No pro sports league has done a better job of marketing itself than the NFL. Every game feels like a can't-miss event, so that whether it's a Super Bowl rematch on Monday Night Football or an early morning AFC South matchup from London, fans are locked in.
Part of the lure of the NFL is that the only predictable thing about it is its unpredictability. That oblong ball does funny things sometimes, which is why almost no lead is safe, and crazy things, like the seemingly Super Bowl-bound Packers losing to the moribund Browns, happen all the time.
If you're going to make predictions on the NFL, it pays to go out on a limb and avoid the chalk. That way you'll at least look smart if your guesses turn out to be correct. That's the theme of the day today, as we're making four bold predictions that may actually have a chance to happen.
Jaxson Dart shocks the undefeated Chargers in his first start
The Giants are winless through three weeks, and already Brian Daboll is placing his season, and his head coaching career, in the hands of rookie Jaxson Dart.
Dart has a tough assignment for his first pro start, as he'll be taking on a Chargers team that has been very impressive through three weeks. Jim Harbaugh's guys are 3-0, with wins already against each one of their AFC West rivals. Justin Herbert has finally taken his long-awaited leap, while Keenan Allen looks reborn after returning from a short stint in Chicago.
The Chargers have allowed less than 17 points per game so far, and they've been especially stingy against the pass. Opponents are averaging the second-lowest yards per throw and the fifth-lowest completion percentage against Jesse Minter's D, and it's not like they've been putting up these numbers against Spencer Rattler or JJ McCarthy, they've done it against Patrick Mahomes, Geno Smith and Bo Nix.
Still, I like the Giants to shock the world. Dart can use his legs to make things happen, which should give this stagnant offense a bit more potential. Cam Skattebo emerged against the Chiefs last week to take over as the feature back, so Dart won't have to do it on his own.
The Giants have one of the best front fours in the league, and with Abdul Carter and Brian Burns, they'll get after Herbert. He's already been sacked 10 times behind an offensive line that is missing Rashawn Slater for the year, and the run game has yet to find its footing. Being one-dimensional is no way to win on the road, and we've all seen the difficulty west coast teams have traditionally had when flying east.
The Chargers won a hard-fought, physical game against the Broncos last week. The Giants will be energized by their new face of the franchise. Let's go with the upset.
Caleb Williams puts on another show while Ashton Jeanty finally breaks out
Caleb Williams silenced his doubters, for a week at least, by taking home the NFC Offensive Player of the Week award after his four-touchdown, 297-yard effort against the Cowboys on Sunday. That game was the first real sign that Caleb's newly formed partnership with head coach Ben Johnson could meet its lofty expectations. Caleb connected on a flea flicker bomb to Luther Burden III, he continued his strong chemistry with Rome Odunze and he avoided being sacked for the first time in his career.
Now he gets to go against a Raiders defense that just allowed Marcus Mariota to score 34 points (another seven came from a 90-yard punt return). Vegas is known for its buffets, and Caleb will have no shortage of options to throw to. He hit four different receivers for touchdowns last week and could just as easily find four different guys on Sunday, from Colston Loveland and Olamide Zaccheaus to D'Andre Swift. Don't be shocked if Ben Johnson calls one of his patented offensive lineman throws and gets the ball in the hands of Darnell Wright for the other one.
On the other side of the ball, the Raiders have been getting big numbers from Geno Smith but underwhelming stats from highly touted rookie Ashton Jeanty. The problem isn't necessarily Jeanty, he just hasn't had much room to operate behind a lackluster offensive line.
Before the Cowboys let last week's game get away from them, Javonte Williams was having a great day on the ground. He ended the day with only 10 carries, but still managed to run for 76 yards. That comes on the heels of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery combining for over 150 yards against the Bears in Week 2, and Jordan Mason wearing them down in the second half in Week 1.
The Bears were 27th in the league against the run last year, and they're currently 26th this year. Middle linebacker TJ Edwards is probably going to be out again with the hamstring injury he suffered in Week 2, making this the perfect opportunity for Jeanty to break out against a banged-up defense that isn't that good to begin with.
A matchup between 1-2 teams may not be as anticipated as some other matchups on the docket, but this has sneaky game of the week potential from an entertainment standpoint. Look for Caleb to throw for 300, Jeanty to run for 100, and both teams to score in bunches. I'm going with the Bears 31-28.
Chiefs panic reaches a new high after the Ravens beat them by double digits in Arrowhead
Unless you're all-in on the upcoming nuptuals between Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift, there's not much to be excited about in Chiefs Kingdom these days. The offense is a chore to watch, with none of the excitement that was once the trademark of the Andy Reid-Patrick Mahomes pairing, and the pixie dust that carried the Chiefs to an 11-0 record in one-score games last year seems to have run out.
The Chiefs are already two games back of the Chargers in the NFC West, and for the second time in three weeks, they're faced with the indignity of being home underdogs. The sportsbooks were right in Week 2, as the Eagles won a grind-it-out Super Bowl rematch, and I think they'll be right again.
The Baltimore Ravens are also 1-2, but their problems feel more correctable than what ails the Chiefs. Derrick Henry has contracted an uncharacteristic case of fumbleitis, and it's cost them against both the Bills and the Lions, two top Super Bowl contenders.
Baltimore is going to be pissed about being 1-2, and unlike the Chiefs, they have the horses to do something about it. Lamar Jackson has only beaten Kansas City one time in his career, so he'll be looking to change the narrative. It feels sacriligeous to say, but I think the Ravens beat the brakes off the Chiefs, sending the entire fanbase into full-on panic mode. I'm calling this one 31-10 Ravens, which would make it one of the most lopsided losses in Patrick Mahomes' career.
Mike McDaniel coaches his last game as the Dolphins lose at home to the Jets on Monday night
Mike McDaniel sure feels like a dead man walking. Even in training camp, he was saying bizarre things like it's a great morning "because we're another day closer to death." His words are looking more prescient by the day as his team has fallen to 0-3 while giving up over 30 points every game.
A three-game losing streak is bad, but it's not necessarily apocalyptic. Stretching it to four with a home loss on Monday Night Football to the Jets? That's when things get dark.
Jets quarterback Justin Fields is still in the concussion protocol after missing last week's game, and his status for Monday night is still unknown. Frankly, I don't think it matters. The Jets nearly upset the Bucs last week with Tyrod Taylor under center, so I think they'll handle the Dolphins either way. Miami's D can't stop anybody, and Tua Tagovailoa has been good for at least one back-breaking pick every game.
Picking the Dolphins to lose isn't bold in and of itself, but I think this will be the final straw for McDaniel's tenure in South Beach. Dolphins owner Stephen Ross can no longer feel good about the direction the team is heading under its embattled coach, so a day or two after the Jets keep them winless, I expect the hammer to fall. It might even happen in the postgame locker room if Jets head coach Aaron Glenn busts out another one of these.
So…Aaron Glenn’s sideline celebration is 🔥🔥🔥 with Earth, Wind & Fire attached to it. pic.twitter.com/KRAwV843LI
— JennaLaineESPN (@JennaLaineESPN) September 22, 2025