NFL Game Previews: Breaking Down Week 3

Washington (+4) at NY Giants - Thursday, 8:25 pm EDT

Comments: Well, in last week's game caps I summoned the chaos gods for Week 2 and they delivered, so if you're still alive in your survivor pool, you're welcome. If you're a Giants fan, though, you're probably hoping for a little less chaos in your life right about now. Two games, two double-digit leads in the fourth quarter, and an 0-2 record. Yikes. At least against the Falcons they didn't actively work to give the game away, they just couldn't stop Julio Jones, and there's no shame in that. Washington, at least, has no receiver remotely close to that talent level. ... What Washington does have is a pretty fearsome-looking two-headed backfield monster. Matt Jones rampaged through a Rams defense that had done a pretty good job of keeping Marshawn Lynch in check the week before, while Alfred Morris ripped off a 35-yard dash of his own. If the club can ground and pound their way to a lead and not have to rely too much on Kirk Cousins, it has a puncher's chance in an NFC East that suddenly looks like the weakest division in the league. ... While their rookie running back basks in the spotlight, the Washington defense has quietly gone about its business in stunningly effective fashion, and after two games ranks fourth in run yards allowed per game (70.5), third in points allowed per game (13.5) and second in pass yards allowed per game (164.0). It's not like the Rams and Dolphins were thought to have scrubby offenses coming into the season either. Right above them in run yards allowed, though? The Giants, who have also faced two non-scrubby offenses in the Falcons and Cowboys.

Predictions: Neither Morris nor Jones have huge games, with the veteran rushing for 70 yards but the rookie picking up a TD. Cousins finds a little success, throwing for 230 yards and a TD to Jordan Reed, but also gets picked off twice. Andre Williams has the most productive day of any Giants running back, picking up 60 yards and a TD, but Eli Manning throws for 260 yards and two scores to Odell Beckham and Rueben Randle and manages not to screw this one up. Giants, 23-20

Atlanta at Dallas (+1.5) - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: The Cowboys keep losing stars and winning games, as Tony Romo followed Dez Bryant to the sidelines after breaking his left clavicle last week. The keys to the offense now get handed to Cleveland castoff Brandon Weeden, who looked memorably bad in relief of Romo last year in a game against Arizona. The Falcons defense is a far cry from the unit Todd Bowles coordinated for the Cardinals in 2014, but Weeden's ability to at least be adequate for the next two months could well determine whether Dallas is even in the playoff picture by the time Romo heals up. The team's decision to give Buffalo a call and trade for Matt Cassel doesn't exactly suggest they have a lot of confidence in that scenario coming to pass. ... Two games, 276 receiving yards and two TDs for Julio Jones as he tours the vulnerable secondaries of the NFC East. Dallas' defense has played extremely well so far, holding Odell Beckham and Jordan Matthews to a combined 124 yards and one TD during that same stretch, but expecting it to put a damper on a rampaging Julio might be asking a little too much, especially if the offense struggles under Weeden and gives Matt Ryan more opportunities to find his favorite target. ... Falcons rookie RB Tevin Coleman is out with cracked ribs, leaving scatback Devonta Freeman as basically the only game in town in the Atlanta backfield. The Cowboys just got done humiliating DeMarco Murray, but Freeman may not be a bad fantasy play considering all the nickel and dime defensive packages he'll likely see.

Predictions: Freeman collects 80 combined yards while Ryan throws for 280 yards and TDs to Jones and Roddy White. Julio also tops 100 receiving yards for the third straight game. Joseph Randle grinds out 60 yards, while Weeden hits Gavin Escobar for a touchdown but also throws two interceptions. A Morris Claiborne pick-six keeps it close. Falcons, 23-20

