NFL Week 2 Preview And Predictions
After a wacky Week 1, the second week of the 2010 NFL season is upon us. There were some shocking games, none more than Seattle's dismantling of what many believed to be the best 49ers team in years. Things don't get any easier for the boys in red and gold, hosting the defending Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints on Monday Night. The Colts are looking for redemption after Houston recorded its second win against the perennial powerhouses ever, with Arian Foster looking like he's at Tennessee playing a non-conference game against a bottom feeder of the Football Bowl Subdivision, not a team that's last meaningful game played was the Super Bowl. Injuries are going to be a huge part of the landscape for Week 2, with a potential backup vs. backup that is also former starter vs. former starter in the Lions-Eagles game. Ryan Grant is done for the season, but that shouldn't slow the Packers down too much against the lowly Bills.
So let's get to it, my Week 2 picks!
Green Bay Embarrases Buffalo Without Grant
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With Ryan Grant out for the year, Brandon Jackson gets the chance to prove he can be what the Packers thought when they took him. the Grant loss may hurt the Packers over the course of the year, but not this week. Expect a big day out of Jackson against a porous and depleted front seven for the Bills. Buffalo defends the pass as well as just about any team in the league, but Green Bay passes the ball better than at least 29 other teams. Strength vs strength, but expect a solid day out of Aaron Rodgers and a Green Bay blowout.
Green Bay 31, Buffalo 10
Baltimore Plays Much Better Than Vs Jets And Wins
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Everyone focuses on how bad the Jets were Monday, and several writers pointed out that this was one of the most lopsided one-point victories they'd ever seen. This is true. Baltimore had this game in the bag when the Jets had the ball down by one in the fourth, as crazy as that may sound. With a short week to work out some kinks, I still don't expect Baltimore to be firing on all cylinders. As the season goes on, this team will continue to get better. However, they will be more than good enough to beat a Cincinnati team that looked pretty bad against New England in Week 1.
Baltimore 19, Cincinnati 7
Bucaneers And Panthers Struggling For An Identity
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Weird to think that both these teams won the division within the last four years with the Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints to fight for it. Both are rebuilding right now, and trying to figure out whether they have a franchise quarterback. No matter who starts for Carolina (Moore or Clausen), this is a team that needs to rely on a great one-two punch in the backfield to get it done. Josh Freeman may be the real deal for Tampa, but he's not ready to prove himself just yet.
Carolina 20, Tampa Bay 17
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Kansas City Looks Good With McCluster And Charles
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This is a game I probably would have written off as the snoozer of the week last Sunday but after watching the Chiefs-Chargers Monday night, I'm convinced this Chiefs team can make some noise. Ultimately, I expect them to fall short of a winning record, but they have the opportunity to do it. They have some electrifying players in place in Charles and McCluster. Can Cassel prove that he was not just a beneficiary of a well-designed system in New England? The verdict's still out on that one.
Kansas City 27, Cleveland 10
Roethlisberger-Less Steelers Suffer First Loss To Chris Johnson and Titans
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Kudos to the boys from the Steel city for getting it done against a good Atlanta Falcons team without Big Ben. It's widely believed that the Steelers will need to go 2-2 under Dennis Dixon to have a shot at the playoffs. That shouldn't be a problem; but starting 2-0 will be. Tennessee looked like the team that we saw at the end of 2009; not the one who opened that season 0-6.
Tennessee 20, Pittsburgh 13
Alex Barron Won't Cost Cowboys Vs Cutler and Bears
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Bonehead play of the week is a tossup between Barron's chokehold and Dustin Keller's waltz to the sideline. Expect the Cowboys to play with more discipline. With lineman Colombo and Kosier possibly returning for action in Week 2, the Cowboys can get it together here. The Bears looked good in Week 1. Cutler had a good day throwing the ball, and 2008 Matt Forte came to play while 2009 Matt Forte sat this one out. But this isn't the Detroit Lions they're playing this week, folks.
Dallas 25, Chicago 20
Anderson and His Cardinals Battle More Menacing Birds In Ryan and Atlanta
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The team that's 0-1 is far better than the team that's 1-0 in this matchup. Derek Anderson is not the answer at quarterback, period. He didn't look that good against the lowly Rams, and expect a hideous performance that will have the Cardinals faithful screaming Max Hall's name in no time.
