Two Big-Time NFL Upsets Are Predicted on Sunday
The NFL's Week 2 slate featured some notable upsets - namely the Tampa Bay Buccaneers over the Detroit Lions and Las Vegas Raiders over the Baltimore Ravens - and there may be more on the way this weekend.
In a weekly bold predictions column published on Friday, CBS Sports writer Garrett Podell picked two big-time upsets on the Week 3 schedule.
The first features the "Sunday Night Football" contest between the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons. Despite the NFL's longest current win streak (eight games), Podell isn't buying what the Chiefs are selling this week.
"The Chiefs are vulnerable," Podell wrote. "They are one of just two teams in the NFL to have a 2-0 record while trailing in each game along with the Seattle Seahawks. ... Their defense is also not ideally equipped to face the Falcons' top playmaker in running back Bijan Robinson."
On the offensive side of the ball, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is 1-0 in his career against the Falcons, 17-4 in the month of Sept. and 38-11 in road games.
Podell also sees a second Super Bowl contender from the AFC, the Houston Texans, coming up short to an underdog in Minnesota.
"(Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud) has been sacked seven times in 2024, tied for the sixth-most in the NFL," Podell wrote. "That's not ideal as he and the 2-0 Texans hit the road to play the 2-0 Minnesota Vikings, the NFL's early leader in sacks (11), quarterback hits (19) and co-league leader in quarterback pressures (36) this season."
In Stroud's first season in 2023, Houston went 4-4 in his eight road starts.
According to ESPN BET , the Chiefs are three-point road favorites in Atlanta while the Texans are favored by two points in Minnesota.
Related: Chiefs Star Calls 'BS' After NFL Changes Stats Three Days Later Related: ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. Facing Backlash for 'Ridiculous' NFL TakeThis story was originally published September 21, 2024, 12:30 AM.
