COWBOYS NEED REDEMPTION

BY MARK HALPERN

     This Sunday at 4:25 p.m., the Dallas Cowboys will host the New England Patriots in Arlington, Texas. After last week’s debacle against the Cardinals, the Cowboys need the Defense to play like it did the first two weeks of the season. The Offense has to show what it’s capable of. On paper, this team is top five in the league, but we only count reality, and right now, they’re 2-1.

    Dak Prescott has to take all his chances this weekend to show Dallas fans he can do it. Jerry wasn’t messing around and made a statement by trading for Trey Lance. Whether Dak will be in Dallas next year will be up to him. The interception in the fourth quarter last week was just an ill-timed pass, and that’s what many Dallas fans, analysts in the NFL, and many other people have come to associate Dak with other than being a decadent version of Tony Romo. This weekend, Dak needs to run a smooth, turnover-free game, and this is a little to ask, especially with this team. Dak needs to start finding Brandin Cooks (who was said to be the game changer), whom the Cowboys traded a 5th-round pick in 2024 and a 6th-round pick in 2025 this past offseason. Cooks was supposed to take much pressure off Cee Dee Lamb, but it has been different. The running game has been a huge bright spot for the Cowboys, with Pollard, Dowdle, and Vaughn have been a solid three-headed running game. This group is one of the most robust running games in the NFL. The offensive line last week was missing three who were deactivated, and Tyron Smith dressed but did not play either (excuses, excuses. We all make them for our team, so listen.) So, it was a rookie line, and you could see the sync wasn’t there at all. So that forced a lot of false starts and constantly made it more than 12 yards on second down. The Cowboys are expected to have most of their offensive starters active for this game, so we will see what Dak and Company have in store for us.

    The Defense, what wrong can you say of this squad? Yes, they let the Cardinals tune them up, but was it because they were tired? The Dallas offense needed to be on the field longer and couldn’t make plays. To say the Defense underestimated this team is the proper term, and they didn’t take them seriously, and instead of being 3-0, they lie at 2-1. What can’t you say about Micah Parsons that hasn’t been said already? I love to watch his competitiveness and his energy in every play. However, by the middle of the third quarter, you could see that he was tired, but he still got a huge, crucial sack in the fourth when Dallas needed it the most. The secondary and linebacker core just seemed lost and tired. If they go like this into this game, Belichick will expose it. Also, defensive penalties were another thing that cost the Cowboys. You can’t give up over 120 yards in penalties and be expected to win.

     Dallas needs the Defense to play at a high level, as there is nothing that the great Belichick has seen, and the Offense has to win this game by putting points on the board more than the Defense scoring themselves.

Showdown Sunday

By Mike Rifkin

The Dolphins take their undefeated record on the road to Buffalo to play division rival Bills. The Dolphins are coming off a 70-20 win over the Broncos last week, while the Bills are coming off a 37-3 thrashing over the Commanders. The two teams met three times last year, including the Wild card round of the Playoffs. The three games were decided by eight points combined. 

Tua Tagovailoa was phenomenal last week, throwing for 309 yards and four touchdowns. Tua had more touchdowns than incompletions last week. The Dolphins run game was also huge, running for 350 yards as a team, and both De’von Achane and Raheem Mostert had four touchdowns. Tyreek Hill also had a big day with 157 yards and a touchdown on nine catches, but this week, Jaylen Waddle returns after missing last week with a concussion. 

For the Bills, the star last week was the defense, which forced five turnovers and had nine sacks. The Bills defense so far this year is second in yards allowed, third in sacks, and third in turnover differential. Over the last two weeks, the Bills have scored 75 points. 

In 10 games against the Dolphins, Josh Allen has 27 touchdowns and five interceptions with a passer rating of 106.1. Stefon Diggs has three touchdowns in six games against Miami. Tua Tagovailoa has four touchdowns and four interceptions in five games against the Bills. Tyreek Hill has 226 yards and a touchdown in five regular season games against the Bills. 

Both teams will be without a significant defensive presence. Jordan Poyer will be out for the Bills, and Jaelan Phillips will be out for the Dolphins. Yes, the Dolphins are 3-0 and are a serious contender in the AFC, but a win over the Bills in Buffalo would be a big confidence boost as we advance in the season. 

Brutal Blow

By Mike Rifkin

It was announced on Thursday that Tampa Bay Lightning Goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy underwent back surgery and will miss the season’s first two months. Vasilevskiy is the best goalie in the World, and the one guy the Lightning could not afford to lose. 

Over the last five seasons, Vasilevskiy has a record of 178-75-20 with a 2.48 Goals Against Average and a .919 save percentage. He’s played in 270 games, which only trails Connor Hellebuyck. But these stats don’t include the 77 playoff games he’s played since 2019, including leading the Lightning to back-to-back Stanley Cups and three consecutive final appearances. 