Indianapolis at Tennessee (+3.5) - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: The Colts can't possibly start the season 0-3, can they? To be fair, they did face two of the most talented defenses in the AFC (the Bills and Jets) through the first two games, and while new Titans coordinator Dick LeBeau may be a genius, he doesn't have a lot to work with yet in Tennessee. The template might now be in place for how to stifle Andrew Luck, but that doesn't mean every team will be able to execute it. ... Marcus Mariota didn't have a historically great second game, but he's now started his NFL career by chucking the ball 53 times without an interception, which is still fairly impressive. He's basically on the Alex Smith plan, dinking and dunking and hoping his skill players make something happen, which is why even with Delanie Walker (wrist) out of action last week Mariota's tight ends still saw 14 targets. Indy's secondary is a mess, though. Vontae Davis has a concussion, Greg Toler is dealing with a neck injury, third-round pick (and one of my favorite players in this year's draft) D'Joun Smith is on IR with a knee injury and Toler's Week 1 replacement Darius Butler missed Monday's game with a hip injury, so dinking and dunking could actually pay off. ... Bishop Sankey couldn't get much going against the Browns last week, which shouldn't be surprising. He's clearly not that great, but he's also clearly the best the Titans have in their backfield (sorry, Terrance West fans), so in games against vulnerable run defenses like Week 1's tilt against the Bucs he can produce solid numbers. The Colts certainly qualify.

Predictions:Frank Gore has his best game yet as a Colt, but that just means 70 yards and a TD. Luck finally gets a little time in the pocket and throws for 320 yards and touchdowns to T.Y. Hilton and Coby Fleener, with Hilton pulling in 120 yards. Sankey rushes for 90 yards and a score, while Mariota keeps the chains moving, throwing for 280 yards and a touchdown to Kendall Wright, but can't find much success in the red zone. Colts, 27-26

Oakland (+3.5) at Cleveland - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: Of all the crazy results last week, the Derek Carr-led Raiders hanging 37 points on the supposedly-stout Ravens defense might have been the craziest. I'm still more inclined to pin the blame on a Baltimore team trying to adjust to the loss of Terrell Suggs than I am to give credit to Oakland's offense, but at the very least the silver and black got everyone's attention. Now let's see if they can do it again. ... Apparently the Johnny Football era in Cleveland hasn't begun after all, as Josh McCown gets his job back after making it through the league's concussion protocols. The real victims here are the people who just dropped FAAB dollars on Travis Benjamin. McCown was fairly awful in Tampa Bay last year, but he has a better offensive line in front of him with the Browns and the offense is going to lean heavily on the running game anyway, so he'll probably be just adequate enough to keep coach Mike Pettine from switching back to Johnny Manziel for a while. The O/U is 42.5, the second-lowest line of the week, but I'm not sure it's low enough. ... Speaking of running games, the Browns have allowed 4.9 yards a a carry so far and a league-high 160 rushing yards a game, so this should be the week where Latavius Murray proves whether he has what it takes to be the lead back for the Raiders.

Predictions: Murray racks up 130 combined yards and two TDs, but Carr struggles, barely breaking 200 yards and throwing two picks. Isaiah Crowell rushes for 90 yards and a score, but Duke Johnson also finds his way into the end zone. McCown isn't much better than Carr, but only throws one INT and does hit Gary Barnidge for a touchdown. Browns, 24-17

Cincinnati (+2.5) at Baltimore - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: The Bengals spank the Raiders in Oakland while the Ravens somehow manage to lose to the Raiders on the same field one week later, and what does it get Cincinnati? Vegas now considers it an entire half-point better than Baltimore on a neutral field. No respect, I tell ya, no respect. ... Who's the lead back for the Bengals? Giovani Bernard has looked better through two weeks, and Jeremy Hill's two fumbles last week landed him at least temporarily in Marvin Lewis' doghouse, but Bernard's inability to handle a full workload or stay healthy is part of the reason the team drafted Hill in the first place. The Ravens have only allowed 3.9 yards a carry so far, so at least in Week 3 it may not matter all that much. ... I'm not sure what to make of Crockett Gillmore yet, which means I'll probably be behind the curve on him if he does turn out to be the next Gronk. On the one hand, the Raiders defense is seriously awful against tight ends (remember what Tyler Eifert did in Week 1?), so there's a very good chance Week 2 ends up being Gillmore's best performance of the season by a mile. On the other hand, Joe Flacco has a history of making decent use of his tight ends dating to the Todd Heap days, and new offensive coordinator Marc Trestman didn't hurt Martellus Bennett's production in Chicago, so Gillmore could well become relevant this season. He seems more like someone you roll the dice with if you need to score big on the waiver wire rather than someone you can rely on to give you consistent production.

