Week 2 Preview

The problem with week 1 of the NFL is that we (we being armchair sports experts) try to read too much into results. We want everything to be spelled out for use immediately. You suck in week one you suck forever. You’re great in week one you’re gonna crush everyone. A team like the Vikings who had Super Bowl aspirations isn’t suddenly doomed after a geriatric performance by Brett Favre. Nor are the Seahawks world beaters after the beat down they put on the 49’ers in week one. The key to viewing the first week is moderation. Don’t ignore the results but don’t take the approach of a small and only remember your immediate past. With that being said lets ignore the past paragraph I just wrote and draw some ridiculous conclusions from week one.

I swore I saw this guy at my rec league

The Bills still suck…in a big way
Unless the Miami Dolphins defense are more stout than anybody predicted the Buffalo Bills offense will be absolutely putrid this year. This was about as big a gap in talent and execution you can have in a 15-10 game. Throughout the entire game the Bills only manage to put together 2 drives of 8 plays or more. Trent Edwards has the look of a quarterback you wouldn’t trust leading your YMCA touch football team, yet there he was with a chance to win the game in the last 2 minutes. Not much a chance mind you as they started from their own 1 but still a chance none the less, he then proceeds to telegraph a dump off, under throw, and overthrow on consecutive downs. Watching a game like that I couldn’t help but think of the Bed and Breakfast offense of the now infamous 2006 Raiders, That juggernaut averaged 10.6 points per game while being dreadful in every phase.



The Chiefs however might not

All praise be to Mike Mayock

In an absolutely great Monday night performance by both the crowd and the team the Kansas Chiefs upset the Chargers in a game that was all about running the football, defense, and special teams. This game might be equal parts the Chargers not being as good as we thought and the Chiefs being better, but the end result is the chiefs are still better. The conservative play calling after the 21-7 lead should have bitten them in the ass luckily Phillip Rivers was too busy berating his teammates to throw too many completions. Being the Mike Mayock convert I am it was not surprising to see Dexter MccCluster going up and down the field like he was playing tag football on punt returns. Jamal Charles is still Chris Johnson light and is probably the 2nd most explosive runner in football, you combine that with a Thomas Jones who still looks relatively quick and powerful and you have yourselves the makings of a dominant running game.

The Patriots will crush you
The Patriots would just like to remind everyone that with basically this same team on offense 3 years ago they went through the league like they were playing madden on rookie. They were beating folks that year by an average 19.7 points per game!! Yikes. So of course watching Tom Brady and Wes Welker rip the Bengals to shreds is going to bring back memories of that, especially when the Bengals were supposed to be a legit playoff team with a pretty good secondary. The scariest thing about that game is that the Bengals still might be that and they were just outclassed.


If the Oakland Raiders are a sleeper somebody better wake them up
This year for the first time since the Kerry Collins Randy Moss era the Raiders were a chic sleeper pick by a number of people. Then week 1 happened. So after a 38-13 demolition that wasn’t even that close, what is there to say about the Raiders? Will they continue their “commitment to excellence” by losing 11 games for the 8th straight season? Giving up a 150 to Chris Johnson isn’t shameful; a number of good teams will do that. The problem is when Vince Young looks like he’s back playing at Texas running the option against you for 20 yards a touch, or he’s throwing 50 yard strikes to unguarded receivers. When Jason Campbell is wondering if he O line realizes they’re supposed to block the guys across from them not just watch them. A lot of people say the league is better when the Raiders are good, well they’ve been bad for quite a while and the league seems to be doing fine.

Arian Foster would like to say Hello

Same time next year right guys??

I don’t know if I can remember an opening weekend running performance like the one Arian Foster put on last Sunday. 33 carries, 231 yards, and 3 touchdowns in what must have been absolutely demoralizing to the Colts defense. Bob Sanders manages to make it through an entire quarter of a game before being injured and that’s their reward? How unfair is that. On the drive that pretty much ended the game he goes for consecutive runs of 42,11, and 25 yards the last of which was a touchdown to put the Texans up 27 10. As a defense you can’t give up back to back to back runs like that unless A. You don’t have the scheme/Talent to match up with the Texans or B. You’ve been getting pounded all game and you’ve packed it in. I tend to think it’s a little from column A and B. We all know the Colts aren’t opposed to packing it in when things don’t go their way Example 1A Week 16 2009 Colts vs. Jets. The Jets hang around a little too long for the colts liking, Peyton Manning gets hit a few times too many and bingo the Colts say enh…we don’t care about a perfect season anyway on the 2nd drive of the 3rd quarter.

Now let’s get to some predictions


Arizona @ Atlanta

Atlanta -6.5

The Falcons come out of week one 0-1 after losing to the Steelers lead by the reincarnation of Kordell Stewart aka Dennis Dixon. I would say that doesn’t bode well for them but they’re about to run into the train wreck that is the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals threw for 300ish yards, forced 4 turnovers, and were playing a rookie quarterback in his first game. Yet they only won by 3? Why you ask they also had 4 turnovers of their own, got that 300 yards on at a 50% completion clip and generally displayed the ineptitude of a team with Derek Anderson at quarterback. 6.5 is a bit much but I’d still take Matty Ice and the Falcons over this dreadful bunch.

Falcons 24

Cardinals 13


Tampa Bay @ Carolina

Carolina -3.5

Speaking of dreadful that’s the perfect word to describe the Bucs vs. Browns contest of last week. It took a classic Jake Delhomme Performance to power the Bucs to victory, however it was a win. Carolina comes into this game 0-1 not looking to fall two games behind a division foe. Luckily for the Bucs they’re facing one of the few Qb’s who threw more int’s than Delhomme in the opening weekend that being Matt Moore. Carolina can’t stop the pass and Josh Freeman is just good enough to make them pay. Carolina gets their run game going but it’s just not enough. I like the Bucs in a slight upset.