Because the Lightning is to remain compliant with the salary cap, it seems unlikely that they could trade for a goalie. They better have their fingers crossed that it is only two months since Vasilevskiy is out. But the real kicker is the Atlantic Division is better, and you want to avoid getting buried in the standings early in the season. The Lightning are a battle-tested team, and while they’ll miss Vasilevskiy (who wouldn’t), they’ll remain in the race and ready to go upon his return.

DIVISIONAL THROWDOWN

By Mark Halpern

    So, after the first three weeks in football, we got a prime-time nuclear explosion. The Detroit Lions are preparing for a Narnia-like battle between the Lions and the Packers. This new look for both teams will face off for the first two battles, becoming much more critical as the season draws on.

      Jared Goff has had this team rolling with a record of 2-1. He has limited the number of turnovers, which has helped keep them closer in the game. The running game has its challenges, but both the top 2 running backs on the Lions, Gibbs & Montgomery, could be the Lion’s #1. Of course, Montgomery will regain his elite status, but his carries might be less with the successful start of Jahmyr Gibbs. St.Brown and the wide receiver core must keep short routes to open the running game more. Last week, Sam LaPorta had his first big game and will be put into defensive study for the Packers. The offense beats the Packers by playing small ball for as long as they can to try and control this game.

      As for the defensive side, the Lions have been bringing the pressure. Last week, Desmond Ridder took seven sacks but needed more time to set a throw. The defense needs to continue the pressure. They need to come at Love with all their hate and force him to make rookie mistakes, and hopefully, that will lead to turnovers.

     The players beside Goff who need to have a big game are Gibbs, Josh Reynolds (get some heat off of St. Brown), defensive end Aidan Hutchinson, and Jerry Jacobs, as they will be busy all afternoon. The Packers should be getting back Christian Watson and Aaron Jones tonight. It should be a great game happening tonight. Ultimately, The Lions win in a low-scoring game 24-10. If the Lions win, it would be the Lions’ fourth consecutive win over the Packers.

NOT WHAT WAS EXPECTED

BY MARK HALPERN

This past weekend, the Cowboys went to Arizona, and especially what happened between the Giants and the Cardinals the week before, all signs pointed to a Dallas win. Well, that’s not what happened. 

If you didn’t see well, the Cardinals, the team said “to be tanking,” has shown life over the last two weeks, and teams shouldn’t always think the tank is on because it indeed wasn’t. I am a loyal Dallas fan and will be, but sometimes, instead of stats and facts, you need Color Commentary, and emotions get the best of you. That performance was unacceptable. Scoring one touchdown in the Red Zone. As a team, they committed 13 penalties. The defense gave up 400 yards to the Cardinals, and there’s one word to describe this game: UNACCEPTABLE.

   That said if there were any bright spots, here they are. Kevonte Turpin’s 53-yard punt return showed why he is becoming a significant offensive threat for the Cowboys, and Tony Pollard ran for 123 yards. Gallup and Dowdle showed why they are more helpful than they were in the first two games. Micah is Micah, and he will bring the intensity every week. I called for him to have a sack in each game, and so far, at least, that is coming through.

We move on from this disaster to take on the Patriots next Sunday at 4:25 pm EST.

PRIDE MAULS FLOCK OF FALCONS

By Mark Halpern

      This past weekend, the Lions took on the young and upcoming Atlanta Falcons, a game predicted to be a rookie running back showdown between Bijan Robinson and Jahmyr Gibbs. It didn’t happen, as the Lions showed why they should be feared going forward.

       Jared Goff has a team to work with, and it’s starting to come together for him, like in Los Angeles. Goff threw for 243 1td/1int and ran for a touchdown. Gibbs had a decent day with 80 yards on the ground. This was Gibbs’s first complete game day as David Montgomery was sidelined with a thigh bruise. St. Brown had another 100-yard reception game, but today was about another rookie who showed why the Lions spent a second-round pick on: Sam LaPorta. LaPorta went off for eight rec and 80 yards with his first NFL touchdown. We have heard the names of Mayer with the Raiders and Kinkaid with the Bills but only a little from Laporta. He was Goff’s second favorite target on the day, and he showed good route running and got open for a 30+ yard TD. LaPorta will make it easier for Goff to find his #1 and #2, and yes, this was just one week, but he made a name for himself.

    The Lion’s Defense was all over Desmond Ridder, sacking him seven times and hurried him more than a dozen more. The Defense didn’t record an interception because Ridder was too busy running for his life like Zach Wilson and Daniel Jones over the first few weeks of the season. This Defense I said when I did my preview was hungrier than last year and showed why they should be feared going forward.

   The Lions have a divisional matchup against the Green Bay Packers this Thursday night. Jordan Love has the Packers’ offense moving, but can the Defense stop this potent offense? We shall see. The two teams saw each other in week 18 last season when the Lions knocked the Packers out of the playoffs.   

Showtime

By Mike Rifkin

The Dolphins put up a show in their home opener on Sunday as they put up 70 points against the Broncos. This was the third time in NFL history that a team scored 70 points in a game and the first time since 1966. The Dolphins also put up 726 yards, the second most in NFL history, and they are the fourth team to score ten touchdowns in a single game.

