been slowly progressing, but still needs to make better work of the throws combined to the offensive line needing to protect him better. He's averaged 5 sacks per game, and has a 54.5% completion rate.
This might come down to the home crowd.
RICK'S PICK: Houston
Carolina Panthers at New England Patriots, Sunday, 1:00pm, WXXA FOX 23
A pair of teams coming from "what the heck was that" games last week. Carolina surprised the league with their 30-0 shut out of the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3 as Bryce Young looked better. The Patriots are coming out of a game where they lost narrowly, but turned the ball over 5 times to the Pittsburgh Steelers. New England may be still going through growing pains, but I don't know if Carolina has figured something out either. A tough game to pick.
RICK'S PICK: Carolina
Los Angeles Chargers at New York Giants, Sunday, 1:00pm
Jaxson Dart, welcome to the NFL. Your first start is against a hot Los Angeles Chargers team that has emerged out of week 3 with a 2 game lead in the AFC West. Although the Chargers will be feeling the loss of Najee Harris, out for the rest of the season. But I'm more likely to pick the Chargers for what Justin Herbert has done for them compared to an untested quarterback. But ... they couldn't stick with Russell Wilson after the throws he put up against Kansas City.
RICK'S PICK: Los Angeles Chargers
Philadelphia Eagles at Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, 1:00pm
That was quite a thriller for both teams last week. Philadelphia blocking a kick and running it in for the score to preserve their win, and Tampa Bay needing to overcome a blocked kick themselves that saw the Jets threaten the upset in Florida. Philadelphia has the talent but cannot fall behind early like they did against the Rams. Tampa Bay will be likely without Mike Evans.
RICK'S PICK: Philadelphia
Indianapolis Colts at Los Angeles Rams, Sunday, 4:05pm
How good are these Indianapolis Colts? I don't think they are as good as their 3-0 record has shown, that it's been a product of the teams they have faced. But if they want to prove me wrong, here's their chance against the Los Angeles Rams. A Rams squad that should have beaten the Philadelphia Eagles. Matthew Stafford is still an elite QB, and the Colts will have their hands full here.
RICK'S PICK: Los Angeles Rams
Jacksonville Jaguars at San Francisco 49'ers, Sunday, 4:05pm
Brock Purdy might be back, which will be a help for the offense. But there are still several questions regarding the status of the team due to the injuries. San Francisco did not look great on offense against the Arizona Cardinals, but did enough thanks to Christian McCaffrey to win. But I'm not sure if Jacksonville will be a strong enough of a rival to take the 49'ers down from the rank of the undefeated.
RICK'S PICK: San Francisco
Baltimore Ravens at Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, 4:25pm, WRGB CBS 6
Xavier Worthy may be back in Week 4, but whether or not he's going to be at full volume is going to be a question mark after his dislocated shoulder from Week 1. And we are still a few weeks from Rasheed Rice returning from suspension for the Chiefs. Patrick Mahomes has been doing a lot of the work himself, and Hollywood Brown and Travis Kelce remain special targets for him, but they still are a team weakened by injuries. Their first win being against the New York Giants doesn't mean anything, it's about how they handle weeks like this. And Baltimore has been a high-octane offense, who is only 1-2 because they have already had to face the Detroit Lions and the Buffalo Bills. Mark Andrews finally came alive for the season for the Ravens. But Derrick Henry has got to hold onto the football...
RICK'S PICK: Baltimore
Chicago Bears at Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, 4:25pm
What Chicago Bears team do we get? The Bears who looked good last week? Or the Bears that got stuffed by Detroit in Week 2. Has Caleb Williams turned the corner after their first humblings over the first two weeks? Was last week's success a result of a poor Cowboys defense? A lot of questions as they face another team that has a lot of questions in the Las Vegas Raiders. Geno Smith hasn't looked as sharp as he needed to for Pete Carroll's offense and it makes me wonder if he's going to have enough to push the Raiders to victory.
RICK'S PICK: Chicago
Green Bay Packers at Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, 8:20pm, WNYT Channel 13
Micha Parsons returns to the team that dealt him prior to the start of the regular season. He can't wait to show Jerry Jones what he is missing. Jerry Jones will also be missing Cee Dee Lamb, and that leads to questions where Dak Prescott will be sending the football to on Sunday. Another question is the defense, which has been torched in three games so far, none more showing than the Week 2 game where the Cowboys benefitted from a Russell Wilson interception in overtime. Green Bay is coming to prove that last week was a fluke when they lost to the Cleveland Browns and that their offense is better than that.
RICK'S PICK: Dallas
New York Jets at Miami Dolphins, Monday, 7:00pm, ESPN
The first of the Monday Night games is pretty ho hum. The Jets have question marks on who is going to take the snaps, as of this writing Justin Fields could be back but he might still be in concussion protocol, which means the Jets will have to rely on Tyrod Taylor for another week. Miami is a team filled with dysfunction, but they are also a team that has had 11 days since their game in Buffalo to adjust. This offense is too good to stay in a funk, and against the Jets, they are likely to do so.
RICK'S PICK: Miami
Cincinnati Bengals at Denver Broncos, Monday, 8:00pm, WTEN ABC 10
The first full game in the Joe Burrow-less Bengals arc did not go well. Minnesota ate him, and his turnovers, alive. It could be shaping up to be another rough season for Southern Ohio without Burrow under center. Bo Nix has been okay, not spectacular, for the Denver Broncos. But should be a more solid pick for the Week 4 finale, the last week we see 16 games on the slate until Thanksgiving weekend.
RICK'S PICK: Denver
Think you can do better than me? Get your picks on the Q101.7 app for your chance to be eligible to win great prizes, including a $50 gift certificate to Bogie's Pub and Grill at Bay Meadows, on Cronin Road in Queensbury. Plus all those who beat me will be in the running to win concert tickets to a show in 2026.