Predictions: Bernard once again leads the way in the Bengals' backfield, pulling down 100 combined yards, but Hill gets a short-yardage TD. Andy Dalton throws for 230 yards and a touchdown to A.J. Green. Justin Forsett gets into a groove, also gaining 100 combined yards and adding a score, while Flacco throws for 250 yards and TDs to Steve Smith and Gillmore. Ravens, 30-20

Jacksonville (+13.5) at New England - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: Turns out when Blake Bortles isn't running for his life, he's capable of being a decent NFL quarterback. Who knew? The Dolphins couldn't bring him down at all last week, but that probably says more about them (they only had one sack in Week 1) than it does about the Jaguars' rebuilt offensive line. The Patriots lead the NFL with 11 sacks, so expect Bortles to be back on his bike Sunday. ... Throwing for 466 yards against a defense that gave Andrew Luck fits the week before is so Tom Brady. The Jags have actually been stout against the run so far, allowing just 2.9 yards a carry (second lowest in the league), so Belichick might decide to run 30 times just out of spite, but on paper at least this looks like it will be another week of Brady and the Pats passing game basically scoring at will. ... Dion Lewis has shockingly not been buried on the depth chart yet due to his fumbling issues. Maybe punishing LeGarrette Blount for an extra game took precedence. I think you have to assume Lewis is the man in the New England backfield, but you know the rug's going to be yanked out from under him sooner or later.

Predictions:T.J. Yeldon rushes for 70 yards and gets his first TD, but Bortles gets sacked five times and can't get anything going through the air, though he does find Allen Robinson for a garbage-time score. Lewis gets just 60 combined yards while Blount scores a goal-line touchdown. Brady lights it up again, throwing for 350 yards and three TDs to Rob Gronkowski, Julian Edelman and Aaron Dobson, with Gronk topping 100 receiving yards. Patriots, 34-17

New Orleans (+3) at Carolina - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: The point spread listed here is essentially a default, as a lot of books have taken the game off the board due to the uncertainty surrounding Drew Brees' shoulder. Those that are posting it are giving the Saints almost a full touchdown. He was on the field for Wednesday's practice but given his age and the nature of the injury (frankly, I didn't even know a rotator cuff could be bruised) I don't think there's any way you can expect him to put up decent numbers if he does play, and while Luke McCown has proven to be a surprisingly good Verizon pitchman, he's not even as good a QB as his brother Josh, and that's a really low bar to clear. Who would you rather have shares in now: Tony Romo, where you know he's out for at least seven games and you need a replacement, or Brees, where you have no clue whether you'll need to replace him or for how long? ... Cam Newton did his thing last week, throwing for two TDs and running for another, but he's now failed to pass for 200 yards in consecutive games. The rushing stats are great when you get them, but the lack of weapons available to him is showing. The Saints secondary has been terrible so far (allowing a 9.7 YPA and a 119.5 QB rating), but who does Newton have available to exploit it? ... Jonathan Stewart is playing through a knee injury, and Cameron Artis-Payne was inactive in Week 2 after getting just one offensive snap in Week 1. I feel bad for even suggesting this, but it might be time to start keeping an eye on Mike Tolbert.