Falcons 20, Cardinals 6
Vick and Philadelphia Vs Hill and Detroit: Battle Of The Backups
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This was supposed to be Kolb vs Stafford, two guys ready to take their respective franchises into the future. instead its journeyman Hills vs recently voted most hated athlete Michael Vick. Vick showed vintage form in Week 1, running all over the Packers. his passing wasn't bad, but not great either. Vick is not an accurate thrower but this Lions defense isn't good enough to make him pay for it. Vick will have a field day out there and have the Philly faithful wondering if Kolb is really the rightful starter.
Philadelphia 27, Detroit 7
The Frail Ankle Of Brett Favre Won't Derail The Minnesota Vikings Just Yet
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It's going to be talked about all season. Will it hold up? The 40 year old quarterback's left ankle will be turning 82 when Brett turns 41, and at some point something has to give, doesn't it? The iron man will be playing each week like it could be his last, and after what this Miami team showed us against Buffalo, there's no reason to think that Mr. Favre won't get a win for the Purple here.
Pete Carroll And Seattle Continue To Impress Vs Denver
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Was Week 1 an anomaly or is this Seahawks team for real? One thing is for sure, the former USC coach game planned far better than Mike Singletary in Week 1. Matt Hasselbeck was partying like it was 2005 out there. I'm not sure whether this team is as good as they were in Week 1, but I am certain that they are more than sufficiently talented to beat a Denver team that Josh McDaniel's has made an absolute mess out of since joining the organization.
Seattle 23, Denver 13
Sam Bradford Watch Highlight Of This Yawner
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Keep a watchful eye on Sam Bradford here. Each game he plays he plays under a microscope as the Rams wonder if they have found the piece that's been missing since Kurt Warner. One thing's for sure, he's more likely to be St. Louis's answer than Jason Campbell is to be Oakland's. but right now, Campbell is the better quarterback and Oakland is the better team.
Oakland 17, St. Louis 13
Two Teams That Impressed In Week 1: Washington Vs. Houston
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Here's two teams that made a huge statement against a talented divisional foe in Week 1. Houston looked far better in doing it, though. Arian Foster had the most rushing yards on opening day of anyone who has never been accused of murder, and this kid is the real deal. Ya, I know, probably not too tasteful but I couldn't resist the OJ barb.
Houston 24, Washington 7
Big Talkers Vs Big Walkers: AFC East Showdown Between Jets and Patriots
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Rex Ryan- open mouth, insert foot. The snack that the Jets had Monday night couldn't have tasted too good as they played in one of the most lop-sided one point games in recent memory. The secondary aside from Revis did not impress. Add to that the loss of Jenkins to the year and an anemic pass offense, and this is not a team that will impress nearly as much as they led the viewers of Hard Knocks to believe. Meanwhile, New England looked great against a 2009 division winner (Cincinnati) and Wes Welker was wildly impressive coming back from that horrible injury.
New England 23, New York Jets 13
Overachieving Jags Visit Underachieving Chargers
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Boy, did the Chargers really lay an egg out there on Monday. There were some positives though; one being the impressive play of Legedu Naanee. Expect Malcolm Floyd to up his game this week and Ryan Matthews to improve upon his debut. The Jags looked pretty good in Week 1, but Denver isn't exactly a great team.
San Diego 17, Jacksonville 9
Yo Bro, What Up? Wanna Play Some Football? Manning Vs Manning
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Couldn't we just go out to Archie Manning's backyard and settle this one? Mom could ref and then make everyone a nice dinner after. It's always fun to watch the Mannings play each other and this is a great game to have for Sunday night. These are two quarterbacks with rings playing for what should be playoff teams this season. Simple fact is, Peyton is better than Eli and the Colts are better than the Giants. The Colts really do need to slow down the Giants backs though, after looking like like a Pop Warner defense against Arian Foster in Week 1.
Indianapolis 24, New York Giants 17
Oh, and I know this photo is more fit for a Saints/Colts game, but this chick's hot.
And Finally, a Monday Night Battle By The Bay As Brees and Co. Take On The 49ers
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The biggest letdown by far in Week 1 had to be the San Francisco 49ers. They looked out of sync and frankly Pete Carroll outcoached Mike Singletary. Alex Smith looks like Alex Smith the Bust, not Alex Smith the franchise quarterback. He doesn't even need to be a franchise quarterback for this team to do well, but he has to be better. Same goes for Michael Crabtree. He looked terrible against Seattle. Meanwhile, New Orleans went out and took care of business Thursday in an NFC Championship rematch. And their defense was more impressive than their offense. This is a team that wants another Super Bowl. I still believe that the 49ers will win the NFC West, and you will see a completely different team come Monday. But they won't be good enough to win this one.
New Orleans 26, San Francisco 17
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