Bill Simmons provided his signature outspoken and unfiltered recap of Week 2’s NFL action on his podcast. Simmons analyzed the key games and quarterback struggles in depth, praising surprise standouts like Lamar Jackson while criticizing disappointments like Russell Wilson.
Read on for Simmons’ rapid-fire takes on the Patriots’ mediocrity, the Chargers’ heartbreaking loss, and the looming likelihood of quarterback changes in Denver and New York.
Patriots vs Dolphins
Bill Simmons expressed frustration with the Patriots’ mediocre performance against the Dolphins. He criticized the lack of explosive plays and deep threats on offense, saying the Patriots seem to be “doing everything methodically” with “10-11 play drives.”
On defense, Simmons thought the Patriots “did some good stuff” and didn’t let Tua Tagovailoa “beat them.” However, he lamented cornerback Jalen Mills losing Tyreek Hill on key plays that allowed the Dolphins to tie the game.
Simmons criticized Mac Jones’ performance, calling him a “below average starting quarterback.” He highlighted Jones’ bad interception that was “really, really bad” and noted his lackluster 231 passing yards on 42 attempts. Simmons doesn’t think the Patriots currently look like “one of the best 16 teams, much less 10.”
Ravens vs Bengals
Simmons praised Lamar Jackson’s performance against the Bengals, saying he was the “best offensive player we saw today.” He highlighted Jackson’s passing and rushing stats, as well as his ability to extend drives on third downs.
Meanwhile, Simmons expressed concern about Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ performance. He doesn’t think the Bengals looked “sharp” and said their defense isn’t as good as last year. Simmons believes the Ravens deserved to win and are currently the better team. He thinks Cincinnati could be in “a little bit of trouble here.”
Chiefs vs Jaguars
Simmons criticized the Jaguars’ goal line execution, noting they had multiple shots inside the 5-yard line but failed to score a touchdown. He blamed both Trevor Lawrence for coming up empty in the red zone, and Jaguars receivers for not getting their feet down in the end zone.
Overall, Simmons was disappointed in the Jaguars offense that many were high on coming into the season. He still believes the Titans are the favorites to win the AFC South division.
Chargers vs Titans
Simmons remains skeptical of the Chargers despite their perceived talent. He criticized their inability to close out games, noting this was their second straight loss in a close matchup.
Simmons highlighted the Chargers’ defensive struggles, saying teams are able to do “literally anything they want” against them. He doesn’t envision the defensive issues getting fixed under Brandon Staley’s leadership. Simmons thinks the Chargers will remain a “talented, frustrating” team that is “destined to be .500.”
On the Titans, Simmons feels a bit better about Ryan Tannehill’s performance. He thinks Tannehill benefited from facing the Chargers’ porous defense. But Simmons is optimistic Tannehill showed enough to validate his preseason pick of the Titans to win the division.
Rest of the League
Simmons touched on several other Week 2 games:
- On the NFC South teams at 2-0 (Bucs, Falcons, Commanders), he only buys the Bucs as a potential playoff team.
- On the Seahawks, Simmons admitted his Week 1 reaction was wrong. Seattle looks much improved from the first half of last season.
- On the Giants, Simmons feels a little better after their big comeback win. But he remains skeptical about Daniel Jones and the offense.
- On the Rams win over the Falcons, Simmons admitted he was very wrong about them tanking this season. The Rams have more talent than anticipated.
Quarterback Struggles
Simmons discussed several struggling QBs/Coach and ranked the order he expects teams to bench them/fired:
- Russell Wilson (earliest)
- Zach Wilson
- Brandon Staley
- Justin Fields (latest)
He explained why Denver should have the quickest hook on Russell Wilson based on his steep performance decline.
Here is a draft news article using Bill Simmons’ words on his Week 3 NFL game predictions with Cousin Sal:
Bill Simmons and Cousin Sal Make Week 3 NFL Game Predictions
Thursday Night: Steelers at Browns
Simmons predicted the Browns would be favored by 3 points at home against the Steelers. The actual line was Browns by 4.5.
He thought the line might drop later in the week to Browns by just 3.5, thinking people may back Pittsburgh after their strong Monday night performance.
Sunday: Saints at Panthers
Simmons picked the Saints as 4.5 point favorites on the road against the Panthers. However, the actual line was Saints by 3.
He expects the line to continue dropping during the week, potentially to Saints by just 3.5. Simmons believes the Saints are clearly the better team than the Panthers despite Carolina being favored at home.
Sunday: Chargers at Colts
Both Simmons and Sal considered this a big game between two 0-2 teams needing a win. Simmons made the Chargers a 1 point favorite on the road. The actual line was Colts by 3.
Simmons thinks the Chargers get overvalued by the betting markets. He sees both teams as fairly even despite Indy being favored at home.
Sunday: Packers vs Saints
Simmons predicted the Packers would be 3 point home favorites against the Saints. The actual line was Packers by 2.5.
He was surprised by the low line and thinks it may underestimate Green Bay as a playoff contender. Simmons sees both teams as above average units.
Sunday: Eagles at Commanders
Simmons saw this as a tricky game for the Eagles and made them 4.5 point favorites on the road. But the actual line was Eagles by 6.5.
He thinks the high spread disrespects Washington too much. Simmons doesn’t fully trust the Eagles yet and can envision the line dropping later in the week.
Monday: Cowboys at Giants
Simmons made the Cowboys 10.5 point road favorites against the Giants. The actual line was 12.5.
He thinks the high line makes sense given Dallas’ strong start and New York’s quarterback uncertainty. Barring turnovers, Simmons envisions Dallas winning decisively.
Rest of the Games
Simmons made predictions on point spreads for all the remaining Week 3 games. He and Sal end up tied on their guesses versus the actual lines.
Some highlights:
- Simmons sees the Dolphins covering as 6 point favorites at home vs. the struggling Bills.
- He views the Ravens as rightly favored by 8.5 at home against the banged up Colts.
- Simmons thinks the Chiefs should be at least 10.5 point home favorites against the woeful Bears.
- For the NFC East showdown between Eagles & Commanders, he saw Philly as 4.5 point road favorites.