Predictions: Brees plays but does very little as the Saints try to keep the ball on the ground, and Mark Ingram bangs out 70 yards and a TD. Stewart rushes for 50 yards but Tolbert vultures a red-zone touchdown, while Newton throws a touchdown pass to Philly Brown on an otherwise quiet day. Panthers, 20-13

Philadelphia (+2.5) at N.Y. Jets - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: Haven't we seen this script before? Successful college coach gets an NFL job in the NFC East, picks up some early wins and gets lauded as an offensive genius, only for it to all unravel as the rest of the league catches up to his scheme and his questionable personnel decisions thin the roster's overall talent level. Unlike Steve Spurrier's tenure in Washington all those years ago, Chip Kelly has actually won some regular-season games with the Eagles, but the problems on both sides of the ball are glaring. If the offensive line doesn't start giving Sam Bradford more time and the secondary doesn't get its act together, Kelly could be checking the want ads for BCS job openings over the winter. ... The Jets having a good defense shouldn't be a surprise, given their draft investment in the defensive line, the return of Darelle Revis and what new head coach Todd Bowles did as a defensive coordinator in Arizona. But a powerhouse offense? Now that's a surprise. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker might not combine for 198 yards and two TDs again this season the way they did Monday night, but the mere fact that they're capable of it is going to force other teams to respect the pass more than anyone anticipated coming into the season. That means fewer stacked fronts for Chris Ivory, and more options for coordinator Chan Gailey. ... That said, the Jets offense heads into this one fairly banged up. Ivory's dealing with a quad strain, while Decker has a knee injury and No. 3 WR Chris Owusu just had his knee scoped. Of course, DeMarco Murray just went down with his own hamstring injury and Eagles linebackers Kiko Alonso (knee) and Mychel Kendricks (hamstring) both look like they'll be out of action Sunday, so neither team will be at full strength.

Predictions:Ryan Mathews starts but manages only 60 yards. Bradford looks terrible again, throwing two first-half INTs. Kelly decided to let Mark Sanchez get some revenge against his former team, which he almost does with two late TDs to Nelson Agholor and Darren Sproles. Bilal Powell leads the Jets backfield with 70 combined yards and a score while Ryan Fitzpatrick has another solid game, throwing for 230 yards and two touchdowns to Marshall. Jets, 24-20

Tampa Bay (+6.5) at Houston - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: Is this the week Arian Foster returns? Probably not, based on early reports out of the Texans, but after watching his replacements stumble to 51 combined yards on 21 carries the team could be forgiven if it accelerates whatever internal timetable it has for him. ... Mike Evans' decoy role last week burned a lot of people who invested in him, but that actually makes him a better play in Week 3, as he's now presumably shaken off his rust. Of course, Austin Seferian-Jenkins is now out with a shoulder issue, so Jameis Winston still won't have his full arsenal available to him. After two fairly quiet passing games, though, it doesn't look like the Bucs intend to let the rookie air it out just yet anyway, so keep your expectations in check. ... DeAndre Hopkins is iffy for Sunday with a concussion, as well. If he isn't cleared in time for the game, and Foster isn't in the lineup, I have no idea who's supposed to get the ball in the end zone for Houston. J.J. Watt may have to play every snap on both sides of the ball.

Predictions:Doug Martin has a productive game, picking up 110 combined yards and a TD. Winston is quiet again, throwing for 200 yards and one touchdown to Evans. Foster doesn't play, and Chris Polk again leads the Houston backfield with a paltry 60 combined yards, but he does score. Ryan Mallett again sprays the ball all over the field, throwing for 220 yards and finding Cecil Shorts for a TD. A fourth-quarter Watt fumble return for a touchdown bails out the Texans. Texans, 24-23

