NFL Week 2 Predictions: Division Clashes Sure to Be Thrillers

Division matchups are always intense. Division foes have to play each other twice a year, and one slip-up could cost a team the playoffs.

This week, there are four division clashes. The Packers beat the Bears in the first one on Thursday night.

Three more fill the slate on Sunday. What's going to happen? We let you know. 

Bengals at Browns

The two Ohio teams find themselves 0-1 after Week 1 losses. The Browns surprised a lot of people by hanging in with the Eagles, losing 17-16. The Bengals, on the other hand, were on the losing end of a beatdown by the Baltimore Ravens, losing 44-13.

Which team rebounds? The Browns will be without the services of top cornerback Joe Haden, who was suspended for violating the the NFL's substance abuse policy. That's a big loss, as Haden would've had the task of stopping A.J. Green. Without Haden, Green could have a big game. 

In addition, Brandon Weeden did not look good. The rookie was 12-of-35 for 118 yards and four interceptions. He had a quarterback rating of 5.1. Yikes.

As for the Bengals, their defense should have a nice rebound performance, after facing what suddenly appears to be the potent Baltimore Ravens.

If Andy Dalton can exploit the Haden-less Browns defense, then they should be fine. For the Browns, Weeden is going to have to improve drastically. Four interceptions is not going to cut it.

Look for the Bengals to come out on top in this battle of Ohio, winning 28-10.

Saints at Panthers

Cam Newton against Drew Brees. Two high-potency offenses. Two shaky defenses. The Saints and Panthers should be an interesting clash.

This heated rivalry is dead even, with 17 wins apiece. 

Both teams had disappointing opening weeks and are looking to rebound.

Clearly, this is going to be an offensive clash. The Saints had trouble stopping Robert Griffin III; they will have a harder time trying to stop Newton. 

The Saints will have to get the run game going, taking time off the clock so that Newton doesn't have the time to have a great game. 

The Panthers, of course, want the ball in Newton's hands as much as possible. He may get more designed running plays.

Either way, it's going to be up to which defense can make the most stops. The Panthers made a concerted effort this offseason to improve on that end. They had a good start by giving up only 16 points against the Buccaneers. 

But the Bucs are not the Saints, and the Saints put up 32 points on a good Redskins defense.

If the Saints get the run game going enough to keep the ball out of Newton's hands, they should come out with the victory. The final score should be the Saints 32, Panthers 21.

Texans at Jaguars

The Texans are one of the top teams in the AFC, and will look to establish that dominance over their AFC South partners, the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Texans beat up on the hapless Dolphins, winning by a score of 30-10. They had a balanced performance that highlighted their terrific defense, led by Brian Cushing. 

The Jaguars, conversely, lost in overtime to the Vikings, by a score of 26-23. Blaine Gabbert looked better, but still made too many costly mistakes.

The Texans are the much better team; if they stay healthy, they could win the Super Bowl. The Jaguars will benefit from Maurice Jones-Drew having a week under him after his holdout, but the Texans are too good to lose in this one. Look for the final score to be Texans 24, Jaguars 17.