2009 Top 5 NFL Games to Watch: AFC

Here are my picks for the top five games this season in the AFC.

Week 1 Tennessee Titans at Pittsburgh Steelers

Why? I felt this should have been the game to decide who went to the Super Bowl out of the AFC last year. But, it wasn't. Now the Titans can show who's boss in the AFC from week 1.

I am not a Titans fan, i just happen to live close to Titan country, and i have to hear about it a lot. But besides that, this should seriously be a great game. And a great way to start off the year.

Everybody is back from the running game for Pittsburgh. Rashard Mendenhall is back from the shoulder injury, ready and hungry to produce this year. Willie Parker, the guy Mendenhall will be backing up, is just fine as well, and should have another good year for the Steel City.

Nothing on the injury report thus far for Mewelde Moore, so, he should be a go as well.

On the other side of the field the Titans want to prove they really are Titans and look for them to be jamming the ball down Pittsburgh's throats. With backs like Chris Johnson and LenDale White, how can you go wrong?

Only issue for them right now is what capacity is Vince Young going to be used this season? And if he isn't the starter, will that be a distraction for the team.

The loss of Albert Haynesworth should make this years defense a little more susceptible to the running game. And with the departure of Bryant McFadden for the Steelers, there might be a few more balls in the air by the Titans.

Week 2: New England at NY Jets

This is an exciting game because we get to see how the Jets will stack up this year against what looks to be another great Patriots team.

Rex Ryan has mentioned before that he is not intimidated at all by anyone in the league, but we'll see how that works out for him after he puts a rookie QB in front of this very veteran defense.

With the weapons the Jets have in the backfield and out wide, the only piece left is who can distribute the ball better. Looks like they are going to go with Mark Sanchez, over the veteran Kellen Clemens.

With Thomas and Washington participating in Mini Camps, and Shonne Green added through the Draft, the backfield could be more exciting this year, than any of the previous years.

Laveranues Coles is out, so that opens doors for guys like Chansi Stucky, Jerricho Cotchery, and David Clowney, who proved to be a favorite target in last years preseason action before going down to an injury.

The Patriots are again the Patriots. And they had better hope that Brady stays healthy, with backups that consist of Kevin O'Connell and Matt Guiterrez. Guiterrez being the one who has been in the league longer, but hasn't seen as many reps as O'Connell, if any.

The backfield was also injury plagued last year for New England, but looks like everyone is bank and at full strength, with the exception of LaMont Jordan, who left through Free Agency.

With the addition of Fred Taylor, they have plenty of experience back there to get them some production.

On defense for the Jets they added Lito Sheppard, and Jim Leonhard. Sheppard, a former Philadelphia Eagle, will add experience, and a lot of talent to their defensive backfield.

Leonhard as well will be adding a lot of hustle, a good mind for the game, and not to mention some hard hitting to this years team.

The Patriots Lost Mike Vrabel, and Rodney Harrison. Ellis Hobbs also left through a Draft day trade to Philadelphia. Experience and leadership will be lacking, but the Patriots will still be a defensive unit to be reckoned with this season.

Week 6: NY Jets at Miami

This weeks game is a big one to watch in the AFC because we get to see who is the bigger talker, and who can back up what they have been saying.

Rex Ryan and Channing Crowder have been having it out in the media for the past few weeks, and it's getting pretty exciting. I am quite sure it is all in good fun, but you may not want to get a guy like Crowder fired up, since his job is to hit your players. Hard.

But if it works in Rex Ryan's favor, and he does get into Crowder's head, then maybe this was smart. With a rookie QB more-than-likely running this offense, you had better hope so.

I know Sanchez signed up to play football, but i don't think he signed up to get a huge target on his back. With at least 11 guys putting him in their cross-hairs.

Will the Wild-Pat work? Will it be used? Six weeks into this season will we see  it's flame burn out? All we can do is see, and hope if it does flame out, do the 'Phins have enough in them to get the job done without the gimmick?

Week 16: New England at Jacksonville

Fred Taylor comes home. And while I know Jacksonville fans personally, they want him to do well, just not against the hometown team.

Their biggest producer outside of Maurice Jones-Drew is gone in Matt Jones. And they do not have a good history of having productive wide receivers. With the exception of Keenan McCardell. Who is long gone.

Not sure who is going to step up and be that other back for Jacksonville. My hope is that Greg Jones finally gets a real chance to show what kind of back he is, and not just a short yardage, blocking fullback.

They do have a ton of receivers on the roster right now, but outside of Troy Williamson, Dennis Northcutt, and Torry Holt, no one has even heard of the rest.

Those three have a combined 26 years of experience. The rest of the receiving corp, which at this point consists of 8 players, has four.

I don't see this matchup favoring Jacksonville at all. But it is on my list because even though on paper they don't have a team that can beat the Patriots, they seem to show up on days like this.

Some kind of magic happens, and we all are left standing, shaking our heads. 

Week 17: KC at Denver

Final week of the season. By now we will know if it all worked out. The Matt Cassell trade. The Kyle Orton trade. Having all those running back on your team. And I am speaking of Denver, who signed 6 this off-season. But eventually cut 3.

Will this be a game that determines the Divisional champ? Or will it again be just a game between two teams who try to find a way to win, only to hit a wall each season.

Am I being to harsh on these guys? Probably. But the Division champ last year was San Diego. With an 8-8 record. Denver had the same record, but who cares?

And the Chiefs won two games all year. So, I look forward to seeing where this game ends up. Heck, by week 7 we may know what this game is gonna show us, but I like to think it's gonna be good.

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