San Diego (+2.5) at Minnesota - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments:Melvin Gordon looked much better in his second NFL game, but that doesn't mean anyone who invested in him can relax. Danny Woodhead continues to get a distressingly large share of the backfield touches, pulling in more than 100 combined yards one week after stealing away two red-zone TDs. Gordon has the skillset to be a three-down back (he's caught all four of the targets sent his way), so this may simply be a case of him needing to establish some trust with Philip Rivers and the coaching staff, who know what they have in Woodhead. You'll likely need to be patient with the rookie, but better days should be ahead. ... The Vikings who were so bad in the Monday night opener were mostly nowhere to be found in Week 2. Adrian Peterson swallowed up yardage, Teddy Bridgewater was accurate when he needed to be and the run defense held every Lions running back to single-digit rushing yards. If the turd they laid against the 49ers was really just opening-night jitters, they they might yet be a semi-credible threat to the Packers in the NFC North. ... Ladarius Green is going through the league's concussion protocols, and if he's unable to play that probably means more targets heading Woodhead's way when Rivers needs a safety valve or check-down, which happens a lot.

Predictions: Gordon rushes for another 80 yards and picks up his first NFL TD, but Woodhead continues leeching away touches and gets 80 combined yards. Rivers throws for 220 yards and a touchdown to Stevie Johnson, as Keenan Allen is invisible again getting shadowed by Xavier Rhodes. Peterson bashes out 110 yards and two TDs while Bridgewater throws for just shy of 200 yards and a touchdown to Charles Johnson. Vikings, 27-17

Pittsburgh at St. Louis (+1) - Sunday, 1 p.m. EDT

Comments: Is this the week Todd Gurley debuts? You'd have to think so after Tavon Austin led the Rams in rushing yards last week, but Jeff Fisher can be mule-headed sometimes. The Steelers have been fairly stingy against the run, but if St. Louis is waiting for a softer opponent against whom to introduce their first-round pick, they'll be waiting until a Week 5 game in Lambeau against the Packers. My gut tells me he plays this week, but Gurley's knee and Fisher's head probably have more say in the matter. ... Is this week Le'Veon Bell returns? Oh wait, yes it is, his suspension is over. DeAngelo Williams was shockingly good as his replacement, but there likely isn't much temptation on the part of the Steelers to go with a backfield timeshare. After the team hung 43 points on the 49ers in Week 2, it's scary to think that the offense hasn't even been at full strength yet. ... The Rams' pass rush likely will determine whether this game is close. They have eight sacks already, but Ben Roethlisberger has only been brought down twice and had the best QB rating in the league last year when he was under pressure. If Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn and the rest of the Rams' front seven can actually bring Big Ben down when they have a chance, but if he just shrugs them off and heaves the ball toward Antonio Brown the way he usually does, it could be a long game for St. Louis.

Predictions: Bell has a solid 2015 debut, reeling in 90 combined yards and a touchdown. Roethlisberger does get sacked three times, but still throws for 270 yards and TDs to Brown and Markus Wheaton. Gurley also debuts and makes an immediate impression, rushing for 100 yards and a score. Nick Foles throws for 240 yards and touchdowns to Austin and Jared Cook. Steelers, 30-27

San Francisco (+6.5) at Arizona - Sunday, 4:05 p.m. EDT

Comments: The 49ers miraculous renaissance lasted all of one game before colliding head-long into reality in Pittsburgh, and things may not get much better in the desert. Carlos Hyde at least should play, but he wasn't particularly effective last week even before he suffered a leg bruise that took him out of the game, and Colin Kaepernick hasn't shown yet that he can pass when the other team is bothering to stop him. If the defense struggles the way it did against the Steelers there might be some more garbage-time production ahead for the QB, but that isn't going to help the Niners win any games. ... With Andre Ellington (knee) not yet ready to return, the Cardinals' backfield remains in the hands of Johnson and Johnson, but rookie David Johnson appears to be heads and shoulders above veteran Chris Johnson in terms of ability. (Wait, Head & Shoulders is a Proctor & Gamble product. Hmm. Make that, "rookie David Johnson is proving to be more than just a Band-Aid to cover Ellington's absence.") After scoring on his only offensive play of Week 1, DJ15 then opened Week 2 with a 108-yard kickoff return for a score before adding a rushing touchdown later in the game. All CJ2K has done so far is average 3.6 yards a carry. It's unlikely the rookie will keep scoring every third time he touches the ball, but it's highly likely he'll get more looks on offense in Week 3 than he did in the first two games combined. ... Speaking of scoring efficiency, Carson Palmer threw four touchdowns on only 24 pass attempts last week against an inept Bears defense. I'd say he's also unlikely to repeat those numbers, but after what Ben Roethlisberger just did to the Niners, I'm not sure that's even true. Palmer is healthy, has plenty of weapons and Bruce Ariens guiding the offense. That 7:1 TD:INT ratio he's sporting through two games doesn't look like a fluke.

