NFC Week 3 Review
by Predictem.com Staff
It appears that news of the death of Brett Favres career may be exaggerated. The Green Bay Packers, in large part thanks to a fine performance by Favre, got their first win under new head coach Mike McCarthy by beating the Detroit Lions 31-24 Sunday in Motown.
Green Bay had not run the ball very well in losing to the Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints, gaining 166 yards on the ground total through those first two games of this season. And the Packers only got 60 rushing yards Sunday. But Favre did a good job of using short tosses to his running backs as part of a running game. Green Bay backs had 11 catches for over 100 yards, and Favre used a 75-yard catch-and-run TD (#400 on his career) to put up a 25/36/340, 3 TD day.
Over the last two weeks, Favre is 56 of 91 for 680 yards and six TDs (with one INT).
Detroit outrushed the Packers 105-60 and moved the ball pretty well throughout the game. But GB also scored on an interception return for a TD, which basically was the ball game. The Packers won outright as seven-point road underdogs, and the game went well over the posted total of 39.
The Seattle Seahawks jumped all over the New York Giants Sunday, snatching a 35-0 lead on their way to a 42-30 win. But Seattle suffered what could be a significant loss when MVP RB Shaun Alexander left the game with a broken bone in his foot. Alexander is expected to miss at least the next couple of games.
New York, meanwhile, is now a team that lost its season opener, then fell behind 24-7 to the Philadelphia Eagles before coming back in a minor miracle last week, and trailed Seattle by five touchdowns Sunday before scoring. The Giants may want to think about taking a lead sometime soon. All those points scored in the fourth quarter Sunday were just window dressing.
Seattle held a 38/22 time-of-possession advantage over New York.
The Seahawks easily covered the spread as 3 -point home chalk, and the game went way over the posted total of 43.
The Minnesota Vikings led the Chicago Bears 16-12 and had the ball with 3 minutes to go in the game Sunday at the Metrodome. But then Viking RB Chester Taylor fumbled, and a few plays later Chicagos Rex Grossman (whod had a tough day until then) hit Rashied Davis over the middle for the winning score in a 19-16 Bears win.
Minnesota built that hard-earned lead on three field goals and an interception return for a touchdown. On the season, the Viking offense has produced one touchdown, that on the first drive of the season against the Washington Redskins. Minnesotas other TD this season came last week against the Carolina Panthers on a fake field goal.
Meanwhile, Chicago, for some reason, ran the ball just 18 times Sunday and threw it 41 times. Minnesota outrushed the Bears 97-51.
The Chicago defense has now allowed one offensive touchdown through three games this season.
The Vikings are now 9-3 straight up since Brad Johnson took over as the starting QB in Week 7 last season.
Chicago won the game but could not cover the number as 3 -point road favorites. And thanks to 20 points combined by the two teams in the fourth quarter, the over/under on this game pushed.
The Carolina Panthers outrushed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday 101-64, limited the impotent Tampa offense to 209 total yards, held a 34-26 time-of-possession advantage, led the game 17-0 right off the bat and busted Buc QB Chris Simms spleen. And yet Carolina couldnt cover the spread as three-point road chalk. Tampa actually rallied and led 24-23 with five minutes to go in the game. But Panther kicker John Kasay, who had already hit field goals from 51, 50 and 49 yards, booted a 46-yarder in the last few seconds to give Carolina a 26-24 victory.
The Panthers have now beaten the Bucs in Tampa the last four seasons.
Who knows how long Simms will be out for. Tampas back-up team at QB is former 49er Tim Rattay and rookie Bruce Gradkowski.
By losing by just two points, the Bucs helped home underdogs go 4-2 against the spread last week. This game also went over the posted total of 33 early in the third quarter.
Arizona Cardinals QB Kurt Warner threw three interceptions Sunday vs. the St. Louis Rams, one in the end zone with Arizona in the red zone, and fumbled the ball away with Arizona driving for the winning score with under two minutes to play as St. Louis held on for a 16-14 win.
Arizona outrushed the Rams 101-63, but couldnt overcome Warners four turnovers.
St. Louis won outright as four-point road dogs, and the game stayed well under its posted total of 44.
The Philadelphia Eagles grabbed a 24-3 lead at San Francisco Sunday and cruised to a 38-24 win as six-point road favorites. Philly scored on a 71-yard run by RB Brian Westbrook in the second quarter and a 98-yard fumble return in the third quarter, held a 35/25 TOP advantage and forced four 49er turnovers.
San Francisco RB Frank Gore left the game with bruised ribs, but early indications are hell play Sunday in Kansas City. The news is not good, however, on Niner TE Vernon Davis, who is out for at least a month with a broken bone in his leg.
The game went over its posted total of 42.
The New Orleans Saints, playing at home in the Superdome for the first time since President Bush killed all those black people last year (can you smell the sarcasm?), used pure emotion to shut down the Atlanta Falcons 23-3 on Monday Night Football.
New Orleans got off to a quick start, blocking a punt for a touchdown a minute and a half into the game, and later scored on a double reverse. The Saints outrushed Atlanta 146-117, held a 33/27 TOP advantage, and limited Mr. Vick and his gang to just 229 total yards of offense.
N'awlins won the game outright as four-point home underdogs, and the game settled well below its posted total of 44.