NFL Week 3: Apologies, Week-to-Week Baffles, and Bold Predictions

As Week 3 of the 2025 NFL season kicks off, hosts Darin Hayes and guest NFL historian Ed Kleese from the Pigskin Dispatch podcast dive into the unpredictability of the league, issuing apologies and making some bold predictions. It’s a week-to-week league, and the hosts admit they were wrong on some of their most confident picks.

1. Public Apologies

After two weeks of shocking results, both hosts offered apologies for their preseason takes.

• Ed’s Apology to the Green Bay Packers: Despite predicting a slow start for the Packers, Ed admits he was dead wrong. The Packers have been the most impressive and dominant team in the league, dismantling opponents with both physical play and brilliant scheme-based strategies. Their defense, in particular, has been a major surprise, shutting down top-tier offenses. Ed is quickly changing his mind, now seeing the Packers as a legitimate contender for the Super Bowl.
• Ed’s Apology to Baker Mayfield: Ed also offers a mea culpa to Baker Mayfield. Initially doubting his talent and calling him a “good backup,” Ed has been forced to revise his opinion. Mayfield has proven to be a top-ten quarterback, showing an incredible ability to perform under pressure. With two game-winning drives already this season, his knack for late-game heroics has made him a player to be feared in the fourth quarter.

2. The Baffling Week-to-Week League

The NFL is a week-to-week league, and both hosts agree that the cliché holds.

• Giants Offense: After a dismal Week 1 performance where Russell Wilson looked “cooked,” he came back in Week 2 and nearly threw for 500 yards, proving how quickly a team can turn things around.
• Lions Offense: The Detroit Lions’ offensive line was dismantled in Week 1 by the Packers, but came back and scored 52 points against the Bears in Week 2.
• Broncos Defense: The Broncos defense, which looked like the best in the league in Week 1, couldn’t get off the field in Week 2.
• Jets & Geno Smith: The Jets went from “feisty and spry” in Week 1 to “awful and embarrassing” in Week 2, while Geno Smith went from a career day to a dreadful performance, showing how quickly defensive coordinators can adjust to a team’s plan.

3. Week 3 Bold Predictions

With their week 2 predictions largely falling flat, the hosts are back with new takes.

• Bears Upset Cowboys: Both hosts agree that the 0-2 Bears will win a shootout at home against the Dallas Cowboys, who they believe will be in many high-scoring games this season.
• Jets Keep it Close: Ed predicts that the New York Jets, with or without Justin Fields at quarterback, will stay within striking distance of the Buccaneers in their first home game in Tampa.
• Daniel Jones Throws for Three Scores: Darin, after disrespecting Daniel Jones last week, now predicts that the Giants quarterback will throw for three touchdowns against the Titans.
• Wentz vs. Browning: In a game featuring two backup quarterbacks, Ed predicts a high-scoring affair with at least four combined touchdown passes. Darin agrees with the high-scoring nature of the game but sees the Bengals and Jake Browning pulling off the win.
• The Tush Push Ends in Drama: Ed predicts that the “tush push” play, used by the Eagles, will be the subject of a negative turning point in their upcoming game against the Rams. He believes the NFL will send a message by penalizing the play to make a statement about its safety and legality. Darin agrees, comparing the play to the now-banned “flying wedge” and fears a significant injury could be the final nail in its coffin.