Predictions: Hyde pounds out a tough 70 yards and a score. Kaepernick throws for less than 200 yards, but runs in one touchdown and finds Vernon Davis late for a second one. David Johnson takes control of the Cards backfield, firing off 120 combined yards and a touchdown, while Palmer throws for 260 yards and three more TDs to Larry Fitzgerald, John Brown and Jermaine Gresham. Cardinals, 34-21

Buffalo (+3) at Miami - Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

Comments: As good as the Bills defense looked Week 1 against the Colts, it was helpless against the Patriots in Week 2. The number of teams in the league that can do what Tom Brady and the Pats can do on offense totals roughly one, though, so expect the unit to shake it off rather than suddenly having some weaknesses exposed. Ryan Tannehill could be in for a long day. ... Lamar Miller was fairly awful in Week 2, gaining just 14 yards on 10 carries before leaving the game with a sprained ankle. So far, this has not at all been the breakout season expected of him, and a game in which he's less than 100 percent healthy going up against a Buffalo defense that's allowed 3.8 yards a carry and 60 rushing yards a game so far isn't going to improve the situation. There's a small window in the Dolphins' schedule after their Week 5 bye that could allow him to build up some momentum (at the Titans, home to the Texans, at the Patriots) but otherwise it could be a rough ride if you're invested in Miller. ... Miami's front seven was supposed to be vastly improved thanks to the addition of Ndamukong Suh, but you'd never know it from the results of the first two games. The Dolphins have allowed 142 rushing yards a game and have just one sack, so the unit is clearly less than the sum of its parts. A matchup against Tyrod Taylor, who's been sacked eight times so far and threw three INTs while fumbling twice (the Bills got them both back) in the loss to the Pats, might be just what they need.

Predictions:LeSean McCoy rings up 90 combined yards and a TD, but Taylor gets sacked three times and throws two more interceptions, one of which gets returned for a touchdown by Reshad Jones. He does hit Sammy Watkins for a score, though. Miller plays but only gains 40 yards. Tannehill also sees a lot of pressure, but throws for 260 yards and TDs to Jarvis Landry and Jordan Cameron. Dolphins, 24-20

Chicago (+14.5) at Seattle - Sunday, 4:25 p.m. EDT

Comments: Bears fans, do you want the bad news, or the bad news? OK, first the bad news. Jay Cutler isn't the only player the offense will be missing Sunday afternoon. Alshon Jeffery won't play either as his hamstring is acting up again. What's more, Matt Forte is limping with a knee injury and Eddie Royal missed practice Wednesday with a litany of boo-boos. There were some crazy results last week, but Jimmy Clausen captaining an upset by throwing the ball to Marquess Wilson and Josh Bellamy would out-crazy all of Week 2's outcomes combined. ... Oh, the other bad news? The Legion of Boom is back at full strength with Kam Chancellor ending his holdout. There's no telling how quickly he'll get up to game speed or how many snaps he'll see, but as a veteran safety in a defensive system built in large part around him, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him start booming again right out of the tunnel. ... Marshawn Lynch is also a bit gimpy with a calf issue, but it would be a major shock if he sat this one out even though he is a game-time decision.