Buccaneers 17

Carolina 14


Baltimore @Cincinnati

Baltimore -1

This has the makings of a classic physical AFC North battle. Don’t let the passing numbers from last week fool you, both of these teams like to run the football first. Carson Palmer got yardage in garbage time down 31-3 up to that point he got nothing going against the Pats. Joe Flacco on the other had moved past a brutal sack fumble and interception in the early going to put together a solid game. Combine that with the Bengals getting to see a tougher defense in the Ravens and a Ravens team that has to be thinking payback after the Bengals swept them in the division last year. It’s the makings for an 0-2 start for the orange cats.

Ravens 27

Bengals 13


Kansas City @ Cleveland

Cleveland -3

So earlier I talked about Kansas City maybe being a bit better than previously thought and about how Cleveland looked pretty terrible. Well both of those things still apply. However a lot of the emotion from that new stadium opener for the Chiefs may have worn off and now it’s Cleveland at home. The only problem is everyone in Cleveland will be too busy burning their Lebron James jerseys to make it to the game.

Chiefs 16

Browns 10


Chicago @ Dallas

Dallas -7

Really by 7? That Dallas team is beating anybody by 7? I can’t see it. I think the Redskins D is going to be pretty good but that Cowboys Offense is ghastly. The starters on their offensive line weren’t that good and they’re missing two of them already, and Chicago has just the guy to punish them for it. Alex Barron I’d like you to meet Julius Peppers. Lovie Smith should line Peppers up against Barron on every passing snap; it’s the equivalent of throwing a deep pass trying to get pass interference or a touchdown, you’ll either get a sack or a holding penalty. That being said Jay Cutler is still terrible and the Cowboys defense showed they’re for real not allowing a redskins score outside 2 Redskins field goals. Dallas will get the win but it’ll be closer than previously thought

Cowboys 24

Bears 20


Philadelphia @ Detroit

Philadelphia – 3.5

The triumphant return of Michael Vick. Looking at his performance last week it’s hard not to come away impressed but the question remains can he put together something similar when a defense has a week to prepare. The Lions front four looked pretty good against the Bears but they also gave up 300 yards passing. The Lions will come out firing after getting robbed last week but with no Stafford and not enough talent the Birds take this one.

Eagles 23

Lions 14


Buffalo @ Green Bay

Green Bay -13

The Packers came out of week 1 pretty impressively, managing to beat the Eagles while only clicking offensively for a quarter. They’ll click for more than that against the Bills.

Packers 37

Buffalo 13


Minnesota @Miami

Minnesota -5.5

This might be the most intriguing game of the week. The Dolphins looked like a tough classic Bill Parcells team last week, but they also did it against the Bills. While the Vikings looked out of sorts but it was against the Super Bowl Champs. Even with no Sidney Rice I don’t see Brett Favre coming back to go start this season 0-2.

Vikings 24

Dolphins 17


Pittsburgh @ Tennessee

Tennessee -5

This is another game that sets up to be a battle of tough teams that try to beat you with their defense and their running games. The Steelers have managed to keep Chris Johnson bottled up rather well in their last matchup, however that was with Kerry Collins at QB not Vince Young. I think Vince adds another wrinkle to their offense that will get them the victory but it’ll be close

Titans 20

Steelers 17


St. Louis @ Oakland

Oakland -3.5

In the ugliest game of the week we have the Raiders vs. the Rams. The raiders laid an absolute egg last week while the Rams were competitive against what seemed like a pretty bad Cardinals team. The Raiders can’t stop the run and I think Steven Jackson gets going allowing Sam Bradford to build off a decent showing in his first game to get his first road victory.

Rams 20

Raiders 13


New England @ New York

New England -3.5

The last time the Jets saw the Patriots, Tom Terrific and the Pats hung up 31 on the Jets defense, while Mark Sanchez threw 4 interceptions. With Sanchez relegated to pretty much check downs and dump offs and Darrelle Revis nursing a sore hamstring thing aren’t looking good for the Jets. I see a bit of déjà vu.

Patriots 34

Jets 13


Jacksonville @ San Diego

San Diego -7

San Diego didn’t look that good Monday night against the Chiefs. Their offense was sluggish and their special teams were putrid. The Jags however looked relatively crisp in their passing game against what’s supposed to be a solid Denver secondary. One stat hangs over all of this however. The Jags lost both of the games they played on the West Coast last year 61-3. Yikes. I hate to say it but the Chargers get back on track and avoid another early season slump.

Chargers 31

Jaguars 20


Houston @ Washington

Houston – 3

Does Arian Foster continue his rampage or does the Skins D show that they’re for real. Hmmmm I’m gonna go with neither and say that Andre Johnson Victimizes however covers him and the Texans remind everyone that before game 1 everyone thought they could air it out and they still can.

Texans 27

Redskins 13


New York @ Indianapolis

Indianapolis -5.5

The Manning bowl 2. I’m sure you’ve heard this a lot by now but the last time Peyton Manning started a season 0-2 was his rookie year. Well sorry to say it Peyton but things have come full circle. The Colts can’t stop the run and Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are just good enough to make them pay. The giants pull an upset and spoil the Colts home opener

Giants 31

Colts 28


San Francisco @ New Orleans

New Orleans -6

San Francisco just got taken apart by USC Northwest in the Seahawks home opener. Going from one of the toughest stadiums in the NFL to arguably an ever tougher home crowd and most definitely a tougher home team, Things don’t bode well for the Niner’s. Saints roll

Saints 37

Niner's 20