Tua Tagovailoa continued his phenomenal start to the season by going 23-26 for 309 yards and four touchdowns. The Dolphins ran the ball for 350 yards and averaged eight yards per carry. De’Von Achane had 233 total yards and four touchdowns (2 rush, two receiving). Raheem Mostert had 142 total yards and four touchdowns (3 rush, one receiving). Tyreek Hill had nine catches for 157 yards and a touchdown. Hill had four catches for 99 yards and a touchdown against Patrick Surtain Jr. in what was supposed to be a highly anticipated matchup. The Dolphins offense did this without Jaylen Waddle, who missed the game with a concussion. 

Vic Fangio’s defense was solid, but they didn’t have to do much. The defense had a sack and forced three turnovers. They did have 12 QB hits, so the pressure was on Russell Wilson. Wilson did throw for 306 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Cortland Sutton had eight catches for 91 yards and a touchdown but did lose two fumbles. 

The Dolphins will hit the road again next week as they take on the Bills in Buffalo. Last season, the teams met three times, with the Bills winning two, including the AFC Wild Card game. Tua didn’t play in the game due to a concussion. The Broncos will go to Chicago to play the Bears in a battle of winless teams. 

On Their High Horse

By Mike Rifkin

On Sunday, the Miami Dolphins will have their home opener at Hard Rock Stadium, taking on the Denver Broncos. The Dolphins will look to go 3-0 after road wins against the Chargers and Patriots. Both games were very different; the Chargers game was a shootout, and the defense stepped up when they had to; the Patriot game was more of a conservative game, where the offense had to take what it was given. 

One of the keys to the Dolphins’ early season success has been the offensive line, which has only allowed one sack through two games. The offense has also averaged 107.5 yards per game rushing. The offensive line could be getting a boost with the impending return of Left Tackle Terron Armstead. One thing to watch is the health of receiver Jaylen Waddle. He left the Patriot game with a concussion and has been in concussion protocol throughout the week, and is questionable. 

This is a revenge game for Dolphins defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, the Broncos coach from 2019-2021, going 19-30 in those three seasons. Bradley Chubb, who was traded from the Broncos to the Dolphins at the trade deadline last year, will see his former team for the first time. Chubb is coming off his best game as a Dolphin with seven tackles, one sack, and a forced fumble. The Dolphins’ defense should get a boost with the return of Jaelan Phillips, who missed Sunday’s win over the Pats with a back injury.

The Broncos have lost their first two games by a combined three points. Russell Wilson has played better under Sean Payton but has been sacked nine times in two games. The Broncos’ offense has outstanding, skilled position players with Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, and Javonte Williams. One matchup to watch is Patrick Surtain vs. Tyreek Hill. Surtain, whose father played for the Dolphins, has become one of the elite corners in the game. 

DALLAS LOOKS TO Stay Hot In The Desert

By Mark Halpern

     This Sunday in Arizona, the Cardinals will look to change the tide of their season as they get set to take on the Dallas Cowboys. The team with the best Defense in football strolls into town this weekend to take on the winless football team.

     Last week, we saw the Cowboys demolish the New York Jets 30-10 and show why this Defense is strong again. This week, they take on a weakened Arizona team but will have to do it without star cornerback Treyvon Diggs, as he tore his ACL in practice, ending his promising start of the current year. The Defense will be okay, as Daron Bland or Jordan Lewis will be asked to start at the CB2 spot. This Arizona offense will be swallowed up by this black hole of a defense that describes what the Cowboys are doing on Defense.

     On the offensive side of the ball, look for another solid 20-plus touch game for Tony Pollard, as he will have over 100 yards rushing and at least one touchdown. Dak will look to keep the balance that has been created during the game and stick with it. Again, running the ball to draw that Defense up to the line to open the play action and look for that to be done multiple times is crucial. Unless Dallas is behind, look for the game plan to stay the same and balanced. Look for the Cowboys to come out with a win Sunday, 38-7

CAN THE PRIDE STOP THE HIGH-ENERGY FALCONS

By Mark Halpern

      Over the season’s first two games, we have seen the Lions beat some high-power offenses, such as Kansas City and Seattle. This week, they will have their first real test of a real dual offensive threat, which is the Atlanta Falcons.

     The Lions’ Defense won them in game one, and in game two, it was the offense; the question is, which side will be leaned on more? The Defensive line will have its fair share of trouble trying to stop rookie Bijan Robinson, who has had a great start to the year. However, just stopping the run game is 1 task, but this high-power offense with Ridder at the helm is very dangerous, as we saw in the comeback and defeat of the Packers. So, the Defense will have to step it up again.

    The significant concerns on offense are that of David Montgomery and Amon Ra-St Brown. Montgomery left last week’s game with what appeared to be a knee issue, and he is listed as questionable, but it’s leaning to the more doubtful side, meaning Jahmyr Gibbs will get the start. The Passing game has to have a repeat performance of last week to keep pace with the Falcons. The Falcons are no longer the joke of the league anymore, but they are still finding out who they are. Lions win in a nail bitter 30-28