Predictions: Forte plays but only managed 70 combined yards, though he does score. Clausen is under center and does a credible Cutler impression, throwing for 220 yards and a TD to Martellus Bennett but also throwing three INTs. Lynch rumbles for 90 yards and one touchdown while Russell Wilson runs for a second one and also throws TDs to Jimmy Graham and Doug Baldwin. Seahawks, 34-14

Denver at Detroit (+3) - Sunday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

Comments:Peyton Manning pulled himself up off the mat in Week 2 and proved he wasn't quite done yet, but he also didn't exactly look like the Peyton Manning of even one year ago. Whether the 39-year-old's struggles on deep balls are due to his own health issues or a porous offensive line that's allowed him to be sacked seven times in two games don't much matter, as the former is just exacerbated by the latter. What does matter is the fact that his 5.7 YPA from the Chiefs game is probably going to be closer to what you can expect from him than the 8.0-ish YPAs he'd routinely put up through his first three seasons in Denver. ... While the Dolphins' defense doesn't seem to be much better with the addition of Ndamukong Suh, the Lions' defense has unquestionably been worse. To pick just one example, the run defense has gone from 3.2 yards per carry and 69.3 yards per game in 2014 to 4.0 and 147.5 through two games this year. That's great for a volume passer like Matthew Stafford, who will get to sling it around in more shootouts, but not so good for the team's won-loss record. ... Speaking of slinging it around, Calvin Johnson was back in Megatron form last week, catching 10 passes on 17 targets for 83 yards and a score. If he's finally healthy again, those kinds of target numbers could start to look more like the rule than the exception.

Predictions:C.J. Anderson has a reasonably productive game, rushing for 80 yards. Manning throws for 240 yards and TDs to Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders, with Sanders topping 100 receiving yards. Ameer Abdullah rebounds with 90 combined yards, but Joique Bell vultures a touchdown from him. Stafford gets taken down three times by the Broncos pass rush but still throws for 250 yards and two TDs, both to Johnson. Lions, 27-23

Kansas City (+6.5) at Green Bay - Monday, 8:30 p.m. EDT

Comments:Jamaal Charles gets extra time to try and shake off his heart-breaking late-game fumble last Thursday that gifted a win to the Broncos, but he may not need it. The Packers' run defense has been miserable this season, allowing 5.3 yards per carry through two games, so any chance the Chiefs have of stealing this game likely will come through keeping the ball in Charles' hands, milking the clock and keeping Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines. He got 25 touches in Week 2, but don't be surprised if that gets topped this week. Knile Davis could also see a few more looks too. ... Eddie Lacy looks questionable with an ankle injury, and while James Starks isn't a bad fill-in if that becomes necessary, it does suggest Rodgers could throw it a bit more often. Starting right tackle Bryan Bulaga is out for 4-6 weeks after knee surgery, though, so more passing attempts could lead to more opportunities for a KC pass rush that's collected eight sacks already this season. Davante Adams is also limping with an ankle injury, taking another quick-strike weapon out of Rodgers' arsenal. This is still the reigning MVP we're talking about, but this one could be a little more challenging for him than your typical Monday nighter. ... Adams' injury could also open the door for Ty Montgomery, who looked very good last week. The rookie caught all four of his targets, showed up as a blocker and even got two looks in the red zone, though he couldn't convert them into scores. Randall Cobb is still at the top of the depth chart, and Rodgers is clearly comfortable looking for James Jones in the end zone, but that still leaves plenty of action available for someone else. Adams still hasn't proven he can be that someone else, and Montgomery certainly has the talent to muscle his way into the picture if gets a chance.

Predictions: Charles explodes for 140 combined yards and two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. Alex Smith throws for 210 yards and finally ends the Chiefs' long TD drought for wide receivers, connecting with Jeremy Maclin. Lacy sits, so Starks gets the start and grinds out 70 yards. Rodgers has a huge night, though, throwing for 340 yards and four touchdowns, two to Cobb and one each to Montgomery and Richard Rodgers, while Cobb and Montgomery both top 100 receiving yards. Packers, 34-27

Last week's record: 8-8, 9-7 ATS
Season to date: 22-10, 19-12-1 ATS